Celidonia & Elisabetta Leo's Ancestors

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Giuseppe Leo was born on December 16, 1637, and baptized the next day as Joseph Vincentius in the St. Michele parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the son of Calogera Ayello and her husband Giovanni Battista Leo. (Mouse over and click on his Latin baptism record image upper right to enlarge it in a new window/tab.)

Sometime before 1669, he married Santa Attardo whose ancestry is are unknown. They are the parents of two female ancestors. A marriage record can not be found for them in the three Sciacca church records available. But eight baptism records have been found for the children of Joseph and Santa de Leo. Seven of their children were baptized at the mother church and only ancestor Celidonia was baptized at St. Michele’s. Some of the Latin names of their children are unfamiliar and some are also difficult to read as follows — Calogera Maria Francesca Catherina was born and baptized on July 2, 1669; son Domenico was born on October 20, 1670, and baptized the next day as Domencus Hilavion Pietrus; son Carlo was born on February 8, 1673, and baptized the next day as Carolus Marianus Leonardus Jacobus; Anna Maria Stefana Josepha was born and baptized on August 3, 1674; Teresa Brigetta Jacoba Vincenza was born on January 22, 1677, and baptized the next day; daughter Eufemia was born on June 3, 1678, and baptized as Xufemia Joanna Gertruda the next day; ancestor Celidonia; and ancestor Elisabetta.

Giuseppe died and was buried at the convent of St. Francesco, outside the city on March 7, 1700. (Mouse over and click on his Latin burial record image left to enlarge it in a new window/tab.) His mother church burial record lists him as Master Joseph de Leo, 60 years old, but he was actually 62 years old when he died . Twenty-two years later, his wife Santa died and was buried on August 8, 1722. (Mouse over and click on her Latin burial record image right to enlarge it in a new window/tab.) Her mother church burial record lists her as Santa wife of the deceased Master Joseph de Leo, age 80. This calculates her birth to about 1649. It seems to say she was buried at the Venerable Convent of San Domenico in Sciacca. At this time, nothing else is known about them.

Giovanni Battista Leo was the son of Caterina Baiamonte and her husband Domenico Leo. It is not known when and where he was born, as a Sciacca baptism record could not be found for him, but he married and raised a family in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy.

On July 8^th, 16^th and 22^nd of 1623 church banns were read for Giovanni Battista to marry Calogera Ayello. She was baptized as Calogera Teodora Vincenza on May 1, 1600, in the Sciacca St. Michele parish, the daughter of Antonina Dayna and her husband Benedetto Ayello. (Mouse over and click on her Latin baptism record image upper right to enlarge it in a new window/tab.) The day after the last banns were read, Joenns Betta of the St. Vito parish married 23 year-old Calogera on July 23, 1623, at the St. Michele church in Sciacca. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage record image left to enlarge in a new window or tab.) Less than 2 months later, on September 10, 1623, a notarial marriage contract was filed for them by Sciacca notary Antonino Amico.  

Only four Sciacca baptism records have been found for the children of Jo: Batta and Calogera di Leo, three in the St. Michele parish and one in the mother church parish as follows — Antonino was born and baptized on September 11, 1624; Caterina Rosalia, named after her maternal grandmother was born and baptized on May 27, 1626, and married Jacobum Garraffo in 1640; Vito, the only child baptized in the mother church parish was born on January 5, 1630, and was baptized as Vitus Franc’o the next day; and ancestor Giuseppe.

It is documented that Giovanni Battista was deceased and Calogera was still alive when their daughter Caterina was married on July 1, 1640. Giovanni Battista died and was buried in the St. Maria di Lillo convent cemetery on March 31, 1639. (Mouse over and click on his Latin burial record image lower right to enlarge it in a new window/tab.) His St. Michele burial record lists him as Baptista Leo 35 years old, which puts his birth to 1604, but he was probably older than that when he died. Calogera was left with young children, so she may have remarried, but a Sciacca marriage record for her has not been found. Neither has a Sciacca burial record, so, for now, this is all that is known about them.

Domenico Leo was baptized as Petro Dominico on December 17, 1550, in the mother church parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the son of Geronimo Leo and his wife, who may be Aleanora Pojo. (Mouse over and click on his Latin baptism record image upper right to enlarge it in a new window/tab.) The reason for the uncertainty of his mother’s name is that neither of Domenico’s records list the mother. There is however, a notarial marriage contract filed by Sciacca notary Ferdinando Juffrida Jr. for a couple with these names dated August 8, 1548. This date fits with ancestor Domenico’s baptism.

On October 1^st, 17^th and 24^th, church banns were read for Domenico to marry Caterina Baiamonte. Her ancestry is unknown, as a baptism record could not be found for her, nor are her parents names listed on their marriage document. Almost 43 year-old Dominico and Caterina, whose age is unknown, were married on November 15, 1593, at the Sciacca mother church. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage record image left to enlarge in a new window or tab.) A week later, on November 22^nd, Sciacca notary Giovanni Vella filed a notarial marriage contract for Domenico Leo and Caterinella Basamenti. They lived, at least for a time, and raised their children in the St. Vito parish of Sciacca.

No Sciacca baptism records could be found for the children of Domenico and Caterina, but two of their children’s marriage records were found — daughter Angela married Francisco Gagliano in the St. Vito church on January 25, 1637; and son Francesco, who married a widow named Joanna on February 15, 1643, also in the St. Vito church. On both of these records, Domenico is listed as deceased, but Caterina was still alive.

