Maria Costanza's Ancestors

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Ambrogio Costanza was born on March 24, 1683, and baptized the next day at the St. Michele church in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the son of Anna Vetrano and Stefano Costanza. (Mouse over and click on his Latin baptism record image upper right to enlarge it in a new window/tab.) His given name is unusual for Sciacca, but it is the Italian form of the Latin name Ambrosius, that means immortal. On ancestor Maria and her sister Anna Maria’s baptism record he is called Master, which means he was a craftsman who was highly regarded. It should be noted that Ambrogio’s mother, Anna, was the daughter of ancestors Pietra Pardo and Vincenzo Vetrano making her the sister of ancestor Giacomo.

In 1704, on December 31^st and on January 4^th and 17^th of 1705, church banns were read for Ambrogio to marry Elisabetta Leo. She was baptized as Elisabet Margarita Antonia at the mother church in Sciacca on July 3, 1683, a younger daughter of ancestors Santa Attardo and Giuseppe Leo and sister to ancestor Celidonia. (Mouse over and click on her Latin baptism record image upper middle right to enlarge it in a new window/tab.) Both Ambrogio and Elisabetta were 21 years old when they married at the mother church in Sciacca on January 19, 1705. (Mouse over and click on their marriage image upper left to enlarge it in a new window/tab.)

Only four mother church baptism records have been found for the children of Ambrogio and Elisabetta Costanza as follows — Stefano was born on the morning of October 31, 1705, and baptized as Sefanus Mattheus Sanctus; Giuseppe was born and baptized as Joseph Calogerus on October 11, 1707; ancestor Maria; and Anna Maria who was born on April 20, 1711, and baptized the next day.

Ambrogio died and was buried at the mother church in Sciacca on March 7, 1712. (Mouse over and click on his Latin death/burial record image lower middle right to enlarge it in a new window/tab.) This explains why there are no more children born to this couple in the records. His death/burial record is hard to read, but it seems to say he was either 24 or 29 years old, , the latter being his correct age.

Elisabetta was left with four children, the oldest being only 7 years old and the youngest not even a year old. On April 10^th, 17^th and 24^th, just over a month after her husband died, church bands were read for 28 year-old Elisabetta to marry 24year-old Luciano Caracappa. He was the son of ancestors Pietro Caracappa and Anna Mandracchia, and brother to ancestor Nicolò. Luciano and Elisabetta married at the mother church in Sciacca on April 25, 1712, one month and 18 days after her first husband died. (Mouse over and click on their marriage image lower left to enlarge it in a new window/tab.) They had at least one child together, Pietro, named after his father, was born on December 26, 1715, and baptized at the mother church the next day as Pietus Joseph. Being that their first child was born more than three years after their marriage, it seems likely Luciano was respectful for Elisabetta’s grieving period.

Elisabetta outlived her second husband and died at the age of 64. She was buried at St. Domineco’s cemetery on January 7, 1748. Her mother church burial record lists her as Elisabet wife of the deceased Luciani Caracappa aged about 75. (Mouse over and click on her Latin burial record image lower right to enlarge it in a new window/tab.)

Unfortunately, at this time, nothing else is known about them.

Stefano Costanza was probably born on the evening of September 17, 1629, and baptized the next day in the St. Michele church parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the son of Angela Angelo and her husband Antonino Costanza. (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 is because his baptism record does not have his name on it, but it is most likely his record.

On January 30, 1656, Sciacca notary Raffaele Bentivegna filed a notarial marriage contract for Stefano to marry Anna Vetrano. (Mouse over and click on their marriage contract entry image upper left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) She was born and baptized as Anna Silvestra on December 30, 1639, in the mother church parish of Sciacca, the daughter of Pietra Pardo and her husband Vincenzo Vetrano, and sister to ancestor Giacomo. (Mouse over and click on her Latin baptism record image middle right to enlarge it in a new window/tab.) Seven months later on August 10^th, 13^th and 15^th church banns were read for Stefano and Anna to marry. Almost 24 year-old Stefano and 16 year-old Anna were married on August 20, 1656, 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.) 

Nine St. Michele’s infant baptism records have been found for the children of Stephano and Anna Costanza, as follows — Giuseppe was born on March 16, 1658, and baptized the next day as Joseph Antoninus Gaetanus; Pietra was born on August 19, 1660, and baptized as Petra Angela, the next day, but she probably died young; Pietro was born on the morning of July 14, 1662, and baptized as Petrus Antoninus that same day; Vincenzo was born late on March 3, 1665, and baptized as Vincentius Lucianus the next day; another Pietra Angela was born and baptized on September 16, 1667; Michele was born on March 1, 1674, and baptized the next day as Michael Joseph Ignatius; Angela was born and baptized on November 30, 1676, as Angela Celidonia Barbara; Nicolo was born on the morning of May 27, 1680, and baptized that same day as Nicolaus Sebastianus Joannes; and ancestor Ambrogio.

It is documented that Stefano and Anna were both deceased when their son, ancestor Ambrogio was married on January 19, 1705. Anna died and was buried in the Convent of St Dominico cemetery on October 29, 1691. (Mouse over and click on her burial record image lower left to enlarge in a new window or tab.) Her mother church burial record lists her as Anna wife of Mag. Stephani Constanza aged about 50, but she was actually 2 months shy of her 52^nd birthday. Stefano died and was buried in the St. Joseph church cemetery on November 29, 1700. (Mouse over and click on his Latin burial record image lower right to enlarge it in a new window/tab.) His mother church burial record lists him as Mag.ri Stephanus Costanza, aged about 70, but he had just turned 71 a month before he died. Unfortunately, at this time, nothing else is known about them.

