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GRECO RESEARCH NOTES & LIST OF DOCUMENTS San Giovanni in Fiore (CS)
RESEARCH NOTES:
The medieval town of San Giovanni in Fiore is located on the Sila Plateau about 1,050 meter above sea level in the province of Cosenza. A little over 18,000 souls reside in San Giovanni in Fiore today; it is the oldest and most populated mountain village in Italy.
Abbazia Florense – San Giovanni in Fiore (CS)
The town was built around the Abbey (known as Abbazia Florense) founded by Gioacchino da Fiore in 1189; he was a mystic Cistercian monk who wrote several books about the prophecy and the salvation of the human race. For this reason, Dante Alighieri in the Divine Comedy describes him as one “di spirito profetico dotato”, i.e. endowed with prophetic spirit. Gioacchino 1 | Page
da Fiore was a very well-known figure at the time who advised Popes and took part in the Third Crusade. It is not by chance that the town was named after him; originally the town was named Fiore then in 1530, it became San Giovanni in Fiore to honor St. John the Evangelist.
Gioacchino da Fiore (abt 1135-1202)
It was around this Monastery that the town gradually developed. Initially there were a few small homes of farmers and builders who worked at the Abbey, but later the town grew in the shape of a medieval village, with narrow cobbled streets and alleys surrounding the Abbey. Today in addition to spiritual offerings, the Abbey also hosts the Museo Demologico (Museum of the working class created in 1984) that share the everyday work and social lives of the people from the Sila. The town’s urban center features several beautiful churches, such as the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie built at the beginning of the 1600s and then rebuilt in 1770.
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San Giovanni in Fiore is also known for its folklore and tradition, especially when it comes to women’s clothing. The costume worn by women represented a family capital. It was the work of expert craftsmen; buying such a dress was an investment and it was passed on, mothers to daughters, generation after generation.
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Typical clothing
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RESEARCH SOURCES:
The research of the Greco Family took place in:
• The Dioceses Archive of Cosenza
• The State Archive of Cosenza
• The Parish Church of Colosimi
o Baptismal records are available from 1795 o Marriages from 1775 o Deaths from 1793
• The Parish Church of San Giovanni in Fiore which maintains registers of two churches: The mother church of Santa Maria delle Grazie The church of Santa Maria Beata Vergine now known as Church of the Sanita’ (Not all the old Registers clearly identify to which Church they belong).
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THE GRECO FAMILY
The research of the Greco Family started from where we left it; the children of Giuseppe Greco and Giovanna Chiodo. We knew of:
o Saverio born about 1777 who died in 1830 at the age of 53, a farmer, husband of Caterina Chiodo
o Rachele born about 1787 who died in 1844 at the age of 57 wife of Raffaele Ferrajuolo o Francesco born about 1790 who died in 1811 at the age of 21, a farmer o Alessandro born in the summer of 1795 o Pietro Giovanni born abt 1798 who died in 1831 at the age of 33 the husband of Filippina Maria Perri whom he had married in 1825.
We needed more information on Giuseppe’s age and place of birth so we traveled to the State Archive of Cosenza to locate the “processetto matrimoniale” or marriage trial for his son Pietro Giovanni Greco b. 1798 who married in 1825 Filippina Maria Perri. Among the documents put together for the marriage, we found the death of his father Giuseppe, which we already had, and the death of his paternal grandfather Lorenzo Greco. Lorenzo died in San Giovanni in Fiore on March 27, 1781. Part of the documentation gathered in the processetto, was also the baptism of Pietro Giovanni Greco who was born on June 27, 1798 and was baptized on the same day in the Church of Beata S. Maria Vergine in Colosimi.
The baptismal records available in the Church of Colosimi only start from 1795, therefore we were unable to find any other sons or daughters born to Giuseppe Greco and Giovanna Chiodo. In addition, these Church Registers are in such poor condition (some portions of the records are missing) that not all of them can be consulted.
From a further research in the Marriage Registers of Colosimi, we were able to locate the marriage of Giuseppe Greco to Giovanna Chiodo which took place there on 11 Oct 1777. The
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document is not in very good condition and the bride’s first name is no longer showing.
This document confirms that the groom, Giuseppe Greco, hailed from San Giovanni in Fiore.
The research then continued in the Catasto Onciario of San Giovanni in Fiore which is physically maintained in the State Archive of Napoli. The State Archive of Cosenza has made it available online. The Catasto Onciario is a census which was compiled in 1753 of all living individuals and created for the purpose of introducing a more modern taxation. The great amount of detail available in these documents can help us reconstruct the size of a family, the professions of all family members and their assets (i.e. property, livestock) and finally where they lived.
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The Greco Family was located and is listed in the “fuoco” or family group (identified as a home with a fireplace, i.e. fuoco – fire) of Bernardo Greco, Lorenzo’s brother.
