Bertone in Provincia di Pavia?

[S-mac]

Holly thanks for the great pictures on Bertone area. Really beautiful. I was twice in the Cinque Terra area of Italy and if I had known then about Ottone-Bertone area I would have visited it. If I ever go back I will definitely do so.

[dbell]

Yup everyone was a Molinelli there.

My grandmother was a Molinelli and I've heard that from relatives as well. I'm not sure if our branch originated in Bertone or not, though.

I just found this site tonight and have been enjoying these forums. It's a great resource.

[Cherry]

Holly thanks for the great pictures on Bertone area. Really beautiful. I was twice in the Cinque Terra area of Italy and if I had known then about Ottone-Bertone area I would have visited it. If I ever go back I will definitely do so.

Ernest Hemingway visited Ottone's valley (Val Trebbia) in his last trip to Italy and apparently he said it was one of the most beautiful places he've ever been to.

[hollyolly7]

Hi Everyone,

I have quite a few Molinelli relations in my family. Not all directly blood-related but my grandmother had 5 sisters and 3 of them married more Molinelli's. Anyways, I also have a great write-up on Bertone itself, in Italian, that I should be translating soon. If you want any help finding any documents from relatives born in Bertone I'd be happy to help you!
The Molinelli's in my family are from NY and resided in Brooklyn (all in the same area, and even some on the same street!) I know that some went to Missouri & California but also in South America; mostly Argentina but also Chile and even Puerto Rico.

Interesting fact if you haven't heard through the Molinelli grapevine: The last name comes from Mulinelli meaning little mills, and in fact lots of the homes there today still have mills on them

[S-mac]

Thanks for the interesting facts re: Mulinelli and little Mills. As I stated in an earlier post by grandmother was Teresa Molinelli born 1/29/1779 in Ottone-Bertoni. I think her father or brother was Luigi. Sure would like to find out more if you have the resources. She married Dino Fregi (aka deFregi) and they lived in Mendocino County, San Francisco and eventually Oakland. I am stuck as don't seem to have further resources.

[dbell]

Thanks for the interesting facts re: Mulinelli and little Mills. As I stated in an earlier post by grandmother was Teresa Molinelli born 1/29/1779 in Ottone-Bertoni. I think her father or brother was Luigi. Sure would like to find out more if you have the resources. She married Dino Fregi (aka deFregi) and they lived in Mendocino County, San Francisco and eventually Oakland. I am stuck as don't seem to have further resources.

When were your family in San Francisco and Oakland? My 3rd-great grandfather, P.P. Molinelli, was born ~1830 somewhere in Italy and emigrated ~1855. He's listed in the San Francisco city directories in 1859 and 1860, then he moved east to northern Nevada ~1861. He would be quite a bit younger than your ancestor, but there may be a connection.

He traveled between Nevada and northern California quite a bit prior to 1884. He was re-married in 1868 in San Francisco, though he lived in Nevada prior to and after that. He had a daughter, Florence (married name Hyde), who may have been born in Oakland in 1870; sources differ on that.

Florence lived in Oakland in 1930 and a hand written note says she died there in 1941. In 1930 she lived there with her brother's daughter, Teresina Molinelli (b. ~1908 in California). Florence's brother was Manrico, born in Nevada ~1872. The last record I have of him is the 1920 census for Chico, Butte County, California.

[hollyolly7]

Hi S-mac and dbell,

So sorry I haven't gotten back to you until now, I've been travelling and haven't been on the computer. Dbell, there are a few small towns called Molinello if your relatives weren't from Bertone but it is most likely that they are from where my relatives are from as it is not a common last name.
I'm on vacation now in the states and will be going back to Italy in mid-January so if either one of you would like me to write a letter to the comune of Ottone for birth or marriage certificates I'd be happy to help. Just let me know all the details you know about them such as full name, birth date, and possibly their parents names if you know that too.
Holly

PS-dbell did you mean to write 1879 instead of 1779?

[S-mac]

Hollyyolly7: Thanks for any information you might be able to get. My grandmother, Teresa Molinelli from Bertone/Ottone born 1/29/1879, came here on the SS La Savoie Oct 26, 1906 at age 28. I think she married my grandfather, Dino Fregi a year earlier. Anyway another relative might have been Giovani Molinelli who lived at 427 Union St in San Francisco and also on Lombard Street. That's about all I know of her! S-mac

[dbell]

Hi S-mac and dbell,

So sorry I haven't gotten back to you until now, I've been travelling and haven't been on the computer. Dbell, there are a few small towns called Molinello if your relatives weren't from Bertone but it is most likely that they are from where my relatives are from as it is not a common last name.
I'm on vacation now in the states and will be going back to Italy in mid-January so if either one of you would like me to write a letter to the comune of Ottone for birth or marriage certificates I'd be happy to help. Just let me know all the details you know about them such as full name, birth date, and possibly their parents names if you know that too.
Holly

PS-dbell did you mean to write 1879 instead of 1779?

Hollyolly,

Thank you for the kind offer, however I still have much research ahead of me before I can actually place the family in Ottone. I've heard that the family originated in Bertone, but they were in Livorno for a time before emigrating. My 2nd-great grandfather, Lamberto Molinelli, was born in Livorno 30 JUN 1853. I believe he and his mother departed Livorno aboard the Naples and arrived in New York 17 JAN 1856. Unfortunately the ship's manifest lists his mother only as Signora Molinelli and I'm afraid I don't know what her name was or what became of her in America.

Lambert's father, P.P. Molinelli, was born in Italy, likely between 1831 and 1833. He always signed his name as P.P. Molinelli and his father's name appears to be P.P. Molinelli on the younger's death certificate. The mother's name looks like Teresina on the same certificate. I'm not sure if that's a first or last name. Some city directories in America list Lambert's father's name as Parente P. Molinelli, but I've never seen that used as a given name. He's still a bit of an enigma.

Thanks,

David

[hollyolly7]

Hi David,

If you write to the Comune of Livorno you will be able to request your GGF's birth certificate-there you will be able to find out his parents names. P.P may be Pier Paolo, but like I said above, it will be listed on the birth certificate.
Here is their address:
Comune di Livorno
Piazza del Municipio, 1
57123 Livorno, Italia

I would write "attn: atto di nascita" at the top so it gets to the right person.

Holly

[dbell]

Hi David,

If you write to the Comune of Livorno you will be able to request your GGF's birth certificate-there you will be able to find out his parents names. P.P may be Pier Paolo, but like I said above, it will be listed on the birth certificate.
Here is their address:
Comune di Livorno
Piazza del Municipio, 1
57123 Livorno, Italia

I would write "attn: atto di nascita" at the top so it gets to the right person.

Holly

Thank you for the information!

[hollyolly7]

S-mac
Just wanted to let you know that I sent out a request for your grandmothers birth certificate--I expect to hear back from them in a week or so, they are quite fast at this teeny tiny comune

[hollyolly7]

S-mac,

I heard back from the comune of Ottone. They said that the only 2 Teresa Molinelli's born in 1879 are the following:
Teresa Caterina Molinelli, born in the frazione of Barchi 20/1/1879. Father: Giuseppe, mother: Rosa Molinelli

Teresa Maddalena Molinelli, born in Bertone the 14 of April 1879. Father: Giovanni, mother Maria Molinelli.

If neither one of them is your grandmother, it wouldn't suprise me as my GGF's birth certificate was not in the comune. A baptismal record can be obtained.