Apollonio, later Champion — and the trail of "Campione"

The family sheet itself is now identified — it's a page from Rovinj parish's Status Animarum ("stanje duša," a household-by-household census kept by the church) for house no. 833, headed by Giorgio Apollonio and his widow Maria Bronzin, certified as a true copy by the State Archive in Pazin. The "Campione" annotation the original post asked about is right where it should be, in the Annotazioni column next to Giorgio's death entry.

The original request

Posted to a genealogy group, asking for help locating one of the documents referenced in a family history book:

"Hi! I was wondering if anyone could help me with this search! Our ancestors were born in Rovigno Istria in the 1820s, and emigrated to Texas. In Istria, their last name was Apollonio but when they came to the states, they changed it to Champion. Supposedly they had a nickname of Campione. The family sheet references Campione in the upper right, see the photo. There is a family history book which vaguely states other places that the nickname Campione can be found, but I can't find the documents! Please see the typed images for info. Can anyone help me look for one of the documents mentioned that state the name Campione in the annotation? Or point me in the right direction? Thank you all so much!" — original post, as written

The book: Campion(e) History, by Raul Guerra

The typed pages from the family history book, page 128, explain exactly where the name comes from and how it became a surname:

"The South Texas surname CHAMPION was used by five brothers in America. The change from APOLLONIO to CHAMPION is as follows. In a letter to A. Champion dated 1994, the director of the Center of Historical Research in Rovigno, G. Radossi, sent information on the APOLLONIO family that he had in his archives. It included photo copies of the book entries pertaining to the APOLLONIO. In those documents it showed the Maria BRONZIN family, the widow of Giorgio APOLLONIO, who died on 02 Feb 1858, the son of the late Simone [APOLLONIO]. Note: the name APOLLONIO was also spelled APPOLONIO. On the margin of this document was noted "Campion". The same notation "Campion" was also in the margin of Simon APOLLONIO, the son of Giorgio and grandson of Simon. The next entry was for Gaspera Segalla the widow of Pietro APOLLONIO the son of Simon. Again the name "Campion" was attached to Pietro's record." — Raul Guerra, Campion(e) History, p. 128

And on where the nickname itself came from:

"Pietro APOLLONIO and Giorgio APOLLONIO were brothers, Giorgio being older by two years. In his letter, Mr Radossi stated that one of the CHAMPION ancestors had the nickname "Campion(e)" and therefore the brothers used that name in America. The name would be annotated as APOLLONIO ditto CAMPION(E). It appears that Simone had this nickname attached to his surname but it is not known where it originated and for what reason. It appears that an ancestor was a "champion" of something, what and when is unknown. […] After several generations of using the "ditto" or "dit" name the family could drop the surname and utilize the "ditto" or "dit" name exclusively and that name would then became the surname. This is what happened to the APOLLONIO ditto CAMPION(E) family when they moved to America." — Raul Guerra, Campion(e) History, p. 128

Found: the document itself — house 833, Rovinj Status Animarum

This is a Stato delle Anime / Status Animarum page — a household census the parish kept, updated over years as children were born, married, emigrated, or died — for house no. 833 in Rovigno, certified by the Državni arhiv u Pazinu (State Archive in Pazin) as a true copy of the original.

The family tree — Apollonio detto Campione

From a typed "APOLLONIO detto CAMPIONE / CHAMPION CHART," matching and extending the Status Animarum entry above:

* Albert, Peter, Andrew, Nicholas, and Joseph are the "five brothers" the family history book opens with. The book's second "Campione" annotation, on Pietro Apollonio son of Simon (Giorgio's brother, via his widow Gaspera Segalla), belongs to a different, earlier branch — Simon (b. 1749)'s son Pietro, not to be confused with Giorgio's own son Pietro/Peter Champion above.

Found: the brothers themselves, in Texas

U.S. census records match the Rovigno chart closely enough to remove any doubt these are the same men — and add the Gulf-port arrival record the roadmap only hoped might exist.

All four Texas brothers married women from Mexico and raised large bilingual families on the border — which is worth noting on its own: within one generation, an Istrian "detto Campione" household became a Rio Grande Valley Tejano one.

