Stefano Crisafulli

[QwertyO]

I am looking for information on a plaque I saw online that bears the same name of my great grandfather. The man in the plaque is not him but could be his grandfather. He was a patriot in the war with the Bourbons. My father is Stephen, named for his grandfather Stefano Crisafulli whose father was Giuseppe. Trying to connect some dots since I am at a block in my family tree at this point. I understand that Crisafulli is a very popular name in Messina so there may not even be a connection but I'm trying.

Where can I find more information? I have scoured the internet and found a bit of history but have been unable to locate records for the information I do have.

Any help is appreciated-
Thank you!

[Primo Mattino]

The plaque is way too small to read. The name Crisafulli/Crisofulli/Crisapulli/ Crisopulli is also very common in the town of Bova in the province of Reggio Calabria. A Stefano Crisafulli marries Vincenza Costantino in Reggio Calabriain 1886 (act nr. 353)

[QwertyO]

I wasn't sure how the plaque would come out in the message so I apologize for that. Since I posted this I found out that "plaque Stefano" was born in 1828, was one of the people who smashed the glass of the Royal Palace on January 5, 1848 to overthrow the Bourbon coat of arms. He was a captain of the calvary and in 1861 was named "Captain of the National Guard" among other things. He was married and had a sick son...but what I don't know is who his wife was and who his children were. I think the timeline for him works for my family but don't know where to find the information or how to connect us or if we connect.

Thank you so much for your response. I am going to follow up with the other town in case we are actually not from Messina (my father doesn't remember) as well as the alternate spellings of the Crisafulli name.

If anyone else has any hints they are greatly appreciated!! My father and his sisters are in their 70's now and I am trying to collect all the ancestry to share with them - and with my children as well - one of whom was also named Stephen for his grandfather.

Thank you again!
Susan

[adelfio]

Welcome to IG website
How about some family info maybe we can help you

Marty

[QwertyO]

Okay, sure. I am new to this so sorry if I don't get it all at once. I appreciate any and all help. This is what I know. I only found "Plaque Stefano" doing a google image search while looking for names (thank you Luigi Strano!).

My father is Stephen Crisafulli, his father is Lindy (Olindo) b: 1913. Lindy's father is Stefano Crisafulli b: 1Jan1886 in Messina (I think) Immigrated to US in 1906. He was married to Mary Montalbano, they lived in New York until the 40's maybe then came to Santa Ana, CA. GG Stefano has siblings Giuseppe Osvaldo, Lucia, Nunzia, Pietro and Letterio. Stefano's father was Giuseppe as far as I know (no birthdate, there are so many!) , who was married to a Carmela but not sure which one (again, there are so many!) She had 15 children but only 7 survived so I am missing one somewhere. I know that sons in Italy are named for grandfathers which would make "plaque Stefano" a possibility for Giuseppes father. But, I was reading the Italian naming conventions and of the great grandfather Stefano's siblings some have first sons named Salvatore and others have first sons named Stefano or Stephen. So, Carmela could have been married twice. GG Stefano and his brothers were importers of olive oil from Italy under the business name Crisafulli Bros. and maybe some other names (Lucca canning? Harbor City canning).

If there is any more information needed let me know and I will try to answer with what I know. My regret is that I didn't go over any of this with my grandparents as an adult while they were alive. I started doing a genealogy when I was 16 but didn't get so far.

Also, if we crack this one I have some Castracane's and some Pepe's I can't find either.

Thank you so so so much!! Enjoy your day!!

[QwertyO]

I also think that Giuseppe Crisafulli had a brother named Antonino.

[Tessa78]

Here is the marriage of Stefano and Maria in New York.
You can request this record from NYC using the Borough and Certificate #. There is a good possibility that it will identify the place of birth IF we are not able to discover it here at the forum

Name Stefano Crisafulli
Gender Male
Marriage Date 12 Jan 1908
Marriage Place Manhattan, New York, USA
Spouse Maria C Montalbano
Certificate Number 1878
Household Members
Name Age
Stefano Crisafulli
Maria C Montalbano

*** EDIT TO ADD***

There is a Crisafulli Family Tree on Ancestry (owner Susan Crisafulli Delzempo) which has a sister of Stefano born in November 1886 in "Caggi" -
CAGGI is the Sicilian pronuciation of GAGGI, which is a comune in the Province of Messina
AND... a brother Giuseppe Osvaldo born in 1880 in Itala, Messina.
Perhaps One of these towns is where the family originated...

Link to the tree
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/pe ... 1944/facts

There are very limited records ONLINE for Gaggi, Messina
https://familysearch.org/search/film/00 ... cc=1887904

But more records available for Itala, Messina
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1 ... cc=1887904

*****
HERE is the birth act (1880) of Giuseppe Crisafulli in ITALA, Messina. (Brother of Stefano b. 1886)
#41
Dated 9 November 1880
Before the official appeared Stefano Crisafulli, 31, trader residing in Itala, to declare that at 7 AM on the 8th of the current month, at the house in Itala neighborhood #31, to Carmela Crisafulli, his wife, worker, residing with him, was born a male child who was presented to the official and to whom was given the name GIUSEPPE (no Osvaldo indicated here)

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1 ... cc=1887904


T.

[QwertyO]

Hi! Thanks again for everyone's help - I wish I could express how appreciative I am because even getting as far as I did took so much time.

