Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
I found Provvidenza Damiani on the Palermo death indexes but do not understand where to look next for the actual document. It says that she died at “Ospedale Civ”. Does that mean she died in the hospital? Any help on where to look, would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance.
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
Re: Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
Her record is no. 630 vol. 244. "Ospedale civico" is very likely the place of death.
Re: Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
Thank you Arturo. Do you know where I would look now to find the actual record? In What section of Palermo would the Ospedale civico be located? I appreciate your help.
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Re: Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
It is on the south side of Palermo. You can find it on Googlemaps.scraig32 wrote: 17 May 2021, 17:08 Thank you Arturo. Do you know where I would look now to find the actual record? In What section of Palermo would the Ospedale civico be located? I appreciate your help.
Mark
If you ignore your foundation, your house will soon collapse...
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If you ignore your foundation, your house will soon collapse...
Surnames: Attiani Belli Bucci Calvano Cerci Del Brusco Falera Giorgi Latini Marsili Mattia Mezzo Nardecchia Pellegrini Piacentini Pizzuti Pontecorvo Recchia Topani Ziantona & Zorli
Re: Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
Thank you! I was hoping to figure out which set of records on Antenati I would look under. Palermo is divided up into many sections. Thanks for your help
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Re: Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
scraig32 wrote: 16 May 2021, 21:26 I found Provvidenza Damiani on the Palermo death indexes but do not understand where to look next for the actual document. It says that she died at “Ospedale Civ”. Does that mean she died in the hospital? Any help on where to look, would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance.
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
Here it is, not sure whether it is actually the right Provvidenza Damiano though.
Death No 630: Provvidenza Damiano
Died on 23 November 1838 as per the 10 year index you located.
She was the daughter of the deceased Francesco (Damiano) and Francesca (surname not given)
It says she was the widow of Girolamo? and was aged 35, so I’m not sure that this is the Provvidenza Damiano you are looking for? (Unless husband Nicolo’ Napolitano had died and she remarried, and then second husband Girolamo died too???) (There does seem to be several Provvidenza Damiano’s along the way so maybe further research needed?) Anyways, glad I found this one for you so you can deliberate.
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... 6.jpg.html
Angela
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Re: Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
Check my previous post here.
Death No 85: Vincenzo Napolitano
Santa Ninfa: 25 January 1833
Vincenzo Napolitano died in his own home. He was 33 yo, not married, born in Palermo, a tailor, living Via Papireto, the son of Nicolo’ Napolitano, also a tailor, and of Provvidenza Damiani, both living therein. (So this record gives you a bit of a guide. Both parents are still living in 1833, in Sant’Ninfa (Palermo).)
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
Edit to Add: So the 1838 death record for Provvidenza Damiani is definitely not the correct one.
Angela
Death No 85: Vincenzo Napolitano
Santa Ninfa: 25 January 1833
Vincenzo Napolitano died in his own home. He was 33 yo, not married, born in Palermo, a tailor, living Via Papireto, the son of Nicolo’ Napolitano, also a tailor, and of Provvidenza Damiani, both living therein. (So this record gives you a bit of a guide. Both parents are still living in 1833, in Sant’Ninfa (Palermo).)
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
Edit to Add: So the 1838 death record for Provvidenza Damiani is definitely not the correct one.
Angela
Re: Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
Thank you so much Angela for your time and effort on this! I just found Provvidenza’s death record because of you. I went back through all of the indexes and found her under ‘Damiano” instead of Damiani. Interesting, there are 2 entries for her- one for S. Cristina and one for S. Agata- both on Jan. 3, 1832 with deceased spouse Nicolo Napolitano. Is there a reason that she would have one in each town? Did she live in one and die in another?
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
Edit- and now as I am sitting here looking over everything- how can it be that Provvidenza died in 1832 and her son’s death record says she was alive in 1833? I guess it could have been wrong or the person reporting his death didn’t know if his parents were alive. Regardless, thank you for helping me!
Thank you thank you!!!!!!
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
Edit- and now as I am sitting here looking over everything- how can it be that Provvidenza died in 1832 and her son’s death record says she was alive in 1833? I guess it could have been wrong or the person reporting his death didn’t know if his parents were alive. Regardless, thank you for helping me!
Thank you thank you!!!!!!
