One thing leads to another

Anyone who has worked on genealogy puzzles knows how one piece of information can lead to a whole lot more. Earlier this year, my family and I attended the Descendant's Day Picnic at Black Diamond Mines Regional Park. At the celebration, the park staff had several huge white binders full of documents, lists and other information about the families who lived in the mining communities that used to exist in the area. My great-grandfather Andrew Steele was born in Somersville, along with his siblings. While looking through the binders I found an index or list that had church baptisms with Steele (or Still) family members listed. I just recently received copies of these documents. What I have posted are scans of photocopies of pictures taken of the original records of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Antioch, CA. They are in Latin. There was a Catholic Church in Somersville called St. Patrick's, but I read that it was mainly used for Sunday masses.
John Steele - Rosa (Rossi) Turra marriage record
Joseph V Steele baptism record

Andrew Steele baptism record

Joseph's record lists the names of his Godparents (Latinized, of course): Vincentius Rossi and Cesarina Rossi. I have found Vincent and Cesarina (and family) in the census records, living in Stockton. I think Vincent is Rosa's brother. An interview recorded and transcribed by staff of Black Diamond Mines Park of Richard B. Steele (and family) indicates that Rosa Rossi was brought to the U.S. by her brother, but his name wasn't mentioned.
John and Rosa's wedding record list ALL FOUR PARENTS' NAMES! (All the genealogists gasp). Both John and Rosa's fathers' names were written on their death certificates, but not the mothers' names. John's parents are written as Josephi Steele and Maria Rossi. (His death certificate says his father was John). Rosa's parents are written as Matheii (hard to read) Tura (sic) (her maiden name is Rossi, and Mathew Rossi is listed as her father's name on her death certificate) and what I think says Baptistima ________ (I cannot make sense of the last name). Note John and Rosa's son Richard's middle name was Baptist, and Joseph's middle name was Vincent.
So now I'll be trying to find information that connects Rosa and Vincent as siblings, and also trying to find any more information on both John and Rosa's parents (my great-great-great grandparents!)

Black Diamond Mines Descendent's Picnic

Margie, Mary Ann, Michelle, Liz and John. Family!


Pictured above, staying out of the rain: On the left, Mary Ann Golden Paloutzian and husband Tom in back, Margie Golden in the front. On the right, Liz Steele and father John Steele in the back, Jed Thoma and wife Maggie seated in front.

This weekend a few Steele family members gathered at the Black Diamond Mines Descendent's Picnic. The picnic is held every 2 years for desecendents of the mining communities that used to exist in the area. My great-grandfather, Andrew Steele, was born in Somersville. His father, John Still (later spelled Steele) worked in the coal mines.
John Still(18 Oct 1847-9 Jan 1912) married Rosa Rossi Turra(17 Apr 1860-18 Nov 1939)after her first husband George Turra died (on 15 Aug 1888). She had 2 daughters, Theresa and Georgie Turra, and at least Theresa was born in Stockton. Georgie was born after her father died (1 Jan 1889)and was apparently named after him. John and Rosa were married 12 Nov 1899 in Stockton. They had 6 more children together: Mary (b. 1890), John (b. 1891), Joseph (b.1892), Andrew (aka Chickie, b. 1895), Richard (b.1897) and David (b.1899). I have records showing that at least John through Richard were born in Somersville, CA. (David was born in Tesla, another mining community in Alameda county). Somersville no longer exists, but the site is located within the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve.
The family was living in Fresno at 1207 F St. when they were recorded in the 1900 U.S. census on 5 Jun 1900.

Above: left to right, Margie Golden, Mike Atkins and wife Meg Thoma Atkins, Maggie and Jed Thoma. Meg and Jed are Margie's children.


Above: Margie Golden and sister Mary Ann Golden Paloutzian. Liz Steele and father John Steele.
John Steele is the son of Richard B. Steele, and the grandson of John and Rosa Steele.
Mary Ann and Margie are the daughters of Betty Jean Steele Golden, the granddaughters of Andrew Steele and the great-granddaughters of John and Rosa Steele.

Exciting Steele Family Discovery

I am so excited!!
I posted on the San Joaquin Genealogical Society's message board on Ancestry, and after exchanging a few e-mails with Sandra Hoskins, she was able to locate the following information:

George Turra - Rosa Rossi
Married 10-24-1886, Stockton, San Joaquin County, California
Volume 5 Page 195


John Still - Rosa Tura
Married 11-12-1889, Stockton, San Joaquin County, California
Volume 5 Page 533

More to come as I add this information into the family tree!