Grazia Maria Muratori's Ancestors

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Antonino Muratori was born on May 23, 1821, in San Martino, Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy, the fourth of twelve children born to parents Caterina Longo and Girolamo Muratori. (San Martino lies west of, and is a part of the comune of Taurianova, which borders both Cittanova and Molochio.) Prior to his fourth birthday, the family moved south of the Aspromonte Mountain in the Calabrian Apennines to Casalnuovo, which today is a ghost town, due to earthquakes and flooding. (Mouse over and click on the Antonio Violi photograph, left, of the main square of Casalnuovo as it looks today, to enlarge it in a new window/tab. See more of his work on his blog.)

Antonino Muratori married Giuseppa Piromalli on March 14, 1847, in Casalnuovo, probably in the church pictured, and they had at least twelve children together (see Giuseppa's bio for more on their children). On his marriage record and his children’s birth records his profession was listed as Civile, which means he was a landowner.  (Mouse over and click on marriage record image below in Giuseppa's bio to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Unfortunately, nothing else is known about Antonino.

Giuseppa Maria Saveria Piromalli was born on July 4, 1826, in Casalnuovo, Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy, the first known child born to parents Teresa Maria Ascone and Angelo Maria Piromalli. Her middle name of Saveria comes from her great-grandmother on the Piromalli side of the family. Giuseppa married Antonino Muratori on March 14, 1847, in Casalnuovo and they had at least twelve children together. (Mouse over and click on image right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) The first four children’s birth records were found in the Casalnuovo files and the rest in Cittanova files. (In 1841 the Casalnuovo district was divided in two, and it was upgraded to city status as Cittanova.) The twelve known children of Antonio and Giuseppa were – son Girolamo, who was born on January 26, 1848, and died 5 days later on January 31^st; daughter Girolama Nicola was born on January 3, 1849; Caterina Felicia was born on June 15, 1850, and died at age 4, on December 20, 1853; Maria Antonina was born on May 7, 1851, and died four months later on September 18, 1851; Caterina Concetta was born on January 22, 1854; Michelangelo was born on April 18, 1855, and died a week short of his first birthday on May 10, 1856; son Giuseppe Maria Carmelo was born on July 13, 1856, and died seven months later on February 26, 1857; Maria Costanza Isabella was born on February 10, 1858; ancestor Grazia Maria and her twin sister Maria Girolama were born on June 14, 1860, unfortunately, Maria Girolama died at 2 years-old on October 26, 1862; another son named Giuseppe Maria Carmelo was born on July 21, 1862; and Maria Concetta was born on February 29, 1864. At most, only six of their twelve children lived to adulthood. Unfortunately, at this time, nothing else is known about Giuseppa.

Girolamo Muratori was born in Casalnuovo, Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy on February 24, 1795, to parents Francisca Verni and Domenicantonio Muratori. Two days later on February 26^th he was baptized as Matthaios, Fran:^us Ant:^us, Hieronymus. These names are listed exactly as shown, on the page that deals with his baptism in his seven page marriage document, which is written in Latin by a Casalnuovo University official. Three of these given names are Greek names: Matthaios converts to Matteo; Fran:^us is an abbreviation for Franciscus, which is French but translates to Francesco; Ant:^us is an abbreviation for Antonius, which in Italian is Antonio; and Hieronymus comes from the Greek and translates into Girolamo. Note there isn’t a comma between Fran:^us and Ant:^us, so his Italian given name would be Matteo Francesco-Antonio Girolamo. His given name is listed simply as Girolamo on his marriage record, so that is what he is listed as here. Unfortunately, birth records for this area are not available for this time period, so it is not known what name is written on his birth certificate. (Mouse over and click on image left to enlarge in a new window/tab.)

On May 14, 1814, Girolamo married Caterina Longo in Casalnuovo. This marriage Processetti lists his parents names and goes on to say he was 19 years-old when they married, so the 1795 birth year fits. They had at least twelve children, born either in Casalnuovo or San Martino (see Caterina’s bio for details).

Girolamo and Caterina lived first in Casalnuovo and had three children born there. They then moved to San Martino and had two children there. Sometime prior to 1825, they moved back to Casalnuovo, as that’s where they were living when their son, Vincenzo Mariano was born. In San Martino, Girolamo was a land owner. On the Casalnuovo birth records, Girolamo is listed as a property owner living on Strada (Street) Olmo. On their son, ancestor Antonio’s Casalnuovo marriage record, Girolamo’s profession was listed as an Usciere, which translates to Usher or Doorkeeper.

