Calogero Sabella's Ancestors

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The church records on this page were obtained from the research of  Raimondo Lentini of the GenAG - Genealogie Agrigentine Facebook group. Translations provided by members of the GenAG - Genealogie Agrigentine and the Italian Genealogical Records Facebook groups.

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Antonino Sabella was born about 1707, probably in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, to Angela di Mino and her husband Onofrio Sabella. He married Caterina Friscia on November 25, 1725, at the Mother Church in Sciacca. Caterina was the daughter of Anna Lo Presti and Giuseppe Friscia.(Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage record image right to enlarge in a new window or tab.)

There is a 1747 Sciacca Riveli (Tax Return) for a 40 year-old Antonino Sabella who has a wife named, Caterina, and seven children, whose names fit with their ancestors. (Mouse over and click on their 1747 Riveli record image left to enlarge in a new window or tab.) The children’s names as listed on the Riveli are as follows — eldest son, 15 year-old Calogero;  a 13 year-old son named Onofrio, who was born about 1734, was probably named after Antonino’s father; an 11 year-old son named Accursio, who was born about 1736; three daughters whose ages are not given Angela, who was probably named after Antonino’s mother, was possibly born in 1738; Anna, who was probably named after Caterina’s father, was possibly born in 1740; and Maria, who was possibly born in 1742; and lastly a 4 year-old son Giuseppe, who was probably named after Caterina’s mother, was born about 1743. Being that this Riveli is dated 22 years after Antonino and Caterina were married, they probably had other children prior to those listed. It is very possibly they had an older Onofrio, who could have died prior to the second one being born. There is no solid proof that this is our Antonino and Caterina’s family, as his parents are not listed on it. After searching the 1747 Rivelis, this Antonino and Catarina Sabella seem to be the best candidates our ancestors. This document also shows us that Antonino did not have any taxable assets.

It is not known when Antonino and Caterina died, but he was deceased and she was still alive on November 5, 1752, the date their son Calogero was married. Unfortunately, nothing else is known about them.

Onofrio Sabella was probably born in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the only known son born to Margherita Farina and her husband Calogero Sabella. On November 8, 1693, Onofrio married Angela di Mino at the Mother Church in Sciacca. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage record image right to enlarge in a new window or tab.) Angela was the daughter of Leonarda, surname unknown, and her husband Paolo di Mino. After Paolo’s name and prior to Leonarda’s name the words alias with dashed lines, then Tramontana is written. The word alias has been used on other marriage documents to state the surname of the person’s mother. It is not known if that is what it means here, but experts have told me this refers to Angela, meaning her mother’s surname was Tramontana. This Latin marriage document is very difficult to read due to bleed through.. Onofrio and Angela’s only known child was ancestor Antonino, but they probably had other children.

It is not known when Onofrio and Angela died but he was alive and she was deceased on November 25, 1725, when their son Antonino was married. Although it is hard to read, on Angela’s marriage document, it seems both of her parents were alive at the time of her marriage. Unfortunately, nothing else is known about Onofrio, Angela or her parents Paolo and Leonarda.

Giuseppe Friscia was born about 1672 to parents Anna Vela and Filippo Friscia, probably in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy. He was the brother of ancestor Antonino Friscia whose descendants go down to Caterina Friscia who married Accursio Sabella.

Giuseppe married Anna Lo Presti on July 17, 1701, in Sciacca. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage record image left to enlarge in a new window or tab.) Anna was also probably born in Sciacca, the daughter of Caterina Biddilla and Leonardo Lo Presti. Giuseppe and Anna had at least six children. Of these children, five are documented on his Sciacca 1714 Riveli (tax record) and two of them were daughters who were both ancestors — Caterina (mentioned above) and Rosa, who married ancestor Calogero Indelicato. The children listed in the following order on the Riveli are — ten year-old Filippo, born about 1704, the eldest son, was named after Giuseppe’s father, married Antonia Abbruzzo in Sciacca on November 22, 1728; eight year old Giovanne, born about 1706 is listed next; then the two ancestor daughters Caterina then Rosa; and an infant son named Leonardo, named after his mother’s father. (Mouse over and click on their 1747 Riveli record image right to enlarge in a new window or tab.) Being that this infant was named after his maternal grandfather, suggests that they had another son named Leonardo after Filippo was born, who probably died after Giovanne was born. The sixth child, a daughter named Calogera, was born after this Riveli was recorded was married in Sciacca in January of 1748.

