Michele Giordano's Ancestors

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Matteo Giordano was the son of Paolo Giordano and his wife Francesca, whose surname is unknown. Although they were from Caltabellotta, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, Matteo married and raised a family in the St. Michele parish of Sciacca, which is also in the province of Agrigento.

On November 12^th, 19^th and 26^th of 1679, church banns were read for Matteo to marry Angela Modica. She was born and baptized on July 9, 1654, in the Sciacca mother church parish, which is the area surrounding the The Basilica of Maria Santissima del Soccorso church, the daughter of Pietra Galluzzo and her husband Giovanni Modica.  (Mouse over and click on her Latin baptism record image upper right to enlarge in a new window or tab.) Matteo and 25 year-old Angela were married on December 1, 1679, at the Sciacca mother church. On their marriage record it lists Matteo as Matthew son of Pauli and the deceased Francisca Giordano of Caltabellotta. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage image upper left to enlarge in a new window/tab.)

Seven St. Michele baptism records have been found for the children of Matteo and Angela Giordano as follows — Francisca Calogera, named after her paternal grandmother, was born on the morning of December 23, 1680, and baptized that same day; Calogero was born on the morning of January 6, 1682, and baptized as Calouerus Antoninus Paulus, that same day; Giuseppe was born late in the evening of September 24, 1683, and baptized as Joseph Joannis Paulus, the next day; Paolo, named after his paternal grandfather, was born and baptized as Paulus Antonius, on the evening of January 7, 1686; ancestor Michele; another Francisca was born and baptized as Francisca Josepha on the morning of March 18, 1691; and another Paolo, who was born on February 18, 1696, and baptized the next day as Paulus Joseph Fran’cus.

It is documented that both Matteo and Angela were alive when their son ancestor Michele was married on June 7, 1710. Angela died and was buried on May 23, 1722, in the Convent of Mount Carmelo in Sciacca. (Mouse over and click on her burial record image lower right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Her mother church burial record lists her as, Angela wife of Mattheo Giordano, about 70 . . . died at home, but she was only 67 years old when she died. 

One month later on June 24^th, 28^th and 29^th church banns were read for Matteo to marry the twice widowed Margarita Barcini. Almost another month later, they married at the mother church on July 22, 1722. Eight years later, on October 23, 1730, Matteo died and was buried in the convent of St. Francisco outside the city. (Mouse over and click on his burial record image lower left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) His mother church burial record lists him as Matthew Giordano, about 68 years old, but he probably was older than that. For now, nothing else is known about Angela, Matteo and his parents.

Giovanni Modica was probably born and baptized in the St. Vito parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, but baptism records are missing for this church from March of 1617 to January of 1619. It is assumed he was born about 1618, the son of Angela Licatisi and her husband Giuseppe Modica.

On March 25, 1649, Sciacca notary Onofrio Sole filed a notarial marriage contract for Giovanni and Petra Galluzzo. (Mouse over and click on their marriage contract entry image upper left to enlarge in a new window/tab.)  She was born on November 9, 1627, and baptized as Petra Maria the next day in the Sciacca St. Michele parish, the daughter of Lauria Bentivegna and her husband Vincenzo Galluzzo. (Mouse over and click on her baptism record image upper right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) A little more than a week after the contract was filed, church banns were read on April 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th for Giovanni and Petra to marry. Less than a week after the banns were read, Giovanni and 21 year-old Petra were married on April 12, 1649, at the St Michele church in Sciacca, which is today known as the church of St. Michael the Archangel. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage image lower left to enlarge in a new window/tab.)

Only four Sciacca baptism records have been found for the children of Joanne and Petra Modica as follows — Giuseppe, named after the Sciacca patron saint and his paternal grandfather was born and baptized as Calogerus Joseph on July 30, 1650, in the St. Michele parish; Vincenzo Nicolaus, named after his maternal grandfather, was born and baptized on March 30, 1652, in the mother church parish; ancestor Angela, named after her paternal grandmother, was baptized in the mother church parish; and Onofrio, who was born on April 28, 1658, and baptized the next day as Honofrius Nicolous Franciscus, in the St. Michele parish.

There is a Sciacca Rivelo (tax record) for Giovanne di Modica, son of Giuseppe, dated May 9, 1552. (Mouse over and click on Giovanne's Rivelo image lower right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Giovanni is listed as being 33 years old, which puts his birth to about 1519. Then his wife Pietra is listed, without an age and their two sons, 2 year-old Giuseppe, who is the Calogerus Joseph mentioned above and 2 month old Vincenzo. Ancestor Angela and her younger brother were not born yet. Giovanni’s beni stabili, non-moveable possessions like a house and land, were accessed for 14.8 and his other possessions were taxed 42, for a total of 56.8, but the currency is not listed.

