PA PA - Philadelphia, WhtFem 40-60, UP17721, upper denture w/D Spizzirri, frontal lobotomy, May'72

[StarrChance]

Interesting that they questioned all the Spizziri in the area with no success

 

[fred&edna]

I continue to "feel" this is

Name: Daurtha M Spizzirri
Birth Date: 22 Mar 1929
Birth Place: Windsor, New York, USA

NY state birth index
aka
Dorothy Spizzirri (age 1)
St Mary's Orphans Home (per 1930 census report)
Binghamton, Broome Co NY
and
Dorothy Spizzirri (age 11)
Rome State School - Mental Defectives (per 1940 census report)
Rome City, Oneida, NY

Has anyone found additional information after 1940 for her?

She isn't listed here:

Oneida County Cemeteries

 

[carbuff]

She does sound like the most likely person.

I am not very good at this records search stuff, but there's a possibility that she moved to Chicago? edit: never mind, different Dorothy, I'm pretty sure.

 

[Laughing]

Agree that the New York person is our most likely Dorothy.

Agree that the Chicago lady is someone else, as is the 1993 lady in Pennsylvania.

Wonder where Mary, Margarine, and Frank are/were? Note that the older kids were born in Pennsylvania, and their mother was born in Pennsylvania.

Since Dorothy was born in New York, we can expect that Mom moved to New York, but we don't know about Dad. IIRC, New York is tight with their birth records.

The 1950 census is released, I've not taken the time to work the volunteer project, wonder about those sibs. The census column for Speaks English is blank for all of them.

Poking around, of course there are reasonable-age Frank Spirrizzi candidates in New York, Pennsylvania, and Chicago.

Looks like their Dad was also Frank, Mom/stepmom was Anna -- but they were married in 1929, and each claimed first marriage -- unless Frank, Sr.'s English was too limited to answer the question? The teenaged girls, Mary & Margarine, are in the household in the 1940 Census, no sign of young Frank or Dorothy. And, Anna could have given birth at 15 to Mary, and at 17 to Margarine, the couple escaped to New York to be married???

Well, I'm off to a June wedding today & don't have time for this intriguing diversion right now!

Best, Laughing

 

[fred&edna]

Agree that the New York person is our most likely Dorothy.

Agree that the Chicago lady is someone else, as is the 1993 lady in Pennsylvania.

Wonder where Mary, Margarine, and Frank are/were? Note that the older kids were born in Pennsylvania, and their mother was born in Pennsylvania.

Since Dorothy was born in New York, we can expect that Mom moved to New York, but we don't know about Dad. IIRC, New York is tight with their birth records.

The 1950 census is released, I've not taken the time to work the volunteer project, wonder about those sibs. The census column for Speaks English is blank for all of them.

Poking around, of course there are reasonable-age Frank Spirrizzi candidates in New York, Pennsylvania, and Chicago.

Looks like their Dad was also Frank, Mom/stepmom was Anna -- but they were married in 1929, and each claimed first marriage -- unless Frank, Sr.'s English was too limited to answer the question? The teenaged girls, Mary & Margarine, are in the household in the 1940 Census, no sign of young Frank or Dorothy. And, Anna could have given birth at 15 to Mary, and at 17 to Margarine, the couple escaped to New York to be married???

Well, I'm off to a June wedding today & don't have time for this intriguing diversion right now!

Best, Laughing

Margarine Ann born 2/1/1927 (aka Marjorie, Marge) married (more than once) passed away in 1997. She, with the last name Hornik, along with her spouse (Stephen), are buried in a Freehold NJ cemetery. And, Mary A, at age 21, married Ralph L Holley on Dec 22, 1945.

ETA: I hope it's a lovely wedding and you have a great time!

 

[Bit of hope]

I continue to "feel" this is

Name: Daurtha M Spizzirri
Birth Date: 22 Mar 1929
Birth Place: Windsor, New York, USA

NY state birth index
aka
Dorothy Spizzirri (age 1)
St Mary's Orphans Home (per 1930 census report)
Binghamton, Broome Co NY
and
Dorothy Spizzirri (age 11)
Rome State School - Mental Defectives (per 1940 census report)
Rome City, Oneida, NY

Has anyone found additional information after 1940 for her?

