Wednesday, May 15, 2002

Back on March 20, I said I needed to order the film of marriage records for Gioia Sannitica so I could find the record for the marriage of Giuseppe Navarro and Pasqualina Melillo, my 4G grandparents. When I went to the Family History Library catalog, the film number I needed looked very familiar. Turns out that the record I needed is on the end of a film of records from San Potito Sannitico that I've got on permanent loan at my local FHC (page 1 | page 2). So I went in today and got a copy of the record. Giuseppe and Pasqualina married on 8 Dec 1823 in Gioia Sannitica. Pasqualina was actually from Calvisi, which is a frazione (dependent hamlet) of Gioia located between Gioia and San Potito.

The record confirmed what Pasqualina's death record had said, that her parents were Giovanni Melillo and Angela del Santo. Giovanni was dead by the wedding date, but Angela was still living, so that will help me push back another generation or two on the del Santos with death records. The marriage record also included the name of Pasqualina's avo paterno, or paternal grandfather, who would be my 6G-grandfather, Giuseppe Melillo.

One really nice feature of this marriage record is that it contains signatures for both Giuseppe Navarro and Pasqualina Melillo. It's very interesting that in 1823, she knew how to write. I don't think I've seen that with any other of my female ancestors from that period.

Marriage Record

• Giuseppe Navarro and Pasqualina Melillo, Gioia Sannitica, Terra di Lavoro, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, 8 Dec 1823 (page 1 | page 2)

Posted at 7:52:51 PM

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