1910 Census and the Riva Family

Coal miners, colorized postcards, 1910


The "13^th Census of the United States -1910 Population" establishes that Giacomo (36) and Josephine Riva (26) were living at 80 Sixth Avenue in South Wilmington, Illinois, Grundy County, Greenfield Township. Living with them are their three young children: John four, Maggie two, and Eurelia one. Eurelia we know from other documents died not too long after this census was taken and Peter would be born the next year. This document also establishes that by 1910 Giacomo was using the Americanized version of his Italian name---James---and his occupation is listed as coal mining.


Josephine Riva with two children, circa 1905 -08

Another family of Riva's was also living South Wilmington on Sixth Avenue: John 26 a coal miner, Minnie his wife 24 and Maggie two. We strongly believe he is related to our family. He could be a brother or cousin to James. I plan to to research him and a second, older John Riva, because they both show up on the Draft Registration Records for 1918, Putman County, Illinois. The older John I'm hoping is James' father. (We know from oral history that his name is Giovanni, Italian for John.) If it can be established that Giovanni did immigrate, the 1918 draft registration will provide us with the first name and home town of James' grandfather, giving us yet another generation back in time. (If anyone reading this knows anything about these two John's please leave a comment.) J.Riva 2008 ©

South Wilmington is located in Grundy County at the bottom of the map. (Click to enlarge.)

Click to enlarge census

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Our Riva and the Alaria Ancestors

The first Riva in our family to come to America was Giacomo Riva. He immigrated in 1897. The first Alaria in our family to come to America was Pietro Alaria. He came over in 1885 and he was the father to Josephine Alaria who later married Giacomo in August 19, 1905 bonding these two families together forever. This blog site is an attempt to follow their paper trail across time.

The Riva Family, Circa early 1920s
Margaret J, Giacomo (father), John D, and Peter M

Giacomo Riva was born in Pertusio, Italy, March 26, 1873 to parents Giovanni Riva and Margherita Faletto both of Italy. He died in Kent County, MI, in November of 1944.

Riva Siblings:
-John Dominick Riva
Born Sept. 21, 1906 South Wilmington, IL
Married to Margaret Kane
Died July 14, 1989, Kent County, MI
- Margaret J. Riva - Unmarried (known as Maggie)
Born July 7, 1908
Died June 28, 1994
- Aurelia Riva - Died as infant
- Baby - Died as an infant
(also named Aurelia according to oral history)
- Peter Riva
Born June 5, 1911 Standard, IL (Putman County)
Married to Doris Latimer April 15, 1937
Died Dec. 25, 1999 Kent County, MI

Known Siblings to Giacomo Riva:
- Frank Riva
- Mathew Riva
- Dominick Riva
- Joseph Riva
- Margaret Riva - Married Tony Mandoni

Wife to Giacomo Riva: Josephine Alaria



The Alaria Family, circa 1902-04
Standing: John, Joe, Josephine, Rose; Center: Peter and Rome;
Seated: Peter (the father) Frank, Aurelia (the mother)

Pietro Alaria was born Nov. 1859 in San Giogrio Canavese, Italy, and he married Aurelia Masoero in 1884. He died January 11, 1931, in Kent County, MI.

Aurelia Masoero was born in Italy in January 1862 and died in 1928 in Kent County, MI.

Alaria Siblings:
- Josephine Alaria
Born Dec. 1885 France (near the Italian border)
Married Giacomo Riva on Aug. 19, 1905
Died Feb. 2, 1919, Bureau County, IL
- Romellio Alaria
Born June 8, 1899, Lagrange, IL
Died Sept. 10, 1963
Married Margaret Jane Dyer on Dec. 29, 1926
- John Alaria
Born: Feb. 2, 1891, Coal City, IL
Died May 24, 1965, Kent County, MI
Married Elizabeth Gorden, May 9, 1917
- Joseph Alaria
Born:
Died:
Married Mary Ellen Renn (?)
- Rosa Alaria
Born: Feb. 13, 1895, Coal City, IL
Married August Koepnick, married August Koepnick, Jan. 1913
- Peter Alaria
Married Mabel Marie Harkins
- Frank Alaria
Died: 29 Dec, 1926
Married Laila M. Milthaler


Spelling Variations

Spelling on older records for ancestors don't always match. It happened for several reasons. 1) Immigrants often couldn't read or write and they depended on clerks or others to sound names out. 2) If they did know a name was Americanized or spelled wrong by a clerk they would hesitate to challenge authority. 3) Census records are subject to mistakes in the way the information was gathered word-of-mouth from who ever was home at the time the the census taker called, including guesses from neighbors. Below are the spelling variations I've found in our ancestor's records.

Pietro
Pietre
Peter

Allaria - Used on a passenger list and Josephine's wedding license
Olerio - Used on the 1900 U.S. Census
Alaria - Currently used spelling of the family name

Faletto
Falletti

Josephine
Josie
Jossie

Aurelia
Orelia
Amelia
Ourellia
Eurelia

Masoero - Family used this spelling in later years
Mosvero - Found on older records

James (English)
Giacomo (Italian)

John (English)
Giovanni (Italian)

Margaret (English)
Margherita (Italian)

Romellio
Romer
Rome


J.Riva © 2008

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Italian Army Discharge for Giacomo Riva 1896

Front side (click to enlarge)



Back side (click to enlarge)


Thanks to the posters at Italian Genealogy who translated this document we found out it reveals the following information:

Giacomo Riva was birth date on March 26, 1873

His parents were Giovanni Riva and Margherita Faletto

He was born in Pertusio, Italy, a town in the province of Torino. (Torino is one of eight provinces in the region of Piedmont. Also, in Pertusio there are hamlets called "Case Riva" and "Case Faletto." Hamlets, I'm told, took their names from the people living there.)

Physical description: Height: 5 feet and some inches---there's is a hole in the paper so it's not clear. His hair and eyebrow we listed as chestnut. His eyes were Grey. Forehead: low. Nose: Grecian. Completion: Rosy. Teeth: healthy. He had a distinguishing mark listed as a mole on his chin.

He was assigned to the 4th Alpini Regiment at the Italian colony in Eritrea (Africa)

He was a bread maker

Discharge date: ?/?/1896

NOTE: Giacomo/James Riva carried this document, his nationalization paper (below) and his miner's certification around in a small leather pouch.

© J. E. Riva 2008

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