After a few months of fruitless searching, I finally managed to connect the Branda dots, and confirm the 4th branch of the Pantoliano family.

It went something like this –I’m told that Florrie Branda’s mother is the only sister of Pasquale.  I know that can’t be true thanks to the letter I scanned which led to the disovery of the Torras, plus some census info from 1900.  I checked the Campania site and while there were several mentions of Branda, no records from Italy suggest a connection.  Nothing on Ancestry.

Boo.

Then I asked a descendant of Peter about the Brandas, and she mentioned Florrie had a sister Carmella who married Harold Whalen.

Jackpot.

A search on Carmella Whelan brought up a Social Security claim which listed her living in “Noboken”, with father Dominick Branda and Anna Pantilano.

Pasquale and Peter had a younger sister Antonett. So a married name, a(nother) mispelling of a last name, and a nickname and just like that a few dozen more cousins.

The census document that lists Antonett, and one of the Torras as living with Joseph Pantoliano, Pasquale & Peter’s father.