Found: a published biography, and a family that already did this research

Two more sources close most of what was still open about the Texas side — one an authoritative published biography, the other a family member who has spent over a decade doing exactly this kind of work.

What their records add

Found: a town founder, a landmark building, and a museum in the family's own store

Joseph's own son turns out to have a Handbook of Texas entry of his own — and the building he built in 1899 is still standing, and still open to the public.

Found: the origin story, told by a great-grandson

A full open-access volume from UT Rio Grande Valley's regional history series turns out to contain a detailed, sourced account of exactly this family's arrival — written by a direct descendant. This settles most of what "Where to look next" (below) was still guessing at.

The same author's companion piece, "Lucile Champion's Brownsville: Remembrances of Another Time" (also freely downloadable, same series, vol. 10), corroborates all of the above independently and adds Frank Champion Murphy's own line down from Albert: Albert's son Frank Champion married Henrietta Elizabeth Edwards — a Georgia family, Huguenot on her mother's side, that had resettled on the Mexican side of the border in Camargo and Mier after the Civil War — on 18 Aug 1886 at the Starr County courthouse, later solemnized as a Catholic ceremony in Brownsville. Their daughter Lucile Elizabeth Champion (b. 25 Feb 1889, Mier) was the author's mother. Henrietta and Lucile's baby sister Gussie both died of typhoid in 1894, three weeks apart, leaving Frank a widower raising five-year-old Lucile alone — Frank never remarried. Albert himself died in Brownsville in 1890, independently matching the Handbook of Texas date above.

Found: the primary source itself — and the author's own family

More pages have surfaced, from a spiral-bound book titled simply "Champion: The Champion Family of Point Isabel — Campeoni, Originally from Rovigno d'Istria, Italy." This appears to be the actual primary document both the Handbook of Texas entries and Frank Champion Murphy's academic article drew from — its "Part Three," on Albert, matches the Handbook almost line for line, and both are credited "By: A.A. Champion."

Color, for the record: this book preserves an actual quoted 1859 letter from Albert, refusing to run his stage line's mail into a Cortina-surrounded Brownsville — "I shall send the mail tomorrow, since it is pretty certain that the rider will be taken... I shall wait until I can send it safely..." — and confirms Albert's ranches, La Florida and La Gloria, and that "a member of the family together with the late Judge James B. Wells owned the entire [Point Isabel] town site at one point in time."

Found: two existing family trees already built — on MyHeritage

Exactly as guessed: someone has already done this. A MyHeritage search for "Giorgio Apollonio" turns up two separate, independently-built trees covering this exact family, both still live and both contactable directly through the site.

Neither tree's public search snippet shows a scanned document or a source note for the "Campione" annotation itself — so this doesn't hand over the missing records directly — but Marchetto's tree in particular has 169 photos attached somewhere in its 7,717 profiles, and either manager may well have exactly what Radossi sent in 1994.

Where to look next

FamilySearch's microfilmed Rovinj parish collection (Matična knjiga, 1553–1913) only covers births, marriages, and deaths (Rođeni / Vjenčani / Umrli) — it does not include Status Animarum books, so this document was never going to turn up in an ordinary FamilySearch search. But the State Archive in Pazin's own register database (dapa.hr) lists the Status Animarum ("stanje duša") holdings for Rovinj/Rovigno directly:

Research roadmap — telling the fuller story

Finding house 833 answers the original question. These are the directions worth pursuing next, organized by what each one actually adds to the story rather than just closing the one open citation.

1 · Close the paper trail — the two missing annotations

2 · Why "Campione"? — the nickname's own origin

3 · Why Texas, and why so early? — answered

4 · The five brothers and their descendants today

Ready to send

Seven enquiries, drafted and ready to send as-is or adapt. Each names exactly what's already been found, so the person on the other end has a specific thing to check rather than a cold genealogy request.

To "Rovigno Champions" on Find a Grave

Via Find a Grave's own "Send Message" on their profile — likely the single best lead on this whole page, since they've already documented hundreds of this family's own descendants.

