Ok, I need a little help please?

Question

Ok, here's the short version. There's an ancestor in my family that I'm trying to find the naturalization records for as he was and immigrant from Greece. We don't know when he got here, we know that he got his ssn in Boston and at one point lived in Worcestor, MA, but they can't seem to find records & aren't getting back in touch w/ me. His name was Dimitrios Fotou Demos and we don't know where he was from in Greece, who his parents were, or anything from his life in Greece. I'm hoping it'll be in the records. I'd like to know more about his life in Greece before he came to America. Please help. Anyone got any ideas or if you work in a place that might have records in either city in MA or know of any buildings or places that might have records (other than the Worcestor Public Library), I would really appreciate it.

Answer 1

I was able to find his World War II draft information card which provides his date of birth, and where he was born. I also found 2 sources which should be available at the Worcester Public Library, or elsewhere through interlibrary loan. These sources corroborate that he lived in Worcester some time before 1910 and arrived in Boston in 1902. I was not able to verify this in the Boston passenger lists, but it is something to investigate.

U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 Record
about Dimitrios Fotou Demos
Name: Dimitrios Fotou Demos
Birth Date: 5 Mar 1896
Residence: Providence, Rhode Island
Birth: Lekou, Greece
Race: White
Roll: WW2_2368319

Wife Calliope

Living at 258 Dean Street, Providence, Rhode Island.
Works at Central Lunch on 05 Clemence St. Providence, RI.

They do not have a telephone.

He is white with a ruddy complexion, 5' 6", weighs 178. Brown eyes, gray hair and wears glasses.

Draft card completed on 27 Apr 1942.




Apparently he was in Worcester, Mass at one time:

Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s Record
about Dimitrios Fotou Demos
Name: Dimitrios Fotou Demos
Year: 1885-1939
Place: Worcester, Massachusetts
Source Publication Code: 9512.10
Primary Immigrant: Demos, Dimitrios Fotou
Annotation: Date and port of arrival or date and place of residence or date and place of naturalization. Extracted from microfilms located at the National Archives in Washington D.C., the Boston Public Library, and the Worcester Public Library, as well as the Greek-A
Source Bibliography: VOULTSOS, MARY. Greeks in Worcester Massachusetts 1890-1910. Volume IV. Worcester, MA: Mary Voultsos, 1992. 157p.
Page: 102



The same compiler states he arrived in Boston in 1902:

Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s Record
about Dimitrios Demos
Name: Dimitrios Demos
Year: 1902
Age: 19
Place: Boston
Source Publication Code: 9512.25
Primary Immigrant: Demos, Dimitrios
Annotation: Date and port of arrival. Name of ship, date and port of embarkation, and other genealogical and historical information may also be provided. Page numbers were supplied by the editors.
Source Bibliography: VOULTSOS, MARY. Index Greek Immigrant Passengers Port of Boston 1902-1906. Worcester, MA: Mary Voultsos, 1993. [508p.]
Page: 34


I have not been able to find any confirmation in the immigration databases on Ancestry.

Other possiblities are:

17 Sep 1912 0018. Dimos, Dimitios M 16y Single Ethnicity Turkey, Greek last residence Kisarata on the Laura to join his brother Constantinos Dimos Spring St. Worcester Mass

Email me through my profile with your email address and I will send you the images of his draft card.

Answer 2

Hey Marisha Z,

The records in this country are easier to obtain. You should start with Dimitrios' Death Certificate, and Obits. Those would be the most recent records, and easiest to find. You can find them at the LDS website (below)
I found 2 records as follows:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dimitrios DEMOS
Birth Date: 5 Mar 1894
Death Date: Dec 1966
Social Security Number: 020-16-0228
State or Territory Where Number Was Issued: Massachusetts

Death Residence Localities
ZIP Code: 90631
Localities: La Habra, Orange, California
La Habra Heights, Orange, California
La Habra Hts, Orange, California
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dimitrios DEMOS
Birth Date: 29 Nov 1939
Death Date: 26 Apr 2002
Social Security Number: 330-44-7499
State or Territory Where Number Was Issued: Illinois
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is obviously 2 different people unless he got 2 SSNs. I think the first is your Dimitrios. (Birth: 5 Mar 1894 State Where Number was Issued: Massachusetts Death: Dec 1966). He could have died anywhere, so finding the death record may be a little taxing unless you have a clue where he died. If he died in Mass - try the second web site, and follow the records request process.

