May 10,1999

At 6 PM ( flight scheduled to leave 5:45) Flew Air France out of  Chicago to Paris France.  Plane was late getting in to Paris barley made the flight out of Paris for Rome.

May 11,1999

Arrived Roma Fiumicino 12 noon.  Waited for my bag to show up on the carrousel.  It was a no show.  All of the Americans on that flight out of Paris never got their bags transferred from the Paris flight to the Roma flight. We were told that it would be in on the next flight which is 2:45PM. They arrived at 3:45PM.  My whole train schedule was off.  I rode the train out of Fiumicino into Roma Termini.  Took a north bound Ancona train to Fabriano where I changed trains for San Severino.  I got into the hotel at midnight.

May 12,1999

Woke up at 7:45 to the crowing of the rosters, got up and had breakfast at the hotel. Walk down to Plazza di Popolo in the center of San Severino. Stopped at the library to get oriented as to where the tourist office is , civil records are kept, and Police station.  Visited each.  All were very friendly and very helpful.  At the civil records they called the custodian of the cemetery to find where my ancestors were buried and the Police located the streets my great-grandparents lived on.  The map of San Severino does not identify the names of all the streets.  Close to lunch so I went back to my hotel “ Due Torri”.  Name was taken for the location, it has two Torri ( Towers translated). One of the towers belongs to the church Duomo Veccheo and the other to the castle.  The hotel overlooks the city. I’d guess the hotel  is about 700 feet above the city. The view is very beautiful from this height.   The people are the friendliest I met anywhere in all my travels. Lunch at the hotel was fantastic.  It was first plate of pasta, second plate of meat, third plate of  cheese, fruit and all the wine you could drink.  This was repeated for the evening meal. Three meals a day including wine for just under twenty dollars.  Some of the  meals reminded me of my grandmother’s meals. It takes me an hour to hour and half to eat.  Then a two-hour nap and then back down into town.  Located the home of Severino Caglini where Rita Caglini Silvestroni grew up on Vicolo Madonnetta N 19 and took pictures.

I toured the city on foot.  Streets and alleys are cobblestone, very narrow, winding and steep.  A car is not a necessity for seeing the city  but you better have a good pair of walking shoes.  Those hills will put muscles were you never had them before.  In two days I leisurely covered the town walking and repeated it several times.  The other benefit you get from  walking, you are able to meet and talk with the people.

Rita Caglini Silvestroni grew up on this street. Vicola Madonnetta. House was under repairs due to last years earthquake.

May 13,1999

I woke up at 8 and had breakfast.  Walked down to Archives office to see if they located any of the gravesites of my ancestors.  They told me to go to the cemetery San Michele and locate the custodian Bohifazi Pacifico who will escort me to the tombs.  Took a taxi to the cemetery, found the custodian Bohifazi  he greeted me like I was some old friend.  Took me to the tomb of Severino Caglini and Annunziata  Donati.  A picture of Severino was mounted in the face plate of the tomb.  Chiseled into the plate is the following “ SEVERINO CAGLINI MORTO DI ANNI 70 IL  16 GENNAIO 1911 LA CONSORTE E LE FIGLIE INCONSOLABILI P.P.”  In the upper left hand corner the following was inscribed “ ANNUNZIATA DONATI VED. CAGLINI N. IL 8 AGO. 1846 M. IL 12 OTT.1918”. Took pictures.  The location of the tomb in the mausoleum is identified as Colombaio N. 1. As you enter the portal turn left walk to near the end of the chamber, on the left about a third of the way down from the ceiling you will find their tomb. 

