Marta Rizzuto's Ancestors

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Note that the Latin months September thru December are often written in numbers, 7ber, 8ber, 9ber and 10ber, respectively.
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Vincenzo Rizzuto was baptized on February 24, 1584, at the mother chutch in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the son of Francesca Pappalardo and her husband Tomaso Rizzuto. (Mouse over and click on his baptism record image uper right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) In 1609 he married Antonina Speti, who was born about 1580, the daughter of Geronimo Speti and his wife Antonelle (surname unknown).

In Pellegrino Mortillaro’s book, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico Volume Primo, it states that on May 7, 1609, in Sciacca, a dowry agreement/marriage contract was drawn up by notary Vincenzo Gallo, between Vincenzo Rizuto and Antonina Spezij. This agreement, although written clearly is difficult to translate, but is does list both of Antonina’s parents and Vincenzo’s father’s name. (Mouse over and click on their Latin marriage contract record image right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) It also states that Antonina was about 26 years old, but she was probably about 29 years old. Unfortunately, there isn’t a Sciacca church marriage document for them. They probably married in another town, possibly where she was from.

Four Sciacca mother church baptism records have been found for the children of Vincenzo and Antonina Rizzuto, which is sometimes spelled Rizuto. These records are as follows — Francesco Calogero was baptized on June 5, 1612; ancestor Marta; Paolo was born and baptized as Paulus Joseph on January 25, 1620; and Augustino was born and baptized as Augustius Vitus on June 6, 1622.

It is not known when Vincenzo and Antonina died, but he was deceased by November 26, 1629, when his daughter ancestor Marta married. Unfortunately, Antonina is not mentioned on Marta’s marriage document. This is all that is known about them at this time.

Tomaso Rizzuto was baptized at the mother church in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, in December of 1542, the son of Giovanni Pietro Rizzuto and his wife Antonella Liotta. (Mouse over and click on his baptism record image right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) His given name has also been spelled as Tommaso and he was called Masi. On March 2, 1556, notary Fiderico Bonachia issued a marriage contract for Tomaso to marry Francesca Pappalardo. (Mouse over and click on their marriage contract image left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Unfortunately, available Sciacca marriage records begin in 1558, so Francesca’s ancestry is unknown. Tomaso and Francesca are the parents of two ancestors.

Eleven Sciacca mother church baptism records have been found for the children of Masi and Francesco Rizzuto as follows — Margaretella on January 28, 1559; Antonina Lucretia on December 6, 1560; Giovanni was baptized as Joanne Mariano on May 11, 1565; Geronimo on June 20, 1567; Antonino on September 3, 1568; Blanuella Angelica on December 14, 1569; ancestor Crispina on April 27, 1574; Sebastiano was baptized as Bastiano Rocco on September 16, 1575; a child whose name was left blank on the record on December 7, 1576; Maria on January 13, 1581; and ancestor Vincenzo.

It is not known when Tomaso and Francesca died, but he was deceased on May 7, 1609, when his son ancestor Vincenzo’s marriage contract was written. It is unclear on this document if Francesca was alive or dead. Unfortunately, at this time, nothing else is known about them.

Geronimo and Antonella Speti’s ancestries are unknown. They probably were married in the late 1870’s and not from or married in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy. From the available records, only two children are documented to be their children — ancestor Antonia and her younger brother Giuseppe, who was born about 1581. Antonelle died sometime prior to August of 1582, and Geronimo apparently moved to Sciacca. Geronimo married Julia Bentivegna on August 12, 1582, at the mother church in Sciacca. This marriage document is a very brief statement with not much information on it and it spells Geronimo’s name as Jeronimus. (Mouse over and click on their Latin marriage record image right to enlarge in a new window/tab.)

Four Sciacca mother church baptism records have been found for the children of Geronimo and Julia Septa as follows — Francesco, was baptized as Julian Francesco on January 27, 1584; Antonino who was baptized on June 13, 1586, as Filippo Antonino; Vito, who was named after his maternal grandfather, was baptized as Mario Vito on November 4, 1588, and Julia who was baptized as Olimpia on August 20, 1592.

There is a Sciacca 1594 Rivelo (tax record) for his new family, which has water damaged and one side of it is barely readable. (Mouse over and click on their 1594 Rivelo record image left to enlarge in a new window or tab.) It lists the family names and ages for the males as follows— Geronimo Speti, 40, which puts his birth to about 1654; wife Julia; 13 year-old son Juseppe, who is probably ancestor Antonella’s son, as Geronimo and Julia were married for no more than 12 years; 10 year-old son Francesco; 7 year-old son Antonino; 5 year-old son Vito; and lastly a daughter named Julia, who is probably Olimpia mentioned above. The listed children’s ages are very close to their actual age. Why ancestor Antonia is not on this tax record is unknown.

It is not known when Girolamo died, but he was deceased when their daughter ancestor Antonina’s marriage contract was written on May 7, 1609. Unfortunately, a Sciacca burial record could not be found for him in the available records which begin in the fall of 1606. For now, this is all that is known about them.

Giovanni Pietro Rizzuto’s ancestry is unknown. There is an entry in Pellegrino Mortillaro’s, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico Volume Primo that states on December 28, 1539, in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, a dowry agreement/marriage contract was written by notary Bartolomeo Modica for Gio. Pietro Rizuto, and Antonella Liotta. (Mouse over and click on their book entry marriage contract image right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) The original document is written in Latin and is extremely hard to read, but it does state the names of Antonella’s parents, Jacobus, which in Italian is Giacomo and his wife Francesca. (Mouse over and click on their original Latin marriage contract image left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Unfortunately their surname can’t be read. In this document, it states that Antonella was the widow of Valerio Jaccuni. In Mortillaro’s book mentioned above, there is an entry dated February 24, 1519, for a marriage contract between Valerio Jaccuni and Antonella Liveri. But this marriage occurred 20 years before the marriage to Giovanni. Could it be the same Valerio Jaccuni? Is Antonella’s surname Liotta or Liveri. It seems back then, surnames were not as important as they are today!

Only two mother church baptism index records have been found for the children of Joanne Pietro Rizzuto as follows — Petro Gilormo was baptized in November of 1541; and ancestor Tomaso. There are no register records before 1543. Unfortunately, nothing else is known about Giovanni, Antonella or her parents.