Beyond the Home: Dominic Cusanza

Birth: 5 May 1890 in New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Death: 30 April 1957 in New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Dominic Cusanza’s birth records spell his last name as Cusenza. He was born as the third child to Salvatore Cusenza and Vincenzia Guarnieri in New Orleans. He had one brother, Brase “Paul” Cusenza, and one sister, Anna Cusenza.

This image is from the vital records search at: http://www.sos.la.gov/tabid/641/Default.aspx

By the time the 1900 census was taken, it appears that the Cusenza family had been disbanded. Neither Salvatore nor Vincenzia can be found in the census and each child is recorded in a different location. Anna moved in with her mother’s relatives (uncle Vincent Guarnieri and Aunt Annunciatin Guarnieri Ferrera) in the 3rd Voting Precinct of New Orleans. Her name is spelled Cugenza here, but names, especially foreign names, were commonly misspelled in censuses.

While his birth record indicates that his name was Brase, Dominic’s brother went by the name Paul. He appears to have worked in ocean shipping.

Dominic was likely sent to live at St. Mary’s Catholic Orphan Boys Asylum where he was recorded under the name of Dominic Cusanso. His age is off slightly, but that is yet another issue with antique censuses. This entry is however, the closes and only likely possibility.

On 11 February 1915, Dominic married a Giovannina DiGanzi (or something near that). Below is extracted information from their marriage certificate:

The couple had three children, namely: Salvador Cusanza (b. 1915), Mary T. Cusanza (b. abt 1917) and Josephine Gloria Cusanza (b. 1919), all of which grew up in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. Some of their residential addresses include:

1027 Royal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana
2011 Desire Street, New Orleans, Louisiana
1810 Bayou Road, New Orleans, Louisiana

Dominic died on 30 April 1957 in New Orleans. His wife, Jennie, died about eleven years later in 1968. They are both buried at the Saint Vincent De Paul Cemetery in New Orleans.