Today in Family History

On today’s date (September 9), the following happened in my family tree:

In 1830, my 4th great grandparents Domenicantonio Rossi and Maria Domenica Della Bricciosa married in San Giovanni, Penne, Abruzzo. Domenicantonio was the son of Giovanni Rossi and Anna Saveria Barbacone. Maria Domenica was the daughter of Blasio Della Bricciosa and Vittoria Gambacorta. They were the great grandparents of Cesidio Marcella. (His mother was named Elisabetta Rossi.)

We have the signature of Domenicantonio Rossi and the signature of Maria Domenica’s father Blasio. I don’t know if this meant they were literate, but they were able to sign their names legibly on the marriage document as you can see. This couple, and other members of their families, moved around this area of Abruzzo to multiple villages during their lifetimes. I don’t know what that means or why. I would love to hear your ideas.

On my maternal side the following happened:

In 1594, my 9th great grandmother Vittoria Litieri was baptized in Sant’ Agnese Parish, in San Felice a Cancello, Caserta. I know almost nothing about her, except her parents’ names, Cesare Litieri and Tommasina Secondina, and that she was the mother of my ancestor Pietro Capobianco. A Portia d’Adamo is noted on the baptism and may have been the midwife or the godmother. What is your guess? What do you see?

In 1834, my 3rd great grandfather Joseph Anton Heinzen was baptised in the Catholic parish of Glis near the Swiss border with Italy in Valais. He was born the day before in the tiny hamlet of Lingwurm. The godparents noted in the church record were Felix Nillen and Maria Josepha Nillin. His parents were Johann Joseph Heinzen and Anna Maria Vollmar. They were farmers.

Coincidentally, his daughter, on September 9, 1886, my immigrant second great grandmother Anne Aloisia (Anna) Heinzen and Ludwig (Louis) Fritz Kirsch got married before a Justice of the Peace in Chicago. She was Catholic and he was Lutheran.

In 1864, during a cholera epidemic in Chicago, 10 month old Loretta Schuttler, my second great grandmother Katharina Schuttler’s baby sister died.

Finally, on the other side of the Atlantic, in 1886, in Montecalvario, Naples, Italy, Carmen Ferraro’s sister Elena Ferraro was born. In America she married Angelo Scarnecchia.

Do you have any additions or corrections, or are we related? Please email me, because WordPress does not notify you if I comment on your comment on my blog. cinziarosagenealogy@comcast.net.

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Midwife Scribing Saturday ~ The Birth of My Great Grandfather

The next record in the Farindola records mentioning midwife Maria Giuseppa Marcella was the birth of my great grandfather Cesidio Marcella who was born on February 11, 1995 in Case Bruciate in Farindola.

• 

Translation –

Number 20 of the Book of Births of the Commune of Farindola (1895):

The year 1895, day 13, of February at the 11^th hour, in the municipal house.

In front of me Paolo Colaiezzi Assessiore, Civil State Official of the Comune of Farindola, there appears Maria Giuseppa Marcella, of 48 years, midwife, living in Farindola, that admits to me that on the 15^th hour, in the 15^th minute, of the 11^th day of the current month, in house address Casa Bruciate, number (blank), to Elisabetta Russi (Rossi) wife of Filippo Marcella, with whom she resides.

There was born a baby of the masculine sex that she presents to me and who has been named Cesidio.

To the above in this document were present the witnesses Angelo Ferromossa, of 38 years, tailor, and Quirico Cirone, of 52 years, contadino, both residents of this commune.

The registrant announced that the birth above is provided by the aforementioned, explained in the action that the husband of Russi (Rossi) is ill.

The act has been read to all that are present, because the attendees are illiterate, under signed by:

(P Colaiezzi)

In the Margin:  Addition to record – day 7/1/1980, died in Chester USA, act no. 1, (atto di morte Farindola 1981) Pescara, 7/12/1983, signed the Cancelliere of Farindola.

