Searching for a birth record in Isernia, Italy

Jacqueline E. Wells

I am helping a "cousin" find a birth record in Italy for her grandfather: James Vincent Bovino, born 28 February 1903 in Isernia, Italy. His name in Italy would likely have been Giacomo Vincenzo Bovino. His mother was Lucia Saulino Bovino. She was a widow when she arrived in the USA in 1912 with her 3 daughters and 4 sons: Margaret, Mary, and Jeanette, and Peter, Joseph, James and Louis. One online family tree has their father's name as William M. Bovino, but I have not found that name in any records. Thanks for any help with finding the birth record!

joseph99929

Here is James Vincent Bovino's naturalization record: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C34B-1S8P-V?cc=3338294&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3ACJ2V-K32M

It gives a date of birth of 6 Feb 1903 and a place of birth of Isernia. It also gives a date of arrival in the USA of 15 May 1913.

With that arrival date, we can easily find the passenger list: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GP1W-CBV?i=366&cc=1921481&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3A23Q1-1KV

Now, unfortunately, the online records for Isernia end in 1899. For research after that date, it will be necessary to request certificates from the comune of Isernia directly. That said, you could certainly try to find the older siblings, they should be there. To browse the civil birth records for Isernia 1866-1899, see: http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it/v/Archivio+di+Stato+di+Isernia/Stato+civile+italiano/Isernia/Nati/

There's another interesting clue, which is that their next-of-kin in Italy is Lucia's brother-in-law Giovanni Chiacchieri. I took the liberty of searching Isernia marriages for a Giovanni Chiacchieri marrying a Saulino or a Bovino, and found this marriage in 1877 (see item 46): http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it/v/Archivio+di+Stato+di+Isernia/Stato+civile+italiano/Isernia/Matrimoni/1877/377/007769042_00193.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=0 Unfortunately, the page is missing from the register, so we cannot see the actual marriage record.