Zappala(o) family search

[mcoccaro]

Good afternoon,

I was wondering if anyone can help me trace this family tree back a bit further:

Cirino Zappala b. 1893 (candy maker) came from Viagrande, Catania, Sicily in 1909 along with his brother Filadelfeo b. 1891 and his father Gaetano. Their point of contact in the state was Gaetano's other son Alfio. They were on a ship called Verona and the destination was Philadelphia, PA.

I am searching for the father (Gaetano) lineage: I believe he was born abt 1865 and was married to Carmela Forrisi. As far as I know, they all settled in the Philadelphia area...I see other Zappalas with similarities in the Massachusetts area but I am not sure if they are the same family or cousins etc.

Any help or a boost would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!!!

[erudita74]

Good afternoon,

I was wondering if anyone can help me trace this family tree back a bit further:

Cirino Zappala b. 1893 (candy maker) came from Viagrande, Catania, Sicily in 1909 along with his brother Filadelfeo b. 1891 and his father Gaetano. Their point of contact in the state was Gaetano's other son Alfio. They were on a ship called Verona and the destination was Philadelphia, PA.

I am searching for the father (Gaetano) lineage: I believe he was born abt 1865 and was married to Carmela Forrisi. As far as I know, they all settled in the Philadelphia area...I see other Zappalas with similarities in the Massachusetts area but I am not sure if they are the same family or cousins etc.

Any help or a boost would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!!!

First of all, there are online church records for the town of Viagrande. The mother Carmela's surname was Torrisi (this is the correct spelling). I have located the children's baptism records among records at www.familysearch.org, which I don't know if you have or not.

Italy, Catania, Arcidioce...Church Records, 1515-1941
Viagrande
Santa Maria dell'Idria
Battesimi 1869-1910

1. Filadelfio baptized May 2, 1891 (folio or page 7)-image 333 of 650

2. Cirino baptized on Jan 22, 1893 (folio #31)-image 356 of 650

3. Giuseppe baptized on Nov 11, 1894 (folio #57)-image 383 of 650

4. Anna baptized on Jan 13, 1897 (folio #90)-image 415 OF 650

5. Salvatore baptized on Jan 26, 1899 (folio #120)-image 446 of 650.

6. Giuseppa baptized on Feb 13, 1901 (folio #153)-image 478 of 650; there is a marriage notation with her baptism record. She married a Filadelfio Di Paola on April 28, it looks like 1943, but may be 1923.

7. Giovanni baptized on Jan 26, 1903 (folio #182), image 508 of 650.

I didn't go beyond the year 1903.

The parish where these baptisms took place was Santa Maria dell'Idria.

I can't find the parents' marriage record though, either in this parish or in the other one in the town. I may have just missed it in looking quickly for it, so you may want to retrace my steps.

I also looked through the baptism records for 1865 and didn't see Gaetano's record there in the parish of Santa Maria dell'Idria. I know the 1865 is only an estimate, so you may need to look through other years.

Erudita

[mcoccaro]

Thank you so much Erudita!

I am going to research all of this information. I greatly appreciate your help and respect your dedication to helping others on this forum.

[mcoccaro]

Is it possible that this could be Gaetan Zappala's parents? Name: Gaetano Zappalà
Gender: Male
Christening Date:
Christening Place:
Birth Date: 22 Jan 1865
Birthplace: Catania, Catania, Italia
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: Pietro Zappalà
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Maria Musumeci
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I07862-6
System Origin: Italy-EASy
GS Film number: 1339640
Reference ID: 53

Does anyone know how to access this original record on Familysearch.org?

[erudita74]

Is it possible that this could be Gaetan Zappala's parents? Name: Gaetano Zappalà
Gender: Male
Christening Date:
Christening Place:
Birth Date: 22 Jan 1865
Birthplace: Catania, Catania, Italia
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: Pietro Zappalà
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Maria Musumeci
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I07862-6
System Origin: Italy-EASy
GS Film number: 1339640
Reference ID: 53

Does anyone know how to access this original record on Familysearch.org?

I see in the online index for the Catania Birth records that it should be record #53, sezione 1 of 1865 nati. However, the sezione 1 records for that year are not listed among the records actually online. The nati for 1865 skips to sezione II (two)

You can view the index here-
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... 2092291675

Italy, Catania, Catania, ...ation (Comune), 1820-1905
Catania

Nati 1864 (Sezione VI)
Nati 1865 (Sezione II)
Nati 1865 (Sezione III)
Nati 1865 (Sezione IV)
Nati 1865 (Sezione V)
Nati 1865 (Sezione VI)
Nati 1866 (Sezione I)

It's difficult to say if the info you found is definitely connected to the ancestry. If you find a child named Pietro born to Gaetano, then maybe that would be the clue to a connection.
Erudita

[erudita74]

This is your lucky day.

I found the marriage of your Gaetano Zappala and Carmela Torrisi in the town of Trecastagni, Catania Province, Sicily-dated June 14, 1888

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... c=14439365

Gaetano Zappala was the son of Alfio Zappala and Anna di Mauro of the town of Viamagna. Carmela Torrisi was the daughter of Filadelfio Torrisi and Giuseppa di Mauro.

Erudita