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It reads as follows: Bernardo Greco bracciale (farmer) age 60 Carmine figlio, son, bracciale (farmer) age 28 Vittoria Oliverio, wife of Carmine age 38 Domenico, son, bracciale (farmer) age 24 Anna Tangaro wife of Domenico, age 20 Ignazio grandson of Bernardo and son of Domenico age 01 Lorenzo brother (of Bernardo) bracciale (farmer) age 50 – (it’s not “otto” but the abbreviation of “fratello”, i.e. brother) Anna Cortese, wife of Lorenzo, age 40 Michelangelo, nephew of Bernardo, (son of Lorenzo) bracciale (farmer) age 24 Saverio, nephew of Bernardo, (son of Lorenzo) bracciale (farmer) age 16 Pietro Paolo, nephew of Bernardo, (son of Lorenzo) age 19 Giuseppe, nephew of Bernardo, (son of Lorenzo) age 6 Francesco, nephew of Bernardo, (son of Lorenzo) age 3 Diana, niece of Bernardo, (daughter of Lorenzo) vergine (virgin or not married) age 20 Teresa niece of Bernardo, (daughter of Lorenzo) vergine (virgin or not married) age 14 Lucrezia niece of Bernardo, (daughter of Lorenzo) vergine (virgin or not married) age 18
Testa di (tax of) Bernardo for being 60 years old (sessuagenario): 0 Of Carmine ------1: Industria (Labor) of Bernardo oncie ------12: Industria (Labor) of Carmine oncie------12: Industria (Labor) of Domenico oncie------12: Industria (Labor) of Lorenzo oncie------12: Industria (Labor) of Michelangelo oncie------12: Industria (Labor) of Saverio oncie------6: Avanzo di Testa (surtax) for Bernardo 0 Avanzo di Testa (surtax) for Carmine 0 Avanzo di Testa (surtax) for Domenico 0 Avanzo di Testa (surtax) for Lorenzo 0 Avanzo di Testa (surtax) for Michelangelo 0 Avanzo di Testa (surtax) for Saverio 0
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Bernardo lives in his own home in the neighborhood of the Tea.... bordering with the home of Master Lorenzo P..... He (Bernardo) owns a vineyard in Celzo valued at “grana” 50 equal to oncie ------1:20 He (Bernardo) owns a vineyard in … valued at carlini 10 grana 3:4 equal to oncie 3:13 He (Bernardo) owns a vineyard in Cravia valued at grana 16.8 equal to oncie 0:16.8 He (Bernardo) owns another vineyard in that same location of Cravia valued at grana 33.4 equal to oncie 1:03 He (Bernardo) owns a “somaro” (donkey) valued at docati four and a half equal to oncie 7:30 Total oncie 80:23
It is really difficult to estimate the value of an “oncia”, because it differed based on the geographic location. The oncia was considered the total taxable income. Generally speaking 1 oncia was equal to 6 ducati.
Giuseppe Greco’s year of birth, i.e. 1747 is deduced from the Catasto Onciario (he was 6 years old in 1753). The age listed in his death record, i.e. 40 years old in 1805 is obviously wrong. Unfortunately his baptismal record could not be found because the baptismal records available in the Mother Church of San Giovanni in Fiore (Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie) are missing for the years 1744 to 1753.
Giuseppe was one of nine children of Lorenzo and of Antonia (Anna) Cortese (that we know of considering the gap in the Church Registers):
- Michelangelo Greco born about 1729 (he was 24 years old in 1753). We could not find his baptismal record and we believe that he could have been born in another town.
- Diana Greco born in San Giovanni in Fiore on February 24, 1731. In the baptismal record, the mother’s name is wrongly listed as Caterina instead of Antonia (Anna) Cortese.
- Lucrezia Maria Greco born in San Giovanni in Fiore on May 6, 1735 (she was 18 years old in 1753). Anna Liborio was her godmother.
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- Saverio Greco born about 1737 (he was 16 years old, farmer in 1753). Also in his case, we could not find his baptismal record and we believe that he could have been born in another town.
- Teresa Greco born on February 25, 1739 in San Giovanni in Fiore. Her godmother was Vittoria Cortese, daughter of the late Matteo, possibly a maternal aunt.
- Pietro Paolo Greco born on June 30, 1742 in San Giovanni in Fiore. His godmother was Teresa Gentile.
- Giovanni Battista Greco born on July 23, 1744 in San Giovanni in Fiore. Caterina De Ippolito was his godmother. He is the only son of Lorenzo and Antonia Cortese who is not listed in the Catasto Onciario. It may mean that he had already passed away in 1753.
- Giuseppe Greco born about 1747 in San Giovanni in Fiore who will marry Giovanna Chiodo in Colosimi in 1777.
- Francesco Greco born on April 24, 1749. Caterina Larata was his godmother.
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Baptismal Font in the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie
Also the marriage between Lorenzo Greco and Antonia Cortese could not be found in San Giovanni in Fiore; we believe that Antonia was from a different town which may also explain why we could not locate the births of two of their children, Michelangelo and Saverio.
Lorenzo died on a late March day in 1781 in San Giovanni in Fiore at the of about 70 (in reality he was much older, because he had just turned 82). He was buried in the Cemetery of the Mother Church. The only death record we were able to locate was the one that was part of the 12 | Page
processetto matrimoniale of his grandson Pietro Giovanni Greco. The death records in the Mother Church of San Giovanni in Fiore have a gap between 1780 and 1782.
