Please help translating Birth Record

[Tfree20]

I have spent two days trying to translate this Birth Record for my Great Grandma. I have done what I can but most of the hand written part I can't. If someone could help me with a translation I would appreciate it so much.

Thank you,
Thomas

[adelfio]

Translation
Birth record of Maria Vita Grottola
INDEX#55
In the year 1895 June 17th at the 10:20 AM at the Town Hall. In my presence Alfonso Iovine the civil records official of Vietri Di Potenza (appointed in 1891) appeared Giacinta Spingola age 38 midwife resides in Vietri Di Potenza, that she declare to me, that at 7:15 PM on June 15th in the same year as above in the house on via Orologiol #48 from Francesca Rotunno wife of Antonio Grottola not present at the time of birth because he was away working they lived in Vietri Di Potenza, is born a baby of female sex that is presented to us and that is declared to give to this baby the name of Maria Vita Grottola .
The presentation and the declaration of the above mentioned is made in the presence of Alessandro Caiva age 38 land owner and Carmine Rianzi age 40 carpenter both residents of the same town . They were read the present act and declared information was correct. They only all signed the act the civil official and the two witnesses
the father didn't sign because he was not present for the birth

PG LINK TO RECORD
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1 ... cc=2043547

Marty

[erudita74]

Birth record of Maria Vita Grottola dated June 17, 1895 at 10:20 a.m. in the town hall of Vietri di Potenza.

Appearing to declare the birth, and present the newborn, was midwife Jacinta Spingola, age 38. She declared that at 7:15 P.M., on the 15th, in the house at #48 via Orologio, a female infant, named Maria Vita (Grottola) was born to Francesca Rotunno, a housewife, the legitimate wife of Antonio Grottola, a manual railway laborer.

Witnesses at the town hall were Alessandro Caivano, age 38, property owner, and Carmine Rienzi, age 40, a carpenter.

The midwife made the declaration, and presented the infant, in place of the father, Antonio Grattola, as something hindered him from doing so.

The word used in the document is "impedito." It is not clarified whether he was incapable of appearing because he was physically handicapped or what the actual reason was. The record just states that something prevented him from declaring the birth, and presenting the infant, himself.

Note: the record does not read that the father was not present for the birth, as Marty stated in his translation.
Sorry, Marty.

Erudita

[Tfree20]

Marty and Erudita thank you both so much for this translation. It means so much to both my family and I to have this. Because of some paperwork found in the house of a deceased relative recently, I am just now able to research my Italian roots for the first time with success!!!!

[erudita74]

You're very welcome. Just to clarify. Childbirth was primarily the realm of women, so it was a woman (midwife) or female family member or female neighbor who was physically present in the room when the woman gave birth to help her through the delivery process. That does not mean that the father was no where around-such in another room, if the house had more than one room, or immediately outside of the home at the time. So, even when the father is able to go to the town hall with the infant after the birth, and declare the details to the town official(s), that does not mean that he was in the room with his wife, when the birth occurred.

Hope this makes sense to you.
Erudita

[Tfree20]

Yes it Does make sense Erudita. Family folklore says that he wasn't there when his daughter (Maria) was born, as he was traveling around Europe for his health. Not sure if I will be able to ever prove that fact, but maybe this record gives that story a little more truth.

Thank you again
Thomas

[erudita74]

The father may have very well been away when the daughter was born due to health reasons. Some records tell us that the father is away, far from the town of birth. Some tell us he is away due to work-shepherds,for example, could be away for weeks at a time, as they moved the sheep from high ground to low ground and had to go through different towns in order to do so. Sometimes the father had already emigrated to another country, such as the U.S. Day laborers often temporarily worked in a another town or even in another country, as they went wherever they could find work to support their families. They would sometimes even have to find work in countries in South America, as the seasons there were the opposite of what we find in Italy. So whatever impeded Antonio from being around, the record unfortunately doesn't tell us. So you have to use family oral history to fill in the details, which it appears you are doing.

Erudita

[Tfree20]

Family oral histories are important I agree. However I'm taking them with a grain of salt as everything I have learned over the last couple of days about this family disputes what has been passed down. Including the names they went by when coming to the United States have been drastically changed from what they were in Italy.

Thomas