Nothing is known about Anna’s father except two brief mentions in Pellegrino Mortillaro’s transcription of Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico, that may be this Leonardo. In volume two there is an entry that states that on August 17, 1683, a Testamento of Leonardo Presti was given before notary Ignazio Baccimeo. This usually means he wrote his will. In volume one of the same book, for July 14, 1684, it states, Inventory by Leonardo Lo Presti. This could be his death date, as he is listed as deceased on Anna’s marriage document. Anna’s mother, Caterina, was alive when her daughter married. Her surname of Biddilla or Bidditta is assumed as in Anna’s marriage document, she is listed as Anna Lo Presti, alias Biddilla. On other marriage documents, alias is usually the mother’s surname, and it is used on this document in the same manner in Giuseppe’s name.

It is not known when Giuseppe and Anna died, but it was after January 16, 1731, the date their daughter Rosa was married. Unfortunately nothing else is known about Giuseppe, Anna or her parents.

Calogero Sabella was baptized as an infant as Calogero Antonino on June 3, 1626, at St. Michele’s church in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy. (Mouse over and click on his Latin baptism record image left to enlarge in a new window or tab.) He is the only known child of Caterina Catena and her husband Sebastiano Sabella. Calogero married Margherita Farina on June 16, 1647, at St. Michele’s church in Sciacca. Their marriage record is very difficult to read, but it is clear that their parents are not listed on it. All it says is they were both from Sciacca. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage record image right to enlarge in a new window or tab.) Margherita’s parents are not known. Calogero and Margherita’s only known child was ancestor Onofrio.

It is not known when Calogero and Margherita died but they were alive on November 8, 1693, when their son Onofrio was married. Unfortunately, nothing else is known about them.

Sebastiano Sabella was baptized on January 8, 1575, in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, with the middle name of Calogero. He is the only known child of Angela Benfari and her husband Democrito Magnifico Sabella. His baptism record is clearly written, but with several misspellings, which makes reading his entire given name difficult. (Mouse over and click on his Latin baptism record image left to enlarge in a new window or tab.)    

In Sciacca in 1594, Sebastiano married first a woman named Leonarda, surname unknown. It is not known if they had any children together but they probably did, as they were married for sometime before she died and he remarried. On February 11, 1619, at St. Michele’s church in Sciacca, he married Caterina Catena, the daughter of Pietro Catena and his wife Giovanna, whose surname is unknown. Her father and mother were deceased on the day she was married. (Mouse over and click on their church marriage record image right to enlarge in a new window or tab.)

Unfortunately, nothing else is known about Sebastiano, Caterina and her parents Pietro and Giovanni.

Democrito Sabella was baptized in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, in May of 1537, the son of Valenziana Ferraro and her husband Antonino Sabella. The actual baptism date is unknown as the only record is an index of it. His given name is spelled several different ways, as on the Latin baptism index (pictured left) it is spelled Demortra. Some of the records spell his surname differently, as in his first marriage, which is recorded as “Democrito Isabella, son of Antonio, and Valentiana Isabella Ferrario,” married first Nunzia Perollo on August 17, 1559, in Sciacca. They probably had children together, but Nunzia must had died, as thirteen and a half years later, on March 3, 1573, Democrito married Angela Benfari daughter of Nicola Benfari. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage/engagement record image right to enlarge in a new window or tab.) A short statement that looks like an engagement record is only one line, but there is a 10 page dowry document that is extremely hard to read, where his surname is spelled Ysabella. Being 10 pages long may indicate that both families were somewhat wealthy. Democrito and Angela’s only known child was ancestor Sebastiano.

Democrito was called a Magnifico, like his father. This title translates to magnificent. They “were called the jurors of the time who were the administrators of the city (mayor, councilors of today). Today the title in Italy is held by the dean or rector of universities.”

Unfortunately, nothing else is known about Democrito, Angela and her father Nicola.

Antonino Sabella was probably born in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the son of Margherita Chiravulu and her husband Giuliano Sabella. Like his son, he was called Magnifico, an administrator of the city. Antonino married Valenziana Ferraro on December 2, 1533, in Sciacca. (Mouse over and click on their marriage index image right to enlarge in a new window or tab.) Their full marriage document no longer exists. This marriage date is taken from a “manuscript containing the indices of the dowries and testaments of the notaries of Sciacca.” Valenziana is the only known daughter of three children born to Andriana Medico and her husband Geronimo Ferraro. Antonino and Valenziana’s only known child was ancestor Democrito, but they probably had other children.