She isn't listed here:

Oneida County Cemeteries

I looked into it for hours on My Heritage, but no trace of the right Dorothy, which I think the above is the right on. Also nothing in between those years. Not on Spizzirri or Spizziri. Note: the 4 children named in the St Mary's Orphans Home file are all spelled Spizziri. I wrote a lot down and I will take another look tomorrow if I can get some kind of hunch. Also nothing on little Frank. Could he have been adopted out and is living under another name, because I couldn't find a grave or a death notice/death record. I found an F. Spizziri born April 10th 1928, died on September 15th 1983, but I have to check out more if he fits in the family tree and I can find a connection.I feel like the family on mother's side is from Pennsylvania; Anna Spizziri (Maidenname Fitch) born in Pennsylvania in 1910. Also, Mary, Margarine and Frank are listed in the 1930 census (Orphan home) as born in Pennsylvania (some contradicting info for Margarine's birth place, also named is born in Broome Center, Schohonie County, NY) Dorothy is listed as born in Binghampton, Broome County, NY. The thing is if Mary was this particular Anna's daughter ((born abt. 1924, 6 yrs old in the 1930 census) it would mean Anna was 14 (born in 1910) when she gave birth. Her husband Frank was born in 1894, so there was a 16 years age different. Frank died on September 9th 1968, Anna in 1997 in Pennsylvania, but the are buried in Johnson City, Broome County, NY. I couldn't find a marriage record. Maybe somebody can. Margerine is listed as their child and Mary is living at the same house address as this couple in 1944, so there is at least a connection between those two and this couple.

Anna Spizziri (1910-unknown) - Find a Grave...

Born in 1910 and died in unknown Johnson City, New York Anna Spizziri

nl.findagrave.com

 

[StarrChance]

I believe a Elizabeth Stephenson/Stevenson was the mother of all the children including a child Orlando that died from a fire accident.

Anna and Frank marriage

Name:	Frank Spizzirri
Gender:	Male
Age:	35
Birth Date:	abt 1894
Marriage Date:	30 Sep 1929
Marriage Place:	Broome, New York, USA
Father:	Peter Spizzirri
Mother:	Ruffale Greko
Spouse:	Anna Fitch
Film Number:	000808878

 

[StarrChance]

Name:	Marjorie Ann Merrill[Marge A Hornik][Margarine Spizziri][Margarine McCracken][Marge Hornik]
Gender:	Female
Race:	White
Birth Date:	1 Feb 1927
Birth Place:	Broome, New York[Susquehanna, Pennsylvania]
Death Date:	7 Mar 1997
Father:	Frank Spizziri
Mother:	Elizabeth Stevenson
SSN:	059227188
Notes:	Jul 1948: Name listed as MARJORIE ANN MERRILL; 12 Nov 1975: Name listed as MARGE A HORNIK; Sep: Name listed as MARGARINE ANN SPIZZIRI; : Name listed as MARGARINE ANN MCCRACKEN; 14 Mar 1997: Name listed as MARGE HORNIK

Name:	Elizabeth Stevenson Spizziri
Gender:	Female
Spouse:	Frank Spizziri
Child:	Mary A Spizziri
Film Number:	002021892

 

[StarrChance]

1950 census, correct age with the surname slightly off.

Name:	Dorothy Spizzini
Age:	21
Birth Date:	abt 1929
Gender:	Female
Birth Place:	New York
Marital Status:	Never Married (Single)
Residence Date:	1950
Home in 1950:	Marcy, Oneida, New York, USA
Dwelling Number:	ne
Occupation Category:	Other
Worked Last Week:	No
Household Members Age Relationship Helen Sokoluk 66 Patient Eliza V Somerville 63 Patient Jos Spinelli 38 Patient Dorothy Spizzini 21 Pauline Sporey 73 Patient Margaret Spurr 89 Florence Stevens 39 Patient Irma Stevenson 3 Patient Mary J Stevens 79 Patient Nettie Stevens 71 Patient Ruth Stranahan 34 Mary G Sulette 29 Patient Mildred Sullivan 69 Patient

 

[fred&edna]

I believe a Elizabeth Stephenson/Stevenson was the mother of all the children including a child Orlando that died from a fire accident.