The custodian then took me to Colombaio N4 where the remains of Giovanni Silvestroni and Pacifica Giacinti Silvestroni are located. My great-grandfather & great-grandmother.  As you walk into Colombaio N4 on the right hand side is a wall with the chiseled inscription of the people who are buried together in a crypt located in the floor. Bodies are lowered by rope down this hole and the first one in is on the bottom and last one in is on the top. I copied all the names of the bodies that are mingled in this crypt in the order that they were inserted.  ROSA CIALE IN TOMMASSETTI 26 MAGGIO 1851 +  18 MAZO 1925- GIOVANNI SILVESTRONI 13 FEBBRAIO 1843 + 10 APRILE 1926 - PACIFICA GIACINTI V. SILVESTRONI 27 DICEMBRE 1854 +23 MAGGIO 1926 - ANGELA MARINI IN CIAMBOTTI  9 MAGGIO 1857 + 23 GIUGNO 1926 - LUIGI CIAMBOTTI 4 DICEMBRE 1886 + 4 LUGLIO 1926 - NAZZARENO SCHIAVONI 26 FEBIZIO 1876 + 14 NOVEMBRE 1926 - MARGHERITA VESPASIANI V. DIALUCE 18 OTTOBRE  1836 + 16 GIUGNO 1927 - NICOLA CIAMBOTTI 28 MARZO 1843 +10 MARZO 1927 - ANNUNZIATA CINGOLANI V. ANTONELLI 24 MARZO 1853 + 25 FEBBRIO 1929 - TERESA LIPPLIN ROMAGNOLI 29 APRILE 1851 + 5 MAGGIO 1926 - ANNIBALE  ROMAGNOLI 18 FEBBRRAIO 1878 + 19 GIUGNO 1929 - ANGELO PALANCA 9 SETTEMBRE 1857 + 4 MARZP 1928 - ANGELO VALERI FEBBRAIO 1852 +2 LUGLIO 1923 - DOMENICO VALERI 18 FEBBRAIO 1851 +5 LUGLIO 1914 - CATERINA MAURONI 1 GIUGNO 1849 + 2 APRILE 1927 - SANTE LUPIUI 14 LUG 1846 + 7 NOV. 1929- Begins another column. PACIFICO GABRIELLI 25 GIUGNO 1888, 31 GENNAIO 1830 - LUCIA LIPPI IN ERGO 14 MARZO 1840 + 12 AGISTI 1931- CECALONI DOMENICO M. 16 DICEMBRE 1924 - RENZI MARIA M 23 MARZO 1926. I wonder if they all are partying down there.

I walked back to San Severino and up to my hotel. Not a bad walk about 30 minutes.  I washed up and had lunch , cannoli stuffed with ricotta and a platter of fillet of roasted lamb with potatoes. I had the local table white wine. I noticed people drink it here in a beer glass filled to the top. I left the restaurant and saw this old women walking up the hill and I started a conversation with her.  She is part time caretaker for the church next door to this hotel and restaurant.  She took me in the church which is called the Duomo Vecchio.  The church contains the remains of the patron saint of the city San Severino.  I was introduced to the parish priest Don E’ u Sebio. Priest in Italian are called Don.  The church was under reconstruction due to the earthquake of last year.  Don E’ u Sebio gave me a tour of the inside of the church as well as the history.  It was built in year 545 and the priest was Severino. The town at this period in time was called Settempeda a name given by the Romans who occupied it. Later I found out from the parish priest,Don Quinto Domizi of the church San Pietro in Biagi,  our ancestors were baptized in this church. The Dumo Vecchio has the title of Cattedrale.

Front entrance to Cimitero San Michele di San Severino

The inside walls that surrounds the cemetary have vaults for burials.

