Valenzisi (Cinquefrondi, Calabria) - puzzling findings / trying to locate birth records

[pricklypear]

[WARNING THIS IS GOING TO BE QUITE LONG I'M SORRY!]

Hi all,

Been doing some research on the Valenzisi family (also seen spelled Valensisi, and Valenzise etc) in Cinquefrondi, Reggio di Calabria in my boyfriend's family tree. There have been plenty of records uploaded for Cinquefrondi which has been helpful however the quality and legibility is SO different compared to Potenza, Basilicata records I've mainly been looking at! (By different, I mean worse!)

That aside, and with a little help from FamilySearch family trees (not always reliable however have been helpful sometimes) I have discovered the following. This is going to be long because I think context is important, but I'll try and explain it best I can.

Vincenzo Valenzisi was born 22 Jun 1874, Cinquefrondi.
Birth reg: http://codh.rois.ac.jp/software/iiif-cu ... 32&lang=en (top left)
He died in Leeton, NSW, Australia. (I have that information already)
He married Mariangela Vitale in 1899
Marriage reg: http://codh.rois.ac.jp/software/iiif-cu ... =9&lang=en
JPG: https://iiif-antenati.san.beniculturali ... efault.jpg

On Vincenzo's birth reg, it says his parents are: Fortunato, son of Giuseppe, and his mother Rosa Maria Gallo, daughter of Michele.

The AGES given for Vincenzo's parents I think are incorrect and I'll tell you why!... It says 'di anni quaranta' (40) for Fortunato in 1874, and 'di anni ventotto' (28) for Rosa in 1874. I could not for the life of me find a Rosa Maria (or Rosaria) Gallo with father Michele born between the time period of 1843-1848. I then tried 'adding 20 years' to 1846, to try and find a marriage record for a Fortunato and Rosaria, but again, found none! (I went five years either side). I didn't understand why!

[I DID find a Fortunato born 'around the right time' (1836). However, a FamilySearch record indicates this Fortunato died the same year, and I've confirmed this in the records: http://codh.rois.ac.jp/software/iiif-cu ... 38&lang=en)

On FamilySearch, I found ANOTHER source telling me that Vincenzo's father Fortunato was actually born in 1932, and Rosaria born in 1938. So, back to the drawing board. But I still couldn't find the right people within the records. So, I tried the 'let's find their marriage record', looking between 1854 - 1858~.

[See Part 2 in comments, I had more than 9 links so wouldn't let me post!]

[pricklypear]

BINGO. I found what I was seeking! HOWEVER, a disturbing discovery (in my view).
Fortunato & Rosaria Gallo married on 2nd November 1856. I am fairly certain it says that Fortunato was 'diciasette' (17) and Rosaria 'ventidue' (22) ............... I was actually quite shocked. Normally, the man is always older, or they are the same age. NEVER have I seen the groom still a teenager at marriage with the bride 5 years older!
Link: http://codh.rois.ac.jp/software/iiif-cu ... 45&lang=en
JPG: https://iiif-antenati.san.beniculturali ... efault.jpg
Maybe somebody else can clarify that my eyes aren't deceiving me?!

It also turns out Fortunato's parents were the same ones listed as the Fortunato born in 1836, so it stands to reason that they had a child and he died, and then had another boy and named him the same.

Using the marriage record information, I was able to locate Fortunato's birth registration from 1840. I then made another disturbing discovery - he was actually sixteen at the time of marriage, not 17.... Yikes.
Link: http://codh.rois.ac.jp/software/iiif-cu ... 15&lang=en
JPG: https://iiif-antenati.san.beniculturali ... efault.jpg

I have been trying to find Rosaria's birth reg and having difficulty with her. There were a couple I found with the right first name and father's name, but different mother (her mother on the marriage reg is Vittoria Florino(?), not sure of last name).
I then found a birth registration for what looks like 'Carmela Rosaria Gallo' born to the correct parents from the marriage record. Could this be the Rosaria I'm looking for? If it is, I'm not sure why they dropped the Carmela from future records. Interestingly enough, FamilySearch says that Rosaria and Fortunato had a daughter and named her Carmela. I will double-check this.
Link: http://codh.rois.ac.jp/software/iiif-cu ... =9&lang=en
JPG: https://iiif-antenati.san.beniculturali ... efault.jpg

What do you guys think? I've seriously looked at so many birth records trying to find Rosaria I'm exhausted, and hoping that this Carmela Rosaria is the one.

I'm sorry this is so long, but I guess I wanted to highlight the struggle of tracing families back sometimes, and also clarify some things!

Thanks for reading if you did!

Cheers,
Jess

[mmogno]

Processetti
http://codh.rois.ac.jp/software/iiif-cu ... 01&lang=en

Birth record for Carmela Rosaria Gallo
http://codh.rois.ac.jp/software/iiif-cu ... 03&lang=en

Vittoria Florimo

[pricklypear]

Processetti
http://codh.rois.ac.jp/software/iiif-cu ... 01&lang=en

Birth record for Carmela Rosaria Gallo
http://codh.rois.ac.jp/software/iiif-cu ... 03&lang=en

Vittoria Florimo

Oh that is BRILLIANT. Grazie! Thank you so much. I keep forgetting that the Processetti exists.... this is showing all their supporting documents when they were married, no? Gosh.... If I had remembered this I might not have written such a convoluted post lol

Also thank you for correcting the name Florimo, appreciate it.

[pricklypear]

Is there a reason why their ages on their children's birth registrations are so wrong?!
Would it have been scandalous to write that she was older than him?

[polinkuer12]

It seems there were many mysteries about Valenzisi