Contessa...part ii

Declaration of Intention

Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization

State of North Dakota, County of Morton, in the District Court of Morton County.

I Leo Contes, age 22 years, occupation Laborer, do declare on oath that my personal description is: Color white, complexion dark, height 5 feet 6 inches, weight 150, color of hair black, color of eyes brown; I was born in S. Marco in Lamis, Italy on the 7th day of January, 1892.  I now reside at Mandan, ND.

I immigrated to the United States of America from Naples, Italy on the vessel Romatic. My last foreign residence was S. Marco in Lamis, Italy.

It is my bona fide intention to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and particulary to Victor Emmanuel III King of Italy, of which I am now a citizen; I arrived at the port of New York on or about the 5th day of March, 1907; I am not an anarchist; I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy; and it is my intention in good faith to become a citizen of the United States of America and to permanently reside therein: SO HELP ME GOD.

(his signature) Subscribed and sworn before me this 5th day of August, 1914 (Clerk of District Court Signature)

( I have the orginal copy, but a scan of the document would be too difficult to see)

Note that also on this day at the same court a Leo Rendina, born 11 January, 1892 also filed for his Declaration of Intention.  Leo arrived on the SS Europa on 13, March, 1910. A few days later on the 10th of August a Luigi Ciavarella born 17 March, 1893 filed for his. He arrived on the SS Louisiana on 01 March, 1910. Both were also born in S. Marco in Lamis and were more than likely relatives of my great-grandfather Leo Contessa. His mother was a Rendina and his sister married a Ciavarella in 1909 S. Marco in Lamis. 

I have made contact with Luigi Ciavarella's daughter, a resident of Mandan, ND and she and I have exchanged our information.  Her father Luigi and my grandfather Benny were long time friends.  She also remembered my father who was good friends (and played in the same band) with her now deceased brother Kenneth.  Luigi married a woman of German descent as did my great-grandfather Leo.

A few years ago after searching and searching for Leo Rendina in the census records to no avail, I came across an article in the Bismarck Tribune, dated 18 September, 1914 that read:

STABBING AFFRAY.

Mandan, N, D , Sept, 17. As the result of a stabbing affray near the fairgrounds, Charles A. Woolm lies at the Mandan hospital with two ugly knife wounds across his stomach. He will recover.

Rendina was caught by Railroad Detective Overstreet at Glen Ullin and denies striking Woolm with a knife.   And while he is held at the county jail no warrant has as yet been issued for his arrest. The alleged fugitive tells that a fight took place which was occasioned by the question as to who was to return glasses which they used in drinking, borrowed from a nearby resort.

I have to wonder if the end result for Leo Rendina was to be deported back to Italy?  He had only filed for his Declaration of Intention the month prior and was not a naturalized citizen.

  Obituary, Tacoma News Tribune, Wednesday, January 10, 1961

Leo CONTES, 79, of Nisqually, died Saturday in a local hospital. Born in San Marco, Italy, he came to the United States when 15 years old.

He retired four years ago as a railroad section foreman after 50 years service. He was a member of (the) Railroad Veterans Association.

After retiring he lived at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Emily Lamper, in Littlerock.

Surviving besides Mrs. Lamper are another daughter, Mrs. F.H. Kaler of Olympia; two sons, Emanual of Olympia and Joseph of Vashon Island; 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Services will be announced by Mills and Mills Funeral Home in Olympia.

My Grandfather Benjamin Casper worked as a printer for Conrads Printing in Bismarck for many years.