Pizzirusso and Rafaniello from Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi

[CarlaGrillo39]

Thank you once again Marty. I will contact them today.

As for Rocco Antonio Ferrantino, there was an index within the LDS records. However, the whole film was out of focus so it could not be read.

Thank you for letting me know sjwilly. I will be visiting Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi in a few years so I look forward to finding out if the records from my family's Church have survived. I wonder if you know where the memorial for earthquake victims is within Sant'Angelo? I have a photo of my grandparents visiting the site 10-15 years ago.

Also, at present I have had a lot of luck with the LDS records, researching quite a few lines back to the 1830s. I didn't think this was at all possible with my Italian family history. I really look forward to receiving army records concerning my ancestors - out of interest, do the records specify weight, height, eye or hair colour?

Cheers,

Carla

[gobearz]

Carla,

I have transcribed thousands of the LDS records from sant angelo and have them in a searchable database. I checked for your family but I didn't have that many rafaniellos and pizzirussos. Please send me any other info you have esp dates such as the record you found and I can double check.

Michael

[CarlaGrillo39]

Hi,

I have quite a few dates, which might take me a while to express in this message. Are there any time frames in particular you are interested in?

The last Rafaniello I found was probably born earlier than 1800. His name is Giovanni, and he is noted as the father of a Giuseppe Rafaniello, born c. 1818. This is mentioned in his son, Rocco's, birth record (born 2 February 1854). Rocco's mother is noted as Incoronata Fuschetto, born c. 1824. Rocco married a Filomena Castellano (I cannot be sure of her birth record as there are 3 different people with that name born a year or two apart). I cannot find their marriage record either, but estimate that they were married c. 1882, as their first child was born in 1883.

I'm quite interested in my 'Cona' side of the family as well. I have found that my ancestor Antonia Cona, born c. 1880, married a Francesantonia Cona, born 11 May 1872. Antonia's parents are noted on their marriage certificate (4 February 1901) as Michelangelo Cona (b. circa. 1848 - probably earlier) and Maria Giuseppe Favale (I have not seen this name in any other Sant'Angelo records - could she be from another town?). What intrigues me is that Michele's occupation is noted as possidente (landowner) - would they be wealthy? Francesco's parents are Salvatore Cona (b. c. 1837) and Filomena Grieco. I would love to find out more information about both Cona families.

Another interesting name in my family tree is the Canonico's. Salvadore Canonico (b. c. 1824) married Carmella Braccia (b. c. 1825) and they had a daughter, Rosaria (b. c. 1848). Rosaria then married Antonio Braccia (b. c. 1840) on 20 September 1868. Antonio's parents were Rocco Braccia and Rosaria Policano. Rosaria and Antonio had a daughter Carmella Pasqualina Braccia, born c. 1876. Carmella married an orphan (genitori ignoto on his marriage record), Rocco Antonio Ferrantino (b. c. 1875), on 12 January 1896.

As for the Pizzirusso family, there is a bit of a dead end, as my ancestor Rocco Pizzirusso, born 12 September 1853, was an illegitimate child born to Angela Pizzirusso b. c. 1829 and to padre ignoto. Rocco married Teresa Morrongiello born 4 March 1853, who was the daughter of Antonio Morrongiello (born c. 1819) and Maddelena Di Vito (born c. 1823). Rocco and Teresa had a son Pasquale Pizzirusso, born 6 April 1881.

I wonder if you have created and posted an excel spreadsheet online? If so, I was searching through it last night, and wonder if it's just an index which relates to further information you have found or if all the information you have transcribed from each record displayed in that spreadsheet? In it, I found the marriage in 1863 of Michelangelo Cona and 'Giuseppa Tavale?' who is actually Maria Giuseppa Favale. I would love some additional information if you are in fact the creator.

Cheers,

Carla

[CarlaGrillo39]

Hi Marty,

I have received mail from the Archivio di Stato di Avellino, which includes a photocopy of my ancestors army record. I am not familiar with many of the terms used and was wondering if you could translate a portion of it for me? What I want to know, primarily, is when he was first recruited, what divisions of the army he served in, where and when he served, if he was injured, and when and how he died?

I tried to attach the scanned record but I seems to be too big of a file. Could I please send it to you via email?

