Need translation of a 1880 and 1882 Birth Records

[gemellua]

I would appreciate a full translation for the 1880 birth record of Maria Serio below. I think it states
she is the child of Rosa Taormina and Antonino Serio.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... n676419242

A full translation for the 1882 birth record of Carmelo Di Pasquale

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... n676419242

As well as a full translation for Croce Randazzo and Maria Randazzo

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... n676419242

Many thanks!

[Tessa78]

Here is the translation of birth record of Maria Serio

Record #74
Dated 28 October 1880 at 3:20 PM at the town hall in Sciara
Before the official appeared Paola Di Marco, 60, midwife, to declare that at 3:30 PM on the 27th of the current month at Via Grande, to Rosa Taormina, 40, farmer, wife of Antonino Serio, 48, farmer, residing in Sciara, was born a female child who she presented to the official and to whom was given the name MARIA
Witnessing this act were Veronica D'Angelo, 40, and Vincenzo Velardi, 60.

The declarant declared the above birth as she was present at the birth and in place of the husband Antonino Serio, she made the announcement because he was far away in the country to find work in the province in Caltanissetta.

He then read the act to all the partcipants and signed.

T.

[dmt1955]

Although I am not as expert as others, I am fairly certain of my translation. Any words I am not sure about, I have (?) after to indicate as such. Donna

Record # 40 - Croce Randazzo
Dated 15 May 1882
Commune of Sciara
presented to Giuseppe Randazzo, age 38, peasant farmer (villico), living in Sciara, at 6:00 on 15 May 1882, at Via LoCarso(?) Superiore 4, by his wife Anna Cattiglia, age 40, peasant farmer, who co-habitates with him, is born a male child who is named Croce.

Witnessing this act are Paola DeMarco, age 61, midwife, and Marsarella (?) Giacomo, age 56, peasant farmer.

Record #41 - Maria Randazzo
Dated 18 May 1882
Commune of Sciara
presented to Rosolino, age 34, farmer (contadino) living in Sciara, at 8:20 on 18 May 1882, in Via Labace(?) 8, by his wife Enrichetta Sinatra, age 25, lady of the house, who co-habitates with him, is born a female child who is named Maria.

Witnessing this act are Paola DeMarco, age 61, midwife, and Eustachio LoBello, age 50, farmer.

[gemellua]

Thank you very much for the translations Tessa and Donna.

I do know that the witness mentioned in Croce's birth was Giacomo
Muscarella (not Marsarella)

Can you tell me if Croce's time of birth was 6:00AM or PM?

Does anyone know why there would be a difference in the description of the occupations of Giuseppe and Rosolino?

Also why would Eurichetta be documented as a lady of the house? Besides being used for the wealthy or noble class women of a town was the word "lady" reserved for the woman who owned a house?

So once again thank you.

[erudita74]

[quote="dmt1955"]Although I am not as expert as others, I am fairly certain of my translation. Any words I am not sure about, I have (?) after to indicate as such. Donna

Record # 40 - Croce Randazzo
Dated 15 May 1882
Commune of Sciara
presented to Giuseppe Randazzo, age 38, peasant farmer (villico), living in Sciara, at 6:00 on 15 May 1882, at Via LoCarso(?) Superiore 4, by his wife Anna Cattiglia, age 40, peasant farmer, who co-habitates with him, is born a male child who is named Croce.

Witnessing this act are Paola DeMarco, age 61, midwife, and Marsarella (?) Giacomo, age 56, peasant farmer.


Giuseppe Randazzo, the infant's father, was the informant and the person who presented the infant at the town hall. So the infant wasn't presented to him but was presented by him. The birth took place at 6 a.m. The address of the house was via La Corso Superiore #40.

His wife's name was Anna Castiglia not Cattiglia

Giacomo was a villico, a farmer, not a contadino, or peasant/farmer

[erudita74]

Villico vs. Contadino

The following info is based on some research I have done on these two occupations:

The villici were landless, poor peasants, who lived in crude dwellings with their families, outside of the village center, near the fields they tended. Once a year they would present themselves in the village piazza to seek a contract for the next growing season. Sometimes they would be granted the same plot of land to farm; at other times, a different one kilometers away, or even no plot at all. In the absence of supervision, the villici did nothing to improve the land. Their drive for sustenance forced these temporary laborers to exploit the land, sow on nearby plots which had been designated to remain fallow, and to emphasize quantity over quality.

Contadini were peasants, or inhabitants of the countryside, who farmed land which, for the most part, they did not own. Normally they worked as sharecroppers on rotating plots, on large estates, one year at a time and in rows of eight or ten, with one of them acting as a leader who would urge on the others through his words and example. Sometimes a peasant’s job involved reaping wheat. Although the work for these contadini, or peasants, involved long tedious hours which lasted from very early in the morning until very late at night, and was very strenuous, they would often sing in the fields while laboring. Their singing even took place during harvest time when they were harvesting the grapes or threshing the wheat.

[gemellua]

Thank you very much erudita74 for the clarification of villici vs contadini.

Do you have any explanation concerning my question regarding Eurichetta?

[erudita74]

Thank you very much erudita74 for the clarification of villici vs contadini.

Do you have any explanation concerning my question regarding Eurichetta?

I believe a "donna di casa," or "lady of the house" was a step above a contadina in that she did not work in the fields as did a contadina. The modern term for "donna di casa" is "casalingua" which translates as "housewife." So my understanding is that a "donna di casa" did work within the home but not out in the fields.

I hope you saw the corrections I made to Donna's translation of the record for Croce Randazzo.

[gemellua]

Thank you erudita74.

Yes, I saw your corrections to Donna's translation. I all ready knew before posting
the link to Croce's record that his mother's surname was Castiglia and not Cattiglia.
Very easy to make an error in translation since the hand writing for most of these
records (at least in my opinion) are so difficult to make out. Just one mistake in a
letter can result in a translate to come up with a completely ridiculous English translation or without one at all, so I really appreciate yours and Donna's help in my continued need to translate my Sicilian records.