It is documented that Domenico was deceased when their son ancestor Giovanni was married on July 23, 1623. There is an entry in Pellegrino Mortillaro’s book, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico Volume Primo, for an inventory for Domenico Leo which was filed by Sciacca notary Gaspare Giuffrida on May 16, 1616. Unfortunately, a burial record for his name just prior to this date could not be found in the available church records. There is no way to know for certain if this is for ancestor Domenico. Caterina died many more years later and was buried on July 12, 1659, in the St. Francesco de Paola churchyard. (Mouse over and click on her burial record image lower right to enlarge in a new window or tab.) Her St. Vito burial record lists her as Caterina Leo about 86 years old, died in her home. This puts her birth at about 1573. For now, this is all that is known about them.

Benedetto Ayello was the son of Calogera Formusa and her husband Francesco Ayello and brother to Sigismunda Ayello. It is not known where or when Benedetto was born, but he married and raised a family in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy.

On November 22, 1573, Beneditto married 13 year-old Antonina Dayna at the Sciacca mother church. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage record image upper left to enlarge in a new window or tab.) She was baptized as Antonella Vinchenza on August 26, 1560, in the mother church parish of Sciacca, the daughter of Margarita Alia and her husband Bernardo Dayna. (Mouse over and click on her Latin baptism record image right to enlarge it in a new window/tab.) In Pellegrino Mortillaro’s book, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico Volume Primo, there is a notarial marriage contract entry dated November 25, 1573, for Benedetto Ayello and Antonia Vogna, which was filed by Sciacca notary Antonino Canina. Because it is dated three days after Benedetto’s and Antonina’s church wedding, this is probably their contract and her surname was misread by Mortillaro.

Nine Sciacca baptism records have been found for the children of Benedetto and Antonella di Ayello, the first eight in the mother church parish and the last one in the St. Michele parish. This may mean that they lived the first 22 years of their marriage in the mother church parish and then moved to the St. Michele parish. The baptism records for their children are as follows — Francesco, named after his paternal grandfather on March 1, 1575; Sebastiana was baptized as Bastiana Calogera on January 20, 1579; Calogera, named after her paternal grandmother, on December 26, 1580; Francella on April 4, 1582; Calogero Nunzio on April 12, 1585; Maria on December 5, 1590, who grew up to marry Leonardo Garraffo in 1618; Giovanna as Joanna on April 11, 1594; another Francisco on January 10, 1596; and ancestor Calogera, the only one baptized in the St. Michele parish.

It is documented on their daughters marriage records that Benedetto was alive on July 30, 1618, when Maria was married and he was still alive on July 23, 1623, when ancestor Calogera was married. Benedetto died and was buried in the mother church cemetery on March 15, 1625. (Mouse over and click on his Latin church burial record image lower left to enlarge in a new window or tab.) His St. Michele burial record list him as Benedictus de Aiello, in his seventies died outside his home, and was buried in the mother church cemetery. It is not known when Antonina died, so for now, this is all that is known about them.

Bernardo Dayna’s ancestry is unknown, but he married and raised a family in the mother church parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy.

On January 24, 1556, Sciacca notary Ferdinando Juffrida Jr. filed a notarial marriage contract for Bernardo to marry Margarita Alia. (Mouse over and click on their marriage contract entry image upper left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) She was baptized in September of 1536, as Margarita Elia, in the mother church parish of Sciacca, the daughter of Antonino Alia and his unknown wife. (Mouse over and click on her Latin baptism index image right to enlarge it in a new window/tab.) Unfortunately, detailed baptism register images and church marriage records are not available for these time periods.

There are 13 Sciacca mother church baptism records for children of Nardo La Daina. Only the last five list a mother’s name as Margarita. The first eight only list a father’s name, seven as Nardo and one as Leonardo. Bernardo is not a common Sicilian name and Nardo is usually a nickname for Leonardo, but it seems ancestor Bernardo used Nardo as his name. If all of these baptism records are for the children of ancestor Bernardo and Margarita’s is not certain, but none of the dates overlap, so they all may be their children. The records are as follows —Calogera was baptized on January 27, 1557, a year after her parents married; Pietro Vincenzo on February 24, 1558; Biaggio as Blaso on March 8, 1559; ancestor Antonina; Caterina as Caternella on October 12, 1561; another Pietro as Petro Antony Jobanus on December 13, 1564, who grew uo to marry Vita Torre in 1595; Giovanni, who was listed with a father named Leonardo, was baptized as Joannius Jacupo on August 28, 1567; Nicolò as Nicolao Petro on December 19, 1570; Calogero, who was the first to have his mother’s name listed, was baptized on September 15, 1573; Antonella Blasilla on November 28, 1576; Contissa on June 18, 1579; Giuseppe Francesco on May 17, 1581; and Francesco on July 4, 1586.

Now it gets even more confusing! There is a very brief mother church burial record for nardo la daina who died and was buried in the mother church cemetery on September 27, 1606. (Mouse over and click on her burial record image lower left to enlarge in a new window or tab.) On their son Pietro Antonino’s marriage record, dated February 7, 1595, his father is listed as Leonardo, and he doesn’t have the qd before his name to indicate he is deceased. This supports Bernardo’s 1606 burial record. On their daughter ancestor Antonina’s November 22, 1573, marriage record it states her father is deceased, but it also has a crossed off name right after the qd indication. Was this just an error on the part of the recorder and the deceased marking should also have been crossed off? Was their father named Bernardo or Leonardo, or did the recorders just assume Nardo stood for Leonardo? Are Pietro and Antonina not brother and sister? For now, this is one of those ancestry mysteries that can not be cleared up until more records become available for research.