This letter is more difficult to read. The ink has faded on two of the pages.

12 May 1936

Page1
img166.imageshack.us/i...ge1vs3.jpg

Page2
img177.imageshack.us/i...ge2dq1.jpg

Page3
img177.imageshack.us/i...ge3xm7.jpg

Page4
img142.imageshack.us/i...ge4tc7.jpg

Four more letters remain.

I saw from Pagine Bianche there are a pair of Dragotta in Belmonte Mezzagno (and one is called Stefano, like one of the Tano's child). If you want I can try to have a talk with them to know if they are Tano's relatives.
What about?
Ciao
Luca

Yes, Luca, that would be great!

Stefano è figlio di Cristoforo di Giovanni
Giuseppa è nipote di Cristoforo
Peccato!

Quali sono le informazioni in tuo possesso su Tano? I nomi delle figlie li conosci? Altro?

Fammi sapere

Luca

Luca,
Thanks for looking into that connection. When I checked the Pagine Blanche link I noticed that the spelling of the surnames was different from Tano's. The names listed ended with an "a" instead of an "o".
Looking ahead to the remaining letters, Tano does mention the names of his children. Stefano is married but apparently has no children. Another boy, Pietrino is unmarried. The oldest daughter, Giuseppina, has two boys with another child on the way. Two other daughters are unmarried: Rosetta and Bettina (could be Rettina). Angelina Greco is the granddaughter, I think, of one of Tano's sisters and she is listed at the address -- 31 Piazza Garibaldi in Belmonte. Tano's sisters are mentioned as well: Stefana, Grazia, Concettina (who has died). Other sources indicate there was another sister, Grazia, who was the first child and died and another sister named Filippa.

Quindi il vero cognome di Tano è Dragotto o Dragotta?
Perché a Belmonte ci sono anche dei Dragotto ( Pagine Bianche ) ai quali eventualmente chiedere

Luca

According to information I've received from Belmonte Mezzagno the surname is Dragotto. Images from microfilm also bear this out as well. Tano's grandfather, Ignazio Dragotto was born in Palermo but married Grazia Pizzo in Belmonte. I am currently awaiting the arrival of additional information I've requested from both Belmonte and San Giuseppe. I am afraid I do not have enough information to narrow the list and focus on one specific name that is on the list. What does "BAR" signify in the listing of the Dragotto's?

This is a Bar

I phoned again at Giuseppa Dragotto and she told me that because of an error at the "Stato Civile" almost all the Dragotta and Dragotto in Belmonte are relatives, but she (and her mother - 85) don't remember nobody called Tano or Gaetano Dragotta.
I left her my phone number: if she will be able to find out something, she'll recall me.

Luca

Luca wrote:

This is a Bar I phoned again at Giuseppa Dragotto and she told me that because of an error at the "Stato Civile" almost all the Dragotta and Dragotto in Belmonte are relatives, but she (and her mother - 85) don't remember nobody called Tano or Gaetano Dragotta. I left her my phone number: if she will be able to find out something, she'll recall me. Luca

WOW Luca! That was so nice of you to call for Tom! (by the way, I love the picture of the bar!)
Tom: It was actually more common than you realize to have the same family go by different spellings. I have come across many examples in my own grandfather's town.

OK So a BAR in Belmonte is the same as a BAR in the US
Thanks for all of your efforts, Luca. We might be able to get a better response from the Dragotto's if we met them in that BAR and plied them with our charm and other libations

Good news

I found Tano's granddaughter. Now she lives in Torino. She was so kind with me, also if she didn't understand why I was asking her such things. I told her to visit this site: hope she'll do it! (she also asked me about you, Tom, but I wasn't able to give her such informations!)
She said her grandfather (Tano) spent last part of his life in Torino, and there he died. It's almost impossible (she said) that Ignazio's letters have been stored; it's nearly sure they were lost during the relocation (if not before).
I gave her my number: maybe she'll phone me back.

Ciao
Luca

Luca you're wonderful!!! Congratulations Tom! Maybe she'll be in touch with you.....crossing fingers and toes.

Wow...thats amazing.

Luca, this is so nice of you. Tom, Keeping fingers and toes crossed too!

I'm speechless! Luca, you are indeed a bearer of light!

Luca, sei tanto gentile!

What exciting news for you, Tom!