 Vincenzo Vitrano was baptized on September 16, 1595, as Vincenzo Antonino in the mother church parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the son of Alberto Vitrano and Francesca Bruno. (Mouse over and click on his baptism record image upper right to enlarge in a new window/tab.)
 Almost Twenty-four years later, on June 15, 1619, notary Vincenzo Gallo drew up a notarial marriage contract for Vincenzo Vetrano and Pietra Pardo. (Mouse over and click on their dowry contract entry upper left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) She was the daughter of Angelo Pardo and his unknown wife, but a Sciacca baptism record has not been found for her. A few weeks later, church banns were read on July 1st, 4th and 21st. Twenty-three year-old Vincenzo and Pietra were married at the mother church in Sciacca, a week later on July 28, 1619.  (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage record middle left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) They are the parents of two ancestors. The only thing known about Pietra’s father Angelo, is that he was was alive when she was married.
Ten Sciacca mother church baptism records have been found for the children of Vincenzo and Pietra Vitrano. All but one were born and baptized on the same day as follows — Giuseppe Pietro on June 9, 1620; ancestor Giacomo; Francesca Antonia Giovanna on February 22, 1625, was named after her paternal grandmother, and on January 10, 1644, married Agostino Castronovo, the son of ancestors Diana Montiliana and Gaspare Benigno Castronovo; Leonardo Felice was born on May 18, 1627, and baptized the next day, but probably died as a toddler; Leonardo Vincenzo on April 20, 1629; Francesco Calogero on October 7, 1630; Caterina Dominica on August 4, 1633, who on January 12, 1653, married in Sciacca at the mother church, Benedetto, son of ancestors Maria Saittuni and Vito Chiaramonte; Giovanna Matthia on August 20, 1637 ancestor Anna Silvestra who married Stefano Costanza; and Agustino Calogero on November 28, 1642.
 It is documented that both Vincenzo and Pietra were alive on August 20, 1656, when their daughter ancestor Anna was married. Vincenzo wrote his will and it was filed by Sciacca notary Raffaele Bentivegna on February 10, 1657.Vincenzo was also alive at this time, so the following records are probably for him. (Mouse over and click on the will entry image middle right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Eleven days later Vincenzo died and was buried on February 21, 1657, in the Sciacca mother church cemetery.  (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, Vincenzo Vetrano, about 65 years old, but he was only 61 when he died. A month later, this same notary filed an inventory of his property on March 22, 1657. Both the will and inventory dates are documented in Pellegrino Mortillaro’s books, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico.
 Pietra lived another 16 years and did not remarry. She died and was buried on July 3, 1673, in the St. Dominici church cemetery. (Mouse over and click on her burial record image lower right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Her St. Vito burial record lists her as, Petra wife of the deceased Vincenti Vitrano about 75 years old, which puts her birth to about 1598. This year is plausible, but burial record ages are usually just an estimate. Unfortunately, at this time, nothing else is known about them.
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 Alberto Vitrano’s ancestry is unknown, but he was from Castelvetrano in the province of Trapani, Sicily, Italy. It is about 22 miles northwest and a bit more inland of Sciacca, which is in the province of Agrigento. On March 5, 1593, at the mother church in Sciacca, Berto married Francesca Bruno. (Mouse over and click on their Latin Church marriage image upper right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) She was baptized in the mother church parish of Sciacca on November 27, 1573, the daughter of Angela Gino and her husband Leonardo Bruno.  (Mouse over and click on her baptism image left to enlarge in a new window/tab.)
Alberto and Francesca were the parents of two male ancestors. Seven Sciacca baptism records and one burial record have been found for the children of Berto and Francesca Vitrano. Of the baptism records, the first and third child were baptized in the St. Vito parish and all the others in the mother church parish as follows — Michele was baptized as Michele Joanne on August 21, 1594; ancestor Vincenzo; Antonino Francesco on February 21, 1597; Arsio, or it may say Arfio, which may be short for Arsenius, on March 12, 1605; ancestor Giacomo; Joanni, which is the Latin name for Giovanni, on January 21, 1610, but died at 2 years old and was buried on September 2, 1612; and a daughter Ignatia Narda, on July 31, 1615, whose middle name was the short version of her mother’s father’s name, Leonardo. The burial record found was for Vita, daughter of Berto lo Vitrano, who was buried on September 8, 1615. Her age was not listed, and a baptism record could not be found for her.
 Francesca died and was buried in the St. Dominco cemetery on August 16, 1615, just a month after her last child was born and a few weeks before her daughter Vita died. (Mouse over and click on her burial record image lower right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Francesca’s very brief mother church burial record lists her as Franc’a wife of Berto Lo Vitrano. Being that Alberto is not listed as deceased on her burial record, he must have died sometime in that almost 4 year span between her death and his son’s July 28, 1619 marriage, where he is listed as deceased. Unfortunately, a. Sciacca burial record could not be found for him, so at this time, nothing else is known about them.
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 Leonardo Bruno was probably the Leonardo Calogero, who was baptized in November of 1542, in the mother church parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the son of Michele Giovanni Bruno and his unnamed wife. (Mouse over and click on his Latin baptism index record image upper right to enlarge in a new window/tab.)
