Biff83 wrote:

Cathy and Nuccia, Thanks for your help. I can't get an appointment until tomorrow AM with the doctor so I've been using eye drops for relief and trying not to strain my eyes. Not sure if it's conjunctivitis or just an irritation. Nuccia, I'm going to try your Mom's tea bag cure when I get home later. And thanks for the other tips. Still no baby Isabelle. 38 1/2 weeks and counting. Baby at 7 plus pounds; ambiotic fluid levels still high. Fingers crossed Tropical Storm, soon to be Hurricane Dean, east of the Lesser Antilles doesn't decide to visit Florida next week with a little one on the way. That would definitely not be a good thing. Biff

I hope the hurricaine passes far from you. That would not be good. I'm glad your daughter and baby Isabelle are doing well. Any time is safe now so I still have bets on August 21st!! That would be next Tuesday so keep your calendar clear that day! hehe I continue to pray for her safe and healthy arrival.
I noticed on the marriage act your great grandfather is Francesco Saverio Epifano. On a personal note, I have seen more Francesco Saverio's than most other combinations of first and middle names in men. I wonder if there is a special significance there?

Cathy,

Like the name Giovanni Battista for St. John the Baptist, I'm sure that Francesco Saverio is for St. Francis Xavier.

Biff

Cathy wrote:

I am looking at the marriage act. Nicastro was the place of marriage? I am confused. Anyone? It's at the top of page 1.

Cathy,
Thanks for the translation of the birth act a couple of posts back. Like you, I'm having a hard time making out the street number on Via San Giuseppe.

I'm sure that the marriage took place in San Mango. I'm trying to decipher the word after DAquino and before di Nicastro ---ondario? Maybe San Mango was tied administratively to Nicastro? I'll check the history of San Mango I have at home to see what I can find out.

edited to add comment
the phrase is San Mango D'Aquino circondario di Nicastro or San Mango D'Aquino , administrative district of Nicastro.

Biff

Not sure if I'm looking at the correct record but the word is "senza" meaning without....the house without a number on San Giuseppe.

You are a genius. It looked like the same word to me but I did not know what that meant or if it meant anything. You rock Nuccia!

Thanks Cathy

Reading these acts is starting to pay off I guess!

You guys rock!!! Thanks bunches.

Too bad the house didn't have a number. Now if I can just locate Via San Giuseppe in the town. I pulled up a google map and zoomed in and did not find Via San Giuseppe so perhaps it was renamed at some point.

Baci ed abbracci,
Biff

Cathy wrote:

Here is a very rough translation of the birth act. Next week during my vacation I plan on writing up a word for word translation of the form part of all these documents so all that has to be done is "fill in the blanks". I have a bok that does this - all I have to do is copy it. I will post it here. 1889 on the first day of September at 8:20 in the town hall. Before me, Alfonso Mario (Maria?) Angotti, Secretary (sorry, no capeesh the next 2 lines but I think it has to do with his commision for the state and the fact that the people below are swearing an oath that the information they are giving is true) Official for the state civil office, for San Mango d’Aquino. Francesco Epifano, age 46, Shepard, domicile in San Mango, something, something at 5:30 on the 31st of ?? month in their house on via San Guiseppe (I cannot make out this number ) and Carmela Esposito, his legitimate wife. Born, a masculine baby given the name Giuseppe presented to me. The witnesses were Fidele Colosimo, aged 23 farmer and Giuseppe Conforto, age 24 also a farmer. Fidele signed the document but Giuseppe did not.Sorry this is so crude Biff. If someone can make out the number after Via San Giuseppe, Biff will have their address, which I am sure he would love to have.

L'anno milleottocentoottantanove, addi primo, di Settembre, a ore anti medridiane otto e minuti venti, nella Casa comunale.
Avanti di me, Alfonso Maria Angotti Segretario Delegato con atto del ventotto Settembre mille ottocentacinque, debitamente approvato
Uffiziale dello Stato Civile del Comune di San Mango d'Aquino, e
comparso Francisco Epifano, di anni quarantasei, pastore
domiciliato in San Mango, il quale mi ha dichiarato che alle ore po meridiane
cinque e minuti trenta del di trentuno del desorso

mese nella casa posta in via San Giuseppe al numero senza, do Carmela Esposito sua moglie con lui convivente
______________________________________________ e nato un bambino di sesso maschile che egli mi presenta e a cui da il nome di Giuseppe.