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Re: Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
scraig32 wrote: 20 May 2021, 00:51 Thank you so much Angela for your time and effort on this! I just found Provvidenza’s death record because of you. I went back through all of the indexes and found her under ‘Damiano” instead of Damiani. Interesting, there are 2 entries for her- one for S. Cristina and one for S. Agata- both on Jan. 3, 1832 with deceased spouse Nicolo Napolitano. Is there a reason that she would have one in each town? Did she live in one and die in another?
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
Thank you thank you!!!!!!
Wow!!! Well done you. This is fantastic - and to find two original death registrations for the same person. Interesting that she wasn't recorded as being deceased on Vincenzo's 1833 death record - often the way with death records, they can be somewhat misleading. Anyways, so glad you found these. So on both records Nicolo' is deceased and you now know the name of her parents - Filippo e Rosa. I'm always a little suspicious of death records though - were any of her children given those names? It could of course be that Nicolo' and Provvidenza didn't follow the Italian naming tradition.
(At the minute I'm not sure why there are two death records for Provvidenza. It's either a feast or a famine with Palermo records!!! Both records just say that she was born in Palermo but don't specify which area of Palermo. Anyways, so pleased you have found these. I admire your tenacity. It's been such a journey for you. Take care.)
Angela




Re: Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
Thank you Angela! It has been a long road but I enjoy it so much. Just when I seem to piece a little of the puzzle together, another mystery arises.
Last night, I found Provvidenza Damiani located in another place on the Palermo death indexes. She is also indexed as Provvidenza Napolitano- with the same January 3, 1832 S. Cristina death.
I also found her spouse, Nicolo Napolitano’s Atto di Morte: How is an atto different then the other death records? I don’t see mention of his wife, Provvidenza on this record.
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
Nicolo Napolitano
B: abt 1775 Palermo
D: Jan. 6,1835 S. Cristina (60), S. Cristina
Father: Gaetano Napolitano, deceased
Mother: Stefania, deceased
Provvidenza Napolitano
B: abt. 1772 Palermo
January 3, 1832 (age 60) S. Agata & S. Cristina (record in each) (also on Palermo index a 3rd time under Provvidenza Napolitano
I started looking at the names of Nicolo & Provvidenza’s children (those that I could find after 1820, because as you know, that’s as far back as Antenati goes) to see about the naming traditions. Usually, I find that my ancestors have followed the tradition, but as you pointed out, it seems that these two did not. Here is what I found as far as children.
Gaspare Napolitano
B: abt 1783. (This would have made Provvidenza age 11 & Nicolo 8 when he was born)
D: Nov, 14, 1839 (age 56) S. Cristina
Emmanuel Napolitano
B: abt 1787 (Provvidenza age 15, Nicolo age 12)
D: Oct 4, 1847 (age 60) S. Cristina
Giuseppe Napolitano (twin)
B: abt 1793 Palermo (Provvidenza age 21, Nicolo age 18)
D: July 10. 1853 (age 60) tailor, Oreto
Giovanna Napolitano (twin)
B: abt 1793 Palermo ( same as above)
D: Dec. 12, 1852 (age 59)
Vincenzo Napolitano
B: abt 1800 ( Provvidenza age 28, Nicolo age 25)
D: Jan. 25, 1833 (age 33) Santa Ninfa
Maria Anna Napolitano
B: abt 1803 *( I do not know if Provvidenza was her birth mother or adoptive mother)
D: Sept. 23, 1821 (age 18) Sant’ Agata
*. This is the Maria Anna that you have been helping me with. You will recall, we can’t find her death record bc Antenati Sant’ Agata records stop in July 1821. She is also the illegitimate daughter of Salvatore Massa, Prince of Castleforte. You have helped me greatly in piecing together this part of the puzzle.
Here is the link to that thread for reference
https://www.italiangenealogy.com/forum/ ... 28#p301528
Rosalia (is she named after Provvidenza’s mother Rosa?)
B: abt 1835/1836 (Provvidenza is not alive, Nicolo age 60)
D: Feb. 14, 1868 (age 32) Citta
It is all very strange when you look at the age of the parents, Provvidenza and Nicolo’s ages at the birth of the children. I do take into consideration what I know about Maria Anna Napolitano- that her father was actually Salvatore Massa, Prince of Castleforte. So I am wondering if Provvidenza and Nicolo took children it, adopted them. Things I wonder to myself...... Did Provvidenza give birth to any of these children? Was she a wet nurse that adopted some of the children. Did something terrible happen to Provvidenza at age 11 was she forced to have a baby that she did not willingly conceive. Did they put Nicolo’s name down as father- when he wasn’t? Did people have children when they were 11 and 15 years old? Did Provvidenza have children before the twins- that she perhaps named after her and Nicol0’s parents- in the Italian naming tradition?
