Domina Birth Act Translations

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erudita74
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Re: Domina Birth Act Translations

Post by erudita74 »

#143 for Baldassaro Domina
Dated May 14, 1877 at 9:20 a.m.
Appearing was Vincenzo Domina, age 28, farmer living in Carcarelli. He reported that on the 12th, at 10 P.M., in the house at 82 via Palermo, Giovanna Federico, a seamstress living with him in the hamlet of Petralia Sottana, gave birth to a male infant whom he was NOT presenting. Witnesses to the declaration of the birth were Domenico Domina, age 42, a farmer, and Mariano Sabatino, age 51, a municipal worker. The informant attested to the truthfulness of the declaration concerning the infant's birth but did not present the infant at the town hall because of its distance from the place where the birth had taken place.


#168 for Mariano Domina
Dated June 9, 1877 at 4:15 P.M.
Appearing Vincenzo Domina, age 43, farmer in Castellana
He reported that on the 19th, at 1 P.M., in the house at 11 via dellino (sp?), his wife, Alberta Prima, a spinner living with him in the stated hamlet of Petralia Sottana, gave birth to a male infant who he was NOT presenting and to whom was given the name Mariano. Witnesses to the declaration of the birth were Pietro Purpi, age 38, municipale worker, and Croce Gangi, age 28, farmer.
Notation in the margin-he married Grazia Giunta in Petralia Sottana on Feb 13, 1915

#183 for Teresa Domina
Dated July 14, 1878
Appearing: Domenico Domina, age 46, farmer in Castellana
He reported that on the 13th of the current month, at 11 a.m. in the house at 78 via del Bosco, his wife Maria Farinella, who was living with him in the stated hamlet of Petralia gave birth to a female infant named Teresa whom he was not presenting. Witnesses to the declaration were Giovanni Luisi, age 46, farmer, and Calogero Dino, age 50, member of middle class

#137 for Giuseppa Domina
Dated May 6, 1878 at 9:30 a.m.
Appearing was Mariano Domina, age 25, farmer in Castellana
He reported that, on the 5th of the current month, at 10 a.m, a female infant was born to his wife, Giovanna Sabatino, who was living with him. He was NOT presenting this infant at the town hall. Witnesses to the declaration of the birth were Gandolfo Riotto, age 25, farmer, and Leonardo DiGangi, age 28, farmer.

* none of the above infants were presented at the town hall because of the reason stated in translation of the first record.

Erudita
ladominocrna
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Re: Domina Birth Act Translations

Post by ladominocrna »

Thank you for the translations....what does it mean to present the
infant to (at) city hall..always interesting to read
the translations
erudita74
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Re: Domina Birth Act Translations

Post by erudita74 »

ladominocrna wrote:Thank you for the translations....what does it mean to present the
infant to (at) city hall..always interesting to read
the translations

Normally the infant's father or the midwife, if he was absent from the town, physically brought the infant to the town hall to present to the town official there, to declare its birth, and to state what name the infant was being given. In certain circumstances, however, the infant was not physically brought there. So, if the infant was ill, weather conditions were really bad or, in the case of your records, since these families lived out in the suburbs, so to speak, or at an extremely long distance from the main center of town where the town hall was located, the newborn was not physically brought there. According to some authors I have read, a father physically presenting his newborn to the town official might be viewed as an affirmation of his virility, and confirmation that he, and not some other male, had fathered his child.

Erudita
ladominocrna
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Re: Domina Birth Act Translations

Post by ladominocrna »

Again, thanks for the great explanation
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