Anna and Frank marriage

Name:	Frank Spizzirri
Gender:	Male
Age:	35
Birth Date:	abt 1894
Marriage Date:	30 Sep 1929
Marriage Place:	Broome, New York, USA
Father:	Peter Spizzirri
Mother:	Ruffale Greko
Spouse:	Anna Fitch
Film Number:	000808878

I agree. Elizabeth was the mother of all the children.

Anna O (Fitch) Spizziri born 3/23/1910, died at the age of 87 on 8/24/1997, Binghamton NY. Mary Spizziri Abrams and Margarine Spizziri Hornik were listed in obit (newspapers.com) as step-daughters. It was also mentioned that Anna had polio as a child, which has me supposing she may not have been able to have children, herself.

Frank A Spizziri born 5/29/1894 Cerisano Italy (per US Draft registration 1942). Died in Sept of 1968. He and Anna lived at 30 Parsons St, Binghamton, NY.

**The only likely (fitting with age and location) information I was able to find regarding Elizabeth was a 1930 Census report listing Elizabeth Spizziri, age 25 (born in PA), along with her son John Spizziri (less than 1 yr of age & father was listed as having been born in Italy) as a live-in housekeeper for Charles E Myres (age 46) in Windsor, Broome Co, NY. If THIS is the same Elizabeth she would have given birth to Orlando in 1921, Mary in 1924, Margarine in 1926/27, Frank (Jr) in 1928, Daurtha/Dorothy 1929, and then John in 1930... which seems like a lot of children in a short period of time (not impossible, of course).

 

[Laughing]

Well, I do get most of my exercise jumping to conclusions....

If Elizabeth perhaps died of something like syphilis that can be passed in utero -- and both Frank & Dorothy were affected?

Just a guess.

Love the additional work you all added to the thread!

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[fred&edna]

1950 census, correct age with the surname slightly off.

Name:	Dorothy Spizzini
Age:	21
Birth Date:	abt 1929
Gender:	Female
Birth Place:	New York
Marital Status:	Never Married (Single)
Residence Date:	1950
Home in 1950:	Marcy, Oneida, New York, USA
Dwelling Number:	ne
Occupation Category:	Other
Worked Last Week:	No
Household Members Age Relationship Helen Sokoluk 66 Patient Eliza V Somerville 63 Patient Jos Spinelli 38 Patient Dorothy Spizzini 21 Pauline Sporey 73 Patient Margaret Spurr 89 Florence Stevens 39 Patient Irma Stevenson 3 Patient Mary J Stevens 79 Patient Nettie Stevens 71 Patient Ruth Stranahan 34 Mary G Sulette 29 Patient Mildred Sullivan 69 Patient

ohh... very good find! Spizzini variation! And, she was listed as a patient there in 1950.

 

[Bit of hope]

1950 census, correct age with the surname slightly off.

Name:	Dorothy Spizzini
Age:	21
Birth Date:	abt 1929
Gender:	Female
Birth Place:	New York
Marital Status:	Never Married (Single)
Residence Date:	1950
Home in 1950:	Marcy, Oneida, New York, USA
Dwelling Number:	ne
Occupation Category:	Other
Worked Last Week:	No
Household Members Age Relationship Helen Sokoluk 66 Patient Eliza V Somerville 63 Patient Jos Spinelli 38 Patient Dorothy Spizzini 21 Pauline Sporey 73 Patient Margaret Spurr 89 Florence Stevens 39 Patient Irma Stevenson 3 Patient Mary J Stevens 79 Patient Nettie Stevens 71 Patient Ruth Stranahan 34 Mary G Sulette 29 Patient Mildred Sullivan 69 Patient

Great find!

