I received a response (via email) from the archive in Bari!!!!

The very kind archivist responded that although he could not find any evidence of the specific magarelli i was looking for he did email all the other magarelli's that he found!!! WOW!!!

There are about 9 files to look at (not a bad problem!) and i will definitely need help translating the documents that i will post here shortly

I want to thank everyone at this forum for your help with advice and translation help

But first things first....will someone please post some dancing bananas for me. I finally have a reason to use them

Congrats!!!

Thanks for the Bananas Bille!

Here is one of the files that i could use help translating. Are the annotations on the left dates?

[img][/img]

WOO HOO!!! *Joins the dance*
(for the bananas click on “more smilies”

The document is really tough to read!!!!

Livio,

I knoW!!!! Tell me about it and this one is one of the more clearer documents

any help would be appreciated

thanks,
mauro

Mauro - I have found really big images are much easier to read. This image is rather small to make out. If you could scan it and upload it at a high resolution with a much larger image, it would be easier for someone to translate. I am pretty good with bad handwriting and handwriting of the 1800's but I do not speak Italian - I just know enough to extract the pertinent information. If you could scan it larger, I can try to work with the image and upload it to my website and repost it for you if that would help. If you would like me to do that pm me or email it to me.

ok cathy, i'll try to forward the image to you (check your PM in a moment)

I am able to figure out the basic info. It seems that the head of the househould (Vincenzo) owns some olive oil? and that he pays rent for (4 souls) at the home of Corrado Cappolecchia. Its the annotations on the left that are really baffling me???

thanks again for your help

Oh hell..I want to dance too..



Now to look at your document.

The PDF file Mauro emailed me is much better. Perhaps you can see that better.
CLICK HERE FOR CATASTI

Thanks Cathy. you're the best!

What does it say underneath 1765? It reads something like "morto il fu di Magarelli," what does that mean??????

I zoomed in a its a lot bigger a clearer but I'm not too familiar with that writing! A bit further down the paragraph I read morte anche il Bova? I will check the handwriting guide once I get back from work to see if I can figure anything out.

Your welcome Mauro. I just wish I could make his handwriting better! Now I know why the nuns used to whap our hands with a ruler for poor penmanship! Big whaps to whoever wrote this!

i have another question regarding this document....

the archivist told me that this catasti dates from 1753 to 1780...

I'm guessing that the initial entry (for Vincenzo's family) dates from before the 1765 annotations to the left.... but is it from the earliest date of 1753?

In other words, my possible ancester is the "figlio" listed as Giuseppe age 6

Do i subtract 6 years from the initial date of the census 1753-6 = 1747
or...
Do i subtract 6 years from the last annotated date 1765-6 = 1759

The second version would correlate with other information i have about this Giuseppe (born about 1760)

Sorry if i''ve confused everyone, any help would be appreciated,
Mauro

Mauro,

I think James will be able to help here as well. He's away just for another day or so on some personal issue but I know he cold probably read this. Honestly, I'm stuck but I will keep trying.