Another curious thing I noticed- when looking through the Palermo birth indexes for all Napolitanos with parents listed as Provvidenza and Nicolo- I only found 1......Rosalia Napolitano. Yet, all the other children I listed above have Provvidenza and Nicolo listed as their parents on the Palermo death indexes. Technically, shouldn’t they all be listed on the birth indexes as well? I would think that the birth and death index would match. Which leads me to again wonder, if the children were born as foundlings and then were somehow adopted by Provvidenza and Nicolo by the time of their deaths.
I know this is a lot. With a lot of questions that have no answers. Thank you Angela for following along with “my story”. I appreciate your help and letting me bounce ideas and theories off of you. I am sharing what I have found here, in case someone else is also searching for any of these people. My questions are mostly to myself- things that I now wonder about. Perhaps someone has a similar experience or finding and can provide some insight or conjecture.
Suzanne
Last night, I found Provvidenza Damiani located in another place on the Palermo death indexes. She is also indexed as Provvidenza Napolitano- with the same January 3, 1832 S. Cristina death.
I also found her spouse, Nicolo Napolitano’s Atto di Morte: How is an atto different then the other death records? I don’t see mention of his wife, Provvidenza on this record.
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
Nicolo Napolitano
B: abt 1775 Palermo
D: Jan. 6,1835 S. Cristina (60), S. Cristina
Father: Gaetano Napolitano, deceased
Mother: Stefania, deceased
Provvidenza Napolitano
B: abt. 1772 Palermo
January 3, 1832 (age 60) S. Agata & S. Cristina (record in each) (also on Palermo index a 3rd time under Provvidenza Napolitano
I started looking at the names of Nicolo & Provvidenza’s children (those that I could find after 1820, because as you know, that’s as far back as Antenati goes) to see about the naming traditions. Usually, I find that my ancestors have followed the tradition, but as you pointed out, it seems that these two did not. Here is what I found as far as children.
Gaspare Napolitano
B: abt 1783. (This would have made Provvidenza age 11 & Nicolo 8 when he was born)
D: Nov, 14, 1839 (age 56) S. Cristina
Emmanuel Napolitano
B: abt 1787 (Provvidenza age 15, Nicolo age 12)
D: Oct 4, 1847 (age 60) S. Cristina
Giuseppe Napolitano (twin)
B: abt 1793 Palermo (Provvidenza age 21, Nicolo age 18)
D: July 10. 1853 (age 60) tailor, Oreto
Giovanna Napolitano (twin)
B: abt 1793 Palermo ( same as above)
D: Dec. 12, 1852 (age 59)
Vincenzo Napolitano
B: abt 1800 ( Provvidenza age 28, Nicolo age 25)
D: Jan. 25, 1833 (age 33) Santa Ninfa
Maria Anna Napolitano
B: abt 1803 *( I do not know if Provvidenza was her birth mother or adoptive mother)
D: Sept. 23, 1821 (age 18) Sant’ Agata
*. This is the Maria Anna that you have been helping me with. You will recall, we can’t find her death record bc Antenati Sant’ Agata records stop in July 1821. She is also the illegitimate daughter of Salvatore Massa, Prince of Castleforte. You have helped me greatly in piecing together this part of the puzzle.
Here is the link to that thread for reference
https://www.italiangenealogy.com/forum/ ... 28#p301528
Rosalia (is she named after Provvidenza’s mother Rosa?)
B: abt 1835/1836 (Provvidenza is not alive, Nicolo age 60)
D: Feb. 14, 1868 (age 32) Citta
It is all very strange when you look at the age of the parents, Provvidenza and Nicolo’s ages at the birth of the children. I do take into consideration what I know about Maria Anna Napolitano- that her father was actually Salvatore Massa, Prince of Castleforte. So I am wondering if Provvidenza and Nicolo took children it, adopted them. Things I wonder to myself...... Did Provvidenza give birth to any of these children? Was she a wet nurse that adopted some of the children. Did something terrible happen to Provvidenza at age 11 was she forced to have a baby that she did not willingly conceive. Did they put Nicolo’s name down as father- when he wasn’t? Did people have children when they were 11 and 15 years old? Did Provvidenza have children before the twins- that she perhaps named after her and Nicol0’s parents- in the Italian naming tradition?
