D’Amore Family of Montefalcione Update
The D’Amore Family of Montefalcione Update
Hello and welcome to the D'Amore Family of Montefalcione website. This post focuses on the content of the D'Amore Family Newsletter which was recently sent out regarding updates to genealogy research. If you'd like to be added to the newsletter, please send me a message and I'll happily add you to the list: Kristoferdamore@yahoo.com
As some of you know I’ve been working closely with Michele Cartusciello from the Museo del Cognome (http://museodelcognome.it) to research the parish archives of the Santa Maria Assunta church in Montefalcione.
Thanks to Michele’s incredible ability to locate information and decipher ancient texts we’ve had a lot success, and for this first edition of the D’Amore newsletter I am excited to be able to share it with you!
If you’re unsure of exactly how you’re connected to the main tree and are interested in learning please by all means send me an email - I’d be happy to construct an individually tailored tree that explains how you’re related and who your direct ancestors were.
Most of us who descend from the brothers Ferdinando (Boston, Philly, New York), Luigi (Boston, England, Argentina), and Stefano (New Rochele, Bronx), can all trace our origins back to the union of Nicola Giuseppe D’Amore and Carmina Nicolina D’Amore.
Bear in mind the pages of the records from the parish are hundreds of years old, and have survived not only the ravages of time but a gigantic earthquake in the 80’s which left them exposed to the elements under a roofless sky for several rainy months. It’s actually a miracle that they were intact; many other churches in the region had their entire parish records destroyed.
We figured this was the best place to start, so we began our search with the marriage record between Nicola Giuseppe D'Amore (born 1742) and Giovanna Carmina Nicolina D'Amore (born 1750) which happened on the 27th of April 1771, in Montefalcione:
As for the line of Giovanna Carmina Nicolina D'Amore, following the line, we traced back to an ancestor named Biagio D'Amore:
Interestingly I was able to find Biaggio’s Brothers, Savariano D’Amore and Scipione D’Amore, both mentioned in an old booked entitled “La Baronia del Castello di Serra nell'età moderna” which describes in detail the feudal land ownership of the Pratola Serra//Montemilleto/Montefalcione area during the 1600’s:
Taken from “La Baronia del Castello di Serra nell'età moderna (parte prima), Volume 2” : Footnote 18 “News from the registers of the Tax Authorities of Montefalcione, Scipione d'Amore (1715-16), Carlo Martignetto (1716-17), and Savariano d'Amore (1717-18), in Arch. Priv. Di Tocco, b. 107, file 401, 402, 403.”
I have copies of this document if anyone is interested in reading it. It basically describes how the hamlets of Montefalcione, Pratola Serra, and Manocalzati came into the hands of the Di Tocco family, a noble family of Longbardian decent. For more on the Di Tocco family please read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tocco_family#Italian_nobility
There is also a reference to Savariano, Biaggio’s brother, in one of the archives of the documented transactions transcribed by the monks of the Abbey of Montevergine:
Taken from: Dal Regesto delle pergamene / Abbazia di Montevergine ; a cura di Giovanni Mongelli, v. 5: sec. XV-XVI (Roma, 1958) Entry 5400.
Year 1595, novembre 1°, ind. IX. - Filippo re a. 42
Montefalcione.
Alessandro de Pascarello, di Montefalcione pubbl. not.
Angelo de Consolatio, di Montefalcione, giudice “Savariano de Amore e Antonio de Amore, suo figlio, di Montefalcione, essendo debitori verso il marchese di Montefalcione in 40 ducati di carlini d'argento, per la più facile riscossione di quei ducati impegnano i loro beni mobili e stabili, tra cui alcune possessioni in territorio di Montefalcione, nel luogo detto Santo Fele.”