Dumo Vecchio built 535- 553

May 14,1999

Hired a taxi to take me to Biagi to locate the cemetery San Giovanni and the church San Pietro.  The church, San Pietro is the one Don Pasquele Silvestroni was the pastor. The cemetery is were Pietro and his son Annibale were buried. Pietro is my grandfather’s grandfather. Taxi driver did not know where the church was but he managed to find the cemetery.  Biagi is all country  with a few homes here and there.  I told  the cab driver to come back in two and half hours.  I went through the cemetery, could not find Pietro and his son Annibale Silvestroni.  I left the cemetery and started walking straight up the hill  where I could see a church, thinking maybe it was San Pietro.  You couldn’t help but admire the whole country side. Very beautiful and peaceful.  When I reached the top I saw some women in  the field gathering hay.  I spoke to them and ask if that was the church San Pietro? They said no.  They  stopped there work and took me to someone who was trimming a tree.  He came down from the tree  and next thing I know other members of the family showed up all interested in this American.  At last  an old women remembered the church and the man drove me to the location and located the caretaker of the church.  She was 85 years old . When I told her I was the relative of one of the former  pastors  of the church she opened the church to me and I was given a tour . Took a lot of pictures.  I saw the stone with the initials SDP ( Silvestroni Don Pasquale), the sanctuary the croce di metallo, statues, everything described in the letter that I received from the pastor.  These are items acquired by Don Pasquale during his pastorate. After I was through I left the church and the field hands all came up to me asked me if I was hungry , thirsty or do I want a glass of wine.  They were real happy to see me. I spent the rest of the time answering their questions about America. The cab returned and I was back at the hotel for another marvelous lunch followed by a nap.  Woke up went down to San Severino to picked up the film I left to develop.  I was talking with the owners son and his father was listing to our conversation and when he heard I was family to Caglini he butted in and said he knew a Caglini.  He said, lets go find him and he drove me to his house but he wasn’t home.  Then he drove me to a villa to visit, after that he took me way up into the mountain to San Pacifica, a monastery.  Fantastic views all around.  I can’t believe how beautiful San Severino is. He took me back down to see if Caglini had returned. He did but we were not related.  The person  who took me on a tour was named Mario.  He pointed out a building in San Severino that is named Plazza Caglini.  We got back to the shop about hour and half later  I picked up my film thanked him and went on my way. What friendly people these San Severino’s are. I called Pietro Mateloni. He came to the hotel and we agreed to meet again the next day. Had not found the grave site of Don Pasquale Silvestroni  or his father or brother  Annaible at San Giovanni cemetery.

The church of San Pietro of Biagi

The bricks with the initials SDP for Silvestroni Don Pasquale is in the window sill of the office of the church.

The metallic cross ( croce di metallo )

May 15, 1999

Carmella, daughter of Pietro Mataloni, pick me up at the hotel and took me to meet her mother at her place of work. Mothers name is Palma, nicest person you want to meet.  When I told her what I was doing she told me that the tomb of Don Pasquale Silvestroni was at San Severino cemetery.  Palma and her daughter  took me to the cemetery to show me the tomb. He is located in Columbaio N.3 . Stone reads as follows “ D. Pasquale Silvestroni SACERDOTE ESEMPLARE PARROCO ZEL ANTISSIMO DI BIAGI PER 36 ANNI POI VICARIO FORAMEO E DA ULTIMO CANONICO DELLA CHIESA CATTEORALE N15 MAGGIO 1853 M 12 FEBBRAIO 1920”.

I was then taken to their home.  This was the home that our aunt Rose Blasi stayed at while she visited. Met with Pietro’s mother, Maria. Pietro’s only living uncle Ero came by to meet me.  Pietro’s father Luigi (Gigetto)

died 26 Feb. 1994.  Pietro came by- we looked at old pictures. I took pictures of old pictures of our grandfather’s sister Elvira. Pietro got a call that the priest Quinto was looking for me. Pietro took me to where he was waiting for me, at Diocesano Vescove. A building built in 1590 now abandon and condemned because of the damage by the earthquake of last year.  Inside there are old painting on the wall, old furniture and most important the archives for the district. He took me upstairs into a room were the archives are kept.  I could see they go back to the year 924. From the year 924 to the 1600 are scrolls and from 1600 forward they are in books.  I was paging through the years 1600 to the 1800 with Don Quinto.  The books are written long hand and in some Latin.  We located Pietro’s father and mother.  He copied the data and some other data and said he would translate the data to Italian and return it to me tomorrow. Don Quinto drove me back to the home of Pietro Mataloni.  Pietro, with his mother  coming along, drove me back to San Michele cemetery to see the tomb of Elvira Silvestroni Mataloni. I took pictures.

Elivera Silvestroni Mataloni  B. 1882 D 1977

Pietro Mataloni grandson of Elivera, Ero Mataloni son of Elivera and Dominic Sylvester.

Don Quinto in the Archieve of Diocesano Vescove

Pietro Silvestroni baptismal record.

May 16, 1999

A quiet day .  Walk down to the Plazza di Popolo and watch the activities. Some sort of contest of small cars racing around the Plazza. The car is refer to as the cinquecento.  Ate and toured around.

