Bernardino Fratoddi's Brush With Royalty

As genealogists, we all would love to find a connection to royalty. Mine came in an unexpected way.

Empress Elisabeth of Austria, Queen of Hungary and Queen consort of Croatia and Bohemia, was a beloved member of the royal family. I can see why, as she was very beautiful. She married Emperor Franz Joseph I when she was 16.

Empress Elisabeth at her
coronation as Queen of Hungary, 8 June 1867. Public Domain

While travelling in Geneva September 10, 1898, she was stabbed to death by an Italian anarchist named Luigi Lucheni. He was rather proud of the murder, and was arrested soon after. He freely admitted to the murder, and had wanted to gain martyrdom and widespread publicity for the anarchist cause.

Luigi Lucheni in custody. Public domain

My connection? My great grandfather Bernardino Fratoddi was later arrested for this same crime. I found this article while searching The European Library for the name Fratoddi.

Berliner Volkszeitung (Peoples Daily) 12 April 1902

Translation kindly provided by +Jack Coffee :

"On the wrong track. Yesterday we received from Duesseldorf a message regarding the earlier reported arrest of Bernadino Fratoddi (not Frateldi), a 35-year-old Italian: As a result of a thorough investigation, Fratoddi was found to have played absolutely no part in the murder of Empress Elizabeth of Austria. He was apprehended because he was expelled from Germany and was suspected of being an anarchist. In addition to having a letter from the local police confirming that he was a hard worker, Fratoddi wrote a letter while he was in jail to his previous employer resolutely denying that he was in any way associated with anarchy. He much rather professed to be a supporter of social-democracy."

Searching for Frateldi yielded this article from two days earlier, April !0.

Tranlation again provided by +Jack Coffee 

An Arrest. From the Dusseldorf "Rhein Wests"(?) Newspaper reports here of the arrest of Anarchist the Italian Bernardino Frattodi. The arrest reportedly pertains to the assassination of the Empress Elizabeth of Austria. Frattodi was at the time of the assassination of Empress Elizabeth in Switzerland, where he was residing(?) with other Italians. The "Borio"(?) asserts Frattodi, whom he calls Frateldi, was not an anarchist, but a Socialdemocrat.

It is unclear from the article exactly when he was arrested, or how long it took to clear his name, although it appears it was only a few days. Perhaps there were conspiracy theories. I know he was one of 16 anarchists expelled from Switzerland in November 1898.

Bernardino is #9

He took refuge in Germany where he was "hunted in 1902 for anarchist propaganda". This may be a result of that hunt.

Only a few months later, Bernardino boarded the steamship Lahn in Naples, and arrived in New York on August 18, 1902.

His application for citizenship specifically asked if he was an anarchist, to which he replied no.

How Can You Have an Anonymous Mother?

I requested the Certicati di Nascita (birth record) of my great grandmother Giulia Montagna from Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. I had her date of birth from her death certificate in Alabama, Her parents' names from her marriage in Manhattan, NY and the place of her birth from her husband's naturalization papers.
I sent an email to the State Archives in Bologna and requested they look for the certificate and notify me of any charges:


 Gentile Direttrice:

 Sono alla ricerca della mia storia famigliare, gradirei, se le fosse possibile, richiedere il suo aiuto.

 Per favore, mi potrebbe spedire i Certicati di Nascita di Guilia Montagna, nato il 10 ottobre, 1878 e tutte le informazioni sui suoi genitori. Credo che siano Georgio Montagna e Elisabetta Bonnine.  Se questi certificati includono anche i nomi dei loro genitori, se per cortesia, potrebbe inviarmi anche i loro. Se ci sono altri bambini nati da loro sarei grato per queste informazioni.

 Se vi è una tassa per le informazioni, si prega di avvisare che cosa è e come si vorrebbe pagamento.

 Gentile Direttrice, la ringrazio infinitamente del suo aiuto. Nel caso che i dati non siano disponibili la pregherei di inviarmi comunque una nota negativa.

 Inoltre, se i documenti non ci sono per quel periodo, o se Lei conosce altre fonti, Le sarei grata se potesse suggerirmi come proseguire la mia ricerca.

 Le invio i miei piu' sinceri e cordiali saluti.
 
 Beverly Norman

No, I do not speak Italian, but there are forms to be found on the Internet, and Google Translate. I had my fingers crossed That it would be understandable.
38 days later, I had a response in my inbox! There was no charge for the document (whew!)