It is not known yet when Giovanni and Petra died, but it is documented that he was deceased and she was alive when their daughter ancestor Angela was married on December 1, 1679. For now, this is all that is known about them.

Giuseppe Modica was born about 1585, probably in the St. Michele parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the son of Calogera Mautisi and her husband Nicolò Modica. St. Michele baptism records are not available for research until late 1586.

On August 26, 1612, Giuseppe married 19 year-old Angela Licatisi at the Sciacca St. Vito church. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage image left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) She was baptized as Angela Beatrix on July 21, 1593, in the St. Vito parish of Sciacca, the daughter of Antonina Marchisio and her husband Antonino Licatisi. (Mouse over and click on her baptism record image upper right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) There is also an undated notarial marriage contract entry in Pellegrino Mortillaro’s book, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico Volume Primo, which was filed in the 1620-1621 records that confirms this marriage. They are the parents of two ancestors.

Five Sciacca baptism records have been found for the children of Joseph and Angela di Modica, but they had at least seven children. Their first child and probably the next two were baptized in the St. Vito parish and the rest in the St. Michele parish as follows — Nicolò Francesco, named after his paternal grandfather was baptized on June 28, 1613; Antonino, named after his maternal grandfather, was probably baptized about 1617, as records are missing for the year; ancestor Giovanni; Calogera, named after her paternal grandmother, was born on June 24, 1621, and baptized the next day as Calogera Jacoba, the first in the St. Michele parish; Vita, who was born and baptized on August 25, 1624; Francesca Antonella, was born and baptized on September 1, 1625, with a middle name after her maternal grandmother; and ancestor Vito.

It is documented that Giuseppe and Angela were both deceased when their son Vito was married in 1651. Angela died and was buried in the St. Maria de Monte Carmelo cemetery on September 27, 1648. (Mouse over and click on her burial record image lower left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Her St. Michele burial record lists her as Angela wife of the deceased Joseph Modica, about 60, but she was only 55 when she died. It is not known yet when Giuseppe died, but it was some time before his wife died. For now, this is all that is known about them.

Vincenzo Galluzzo was baptized as Vinc’o Juliano on February 27, 1595, in the St. Michele parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the son of Giuseppe Galluzzo and his wife Pietra Chiarello. (Mouse over and click on his baptism record image upper right to enlarge in a new window/tab.)

On June 12^th, 19^th and 22^nd of 1615, church banns were read for Vincenzo to marry Lauria Bentivegna. She was baptized as Jacoua Laura on March 14, 1599, in the St. Michele parish of Sciacca, the daughter of Matteo Bentivegna and his wife Accursia, whose surname is unknown. (Mouse over and click on her baptism record image lower right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Twenty year-old Vincenzo and 16 year old Laura were married on August 9, 1615, at the Sciacca St. Michele church. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage image upper left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Three and a half years after the church marriage, Sciacca notary Calogero Maniscalco filed a marriage contract between Vincenzo and Laurea on February 21, 1619. (Mouse over and click on their marriage contract entry image lower left to enlarge each in a new window/tab.) This was probably a dowry restitution contract which is usually done after the first child is born, but this was done less than 2 months before their second child was born. It should be noted that in the 1400’s this type of contract was done upon the religious conversion from Judaism of either the husband or wife, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here.

Nine Sciacca St. Michele baptism records have been found for the children of Vincenzo and Lauria Galluzzo as follows — Giuseppe, named after his paternal grandfather, was baptized as Joseph Antonino on September 7, 1617; Antonino was born on April 15, 1619, and baptized as Antoninus Joseph the next day; Petra, named after her maternal grandmother was born on January 14, 1621, was baptized the next day and may have died young; Francisco was born on April 19, 1622, and baptized as Franciscus Marianus the next day; Natali, named after Christmas and his maternal grandfather, was born on December 24, 1624, baptized as Nathal Matthew the next day and grew up to marry Caterina Gigani on April 5, 1660; ancestor Petra; Vito was born and baptized as Vito Joseph on March 1, 1632; Margarita Francesca was born and baptized on October 4, 1638; and Antonino, who was born and baptized as Antoninus Philippus on August 19, 1643.

It is not known when Vincenzo and Lauria died, but it is documented they they he was deceased when their daughter ancestor Petra was married on April 12, 1649. it is also documented that Lauria was still alive when her son Natali was married in 1660. For now, this is all that is known about them.