I translated this record in 2016. An image of his birth record can be found in my previous post below:

https://cinziarosasdescendantsblog.wordpress.com/2016/02/11/on-this-day-in-1895-in-case-bruciate/

My Pescara, Teramo, and Chieti Surnames and Places Lists

Gran Sasso D’Italia, overlook near Farindola

Pescara, Abruzzo, Italia

• Farindola: Marcella, Di Francesco, Merlenghi/Merlengo, Massei, Rossi, Cirone, Di Pend/tima, Di Massimo, Colangeli, Iannascoli, Lucerini, Giansante, Pompili/Pompilio, Cacciatore, Damiani/Damiano, Lizza, Puccella, Ferri, Marzola, Cervo, Chiarella, Colella, Carusi, Frattarola/Frattaroli, Rosa, De Nino, Lepore, Paolucci, Lacchetta, Ciarma, Dell’Orso, D’Angelo, Bucci, Di Simone, Tinacci, Del Priore, Salvitti, Sciarra, Di Risio/D’Orizio, Iannascoli, Di Luca, Fragassi/Fracasso, Di Costanzo, Di Julio, De Angelis, Cottelluci, D’Agostino, Fusaro, Trizii/Trizio, Costantini, Ricci, Di Vico, Marcelli, Collalto, Sciambellone, Marcucci  
• Major Farindola Collateral lines:  Zenone, Belgrado, Generosi, Iezzi, Romagna
• Penne: Colangeli, Crocetta, Rossi, Barbacone, Cotraccia, Labricciosa/Della Bricciosa, Marrone, Gambacorta, Ricci, Delle Monache, Di Costanzo, Di Falone, Andreoli, Di Donato, Triozzi, D’Angelo, D’Angelo alias Zagliocco, D’Angelo alias “Il Nibbio”, Giansante/Di Giansante, Trignani, Di Belisario, Facciolini, Massei, Imbastaro, Scaramuzzo, Cacciatore, Desiati/Desiati alias Cacciatore, Sacchetti, Sacchetti Sopranome Muffitti, Oriani/Auriano/Di Auriano, Di Norscia, Mincarelli, Di Federico, Ferramosca, Di Carlo, Chiarella
• Loreto Aprutino: Carusi, Balsamo
• Carpineto della Nora: Di Giansante, Di Giardini
• Pianella: D’Agostino, Di Pentima, Di Leonardo
• Montebello di Bertona: Antonacci, Di Silvestre, Di Vico

Teramo, Abruzzo, Italia

• Arsita/Baccucco: Rossi
• Castelli: Sacchetti Sopranome Muffitti/Sacchetti, Menei
• Castaglione Messer Raimondo: Ricci

Chieti, Abruzzo, Italia

• Fara San Martino: Salvitti, Sciarra, D’Ippolito

 

Links:

For research in Farindola, Elio Fragassi’s website has been invaluable: External Link.

For Penne and Farindola research, Gelsumino.it has been a goldmine!  The link to it’s resources is here: Link.

Pescara and Chieti records are all available on Antenati.

My Abruzzese tree: Ancestry

 

Thank you for visiting.

-cinziarosagenealogy@comcast.net

 

Today’s Anniversary ~ Third Great Grandparents Massimo Nicola Marcella and Maria Carolina Colangeli ~

 

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Farindola – On today’s date in 1840, my third great grandparents Massimo Nicola Marcella and Maria Carolina Colangeli were married in San Nicola di Bari, Farindola.  They were the grandparents of my immigrant great grandfather Cesidio Marcella.

Maria Carolina Colangeli was born in Farindola in 1817 to Berardino Colangelo/i and Anna Giuseppa Antonacci.  They were contadini.  During this time period, her surname fluctuated between Colangeli and Colangelo in the Farindola records.  Her mother Anna Giuseppa Antonacci was born in nearby Montebello di Bertona, Pescara in 1791.

The records of Pescara on Antenati suggest that the Colangelis were from nearby Penne, Pescara, although at the time of Maria Carolina’s birth, a branch of them were living in Farindola, for Maria Carolina’s father was born in Farindola, but his midwife mother was born in Penne.  Also, the other Colangelis in my Abruzzese tree in a separate branch were from Penne and owned property there.

Maria Carolina’s tree was heavy with midwives, and though she was listed as a spinner on several civil records on Antenati, I suspect she too was a midwife.  Her aunt, grandmother, great grandmother, and her own daughter Maria Giuseppa were all midwives.   Maria Giuseppa was there for the delivery of Cesidio.

