Looking for great great grandparents from near Bologna

[mbegley]

Hi everyone,

I'm beginning my journey toward jure sanguis citizenship. One of my first steps is tracking down my great grandfather's birth certificate. On his naturalization form, his location of birth is listed as Bologna, but my grandmother recalls hearing of a town called San Giovanni in Persiceto. Given the proximity of the two, I assume he was truly from the latter.

I'm going to use a template and mail both comunes myself, but it appears they'll want to know my great grandfather's parents' names in order to track down this birth certificate. I have no record of their names. Does anyone have experience with tracking down information from so far back?

If it helps, my grandfather was Alfonso Ottani, and on at least one form he is listed as born May 8th 1876.

I've gotten as far as coming across this: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... 1737326005 , the birth records for San Giovanni in Persicetto for 1876-1877, but there are hundreds of slow-loading pages and I have trouble reading the handwriting. Any and all suggestions are much appreciated.

Best,
Mark

[Italysearcher]

Check the indexes. Alfonso's birth record should list his parents names. THEIR marriage record should give THEIR parents names. There is no quick solution.

[Tessa78]

Hi everyone,

I'm beginning my journey toward jure sanguis citizenship. One of my first steps is tracking down my great grandfather's birth certificate. On his naturalization form, his location of birth is listed as Bologna, but my grandmother recalls hearing of a town called San Giovanni in Persiceto. Given the proximity of the two, I assume he was truly from the latter.

I'm going to use a template and mail both comunes myself, but it appears they'll want to know my great grandfather's parents' names in order to track down this birth certificate. I have no record of their names. Does anyone have experience with tracking down information from so far back?

If it helps, my grandfather was Alfonso Ottani, and on at least one form he is listed as born May 8th 1876.

I've gotten as far as coming across this: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... 1737326005 , the birth records for San Giovanni in Persicetto for 1876-1877, but there are hundreds of slow-loading pages and I have trouble reading the handwriting. Any and all suggestions are much appreciated.

Best,
Mark

Hi Mark

Sometimes those records can become overwhelming... but it does get easier with practice!

I looked through the records for May 1876 in San Giovanni in Persiceto and I found this birth record... most likely your GGF Alfonso Ottani

Record #65
Dated 8 May 1876 at 2:15 PM at the town office in San Giovanni in Persiceto
Appearing before the official was Massimiliano Ottani, 54, veterinarian, to declare that at 4:20 AM on the 8th of the current month, at the place in this Frazione[hamlet/village] Decima #446, to Angelica Marchignoli, age 39, his wife living with him, was born a male child.
The child was given the name ALFONSO
Witnesses to the record:
Gaetano Cocchi, 38, farmer; Luigi Veronesi, 30, shop keeper

page1
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... 1823180433
page 2
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... 1823180433

T.

[Tessa78]

Mark

I also found other children listed in the indexes for these parents...
The earliest record available online is for PAOLO Ottani, born in 1868, and provides the names of Massimiliano and Angelica's fathers. (Alfonso's grandfathers)

It was recorded 20 July 1869 by the official in San Giovanni.
The record was from the Civil Tribunale in Bologna and transcribed into the local comune's register...
Appearing before the official was Massimiliano Ottani, son of deceased Parisio, 46, veterinarian residing in the parish of Decima, to declare that a male chld was born on 13 August 1868 at 5 AM to Angelica Marchignoli, daughter of Cesare, housewife of age 32, his wife living with him at the place they inhabit at [no #] in Comune of S. Giovanni in Persiceto in the Frazione of Postmano.
Child was given the name PAOLO.

Marriage notation for Paolo - 18 July 1897 or 99, to Giulia Marchesi, in Persiceto.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... 3:99192688

Possible other children (have not looked at the records yet
Enrica born 1870 (record #231)
Guglielmo born 1871 (#36, part II) this child may have died...
Adalgisa Lucia born 1872 (#58)
Guglielmo born 1874 (#8, part II)

T.

[Tessa78]

Additional children of Massimiliano Ottani...

Silvio born 1878 (#41, part 2)
Maria born 1880 (#44, part 2)

You may need to write to the comune for a marriage record for Massimiliano Ottani and Angelica Marchignoli, since marriage records online only begin with 1866.
My guess would be a marriage between 1855 and 1860 (and maybe later)

ALSO...
I was able to find this marriage record in 1868 for Cunegonda Ottani, who appears to be a sister of Massimiliano Ottani (father of Alfonso). It provides the name of Massimiliano's mother...

Record is dated 26 March 1873, and is a transcription of a marriage record dated 26 October 1868.
Bride is Cunegonda Ottani, born 3 March 1825 in Decima. She is the daughter of deceased Parisio [Ottani], a veterinarian, and of deceased Teresa Morini, housewife.
She is the widow of Raffaele Leonardi.
Groom is Antonio Bencivenni.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... n551253932

T.