WHO was Princess Cattaneo - drowned in 1854

Are you looking for an Italian surname? Do you need more information about your family heritage?
This is the right place to start your genealogy search.
Post Reply
Phyllisry
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 12
Joined: 10 Jun 2012, 15:08

WHO was Princess Cattaneo - drowned in 1854

Post by Phyllisry »

April 24, 1854 Steamship ERCOLANO was sliced in half by the iron Steamship SICILIA at midnight....in a storm....off coast of Antibes and Villefranche. LOST in that disaster was "Princess Cattaneo and 3 attendants." A later inquiry came from...."Prince James Ruffo Espinosa." I haven't a clue how to figure out who the Princess was! Need your expert HELP on this one! Ancestry.com mentions a very early connection to the Grimaldis. Not much help. Was she really some sort of Italian royalty??
Phyllis in Atlanta
pink67
Master
Master
Posts: 4459
Joined: 25 Oct 2005, 00:00
Location: italia - liguria

Re: WHO was Princess Cattaneo - drowned in 1854

Post by pink67 »

LOST in that disaster was "Princess Cattaneo and 3 attendants.
from the site:
http://www.genmarenostrum.com/pagine-le ... agnara.htm

of the genealogy of the family of the RUFFO DI BAGNARA E CASTELCICALA

She was Elena Filomarino, daughter of Don Giacomo 10° Prince of Rocca d'Aspro and of Rosa Cattaneo della Volta, marquis of Montescaglioso. Elena was the wife of :

Don Girolamo (* Palermo 11-2-1814 + Napoli 23-7-1888),
detto Principe di Spinoso, Patrizio Napoletano, Cavaliere dell’Ordine
Costantiniano di San Giorgio e Gentiluomo di Camera del Re delle
Due Sicilie.
a) = Napoli 28-4-1838 Donna Elena Filomarino, figlia di Don
Giacomo 10° Principe della Rocca d’Aspro e di Rosa
Cattaneo della Volta Marchesa di Montescaglioso (* Napoli
17-2-1820 + naufragio tra Napoli e Marsiglia 25-4-1854
)

Hope this helps...

Laura
Phyllisry
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 12
Joined: 10 Jun 2012, 15:08

Re: WHO was Princess Cattaneo - drowned in 1854

Post by Phyllisry »

WOW.....I sure came to the right place! You folks are terrific!!
I'll check out that link.....hope it gives me a few more details about her and her family. The ship that she was on sank in just a few minutes. There was a gentlemen on deck who offered to jump into the ocean with her and would help her to the life boats but she declined and said, "no I can't leave the children." And is just a short time, they had all drowned. I'm not sure if they were her children.....or those belonging to her 'attendants.' Maybe this link will tell me more! Thank you so much for your help. If you find any more details.....send up the rockets! haha!
pink67
Master
Master
Posts: 4459
Joined: 25 Oct 2005, 00:00
Location: italia - liguria

Re: WHO was Princess Cattaneo - drowned in 1854

Post by pink67 »

I don't believe she had children died in the accident...
From the site I pointed out to you I can understand that:

Elena Filomarino was born in Napoli on 17 february 1820
On 28 april 1838 she married Girolamo Ruffo (Principe di Spinoso, Patrizio Napoletano, Cavaliere dell’Ordine Costantiniano di San Giorgio e Gentiluomo di Camera del Re delle Due Sicilie.) who was born in Palermo on 11 february 1814...
Elena and Girolamo had two child:
Nicoletta Ruffo born in Napoli on 3 april 1839, who died in Napoli on 8 june 1905
Francesco Ruffo born in Napoli on 15 july 1840, who died in San Giorgio a Cremano on 4 july 1881

On the site there's no mention to other child, even if her husband remarried for two times after her death..

Laura
Phyllisry
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 12
Joined: 10 Jun 2012, 15:08

Re: WHO was Princess Cattaneo - drowned in 1854

Post by Phyllisry »

Hello Again Laura. From the link you gave me to the family tree, I see that Nicoletta and Francesco are numbered N1 and N2....but on the next pages I see N3 James, N4 Giovanni, N5 Rose,N6 Ferinando and N7 Fabrizio! All of them born before she was lost on the Ercolano in 1854. So I'm thinking she had SEVEN children....none who were with her that terrible night. Yes, her husband married again - twice, but those marriages occurred after the sinking and after these 7 children were born. This makes the story even sadder, that she left behind 7 children....the youngest only about 6! Yes, it's a very sad story. Our great-great aunt, Charlotte Knight and her 2 little boys were sleeping in the cabin that took the direct hit by the Scilia that night. They died instantly. Now, don't go away! I have 2 more questions for you....that should help tell the rest of this story!!
Phyllisry
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 12
Joined: 10 Jun 2012, 15:08

Re: WHO was Princess Cattaneo - drowned in 1854

Post by Phyllisry »

Question #2 ... By some great luck, I discovered a book held by Harvard University....that has been digitized by Google books. It is the Defense of Captain Miceli of the Ercolano in that sinking. Written by his defense lawyer (in Italian) it gives us lots of details of the wreck. Harvard has now digitized and sent us the companion book....the Defense of Captain Carson of the Scilia that gives HIS side of the story. They're both very interesting but neither book gives us the VERDICT of the trial held in the Great Court of Messina the summer of 1858. Certainly the newspapers from that fall of 1858 would have some headlines concerning this famous shipwreck that had held the public interest for so long! So I need your best advice on where to find that verdict! For now, it's like a fantastic mystery story.....with no ending! Yes, I'm a newbie on this web site.....will this message reach EVERYone or just you? I'm learning! The second question......I'll save for later. I think it's the hardest one....but we shall see what you experts can do with it. I'll send it later! For now....we need a verdict!
Thanks again for your willingness to share your expertise! Phyllis
Phyllisry
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 12
Joined: 10 Jun 2012, 15:08

Re: WHO was Princess Cattaneo - drowned in 1854

Post by Phyllisry »

LAURA!! A closer look at that family tree.....and the Princess Canttoneo had another child that I missed earlier! N8 Giulio Raimondo b. 1/25/1848 and died………25/4/1854 !!!!!! He was with her when that ship went down!!!! Oh this story gets sadder and sadder!
pink67
Master
Master
Posts: 4459
Joined: 25 Oct 2005, 00:00
Location: italia - liguria

Re: WHO was Princess Cattaneo - drowned in 1854

Post by pink67 »

I'm sorry but I'm not able to help you with the verdict...
And about Elena's son... really a sad story...
will this message reach EVERYone or just you? I'm learning!
This is a public forum so everybody here can read your messages :D

Laura
Phyllisry
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 12
Joined: 10 Jun 2012, 15:08

Re: WHO was Princess Cattaneo - drowned in 1854

Post by Phyllisry »

I know...these are tough questions....but I'll throw one last one at you! The Ercolano was owned by the Neapolitan (or Mediterranean) Steamship Company. In 1850 I found a travelogue by a guy who was in Naples and saw a poster nailed up all over town, advertising a wonderful steamship....showing a picture of it with sails full in the wind...and the name ERCOLANO painted in gold on the paddlebox!! I can almost see that poster! Wouldn't it be great if I could learn if that Company is still in business....even by another name....and they might have an old poster back in an old cupboard somewhere! hahaha! Now you know I'm crazy!! That's 162 YEARS ago.,,,,how could a poster last that long! I know.....I know! But maybe an antique shop somewhere in Naples has one in an old collection! And I suppose newspapers from the fall of 1858 have long gone to dust as well. Well, it's fun hoping! Thanks for listening to my story....and chuckling at my wish list!
Phyllis ;-)
Post Reply