It is not known when Girolamo died, but he was alive when his son Vincenzo Giacomo was married on February 26, 1870. Unfortunately, death records for Casalnuovo are not available for this time period.

Caterina Longo was born on February 6, 1794, in Casalnuovo, Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy to parents Lucrezia Piromalli and Antonino Longo. A few days later on February 10^th, she was baptized as Maria Teresia Catherina, but her name was recorded simply as Caterina on her marriage record. (mouse over and click on image right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) This marriage Processetti lists his parents and her paternal grandparents names. She married Girolamo Muratori on May 14, 1814, in Casalnuovo and they had at least twelve children — Maria Concetta Francesca was born on July 29, 1815, in Casalnuovo, and died there at age 10 on November 1, 1825; Domenico Michelangelo Piettantonio was born on June 22, 1817; Giueseppe Rocco Antonio Viteliamo, also born in Casalnuovo on July 31, 1819, and died there just 12 days later on August 12^th; ancestor Antonino, and his sister Marianna, who was born on June 30, 1823, were both born in San Martino; Vincenzo Mariano was the first to be born back in Casalnuovo on Strada Olmo, on February 19, 1825, but died just seven days later on February 26, 1825; another daughter named Maria Concetta was born  on February 26, 1826; Maria Girolama Giovanna was born on September 3, 1828, and died at 17 years old on January 2, 1846; a son Giuseppe Maria was born on September 9, 1830, and married Angela Maria Caterina Caulella on February 5, 1863, in Molochio; Vincenzo Giacomo was born on July 31, 1832, and married Maria Rosa Servia on February 26, 1870, in Palmi; Pasquale Francisco was born on February 6, 1834, married Concetta Domenica Maria Alessio, the granddaughter of ancestors Vincenzo Alessio and Francesca Longo, in Molochio on February 11, 1874; and Luigi Girolamo, born on March 17, 1837, and married Maria Filomana Morano in Casalnuovo on June 26, 1868.

What we know of Girolamo and Caterina comes from their children’s birth and marriage records. In San Martino, Caterina was a silk weaver or spinner. A search of the San Martino births records between 1819 to 1828, resulted only in the births of the two children mentioned above. The Casalnuovo birth records are numerous and most are unindexed, but the above listed children are all that can be found in the Restaurazione records from 1816 to 1851 and the earlier Napoleonico records from 1809 to 1815.

It is not known when Caterina died, but she was alive when her son Vincenzo Giacomo was married on February 26, 1870. Unfortunately, death records for Casalnuovo are not available for this time period.

Angelo Maria Piromalli was born on January 29, 1789, in Casalnuovo, Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy, the eldest known child of parents Marianna Fonti and Domenicantonio Piromalli. He probably was a second son, as his name is taken from his mother’s father.  When Angelo was 35 years-old, single, and a landowner, he married 14 year-old Teresa Maria Ascone, on January 20, 1825. Before they got married, they both lived on Strada (street) Manganelli and lived there throughout their marriage. They may have had more children, but only seven are found in the Casalnuovo records — ancestor Giuseppa; Luigi Carlantonio was born on February 17, 1829; Giuseppe Girolamo was born on January 13, 1834, and died unmarried at age 25 on March 12, 1859; Maria Cristina Cicilia born on March 21, 1836, and died on December 25, 1838, 3 months prior to her third birthday; son Cirillo Antonio was born on June 17, 1839; Girolamo Michele on October 14, 1843; and their last child, Salvadore was born on June 20, 1846. The birth records for Casalnuovo, are not indexed for the years 1825 to 1841, but the above listed children are all that can be found in the records up to 1857.

Angelo Piromalli died on March 24, 1856. His death is recorded in the Cittanova records and states he was married to Teresa Fazari (see her bio for more on this). (Mouse over and click on image right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Unfortunately nothing more is known about him.