Unfortunately, nothing else is known about Antonino and Valenziana.

Giuliano Sabella and Margherita Chiravulu’s ancestries are unknown, but they lived in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy. It is estimated that Giuliano was born around 1480. What we know of them comes from their marriage, which is documented in the book, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico Volume Primo. The author Pellegrino Mortillaro, organized the data, including marriages, from the beginning of the 15^th century to the 1700’s that was compiled by the notary Andrea Randazzo, who lived in Sciacca between 1726 and 1756. Mortillaro translated the Latin records into Italian, preserving the data and making it easier to research. It doesn’t give details of the events, just the basic information, but it is a wonderful tool for researchers.

Giuliano and Margherita were married on October 12, 1509, in Sciacca. (Mouse over and click on their marriage index image left to enlarge in a new window or tab.)The pictured image is from a dowry deed written by notary V. Perniciaro, and “is taken from a manuscript containing the indices of the dowries and testaments of the notaries of Sciacca from about 1434 to 1680.” Their only known child was ancestor Antonino. Unfortunately, nothing else is known about them, so our Sabella line ends with them.

Geronimo Ferraro is the only known child of Caterina and Baldassare Ferraro. Although his given name was said to be as Girolamo, it is recorded as Geronimo in several places in both volumes of Pellegrino Mortillaro’s book, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico. There are no records that call him Girolamo. It turns out that Geronimo is the Italian form of the Latin name Hieronymus, meaning holy name, which is of Greek origin. Gerolamo is the Italian form of the Latin name Hieronymus, meaning holy name and Girolamo is a variant spelling of the Italian name Gerolamo, again meaning holy name. So today he would be called Girolamo.

On April 13, 1505, in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, Geronimo married Andriana Medico, daughter of Antonella Siragusis and her husband Baldassare Medico. (Mouse over and click on their marriage index image right to enlarge in a new window or tab.) Geronimo and Andriana had at least three children together, but their birth dates are unknown. They are listed here in the order that they married in Sciacca— Baldassare, named after his grandfathers who was probably the eldest, was married to Laurea Xarrino on February 9, 1521; son Giacomo was married to Carmixina Anselmo on July 27, 1550; and lastly ancestor Valenziana. It is almost certain that they had other children, but no documentation has been found for them yet.

Volume 1 of Mortillaro’s book, states that on November 26, 1511, an “agreement between Geronimo Ferraro, and Antonino Medico” was made. This is six years after he married into the Medico family, so this is probably our ancestor. Antonino may be his wife’s brother. Also of interest is a statement for the sale of the Territ. by Carbollaci, where a Gio. Filippo Ferraro is made one of the heirs of Geronimo Ferraro. There are also two inventory entries for the name of Geronimo Ferraro, one dated July 31, 1534, and the other November 27, 1592. It is unknown if these last three statements are for our ancestor or even if they are for the same person.

Unfortunately, this is all that’s known about Geronimo, and his wife Andriana.

Caterina and Baldassare Ferraro’s ancestries are unknown, but they lived in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy. What we know of them comes from both volumes of Pellegrino Mortillaro’s book, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico. Caterina’s surname is not given in any of the records. On January 15, 1494, There is a statement in volume 2 of Mortillaro’s book that translates to “Testament of the magn. Caterina Ferraro wife of Baldassare Ferraro in said Notary.” The abbreviation magn. stands for Magnifico, which means that he was an official of Sciacca. At that time the wives took the same title as their husbands, so Baldassare was some sort of administrator of the city. Giving a testamento meant, that she wrote her will and had it notarized.

Caterina and Baldassare had at least two documented children who both married in Sciacca — ancestor Geronimo and his sister Nicolosa, who married Antonio Panormo on January 3, 1497. They probably had other children, but no records of them have been found. This is all we know about them, so our Ferraro line ends with them.

Baldassare Medico and Antonella Siragusis’ ancestries are unknown. What we know of them comes from the first volume of Pellegrino Mortillaro’s book, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico. Baldassare and Antonella lived in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, and they are the documented parents of ancestor Andriana and two other children. Their children’s birthdates are not known, but they were married in Sciacca in the following order — daughter Autilla married twice, first to Giovanni Antonio Panormo on March 21, 1501, and then on January 5, 1507, she married Raimundo Peralta; ancestor Andriana; and son Filippo married Giulia Maringo on November 20, 1506. Baldassare and Antonella probably had other children, but no documentation has been found for them. This is all we know about them, so our Medico line ends with them.