 

[Bit of hope]

Name:	Marjorie Ann Merrill[Marge A Hornik][Margarine Spizziri][Margarine McCracken][Marge Hornik]
Gender:	Female
Race:	White
Birth Date:	1 Feb 1927
Birth Place:	Broome, New York[Susquehanna, Pennsylvania]
Death Date:	7 Mar 1997
Father:	Frank Spizziri
Mother:	Elizabeth Stevenson
SSN:	059227188
Notes:	Jul 1948: Name listed as MARJORIE ANN MERRILL; 12 Nov 1975: Name listed as MARGE A HORNIK; Sep: Name listed as MARGARINE ANN SPIZZIRI; : Name listed as MARGARINE ANN MCCRACKEN; 14 Mar 1997: Name listed as MARGE HORNIK

Name:	Elizabeth Stevenson Spizziri
Gender:	Female
Spouse:	Frank Spizziri
Child:	Mary A Spizziri
Film Number:	002021892

I found this.
Margarine Ann Spizziri

V.S. Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007

• Born 1 feb 1927 - Broome Center, Schoharie County, New York, United States
• Father Frank Spizziri
• Mother Anna Fitch

Frank was with Elizabeth Stevenson before he married Anna Fitch and the first children Mary and Margarine were his with Elizabeth, making Anna their stepmother.

Elizabeth Stevenson
V.S. Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007

• Echtgenoot Frank Spizziri
• Dochter Marge A Hornik
• Geboorte dochter 1 feb 1927 - Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, United States

Still nothing about Frank. Note Anna's father was also a Frank. He could have been named after him. Another possibility is that little Frank was born out of wedlock while Anna being already in a relationship with Frank S.

Then Frank married in 1929 with Anna Fitch, the year Dorothy was born. Somehow I have the feeling she was a child of Frank and Anna, but of course I can't be sure until I find a record of it.

I'm not sure Polio could have affected reproduction. My father had Polio in his youth, making one of his legs a lot shorter, but he was very capable of making children....I'm proof of that

Stephen F Hornik
New Jersey marriage licence-index, 1915-2016

• Marriage jul 1968 - 1354, New Jersey, United States
• Bruid Marge Spizzari

Marge Hornik (1927-1997) - Find a Grave Memorial

nl.findagrave.com

 

[Bit of hope]

I agree. Elizabeth was the mother of all the children.

Anna O (Fitch) Spizziri born 3/23/1910, died at the age of 87 on 8/24/1997, Binghamton NY. Mary Spizziri Abrams and Margarine Spizziri Hornik were listed in obit (newspapers.com) as step-daughters. It was also mentioned that Anna had polio as a child, which has me supposing she may not have been able to have children, herself.

Frank A Spizziri born 5/29/1894 Cerisano Italy (per US Draft registration 1942). Died in Sept of 1968. He and Anna lived at 30 Parsons St, Binghamton, NY.

**The only likely (fitting with age and location) information I was able to find regarding Elizabeth was a 1930 Census report listing Elizabeth Spizziri, age 25 (born in PA), along with her son John Spizziri (less than 1 yr of age & father was listed as having been born in Italy) as a live-in housekeeper for Charles E Myres (age 46) in Windsor, Broome Co, NY. If THIS is the same Elizabeth she would have given birth to Orlando in 1921, Mary in 1924, Margarine in 1926/27, Frank (Jr) in 1928, Daurtha/Dorothy 1929, and then John in 1930... which seems like a lot of children in a short period of time (not impossible, of course).

And this would mean, she left or was forced to leave? 4 children in an orphanage per 1930 and has another baby in 1930. Stuff to think about.

I also noticed that in this 1930 census Elisabeth is stated to have been born in Pennsylvania. In the marriage record of daughter Mary, the mother Elisabeth is stated to have been born in New York.

 

[Laughing]

And this would mean, she left or was forced to leave? 4 children in an orphanage per 1930 and has another baby in 1930. Stuff to think about.

I also noticed that in this 1930 census Elisabeth is stated to have been born in Pennsylvania. In the marriage record of daughter Mary, the mother Elisabeth is stated to have been born in New York.

View attachment 351310

Elizabeth (great find, seriously, love this work) may have died in childbirth with Dorothy. In was during The Depression in the US, medical care was a luxury. Dorothy could have been oxygen deprived long enough to cause brain damage. Frank can't work for a living and care for 2 little kids and 2 babies, if no relative could help him, he's stuck.

