Help figuring out meaning of margin notes in birth records..

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lolauren
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Help figuring out meaning of margin notes in birth records..

Post by lolauren »

I have the birth records from 1879 and 1881 for two "brothers" who were born "proietto" (foundlings; orphans) in Racalmuto, Agrigento, Sicily. They immigrated to the US around 1910 and reference each other as brothers in several documents.

I am confused on what exactly the margin notes are telling me on their birth records.

The first brother was named Francesco Forforano on the birth record... Jan 1879. He was my great-great grandfather. The margin note is hard to read... I'll put what it looks like, but keep in mind the margin notes were both added in March and April of 1904, when he was 25,.... and weeks before he got married...

per ed insequito ad atti di (?)
riconoscimento ricevent (recognized/identified by the receiver?)
Salvatore Ferdinando
gaglio del 26 Marzo 1904 (March 26 1904)

Forforana Francesco
Proietto di padre e madre ignoti (foundling of father and mother unknown)
e stato riconoscuinto (and state recognized)
per figlio naturale da (the natural-born son of)
Taibi Paolino fu Fedele (Paolino Taibi, the son of the late Fedele)
Grigento April 8 1904 (Province of Agrigento on April 8, 1904)

23 Aprile 1904 sposo
con Carlino Carmela Giovanna
Girgenti May 10 1904 (he married Carmela Carlino on April 23 1904)

_______________________

On his marriage record it does not mention him as a foundling at all and lists his father as "Paolino Taibi" and his mother as unknown (di madre ignota.) His name on every record after birth is Francesco Taibi.

His brother was born as Angelo Rossinio, but was later documented as Angelo Taibi. His margin notes are shorter. They essentially only say he was recognized as the natural born son of Paolino Taibi... if I'm interpreting it correctly :)

I am guessing their real father recognized them at some point and took them back in? It wouldn't say the natural-born ("naturale") son of someone if it was an adoptive father, right? I'm also guessing Francesco needed to prove who his parents were before he got married, which would explain the timing of the margin notes?

So, why wouldn't it list his mother on the marriage record? Surely the father, if he were the real father, would know who the mother had been. Would they leave this name off on purpose for some reason? On Angelo's SSN application, it does list the father as Paolino Taibi, but his mother IS listed as Calogera Facciponte.

This is all confusing to me because the family stories don't quite match up to this information. As far as we were told, the brothers knew their mother (but claimed their father was a baron who was poisoned.) She was a courtesan or maybe just a mistress of the father (whichever it was, they were not married!) She had several kids with him, but "over 26 children" in total in her life with many men. The latter I'm guessing is true since my great-grandmother thought this was very shameful and was nearly dying by the time she confessed this to us.

So.... am I interpreting those margin notes correctly? Any ideas or theories?? Thank you so much for any and all help!

Sincerely,

Lauren
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Re: Help figuring out meaning of margin notes in birth recor

Post by nuccia »

Hi Lauren..

Sounds like the father did indeed recognize his sons. As for the mother, perhaps she did not want to formerly register her name on the records. Possible reasons - maybe the father told her if she did then he would not. Especially if she had an interesting past. If the boys father was wealthy they may have paid her not to recognize them for fear of tarnishing their family name? There are so many possibilities. Member Ricbru or suanj may be able to offer some other possibilities.

Now, had the mother been a widow and was receiving some kind of government pension then she would not recognize her kids because if she did, she could lose that pension.

Not sure if this helps at all but I would be interested in hearing what others think.
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Re: Help figuring out meaning of margin notes in birth recor

Post by liviomoreno »

The best thing would be to see a picture of the documents
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Re: Help figuring out meaning of margin notes in birth recor

Post by nuccia »

Good suggestion Livio. Perhaps Lauren could post it here. If you need any help posting it just give a holler, Lauren!
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Re: Help figuring out meaning of margin notes in birth recor

Post by lolauren »

I should mention that on Francesco's marriage record, his father, Paolino, is listed as a sulpher miner (zolfataio.)

I'm guessing the part of the story about the baron was not true; a fabrication to make their upbringing sound better.

I'm attaching one file that has both margin notes side by side. The red ink is from me trying to decipher/translate each word or sentence. Angelo's is on the left; Francesco's is on the right. Unfortunately, the record for Francesco is very light and hard to read. These birth records were entirely hand written. I'll attach Angelo's full record in a few... but it might be too hard to read.

Thank you so much for your help and suggestions.

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/9996 ... argins.jpg
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Re: Help figuring out meaning of margin notes in birth recor

Post by liviomoreno »

You should upload the file to imageshack or similar
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Re: Help figuring out meaning of margin notes in birth recor

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http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/9996 ... argins.jpg

File...

The image is at that link. (Thanks, Livio :))
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Re: Help figuring out meaning of margin notes in birth recor

Post by liviomoreno »

I'm sorry but the link seems to be broken...
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Re: Help figuring out meaning of margin notes in birth recor

Post by nuccia »

Sorry Lauren but the link is not working. Try again? You can email it to me to post if you prefer..
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Re: Help figuring out meaning of margin notes in birth recor

Post by lolauren »

These two images are of the main content of Angelo's birth record. It is really hard for me to read since I am just learning to translate these... I don't know if anyone can pull anything useful out of it...

http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/6391/angelobirth.jpg

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/364/angelobirth2.jpg

The image of his margin notes

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/1696/a ... nnotes.jpg


THANKS AGAIN!
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Re: Help figuring out meaning of margin notes in birth recor

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http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/9996 ... argins.jpg

another link for the first image in case the first doesn't work :) ...sorry for the trouble.... This is the ORIGINAL image I tried to post... of both boy's margin notes.
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Re: Help figuring out meaning of margin notes in birth recor

Post by lolauren »

Bonus info... the only Paolino Taibi I can find in Racalmuto records IS the son of a "Fedele" (who is the son of a Paolino).... (I have many of the microfilms checked out and some are indexed on familysearch.)

This Paolino is 14 years older than Francesco. I suppose that could be a reason the boys were put up for adoption if this is the right father? He would have been way too young when they were born to care for them.... so maybe he later would have "recognized" them when he was older and able to provide? What do you guys think? Because of the naming, this Paolino is likely the first born son... and then entitled to run the household when his father passed?
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Re: Help figuring out meaning of margin notes in birth recor

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lolauren wrote:http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/9996 ... argins.jpg

another link for the first image in case the first doesn't work :) ...sorry for the trouble.... This is the ORIGINAL image I tried to post... of both boy's margin notes.
Notes for Angelo Rossinio:

With deed drawn up in XXXX on July 17, 1901, Angelo Rossinio was acknowledged by Paolino Taibi, son of the deceased Fedele, to be his natural (biological) child.
Girgenti, July 27, 1901

On April 26, 1908 he [Angelo] married Angela Cannizzaro from Licata.
Girgenti, May 30, 1908


The notes about Francesco are very light and hard to read word by word but basically on March 26, 1904 Paolino Taibi acknowledged that Francesco was his biological son. Francesco married on Apr 23 1904 Carmela Giovanna CARLINO
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Re: Help figuring out meaning of margin notes in birth recor

Post by lolauren »

Thank you so much!! :)

If anyone is able to read the main part of Angelo's birth certificate, does it say under what conditions he was left or found? I wasn't able to find those words... (I know it's pretty hard to read.)

Again, thanks everyone for their help.
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