My mother's parents, Bernard Van Wyk and Clementina Tomasso, emigrated to the United States on March 18th, 1911. They sailed from Rotterdam, Holland on the S.S. New Amsterdam. At that time, they had only one son, Frank. The manifest shows Bernard's age as 20 (incorrect he was actually 28), Clementina's as 26 and Frank's as 11 months. It lists their last permanent residence as The Hague, Holland. They are listed as citizens of Holland, Bernard and Frank's race are listed as Dutch, Clementina's race is listed as Italian. Bernard's occupation reads "music instrument maker", Clementina's as "housewife" and their final destination is listed as Vineland NJ.
See the New Amsterdam Manifest
Bernard's family remained in Holland, but Clementina's family, the Tomasso's, had already come to the United States. Most of the Tomasso's settled in Vineland New Jersey but Bernard and Clementina settled in Philadelphia. Clementina had 3 older brothers (Guiseppe, Pietro and Luigi) and 2 older sisters (Giortruda and Maria). They were all musicians and toured Europe together as Campagnia Bella Napoli (Clementina played the mandolin). Her eldest brother, Guiseppe Tomasso, was the director. Clementina's father, Francesco Tomasso was born October 4th, 1839 in Cardito di Vallerotunda, Italy and died Feb 1908 at the age of 68 in Dusseldorf, Germany. Clementina's mother, Seraphine Pietronella Vogelaar, was born Dec 25th, 1855 in Dordrecht, The Netherlands and died in 1928 at the age of 73 in Vineland New Jersey.
A reunion of the Tomasso's was held in 1922, 6 years before Clementina's mother died. This photo was the last taken with Clementina's mother, Seraphine and all of her children and grandchildren to-date.
Another Tomasso Family Reunion was held 85 years later! Here is a video slide show put together for that reunion.