If Dimitrios came to the US through Ellis Island, try the third web site. The passenger search give manifests including the people he may have traveled with. And what port he sailed from! Get back to that port and start your search - overseas. The Ellis Island may give some indication of his Contry and Town of birth.

I put two of other sites that might help also. Cindi's list is a directory of Genealogy directories.

Answer 3

If you have his date of birth, go to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) centers for the NE US at Pittsfield and Boston (there's also the Kennedy Library, but I doubt they'd have anything). I'm not sure which one will have the records for him specifically since you're not sure where he applied for naturalization. But since he probably arrived after 1901, I'm sure he filled out the long form. That form will tell you the exact date of his arrival, the name of the ship, the port where he arrived. It will tell you his town of birth, parents' names, exact addresses in the US since arriving. You can also search their films of WWI draft registrations and any passenger lists that are on film.

You can also visit the Massachusetts State Archive. They usually have everything from WWI draft registrations to copies of any petitions he filed during the Naturalization process.


I did find one record for a Dimitrios Dimos at Ellis Island which matches the age of the SS record above. It shows his arrival as 10 Jan 1921 on the Pannonia, leaving Patras (outside of Athens) and arriving NY. His hometown was Manolada, Greece.


BTW, the suggestion about contacting the Greek Orthodox churches in the area is a very good one. If you know his date of marriage and the town where it occured, work from there to find the priest who officiated or blessed the marriage. The church register is a wealth of information, particularly about the church in Greece where he was chrismated (baptized/confirmed), as that is his home church for life. You can also find these records if he had a Greek Orthodox funeral, as it will be noted in the register of the parish where the burial was performed.

Answer 4

Is this him?
Dimitrios DEMOS
Birth Date: 5 Mar 1894
Death Date: Dec 1966
Social Security Number: 020-16-0228
State or Territory Where Number Was Issued: Massachusetts

Death Residence Localities
ZIP Code: 90631
Localities: La Habra, Orange, California
La Habra Heights, Orange, California
La Habra Hts, Orange, California

This is the only listing on the LDS site. Sorry if you already have this info, but if you don't it might get you closer.

Answer 5

That name rings a bell.I believe he left Greece at quite a young age some where between 20 & 27.His family were very poor after his father died.He got shot accidently I think.But Dimitrios beleived it to be done on purpose & so went after the "killers"He stabbed 1 man & injured the other then went on the run & arrived in america but he came under a different name so you may not find any record of Dimitrios Fotou Demos.I'm very sorry I can't tell you the name but I can tell you that its his real name only he rearranged the letters.I'm so sorry I can't help you any more.But good luck in your search!

Answer 6

Ahh thats who it was once, needed to google it. Keegan michael key's the man from mad television. Just jogged my memory of him. Anyways, I suppose the Blue side is beautiful. For the Violet identify, without doubt keep away from names of gadgets and colors, like Violet Rose Blue might simply sound dull. Something conventional might be excellent and play good of the "violet" establishing. Violet Elisabeth Blue

Answer 7

The Social Security Administration will sell you a copy of his SSN application for $27. It should have his birthplace, mother's maiden name and father's name. (If it was filled out by a Nurse when he was too old to remember, it won't, but 98% of them do.)

Find him on
http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi
Click on "SS-5", print it off, send it in. It takes 6 - 8 weeks.

Answer 8

Have you tried contacting the Greek Orthodox Church in Boston or Worcester ? They may have such things as birth records, baptismal certificates, marriage licenses, death certificates, etc. I am sure that you have probably done this but I will mention it anyway. Have you checked the Mormon Church records?

Answer 9

Ahh thats who it used to be, had to google it. Keegan michael secret is the man from mad television. Simply reminded me of him. Anyways, I suppose the Blue part is lovely. For the Violet identify, absolutely avoid names of objects and hues, like Violet Rose Blue would just sound stupid. Anything traditional can be great and play good of the "violet" commencing. Violet Elisabeth Blue

Answer 10

try the mormons, they been keeping records for years.