Hi all. I’ve decided to do a blog page for all the history and records that I have found so far. I am going to start from the beginning and work my way back to all the aunts and uncles. I’ll add photos, records eventually the old movies, whatever I have so far and may find later. There are comment boxes, if you want to add a story or a memory.
I am going to translate the records the best that I can, however, if anyone sees a mistake, let me know. Several of us have done DNA and by golly, we actually are related! If anyone has considered it please click one of my links, I make a small percentage, and it costs you the same. I have done two Living DNA and Ancestry.com. I have also put my data out to My Heritage, as did Cathy Murphy. There is a tree out there, and it seems that site is the best to share charts and records. If you have done 23 and me or any other DNA it’s pretty easy to transfer data over.
If you have any photos from grandma’s yard, the aunts and uncles. Please make a comment so we can figure out how to get them to so we can share with the group. You can scan and send over to me, or send them to me and I will scan. I know I can pull some from Facebook.
The Nicoletti story going back centuries is that a group of people went to Turkey to appropriate the relics of St Nicholas. There is now way to prove any of our ancestors participated, but you never know.
How did the Bishop of Myra become ‘Saint in Bari‘? It’s a long way from Lycia to the eastern coast of Italy.
St. Nicholas’ tomb in Myra was a popular place of pilgrimage. As Myra was a seaport, sailors heard the stories of the saint’s shrine and carried them to many distant places. If a town were fortunate enough to host such a significant religious site, it enjoyed considerable commercial benefit because pilgrims needed to be housed, fed, and otherwise provided for. After Myra fell under the control of the Seljuks, who were not sympathetic to Christian faith, Italian merchants in both Venice and Bari, saw an opportunity to bring such advantage to their cities. Their motives were opportunistic, but also spiritual, as there was real fear that pilgrimage could become difficult and dangerous or that the shrine might even be desecrated.
St. Nicholas Church, Myra (Demre, Turkey) Photo: Anglican World/JMR |
Early in 1087, three ships with sailors and merchants from Bari stopped in Myra on their way home from Antioch. When they visited Nicholas’ tomb, the monks showed them where the manna was extracted. The sailors then asked where the saint’s body lay. The monks, perhaps naively, showed them. But the monks became suspicious and questioned the visitors about their intentions, “Surely you do not intend to take the saint’s remains to your own region? If so, we won’t allow it.” However, in the end the Barians prevailed and broke open the tomb with an iron bar. The sailors spirited the bones away to the ship, escaping just ahead of the townspeople coming in hot pursuit.
The men of Bari sailed away on the long voyage back to the southeast coast of Italy. Before getting there, they stopped at a nearby port to make a beautiful box (casket) to hold the saint’s relics. When they arrived in Bari, May 9, 1087, the townspeople thronged to the harbor to welcome the saint’s remains. The returning men made a solemn vow to build a magnificent church to honor St. Nicholas.
The crypt was completed by October 1089 and Pope Urban II laid the relics of St. Nicholas beneath the crypt’s altar, consecrating a shrine that became one of medieval Europe’s great pilgrimage centers. The main church was built in ten years, but it wasn’t until the middle of the 12th century that the imposing and majestic Basilica di San Nicola was complete. It is a particularly fine example of Romanesque architecture and served as a prototype for many other churches and cathedrals.
Marriage 1808 ( added 7/20/2019)
Record on the right. There’s a lot here, but it basically says that on the 30th of Jan 1808 Vitantonio Solazzo age 27 son of Domenico Solazzo and Angela Bruno announced his intention to marry Maria Rosa Di Niello age 17 hmmmm, daughter of Felice Di Niello and Maria Di Lisa in the church of Madre di Acquaviva.
Death Record of Giovanni Florio 1827
On the 11th of July in 1827 Giuseppe ?? age 40 occupation ?? living in Toritto and Nicola Benedetto age 50 a farmhand testified to the death of Giovanni Florio age 57 son of Nicola in Toritto.
Death Record of Anna Toto
On the 18th of Jan 1848 Francesco Madiero age 48 profession?? from Toritto and Nicola Caftoro age 42 a property owner living in Toritto testified to the death of Anna Toto age 78 a farmer daughter of Giovanni
On February 12 1831 Michele Nicoletti born in Toritto age 20 son of Carlo and Rachel Florio age 21 from Toritto daughter of Giovanni Florio and Anna Toto.
Death of Carlo Nicoletti 1837 son of Michele and Rachele ( added 7/20/2019)
On this day the 21st of August 1837 in the commune of Toritto Province of Altamura Province of Bari came Antonio?? age 40 a fa farmer from Toritto and Dominic Scarangella a farmer to report the death Carlo Nicoletti son of Michele a farmer and Rachele a seamstress
On the 11th of March 1884 Domenico Laforgia age a farmer from Toritto and Michele Antinori age 46 a shoemaker from Toritto witnessed the death of Rachel Florio age 78 a farmer from Toritto daughter of Michele Florio and Anna Toto. Testified by Stefano Mirra a baker age 30 and Francesco Scarangella age 40 a farmer.
On this day May 11, 1826 in the commune of Toritto, District of Altamura, came Teresa Ciani age 53 ( I think the midwife ) and presented a male baby born to Antonia Lo Russo age 30 daughter of Carlo Lo Russo and Antonia Tarullo and Luigi Chiarappa son of Michele Chiarappa and Margherita Lamandola age 30 a farmer in Toritto. The baby’s name is Michele.