Nicolò Modica’s ancestry is unknown, but he lived and raised a family in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy. There are five mother church baptism records for the name Cola Modica, fathered by four different men, 2 for Antonino, and 1 each for Pietro, Gerardo and Marco dating from July of 1545 to January of 1557. Any one of them could be for this ancestor.

On November 18, 1577, Cola di Modia married the 24 year-old widow Calogera Mautisi in the Sciacca mother church. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage image upper left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Unfortunately, her father’s name is not listed on this marriage record. On November 3, 1577, two weeks prior to their marriage, Sciacca notary Stefano Caruso filed a notarial marriage contractbetween Nicolò Modica and Calogera Maltisio. (Mouse over and click on their marriage contract entry image upper right to enlarge in a new window/tab.)

Calogera was baptized as Calogera Narda on June 20, 1553, in the Sciacca mother church parish, the daughter of Paolo Mautisi and his unnamed wife, who is probably Lucrezia Caruso. (Mouse over and click on her Latin baptism record image lower leftt to enlarge in a new window or tab.) Note that her surname is listed with an alias of what looks like her mother’s maiden name, Caruso. Seventeen year-old Calogera was first married to Lorenzo Bonsignore, sometime around January 1, 1571, the date of their notarial marriage contract. (Mouse over and click on their marriage contract entry image lower right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Unfortunately a church marriage record could not be found for them. They had at least one child together, Giovanna Mardula, baptized on June 4, 1572, in the Sciacca mother church. They may have had more children, but baptism records for the three Sciacca churches are not all available for research for this time period. Lorenzo apparently died sometime before November of 1577, but the exact date can not be confirmed because burial records are not available for research for this time period.

Seven Sciacca baptism records have been found for the children of Cola and Calogera di Modica, the first four in the mother church parish and the last three in the St. Michele parish as follows —Maruza was baptized on August 15, 1578; Francesco Antonino on September 11, 1580; Franotta on March 8, 1582; Catherina on May 30, 1583; Michele was baptized as Michali Jo:, the first to be in the St. Michele parish; Antonino on September 13, 1588; and Francesca, who was baptized on January 31, 1590. A baptism record for ancestor Giuseppe could not be found.

It is not known when Nicolò and Calogera died, but it is documented that they both were deceased by August 26, 1612, the date their son ancestor Giuseppe was married. For now, this is all that is known about them.

Antonino Licatisi was baptized as Ant’no Battisca on April 14, 1560, in the mother church parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the son of Angelo Licatisi and his unnamed wife. (Mouse over and click on his baptism record image upper right to enlarge in a new window/tab.)

On January 15, 1588, Sciacca notary Giacomo Benfatto filed a notarial marriage contract between Antonino Licatisi and Antonella Marchisio. Unfortunately, a Sciacca church marriage record could not be found for them, so her parents are unknown.

Twelve St. Vito baptism records have been found for the children of Antonino and Antonella Licatisi as follows — Angelo Silvestro, named after his paternal grandfather, was baptized on December 30, 1588; Margarita was baptized on December 18, 1589; Maria on October 22, 1590; ancestor Angela; Francesco Martino on October 20, 1595; Dorothea on September 22, 1596; Filippo was baptized as Pho Beneditto on March 1, 1599; Biataci Caterina on March 28, 1600; Nunzia was baptized as Nuncio Desideratia on October 5, 1602; Giuseppe as Joseph on May 26, 1605; Calogero as Calojarus Geronimus on October 8, 1607; and Andrea Fracncesco, who was baptized on January 14, 1610.

It is not known when Antonino and Antonella died but he was alive when his daughter ancestor Angela was married on August 26, 1612. Unfortunately, this is all that is known about them.

Giuseppe Galluzzo was the son of Battista Galluzzo and his wife Blasia Balletto. It is not known when and where he was born, but he married and raised a family in both the mother church and St. Michele parishes of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy.

On February 2, 1579, Sciacca notary Geronimo Agostino filed a notarial marriage contract for Giuseppe to marry Petra Chiarello. (Mouse over and click on their marriage contract entry image upper left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) She was baptized as Pitruza on May 18, 1560, in the mother church parish of Sciacca, the daughter of Vito Chiarello and his unnamed wife. (Mouse over and click on her baptism record image right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Six days after the marriage contract was filed, Giuseppi and 18 year-old Petruza were married at the Sciacca mother church on February 8, 1579. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage image lower left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) It should be noted that on some records she is listed as Petra and he is listed as Joseph, spelled several different ways.