Teresa Maria Ascone was born on April 12, 1810, in Casalnuovo, Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy to her mother Caterina Ascone and an unknown father, so she was given the surname of her mother. Her birth record is very difficult to read, but it says that Caterina was the widow of Giuseppe Fazari, and it goes on to say very clearly a das ignoto Padre, which translates to at the moment unknown Father. Giuseppe died before he could have possibly fathered Teresa Maria.

When Teresa Maria was 14 years-old, she married Angelo Maria Piromalli. (Mouse over & click on image left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Their marriage record clearly states in the space where her father’s name should be listed, Ignoto Padre, which translates to father unknown. Two years later, when Teresa was 16 years-old, she gave birth to her first child, ancestor Giuseppa, and her surname is listed as Ascone. On all of her children’s birth records, her surname was recorded as Ascone. But on her husband’s death record, her name was recorded as Teresa Fazari. She was only 46 years-old when Angelo died, and her youngest son was 10 years-old.

Teresa died only three years later on August 12, 1859, in Cittanova, which was known as Casalnuovo until 1852. Her death record is somewhat inconsistent with what we know of her. First, her name is listed as Maria Teresa Ascone, widow of Angelo Piromalli, while her birth record clearly states her given name was Teresa Maria. Secondly, her father is listed as unknown, but her mother’s given name is listed as Angela, while the birth record says Caterina. Lastly her age on the death record says 56, when we know she was only 49. This seems to indicate that whoever gave the information to the authorities, did not know her or her mother well. Unfortunately, nothing more is known about Teresa Maria.

Domenicantonio Muratori was born about 1757, probably in Casalnuovo, Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy to unknown parents. He married Francisca Verni, who was born about 1767, probably in Casalnuovo, to unknown parents. The only documentation found for them is ancestor Girolamo’s marriage documents, where his given name is spelled as one continuous word, Domenicantonio, and also as two separate words, Domenic Antonius. Being that the one word spelling is used more often in these documents, this researcher believes that is the correct way to spell it. Ancestor Girolamo is their only known child at this time. On their son’s marriage Processetti, it states that in Book III, folio 496 of the Casalnuovo death records, Dom^s Antonius, about 40 years-old, took confession and died on July 2, 1797. Unfortunately, death records for this year are not available for research. It is not known when Francisca died, but she is listed as being 50 years-old on her son Girolamo’s marriage Processetti in 1814. Nothing more is known about them. (Mouse over and click on the image of  Domenicantontio's son, Girolamo's Latin wedding record right to enlarge in a new window/tab.)

Antonino Longo was born about 1745 in Casalnuovo, Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy to parents Caterina Giovinazzo and Domenico Longo. He married Lucrezia Piromalli, who was born between 1768 and 1771 to an unknown mother and father Leonardo Piromalli. Ancestor Caterina is currently the only known child they had. The family lived on Strada Olmo, which is is the same street where their daughter Caterina raised her children on her return to Casalnuovo. It could be that Caterina and Girolamo, upon their return to Casalnuovo, moved into the Longo house to help Lucrezia.

Antonino Longo died at home, at the age of 65 on September 17, 1810. His wife Lucrezia lived many more years and never remarried. She died on October 15, 1848, and was listed as being 77 years-old, which makes her born in 1771. On Caterina’s marriage records dated 1814, Lucrezia is listed as being 46 years-old, making her birth 1768. Birth records are not available prior to 1809 for Casalnuovo, so her birth year is uncertain, but it probably falls sometime between those two dates. (Mouse over and click on the image of Lucrezia's death record left to enlarge in a new window/tab.)

Domenicantonino Piromalli was born about 1763 in Casalnuovo, Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy to parents Caterina Marchese and Carlo Piromalli. His given name has been spelled differently on different documents- two words as Domenic Antonio and one word as listed above. He married Marianna Fonti probably around 1787.

Domenicantonio worked for the local government as his name is listed as a witness on many Casalnuovo death records for otherpeople from 1812 to 1825. On these records, his age, profession and street where he lived, Strada Manganelli, are consistent with all of the other records we have for him.

Marianna and Domenicantonio probably had more than the two children records have been found for — ancestor Angelo and Xaveria Constanzia Caterina Maria, who was born on February 26, 1794, and was married at 16 years-old on July 23, 1810, to Francescantonio Sisinni. Her nine page marriage document recorded her name simply as Caterina. Domenicantonio and Marianna probably had a son named Carlo after Domenicantonio’s father, but documentation has not yet been found for him.