On this day October 3 1850 in the commune of Toritto, District of Altamura, Province of Bari Michele Chiarappa age 24 farmer from Toritto, son of Luigi Chiarappa and Antonia Lorusso and Maria Lucia Chieco age ?? a minor daughter of Savino Chieco and Angela Mirra to be married in the Church of San ?? Scarangella
Record on the left. On this day October 12 1878 in the commune of Toritto, Giovanni Nicoletti age 34 farmer from Toritto, son of Michele Nicoletti and Rachele Florio ( goes on to say that they presented all the documents required to be married ). There were two witnesses Nicolantonio Centralli age 23 a tailor and Domenico Gagliardi age 22 a shoemaker. There is more writing at the bottom, but my Italian is not good enough to read.
Record on the upper left. On this day September 4 1879 in the commune of Toritto, Came Giovanni Nicoletti age 38 farmer from Toritto, living at Strada del Ponte #24 with his wife Antonia Chiarappa presented a son Domenico. Witnessed by Stephano Mirra age 37 a baker and Leonardo Lospoto age 54 a farmer.
Record on the upper left. On this day February 28, 1886 in the commune of Toritto, Came Giovanni Nicoletti age 42 farmer from Toritto, living at Strada del Ponte #40 with his wife Antonia Chiarappa a seamstress presented a son Carlo. Witnessed by Nunzio Cea age 42 a farmer and Francesco Scarangella age 42 a farmer.
Record on the upper left. On this day May 15, 1888 in the commune of Toritto, Came Giovanni Nicoletti age 43 a farmer from Toritto, living at Strada del Ponte #2 with his wife Antonia Chiarappa a seamstress presented a son Luigi. Witnessed by Nicole Ferrante age 48 a farmer and Michelle Posinelli age 40 a farmer.
Record on the lower right. On this day July 18, 1991 in the commune of Toritto, Came Giovanni Nicoletti age 46 a farmer from Toritto, living at Strada del Ponte #2 with his wife Antonia Chiarappa a seamstress presented a daughter Rachele. Witnessed by Giuseppe Macchia age 37 a farmer and Gaetano Paccione age 50 a farmer.
Record on the upper left. On this day February 18 1882 in the commune of Toritto, Came Giovanni Nicoletti age 46 a farmer from Toritto, living at Strada del Ponte #2 with his wife Antonia Chiarappa a seamstress presented a daughter Rachele. Witnessed by Domenico Paccione a farmer age 36 and Domenico Florio age 40 a farmer.
This record is very hard to read. On this day January 22, 1848 in the commune of Acquaviva, District of Bari, Province of Bari Tomasso Carnevale age 24 Living at Strada ?? , son of Giuseppe Carnevale and Francesca Pietroforte farmers. It then more or less says that he will marry Maria Giovanna Solazzo 22 a seamstress daughter of Vitantonio Solazzo who has died and Maria Rosa di Niello a seamstress. They were married January 24, 1848 in the Regina Chiesa.
Record on the right. On this day March 5 1825 in the commune of Acquaviva, Came Vitantonio Solazzo age 32 a farmer living at Strada Labriota with his legitimate wife Maria Rosa di Niello age 25 presented a daughter Maria Giovanna. Witnessed by Nicola de Marinas a tailor age 27 living at Strada ? and Pietro ? age 28 a Civil Servant. She was baptized on the 8th of March at Mother of Acquaviva.
Record on the right. On this day August 5 1848 in the commune of Acquaviva, District of Bari, Came Felice di Niello age ?? a coachman and Michele Solazzo age 51 a farmer. Announced the death of Tomasso Carnevale age 50 ( I think some sort of game keeper or game warden ) son of Domenico Solazzo and Angela Bruno.
The featured photo above is the medieval aqueduct at the bottom of my street. So cool. The Lungomare ten minutes from my apartment. So pretty to power walk in the early morning. Why I moved to Italy My new friends and neighbors in Salerno, Italy frequently have a perplexed look on their collective faces when I tell them, “yes, I actually chose to move to Salerno from Los Angeles” (Why on earth would I
Fresh Milk One of the best things that I learned from my cousin when talking to her about her stories from prewar Bari, was clarification about the cow. We all knew growing up that great grandpa Francesco Nicoletti owned a cow. What is so cool is the cow story is that he would go door to door with my uncle with the cow. You would put in your order and he would deliver fresh milk
There were several reasons for Italian Migration To America. Poverty, natural disasters, unification and political corruption to name a few. After unification, the Northern Italians dominated the government. The Southern Italians were considered lower class and were highly taxed and exploited. While there are many many articles and books written about Italian Migration to America, this a a brief encapsulation. However, I do provide some links for those who want to pursue further. From Digital
My mom’s family if from Toritto and Acquaviva Delle Fonti, Bari. Although, I do have come ancient de Hautville ancestors from the region on my dad’s side. My uncle Giovanni stayed behind when my grandparents came to America, and raised his family there until the late 1940’s. My cousins have an interview that they did with him in Barese and I hope to someday have that translation. My great grandfather, Francesco, owned a cow and
I have been researching the history of Campania Italy for over ten years as this is one of the two regions that my family comes from. Both of my father’s parents are from Naples, and I have traced my grandmother’s family back centuries. I’ve been their once and hope to go back again soon. Both of my grand mother’s families are listed in the Nobilita Napolitana. The Caracciolo’s and Piromallo’s lived on or near Via
Join Italian Roots and Genealogy on Facebook Bari montage very nice Francesco Nicoletti and Maria Carnevale with their grandson Giovanni My mom’s family comes from Bari and in fact her oldest brother did not migrate from there until after WWII. My grandmother’s family was from Acquaviva delle Fonti and my grandfather’s from Toritto. Like most people from Bari at the time, most of the men farmers and many of the women were seamstresses. I have
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