Massimo Nicola Marcella was born in 1814 in Farindola to Giuseppe Antonio Marcella* and Maria Domenica Sciarra. They too were contadini. Maria Domenica’s parents were born in Fara San Martino, Chieti and the occupations of her father and brothers were written as lanari (wool workers/merchants) in the civil records on Antenati.

Massimo Nicola’s paternal ancestors had been living in Farindola at least as far back as a man named Donato Marcella and a lady possibly named Domenica Cervo both alive in the early 1700s in the Farindola area.  This is the farthest back I have been able to trace his surname using church death records in the marriage processetti on Antenati.  Oh to have the church records in the Diocese of Penne available to research! 

My third great grandparents had 10 children, 4 of which were two sets of female twins.  They were:

Twins Maria Domenica and Maria Giustina (twins), born in 1841.  Maria Giustina lived less than a month.  Maria Domenica lived ten years.  They were born 9 months after their parents married.

Maria Giustina, born in 1843 in Contrada da Valloni – died in 1912 in Contrada Casebruciate, married foundling Panfilo Zenone

Filippo, born in 1844 in Contrada Trosciano – died in 1916 at #137 in Contrada Trosciano, married Maria Antonia Lacchetta and Elisabetta Rossi (my ancestress)

Maria Giuseppa (midwife in Contrada Casebruciate), born in 1846 in Contrada Trosciano – died in 1918 in Contrada Casebruciate, married Giovanni Costantini

Antonio, born in Contrada Trosciano in 1847 and died in 1851

Domenico, born in 1849 in Contrada Trosciano – died in 1908 in Casebruciate, married Maria Carmina Basilavecchia

Nicolantonio, born in 1851 in Contrada Casebruciate, married Maria Giuseppa Della Valle.  They had no children.  However, a man with his name appears to have had a child in 1901 to an un-named woman who was not his wife.  The child was named Vittoria Marcella.

Twins Serafina and Maria Domenica born in 1854 in Contrada Trosciano.  Maria Domenica married Vincenzo Di Silvestri.  Serafina married Antonio Di Francesco, who was the son of Anna Emidia Lucerini and Luigi di Francesco.  My third great grandparents on a different line!

Massimo Nicola Marcella died in 1884 in Contrada Casebruciate.  His widow Maria Carolina Colangeli died a few months shy of the birth of her grandson Cesidio in October 1894, at #65 Contrada Casebruciate, Farindola.

*I do not know how or if Giuseppe Antonio was related to the briganti with the same surname that were active in the countryside near Farindola during the Napoleonic occupation of Italy.  One of the main leaders was named Massimo.  He was jailed before the civil records start on Antenati.  (See Storia di Farindola, dalli origini ai giorni nostri by Antonio Procacci via http://www.gelsumino.it)

Sources:

Antenati San Beniculturali:

(Record #13, 1840)

(Record #13 Processetti, 1840)

FamilySearch.org

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Today’s Anniversary ~ Anna Antonia Ricci and Giuseppe Antonio Rossi ~

Arsita (Baccucco), Teramo – On today’s date in 1865, my 3rd great grandparents Anna Antonia Ricci and Giuseppe Antonio Rossi were married in Arsita, Teramo, Abruzzo in the parish of Santa Vittoria.

Their marriage record stated that Anna Antonia Ricci was born in Castiglione Messer Raimondo, 29, had been living in Baccucco since infancy, was a contadina, and that her parents were Girolamo Ricci and Giustina Andreoli.  Her parents were both born in Penne.

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For the groom, the marriage record stated that Giuseppe Antonio Rossi was 32, a contadino, was born in Penne, was a resident of Baccucco, and was the son of Domenico Rossi and Anna Domenica Della Bricciosa, both contadini.

Present at Santa Vittoria were Giovantonio di Candeloro and Pasquale Pacelli. One of those men was likely the priest.

The four men that gave testimony at the Town Hall as witnesses to the marriage were:

Angelo Palini, 50, a tailor, resident of Baccucco;

Giandomenico di Pomponio, 33, a tailor, resident of Baccucco;

Giuseppe Absente, 60, a contadino, resident of Baccucco; and

Angelo di Giacinto, 59, a carpenter, resident of Baccucco.

NOTE:  Domenico Rossi, my 4th great grandfather, signed his son’s marriage record.  It is legible on the above second page of the marriage document.