Domenicantonio Piromalli died on May 1, 1846, in Casalnuovo, at the age of 83, leaving his wife a widow. (Mouse over and click on the image of Domenicantonio's death record right to enlarge in a new window/tab.)

All we know about Domenicantonio’s parents is from his death record. His father, Carlo Piromalli was a land owner. Both of them were deceased and had the abbreviation D: (D^a: for his mother) before their names. These abbreviations stand for Don and Donna, terms of respect usually for the head or leading member of a family. So it seems that they held a high position in the community, which was handed down to Domenicantonio and Marianna, as both of them had these same titles of respect on their death records.

Marianna Fonti was born about 1769 in the Cittanova section of Casalnuovo, Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy, the eldest of three known children of parents Saveria Avati and Michelangelo Fonti. She married Domenicantonio Piromalli probably around 1787, and they had at least one other child after ancestor Angelo (see Domenicantonio’s bio for more on this child).

Her husband died in 1846, but Marianna did not remarry. She outlived him by almost seven years, and is listed as the widow of Domenico Piromalli on her death record. She died at 84 years-old on February 4, 1853, in Cittanova, which was known as Casalnuovo until 1852. Her death record lists her parents names, but her mother’s surname is really difficult to read. It also states her profession was Civile. It probably refers to her position in the community. The noted genealogist Ange Coniglio translates Civile as “upper-class citizen, civil servant.” Mary Anne Cartelli of The Italian Genealogical Records Facebook Group adds “In other words, someone of means. Don or Donna is similar. I've also seen it used for the possidente, the landowner class.” (Mouse over and click on the image of Marianna's death record left to enlarge in a new window/tab.)

Caterina Ascone was born sometime in the second half of the 1700’s to Francesco Ascone and an unnamed mother. Her father’s name was found in her daughter’s marriage processetti on a consent page where Caterina is identified as “Catterina Ascone (daughter of deceased Francesco) widow of Giuseppe Fazari” (translated by the Italian Genealogical Records Facebook Group). Caterina married Giuseppe Fazari and they probably had other children together in Casalnuovo, but only two are known at this time — Rosa Giolama, who was baptized on February 1, 1793; and Vincenzo Michael Angelus, who was baptized as an infant on April 10, 1798, and married twice, the second time on May 12, 1846, to Serafina Albanese. Caterina’s husband died on December 30, 1806, leaving her a widow with at least two young children. In mid 1809, Caterina became pregnant by an unknown man and gave birth to ancestor Teresa Maria in 1810. On this record, Caterina’s occupation was listed as a Carbonella or charcoal seller. When older daughter Rosa Giloama was married to Vincenzo di Agostino on February 1, 1820, the family was living on Strada Macelli. When Teresa Maria got married in 1825, Caterina is listed as living on Strada Manganelli. (Mouse over and click on the image right of page 2 of Teresa Maria Ascone’s marriage document to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Caterina’s older daughter Rosa Giolama was a weaver/spinner who died married, at the age of 57, on April 25, 1852, in Cittanova. From Rosa Giolama's death record, we learn that her mother had already died. This narrows Caterina’s death to sometime after her son Vincenzo’s second marriage in 1846, and before the death of her older daughter Rosa Giolama in 1852. Unfortunately, Caterina Ascone's death record, as the widow of Giuseppe Fazari, hasn’t been found. But there is another death record which could be hers-A ninety-five year-old Caterina Ascone, widow of Francesco D’Agostino, died on January 18, 1850, in Casalnuovo. This happens to be the name of her daughter Rosa’s father-in-law! Our Caterina could have remarried, but a marriage document for them hasn’t been found, or it could have been an error on the part of the recorder of the death record. It should be noted that her name is a common one in Casalnuovo. Unfortunately, no other confirmed information is known about Caterina.

Domenico Longo’s ancestry is unknown. He married Caterina Giovinazzo probably in the 1730’s, but no documentation can be found to confirm this. Their names are found on both the death record for their son ancestor Antonino and the marriage records for their granddaughter Caterina. (Mouse over and click on the image left of page 4 of Caterina's marriage records to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Note that they lived on Olmo street, but not much other information about them is given on these documents.

