Antonina Cicero

[AngelaGrace56]

Whoops.

[AngelaGrace56]

Thank You again. Since the Sicilians use the same names generation after generation it does get very confusing. My grandfather's first cousin had the exact same name and was born in the same year, so I have learned to be a little more cautious, as you already know. I really appreciate all your help.

You are very welcome. Just to add to what carubia has said you might be interested to read the following about Italian Naming Traditions, as well: http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/pearlsofwi ... aming.html

You are very wise be to be cautious.

Anyways I haven't been able to locate the death record for Bernardo Cicero (husband of Serafina Gagliano) but I have found one for Giuseppa Martorana (wife of Salvatore Bavuso (Volpe)):

Quick translation:

DEATH RECORD NO 98 GIUSEPPA MARTORANA

Record is dated 26 August 1901 at 9.40 a.m. Cianciana.

Giuseppa Martorana, aged 60, casalinga (housewife) living and born in Cianciana, daughter of the late Antonino Martorana and the late Rosolia Vizzi, wife of Salvatore Volpe Baruso died on 24 August 1901. Address: Via De Michele, no number given.

(The official mentioned here was Cavaliere? Giuseppe Martorana, Deputy Secretary of the Mayor – “possibly” in your family history – but which Giuseppe in which generation?)

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... ,349480701

Angela

[carubia]

Dolly, I know this is an old thread but I just got around to adding your family to my tree. I want to clear up some confusion here: There were 2 different women named Maria Rosa Cicero. One was the daughter of Paolo Cicero and Ninfa Alfano, born in 1855, and married to Giovanni Taglalavore. She is your ancestor (great-grandmother, I think). The other Maria Rosa Cicero was the daughter of Bernardo Cicero and Serafina Gagliano, born in 1864, and married to Gaetano Arcuri. The Maria Rosa born in 1855 was the sister of Giuseppa Cicero, the mother of Francesco Castellano; thus, your grandparents were indeed 1st cousins. The other Maria Rosa had a brother Ignazio Cicero who was the grandfather of the woman Antonina Cicero you met in Sicily.

It seems that Antonina is mixing up these 2 Maria Rosa Ciceros. If you really were descended from the Maria Rosa born in 1864 then Antonina would be your 3rd cousin once removed. Moreover, your grandparents would only have been 2nd cousins, assuming Bernardo Cicero was the brother of Paolo Cicero (something which Antonina apparently believes is true - I'll try to verify this). But she was mistaken about which Maria Rosa was your great-grandmother. Thus your grandparents really were 1st cousins and Antonina is really your 4th cousin once removed.

[mcvega]

Hello,

Thank you so much for trying to research this for me. I have never been able to make the connection with Antonina, although she did believe we were related. This is wonderful. I knew my grandparents were 1st cousins because they always said so. I also knew that their mothers were sisters. Thank you so much for explaining were the confusion was. Do you think the two Maria Rosa Cicero could have been cousins?

Thanks again

[carubia]

If Bernardo Cicero was really the brother of Paolo Cicero, then the 2 Maria Rosa Ciceros were indeed 1st cousins. It seems that Antonina believes this to be true. However, I haven't found any record that indicates Bernardo's parents, so I can't say for sure.