Searching for Relatives – Zappalà

[seanrusk1989]

I've been diving deep into my Italian roots for several years now and I consistently come up empty when it comes to tracking down one side of the family. My trisnonno was Antonino "Nino" Zappalà and he unfortunately died at the age of 33 before he could immigrate to the United States with his wife and family. Through my research, I've managed to find multiple siblings and a few nieces/nephews. Due to limited access from the USA, I have drawn a blank on tracking down living relatives, especially since the surname Zappalà is exceptionally common. Nino was a lawyer but his true passion was for poetry and theatre. He worked with the same Sicilian theater group as Nino Martoglio in the early 1900s.

All of the information below I have collected from available FamilySearch archives, documents passed down through the family, and through correspondences with several officials in Sicily.

Background:
Nino was born and raised in Catania (17 April 1871), as were his siblings. He eventually settled in Pedara with his wife Francesca Torresi and her family before he died sometime between April and May 1905. He was the firstborn son of Ignazio Zappalà (b. 1846) and Concetta Aiello (1843-1899). Ignazio fought in the Unification War and was given the title Cavaliere. Within months of Nino's death, Francesca, their two children, and the rest of her family left for the United States. Nino's remains are interred in the Cimitero Monumentale di Caltagirone.

Siblings:
Salvatore Zappalà (b. 1 March 1872)

Alessandro Zappalà (b. 5 November 1873). Alessandro attended the University of Catania in 1896 and studied engineering. At some point he left to study at the University of Rome and requested to be discharged from the university in 1904. No known wife or children.

Elvira Giulia Vincenza Zappalà (b. 28 November 1874). Married Francesco Filippo Scuderi and had a son, Antonino Matteo Ignazio Scuderi (b. 29 May 1898) in Gagliano Castelferrato. We also have a postcard she wrote to her sister-in-law that was postmarked in Ischia di Castro in 1902. Her son married Maria Distefano in 1928.

Elena Zappalà (b. 7 November 1875)

Arturo Emmanuele Zappalà (b. 14 March 1880, d. 11 September 1935). Arturo was a Captain in the Royal Italian Army and spent the last 10+ years of his life captaining a steamship. He had two sons named Ignazio who died very young (1909-1912 and 1916-1919) and a daughter named Concetta Fortunata Zappalà (b. 20 August 1911) born in Catania.

Alberto Zappalà (b. 25 July 1888). Married Antonina Godano(?)

Summary:
As I mentioned earlier, I've been able to piece this together after years of digging through FamilySearch and tracking down living relatives of my trisnonna's extended family. Because Francesca and all of her siblings came to the United States, it was significantly easier to track down distant cousins thanks to public records. However, we have no evidence that any of Nino's relatives made the same journey, so tracking them down in Italy has become extremely difficult.

Any and all help that can be provided would be absolutely incredible, and I would be happy to provide additional information if necessary.

[Tessa78]

For reference...
Here is the death act of Concettina Aiello in 1899
#1935
Death on 30 September 1899 in Catania
Concettina was a 55yo housewife, born and residing in Catania.
She was the daughter of deceased Salvatore, and of [living] Vincenza Vinuso', manufacturer/trader.
Concettina was the wife of Ignazio Zappala' (so Ignazio was still living)

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cc=2043496

T.

[seanrusk1989]

For reference...
Here is the death act of Concettina Aiello in 1899
#1935
Death on 30 September 1899 in Catania
Concettina was a 55yo housewife, born and residing in Catania.
She was the daughter of deceased Salvatore, and of [living] Vincenza Vinuso', manufacturer/trader.
Concettina was the wife of Ignazio Zappala' (so Ignazio was still living)

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cc=2043496

T.

Thank you! We have a document that mentioned Nino's mother died while Ignazio was still living, but we didn't have Concetta's mother's surname, so thank you so much for that! Do any of these names mean anything to you or your family?

