Known and Theorized History/ Timetable of Paolo Prola
1858-1859 : Born in Mazze, Italy
1860-1880 : Family of plate/ pottery makers (ciaple') and teamsters, also farmers.
1880s : Possible travel to Val D'Aosta, France or Belgium for mining work.
1990s : ????
1894 : Marries Mary (Maria) (b. 26 Dec 1873; d. 2 Nov 1915) in Mazze, Italy ?
1894 : Travel to San Paolo Brazil with wife Mary. Work on a coffee plantation
1895 : Birth of first son, John (Giovanni) Sep. 1, 1895, in San Paolo, Brazil.
1896? : Plans to buy plantation from owner who has financial problems?
1897? : Return to Italy since owner of coffee plantation wins lottery and does not sell plantation to Paolo.
1898? : Travel to USA, possible work in Pennsylvania Coal Mines
1899 : Return to Italy
1900 : Return to USA : working in Iron Mine, Norway City, Michigan (Census)
1900 : Birth of Daughter, Benedetta in Italy
1903 : Trip to Italy, return with wife Mary, son John and daughter Benedetta.
1905 : Birth of son, Joseph in Norway City, Michigan
1910 : Working in Norway City, Michigan, owns house, w/ wife & 3 children (Census)
1911 : Birth of son, Louis in Norway, Michigan
1913? : Move to Ely, Minnesota to work in Iron mines.
1915 : Death of Mary Prola in Ely, Minnesota from complications from diabetes
1917 : Travel to Italy, marries Josephine, his second wife and returns w/ her to USA
1918? : Daughter Benedetta elopes/ Marries Guido Furlone leaves family moves to Kenosha, Wisconsin
1920 : Working in Ely, Minnesota Iron mine, w/ wife Josephine and 3 sons. Rents House (Census)
1921 : Returns to Italy with wife Josephine and sons Joseph and Louis. John and Benedetta remain in US.
1924? : Josephine dies of complications from breast cancer.
1922-38 : lives in Italy during depression with 2 sons Joseph and Louis in Mazze, Italy
1938 : Death in Mazze, Italy
Sources
The initial sources will be the US Census documents from various 10 year periods when they are available and pertinent. See the references section below for images of the documents. Each census was slightly different in the information they recorded.
US Census 1900
The census of 1900 is in table form, handwritten and provides information only on Paolo Prola.
The Location is given as Stephenson Road, Norway City, Michigan. Residence number 224.
He was staying with a family of 8 members. The head of the family is Italian, Anton (Antonio) Canavara. The wife is Mary, from Germany. They have 3 sons and 3 daughters.
Paolo Prola is listed as one of two boarders at the house. The other boarder is Dominic Scavardo. Paolo's birth year and age are incorrectly given as 1856 and 44. They should be 1859 and 41.
He gave Italy as his birthplace, immigrated in 1900, thus in the US for 0 years during the census, an alien, could read and write but not speak English. A Miner, iron ore; since he was a border he did not own property.
Thus the 1900 gives us a snapshot of where Paolo where he is living and his status.
US Census 1910
The census of 1910 is in table form, handwritten and provides information on the Prola Family. The residence is given as Leyman Location?, Norway city, Dickinson county, Michigan. The census list them as owning the house free of mortgage.
Five members and their ages are listed:
Paul 51 : Married 16 years, immigrated in 1900, miner, iron mine
Mary 37 : Married 16 Years, immigrated in 1903
John 15 : incorrectly listed as being born in US (Actually born in Brazil 9/1/1895)
Benedetta 10 : incorrectly listed as being born in US (Actually born in Italy 1900)
Joseph 5 : born in Michigan in 1905 ?
Paul (Paolo) is listed as immigrating into the US in 1900. He was listed as a miner, currently working, being able to speak and write English. Naturalized citizen. He owned his house, free of mortgage.
Mary (Maria) is listed as immigrating into the US in 1903, naturalized and speaking and writing English. Since she arrived in the US in 1903 (Paolo evidently brought her over from Italy with son John and daughter Benedetta) It confirms that the birth of Benedetta must have been in Italy in 1900. So Paolo must have been in Italy in 1899. We also know that Maria's son John was born in San Paolo, Brazil in 1895 so Paolo and Maria were in Brazil at that time. When did they travel to Brazil and how long did they stay there?
US Census 1920
The census of 1920 is in table form, handwritten and provides information on the Prola Family. The residence is given as Zenith Mine Location, House sequence 294, Ely, St Louis County, Minnesota. The house is rented.
Five members and their ages are listed:
Paul 61 : arrived US 1900, Naturalized 1909, Surface Miner
Josephine 47 : Arrived in US 1917, Naturalized 1918
John 24 : Born in Brazil, Arrived USA 1901?, Naturalized in 1909, occupation Surface Miner
Joseph 14 : Born in Michigan
Louis 8 : Born in Michigan
Paul (Paolo) is listed as immigrating into the US in 1900. He was listed as a Surface miner, currently working, being able to speak and write English. Naturalized citizen.
Josephine is listed as immigrating into the US in 1917, Naturalized citizen in 1918.
Comments: Benedetta is not listed in this census in Minnesota. She is listed in the Kenosha, Wisconsin census as the wife of Guido Furloni, living in Kenosha and having 4 children. Only 2 children, Ulysses, born in Minnesota, and Dante born in Wisconsin would survive.
There is a discrepancy when John came into the USA. Here it lists 1901, but the 1910 census implies that he arrived with his Mother, Mary from Italy in 1903.
Photo References
Photo of Grandparents' Portrait
This is a photo of a portait of Paolo and Maria circa 1910? taken at the house of Jack Prola, in Minneapolis.
Grandfather Paolo Prola
Burial crypt of my Grandfather, (Massimo) Paolo Prola,(1858?-1938), in Mazze, (TO), Italy. Note that the birthyear is one year earlier than the one deduced from census data in 1910 and 1920.
Grandmother Maria Prola
Burial site of my Grandmother, Maria Prola,(12/26/1873-11/02/1915), in Ely, MN. The first view is a closeup of the headstone. The next views are from the front and back of the headstone. Note the diversity of the styles of memorials. The iron cross is for a miner who supposedly committed a crime and attempted to escape in the forest and died frozen to death in the early 1900's.
References Note : Need PDF Reader
Census 1900
Census 1910
Census 1920
Updated Sep, 2012/ Copyright © 2012, Max Prola