Six Sciacca baptism records have been found for the children of Giuseppi and Pitruza Galluzo. The first two were baptized in the mother church parish and the last four in the St. Michele parish as follows — Biaggia, named after her paternal grandmother was baptized as Blaisa Jacoba on September 13, 1580; Margarita was baptized on March 6, 1583; Cesaro Battista, on February 6, 1587, the first to be baptized in the St. Michele parish, was given a middle name after his paternal grandfather; Petra, whose record is very hard to read, was named after her mother, and baptized on April 25, 1590, as what looks like Sibattiza Petrusa Sagla, but is listed on the index as Petra; ancestor Vincenzo; and Francesco Vito, who was baptized on June 25, 1600.

Between May of 1542 and May of 1564, there are 13 mother church baptism records for Petruza’s father Vito’s name, but all of them may not be for the same man. At least two baptisms, one a boy and one a girl, occurred within a month of one another, so it is likely that there was more than one Vito Chiarello having children. None of these records list a mother’s name, so which ones were Petruza’s siblings will remain a mystery.

It is not known when Giuseppe and Petruza died, but it is documented that he was alive when their son ancestor Vincenzo was married on August 9, 1615. For now, this is all that’s known about them.

Matteo Bentivegna was baptized as Jo: Matteo on January 17, 1563, in the mother church parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the son of Filippo Bentivegna and his wife Lauria, whose surname is unknown. (Mouse over and click on his baptism record image upper right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) There was another Matteo Bentivegna, the son of Petro, baptized almost 9 years after ancestor Matteo, but because of ancestor Matteo’s children’s names it is obvious that ancestor Matteo was the son of Filippo and Lauria.

When he was about 30 years old Matteo married a woman named Accursia, but her surname is unknown. A Sciacca church marriage record or contract could not be found for them. What is documented are eight Sciacca St. Michele parish baptism records for the children of Matteo and Accursia Bentivegna as follows — Lorenzo, was given a middle name after his paternal grandfather and baptized as Laurentius Filippo on August 10, 1594; Filippo Antonino, named after his paternal grandfather, was baptized on December 22, 1597, and grew up to marry Nunzia Monaco in 1625; ancestor Lauria was named after her paternal grandmother; Vito was baptized on July 31, 1605, but died at 13 years old on October 14, 1618; Giacoma was baptized as Jacoba Anna on October 19, 1611; Maria on April 11, 1614; Carlo was baptized as Barnardo Carlo on November 25, 1616, and grew up to marry in 1643 using the name Carlo; and Calogera, who was born and baptized on June 18, 1620.

There are two entries in Pellegrino Mortillaro’s book, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico Volume Secondo, which seem to say that Matteo Bentivegna is receiving property in S. Dominica. The first is dated September 13, 1595, and the second February 6, 1596, but it can’t be determined which Matteo these entires are for. (Mouse over and click on his possible propery entry image upper leftt to enlarge in a new window/tab.) There are also two Testimento (will) entries in this same book for Matteo Bentivegna. The first is dated December 30, 1614, and the second, October 12, 1623. (Mouse over and click on the Testimento entry image middle right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) There is no way of knowing if these are for the same Matteo and if this Matteo is the ancestor. What is documented is that Matteo was alive when his daughter ancestor Lauria was married on August 9, 1615, and deceased when his son Filippo was married on September 21, 1625. So it is safe to assume that the later will entry is for ancestor Matteo. This also makes the following burial record likely to be for ancestor Matteo.

Three weeks after the last will was filed, Matteo Bentivegna died and was buried in the St. Maria di Lillo convent cemetery in Sciacca on November 2, 1623. (Mouse over and click on his church burial record image middle left to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) His St. Michele burial record lists him as Mattoles Bentivegna, 60 years old, which was his correct age. More than a month later, an inventory of his property was taken on December 11, 1623, and filed by Sciacca notary Giovanni Battista Mineo.

Accursia lived another 22 years and does not seem to have married again. She died and was buried in the same cemetery as her husband on November 20, 1645. Her burial was entered in two different St Michele’s files with the exact same information, but written by two different people, as the handwriting is very different. (Mouse over and click on her two burial record images lower right and left to enlarge in a new window or tab.) Her burial records lists her as Accursia Bentivegna, 70 years old, which puts her birth to about 1575. Although some of this information is not fully documented, it is likely that these are ancestor Matteo and Accursia’s records. For now, this is all that’s known about them.