 On November 6, 1567, Sciacca notary Giovanni Vella filed a notarial marriage contract for 24 year-old Leonardo and 15 year-old Angela Gino. She was probably the Angela who was baptized on March 17, 1552, also in the Sciacca mother church parish, the daughter of Nicolò Gino and his unnamed wife, who was probably Giacoma Casella. (Mouse over and click on her Latin baptism record middle right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Unfortunately, church marriage records don’t go back this far, so none of their parents have been confirmed.
Only three Sciacca mother church baptism records have been found for the children of Nardo and Angila Bruno as follows — Tommaso was baptized as Masi Philippus Vincenzo on August 30, 1569, but his mother’s name is not mentioned on the record; Vincenzo was baptized as Vinc’zo Pho on January 27, 1572; and ancestor Francesca in 1573. Although burial records do not exist to confirm this, Angela probably died less than a year after giving birth to ancestor Francesca, as her husband remarried.
 On April 2, 1575, the now 32 year-old Nardo Bruno married 15 year-old Angela Ognibene at the mother church in Sciacca. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage record image left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Leonardo’s parents are not listed on their marriage document. Five days later on the 7th a dowry contract between Leonardo Bruno and Angela Ognibene was filed by Sciacca notary Antonino Canina.  (Mouse over and click on their notarial marriage contract entry lower right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Only one child, a son, has been found after this marriage date. Calogero was baptized on June 17, 1575, only two months after his parents’ church marriage. This could mean that this Leonardo is not the ancestor, but because no other children were baptized, it doesn’t seem likely.
Nothing is known about Leonardo’s father Michele. It is also not known when Leonardo died, but he was alive when his daughter ancestor Francesca was married on May 24, 1593. Unfortunately, nothing else is known about them. |
Nicolò Gino ands wife Giacoma Casella’s ancestries are unknown, but they lived and raised a family in the mother church parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy. Their parentage is unknown because a Sciacca church marriage document could not be found for them, as records don’t go back this far.
 On January 20, 1546, Sciacca notary Ferd. Juffrida jr. filed a notarial marriage contract for Nicolò Gino and Perna Noto. (Mouse over and click on their dowry contract entry upper right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) This is most likely ancestor Nicolò’s first marriage. They had two children together, both baptized in the mother church parish and listed as children of Cola Gino, as follows — Caterina who was baptized as Catinnella on November 11, 1546; and Pietro, who was baptized as Perto Calogero on August 15, 1548. Perna most likely died within 2 years of her last child being born, as there are no other children for these parents. Because Sciacca burial records do not go back this far, her death can not be confirmed.
 On September 12, 1550, that same notary filed another notarial marriage contract for Nicolò Gino and Giacoma Casella, who is believed to be an ancestor. (Mouse over and click on their dowry contract entry upper left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Again, this marriage is too early for Sciacca church records, so it can’t be confirmed that this is the same Nicolò as above, but it does seem probable.
Eight mother church baptism records have been found for the children of Cola Gino, and none list a mother’s name. They are as follows —ancestor Angela; Francisco as Fran’co on September 1, 1554; Filippo as Pho on May 12, 1556; Giuseppe as Joseph Beneditto on March 22, 1562; Calogera was baptized on June 18, 1563, but probably died young; Calogera Julia was baptized on November 30, 1564, and married Giuseppe Indelicato in 1582; Belluzza was baptized on May 4, 1567; and Laurenzo Giorgi, who was baptized on April 24 , 1569.
Nicolò’s name is mentioned several times in both volumes of Pellegrino Mortillaro’s book, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico. The earliest is a sale of a vineyard and land in Scunchipane to D. Nicolò Gino, dated April 30, 1538. This is too early for ancestor Nicolò, who was probably a child or at best, a young adult. Too young to be given the title of D. as in Don. This Nicolò may have been his father or grandfather. The next is a Testamento, a will entry, for his name dated August 30, 1552. This also may be for an older Nicolò, or because this is five months after ancestor Angela was born, ancestor Nicolò might have felt the need to create a will to protect his growing family. Then there is an Election of Beneficiary entry dated November 25, 1562, which seems to be a gift of lands, and surrounding garden made by the Priest Francesco Xuto, who lived there, to Nicolò Gino. The next entry is dated March 22, 1567, and is a Donation made by Nicolò Gino, to the Hospital of Pietà. A year later, there is an entry dated August 31, 1568, for an Emphyteutic concession  of a place in Carbo . . . by Nicolò Gino, to Antonino Modica. (Mouse over and click on the concession entry lower left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Then on February 26, 1572, there is a Sale of a Place in Carbone by Leonardo Galluzo, to Nicolò Gino.  (Mouse over and click on the land purchase entry lower right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) A few months later, on June 2, 1572, there is an Election of Chaplain of the Recommended by D. Nicolò Gino. Note that the D. is now listed in his name. The last entry is dated July 21, 1572, and is the Testament of Nicolò Gino, that seems to say he paid for 1 year . . . of masses . . . in the Madrice Church. It is not known if any of these are for the same Nicolò Gino, or if he is the ancestor. What is interesting is that ancestor Nicolò was not listed as deceased on his daughter Calogera Julia’s January 7, 1582, marriage record, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t deceased. It is not known when or where Giacoma died, so for now, this is all that’s known about them. |
