I have been working with city directories from Kansas City, Missouri, during the years of 1891 to 1915. They are very easy for me to get to because they are located in one of the many databases within my public library's special collections. I can view pdf files of each page of the directory, save them to a thumb drive or print them right there. I like to have paper copies of the city directories so I can shuffle them around at will. Many of our families are listed in the Kansas City directories, but currently I am studying the De Mayo family. Frank De Mayo, the elder, first appears in the 1891 directory. This supports evidence that he arrived in this country in 1890. It would appear he went straight to Kansas City after landing in the U.S. As the years go by, other De Mayos appear in the list showing the same residential address as Frank. These are most likely his children. Upon further study, another family starts to form around Vito Demaio. One of his children turns out to be Albert, who was also listed as one of the pall bearers for Frank's son. This is a good indication that Frank and Vito are related. By following the directories from year to year, I can see that Vito died around 1904. With that information I can look for a death certificate that may give me clues to his possible relationship to Frank. With the addresses listed in the directory, I can go to old maps to see where these places are located and their proximity to the churches, parks, and places of employment. City directories are both fun and informative. I have spent hours with these already.
