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Genealogical Records for Antonio Bertucci (c. 1860s–1924)

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Immigration and Naturalization Records

Antonio Bertucci likely arrived in the United States as part of the large Sicilian immigration to Louisiana in the late 19th/early 20th century. According to one biographical source, his family emigrated from Italy in 1904, settling first in New Orleans. Before coming to America, Antonio had received a formal education and even served as a naval engineer and telegraph operator in Italy. In New Orleans, he initially worked in the restaurant trade, reflecting a common trajectory for Italian immigrants of the era.

As for naturalization, a New Orleans index of declarations shows an “Antonio Bertucci” filing a Declaration of Intent (first papers) – listed as born in “Naples” (perhaps referring to the Kingdom of Naples/Southern Italy). This indicates he began the citizenship process in Louisiana. (Volume 3a, Number 619, Page 19 is cited for this record.) It’s worth noting that many Sicilians entered through the Port of New Orleans rather than Ellis Island, so ship manifests and passenger lists from New Orleans (e.g. Palermo to N.O. routes) are the key immigration records. Family tradition says the Bertucci family sailed from Palermo; indeed, local archives contain passenger lists of ships arriving in New Orleans around 1904 which could include the Bertuccis. These manifests (available via National Archives microfilm or on genealogy sites) should be consulted for Antonio’s name and family members.

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U.S. Census Records

Federal census records can provide snapshots of Antonio Bertucci’s household after arrival. Because the family arrived in 1904, they do not appear in the 1900 census. However, by the 1910 U.S. Census, they should be enumerated in Louisiana (possibly Plaquemines or Orleans Parish). Indeed, many Italian immigrant families settled in Plaquemines Parish’s fishing and farming communities. For example, Antonio’s daughter Angelina (born 1875) is recorded as living in Plaquemines Parish in later years, suggesting the family made their home there. Researchers should look for Antonio (or “Anthony”) Bertucci in the 1910 census index for Plaquemines Parish or New Orleans – likely listed as an Italian-born head of household in his 50s, with occupation possibly related to farming or seafood (common for Buras-area Italians) or the restaurant business.

By the 1920 U.S. Census, the family’s situation might have changed. One branch of the family appears to have moved to San Francisco, California by 1920 (where an “Antonio Bertucci” is noted in San Francisco in the 1920 census). This aligns with evidence that Antonio became involved with the Pompei Macaroni Factory in San Francisco around that time. It’s possible Antonio himself is enumerated in California in 1920, especially if he was overseeing business there. (A FamilySearch compilation notes an Anthony/Antonio Bertucci residing in San Francisco in 1920, though details vary on his later fate.) Researchers should check both locales – Louisiana and California – in 1920. In any case, census records from 1910 and 1920 can be found via genealogy databases (FamilySearch, Ancestry, etc.) and would provide details like his age, occupation, year of immigration (often listed on censuses), and family members. These are essential for tracing the Bertucci household across states.

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Birth, Marriage, and Italian Records

Antonio Bertucci was born in Palermo province, Sicily – family sources specifically point to the small island of Ustica, near Palermo. A FamilySearch family tree entry gives his birth as 1850 in Ustica to parents Pietro Bertucci and Angela Caezza. [1] (https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/L412-QGG/anthony-z-bertucci-1850-1924) (This roughly aligns with the “around 1860” timeframe, and it’s common for ages to vary in records.) To verify this, one can turn to Italian civil registration records. Ustica’s civil records (Stato Civile) are preserved; for example, Ustica birth registers from the mid-19th century exist and have been used by researchers. An interested researcher can consult the Antenati (Italian Archives) online or FamilySearch’s microfilmed records for Palermo province to locate Antonio’s birth act. This Italian document (in Italian) would confirm his exact birth date and parents’ names. Baptismal records from the local Ustica church (since most Sicilians were Catholic) are another avenue if civil records are incomplete.