[suanj]

Here a transcript of criminal trial, defendants: 20 dec 1922 Alessandro Zappalà and Arturo Zappalà,
for arson of the steamer called "ARTURO" with suspicion of arson and sinking in order to pocket the insurance.
The action had been suggested by Alessandro to his brother Arturo who had bought a steamer in bad condition and with a maximum value of 2000 pounds, had entered it in the register of ships in 1921, if I understood correctly and had insured it for 366,000 Italian lire. And he was asking for insurance compensation of 5 million Italian lire. The appraisals have proved the willful misconduct. Alessandro was in Rome and was the shipowner, while Arturo was the captain. The brothers agreed on how to proceed.
The judge rejected the defendants' argument.
https://www.google.it/books/edition/La_ ... frontcover
from pag 766
This info is interesting because we know that alessandro was in Rome and probably married here...

But Alessandro had problems with justice from 1900:
the court of Rome found Zappalà Alessandro guilty of forgery of private deed and of insulting a police officer ...
https://www.google.it/books/edition/Riv ... frontcover

suanj

[Tessa78]

I have no relation to the ancestor searches I do here. We are volunteers to enjoy helping others find their families.

Here is the marriage...
Marriage of Ignazio Zappala' and Concetta Aiello
#275
Dated 5 July 1868 in Catania
Groom: Ignazio Zappala', age 23. lawyer, born and residing in Catania, son of Antonio [Zappala'] and of Giovanna Aradai
Bride: Concetta Aiello, 24, born and residing in Catania, daughter of Salvatore [Aiello], Sea Captain, and of Vincenza Viscuso.
It appears that both the bride and groom signed the record.
Bottom right of image and next page.
https://www.antenati.san.beniculturali. ... 76/0noBdAr

Note: The residence of the parents of the groom states: "salita Cappuccini" - which I interpret to mean on the slope of the Cappuccini (hillside where the monastery is located)

T.

[seanrusk1989]

Here a transcript of criminal trial, defendants: 20 dec 1922 Alessandro Zappalà and Arturo Zappalà,
for arson of the steamer called "ARTURO" with suspicion of arson and sinking in order to pocket the insurance.
The action had been suggested by Alessandro to his brother Arturo who had bought a steamer in bad condition and with a maximum value of 2000 pounds, had entered it in the register of ships in 1921, if I understood correctly and had insured it for 366,000 Italian lire. And he was asking for insurance compensation of 5 million Italian lire. The appraisals have proved the willful misconduct. Alessandro was in Rome and was the shipowner, while Arturo was the captain. The brothers agreed on how to proceed.
The judge rejected the defendants' argument.
https://www.google.it/books/edition/La_ ... frontcover
from pag 766
This info is interesting because we know that alessandro was in Rome and probably married here...

But Alessandro had problems with justice from 1900:
the court of Rome found Zappalà Alessandro guilty of forgery of private deed and of insulting a police officer ...
https://www.google.it/books/edition/Riv ... frontcover

suanj

Crazy! Wish there was additional familial information there since Zappalà is such a common name. We have multiple correspondences addressed to Alessandro in the early 1900s, but we have no idea how they ended up in the possession of his brother's wife's sister.

[seanrusk1989]

I have no relation to the ancestor searches I do here. We are volunteers to enjoy helping others find their families.

Here is the marriage...
Marriage of Ignazio Zappala' and Concetta Aiello
#275
Dated 5 July 1868 in Catania
Groom: Ignazio Zappala', age 23. lawyer, born and residing in Catania, son of Antonio [Zappala'] and of Giovanna Aradai
Bride: Concetta Aiello, 24, born and residing in Catania, daughter of Salvatore [Aiello], Sea Captain, and of Vincenza Viscuso.
It appears that both the bride and groom signed the record.
Bottom right of image and next page.
https://www.antenati.san.beniculturali. ... 76/0noBdAr

Note: The residence of the parents of the groom states: "salita Cappuccini" - which I interpret to mean on the slope of the Cappuccini (hillside where the monastery is located)

T.

Thank you for this!! I couldn't for the life of me find this document!