A quanto sopra a questo atto sono stati presenti quali testimoni Fedele Colosimo _____, di anni ventitre, e Giuseppe Conforto 24 contadino, entrambi residenti in
questo Comune.
Setto il presente atto agl'intervenuti viene sottoscritto da me e da un testimone avenso asferito gli altri non sapere scrivere.

Coloficcso Fedele
L'Uffizciale dello Stato Civile


So, it says,

To fill in some of the pieces of Cathy's translation which is pretty well right on:

Alfonso Maria A'quino was sworn into office on the 28th of September as the delegated Secretary. The birth was recorded at 8:20 am. The child was born on the 31 of the previous month (in this case August) at 5:30 pm. The child , a male was presented by the father and given the name of Giuseppe. The mother was Carmella Esposito. The house on Via Giuseppe, no number is where the birth took place. The witnesses present were Fedele C. 24, and 23 year Giuseppe.

For what it's worth - here's my attempt at a 'take' on this Birth Act... Only one or two small differences as the gist of the document was understood from the other translations too.

In the year eighteen eighty nine, on the first of September, at eight twenty am, in the Town Hall.
Before me, Alfonso Maria Angotti Secretary Delegate by the act of the twenty eighth of September eighteen eighty five, duly approved as the Official Registrar of the San Mango d'Aquino Council, Francisco Epifano a shepherd aged forty six and living in San Mango, appeared before me and declared that at five thirty pm on the thirty first of the last month in the house with no number found in Via San Giuseppe, to Carmela Esposito his wife who lives with him, a male child was born which he presented to me and to who he gives the name of Giuseppe.

In addition to the acts above the following were present as witnesses – Fedele Colosimo farmer (countryman/peasant) aged twenty three, and Giuseppe Conforto aged twenty four, farmer (countryman/peasant), both residents in this town.

Under the aforementioned act I declare that I assured myself that of those present only one witness could write and the remaining witnesses did not know how to write.

Coloficcio Fedele
State Registrar.

Cathy, Nuccia and Carole,

Thanks for your help translating my grandfather's birth act. I've spoken with my brother and my three cousins from Carbondale as well as my cousin Sara from Scranton to let them know what I received. Like me, they're all doing the banana party dance.
I've copied all the documents and will be mailing each of them copies this afternoon along with the translation of the birth act. I'll email them the translation of the marriage act later.

In his letter to me, my cousin Angelo mentioned he had been in Scranton in 1999 with a musical group he plays guitar in to perform at the San Mango society's feast of the Madonna della Buda. Since he plays acoustic guitar, I thought I'd pick up a couple of CDs as a token of my gratitude for all his hard work.

Baci ed abbracci,
Biff

*Joining in the dance*

Well here's my version of the Marriage Certificate. The only thing I just couldn't make out was the actual year - I could see it was Eighteen sixty something...but what I don't know! Sorry....


Marriage Act
In the year eighteen sixty xxxxx on the twenty ninth day of the month of December at the hour of twenty (8pm) in the Town Hall of Sammango d’Aquino in the District of Nicastro, Province of Catanzaro.

Before me Angelo Bonacci Mayor and State Registrar of the above mentioned council and in the presence of the following men, Fortunato Arcuri aged twenty seven years a property owner by profession, son of the late Pietro-antonio, and Carmine Sposato aged thirty two and a pharmacist by profession, son of Francesco, both living in Sammango and chosen by the declarers here together in the appointed place.

Also attending was Francesco Saverio Epifano aged twenty four a labourer by profession, living in Sammango and son of the late Domenico labourer by profession and living in Sammango when alive and the late Domenica Marasco a peasant by profession and living with her husband when alive, and Carmela Esposita aged twenty two, a peasant by profession and living in Sammango the daughter of unknown parents; Both of whom with the intention of being joined in matrimony have been informed of and understood the requirements by law, producing a record of publication act when I asked them.

Sorry Biff - I forgot to say, that if you want me to, I'll do the second page of the marriage act maybe this evening or tomorrow unless someone else has done it for you.

Just let me know - OK?

Carole,

Thanks for translating that. I can print your translation out and send with the rest of the goodies to my cousins.

Kissies are in order.

One for Carole-- BIG

One for Cathy-- BIG

One for Nuccia-- BIG



Baci ed abbracci,
Biff

Carole wrote:

Sorry Biff - I forgot to say, that if you want me to, I'll do the second page of the marriage act maybe this evening or tomorrow unless someone else has done it for you. Just let me know - OK?

Carole,
Thanks. I still need the second page translated; no hurry. Whenever you get to it will be fine. I greatly appreciate your kindness.

Biff