The Manifest consist of one page of personal data concerning the passenger. Below is the outline of that data for Gian Battista Silvestroni. I will not make an attempt to correct errors in spelling or data entry entered in the Manifest.  At the top of the page just below the ships name is a row of numbers from 1 to 22.  Each number represents a column of required information.  Starting at the extreme left in column 1 and row 11 is listed Silvestroni Gianbattista.

COLUMN  2 NAME IN FULL : Silvestroni Gianbattista

COLUMN  3 AGE YEARS AND MONTH :  28

COLUMN  4 SEX :  male

COLUMN  5 MARRIED OR SINGLE :  married

COLUMN  6 CALLING OR OCCUPATION:  Shoemaker

COLUMN  7 ABLE TO READ OR WRITE:  Yes & Yes

COLUMN  8 NATIONALITY (COUNTRY WHICH CITIZEN):  Italy

COLUMN  9 RACE OF PEOPLE:  South

COLUMN 10 LAST PERMANENT ADDRESS:  San Severino

COLUMN 11 FINAL DESTINATION:  Wilkes Barre

COLUMN  12 WHETHER HAVING A TICKET TO SUCH FINAL   DESTINATION :  no

COLUMN 13 BY WHOM WAS PASSAGE PAID: By Him.

COLUMN 14 WHETHER IN POSSESION OF $50 AND IF LESS HOW MUCH.

                       $10

COLUMN 15 WHETHER EVER BEFORE IN THE UNITED STATES; AND IF SO                             WHEN AND WHERE? :    no

 COLUMN 16 WHETHER GOING TO JOIN A RELATIVE  OR FRIEND ; AND IF   SO WHEN  AND WHERE? :  Friend - Alberico Acerbi  Baker St.                             Wilkes Barre.

COLUMN 17 EVER IN A PRISON OR INSTITUTION FOR CARE AND   TREATMENT OF THE INSANE OR SUPPORTED BY CHARITY;                        IF SO WHICH? : no

COLUMN 18 WHETHER A POLYGAMIST :  no

COLUMN 19 WHEATHER AN ANARCHIST. :  no

COLUMN 20 WHEATHER  COMING BY REASON OF ANY OFFER,  SALIETATION, OR AGREEMENT, EXPRESSED OF IMPLIED IN  THE UNITED STATES:  no

COLUMN 21 CONDITION OF HEALTH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL : good

COLUMN 22 DEFORMED OR CRIPPLED. NATURE LENGTH OF TIME AND   CAUSE :  no

The above family photo, top row left  is  the father,  Gian,  with his children Giuseppe (Joseph), Giovanni (John) bottom row Victoria Rose and  Annibale.   I estimate this picture was taken in early 1917.  I based that on Annibale entering the service in 1917 and Giuseppe was killed in a mine accident on January 27, 1919.

Sometime after April 1917 Annibale was either drafted or joined the U.S. Army.

He served in World War I in Europe and was wounded.  He became a naturalized citizen in 1918.

In early 1917,  the family moved to West Virginia and on September 17 of that year, Rita and Gian had a  third daughter,  Mary Elisabeth.

On January 6, 1920,  U.S. census,  p. 13  of Gian Silvestroni’s family lists  Anniable’s wife Maddalena, age 19.  The family were living at  46 Grant Street, Exeter, Penna.  The census taker recorded  the family name as “Sylvester” and this is the first official spelling of the name in a legal document.  As  stated before, it was very common for government officials to  anglicize foreign names.  See Surnames  p. V.

RECORD FROM NATIONAL ARCHIVES

   Sometime in 1920 the family returned to San Severino Marche, Italy.  If I had to speculate why they returned, I would guess the death of Gian uncle Pasquale ( the priest) on February 12, 1920 and his sizable estate, according to family  history,  which Gian was one of the beneficiary.

The family open and operated a cantina in San Severino.

In 1921 Victoria Rose had her confirmation in San Severino Marche.

The family remained in Italy until 1928. The decision to returned to the U. S. was motivated by the thrashing of the cantina by Mussolini Fascists.   It was reported by the family that Gian had made unfavorable remarks about the Fascists and they retaliated by thrashing the cantina. 

Since Rita and Gian were not U.S. citizens and their daughter Victoria Rose and son Severino were, they were to return first and then  sponsor Rita and Gian.

On January 24, 1928 Victoria Rose and her brother Severino ( Harry ) sailed on SS Conte Biancamano for the United States. See pg. 15.

Passport photo of Victoria Rose and Severino.

The picture below was taken in Genova prior to Victoria Rose and Severino departure from Italy   on January 24, 1928 .  Rita, their mother, seemed to have accompany them to Genova.  Rita , Gian, Alfredo(Fred) and Mary Virgina made the crossing on October 9, 1928   on the same ship Conte Biancamano.  Rita traveled under her madian name Caglini. See ship’s manifest ps’ 24, and 25. Pietro and Giovanni had emigrated to Buenos Aires , Argentina in the year of  1923.

From left to right, Victoria Rose, Rita ( mother to both ) and Severino.

The below picture  taken about February 1928 is,  from the left Victoria Rose, Catherine Sylvester ( daughter of Giuseppe (Joseph) ) and Severino (Harry). 

The below picture was taken about 1929.  Starting from the rear going from left to right Rita , Alfredo ( Fred), Gian, Severino (Harry ) , Victoria Rose, Victoria husband Andrew Blasi and in the front starting to the left is Mary Elisabeth and the baby is Elmo Blasi.  Victoria and Andrew’s son.

Rita Caglini Silvestroni

Gian Battista Silvestroni

  Rita and Gian 50th wedding anniversary .  Age  67 & 68 years.

Gian and his grandson Carl Sylvester son of Alfredo ( Fred ). Taken about 1944.

Rita Silvestroni and her grand-daughter Elizabeth Sylvester daughter of Severino  (Harry).  Taken in 1945.

 Gian and Rita Silvestroni taken about 1957.

From the left Rita Caglini Silvestroni, her granddaughter Elizabeth Sylvester and Rita’s sister Maddalena Caglini Fortini

Gian with his grandchildren.  The child sitting on his lap is Elmo Blasi son of  Gian daughter Rose all the other children are from his oldest son Annibale.

From the left in the picture the children are, John, Pepe, Elmo, Rita and Alfredo.

Gian just a few weeks from his 88 birthday with his son Severino and daughter Rose.

On the next page is Gian military records when he served in Italian army begining at the age of 18.