It appears Antonio married in Italy before emigrating. His wife’s name is not explicitly given in the query, but evidence can be inferred from children’s records. Notably, Antonio’s daughter Angela (Angelina) Bertucci married Bartolomeo “Bart” Licciardi in Ustica on 21 August 1899. [2] (http://www.ustica.org/cgi-bin/UGHrecords.pl?individual_key=158521&given_name=Angela&surname=Bertucci) The marriage record from Ustica (which can be found in church or civil archives) would list her parents – confirming Antonio (likely recorded as Giuseppe Antonio Bertucci) and his wife. Such a record ties the family together across continents. If Antonio had other children like Marianna (Anna) Bertucci (who apparently stayed in Ustica and married a Bertucci cousin) or Pietro (Peter) Bertucci, their Italian records (births, marriages) may also be available. In summary, Palermo civil records and church registers are crucial for the Italian chapter of Antonio’s life – providing birth, baptism, and marriage certificates from Sicily.

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Death and Burial in Louisiana

Antonio Bertucci died in 1924 in Buras, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, according to family information. A death in 1924 means there should be an official Louisiana death certificate on file. Louisiana began statewide vital registration in 1911, and the State Archives in Baton Rouge provide copies of deaths from 1911–1974. [3] (https://www.sos.la.gov/historicalresources/researchhistoricalrecords/locatehistoricalrecords/pages/louisianadeathrecords.aspx) So, an interested researcher can request Antonio’s 1924 death certificate from the Louisiana Vital Records archives. That certificate would confirm the date and place of death (Buras), cause of death, and possibly his age, occupation, and parents’ names, as reported by the informant – all valuable genealogical details.

In terms of burial, Antonio was likely interred locally in Plaquemines Parish. Buras is a small community, and it has a local cemetery simply known as the Buras Cemetery. [4] (https://la-cemeteries.com/Cemeteries%20Plaquemines%20Table.shtml) It would be worth checking Buras Cemetery records or headstone listings for Antonio’s grave. (Findagrave.com currently lists several memorials in Buras Cemetery, though as of now it’s not clear if Antonio is listed – it may require a manual search of 1920s burials.) If he was Catholic, another possibility is that he was buried in a Catholic cemetery in the area. Plaquemines Parish churches (such as Our Lady of Good Harbor in Buras) often maintained their own burial registers. These church records, if accessible through the Archdiocese of New Orleans archives, might note Antonio’s burial or funeral in 1924. Additionally, local newspapers or the Times-Picayune might have published a death notice or obituary in 1924, especially if the family had ties to New Orleans. While we haven’t located a 1924 obituary in the online index, checking archived newspapers around the date of death could uncover a brief notice of his passing (e.g. “Died – Antonio Bertucci, of Buras, La., on [date]…” etc.). In summary, official death records and cemetery listings in Plaquemines are the primary sources for his death; these may require contacting the parish clerk or church, as they are not all digitized.

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Online Family Trees and Genealogy Resources

Researchers can supplement official records with family-compiled genealogies on reputable websites. For instance, the FamilySearch Family Tree has an entry for “Anthony Z. Bertucci (1850–1924)” which provides an overview of his life events and relatives. [1] (https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/L412-QGG/anthony-z-bertucci-1850-1924) This profile confirms his Sicilian origins and parents, and is linked to records of his children.

Ancestry.com is another major platform where multiple users have created family trees for the Bertucci family. An Ancestry tree (for example, one for Angela/Angelina Bertucci) notes her birth in Ustica in 1875 and death in Plaquemines in 1940, linking her to father Giuseppe Antonio Bertucci. [5] (https://www.ancestry.com/1940-census/usa/New-York/Angela-Bertucci_6n5fl) While Ancestry is a subscription service, you may find clues such as references to naturalization papers, census entries, and possibly Italian records that others have already attached. Likewise, Geni.com and WikiTree have collaborative family trees for Sicilian-Louisianan families.

Finally, specialized genealogy sites focused on Sicilian diaspora can be incredibly helpful. The Ustica Genealogy website (http://www.ustica.org) has compiled extensive records on Usticesi families who settled in Louisiana. This site includes transcriptions of birth, marriage, and death records, as well as newspaper obituaries. We saw references to the Bertucci family in Ustica.org’s documentation: for instance, a Times-Picayune obituary of a Bertucci relative in 1940 was transcribed, naming siblings in Ustica and San Francisco. Such sources confirm connections across generations and geography.

Researchers should utilize these community databases and message boards (like the HistoryHub or Facebook genealogy groups for Sicilian Louisiana descendants) to uncover anecdotal information and leads. Each clue from a family tree or local history can be cross-verified with official records.

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Sources

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