In the Casalnuovo, Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy death records there are two married females with these parents, besides ancestor Antonino — Elisabetta, a 70 year-old spinner, born about 1742, died on December 15, 1812, as the widow of Gaetano Puccio; and 85 year old Rosaria, also a spinner, was born about 1763, and died on July 1, 1848, as the widow of Leonardo Galluri. It is most likely these are children born to our Domenico and Caterina, as their birth years fall within a probable range of ancestor Antonino’s birth.

It should be noted that there were many men with the name Domenico Longo living in Casalnuovo at the time that ancestor Antonino was born, and a few were married to a Giovinazzo. There are several death records for children born to a Domenico Longo and Grazia Giovinazzo and also to a Domenico Longo and Grassede Giovinazzo. If Caterina’s given names included Grazia and/or Grassede, these records may be our ancestors children. Unfortunately, without available birth or marriage records, we may never know.

A death record for our Domenico Longo, has not been found. Being that the available Casalnuovo death records begin in 1809, he may have died prior to that year. Two death records have been found for a Caterina Giovinazzo, and it is not certain that either of them is for our ancestor. The first record is for a 70 year-old Caterina who died on October 15, 1809, but no parents or husband are listed. It should be noted that none of the 1809 death records list parents, spouses or professions. The other death record is for a 60 year-old Caterina, who was a spinner that died at home on August 31, 1815, as the widow of Domenico Longo. This seems to be her, but her age is way off. If she was 16 years-old when she had Antonio, she would have been born in 1729, making her 86 years-old at her death. Given the ages of her children, our Caterina had to be in her 80’s when she died. Being that both of her daughters were spinners, and her husband is correct, this researcher believes that this is her death record and whoever filled out the document just made an error in her age. This death record lists her parents as Concetta La Rosa and Giacomo Giovinazzo, but nothing is known about them except that they were deceased when Caterina died. (Mouse over and click on the image of Caterina's death record right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Until earlier records become available, we may never know for certain.

Leonardo Piromalli’s ancestry is unknown. His name came from his daughter, ancestor Lucrezia’s death record, where a mother’s name wasn’t listed (see image above left in Antonino Longo and Lucrezia's bios). Searching through the Casalnuovo death records, there are death records for folks with a father named Lionardo Piromalli and a mother named Caterina Acquaro. There is a good possibility that this is the family of ancestor Lucrezia. First off, Lucrezia had a daughter named Caterina, and secondly, this is the only family found for a Leonardo Piromalli of the right time period. The other possible children of our Leonardo are — Girolama, born about 1758, married Antonino Cannata and died at 60 years-old on July 3, 1818, in Casalnuovo; and Maria who was born about 1771, married Lionardo Merano and died in Casalnuovo at the age of 45 on July 22, 1816. There are two others who could be of this family, another Leonardo Piromalli who was born about 1777 and married a Maria Salvadore; and Rosaria, who died, single, at about 40 years old and had a father named Leonardo, but no mother listed. Unfortunately, a thorough search of the available vital records did not confirm that any of these are our Leonardo’s children.

Michelangelo Fonti was born about 1735, in Casalnuovo, Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy, the only known child of parents Giulia Piromalli and Leonardo Fonti. He married Saveria Avati, probably in Casalnuovo, and they had at least three children — ancestor Marianna; Francesco Antonio Dominic, born on April 10, 1779, in Casalnuovo, who married Maria Teresa D’Agostino there on September 13, 1810; and Salvadore, who was born on May 11, 1781, in Casalnuovo, married Rosamaria Ingegnire there on October 3, 1811, and he died there on January 22, 1861, but by then, that part of Casalnuovo was called Cittanova. They may have had other children, but records for them have not been found yet.

What information we have on Michelangelo and Saveria comes from his death record, which is difficult to read, and their children’s marriage records. He was a land owner, living in the Olmo neighborhood, but it looks like his parents were from the University neighborhood. Michelangelo Fonti died on February 18, 1810, in Casalnuovo. He is listed as the widower of Saveria Avati, which means she had died prior to his death. (Mouse over and click on the image of Michelangelo's death record left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Saveria’s death was recorded in her son, Salvadore’s marriage processtti. It states she died in an earthquake on February 5, 1783. Her body was buried under the ruins of the great and deadly earthquake. (This earthquake is discussed in ancestor Savario Raco’s bio.) Unfortunately, nothing more is known about them.