Cerini Family History, Part G1

Maria Maddalena Cerini (1796->1817)

1173231. Maria Maddalena Cerini was born and baptized on May 28, 1796,^{[Bap 1796]} or perhaps that date in 1793,^{[Cen 1795]} in Giumaglio, Ticino canton, Switzerland. Her godfather was her paternal uncle Giovanni Maria Guglielmetti of the neighboring town of Coglio and her godmother was her maternal aunt Maria Giumini.^{[Bap 1796]}

Maddalena was last recorded in parish records of Giumaglio in the 1817 parish census in which she was enumerated with her widowed mother and four younger siblings. She was about 20 years old at the time.^{[Bap 1817]}. Her disappearance from the records could indicate that she married into another parish.

Maria Margherita Cerini Muscio (1798-1837)

1173232. Maria Margherita Cerini was born and baptized on April 15, 1798,^{[Bap 1798]} or perhaps that date in 1795,^{[Cen 1795]} in Giumaglio, Ticino canton, Switzerland. Her godmother and apparent namesake was Mrs. Margherita Guglielmetti, the wife of Giovanni Maria Guglielmetti, her paternal half-uncle, who was godfather to Margherita's elder sister Maria. Her godfather was Giovanni Domenico Piezzi, her maternal uncle by marriage.^{[Bap 1798]} Margherita married Francesco Muscio of Someo between 1817 and 1820. She and Francesco had at least three children:

Margherita was last recorded in parish records of Giumaglio in the 1817 parish census in which she was enumerated with her widowed mother and four siblings.^{[Bap 1817]}

Margherita and Francesco chose the following godparents for their children:

1. Domenica:
2. Antonio: Giovanni Antonio Cerini (Jr.), Margherita's apparent brother (presumably referring to Antonio Marcello), and Maria Caterina Muscio, wife of Giovanni Antonio Muscio^{[Bap 1823]}; and
3. Giacomo Pietro: Giacomo Pietro Cerini⁷, Margherita's younger brother, and Mrs. Maria Caterina Muscio, widow of the late Pietro Muscio.^{[Bap 1825]}

Margherita was named as godmother to cousin Giuseppe Bonetti.^{[Bap 1820]}

Maria Margherita (Cerini) Muscio died on March 1, 1837, at her home in Someo. Her demise came quickly and received her last rites the day of her death. She was buried on March 3 in the church cemetery in Someo. She was reported to be "about 40 years old^{[Dth 1837]}, but was either 37 or 41.

Giacomo Pietro Cerini⁷ (1800-1860)

1173233. Giacomo Pietro Cerini⁷ was born on May 8, 1800, in Giumaglio, Ticino canton, Switzerland. His godparents were Giacomo Pietro Adami, his apparent namesake, and Cattarina Sartori, a maternal cousin.^{[Bap 1800]} He married Giovanna Maria Tognazzini⁴ in the Church of Santi Placido ed Eustachio in Someo on February 16, 1824.^{[Mar 1824]} They had as many as 12 children:

The parish census of 1817 recorded that Giacomo Pietro may have been born on June 7, 1796^{[Cen 1817]}, however, three subsequent censuses all state he was born on May 8, 1800.

Pietro and Giovanna were married in the Church of Santi Placido ed Eustachio in Someo on February 16, 1824. He was about 23 years old and she 19. Witnesses to their marriage were Giacomo Pietro Piezzi, who was likely the one who was his cousin on their mothers' sides, and Giovanni Giacomo Coppi of Someo.^{[Mar 1824]}

Pietro and Giovanna chose the following godparents for their children:

1. Teresa/Domenica: Domenico Tognazzi of Riveo and Maria Cerini (correlation unknown)^{[Bap 1826]};
2. Giovanni Pietro: Pietro Torneri (II), husband to Giacomo Pietro's cousin Maria (Giumini) Torneri, and Mrs. Maria (Piezzi) Cerini, Giacomo Pietro's sister-in-law^{[Bap 1828]};
3. Pietro (Antonio): Pietro Torneri (II), as above, and Mrs. Marianna (Piezzi) Adami, Giacomo Pietro's cousin^{[Bap 1830]};
4. Giacomo: Giacomo Cerini (correlation unknown) and Mrs. Marianna (Giumini) Lafranchi, Giacomo Pietro's maternal aunt^{[Bap 1832B]};
5. Battista⁸: Marcello Lafranchi, likely Giacomo Pietro's uncle, and Mrs. Maria (Piezzi) Cerini, as above^{[Bap 1834]};
6. Paolo Celestino (elder): Giovanni Giacomo Righetti of Someo and Caterina Giumini, Giacomo Pietro's cousin^{[Bap 1836]};
7. Marianna: Battista (family name illegible) of Bergamo, Italy, and Maddalena Giumini, Giacomo Pietro's cousin^{[Bap 1840]};
8. Margherita: Pietro Antonio Tognazzini of Someo and Margherita Lafranchi of Coglio, who was likely her namesake^{[Bap 1842]};
9. Caterina: Pietro Adami and the widow Mrs. Caterina Piezzi^{[Bap 1844]};
10. Carolina: Pietro Antonio Tognazzini of Someo and Carolina Pozzi, her apparent namesake^{[Bap 1847]}; and
11. Paolo Celestino (younger): Pietro Cerini (correlation unknown) and Maria Caterina Cerini, likely Giacomo Pietro's niece.^{[Bap 1849]}

