Mariani,of Milan, La Scala,Garibaldi's Meucci friend

[Donald Hoff]

My name is Don Hoff, living in Elmira, New York, USA.
Willing to share whatever I have.
Seeking data on my Great Great Grandfather Giovanni Domenico Mariani.
What I know:
He was born 1805,some data says birth place was Milan.
He said that he played violin and viola in La Scala Opera House for 20
years.
He said he came to America with first Italian Opera Company.
He might have come to America as early as 1844.
He played in Havana, Cuba at the Tacon Opera house, where
Antonio Meucci and his wife began in 1835 with the Italian Opera company. They returned to Italy in 1845 or so to
fight with Guiseppi Garibaldi.
Meucci and posssibly Mariani came from Cuba to America in 1850.
Garibaldi came to NYC in exile in 1850
Meucci and Mariani were close friends to Garibaldi, and they
lived in NYC for part of 2 years.

Mariani lived in NYC and Boston, Mass.
When living in Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts was drum
major with a number of Federal Army Bands,
He played in Patrick Gilmore Brass Band.
Quotes from a book, said that he was a tall, large, strong man.

Mariani played in NYC Academy of Music, and was said to be the
finest violist in America at this time.
He played under the Impressario Mapleson.

He also played in the Jim Fisk Band.

He married a Julia ..... born 1829, from Ireland in 1850. She was 19 years old,
he was 45 years old. Perhaps this was his second marriage.

His name was mistakenly spelled Marion in 1860 Mass census living in
Boston, Mass
and Mariana in 1870 Mass census living in Cambridge, Mass.
He was listed as G.D. Mariani in 1880 NYC, NY Census.
Sometimes his name is spelled Mariano, Mariani, Mariana, Marion

He was active in the Liberation of Italy, especially
with Garibaldi, and may have returned to Italy from time to time.

In 1885 according to a New York Times newspaper article, he was
depressed and attempted to drown himself by jumping in the Hudson
River.
in 1886 he testified for Antonio Meucci in his claim as the inventor of
the telephone.

He appears in a Brooklyn, NY directory in 1888, 1889, 1890 as a
musician. He was then 85 years old.

He doesn't appear anywhere else after this, and it is assumed that he
died , either in NYC or perhaps Milan , Italy between 1889 and 1896.
He wife Julia Mariani dies as a widow in a poor house in Brooklyn in
August 1886, and is buried in Holy Cross cemetery, Brooklyn, NY.
They had sons Charles J. b 1859 , Joseph Garibaldi b. 1860, William Thomas b.1852 all born in Massachusetts. Charles and John b. 1855 lived in Brooklyn
Their daughter Julietta Mariani born Mass. 1857, married William Maguire in NYC, and she died in 1884. Her daughter Laura Maguire was my grandmother born 1888 in Brooklyn, NY.
What relatives are there in the USA?
Said to be related to Anastacia family.
What can I hope to find in the Milan area ? What records would indicate
the birth, baptism, possible first marriage, and death of GD Mariani?

[ptimber]

There is a lot here. Is there anything specific to focus on Peter

[Donald Hoff]

Peter thank you.
Yes know there is a volume posted..but felt i need to give a broad stroke and picture. Hoping the Garibaldi and Meucci connection will be fruitful.

What I would like to know is: Where in Milan can I find the records on this child born in 1805? The newspaper story says he was from Milan. I assume it is the city, and not one of the hamlets called Milan. did he return home to die? are there death records for 1890-1896?

[ptimber]

To set the parameters go to www.comuni.it and insert Milano and then click it again and there is a websitge for Milano but more important thedre is a dirtect e-mail so that you can inquire as to the avaialability of civil recvords in the date parameters. You might also inquire as to the address for their UFFICIO DI STATO CIVILE and send an inquiry there if you have both name and ,at least, a year of birth. One way or another once you eliminate the city of Milano from the province of Milano your half way there. As you know there are no civil records for Milano at the Family History Library! Peter