In September I collaborated with three of my Ciolli cousins to dig further back into the archives of our family history.  The information below is the result of the research conducted by Kathy from GenTracer.  I will scan the documents and add them to the blog as time permits.  Please click on the tab above titled “Del Principe & Ciolli Family Tree” to see more family tree charts like the one below.

During this research project Kathy discovered that the 1854 marriage record has the title “Don” before the name of my great great grandfather Pietrantonio Amabile Ciolli.  I asked Kathy about this and she said “Don is a title, as is Donna.  It is usually applied to landowners and is the top of the social strata in a town, topped only by a title (Baron, Duke, Prince, etc)”.  Also, the 1828 marriage records of Raffaele Ciolli states that Raffaele’s grandfather was named Medici (Dr.) Carmine Ciolli.  Now a new question arises about the photograph from my blog on Jan 22, 2011.  There is a sign hanging on a building leading to the Ciolli home that says “Dott (Dr.) Ciolli.  Does this sign refer to Dr. Carmine Ciolli or to Don Pietrantonio Amabile Ciolli? 

Documentation from GenTracer:

The goal of the Zeck #4 research project was to comb through the civil registration records of Pescasseroli, L’Aquila in order to extend the client’s ancestral lines. Emphasis was to be placed on the Ciolli family.

The project began with the birth, marriage and death records of Pescasseroli for 1828-1833 (FHL #1360877). They included #33, the birth of Pietrantonio Ciolli, filed on 4 May 1830. The birth was reported by a midwife (Innocenza di Nella). The male child was born to Speranza Tudini, 21 years old and a property owner living in Pescasseroli and Raffaele Ciolli, 23 years old and a property owner living in Pescasseroli on 4 May in their home. The right column shows that he was baptized on 4 May in the parish of Pescasseroli. Source #1

The birth, marriage and death records of Pescasseroli for 1824-1828 (FHL #1360876) included #7, the marriage of Raffaele Ciolli to Maria Speranza Tudini, filed on 29 September 1828. The groom was 25 years old, born in Pescasseroli and a property owner living in Pescasseroli. He was a son of Fortunato, a property owner living in Pescasseroli and Gemma d’Arcangelo, a property owner living in Pescasseroli. The bride was 20 years old, born in Pescasseroli and living in Pescasseroli. She was a daughter of the late Domenico Tudini and the late Maria Benedetta del Principe. Source #2

Returning to the birth, marriage and death records of Pescasseroli for 1828-1833 (FHL #1360877), we found the marriage processetti, for #7, the marriage of Raffaele Ciolli to Maria Speranza Tudini, filed on 29 September 1828. Page 1 was an extract of the baptism of Raffaele Ciolli on 28 March 1803 in Pescasseroli. He was born to Fortunato (son of the late Medici Ciolli) of this place and Gemma de Arcangelis of Bisenti (Teramo province), a married couple. Page 2 was an extract of the baptism of Maria Speranza Tudini on 19 April 1808 in Pescasseroli. She was born to Domenico (son of the late Cesidio Tudino) and Maria Benedetta (daughter of the late Silvestro del Principe) a married couple.

Pages 3-6 are the consent of several male relatives of Speranza for this marriage, including her brother, Gabriele Tudini. The others were cousins: Custode Tudini, son of the late Cesidio Tudini, 36 years old; Don Antonio Tudini, son of the late Francesco Tudini, 36 years old. Don Casimiro del Principe, son of the living Luigi del Principe, was 36 years old and her uncle. Vincenzo del Principe, son of the late Silvestro, 50 years old, was another uncle. Domenicantonio Messitiglio (spelling?) was a son of the late Filippo, 50 years old and another uncle of the bride on her mother’s side. You can see Raffaele’s signature on the last page. Source #3

The birth, marriage and death records of Pescasseroli for 1836-1839 (FHL #1360879) included #26, the death of Fortunato Ciolli, filed on 24 August 1838. The death was reported by two of his friends. He died on 23 August at his home. He was the husband of Gemma d’Arcangelo, a landowner in Pescasseroli. He was 83 years old, born in Pescasseroli and a landowner living in Pescasseroli. He was a son of the late Carmine Ciolli and the late Caterina Bascianelli. Source #4

A review of the marriage of Pietrantonio Ciolli revealed that his bride was from Opi, another town in L’Aquila province. The birth, marriage and death records of Opi for 1847-1855 (FHL #1227920) included #4, the marriage of Don Pietrantonio Ciolli to Filomena Ursitti, filed on 5 September 1854. The groom was 24 years old, born in Pescasseroli and a pharmacist living in Pescasseroli. He was a son of the living Raffaele Ciolli, a landowner living in Pescasseroli and the living Speranza Tudini, a landowner living in Pescasseroli. The bride was 17 years old, born in Opi and living in Opi. She was a daughter of the living Angelico Ursitti, a landowner living in Opi and the late Nunziata de Arcangelis. Source #5

The same film contained the processetti for this marriage on pages 19-24 as follows: Page 1 was an extract of the birth of Filomena Ursitti, filed on 8 May 1837 in Opi. The birth was reported by Angelico Ursitti, 38 years old and a landowner living in Opi. The female child was born to Annunziata de Arcangelis, 26 years old and a landowner living in Opi on 8 May in their home. The right column shows that she was baptized on 8 May in the parish of Opi.

Page 2 was an extract of the death of Nunziata de Arcangelis, filed on 18 October 1852 in Opi. The death was reported by a relative and a farmer. She died on 17 October in her home. She was the wife of the living Angelico Ursitti. She was 41 years old, born in Opi and a landowner living in Opi. She was a daughter of the living Filippo de Arcangelis, a landowner living in Opi and the late Mariantonia Bevilacqua. Page 3 was an extract of the public notice of this intended marriage, filed on 31 July. Information describing the bride and groom match the above. Pages 4-5 were another copy of the solemn promise to marry, describing the bride and groom as above. Source #6

Thank you once again to Kathy from GenTracer for assistance in researching our Italian ancestors.