"Hello — I hope this reaches you well. I'm researching the Apollonio/Campione family of Rovigno (Rovinj), who became the Champion family of Point Isabel and Brownsville, and I came across your 'Original Champion Brothers and Wives' and 'Champion Family of South Texas' virtual cemeteries — extraordinary work.

I'm trying to track down two more references to the family nickname "Campione," mentioned in a 1994 letter from Giovanni Radossi (director of the Centro di Ricerche Storiche di Rovigno) to an "A. Champion." I believe this was Alberto Alfonso Champion (1899–1990), who also wrote the family history booklet "Champion: The Champion Family of Point Isabel" and the Handbook of Texas entry on Albert, under the name A.A. Champion — his own bibliography lists "family documents in possession of A.A. Champion, Brownsville, Texas." If you're in touch with any of his children (Rudy, Albert Jr., Mary "Chickie" Henggeler, Emile, or John G. Champion II) or their own families, they may well have Radossi's original letter and its photocopies, which reportedly showed all three "Campione" annotations. I've already found one of the three myself — the "Campione" annotation on Giorgio Apollonio's own Status Animarum record (house 833, Rovigno) — but the letter mentions two more: one on Simon Apollonio (Giorgio's son) and one on Pietro Apollonio (Simone's son) via his widow Gaspera Segalla — neither found yet.

Do you know whether the Radossi letter, or the rest of the family history book it's quoted from (Campion(e) History, by Raul Guerra), still exists in the family? I've also confirmed via Geni that Simon Apollonio (b. 8 Aug 1814) died 30 Dec 1887 in Rovigno, married twice, and that his son George (b. 1840) is the "George Champion" found in his uncle Nicolas's household in the 1860 census — so Simon's own line reached Texas too, even though he stayed. And I noticed a small discrepancy: your own records give Giorgio's death as 1850, while both a certified Rovigno parish record and Geni give 2 Feb 1858 — worth a correction if you're able. Thank you so much for any help, and for all the work you've already put into this family's history." — draft, ready to send in English

To the Centro di Ricerche Storiche di Rovigno

info@crsrv.org · Trg Matteotti 13, 52210 Rovinj-Rovigno · Radossi's own institute, still operating from the same building.

"Gentile Centro di Ricerche Storiche di Rovigno,

Vi scrivo per conto della famiglia Champion (in origine Apollonio), di Rovigno, emigrata a Brownsville, in Texas, verso il 1850. Stiamo completando una ricerca genealogica iniziata dal Prof. Giovanni Radossi, che nel 1994 scrisse una lettera a un membro della famiglia (indicato come "A. Champion") allegando fotocopie di voci d'archivio riguardanti la famiglia Apollonio di Rovigno — in particolare l'annotazione "Campione" trovata su tre atti: quello di Giorgio Apollonio (morto il 2 febbraio 1858, figlio del fu Simone) e di sua moglie Maria Bronzin; quello di Simon Apollonio (figlio di Giorgio); e quello di Pietro Apollonio (figlio di Simone), tramite sua moglie Gaspera Segalla.

Abbiamo già ritrovato il primo di questi tre atti — lo Stato delle Anime della casa n. 833 di Rovigno, con l'annotazione "Campione" accanto alla voce di morte di Giorgio Apollonio — in una copia autenticata dall'Archivio di Stato di Pisino (Pazin). Ci mancano ancora gli altri due.

Un'altra fonte familiare indica che il figlio di Simon, Antonio Apollonio (sposato con Antonia Cralich), morì a Pola il 27 ottobre 1906, e che suo fratello Giuseppe e uno dei figli di Antonio vivevano ancora a Rovigno poco prima della Seconda guerra mondiale. Se esistono discendenti di questa linea, potrebbero essere loro stessi in possesso di informazioni preziose.

Sareste così gentili da verificare se il fascicolo di ricerca del Prof. Radossi su questa famiglia — quello alla base della sua lettera del 1994 — sia ancora conservato nel vostro archivio? Qualunque informazione, anche parziale, ci sarebbe di grande aiuto.

