Calogero Sabella's Ancestors

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Translations provided by members of the GenAG - Genealogie Agrigentine and the Italian Genealogical Records Facebook groups.

Note that the Latin months September thru December are often written in numbers, 7ber, 8ber, 9ber and 10ber, respectively.

Sebastiano Sabella was baptized as Bastiano Calogero on January 8, 1576, in the mother church parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, one of the four documented children of Angela Benfari and her husband Democrito Sabella. (Mouse over and click on his Latin baptism record upper right to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) Sebastiano also had six older half siblings from his father's first marriage.    

In or before 1594, Sebastiano married a woman named Leonarda, but her surname is unknown. They had at least eleven children all baptized in the St. Michele parish of Sciacca on the dates shown — Filippa Dorothea on October 4, 1595; Antonino Francesco on October 21, 1596; Vincenzo Antonino on October 15, 1598; Angelica Calogera on January 8, 1600, who may have died young; Angelica Virginea on December 3, 1602; Michael Vito on February 28, 1604, who may have died young; Angela Domenica on August 3, 1605; Maria Juilia on January 8, 1608;  Giovanni, just 11 months later on November 5, 1608; Michele on March 17, 1610, who died at 6 months old on October 4, 1610; and another Michele on September 11, 1611, who married Antonella Mancuso at the St. Vito church in Sciacca on October 29, 1628. There was one more son born who died, but a baptism record could not be found for him - Silvestro son of Bastiano Sabella was buried in the St. Vito cemetery on May 11, 1618. Seven months later, Sebastiano’s wife Leonarda died and was buried in the St. Vito church cemetery on December 27, 1618. (Mouse over and click on her Latin burial record lower right to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) Her burial record lists her as Narda wife of di Bastiano Sabella. Being left with several young children, less than 2 months later Sebastiano remarried.

On February 11, 1619, at St. Michele’s church in Sciacca, the now 43 year-old Sebastiano married Caterina Catena, the daughter of Pietro Catena and his wife Giovanna, whose surname is unknown. (Mouse over and click on their church marriage record left to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) Eight years later, after having three sons, Sciacca notary Giacomo Lauro filed a notarial marriage contract for them. This may have been a dowry restitution contract.

Sebastiano and Caterina had at least five more children, all baptized in the St. Michele parish of Sciacca on the dates shown — Tommaso was baptized as Thomas Joseph on December 22, 1619, and married Aloisia Savona in 1637; Vito Gaspare on June 3, 1626; ancestor Calogero; Pietro was baptized as Petro Joannes on June 25, 1629, and was probably named after his maternal grandfather; and Michele, who was baptized as Michael Isadori Petrius on September 29, 1634, who on February 4, 1665, married as his second wife Caterina Spanò, the sister of ancestor Grazia Spanò.

All that is known about Caterina’s parents is that her father and mother were deceased on the day she was married. It is not known when Sebastiano and Caterina died, but he is listed as deceased on his son Tommaso’s February 22, 1637, marriage record. This means that Sebastiano died sometime after his last child was born in late 1634, but before Tommaso’s marriage in early 1637. On that marriage record, Caterina is listed as alive and living in the city, so it is not known if she remarried or when and where she died. Unfortunately, nothing else is known about Sebastiano, Caterina and her parents Pietro and Giovanni.

Democrito Sabella was the son of Angela Ognibene and her husband Tommaso Sabella. It is not known when and where he was born, but he lived and raised a family in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy. On some of his records, his given name is listed as Mocrato, Mocrito and Mochito and on one record he is called master, meaning he was well respected in his craft.

On February 3, 1573, Sciacca notary Geronimo Agostino filed a notarial marriage contract for Democrito Isabella, and Angela Benfari. The notary listed them as “Angelica girl, legitimate daughter of the deceased Nicolo and living Julia de Benfari to Democrito Ysabella legitimate son of Masi and Angela Ysabella, husband and wife.” She was the daughter of  Nicolò Benfari and his wife Giulia Cutrona, but a Sciacca baptism record could not be found for her. On most of her records, she is listed as Angelica. Democrito and Angela were married at the mother church in Sciacca on March 1, 1573. (Mouse over and click on their Latin church marriage record upper right to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) Their church marriage record is only one line, but there is a 10 page dowry document that is extremely hard to read, where his surname is spelled Ysabella. (Mouse over and click on the first and top of the second page of their marriage contract upper left to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) Being 10 pages long may indicate that both families were somewhat wealthy.