May 17,1999

Bought my train ticket to Gulado Tadino at a tobacco shop.  Met with Don Quinto Domizi. He  translated  the baptism records of  Pietro Silvestroni and his father and mother Giambattista his wife Marie Niccola.

Giambattista born  9 April 1799.  His father’s name is Giuseppe and mother Marie Nicola. Didn’t give their birth date but has to be around 1778.  Don Quinto said he would look farther back on my line.  This is when I first learned that the church my ancestors went to was just behind were I was staying. The Domo Vecchio.  This church had several names throughout it’s history.  Don Quinto always referred to church as the Cattedrale.

May 18,1999

Just wandered around again through the alleys and  street of San Severino.  Never missing lunch or supper.

The home of Giovanni & Pacifica Silvestroni where my grandfather Gian Battista grew up. Via San Biagio N.6. Two alleys away from where my grandmother  Rita Caglini grew up.

May 19,1999

Hated to leave San Severino. Left for Gualdo Tadino by train.

As the train was approaching Gualdo Tadino I was standing at the exit door and next to me was a nun. So I started a conversation by asking how far is the town from the train station and that I was doing  research into my family history in Italy.  She asked me what the family name was, I said Gammaitoni and Bonci.  She said her mothers maiden name is Bonci. Well the train stop we had to exit and she had transportation waiting for her.  I managed to get her name, Sour Maria Assunta Villa and where she lived. I asked if I can visit with her while I’m here - she said yes. I looked for a cab or phone number. Nothing like that posted anywhere.  I called the hotel Gigiotto, picked this hotel at random from a list I got off a web site before I left for Italy, she told me to take a bus. I said I don’t want a bus send me a cab.  Waited about ten minutes when a car came up, a women driver.  I got in started a conversation told her what I was doing she asked for the family name. I said, Gammaitoni and Bonci.  She said her mother’s maiden name is Bonci.  She said her mother comes to the hotel every night and I will get to meet her.  I thought this women was the taxi driver turns out she is the owner of the hotel.  The taxi driver was old died and no one replaced him.  Got settled into the hotel and went out to explore the town. The area is very pretty but not as pretty as San Severnio.  Later that night I met Giuseppina Bonci Pascucci.  I almost fell over - she reminded me of the picture of my grandmother Elizabetta Bonci.  She said I look like her brother Napoleone.  He also likes to do genealogy .

Sour Maria Assunta Villa

May 20,1999

Got up early and took a bus to the cemetery.   Met with the custodian gave him the   names of the Gammaitoni’s date of death and the same for the Bonci.  He took me by car to where the records are kept. Could not find anything of either family. Then he remembered a Bonci in town and he drove me to his home.  Turns out to be a relative of my great grandfather Serifino Bonci. He is a cousin to my mother, Argentina and to my aunt, Santina Gammaitoni Nardi. His name is Ido Bonci born 7 April 1926 his wife name is Clara .  His fathers name is Elisero Bonci born 1893 son of Serfinio.  Serifino had four children Elizabetta, Daria, Rosa and Elisero.  They had a visit from Santina’s husband Louie some years ago. I took pictures.  Later I went to see the nun Maria. We knew   we are related but we couldn’t figure out how.  Took pictures will return.  Two days in town still haven’t contacted Eufemia getting nervous about this. When I called I did not get the right party. Tomorrow I will go to Stato Civile where I know Maria, Eufemia’s daughter, works.  That night I met Napoleon.  Wow - he does look like me.  He did a lot of research on the family that goes back to about 1742.  Starting from about 1742 there is, Bonci Sante he had a son Petrus born 1762 died 1820.  Petrus had two sons Joocchin born 1803 died 1853. This is the line that I am from. Petrus second son was Sante born ? died 1840. Joocchin had two sons Pietro born 1830 died 1860. His second son Vincenso born ? died ?. Vicenso is the line I am from. Vencenso had three children Guiseppe, Maria and Serafino. Serifino is my great grandfather.  Serifino had four children Elizabetta, Rosa, Daria and Eliserio. My line is Elizabetta.

Elisero Bonci son of Serifino                                                     Elisero Bonci an older photo.

