Tom
I'm happy to hear that you haven't totally given up and hopefully will get some new info from a distant cousin in Sicily. Believe me when I tell you that I know how frustrating this research can be. I myself had quit for 6 months, after viewing my first roll of Italian microfilmed records at a local family history center. That was over 25 years ago, and yet, here I still am.
I've been away and haven't been on the familysearch website that much in recent weeks. I do know that, at times, the site does freeze for me on a particular image, and I've had to reload an entire section of records before proceeding. It doesn't happen all of the time though, and I know it's not my internet connection. It's definitely an annoyance, and inconvenience, but I'm still thankful to have these records accessible online to view on my home computer.
I trust that you'll keep me updated on any new info which comes your way. Hopefully, at some point in the future, we'll be able to solve the mysteries that the Italian records recently presented to us.
Erudita
Translate confusing sentence
Re: Translate confusing sentence
Hi Erudita,
I decided to again start searching my grandfather Geatanao Bentivegna's family in San Teodora Sicily. I have not recieved and info from my distant cousins so I did some searches and came up with a birth certificate for a Vito Bentivegna whose parents, Vito Bentivegna and Maddalena Savoca, are the same as my grandfather. At the end of the birth certificate is some notes that I cannot translate. According to my family my grandfather did not have a brother, only two sisters Gaetana Bentivegna and Fortunata Bentivegna. I cannot find any info for them. Maybe these notes can give some clues.
Thanks
Tom
I decided to again start searching my grandfather Geatanao Bentivegna's family in San Teodora Sicily. I have not recieved and info from my distant cousins so I did some searches and came up with a birth certificate for a Vito Bentivegna whose parents, Vito Bentivegna and Maddalena Savoca, are the same as my grandfather. At the end of the birth certificate is some notes that I cannot translate. According to my family my grandfather did not have a brother, only two sisters Gaetana Bentivegna and Fortunata Bentivegna. I cannot find any info for them. Maybe these notes can give some clues.
Thanks
Tom
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Re: Translate confusing sentence
Hi Tom
Happy to see you are back doing research. Hopefully you'll find the other records for which you are searching. Sorry you never heard back from the cousin whom you thought had info to share.
Vito Bentivenga was born on Jan 19, 1895 at 11:30 a.m. Declaring his birth was a 50 year old peasant by the name of Fortunata Virzi. She was declaring the birth in place of the husband of Maddalena Savoca, as she had assisted Maddalena Savoca, the woman who had just given birth, whose husband was not found in the country. The record does indicate though that Maddalena was living in this town with her husband, Vito Bentivenga.
Gaetano Bentivenga was born on Sept 8, 1887 at 5:10 a.m. Declaring his birth was Carmela Pappalardo, a 60 year old peasant living in the town, who had assisted the woman who had just given birth, Maddalena Savoca, whose husband was not to be found in the country. Again the record reads that Maddalena Savoca was the wife of Vito Bentivenga, and that she was living in this town with him.
The records, unfortunately, do not indicate the reason for Vito's absence from the country at the time of these births.
Erudita
Happy to see you are back doing research. Hopefully you'll find the other records for which you are searching. Sorry you never heard back from the cousin whom you thought had info to share.
Vito Bentivenga was born on Jan 19, 1895 at 11:30 a.m. Declaring his birth was a 50 year old peasant by the name of Fortunata Virzi. She was declaring the birth in place of the husband of Maddalena Savoca, as she had assisted Maddalena Savoca, the woman who had just given birth, whose husband was not found in the country. The record does indicate though that Maddalena was living in this town with her husband, Vito Bentivenga.
Gaetano Bentivenga was born on Sept 8, 1887 at 5:10 a.m. Declaring his birth was Carmela Pappalardo, a 60 year old peasant living in the town, who had assisted the woman who had just given birth, Maddalena Savoca, whose husband was not to be found in the country. Again the record reads that Maddalena Savoca was the wife of Vito Bentivenga, and that she was living in this town with him.
The records, unfortunately, do not indicate the reason for Vito's absence from the country at the time of these births.
