Sixteen-year-old Francesco left Sortino, Sicily, in 1914 and traveled to the state of Wisconsin in the US. Typically, Sicilians immigrated to the US at that time due to Sicily’s abject poverty and America’s opportunities; Francesco probably had the same reasons. His life in Wisconsin is well documented with the usual items, such as censuses, vital records, deeds, newspaper articles, naturalization documents, and personal stories. What about his first 16 years in Sortino? Having left Sicily so young, would any records exist in Italy that could add depth to his story? His Italian passport, passed onto his granddaughter, and her request for his military records from an Italian archive started her journey to add to Francesco’s story. Hear what she found.