My grandfather & his brother & sister spent some time in a Catholic orphanage in Iowa after the death of their father -- work accident -- a few years before this. After their mother remarried, they were able to live as a family & gained 2 half-sibs. Likely, something similar happened for Mary & Marge, minus Frank jr & Dorothy.

Keep in mind that Marge & Mary may not remember their mother at all, and can only state what they do remember. They only remember living in New York, Dad may not remember.

Love your Dutch words! Thanks for sharing those. I've worked some with German & Italian records, but used Google for husband/yokefellow Echtgenoot

Death certificates are an even less reliable source of birthplace, but are a start.

Still -- no one knew about Dorothy, but she is out in public alone, post-lobotomy, in 1972? Google Maps indicates a three hour drive from Broome County to Philadelphia -- how did this lady get there???

@Philly , can you share any local insight here?

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[Bit of hope]

1950 census, correct age with the surname slightly off.

Name:	Dorothy Spizzini
Age:	21
Birth Date:	abt 1929
Gender:	Female
Birth Place:	New York
Marital Status:	Never Married (Single)
Residence Date:	1950
Home in 1950:	Marcy, Oneida, New York, USA
Dwelling Number:	ne
Occupation Category:	Other
Worked Last Week:	No
Household Members Age Relationship Helen Sokoluk 66 Patient Eliza V Somerville 63 Patient Jos Spinelli 38 Patient Dorothy Spizzini 21 Pauline Sporey 73 Patient Margaret Spurr 89 Florence Stevens 39 Patient Irma Stevenson 3 Patient Mary J Stevens 79 Patient Nettie Stevens 71 Patient Ruth Stranahan 34 Mary G Sulette 29 Patient Mildred Sullivan 69 Patient

This was the Marcy State Hospital for the Insane.

From Log into Facebook

This 1925 photo is of a building at Marcy State Hospital which treated the mentally ill for many years. Located on Old River Road in Marcy, it was in operation from 1912 to 1982.

Also interesting comments.

Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center Historical Files B1582

Marcy Division of the Utica State Hospital opened December 4, 1922. Effective July 1, 1931, Marcy Division was established by the legislature (Laws of 1931, Chapter 106) as a separate institution within the Department of Mental Hygiene, known as Marcy State Hospital. On July 1, 1931, 2,086 patients (1,230 men and 856 women) were transferred to Marcy State Hospital from Utica. Patients remaining at Utica numbered 1,764 (856 men, 908 women).

Marcy State Hospital became Marcy Psychiatric Center according to the Laws of 1974, Chapter 558. In 1985, the legislature (Laws of 1985, Chapter 913) amended the Mental Hygiene Law to consolidate the Utica Psychiatric Center and the Marcy Psychiatric Center into one facility, named the Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center.

 

[fred&edna]

I'm not sure Polio could have affected reproduction. My father had Polio in his youth, making one of his legs a lot shorter, but he was very capable of making children....I'm proof of that

Stephen F Hornik
New Jersey marriage licence-index, 1915-2016

• Marriage jul 1968 - 1354, New Jersey, United States
• Bruid Marge Spizzari

Marge Hornik (1927-1997) - Find a Grave Memorial

nl.findagrave.com

RSBM Very true... polio didn't always cause reproduction problems (obviously ). I just assumed since no children were listed in Anna's obit (only the two step-daughters), as well as Anna's struggles with polio.

 

[fred&edna]

I wonder what happened to Elizabeth after 1930. I wonder if there are any additional leads for possible DNA leading back to Daurtha/Dorothy. I wonder if Elizabeth had siblings? Are there any avenues to search beyond this?

 

[fred&edna]

One last thing to add... In the 1930 Census report of Elizabeth and John Spizziri living at the home of Charles Myres, it was also noted that Elizabeth's first marriage took place was when she was age 15. I wonder if she was married to someone else before Frank. If so, I wonder if Stephenson/Stevenson her not maiden name but (maybe) the last name of her first husband?