Ido Bonci son of Elisero

Napoleon Bonci

Giuseppina Bonci Pascucci

May 21,1999

This morning I went to Stato Civile to see if I could locate Maria Ceccarelli daughter of Eufemia Gammaitoni.    She was not in the office, instead she was located in another building.  They called her from there and she came down to meet me.  She brought me to her home. She lives with her parents ever since her husband died. He died at the age of 30.  A lot of excitement when I was brought to her home.  The home is like an apartment where all the married male members and their family has one unit. The female are expected to find a husband and live elsewhere. Met with Eufemia and her husband as well as all the other members of the house. Had coffee and cake and wanted me to stay but I had already agreed to meet with the Bonci’s that day. We agreed on meeting tomorrow.

From the left Eufemia her sister Maria Stella and Maria daughter of Eufemia.

Back at the hotel met with Napoleon and Giusepina.  They are taking me to Grello and the home where my grandmother Elizabetta was born and raised. The home  still remains in the family of the Bonci’s.  This farm was a convent before Sante Bonci bought it around 1740-1750.  The olive trees on the farm was planted  259  years ago by Sante Bonci and is still producing.  Over the years the home has been added on to accommodate the male children descendants and their families  who worked the farm.  Took pictures. There is a wine barrel in the basement with a carved year of 1789.  I’m told by Napoleon it is still in use.  Serifino my great-grandfather had a brother Giuseppe a sister Marie and cousins who shared this farm.  Serifino had three girls and one boy. Elizabetta (my grandmother),Rosa, Daria and a boy Elisero. Elisero is  Ido Bonci’s father. Ido I met on May 20. From this farm you could look down on  Gammaitoni’s home were my grandfather Domenico grew up.  I took pictures.

Dominic Sylvester and Giuseppina Bonci at the home of my great-grandfather Serifino Bonci.

May 22,1999

Spent the whole day with the Ceccarelli (Gammaitoni) family. Maria Ceccarelli Massimiliano, daughter of Eufemia pick me up at the hotel and took me to where my grandfather Domenico Gammaitoni grew up. The home located in Grello was situated in  the middle of a field with no access roads to it.  It was raining and in order to get close you had to walk through this field that had grass as high as my belt buckle. In order not to get wet we just viewed it from a distance. I took a picture but it may show very little. From there she took me to Ramon’s home, he is the son of Piera Gammaitoni sister of Eufemia. He had a lot of family pictures of his grandfather Geovanni, Domenico’s brother. He also had a painting made of his great-grandfather,  Antonio , my great grandfather too, from a photograph he had which he no longer can locate. I took pictures of pictures.

At the home of Ramon Chiarini son of Piera Gammaitoni Chiarini.

From the left wife of Ramon Sarafina, Maria Ceccarelli Massimiliano, and Ramon.

Painting above  center is Antonio Gammaitoni father of Domenico.

I was taken to Giammario home for lunch and met his mother Giuseppa Gammaitoni sister of Eufemia. Here I heard for the first time that Domenico had another brother Giuseppe and a sister Stella. They took me to the home of the granddaughter of Giuseppe. She had only one small photo of him. I took a picture of a picture of Giuseppe and his wife.

From the left Maria ,Ramon, standing daughter of Giammauro, Giammaruo wife Lena, Giammario Galli son of Giuseppa Gammaitoni Galli, and Giuseppa Gammaitoni Galli.

Giuseppe Gammaitoni brother of Domenico &      Top left Eufemia, Caterina, Maria sitting Loretta & Giovanni

Giovanni                                                                Gammaitoni

May 23,1999

I was taken back to the home of Eufemia and met her sister Maria Stella named after her aunt Stella. Domenico, Giovanni and Giuseppe sister. Maria Stella and her husband immigrated to Australia and returned to Italy to retire. Marie Stella’s husband died not long ago and she is living with her son’s family. Eufemia and Maria Stella told me that Domenico, Giovanni and Giuseppe all immigrated to the United States to work. There was a family emergency requiring two brothers to return and help the family out. It was decided that Domenico would stay.

Giuseppe served in WWI and was gassed which later contributed to his sickness and early death. What wasn’t clear to me was if he served in the American Army or the Italian.

May 24, 1999

Took the train to Rome and spent the day in Rome suburb.

May 25,1999

Flew back home.

fn:Trip SSM&GT