Paolo Mautisi’s ancestry is very uncertain. One reason is because the surnames Mautisi and Maltisi have been used for the same person, as in ancestor Calogera’s marriage records. He may be the Paolo who was baptized in January of 1530, in the mother church parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the son of Antonino Mautisi. (Mouse over and click on his possible baptism index image right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) If he is, he may not be the Paulo Maltisi who was contracted to marry Lucrezia Caruso on September 18, 1544, as he would have been a bit less than 15 years old at that time. (Mouse over and click on the marriage contract entry image upper left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) But being that there is a child baptized less than 8 months later, whose father is listed as Paolo lo Mautisi, it just may be him! Because Sciacca church marriage records are not available for research for this time period, it can not be confirmed that these are all the same person..

Only three Sciacca mother church baptisms have been found for the children of Paulo Mautisi with the last one having the alias of what looks like Caruso attached to Paolo’s surname as follows — Antonella Desiata was baptized on May 11, 1545; Gesimundus on April 17, 1552; and ancestor Calogera, whose record has the alias on it. None of these records list a mother’s name.

Unfortunately, not much documentation has been found to verify this lineage, so for now the confirmed Mautisi line ends with Paolo.

Angelo Licatisi’s ancestry is unknown, but he lived and raised a family in the mother church parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy. There were several men with his name living in Sciacca at the same time, but only three baptism records have been found for his name. It is not known if they are all fathered by the same Angelo, as mothers names are not listed. The three mother church baptism records found for the children of Angelo Licatisi are as follows — ancestor Antonio; Angilo who was baptized on May 3, 1563; and Giacomo Vincenzo, who was baptized as Jacopo Vin’zo on February 20, 1569.

In Pellegrino Mortillaro’s book, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico Volume Primo, there is an inventory entry dated January 28, 1563, for Angelo Licatisi. This entry confirms that there was more than one man with this name, as this Angelo couldn’t have had a child born in 1569. Which one is the ancestor is unknown, so this is another ancestry mystery!

Battista Galluzzo’s ancestry is unknown, but he lived in the mother church parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy. On September 29, 1543, Sciacca notary Federico Bonachia filed a notarial marriage contract for Battista Gallazo and Blasia Balletto. Blasia was baptized in May of 1530, the daughter of Giovanni Balletto and his unnamed wife. (Mouse over and click on her baptism index image right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Unfortunately, Sciacca baptism register records don’t go back this far, so an exact date for her baptism is not known. An exact date for their marriage is also not known, as Sciacca church marriage records are not available for research before 1568.

Only the mother church baptism records go back to 1530, but only one baptism record could be found for their children — Angilella, who was baptized on December 3, 1557, with only a father listed as Btta Galluzo. A baptism for ancestor Giuseppe could not be found, so it is most likely that they had children in the other Sciacca parishes.

It is not known when Battista and Blasio died, so for now, this is all that is known about them.

Filippo Bentivegna and his wife Lauria’s ancestries are unknown, but they lived and raised a family in the mother church parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy. A Sciacca marriage contract or church marriage record have not been found for them.

Only five Sciacca mother church baptism records have been found for the children of Pho Bentivegna and only the two last ones list a mother’s name as Lauria. Their children are as follows — Francesca Angela was baptized on October 4, 1561; ancestor Matteo; Vito Barnarba on June 11, 1568; Margarita was baptized as Margaritella Catinella on November 25, 1571; and Antonella on January 9, 1580.

There are two entries in Pellegrino Mortillaro’s books, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico, that pertain to Filippo. The first is in volume 2 and is a Testamento, a will, being filed by Sciacca notary Benedetto Lauro dated December 8, 1585 for his name. (Mouse over and click on his will entry image right to enlarge in a new window or tab.) The second is an inventory of property dated October 7, 1587, filed by the same Sciacca notary. This means that Filippo died sometime between his will being filed and the inventory being taken. It is not known when Lauria died, so this is all that is known about them.

Giovanni Balletto’s ancestry is unknown, but he lived in and raised a family in the mother church parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy. His spouse is unknown as a Sciacca marriage contract or church marriage record have not been found for him. The only documentation found is five mother church baptism records as follows — ancestor Blasia; Vincenza was baptized in February of 1537; Filippo was baptized as Pho Cola on September 23, 1543; Ambrosio on May 22, 1546; and Giacomo, who was baptized as Jacapo Cola on June 3, 1554. None of these records list a mother’s name, and the father is listed as Jo:, Joannello or Giovanne. Unfortunately, because of lack of available records, this is all that is known about Giovanni.