Research in Italian Archives/Libraries

[ella_r]

Hello,

I was hoping someone here may be able to help me clarify an issue I've encountered before conducting research in an Italian archive. I'm from England and plan to visit the Archivo di Stato di Belluno at the end of next month. My great-grandfather's family comes from Fonzaso and was hoping to uncover more about the family's history by looking in the archives. I was thinking of requesting military records as an ancestor died in WWI (his name is mentioned in the memorial at Rovereto, where I plan to visit as well) and a provincial directory to see if I can discover my ancestor's former address.

According to the archive website (http://archivi.beniculturali.it/ASBL/sala%20studio.html), materials can be requested with a form from the administration and by presenting personal identification. My Italian is not that advanced and I took 'administration' to mean the archival staff. Am I correct? Previously, all I've had to do to view records in an archive is fill out a form at the front desk and the records will be delivered to me in the reading room. Does the system work in a similar way? I have also noticed Fonzaso has a public library but an online catalogue is unavailable. Is the library a source of family history records as well or am I better off visiting the archives?

I appreciate any help. Thank you.
I appreciate

[pink67]

Don't know if this could be of any help but do you know that the site Ancestry.com (in the World version) or Ancestry.it have online the civil registrations (births, marriages and deaths) for Fonzaso town?

Belluno, Veneto, Italia: Registri di stato civile, 1871-1938

link here:

http://search.ancestry.it/search/db.aspx?dbid=1896

I was thinking of requesting military records as an ancestor died in WWI (his name is mentioned in the memorial at Rovereto, where I plan to visit as well)

you can check this italian website to find the correct death dates:

http://www.cadutigrandeguerra.it/WebForm1.aspx

Laura

[adelfio]

Leave some names and dates the great people on here will check the records of Fonzaso Belluno, Veneto for you

Marty

[Italysearcher]

You may be better off going straight to the Comune to do your research. It will be easier to find an address there and you can also search parish records if you can locate the priest.

[ella_r]

Thank you all so much for your advice and help. I apologise I could not reply earlier as my computer wasn't working. I am very appreciative for the offers of help and lookups. I had an unexpected development during my visit when I decided to forgo a visit to Belluno in favour of visiting Fonzaso directly.

By chance, I met the parish priest when visiting the church and he kindly introduced me to his office assistants, who helped me research my ancestors. I was able to go back three further generations, which was a lovely surprise. I'm incredibly appreciative. There are still a few more names I did not get to research. Perhaps if I ask politely, the office assistants would be kind enough to look them up for me. Though the trip wasn't long (I'm in the UK and the flight only took about an hour), I'm still incredibly glad I visited Fonzaso and Rovereto, finding the time spent there more than worthwhile.

I would like to send a thank you note. I have an address for the parish church but the office I visited was in a different location and titled a word beginning with a "c", I believe. I think it may have translated into "Cannon", which I know is a position in the Church. Does anyone know what the Italian word could be? Should I send the letter to the church instead?

On a related note, I'm planning on doing some research in Sicily next. In lieu of making another thread, I hope I can ask my question(s) here. I found civil registration records for Resuttano (Caltanissetta) going back to 1866 on Ancestry.com. One of my ancestors, Giuseppe Mazzarisi, was supposedly born in August 1868 in that town but I have yet to find his exact name in records dating from that year. The date could be incorrect; however, a consultation of records from previous and subsequent years yielded no results. There are many people with the surname Mazzarisi but so far none with the correct parents. I know his wife and first child were born in Alia, near Palermo. Does anyone know where or how I can consult those records?

If it helps, here is the information I know about the Mazzarisi family:
Giuseppe Mazzarisi (b. 31 August 1868, Resuttano, d. 1926, USA), son of Antonio Mazzarisi and Giuseppa Di Frisco.
Married circa 1892 to Carmella Cristina Borzillieri (b.27 April 1872, Alia, d. 1924, USA), daughter of Rosario Borzilleri and Castrenze Buffamante. Giuseppe, Carmella, their daughter, and Carmella's parents arrived in the USA circa 1900.