Another curious thing I noticed- when looking through the Palermo birth indexes for all Napolitanos with parents listed as Provvidenza and Nicolo- I only found 1......Rosalia Napolitano. Yet, all the other children I listed above have Provvidenza and Nicolo listed as their parents on the Palermo death indexes. Technically, shouldn’t they all be listed on the birth indexes as well? I would think that the birth and death index would match. Which leads me to again wonder, if the children were born as foundlings and then were somehow adopted by Provvidenza and Nicolo by the time of their deaths.
I know this is a lot. With a lot of questions that have no answers. Thank you Angela for following along with “my story”. I appreciate your help and letting me bounce ideas and theories off of you. I am sharing what I have found here, in case someone else is also searching for any of these people. My questions are mostly to myself- things that I now wonder about. Perhaps someone has a similar experience or finding and can provide some insight or conjecture.
Suzanne
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Re: Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
scraig32 wrote: 20 May 2021, 16:33 Thank you Angela! It has been a long road but I enjoy it so much. Just when I seem to piece a little of the puzzle together, another mystery arises.
Last night, I found Provvidenza Damiani located in another place on the Palermo death indexes. She is also indexed as Provvidenza Napolitano- with the same January 3, 1832 S. Cristina death.
I also found her spouse, Nicolo Napolitano’s Atto di Morte: How is an atto different then the other death records? I don’t see mention of his wife, Provvidenza on this record.
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
Nicolo Napolitano
B: abt 1775 Palermo
D: Jan. 6,1835 S. Cristina (60), S. Cristina
Father: Gaetano Napolitano, deceased
Mother: Stefania, deceased
Provvidenza Napolitano
B: abt. 1772 Palermo
January 3, 1832 (age 60) S. Agata & S. Cristina (record in each) (also on Palermo index a 3rd time under Provvidenza Napolitano
So this Nicolo Napolitano that you located died 5 January 1835 in the hospital. He had given his name to be D. Nicolo Napolitano, and said his marital status was “libero” (“libero” (free) so either single (never married) or a widower). He gave his age as 60 (c.1775), born in Palermo, son of the deceased Gaetano e Stefania. He gave his occupation to be seribente? He arrived in the hospital the same day he died.
I’m not convinced that the above is your Nicolo Napolitano.
The following Nicolo’ Napolitano is a possibility. Have you seen this and did you find the Death Act?
Father Giovanni Napolitano
Mother Giuseppa Leone
Died 13 March 1851 at age 86, S. Oliva, Act No 157
Indexed here: http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... =243393889
(You’ll notice a child named Nicolo’ (son of Nicolo’ e Provvidenza) and Ignazia Genna) who died in 1849 entered just below it.)
Re Death Acts and Death Records – they are the same thing.
I started looking at the names of Nicolo & Provvidenza’s children (those that I could find after 1820, because as you know, that’s as far back as Antenati goes) to see about the naming traditions. Usually, I find that my ancestors have followed the tradition, but as you pointed out, it seems that these two did not. Here is what I found as far as children.
Gaspare Napolitano
B: abt 1783. (This would have made Provvidenza age 11 & Nicolo 8 when he was born)
D: Nov, 14, 1839 (age 56) S. Cristina
Emmanuel Napolitano
B: abt 1787 (Provvidenza age 15, Nicolo age 12)
D: Oct 4, 1847 (age 60) S. Cristina
Giuseppe Napolitano (twin)
B: abt 1793 Palermo (Provvidenza age 21, Nicolo age 18)
D: July 10. 1853 (age 60) tailor, Oreto
Giovanna Napolitano (twin)
B: abt 1793 Palermo ( same as above)
D: Dec. 12, 1852 (age 59)
Vincenzo Napolitano
B: abt 1800 ( Provvidenza age 28, Nicolo age 25)
D: Jan. 25, 1833 (age 33) Santa Ninfa
You have done so much work on this. Well done. Just one question. Have you located all the Death Records for the children that you have posted here? If you have, it would be really good to post the links to them so that we can take a closer look at them.