The bride and groom were the parents of Elisabetta Rossi – the mother of Cesidio Marcella.

Sources:

Antenati San Beniculturali

Family Search Microfilms for Castiglione Messer Raimondo and Arsita now online at LDS Research Centers

 

 

Today’s Wedding Anniversary ~~ Filippo Marcella and Elisabetta Rossi ~~

On this day 124 years ago in Farindola, Italy, Elisabetta Rossi married Filippo Marcella.  They were the parents of my great grandfather Cesidio.

Elisabetta Rossi was born in 1866 in Valleceraso, Bacucco, Teramo, a neighboring town, to Giuseppe Antonio Rossi and Anna Antonia Ricci.

The valley outside Bacucco (Arsita), Teramo

Her parents had moved to Farindola before the marriage of their oldest child, Elisabetta.  Elisabetta’s father was originally from Penne, Pescara, having been born there.  I was able to trace back to 6th great grandparents in the Rossi line born around 1740 in Penne.  Giuseppe’s father Domenico was literate and I have a few of his signatures saved.  The one below is from his son’s marriage to Elisabetta’s mother, Anna Antonia Ricci, in Bacucco in 1865.

Anna Antonia Ricci was born in Castiglione Messer Raimondo, Teramo.  However her parents were also born and married in Penne, Pescara.  I was able to trace the Ricci back to the mid 1700s in Penne too, to another set of 6th great grandparents.  The Ricci married a member of the Delle Monache family through which I was able to trace to a set of 7th great grandparents born around 1700.  They were Anastasio Delle Monache and a lady named Lorenza.

My great great grandmother Elisabetta Rossi was the oldest child and had at least 7 siblings: Antonio, Palma, Domenico, Maria Carmina, Giovanni, Anna Domenica, and Girolamo.

Antenati link to Elisabetta’s and Filippo’s marriage

Antenati link to their marriage allegati

Elisabetta married Filippo Marcella, a man who was a widower, and also 23 years older than she was.  Coincidentally, I noticed on the birth records of Filippo’s children to Elisabetta that his age somehow decrease with each record!

Filippo was born in 1844 in Trosciano, Farindola, Pescara to Massimo Nicola Marcella and Maria Carolina Colangeli.  Through miracles of modern Google Earth, this is a clipped image of Contrada Trosciano in Farindola.

Filippo’s first wife was Maria Antonia Lacchetta, the daughter of Filippo Lacchetta and Maria Salzetta.  Maria Antonia had passed away in April of 1893 and Filippo Marcella was left with small children to raise. We don’t know the circumstances of her death but she had given birth to at least 11 children in 20 years.  Some of the children didn’t survive a few days or past infancy.

Filippo’s children with Maria Antonia were: Carmela (died in infancy), Cesidio (died in infancy), Maria Grazia, Donato (died in infancy), Bambino (stillborn), Andrea, Carmine, Raffaele, Pasqua, Filomena, Serafina.

Elisabetta’s first born was my great grandfather Cesidio.  Her other children were Maria Domenica, Antonia Vincenza, and Antonio Andrea.

Filippo Marcella was the fourth of ten children.  He had two sets of twin sisters.  The first set passed away in their childhoods.  He also had a brother that passed away in his childhood.  The siblings that survived to adulthood are as follows: Maria Giustina, Maria Giuseppa (midwife)*, Domenico**, Nicola (Antonio), and the second set of twins Serafina and Maria Domenica.

Filippo’s ancestry, so far, has been traced back to the early 1700s.  His father’s ancestors were born in Farindola to at least that point in history.  His mother’s ancestors encompass at least three midwives, not including his sister, and a line traced to Montebello di Bertona.  Filippo passed away at #137 Trosciano, Farindola in 1916.

Pecorino di Farindola

*Maria Giuseppa married Panfilo Zenone.  This is one way we are related to the Zenone cousins.

**Domenico is the sibling of Filippo through which we are related to the Romagna cousins and again to the Zenone cousins.

Sources: 

Antenati San Beniculturali – Archivio di Stato di Pescara (Farindola, Penne, Montebello di Bertona)

Archivio di Stato di Teramo records on Family Search (Bacucco (Arsita) and Castiglione Messer Raimondo)

Castiglione Messer Raimondo microfilms