Pietro was in turn named as godfather to likely cousin Giacomo Bonetti of Someo^{[Bap 1822]}; nephew Giacomo Pietro Muscio^{[Bap 1825B]}; Giovanna's nephew Eustachio Tognazzini^{[Bap 1829]}; and his niece Maria Teresa Assunta Cerini.^{[Bap 1832A]} Giovanna was named as godmother to her niece Marianna Tognazzini.^{[Bap 1825A]}

Their first daughter, Domenica, died on July 1, 1838, reportedly at the age of "about 16 years," however there are inconsistencies with her death record. The record states she was the daughter of "Giovanni Pietro Cerini," but none of the others had children in the early 1820s. While parish records for 1808 to 1826 are missing, the stated age puts her birth before Pietro and Giovanna's marriage, so it is possible that "Domenica" refers to daughter Teresa. As such she would have been 11 years old. Domenica was buried at the parish cemetery at the Church of Santa Maria Assunta.^{[Dth 1838]}

Eldest sons Giovanni Pietro and Pietro (Antonio) both took out loans on May 30, 1855, to travel to Australia. One, probably both, traveled aboard the Adèle^{[Gentilli 34]}, which departed Antwerp and arrived in Sydney on November 8, 1855. What became of Giovanni Pietro is unknown, but Pietro (Antonio) was natrualized and lived out the rest of his days in Victoria, Australia.^{[Gentilli 34]}

Son Battista⁸ is said to have made at least two trips to California, apparently one in 1880, perhaps with his eldest son Pietro, but did not settle there permanently. Battista's children all eventually emigrated to America.

Giacomo Pietro Cerini died on September 26, 1860, in his home in Giumaglio. He was buried two days later in the cemetery at the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. He was 60 years old.^{[Dth 1860]} His son's death record later stated that Pietro was a laborer.^{[Dth 1904]}

Giovanna Maria (Tognazzini) Cerini died 15 years later on January 31, 1876, at her home in Giumaglio. She was buried the following day in the parish cemetery at the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. She was 71 years old.^{[Dth 1876]}

Antonio Maria Marcello Cerini (1802-1866)

1173234. Antonio Maria Marcello Cerini was born and baptized on October 9, 1802, in Giumaglio, Ticino canton, Switzerland. His godfather and apparent namesake was Antonio Maria Marcello Lafranchi, his uncle by marriage to his matenal aunt, and Mrs. Marianna (Bonetti) Cerini, wife of Giacomo Pietro Cerini, his grandfather's second cousin.^{[Bap 1802]} Antonio Marcello married Maria Giacomina Piezzi and had at least 10 children:

They may have been married on February 11, 1827, in Giumaglio, but the record incorrectly names the bride as "Maria Angela," yet correctly names her father, Giuseppe. Antonio is simply named as "Antonium of the late other Antonii Cerini.”^{[Mar 1827]}

Antonio Marcello and Giacomina chose the following godparents for their children:

• Teresa Assunta: Giacomo Pietro Cerini⁷, Antonio Marcello's elder brother, and Giovanna Maria Pozzi^{[Bap 1832]};

Antonio Marcello, who at the time was recorded as "Giovanni Antonio," may have been named as godfather to nephew Giovanni Antonio Muscio^{[Bap 1823]}; and was named as the godfather of Giacomina's nephew Giuseppe Vittorio Piezzi.^{[Bap 1853]} Giacomina was named as the godmother of Antonio's nephew, Giovanni Pietro Cerini.^{[Bap 1828]}

Eldest son Giacomo took out a loan of 1,000 francs in 1854 to emigrate to Australia.^{[Cheda 341]} According to Gentilli, Giacomo may be the one who traveled aboard the Morning Star, which arrived in Melborne on August 21, 1854.^{[Gentilli 34]} Later, Antonio took out a loan of 1,000 francs from Celestino Righetti, of nearby Someo, to repay his son's debt in 1861.^{[Cheda 341]} Gentilli further adds that this Giacomo worked as a miner at Wonderful Reef Mine near Heburn, Victoria, between 1871 and 1872.^{[Gentilli 34]}

Antonio Maria Marcello Cerini died in his home in Giumaglio on December 19, 1866, at the age of 64. He was buried the following day in the cemetery at the Church of Santa Maria Assunta.^{[Dth 1866]}

Maria Angiola Cerini (1809-1849)

1173236. Maria Angiola Cerini was born on September 15, 1809, probably in Giumaglio, Ticino canton, Switzerland. No baptism record for Angiola has been found to confirm that she was in fact Antonio and Teresa's daughter, because parish baptism records from 1809 until 1826 are lost to history.

She appears not to have ever married and lived with elder brother Giacomo Pietro³ at the time of her death in 1849.^{[Dth 1849,Reg ~1851]}

Maria Angiola Cerini died on May 6, 1849, at her brother's home in Giumaglio. Interestingly, she was the first in a series of four deaths that month, however, no causes of death are disclosed. All four died at home and were between the ages of 16 and 64. Angiola was buried the following day at the cemetery of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta.^{[Dth 1849, Reg ~1851]} She was 39 years old.