Translation: “Savariano de Amore and Antonio de Amore, his son, of Montefalcione, being indebted to the Marquis of Montefalcione in 40 ducats of silver plugs, for the easier collection of those ducats they pledge their movable and stable assets, including some possessions in the territory of Montefalcione, in the place called Santo Fele. "
In proceeding with the search, we found Biagio D'Amore's parents, Troiano D'Amore and Giovanna Baldassarre. Troiano was born in 1640 to Savariano (born 1612) and Diamante Migliolo:
Savariano was born to Pietro D’Amore and Zenobia Zaccariello:
Pietro was born in 1583, the son of Savariano D’Amore and Marzia Petrullo (borth sometime in the early 1500’s):
For a fullsize image of the updated family tree of Giovanna Carima Nicolina D’Amore click here: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52496731365_4688890d00_k.jpg
As for the line of Nicola Giuseppe D'Amore, we traced it back to Francesco Domenico D'Amore, born in 1662:
Following this discovery, we traced back to Francesco's parents Giuseppe D'Amore and Fioribella De Stefano.
For a fullsize mage of the updated family tree of Nicola Giuseppe D’Amore click here: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52496725355_48e341393b_k.jpg
Michele checked several times the marriage registers, but did not find the record between Giuseppe D’Amore and Fioribella. This remains the missing piece. I’ve hired Michele to go to Monteforte to try and locate the marriage record of Giuseppe and Fiorbella. If we are successful we should be able to trace that part of the line into the 1500’s as well.
So there you have it folks, not only have we now been able to trace our lines back to our 10th great-grandparents, we’ve been able to establish without a shadow of a doubt that the D’Amore were in Montefalcione at least since the early 1500’s, about 500 years. Just for perspective, the 1500’s in Italy was the time of the Renaissance, when Michelangelo was commissioned to paint the Sistine Chapel.
Our search does not end here.
I have reason to believe based of evidence that the D’Amore in Italy are descended from the Norman “Des Amours” who landed in Italy sometime in the 11th century:
I've also recently established several DNA connections to D'Amore family members whose ancestors originally hail from the city of Cava de' Tirreni, which may provide an alternate theory for where our D’Amore family came from before Avellino.
In the days to come I plan on providing updates as to any progress I’ve made towards proving these theories and seeking ways to discover any further familial connections. I’ll also be posting information of historical significance pertaining to the timeline of events which helped to shape the climate that eventually lead to the migration of the D’Amore.
When I first began this research I was told by a representative of the Parrish in Montefalcione that he could not find much information of the D’Amore, and that it was his belief that the D’Amore family was not originally from Montefalcione.
I’ve also heard stories over the years of how the D’Amore surname was not one born of a long illustrious lineage, but rather one that was simply given to a child who was born out of wedlock as a label, a “love child” if you will.
I refused to believe any such false truths propagated by those with no knowledge base, and I vehemently urge you to cast aside such flagrant and ignorant notions as well.
Thanks to the establishment of the D’Amore di Montefalcione and the D’Amore Family from Montefalcione Facebook groups I’ve met so many wonderful people who all share a deep appreciation for our heritage and a reverence for our family name. I’ve come to know that the many D’Amore family members I’ve had the pleasure of meeting are dynamic individuals with a passion for life matched only by their love for family.
The D’Amore of today are the product of generations of ancestors who fought and struggled to gain a foothold in the world in order to ensure that their children would have a better life. To that end they were a great success: today we D’Amore are attorneys, bankers, accountants, scientists, doctors, authors, restaurateurs & chefs, business owners, council members, teachers, Harvard professors and graduates, and last but certainly not least mothers and fathers of wonderful children and grandchildren.
My hope is that by demonstrating how far our ancestry goes back and how rich our family history is you will forever more live your life with an enhanced sense of pride, for you carry the name and blood in your veins of literally centuries of great D’Amore.
I envision the establishment of a community which spans the globe, where one D’Amore may call upon another in times of need. A network where preferential treatment is the norm and favor for a favor is the currency. With strength in the knowledge of who we are and where we come from we shall both individually and collectively blaze a path of glory into the future that all the ancestors who came before us would be proud of.
Our time is only beginning. Be proud, you are a D’Amore!
Auguri,
Kris
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