In my search of the online Italian genealogy records, I've run into many cases where a name is spelled using both a -ga ending and a -gha ending. My question is: is there a basis for this in historical Italian spelling (orthography) rules? I know that h is used to signal the hard g sound when i or e ...

Thank you for the recommendation. I just purchased the book and will read it before my travels.

I really appreciate the searching you did. Although the negative result is disappointing it confirms my experience. I conclude that the marriage certificate is among the records in that are missing or ...

Maria's death is 3/16/1914 - immagine 57 in Castelvetrano Morti

Thank you very much for all your help. Very interesting. I am in Italy and am planning on traveling to both locations, perhaps in a month or 2. Can you suggest how I could do research at that time?

Yes, I have searched so many dates and places for Maria and her marriage that you wouldn't believe it, including the ones you mentioned, and including going page by page through everything related when there was no index. It has been exhausting, and that's why I wrote to this forum. My best clue is ...

yes, all that I gave above were Castelvetrano except the birth of Francesco.

I'm very interested in your conclusion that Francesco and Maria were not married at the time of Giuseppe's birth in 1864. Can you explain why you conclude that?

The birth of Maria Giuseppa is in the index at "Immagine 394 ...

To answer your questions about the children:
Gaetano b. 6/3/1869 (m/d/yy format), m. 11/8/1898
Giuseppe b. 6/7/1864, m. 10/19/1892
Maria Giuseppa b. 3/20/1861, m. 9/6/1881
possibly another: Felicia Maria d. 1867 (only an index record)

I've looked in all these records for clue to finding the ...

See above where I played a trick on the system to give you the link. If you don't want to do that, here are the directions to the rigocognizione document:

Home
Sfoglia i registri
Archivio di Stato di Trapani
Stato civile della restaurazione
Castelvetrano
Diversi
1857
Immagine 286

the associated ...

Yes, Mega. Are you saying the ricognizione document substitutes for a marriage certificate? That would explain why I've not found any marriage certificate despite searching exhaustively.

I've tried to respond many times to include the link you request but the system will not let me post links to ...

I'm trying to understand this Atto di Recognizione:
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0

I'm hoping it can help me find the marriage certificate for Francesco & Maria

Here's what I know:
1) This Atto di Ricognizione is saying that Angela is the daughter of Maria, but as of ...

I'm trying to understand this Atto di Recognizione:
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0

I'm hoping it can help me find the marriage certificate for Francesco & Maria

Here's what I know:
1) This Atto di Ricognizione is saying that Angela is the daughter of Maria, but as of ...