The tree you referred to on Ancestry is mine. I must be missing something because it seems like I should be able to find both his father and his mother's name. I usually look at wedding certificates (it's not listed) and the website to order them looked shady - like it wasn't real. I also look for birth records but can find none for GG Stefano or "Plaque Stefano". There are a few other members on Ancestry with his name on their list but I do not think they have it correct. Either the time frames don't match up or I can find no match with a birth record. I have scoured the ship records and can see them all coming to the US but her name is already Crisafulli - I also check for relatives houses they are headed to. I have pretty decent timelines for all of them but no idea who his mother is beyond the name Carmela. Neither my father or his sisters have any idea what her name was before it was Crisafulli. It just now occurred to me that perhaps her last name before she was married was Crisafulli? Seems like it would be weird.

I will keep plugging along and if anyone finds anything or knows how I can keep checking please let me know. I am really at a standstill with three branches of the Italian side.

[Tessa78]

Continuing...

Carmela's maiden name was CRISAFULLI

I have located a Publication of Banns of Marriage record for the parents of the above Giuseppe Crisafulli, born November 1880..
#14
HOWEVER, in the record, Stefano Crisafulli's father is Antonino.
The marriage is dated 11 October 1879, and Stefano is a widower, ages 30, a trader. He is the son of Antonino Crisafulli and Lucia Arcovito.
Carmela Crisafulli is age 21, unmarried, dughter of Stefano Crisafulli and of Nunzia Cifala.
Stefano's deceased wife is Grazia de Luca.

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1 ... cc=1887904

T.

[AngelaGrace56]

I wasn't sure how the plaque would come out in the message so I apologize for that. Since I posted this I found out that "plaque Stefano" was born in 1828, was one of the people who smashed the glass of the Royal Palace on January 5, 1848 to overthrow the Bourbon coat of arms. He was a captain of the calvary and in 1861 was named "Captain of the National Guard" among other things. He was married and had a sick son...but what I don't know is who his wife was and who his children were. I think the timeline for him works for my family but don't know where to find the information or how to connect us or if we connect.
Susan

It's fine. I managed to play round with it and also locate a clearer image:

"Stefano Crisafulli
Che nel 1848
capo del popolo insorto
pugno in difesa della liberta e della patria
condannato al bando soffri in lontano esillo
il supremo dolore della morte dei figli
e quando le sorti d'italia
lo chiamarono a nuovi cimenti
aduno intorno a se un manipolo di prodi
guidandolo alla vittoria sui campi di milazzo

il popolo e il comune d'itala
a perenne ricordo 12 June 1910"

Hopefully someone will be able to give you a good translation. I've made a little start but I'm not completely sure about this.

"That in 1848, Stefano Crisafulli,
head of the people,
fought in defense of freedom and homeland,
condemned - banished - exiled far away
the supreme pain of the death of children.........?
then it talks about the fate of Italia?
being called to new ordeals?
........
guiding him to the victory over the Milazzo fields......

the people and the municipality of Italia
to eternally remember 12 June 1910"

Someone else can play round with it. There are words I'm not familiar with.

If he was born in 1828, he was incredibly young at the time.

Best wishes with your search.

Angela

[frankcsr]

Hello, My gf Francesco Crisafulli was born in massa Santa Lucia, Messina Sicily. 189?. he had a sister, Maria and a brother Santi. His father was Pasquali, he was in the Italian Navy, he married Maria Costa in 1913 in Messina then went to Boston, ma. he had 4 children, Patrick, Gaetano, Mary, Josephine. He died in Norwood Ma. in 1968.
Does any of this look familiar?
Thank you,
Frank Crisafulli

[adelfio]

Birth extract of Stefano Crisafulli (Stefano's first wife was Grazia de Luca age 24 daughter of Luigi de Luca and Domenica Ciccarello died 1877 Dec 4th in Itala)
INDEX#49
1849 Oct 16th in the town of Itala province of Messina birth of Stefano Crisafulli son of Antonino Crisafulli age 28 and his wife Lucia Arcovito age 24

PG LINK TO RECORD
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1 ... cc=1887904

Birth extract of Carmela Crisafulli
INDEX#38
1858 June 16th in the town of Itala province of Messina birth of daughter of Stefano Crisafulli age 45 and his wife Nunzia Cifala age 32

PG LINK TO RECORD
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1 ... cc=1887904

Marty

[QwertyO]

Thank you ALL!! If I could hug you all I would. This is definitely something although I am unsure how it all fits together. I have written it all down (PS. I am sorry for being a little lost, I'll catch on) Let me see if I have it right.

My GGF Stefano (b: 1886) has a mother named Carmela Crisafulli (b:1858). Her parents are Stefano Crisafulli (b:1849) and Nunzia Cifala. Her father was first married to Grazia de Luca.

Carmela's father Stefano is the son of Antonino and Lucia Arcovito.

GGF Stefano's father is still Giuseppe?

The translation given by Angela exactly matches with information I found online about "Plaque Stefano" (is he the same guy as Carmelas father?) The information I found (someones school study on him- "write ten paragraphs on some famous but little known Italian guy" maybe) put him at 23 years old in 1848.

I apologize for being lame. I am so excited though I can barely type fast enough. I am learning so much about this and I am so thankful. I am going to attach the records to my Ancestry tree and go from there. I will be back for the Castracanes, the Pepes and the Delzompos...but not yet!

[QwertyO]

Frank-
Those names do not sound familiar but I will not count them out. I found a Felix Crisafulli that I would never have guessed was a part of my tree except for the DNA test on Ancestry. Turns out he is my GGF father's brother...I think. If I find any of those names on my tree I will let you know.

Have a great day!

[QwertyO]

Angela- sorry, he was born in 1824. According tot he paper anyway.