Maria Anna Napolitano
B: abt 1803 *( I do not know if Provvidenza was her birth mother or adoptive mother)
D: Sept. 23, 1821 (age 18) Sant’ Agata
*. This is the Maria Anna that you have been helping me with. You will recall, we can’t find her death record bc Antenati Sant’ Agata records stop in July 1821. She is also the illegitimate daughter of Salvatore Massa, Prince of Castleforte. You have helped me greatly in piecing together this part of the puzzle.
Here is the link to that thread for reference
https://www.italiangenealogy.com/forum/ ... 28#p301528
Rosalia (is she named after Provvidenza’s mother Rosa?)
B: abt 1835/1836 (Provvidenza is not alive, Nicolo age 60)
D: Feb. 14, 1868 (age 32) Citta
It is all very strange when you look at the age of the parents, Provvidenza and Nicolo’s ages at the birth of the children. I do take into consideration what I know about Maria Anna Napolitano- that her father was actually Salvatore Massa, Prince of Castleforte. So I am wondering if Provvidenza and Nicolo took children it, adopted them. Things I wonder to myself...... Did Provvidenza give birth to any of these children? Was she a wet nurse that adopted some of the children. Did something terrible happen to Provvidenza at age 11 was she forced to have a baby that she did not willingly conceive. Did they put Nicolo’s name down as father- when he wasn’t? Did people have children when they were 11 and 15 years old? Did Provvidenza have children before the twins- that she perhaps named after her and Nicol0’s parents- in the Italian naming tradition?
Another curious thing I noticed- when looking through the Palermo birth indexes for all Napolitanos with parents listed as Provvidenza and Nicolo- I only found 1......Rosalia Napolitano. Yet, all the other children I listed above have Provvidenza and Nicolo listed as their parents on the Palermo death indexes. Technically, shouldn’t they all be listed on the birth indexes as well? I would think that the birth and death index would match. Which leads me to again wonder, if the children were born as foundlings and then were somehow adopted by Provvidenza and Nicolo by the time of their deaths.
I know this is a lot. With a lot of questions that have no answers. Thank you Angela for following along with “my story”. I appreciate your help and letting me bounce ideas and theories off of you. I am sharing what I have found here, in case someone else is also searching for any of these people. My questions are mostly to myself- things that I now wonder about. Perhaps someone has a similar experience or finding and can provide some insight or conjecture.
Suzanne
Just a quick response re your other questions raised here, I think there are too many uncertainties, and without viewing the childrens birth acts and also Nicolo’ and Provvidenza’s marriage act, we can’t really be too sure of anything. (But ... we can be “triply” sure that Provvidenza Damani died on 3 January 1832

Re the “Adoption” question you have raised. My understanding is that this didn’t happen back then in Italia. Also, I’m not sure how accurate the indices are. There may possibly be entries not included? Which indices are using? Are you using the ones on the antenati site (Hugh Thornabene).
They are also here (also Hugh Thornabene’s amazing work): I find these ones easier to work with.
Birth Indices 1896-1905: https://sites.google.com/site/palermobirthshub/home
Death Indices 1820-1835: https://sites.google.com/site/palermodeaths/
Marriages: https://sites.google.com/site/palermomarriages2/home
Also, check out the following map of the four main areas of Palermo:
https://a3d793b2-a-62cb3a1a-s-sites.goo ... edirects=0
Have a lovely day.
Angela
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Re: Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
Maybe ignore the 1851 Death Act for Nicolo' since it seems he had died prior to January 1832!!!
Angela
Angela
Re: Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
thank you Angela for these great links! I will check them out and see what else I can find. Also, I will read the different threads on what happened to illegitamte children.
Re: Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
AngelaGrace56 wrote: 20 May 2021, 23:05scraig32 wrote: 20 May 2021, 16:33 Thank you Angela! It has been a long road but I enjoy it so much. Just when I seem to piece a little of the puzzle together, another mystery arises.
Last night, I found Provvidenza Damiani located in another place on the Palermo death indexes. She is also indexed as Provvidenza Napolitano- with the same January 3, 1832 S. Cristina death.
I also found her spouse, Nicolo Napolitano’s Atto di Morte: How is an atto different then the other death records? I don’t see mention of his wife, Provvidenza on this record.