Vi ringraziamo molto per il vostro tempo e per il lavoro che il Centro svolge da decenni per la nostra comunità.

Cordiali saluti," — draft, ready to send in Italian

In English, for reference: "I'm writing on behalf of the Champion family (originally Apollonio) of Rovigno, who emigrated to Brownsville, Texas around 1850. We're completing genealogical research begun by Prof. Giovanni Radossi, who in 1994 wrote to a family member ('A. Champion') enclosing photocopies of archive entries for the Apollonio family of Rovigno — specifically the annotation 'Campione' found on three records: that of Giorgio Apollonio (died 2 Feb 1858, son of the late Simone) and his wife Maria Bronzin; that of Simon Apollonio (Giorgio's son); and that of Pietro Apollonio (Simone's son), via his wife Gaspera Segalla. We've already found the first of these three — the Status Animarum for house no. 833 in Rovigno — in a copy certified by the State Archive in Pazin. We're still missing the other two. Another family source indicates that Simon's son Antonio Apollonio (married to Antonia Cralich) died in Pola on 27 Oct 1906, and that his brother Giuseppe and one of Antonio's own sons were still living in Rovigno shortly before World War II — if descendants of this line still exist, they themselves may hold valuable information. Could you kindly check whether Prof. Radossi's 1994 research file on this family survives in your archive? Any information, even partial, would help enormously. Thank you for your time and for the Centre's decades of work for our community."

To the State Archive in Pazin (DAPA)

dapa@dapa.hr · Vladimira Nazora 3, 52000 Pazin · the fallback if the Centro's own file doesn't survive.

"Poštovani,

Istražujemo obiteljsku povijest obitelji Apollonio (kasnije Champion u SAD-u) iz Rovinja. U vašoj bazi matičnih knjiga pronašli smo podatak da se deset svezaka "stanje duša" (status animarum) za župu Rovinj čuva u Župnom uredu Rovinj, digitalizirano i dostupno u vašoj čitaonici (razdoblja: 1861.–1866., dva sveska "XIX. st.", dva "XIX–XX. st.", te 1905.–1920., 1908.–1923., 1914.–1923., 1923., 1923.–1942. i 1928.).

Već posjedujemo ovjerenu presliku jednog zapisa iz te vrste knjiga — kuća br. 833, obitelj Giorgio Apollonio (umro 2. veljače 1858., sin pok. Simeona) i njegove udovice Marije Bronzin, s bilješkom "Campione" uz zapis o smrti.

Tražimo dva daljnja zapisa iste vrste, spomenuta u pismu g. Giovannija Radossija iz 1994. godine:
1. zapis Simona Apolonija (sina gore navedenog Giorgia, unuka Simeona) — rođen 8. kolovoza 1814., umro 30. prosinca 1887. u Rovinju, dva puta oženjen (Eufemia Peliaga, potom Mattea Segariol);
2. zapis Petra Apolonija (sina Simeona), naveden preko njegove udovice Gaspere Segalla.

Biste li nam mogli reći jesu li ovi zapisi dostupni za pregled ili naručivanje preslike, te koji je postupak? Unaprijed zahvaljujemo na pomoći.

S poštovanjem," — draft, ready to send in Croatian

In English, for reference: "We're researching the Apollonio family (later Champion in the US) of Rovinj. Your register database lists ten 'stanje duša' (status animarum) volumes for the Rovinj parish, held at the Rovinj parish office and digitized for viewing in your reading room. We already hold a certified copy of one such record — house no. 833, Giorgio Apollonio and his widow Maria Bronzin, with the annotation 'Campione' beside the death entry. We're looking for two further entries mentioned in a 1994 letter from Giovanni Radossi: Simon Apollonio (Giorgio's son, b. 8 Aug 1814, d. 30 Dec 1887 in Rovigno, married twice — Eufemia Peliaga, then Mattea Segariol) and Pietro Apollonio (Simone's son, via his widow Gaspera Segalla). Could you tell us whether these are available to view or to order as copies, and what the process is? Thank you in advance."