Antonino Costanza was baptized as Luca Antonino on October 18, 1603, at the St. Michael church in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the son of Natale Costanza and his wife Antonina Pojo. (Mouse over and click on his Latin baptism record image upper right to enlarge it in a new window/tab.)

On December 17, 1628, Sciacca notary Giuseppe Cattano filed a notarial marriage contract between Antonino Costanza and Angela d’Angelo. She was born about 1608, to parents Filippa Perricone and her husband Stefano Angelo. A baptism record could not be found for her. Although her surname is reference as d’Angelo, all the record indices list it as simply Angelo. Ten days later church banns were read on December 27^th, 31^st and January 1^st of the following year. Antonino and Angela were married a week later at the St. Vito church in Sciacca on January 7, 1629.  (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage record image left to enlarge in a new window or tab.)

Five St. Michele baptism records have been found for the children of Antonino and Angela Costanza as follows — ancestor Stefano was named after his mother’s father and born nine months after his parents married; Vita Filippa was born on March 20, 1631, and baptized the next day; Natali, named after his father’s father, was born and baptized as Natali Accursius on August 28, 1632; Blasia Francesca was born and baptized on March 14, 1636; and Anna was born in the evening of June 7, 1638, and baptized the next day as Anna Cuira. On these baptism records Antonino is called magister, which means master, believed to mean he was a well respected master craftsman.

Angela died on October 3, 1648. (Mouse over and click on her burial record image right to enlarge in a new window or tab.) Her death record states she was 40 years old, making her born about 1608, but death record ages are sometimes estimates. Her death record was found in the St. Michele register, and it states she was buried in the St. Domenici cemetery. It is not known when Antonino died, but he was alive when their son ancestor Stefano was married on August 20, 1656. Unfortunately, at this time, this is all we know about them.

Natale Costanza and his wife Antonina Pojo’s ancestries are unknown, but they lived in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, and raised a family there. On April 23, 1576, Sciacca notary Giovanni Vella filed a notarial marriage contract for them. (Mouse over and click on their marriage contract entry image right to enlarge in a new window or tab.) Unfortunately, their church marriage record could not be found in the three church records available for research. They probably married at the St. Michele church in Sciacca, a short time after the contract date, but this church’s marriage records do not begin until 1607.

Only four St. Michele baptism records have been found for the children of Natale and Antonina Costanza as follows — Paolo was baptized as Paulo Nardo on November 17, 1591; Vita on May 2, 1594; Antonina Giovanna was baptized as Antonina Joanna on June 24, 1600; and ancestor Antonino. They probably had several other children, but these are the only ones found in all three Sciacca church records. It should be noted that St. Michele’s baptism records only go back to 1586.

It is not known when Natale and Antonina died, but he was deceased when their son ancestor Antonino was married on January 7, 1629. Unfortunately, nothing else is known about them.

Stefano Angelo was born about 1584 in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, to parents Geronimo Angelo and his wife Consula, whose surname is unknown. On February 17, 1601, at the St. Vito church in Sciacca, Stefano married Filippa Perricone. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage record image right to enlarge in a new window or tab.) She was probably born in Sciacca, also about 1584, the daughter of Vito Perricone and his unnamed wife. Their marriage document is extremely brief and the index to it, lists Filippa with the incorrect given name as Josepha. This index was written many years after the original record entry, as the paper is lined! The transcriber mistook the Pha abbreviation for the Latin Philippa as Josepha. What is strange is that their notarial marriage contract, which was issued by Sciacca notary Giovanni Vella, was dated February 24, 1601, a week after their church wedding. (Mouse over and click on their marriage contract entry image upper left to enlarge in a new window/tab.)

Seven St. Vito baptism records have been found for their children. On each record their names are written differently, sometimes it gives her full name Filippa or Filipa, but most times it’s abbreviated as Pha. Their surname is listed as d’ Angelo, d Angelo and di Angelo, but all the records are indexed under Angelo! The baptism records are as follows — eldest son Geronimo, who was named after his paternal grandfather on May 24, 1602, probably died before his 13th birthday; Caterina on May 22, 1605; Filippo Jacobi on May 1, 1609; Onofrio, on October 16, 1611; another Geronimo on January 7, 1615; Antonius Joseph on January 16, 1619; and Margarita Vita on November 15, 1620. A baptism record for ancestor Angela has not been found yet.

Four years after their last child was born, Stefano wrote his will, testamento, which was recorded by Sciacca notary Giuseppe Cattano on December 3, 1624. (Mouse over and click on his testamento entry image lower left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Ten days later, on December 13, 1624, Stephanus de Angelo died. (Mouse over and click on his Latin church burial record image right to enlarge in a new window or tab.) His St. Vito burial record states he died at home at 40 years old and he was buried in the St Margarita cemetery. Over three weeks later on January 7, 1625, an inventory of his property was taken and filed by the same Sciacca notary. It is not known when Filippa or her father Vito died, but he was still alive when she was married. Unfortunately, nothing else is known about them.

Geronimo and Consula Angelo’s ancestries are unknown. What is known is that he lived at least part of their adult life in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, and raised a family there. Two Sciacca mother church baptism records have been found for the children of Geronimo and Consula Angelo as follows — Paolo was baptized as Paulo on January 25, 1579; and daughter Benvenuta was baptized as Benninuta on February 15, 1581. A baptism record for ancestor Stefano cannot be found.

It is not known when Geronimo and Consula died, but he was still alive when his so Stefano was married on February 17, 1601. For now, nothing else is known about them.