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
Nicolo Napolitano
B: abt 1775 Palermo
D: Jan. 6,1835 S. Cristina (60), S. Cristina
Father: Gaetano Napolitano, deceased
Mother: Stefania, deceased
I am convinced this is not my Nicolo now.
Provvidenza Napolitano
B: abt. 1772 Palermo
January 3, 1832 (age 60) S. Agata & S. Cristina (record in each) (also on Palermo index a 3rd time under Provvidenza Napolitano
So this Nicolo Napolitano that you located died 5 January 1835 in the hospital. He had given his name to be D. Nicolo Napolitano, and said his marital status was “libero” (“libero” (free) so either single (never married) or a widower). He gave his age as 60 (c.1775), born in Palermo, son of the deceased Gaetano e Stefania. He gave his occupation to be seribente? He arrived in the hospital the same day he died.
I’m not convinced that the above is your Nicolo Napolitano.
I agree totally!
The following Nicolo’ Napolitano is a possibility. Have you seen this and did you find the Death Act?
I have not been able to find this Nicolo death Act. But in the process have found another Nicolo that I believe is my guy.
Father Giovanni Napolitano
Mother Giuseppa Leone
Died 13 March 1851 at age 86, S. Oliva, Act No 157
Indexed here: http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... =243393889
(You’ll notice a child named Nicolo’ (son of Nicolo’ e Provvidenza) and Ignazia Genna) who died in 1849 entered just below it.)
Re Death Acts and Death Records – they are the same thing.
I started looking at the names of Nicolo & Provvidenza’s children (those that I could find after 1820, because as you know, that’s as far back as Antenati goes) to see about the naming traditions. Usually, I find that my ancestors have followed the tradition, but as you pointed out, it seems that these two did not. Here is what I found as far as children.
Gaspare Napolitano
B: abt 1783. (This would have made Provvidenza age 11 & Nicolo 8 when he was born)
D: Nov, 14, 1839 (age 56) S. Cristina
I no longer believe this is one of their children
Emmanuel Napolitano ( his full name is Angelo Giuseppe Antonino Emmanuel Napolitano)
B: abt 1787 (Provvidenza age 15, Nicolo age 12- * I believe Nicolo would have actually been age 32 and Provvidenza between 15 & 20)
D: Oct 4, 1847 (age 60) S. Cristina. His dearth act- Will have to insert in a separate comment bc it says only 9 links per post allowed. I will also try to insert the death & marriage acts for the children.
Giuseppe Napolitano (twin)
B: abt 1793 Palermo (Provvidenza age 21, Nicolo age 18)
D: July 10. 1853 (age 60) tailor, Oreto. *** another tailor
I was unable to locate Giuseppe’s marriage to Ignacia Genna because I believe it was before 1820 (records not available)
Giovanna Napolitano (twin)
B: abt 1793 Palermo ( same as above)
D: Dec. 12, 1852 (age 59)
Vincenzo Napolitano
B: abt 1800 ( Provvidenza age 28, Nicolo age 25)
D: Jan. 25, 1833 (age 33) Santa Ninfa
Vincenzo was also a tailor!
You have done so much work on this. Well done. Just one question. Have you located all the Death Records for the children that you have posted here? If you have, it would be really good to post the links to them so that we can take a closer look at them.
Maria Anna Napolitano
B: abt 1803 *( I do not know if Provvidenza was her birth mother or adoptive mother)
D: Sept. 23, 1821 (age 18) Sant’ Agata
*. This is the Maria Anna that you have been helping me with. You will recall, we can’t find her death record bc Antenati Sant’ Agata records stop in July 1821. She is also the illegitimate daughter of Salvatore Massa, Prince of Castleforte. You have helped me greatly in piecing together this part of the puzzle.
Here is the link to that thread for reference
https://www.italiangenealogy.com/forum/ ... 28#p301528
Rosalia (is she named after Provvidenza’s mother Rosa?)