To the Diocese of Brownsville

chancery-receptionist@cdob.org · (956) 542-2501 · for the earliest Point Isabel/Brownsville-area parish's 1850s sacramental registers.

"Dear Chancery Office,

I'm researching the Champion family (originally Apollonio, of Rovigno, Istria), who settled in the Point Isabel / Brownsville area of Cameron County in 1850. Four brothers emigrated and settled there: Albert (b. 1816), Peter (b. 1818), Nicholas (b. 1825), and Joseph (b. 1828) Champion. U.S. census records place them in the area from 1850 onward, married to wives from Mexico (Estefana Solis, Felicita, Teresa, and Marcela), with children born in Texas from the 1850s through the 1870s.

Could you tell me which parish would have served the Point Isabel/Brownsville area in the 1850s–60s, and whether that parish's baptism and marriage registers from that period survive — either at the parish itself or on microfilm elsewhere? I'd be very grateful for guidance on where to direct a records request for this family.

Thank you for your time," — draft, ready to send in English

The Catholic Archives of Texas in Austin (Selena Aleman, selena@txcatholic.org) holds microfilm of many early Texas parish registers, but directs genealogical requests to the parish or diocese first — the Diocese of Brownsville is the right starting point, not CAT directly.

To the Port Isabel Historical Museum

info@portisabel-texas.com · (956) 943-7602 · 317 E. Railroad Ave., Port Isabel — housed in the actual building Charles Champion built in 1899.

"Hello — I'm researching the Champion family, originally Apollonio of Rovigno, Istria, who settled in Point Isabel around 1850. I understand your museum is housed in the building Charles Champion built in 1899, and I read the Handbook of Texas entry on Charles citing a 1999 book, Charles Champion, Point Isabel Pioneer: His Family and His Life, 1870–1926, published by the Laguna Madre Museum Foundation and the Port Isabel Historical Museum.

Does the museum still have copies of this book, or any archival material on the wider Champion family — Charles's father Joseph, his uncles Albert, Peter, and Nicholas, and their own emigration from Rovigno around 1850? I'd be very grateful for any guidance on what the museum holds, or who else might know.

Thank you for preserving this building and this family's history." — draft, ready to send in English

To Roberto Marchetto, via MyHeritage

Via the "Contact Roberto" button on his MyHeritage tree — 7,717 profiles, 169 photos, actively maintained.

"Hello Roberto — I came across your family tree ('Marchetto Roberto Albero Genealogico') while researching the Apollonio/Campeoni family of Rovigno who became the Champion family of Point Isabel, Texas. Your tree's dates for Giorgio Apollonio (d. 2 Feb 1858) and his daughter Domenica match documents I've found independently, which gives me real confidence in your research.

I'm specifically trying to find two archival references to the family nickname "Campione," mentioned in a 1994 letter from Giovanni Radossi (Centro di Ricerche Storiche di Rovigno) to a family member: one on Simon Apollonio's own record (Giorgio's son, b. 1814, d. 1887), and one on Pietro Apollonio's record (Simon's brother, i.e. Giorgio's own brother) via his widow Gaspera Segalla. Do any of your 169 photos include these, or the original Radossi letter? Any lead at all would be a huge help — thank you for the work you've already put into this family." — draft, ready to send in Italian or English, via MyHeritage messaging

To Luis Fernando Gutierrez Champion, via MyHeritage

Via the "Contact" button on his MyHeritage tree — his own surname suggests he may be a direct descendant, not just a researcher.

"Hello Luis Fernando — your surname caught my eye on your MyHeritage tree ('Gutierrez Champion Web Site'), which includes Giorgio Apollonio/Campeoni of Rovigno and his children, including the Champion brothers of Point Isabel, Texas. Are you a descendant of this family yourself? I'm researching the same family — specifically two "Campione" annotations mentioned in a 1994 letter from Giovanni Radossi to a family member, on Simon Apollonio's and Pietro Apollonio's records, neither found yet. If you're connected to this family, I'd love to compare notes and hear anything you know." — draft, ready to send in English, via MyHeritage messaging