Sciarra from Fondi

[ddumont]

Hello,

I'm researching family in Lazio (Fondi and Sonnino) and could really use some help or advise. Unfortunately records in this region aren't on the Italian Archives website and the records I'm looking for aren't available on the genealogy sites. Is there someone with LDS access who could help me locate my great-grandfather's birth record? That said, I'm not even sure LDS records for the time period I need are even available on the FamilySearch site. A second set of eyes would be greatly appreciated.

My great-grandfather's name is Anselmo Sciarra, born April 20, 1883 in Fondi (some records show March 20). His father was Arcangelo Sciarra and I believe his mother was Filomena Antonucci. I have Anselmo's actual Massachusetts death certificate but the person in the family who provided the family names at time of death didn't know much and gave his wife's info my mistake.


Thanks very much for any help!

Denise

[PippoM]

There seems to be nothing online for that year.
But, as you know his birth date, you can write to the Comune di Fondi, and request a "copia integrale" (hardcopy) of his birth record.

Comune di Fondi
Ufficio Stato Civile
Piazza Municipio, 1 - 04022

I find it shocking that they don't give an ordinary email address.
There's a PEC (certified email) address, but I don't know if that will work from the USA:

comune.fondi@pecaziendale.it

However, if you write by snail mail, give them your email address, so, in case, they can contact you.

[Italysearcher]

PEC works but it is very difficult to open the message they send you.
From experience I can tell you that Fondi is not good at responding to requests.

[ddumont]

Ciao Ann and Pippo--

Thanks very much for your replies. I appreciate the feedback, now I know the reason for not finding documents is that they haven't been scanned as opposed to me not looking in the right place. I'll try writing as suggested and will manage expectations.

I'll pass along another's experience... genealogy friends went to Fondi last year and were told to get any records they would have to go to the churches. They were told there were no records at the office... that any birth, death records and so on are sent to a main location for Italy. The suggestion was that if you know the church where ancestors had been baptized you can ask them. My friends went to a couple of church's in Fondi but were unsuccessful. It was suggested that the best bet was to mail a request to the church but it would need to be translated and not to expect a quick response. Friends went to the grave yards as well but thought to mention to me that even that is problematic because bodies are moved from the grave if no one is paying the fees. Still, I hold out hope and will write!

[Italysearcher]

Fondi have all civil records at their offices from 1809 including 10 year indexes. Like, I said, they don't want to do research.
Also they want Euro 5.15 for each document requested by mail and a stamped addressed envelope. When I have to deal with them I phone them every week after the first month.
It is true the documents after 1865 have not yet been scanned but they are scheduled according to the antenati site. Since Family Search is the one doing the scanning this doesn't mean much, just that they have given permission.

[ddumont]

Ah, ok, I see. It's good to see they're on the antenati list now anyway. Last I looked was a while ago and they weren't even on it then. Ann, I see from your site that you do this kind of thing well. I have a request letter written in Italian, could you bring it in for me for a fee? I'll send you an email. Thanks for considering and corresponding!

[Italysearcher]

I can help you get the records you need.