Campobasso Travel Forum

Hello,, I am very interested in Campobasso ,Molise.. but can find very little information..My wife;s family came from Molise and she is trying to track down long lost relatives,, Her grandfathers name was Antonio Perrino he came to the USA in 1900 and grand mother was Virginia Colaneri and she came to the USA in 1909.. They settled in Rillton,Pa USA,, Please if you have any information to help me track down her reltives please reply... Also how would we get to Campobasso molise from Rome?
Thanks Dean & Joyce

The best way to check on relatives in Italy is to contact the Mormon Church's website as a start.www.familysearch.org. The have the most extensive file tapes on Italy. Italy did not become a unified country until 1861, so record keeping as to births is not consistent.
Also, check the records on the internet from Ellis Island. Those records will show the dates which they entered the USA and their point of origin and town. This will be helpful to the Mormon Church people for a more extensive search.
Merry Christmas!

If you are sure of the spelling, only a few dozen of Perrinos are listed on white pages in the whole (little) Campobasso (=CB) province.
http://www.paginebianche.it/execute.cgi?btt=1&tl=2&tr=101&tc=&cb=&tq=2&qs=perrino&qsn=&dv=molise&ind=&nc=&x=0&y=0
Wanna try and write them a letter?
You can redo the search with Colaneri, too.
It's a long shot, but you can never know.
Otherwise, the "uffico anagrafe" of the town where they were born may have records on relatives.
If you need help to tranlsate your text in italian, please let me know.
To go there, there should be a train from Rome. Check the www.trenitalia.com site.
Ciao
Francesco

You coud try this site, I don't know how good it is for tracing relatives www.italyworldclub.com/genealogy/index.html
or go to Campobasso and ask around in the bars, and also the loacl commune should have a hall of records, they are usually quite helpful.

Have you checked the Ellis island foundation site? most immigrants who came into the US in that period went through there...
Cheers,
mac

Hello, I was searching for info on how to get to Vanafro(close to Molise) as we are going over in Oct 07 and saw the Perrino name!
First, how did you get to molise from Rome and 2ndly, we could easily be related.
My grandparents were from Gallo(a few miles away) and my granfathers name was Guisseppe Perrino.
Please answer if you get this.
Thanks
Kathy

We have been to Italy 2x, but to the big cities. We are now going to drive and venture out in the county. we have not been to Molise yet. We are going in November. The way we are getting there is from Rome going to Froslone first then over to Campobasso. Antonio was born 1879, Virginia Colaneri was born l883. I know he had a sister Jennie. I never heard of Guiseppe, but he could be a relative. Thats the question. On the ship manefest it just said Molise.
Antonio's parents were Pete Perrino and Rose Cerelli. There was a Gennaro Perrino who was 68 in 1900 that came over with him at the time. I don't know who he is.

It has been awhile since I made my origional post.. I did find more information and did travel to the town of Molise and Campobasso nov 7 2007. I Visited the house where my grandfather was born and grew up..I talked to a few residents of Molise and found out that almost all the Perrino's had moved away.. One of the residents told us that there was another Perrino from New York looking for the same information in the year 2006.. We have no known relatives in New york so this is something to search for..

I am looking for my relatives of my Grandfather Antonio Giavanni Perrino. He was born in 1879 in Commune of Molise... Died 1961 in Rillton,Pa ..He married a Virginia Colaneri Born 1883 died 1952 from Frosolone..

Antonio's brothers and sisters were Nicola Giuseppe 1873, Maria Pasquala 1875, Anna annuziata 1875, Carmelia ann 1876, Salvatore Domenico 1881, Maria Giovanna 1884 Moved to Larimer Pa USA), Maria Christina 1887 and Donato Ottario (died in 1915 in WW1)

Antonio and Virginia moved to Rillton, Pennsylvania USA and worked in a coal mine in the early 1900s . He had sons Nick,Mike,Peter in the USA. My Father was Mike Perrino.
Antonio returned twice to visit his uncle Cirelli and family in Molise,Italy in early 1900's and after World War 1..
Antonio Perrino died in 1961 in Rillton,Pa usa..

Antonnio's father was Pietro Perrino of Comune of Molise, Mother was Rosa Cirelli of Molise born early 1840's... ,Pietros Brothers and sisters were Nicola,, Clemente, and Angelia, Maria........ Pietros father was Salvatore early 1800's

Please email me if you have any information.

If anyone needs any information on Molise .I can share what little I know.. We stayed at Villa grande Cassa in San Donato about hour and half away and did a review on the hotel.
Joyce Perrino Sensenich

I understand you went to Molise and Compobasso.

We are traveling in October. How did you get to the Molise area? by train, bus, etc. Isernia is in Molise area -- are you familiar with that area?

I was born in Sante Maria del Molise -- did you see that city.

Any help you can give is appreciated.

Hi Toni,
You can easily get a train from Rome to Campobasso. They run every few hours. Here is a link for General Italian Transportation info ,You will find train schedule links here. http://www.italiantourism.com/transp.html

We flew into Rome and rented a car for 10 days and stayed at the Villa Grande Cassa in San Donato Val di Comino in the Lazio region and explored southern Italy from there.(I have a review of San Donato,Campobasso,Molise etc on my Virtual tourist page).
It is about a 2 hour drive to Campobasso from San Donato if you use the Superstadas.. I found driving was a huge advantage to trains, With a car you can actually come and go as you wish.. Driving in Italy is no different than driving in one of our crazy driver citys like Los Angeles,Boston,Detroit etc.:-)
Italians do drive fast. So be warned. Driving in or around Rome can make you lose all your hair. :)
The Molise region however is more laid back than other parts of Italy. Very similiar I'D say to Rural West Virginia Vermont,New Hampshire and Kentucky.. Population is very small and everyone lives in small villages in high mountain areas. Very few Cars on the roads.. Campobasso is a very small capital city. Smaller than most USA small citys..I doubt it has 50,000 people on a good day.. Isernia is even smaller..
Without a car you will find it hard to reach the rural hamlets nearby.. It is also cool in October at least it was when we were there, 60 to 70 degrees and rained quite a bit.. Be prepared for damp and cool fall temps as you are high in the mountains of Molise..The leaves in late fall are in peak fall Folliage and was beautiful..
I was not in the village you mentioned but they all have their own ancient charm and usually a castle or ruins of a Norman or Franks Castle nearby.. I never saw so many castles in my life. They are everywhere.. If you love castles Molise is a Gem in that department.. Molise is a nature lovers and photographers dream. Do not expect tourist traps. They do not exist here.
Bring a good pair of walking shoes. Walking Cobbled stone streets will kill your feet without the proper shoes..
From noon to 4 everything closes for Siesta ,So,eat before noon or starve till 4PM LOL.
Most villages in Molise are just a shell of former populations. Many villages had 10,000 people in 1880 and are now down to 500 or less. This is common in Molise and Abbrzzo regions..
You will understand what I mean when you get there.. We were just amazed people left this peaceful rural area when it is what many of us in the USA search out and dream of living like this. Peace and Quiet is everywhere.. We plan to go back again for 2 weeks in a few years to relax and maybe find a way to communicate with Perrinos who still live in this region...

another tip is Drop your car off at the Rome airport,take a train to Rome. (30 minutes)and enjoy Rome for 3 days.. A great way to end a fantastic vacation...If you have any other questions or I missed one..Just ask..