Lorenzo was the son of Giuseppe Greco and of Caterina Guglielmetta born in San Giovanni in Fiore on March 17, 1699. Caterina Olivera was his godmother.
He was one of seven children born to Giuseppe Greco and Caterina Guglielmetta:
- Michelangelo Greco born on March 18, 1674 in San Giovanni in Fiore; his godparents were Domenico Cortese son of Claudio and Maddalena Punissa daughter of Carlo
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- Paolo Greco born on September 3, 1675 in San Giovanni in Fiore. His godmother was Petruzza Russo daughter of the late Andrea
- Bernardo Greco born on August 21, 1690 in San Giovanni Fiore. His godmother was Francesca Ferraro
- Domenico Greco born on April 10, 1694 in San Giovanni in Fiore. His godmother was Elisa Vincenzo
- Giovanni Greco born on July 29, 1696 in San Giovanni in Fiore. His godmother was Clarissa Barbera. He married twice: The first time to Giovanna De Rose The second time in 1733 in San Giovanni in Fiore as a widower to Fulvia Martino also a widow. Two notables witnessed his marriage: Don Giuseppe Zangaro and Don Salvatore Pignanelli
- Lorenzo Greco born on March 17, 1699 in San Giovanni in Fiore
- Barbara Greco born on May 31, 1701 in San Giovanni in Fiore. Her godmother was Giulia Riccello.
Giuseppe Greco and Caterina Guglielmetta were married in San Giovanni in Fiore the day after Christmas (during the celebration of Santo Stefano) in 1672. Giuseppe Greco son of Domenico and Caterina Guglielmetta daughter of Francesco Maria from this parish were married on December 26, 1672. Witnesses to their marriage were a Dottore Fisico (Medical Doctor) Francesco Secreto son of Antonio and Giuseppe De Clara son of Giulio from this parish. The marriage banns were published on Nov 6, Nov 8 and Nov 30 (during the celebration of S. Andrea Apostolo).
Giuseppe and Caterina were four years apart. Caterina was born on July 7, 1656 in San Giovanni in Fiore, the daughter of Francesco Maria Guglielmetta and of Lucrezia Scigliano. Her godparents were the “Magnifico” Claudio Filippo Caruso son of Carlo and Sabella Puzella.
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Giuseppe was born on July 17, 1652 in San Giovanni in Fiore, the son of [Do]Minico Greco and of Vittoria Pignanella. His godparents were GioBatta Silleta and Sabella Foglia.
[Do]Minico Greco (presumably born around 1620) and Vittoria Pignanella were married in the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in San Giovanni in Fiore on September 22, 1647. Witnesses to their marriage were Giacomo Di Luca and Gio Giacomo Di Perri. The marriage banns were published on Sept 15, Sept 19 and Sept 21 (the third coinciding with the celebration of San Matteo).
Another view of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie
It is not easy to determine the social status of the Greco Family in the 1700s and in the 1600s. We know that in 1753, a family member, i.e. Bernardo Greco had taxable income. He owned a home, vineyards and a donkey but we also know that they were farmers. Some older records list important poeple among the witnesses or the godparents, mainly in the case of Caterina Guglielmetta’s baptism and her marriage to Giuseppe Greco.
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LIST OF FAMILY DOCUMENTS:
Generation of [Do]Minico Greco & Vittoria Pignanella
1. Marriage of [Do]Minico Greco to Vittoria Pignanella – 1647
2. Baptism of Giuseppe Greco – 1652
Generation of Giuseppe Greco & Caterina Guglielmetta
3. Baptism of Caterina Guglielmetta – 1656
4. Marriage of Giuseppe Greco to Caterina Guglielmetta – 1672 (2 pages)
5. Baptism of Michelangelo Greco – 1674
6. Baptism of Paolo Greco – 1675
7. Baptism of Bernardo Greco – 1690
8. Baptism of Domenico Greco – 1694
9. Baptism of Giovanni Greco – 1696
10. Marriage of Giovanni Greco to Fulvia Martino – 1733
11. Baptism of Lorenzo Greco – 1699
12. Baptism of Barbara Greco – 1701
Generation of Lorenzo Greco & Antonia Cortese
13. Catasto Onciario for Bernardo Greco (brother of Lorenzo Greco) – 1753
14. Baptism of Diana Greco – 1731 16 | Page
15. Baptism of Lucrezia Maria Greco – 1735
16. Baptism of Teresa Greco – 1739
17. Baptism of Pietro Paolo Greco – 1742
18. Baptism of Giovanni Battista Greco – 1744
19. Baptism of Francesco Greco – 1749
20. Death of Lorenzo Greco – 1780
Generation of Giuseppe Greco & Giovanna Chiodo
21. Baptism of Giovanna Chiodo – 1803
22. Marriage of Giuseppe Greco to Giovanna Chiodo – 1777
23. Baptism of Pietro Giovanni Greco – 1798
24. Death of Giuseppe Greco – 1805 (2 pages)
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