Thank you sincerely once again.

[adelfio]

IF YOUR SURE SHES FROM ALIA PALERMO
I would get the Allegati (matrimoni) 1891-1897 films of Alia Palermo from Family HIstory Library most marriage take place in the brides home town in the allegati they should have both birth records and all the marriage records plus you might get some bonus death records of parents in the allegati if they were deceased at the time of the wedding
Films of Alia Palermo from FHL look through the list
https://www.familysearch.org/eng/librar ... lia+%28P++
Ordering Films from FHL
https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki ... ory_Center


Marty

[ella_r]

IF YOUR SURE SHES FROM ALIA PALERMO
I would get the Allegati (matrimoni) 1891-1897 films of Alia Palermo from Family HIstory Library most marriage take place in the brides home town in the allegati they should have both birth records and all the marriage records plus you might get some bonus death records of parents in the allegati if they were deceased at the time of the wedding
Films of Alia Palermo from FHL look through the list
https://www.familysearch.org/eng/librar ... lia+%28P++
Ordering Films from FHL
https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki ... ory_Center


Marty

Thank you for the suggestion. I have heard of these places but I'm from England. Unfortunately, I don't think we have any of those centres here so I don't know how to access this information. I've checked with the Anglo-Italian Family History Society for records but without success.

[adelfio]

Here is a Family History Locator to see if one is located close to you

click on prompt
https://www.familysearch.org/locations
Reading and translating Italian records good site
https://www.familysearch.org/learningce ... 22Italy%22

Marty

[ella_r]

I called the centre nearest to me. The staff member told me those microfilms are unavailable outside the USA, something about them being too fragile to travel. It was worth asking, at any rate. Thanks again for your assistance.

[adelfio]

Letter for marriage record
COMUNE DI ALIA
Via Regina Elena n.1
90021 ALIA (Pa )
Italy
Egregi signori,
Mi chiamo YOUR NAME. Sto facendo una ricerca sui miei antenati e ho bisogno delle informazioni dai vostri registri.
I miei antenati provennero da Alia,Palermo. Vorrei sapere di più di loro.
Potreste cercare l’dell’atto di matrimonio di queste persone nei vostri registri dal 1890 fino al 1895?
Nome e cognome: Giuseppe Mazzarisi
Nome e cognome della moglie :Carmella Cristina Borzillieri
Luogo di nascita: Alia
Luogo di matrimonio: Alia
Vi prego di informarmi se sia possibile ottenere delle fotocopie dei vostri registri
Se non avete i registri corrispondenti, potete fornire l’indirizzo dell’archivio dove in cui i registri possano essere trovati?
Vi ringrazio in anticipo per il vostro gentilezza e premura.
Distinti saluti,

YOUR NAME ADDRESS AND EMAIL AND PHOTO ID

Marty

[ella_r]

Thanks very much. I'll send this off and see what happens.

[Italysearcher]

Ella, I am surprised that the 'microfilms' are too fragile to travel outside the USA. The Mormons did the films for their members primarily and they are ususally available anywhere in the world. Ask again.

[ella_r]

Right, I'll ask again. I found their response a bit odd as well...

I found the information for the Mazzarisi family on FamilySearch.com, seen at the links below.

My main issue with this information is the location. Confusingly, the location is given as "Resuttano, Alia, Palermo, Sicilia Region, Italy." However, Alia and Resuttano are on opposite sides of the country! It has to be either Resuttano ORAlia, correct? I'm unsure as to which location is correct and why two different cities would be given as the location. I assume it may be an error. Does anyone know which location is more likely to be correct?

Giuseppe Mazzarisi birth record: http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/ ... rompage=99

Marriage record: http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/ ... search.asp
The name are spelled a bit differently to what I have previously seen.