Cheers,

Carla

[adelfio]

Check your private messages


Marty

[gobearz]

Carla,

Yes, I am the creator of that excel sheet which has been updated since that time. Thanks for the tavale/favale correction. I have a tough time reading these records but decided long ago that I would keep plugging in data to avoid discovery of new family surnames and being forced to go back through the films. As a result I tend to focus on my surnames and have less info on others but am eager to build a better database to help link all of us. Send me your email privately and I'll send you the updated file. I have access to all the films if you don't for helping sort out the questions.

Regarding your questions, I have Cona in my family so I have more data from that side. I found a couple children of Michelangelo Cona and Giuseppa Favale more for you

1871 death Vincenzo Cona
1871 death elizabetta cona
1907 marriage Angelo Maria Cona and Giuseppa Fuschetto (on this record I have a note that says they moved to the US

I came up empty on the other surnames. Yes favale seems pretty unique. Have you checked her marriage record to see where she was born? I have databases on two other towns in the area if it helps. Torella dei lobardi and castelvetere sul calore.

Yes, the landowner occupation would indicate someone better off. I found that the wealthier people tended to marry wealthy from nearby towns (instead of their own town) so that would fit.

Michael

[CarlaGrillo39]

Hi Michael,

First of all I would just like to thank you for undertaking this project. I have been waiting for a long time for someone like you to share information with - it's certainly felt like a lonely up hill battle till now! And I'm quite aware of the quality of the text - if it's not your own family member it is extremely difficult to decipher.

Thank you for those added children. I haven't been able to look at Michele Cona and Giuseppa Favale's marriage record as I have not ordered that specific time frame of records yet. Are you in possession of that record? At the moment I have birth records from 1852-1865 (just got these so I'm only half way through), 1881-1910, and also 1866-1880 (although these were completely out of focus and had to be sent back), marriage/pubblicazione records from 1866-1910 (however a lot of gaps), and deaths from 1866-1910 (still need to get through these as well).

Thank you for clarifying the landowner question. It seems quite likely then that she was from another town. This has been quite an intriguing line for me as most of my other lines are quite poor with many orphaned babies.

I will send my email through.

Cheers,

Carla

[gobearz]

My pleasure. The whole fun is making the connections which can't happen without collaboration.

I visited Sant Angelo in 1994 or so and briefly reviewed the records before the person got cold feet about it. The LDS films have been a far more efficient way to build my knowledge. I was able to share the information with my grandfather before he died which was rewarding and it has also led to rekindled connections here in the US.

I have all the films and can look up anything you need. I look forward to working with you on it.

[CarlaGrillo39]

Hi Michael,

I wholeheartedly agree, it's been wonderful sharing the information I've found with my grandparents. My grandfather, in particular, has really enjoyed finding out the names of his ancestors. His maternal grandmother, Antonia Cona, actually passed away during childbirth so he never knew her - not even her name.

The LDS has been a great resource for me - it was really the only way of receiving records from Australia without paying an enormous amount of money for a genealogist.

I have found some distant relatives on the Rafaniello side in America as well. It's been fascinating comparing the physical resemblances. I find it amazing, actually.

I have never visited Sant'Angelo, but I will be in a few years with my mum and grandma. I can hardly wait! Just to give you an overview, my mum and her family left Sant'Angelo after the earthquake in '80/'81 and immigrated to Australia. Her maternal grandmother, Felicia Ferrantino, was actually killed in the earthquake along with her cousin.

It would be fascinating to see if there is a link between our Cona families. Following this comment, I will discuss these points with you via email.

Cheers,

Carla

[CarlaGrillo39]

Hi all,

I have received Rocco Pizzirusso's conscription record. It is not very detailed, however, the word 'Proietto' is noted below his name. His father is ignoto, but his mother's name, Angela Pizzirusso, is specified. Is this unusual for an orphan? This is especially confusing as she is also noted on his marriage certificate with the notation that she is still alive.

Cheers,

Carla

[Don77sicily]

Cousin!!!!
hey okay good news i was in chatting with a person from our native home
in italy a Raffaniello and DeSanto friend
he told me
that after the earth quake the church was saved the records wasn't harm

i am in NY brooklyn where a few rafaniello's and DeSanto and others
came in the 1920's and up
my grandma is the only today rafaniello from her sibling in america but she married so not a rafaniello no more here lewissweet77@yahoo.com title it rafaniello info

[CarlaGrillo39]

Hi Don,

Thank you for the information. I'm aware that there are many Rafaniello's in Sant'Angelo so we may or may not be related. What is your grandma's name? And do you know the names of her parents?

Cheers,

Carla