Erudita
Re: Translate confusing sentence
Oops! spelled the surname incorrectly. Meant to type Bentivegna
Erudita
Erudita
Re: Translate confusing sentence
Hello Erudita,
Thanks again.
I think I can assume they are brothers whose father goes missing when they are born?
Tom
Thanks again.
I think I can assume they are brothers whose father goes missing when they are born?
Tom
Re: Translate confusing sentence
quote=tbandwen post_id=289142 time=1557252431 user_id=63074]
Hello Erudita,
Thanks again.
I think I can assume they are brothers whose father goes missing when they are born?
Tom
[/quote]
Hi Tom,
You shouldn't assume this. Often peasants had to find work outside of their native towns, particularly during the winter months, when the weather was too harsh for them to find work at home. During the latter part of the 19th century, many peasants and day laborers went to places like Argentina and Brazil in South America, as the seasons there were reversed. They would then work on farms and plantations there, when it was summer there and winter in Italy, and return to their native towns, when it was time for spring planting there.
For a man to announce the birth of his child at his native town’s hall, and himself present the newborn there, were signs of his virility. These were statements to his community that he himself had fathered the child, and that no one else had. So, the father Vito not being able to do so, for these two births, does not mean that he had abandoned his family. It means he was probably out of town working to help support them.
Erudita
Hello Erudita,
Thanks again.
I think I can assume they are brothers whose father goes missing when they are born?
Tom
[/quote]
Hi Tom,
You shouldn't assume this. Often peasants had to find work outside of their native towns, particularly during the winter months, when the weather was too harsh for them to find work at home. During the latter part of the 19th century, many peasants and day laborers went to places like Argentina and Brazil in South America, as the seasons there were reversed. They would then work on farms and plantations there, when it was summer there and winter in Italy, and return to their native towns, when it was time for spring planting there.
For a man to announce the birth of his child at his native town’s hall, and himself present the newborn there, were signs of his virility. These were statements to his community that he himself had fathered the child, and that no one else had. So, the father Vito not being able to do so, for these two births, does not mean that he had abandoned his family. It means he was probably out of town working to help support them.
Erudita
Re: Translate confusing sentence
Tom
I also meant to ask you whether or not you've searched for the father Vito on any passenger lists?
Erudita
I also meant to ask you whether or not you've searched for the father Vito on any passenger lists?
Erudita
Re: Translate confusing sentence
Hello Erudita,
I didn't mean "goes missing" in a derogatory way. My grandfather Gaetano told me they used to work and sleep in the fields for weeks at a time so this might be what happened to his father Vito.
The father Vito never came to America. I am going to start searching for his and Maddalena Savoca's death certificate in San Teodoro.
I also wonder if the son Vito died at an early age and that is why my family didn't mention him.
I know it is kind of late but I hope you and your family had a blessed Easter.
Tom
I didn't mean "goes missing" in a derogatory way. My grandfather Gaetano told me they used to work and sleep in the fields for weeks at a time so this might be what happened to his father Vito.
The father Vito never came to America. I am going to start searching for his and Maddalena Savoca's death certificate in San Teodoro.
I also wonder if the son Vito died at an early age and that is why my family didn't mention him.
I know it is kind of late but I hope you and your family had a blessed Easter.
Tom
Re: Translate confusing sentence
Hi Tom
Well, it appears that family oral history may have given you an explanation about why the father Vito was away when these two sons were born. Hopefully you'll find the death records you need.
Easter was quiet for us, but we just spent Mother's Day weekend with our kids and granddaughter. Just the rainy weather put a bit of a damper on Sunday. Otherwise, it was a great weekend.
Thanks again for keeping me posted on your research progress.
Erudita
Well, it appears that family oral history may have given you an explanation about why the father Vito was away when these two sons were born. Hopefully you'll find the death records you need.
Easter was quiet for us, but we just spent Mother's Day weekend with our kids and granddaughter. Just the rainy weather put a bit of a damper on Sunday. Otherwise, it was a great weekend.
Thanks again for keeping me posted on your research progress.
Erudita