Democrito and Angela had at least five children born in Sciacca. The first four were baptized in the mother church parish there and the last one in the St. Vito parish as follows — Angelica Barbara, named after her paternal grandmother was baptized on December 4, 1574; ancestor Sebastiano; Tommaso Vincenzo, named after his paternal grandfather, was baptized as Masi Vinco Mario on September 5, 1579; daughter Filippa Giacoma who was baptized as Pha Jaca, on December 7, 1581, and married Giacomo Catania on September 7, 1599; and Antonino Thomaso on June 7, 1588. They probably had other children in the seven year gap between the last two children, but St Vito baptism records do not begin until 1588.

It is not known for certain when Democrito and Angela died, but they both were alive when their last child was born in 1588. Democrito must have died within two years after their last child was born as Angela remarried. Unfortunately, burial records for this time period are not available for research. Angela married Giacomo Galati as his fourth wife at the Sciacca mother church on November 4, 1590. On this record, she is listed as Angelica widow of the deceased Mochito Sabella. (Mouse over and click on her second marriage record lower right to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) Giacomo was probably much older than Angela, who was probably in her 40’s at this time, as no Sciacca children’s baptism records have been found for them. What has been found is a February 14, 1623, St. Vito burial record for an Angela Sabella in her 70’s that could be for this ancestor. (Mouse over and click on her possible Latin burial record lower left to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) This puts her birth to about 1555, which is plausible. She may have kept her first marriage surname because of her children, as some were young. Unfortunately, at this time, nothing else is known about Democrito and Angela.

Tommaso Sabella married and lived in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, the son of Giovanni Sabella and his wife Aleonora, whose surname is unknown. He was probably born about 1505, but it is not known when and where he was born, as Sciacca baptism records do not go back this far.

On May 15, 1527, Sciacca notary Nicolò Canina wrote a notarial marriage contract for Tomaso Isabella and Angela Ognibene, which is how they are listed in Pellegrino Mortillaro’s book, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico Volume Primo. (Mouse over and click on their marriage contract entry upper left to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) The original handwritten contract lists him as Thoma Ysabella and in other places his surname is listed as de Sabella. (Mouse over and click on their hand written marriage contract upper right to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) Angela is listed as Angelella, girl, daughter of master Joanno (Giovanni) and Margarita with a surname that is mostly unreadable, but could be Orginem, so her surname may not be Ognibene. Unfortunately, the earliest Sciacca church marriage records begin in 1568.

Because there was another Tommaso Sabella living in Sciacca at this same time and the fact that mother’s names are not listed on early baptism records, it is uncertain which couple are the parents of the children listed with a father of Masi Sabella. To make things more confusing, there are no detailed register records before September of 1543. This researcher believes these are Tommaso and Angela’s children — Giovanni, named after both of his grandfathers, was baptized as Jo Vito and his twin brother Calogero Vito were baptized in December of 1535; Julia in June of 1537; Ambroxio on April 3, 1545; Francisca as Franc’a Isabella in mid November 1547; and Caterina, who on her November 4, 1552, baptism record is listed as the daughter of master Masi Sabella, then on her January 30, 1581, marriage contract to Gaspare Juffrida, she is listed as Caterinella Isabella, but on their church marriage record she is listed as the daughter of the deceased Masi Sabella named Catinella. A baptism record for ancestor Democrito has not been found. What has been found is the November 19, 1584, mother church marriage of Marco Sabella, son of Masi and Angila Sabella to Francesca Juffrida.

It is not known when Tommaso and Aleonora died, but it is documented that he was deceased on February 6, 1581, the day his daughter Caterina was married. There are two entries in Pellegrino Mortillaro’s books mentioned above, one in each volume, for Tommaso's name that might be for this ancestor.

