Crachi and Barrocco in Forno, Valstrona

[Merle_]

Hello everyone,

I am new here and I hope you can help me.

My greatgreat...grandparents were

Giovanni Giuseppe Crachi, born ca. 1787 in Forno, Valstrona and
Anna Maria Antonetta Barrocco, born ca. 1792 (where?)

They have 12 children in Cologne (Germany), the first born 6. October 1810, the last born 1831. Giovanni Giuseppe Crachi dies 16. December 1832 in Forno, his wife is 1845 still living in Cologne (after that date she 'disappears'). He was a merchant (silk etc).

The marriage has not taken place in Cologne.

I have written to the parish in Forno - no answer.
I have written also to the civil registry office of Valstrona - no answer.

As I have no experience with the genealogy in Italy, I do not even know whether there are civil registries of that time at all (marriage 1810, death 1832, etc). And are the church registries usually at the local parish or could they be in an archive?

It would be great to have some info and help. Thanks.

merle

[PeterTimber]

There are no micorfilm civil records for Vastrona or Forno in Mormon famnily history library.

www.parrocchie.it for Valstrona and Forno show church names and addresses but only two have telephone numbers which indicates a resident priest in one town and none in the toher indicating that it may be served by a circuit priest but write to one of the churches without telephone numbers asnd see if you canget a response. =Priests are total authority over records in their parish churches so make nice, offer to pay (their nephew hopefully) for any researches for any records your searching.

You might want to send form letters to Potential relatives in either place with www.initaly.com/gene/mem/l etter1.htm and seek out possible relatives by going to telephone directory at www.paginebianche.it and put in name on left and FORNO and later VALSTRONA. =Peter=

[Merle_]

Hello Peter,

Thanks for your answer and the links.

I will try to contact the parish again and also possible family members (there are not so many).

Does anyone know since when the civil registers exist in North Italy?

Thanks
merle

[PeterTimber]

During Napoleons regin in Italy in 1800's all territories under his rule initiated civil Service and Civil registration in 1809. 1820 for Sicily. By 1866 civil registration became law after Italian unification for all births,marriages and deaths. Since parts of northern Italy were not under his rule, civil registration was a hit or miss thing so that some have records starting in 1866 while others in 1809. =Peter=

[Merle_]

Hello Peter,

Thanks for the info. So there is hope that the civil registries for the region exist.

merle