B: abt 1835/1836 (Provvidenza is not alive, Nicolo age 60)
D: Feb. 14, 1868 (age 32) Citta
It is all very strange when you look at the age of the parents, Provvidenza and Nicolo’s ages at the birth of the children. I do take into consideration what I know about Maria Anna Napolitano- that her father was actually Salvatore Massa, Prince of Castleforte. So I am wondering if Provvidenza and Nicolo took children it, adopted them. Things I wonder to myself...... Did Provvidenza give birth to any of these children? Was she a wet nurse that adopted some of the children. Did something terrible happen to Provvidenza at age 11 was she forced to have a baby that she did not willingly conceive. Did they put Nicolo’s name down as father- when he wasn’t? Did people have children when they were 11 and 15 years old? Did Provvidenza have children before the twins- that she perhaps named after her and Nicol0’s parents- in the Italian naming tradition?
Another curious thing I noticed- when looking through the Palermo birth indexes for all Napolitanos with parents listed as Provvidenza and Nicolo- I only found 1......Rosalia Napolitano. Yet, all the other children I listed above have Provvidenza and Nicolo listed as their parents on the Palermo death indexes. Technically, shouldn’t they all be listed on the birth indexes as well? I would think that the birth and death index would match. Which leads me to again wonder, if the children were born as foundlings and then were somehow adopted by Provvidenza and Nicolo by the time of their deaths.
I know this is a lot. With a lot of questions that have no answers. Thank you Angela for following along with “my story”. I appreciate your help and letting me bounce ideas and theories off of you. I am sharing what I have found here, in case someone else is also searching for any of these people. My questions are mostly to myself- things that I now wonder about. Perhaps someone has a similar experience or finding and can provide some insight or conjecture.
Suzanne
Just a quick response re your other questions raised here, I think there are too many uncertainties, and without viewing the childrens birth acts and also Nicolo’ and Provvidenza’s marriage act, we can’t really be too sure of anything. (But ... we can be “triply” sure that Provvidenza Damani died on 3 January 1832) What you could do though is look for the childrens marriage acts, if they married that is, and hopefully there might be allegati with them that would contain their birth acts and also further records.
Re the “Adoption” question you have raised. My understanding is that this didn’t happen back then in Italia. Also, I’m not sure how accurate the indices are. There may possibly be entries not included? Which indices are using? Are you using the ones on the antenati site (Hugh Thornabene).
They are also here (also Hugh Thornabene’s amazing work): I find these ones easier to work with.
Birth Indices 1896-1905: https://sites.google.com/site/palermobirthshub/home
Death Indices 1820-1835: https://sites.google.com/site/palermodeaths/
Marriages: https://sites.google.com/site/palermomarriages2/home
Also, check out the following map of the four main areas of Palermo:
https://a3d793b2-a-62cb3a1a-s-sites.goo ... edirects=0
Have a lovely day.
Angela
Re: Location of death record for Provvidenza Damiani
Hi Angela- I was trying to insert the links to death & marriage records for the children as you suggested. However, it said there were too many links in the message, so I will try here. Hopefully this is easier to look at any way. So here is what I have found since the last time you helped me with this post. I’m trying to piece together the Napolitano family. This is what I have so far.
Husband: Nicolo Napolitano, tailor
B:abt 1755
D: November 27, 1817 (got this from son Angelo’s marriage banns- see below)
Wife: Provvidenza Damiani
B: abt 1767- 1772 Palermo
D: January 3, 1832
Father: deceased Filipo Damiani, Mother: deceased Rosa
Death http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
Children:
Angelo Giuseppe Antonino Emmanuele Napolitano
B: abt 1787 ( Provvidenza would have been 15-20 yrs, Giuseppe 32 yrs.)
D: October 14, 1839, age 60. S. Cristina, tailor
Death http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
If I am reading correctly, his death act lists his 1st wife Antonina Franco.
2nd Marriage: S. Cristina, 1823 to Maria Pietri.
Marriage http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... 6.jpg.html
This was a helpful document because I think it located for me the Nicolo Napolitano that you have been helping me to find. This says that Nicolaus Napolitano, father of the groom, died November 27, 1817 at the age of 62. The groom is a tailor, the father is a tailor. Nicolo’s other 2 sons are also tailors.
Giuseppe Napolitano (twin?)
B: abt 1793 Palermo (Provvidenza 21-26 yrs, Nicolo 38 yrs)
D: July 10, 1853, age 60, tailor, Oreto. Parents are deceased. Wife Ignacia Genna
Death
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
I could not find Giuseppe & Ignacia’s marriage because I believe they were married much before 1820.
Giovanna Napolitano (twin?)
B: abt 1793 Palermo
D: December 12, 1852, age 59, Santa Ninfa, parents deceased, spouse Giovanni Batista Carloccio (?)