The first is a will (Testamento) entry in volume two and is a dated January 11, 1574. (Mouse over and click on his will entry lower left to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) The second is in volume one and is an inventory of his property dated May 29, 1577. (Mouse over and click on the will entry lower right to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) They both were recorded by the same Sciacca notary, Geronimo Agostino, which could be a coincidence or it could be an indication that both entries are for the same person. Until the details of these entries are discovered, it is impossible to known for sure, if these are for this ancestor. So for now, this is all that is known about Tommaso and Angela.

Nicolò Benfari was the son of Antonio Benfari, but it is not known when and where he was born or raised. What is known is that he lived at least part of his adult life in the mother church parish of Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy, and raised a family there. On February 12, 1529, Nicolò entered into a notarial marriage contract in Sciacca to marry Giulia Cutrona. (Mouse over and click on their full handwritten marriage contract right to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) This marriage contract is documented in Pellegrino Mortillaro’s book, Andrea Randazzo un notaio storico Volume Primo, and is easier to read than the handwritten document. (Mouse over and click on their marriage contract entry upper left to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) For some unknown reason, a notary is not listed in this entry. She was the daughter of Aleonora Benfari and her husband Baldassare Cutrona. Unfortunately, church marriage documents are not available for research for this time period, but they probably married soon after the contract was completed.

Seven Sciacca mother church baptism records have been found for the children of Cola Benfari. The full register records begin in September of 1543, but the index begins in 1528. The available register baptism records for these children are extremely hard to read. Although the indices are clearer, they only list the month and year of the baptism. They all state the father’s name as Cola, which is what he is called on ancestor Angela’s marriage document. The mother’s name is not mentioned in either the indices or the register records. The baptism info for these seven children is as follows —Dominico Leonardo was baptized as Mino Leo in September of 1530; Margarita in March of 1539; Antonino Jo: Giuseppe in March of 1542; Nicolia in February of 1544; Vita Catinella in August of 1545; Spuria Benvenuta Novella in August of 1546; and Sebastiano Antonio on January 12, 1548. A baptism record for ancestor Angela has not been found. It is possible that she is one of the daughters mentioned above, but using the name Angela.

Nothing is known about Nicolò’s father, only his name Antonio, is mentioned in Nicolò’s handwritten marriage contract. It is also not known when Nicolò and Giulia died, but he was deceased and she was still alive when their daughter ancestor Angela was married on March 3, 1573. There is a December 24, 1576, Testamento entry, a will filed by Sciacca notary Geronimo Agostino, in Mortillaro’s second volume for Giulia Benfari that is probably for ancestor Giulia, but there is nothing to confirm it is her. (Mouse over and click on her possible will entry lower left to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) For now nothing else is known about them.

Baldassare Cutrona was the son of Giovanni Cutrona and his unnamed wife. It is assumed he was born and raised in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicilia, Italy. On March 19, 1511, notary Marco Perniciaro issued a dowry contract for Baldassare to marry Aleonora Benfari. (Mouse over and click on their marriage contract hand written listing upper right to enlarge it in a new window or tab. Mouse over and click on their marriage contract book entry left to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) She was also probably from Sciacca, the daughter of Pietro Benfari and his unnamed wife. They probably married soon after this contract was completed, but church records do not exist for this time period. Their only known child was ancestor Giulia.

Little is known about Baldassare and Aleonora, but their fathers were both Sciacca notaries. Giovanni served as a notary in Sciacca from 1489 to 1534 and Pietro served in 1482, 1483 and again from 1492 to 1497. Being that Giovanni served for 43 years, it is likely he died soon after he retired. It is not known when Baldassare and Aleonora died, but there is a marriage contract dated May 4, 1525, for an Aleonora Benfari and Pietro Falco that was issued by notary Giovanni Cutrona. (Mouse over and click on this marriage contract entry lower right to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) Being that 14 years past since Aleonora married Baldassare, it could be that he died and she remarried or it could be just a coincidence! What is interesting is that 2 years after Aleonora married Pietro, he is listed for the first time as a notary for 1527-1528 term. Could it be that this marriage was a political stepping stone for Pietro? Unfortunately, nothing else is known about them.