Italian Americans

This chronological history of my family begins with my great-grandparents. Orazio Lombardi and Ludovica Cervi married on 13 October 1904 in the Kingdom of Italy.¹

After sixteen days at sea, Orazio and Ludovica immigrated on 19 December 1920 at Ellis Island.² Immigrating with them were four children: Fortunato, Donata, Lucia, and Gerardo.² A fifth child, Angela, was born on 4 April 1923 in Massachusetts.³ Orazio naturalized on 20 June 1927 in Mass.⁴ Fortunato married on 30 November 1939 in Mass.⁵ He registered for the draft on 16 October 1940 at Harvard University.⁶ He naturalized on 15 September 1941 in Mass.⁵ Gerardo registered for the draft on 16 February 1942 in Indiana.⁷

Ludovica registered as an “enemy alien” on 20 February 1942 in Mass.⁸ Orazio registered for the draft on 27 April 1942 in Mass.⁹ Gerardo received a degree on 29 October 1943 at University of Notre Dame.¹⁰ He completed a naval training course on 21 October 1944 at Princeton University.¹¹ He married on 30 August 1946 in Virginia.¹² He received a degree on 10 June 1951 at Virginia Tech.¹³ His son, Ralph, was born on 29 August 1952 in New Mexico.¹⁴ Ludovica died in 1963 in Florida.¹⁵ She was buried there.¹⁶ Orazio died in 1966 in Fla.¹⁷ Ralph did volunteer work in 1970 in Nicaragua.¹⁸ He received a degree on 16 May 1979 at Columbia University.¹⁹ Fortunato died on 7 September 1983 in Mass.²⁰ Ralph received a degree on 22 August 1986 at Front Range Community College.²¹ Donata died on 1 October 1993 in Fla.²² She was buried there.²³ Lucia died on 10 April 1995 in Fla.²⁴ Angela died on 22 July 2001.²⁵ Gerardo died on 7 February 2002 in Colorado, and he was buried in N.M.²⁶ Ralph married on 9 April 2004 in Colo.²⁷ He died on 29 January 2021 in Colo., and he was cremated.¹⁴

1 San Donato Val di Comino, certificato di matrimonio, (13 October 1904), Orazio Lombardi e Ludovica Cervi.
2 Manifest, Madonna, 19 December 1920, list 30, Orazio Lombardi.
3 Ancestry, Angela Lucelle Lombardi, 030-14-1372.
4 Mass., State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1798–1950, 2531702, Orazio Lombardi, 20 June 1927.
5 Mass., State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1798–1950, 5298136, Fortunato Lombardi, 15 September 1941.
6 "World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947," digital images, Ancestry, Fortunato Lombardi, 1905.
7 "World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947," digital images, Ancestry, Gerardo Joseph Lombardi, 1920.
8 U.S. Department of Justice, certificate of identification, digital images.
9 "World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," digital images, Ancestry, Orazio Lombardi, 1881.
10 Gerardo Joseph Lombardi, Bachelor of Science, 1943.
11 G. J. Lombardi, Naval Training School, 1944.
12 Va., Marriage Certificates, 1936–1988, 30452, Gerardo Joseph Lombardi and Pauline Frances Scholz, 30 August 1946.
13 Gerardo Joseph Lombardi, Master of Science, 1951.
14 Ralph Joseph Lombardi, death certificate (2021).
15 Fla., Death Index, 1877–1998, 47121, Ludovica Lombardi, 1963.
16 "Death Notices," The Miami Herald, 11 November 1963, 16C.
17 Fla., Death Index, 1877–1998, 19308, Orazio Lombardi, 1966.
18 "Last Amigos Return Home," Albuquerque Journal, 24 August 1970, A8.
19 Ralph J. Lombardi, Baccalavrei in Artibvs, 1979.
20 Mass., Death Index, 1970–2003, 045127, Fortunat Lombardi, 7 September 1983.
21 Ralph Lombardi, Associate of Science, 1986.
22 Fla., Death Index, 1877–1998, 110003, Jeannette Lombardi, 1 October 1993.
23 Sun-Sentinel, 3 October 1993, 6B.
24 Fla., Death Index, 1877–1998, 44760, Lucia Lombardi, 10 April 1995.
25 Social Security Administration, "U.S. Social Security Death Index," database, Ancestry, Angela Knarr, 030-14-1372.
26 Gerardo J. Lombardi, death certificate (2002).
27 Colo., marriage certificate, (9 April 2004).