Death http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
I haven’t looked yet for her marriage, but will do so.
Vincenzo Napolitano
B: abt 1800 (Provvidenza 28-33 yrs, Nicolo 45 yrs)
D: January 25, 1833, age 33, Santa Ninfa, tailor, parents alive ( which we think may not be correct)
Death
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
No marriage document for Vincenzo at this time. Will look soon to determine if he was single or widowed at time of death.
Maria Anna Napolitano
***(this is the one who is the illegitimate daughter of the Prince of Castleforte, Salvatore Massa. So I am still trying to connect all of the dots as to how the death index attributes Provvidenza Damiani and Nicolo Napolitano as being her parents.
B: abt 1803 (would love to find this to see who is listed as parents
D: September 23, 182, age 18 Sant’ Agata- can not find this actual document because the records stop in July 1823. Only the index is available
Marriage: to Antonino Perez probably around 1819 at the time of their daughter’s birth, Ippolita Perez- who received some “goods” from the Prince of Castleforte at her birth. He was also her godfather. Can’t find this marriage record bc it is before 1820
I sure would love to know how Maria Anna, illegitimate daughter of the prince, came to live with Provvidenza and Nicolo Napolitano. But for now, I am working on piecing together the family that she lived with, the Napolitanos.
I hope I have not left anything out. If so, I will add it soon.
Husband: Nicolo Napolitano, tailor
B:abt 1755
D: November 27, 1817 (got this from son Angelo’s marriage banns- see below)
Wife: Provvidenza Damiani
B: abt 1767- 1772 Palermo
D: January 3, 1832
Father: deceased Filipo Damiani, Mother: deceased Rosa
Death http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
Children:
Angelo Giuseppe Antonino Emmanuele Napolitano
B: abt 1787 ( Provvidenza would have been 15-20 yrs, Giuseppe 32 yrs.)
D: October 14, 1839, age 60. S. Cristina, tailor
Death http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
If I am reading correctly, his death act lists his 1st wife Antonina Franco.
2nd Marriage: S. Cristina, 1823 to Maria Pietri.
Marriage http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... 6.jpg.html
This was a helpful document because I think it located for me the Nicolo Napolitano that you have been helping me to find. This says that Nicolaus Napolitano, father of the groom, died November 27, 1817 at the age of 62. The groom is a tailor, the father is a tailor. Nicolo’s other 2 sons are also tailors.
Giuseppe Napolitano (twin?)
B: abt 1793 Palermo (Provvidenza 21-26 yrs, Nicolo 38 yrs)
D: July 10, 1853, age 60, tailor, Oreto. Parents are deceased. Wife Ignacia Genna
Death
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
I could not find Giuseppe & Ignacia’s marriage because I believe they were married much before 1820.
Giovanna Napolitano (twin?)
B: abt 1793 Palermo
D: December 12, 1852, age 59, Santa Ninfa, parents deceased, spouse Giovanni Batista Carloccio (?)
Death http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
I haven’t looked yet for her marriage, but will do so.
Vincenzo Napolitano
B: abt 1800 (Provvidenza 28-33 yrs, Nicolo 45 yrs)
D: January 25, 1833, age 33, Santa Ninfa, tailor, parents alive ( which we think may not be correct)
Death
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0
No marriage document for Vincenzo at this time. Will look soon to determine if he was single or widowed at time of death.
Maria Anna Napolitano
***(this is the one who is the illegitimate daughter of the Prince of Castleforte, Salvatore Massa. So I am still trying to connect all of the dots as to how the death index attributes Provvidenza Damiani and Nicolo Napolitano as being her parents.
B: abt 1803 (would love to find this to see who is listed as parents
D: September 23, 182, age 18 Sant’ Agata- can not find this actual document because the records stop in July 1823. Only the index is available
Marriage: to Antonino Perez probably around 1819 at the time of their daughter’s birth, Ippolita Perez- who received some “goods” from the Prince of Castleforte at her birth. He was also her godfather. Can’t find this marriage record bc it is before 1820
I sure would love to know how Maria Anna, illegitimate daughter of the prince, came to live with Provvidenza and Nicolo Napolitano. But for now, I am working on piecing together the family that she lived with, the Napolitanos.
I hope I have not left anything out. If so, I will add it soon.