Translated:

SUBJECT: sending reproduction birth certificate of Julia Maspucci then Recognized As Giulia Montagna born in Bologna in 1878. With reference to the request object, I send photo reproduction of the document taken
from register of civil status of the town of Bologna Relating To Those born in 1878. best regards Signed DIRECTOR

Giulia Elvira Teresa ... Maspucci. I never has a middle name before, and was not expecting a different last name!

Maspucci ?? So what the heck happened? Was she adopted? This was not the typical fill in the blank form I was expecting. I needed some help. I turned to the Italian Genealogy group on Facebook .

They came through with a translation for me. Here is a mashup of the conversation:

October 10, 1878 Born at 11 am and the child was presented to the officer of vital records in the town of Bologna before 12 on the same day / same month and residing in the same city by a woman named Maria Massucci, (not Maspucci) age 57 years, midwife, residing at (street) # 28 "Via Republicana" (?) (she was presenting the child born to a woman / lady -that Wished not to be Identified) (Did not give consent) Child was given the name Giulia Elvira Teresa and the last name of Massucci. On 27/02/1896 marriage act # 449 for Giorgio Montagna & Elisa Bonini (?) Could the "9" be "7"? the marriage act 27 February 1876? It looks like she (Julia) was the "legitimate" daughter of Giorgio Montagna (sp?) And Elisa (sp?) Bonini / Bonnini (sp?) and that they (her parents) were married (marriage Celebrated in) Rome - Feb. 27, 1896.
The notation on the other side is where she is recognized as the daughter of Georgio Montagna, hence her new last name.
The information was entered into the ledger in 1882.

One of the members of the group went the extra mile and requested a translation from http://www.tuttogenealogia.it/ in Rome. Here is Their response:
Giulia Massucci was born in Bologna on Oct. 10 1878 to a woman who does not want to be mentioned, and she was given the name "Giulia Elvira Teresa" and surname Massucci (this is the first line of the second page).
The side note on the first page states that on Oct 14 1886 she was recognized by her father Giorgio Montagna. (From now on her surname should be Montagna)
The side note on the second page states that Feb 2 1896 Giorgio Montagna married Elisa Bonini and they both legitimated Giulia.

The double "s" in old documents was Often written as "sf". This portion of the document has notes about the marriage.

What could be the reason for the anonymous mother? She could have been unwed. She could have already have been married to someone else. The father could have been married to someone else.

After doing some reading in the excellent resource, "Italian Genealogical Records" by Trafford R Cole, Psy.D., I found another possibility. 

Beginning in 1866, the town officials were responsible for recording all births, marriages, and deaths. The child had to be personally presented to the town official to register the birth.
After the Kingdom of Italy was formed, Pope Pius IX was totally against the new country. He had controlled the city of Rome and the central portion of the country know as the Papal States. The Church lost the battle (literally). The Pope did not give in quietly, and prohibited all faithful Catholics from participating in the political system. 

A power struggle arose between the Officials and the Church. Many people were married by the Church, but did not register the marriage with the city officials. The town would not recognize the marriage and would record all of the children resulting from these marriages as illegitimate. The couple would finally be forced to remarry in a civil ceremony and recognize their "illegitimate" children. From 1865 to about 1880 there are many cases of the marriage being recorded after the couple had several children. 

I may at some future date try to see if there is a church record in Bologna for the marriage of Georgio Montagna and Elizabetta Bonini. Giulia's baptism should be there too.

If you have any thoughts on this, I would love to hear them.

I'm a Daughter of the South

Yep, that's me... Alabama born and bred. George Wallace was Governor or husband of the Governor and finally former Governor in all the Alabama history books I studied from in school.

I grew up in segregated grammar schools, and in my first year in junior high, the schools were suddenly not segregated. It seemed to bother the adults, but not so much the kids. We scoped each other out, then got along, then made friends, worked and played together...in the SOUTH...in ALABAMA...and all was good.

I grew up, got a job, made friends, some of whom I confide my deepest secrets to...guess what...they are Black. Does it matter? Not to me, not to them. We just call each other friend.

Am I proud of my heritage? Yes I am. I'm a daughter of the south. Growing up I was told that all my ancestors were poor and never owned slaves. I've proved that wrong since I've been doing genealogy for years. I've found a few slave owners. I've also found the poor dirt farmers that the slave owner's daughters married. The ones that went to war...under THAT flag. The ones that died and left wives and small children behind. The Stars and Bars...THAT flag. The one that is suddenly causing so much controversy. Do I apologize? No. I didn't have anything to do with it. It's history. I had no more to do with it than with Cain killing Abel.

Do I think it symbolizes slavery? I know it does to many. I've done my reading. I believe it symbolizes the Rebel in us all. I've seen a lot of misinformation, some meant to inflame. I'm not going there. I don't believe anything I have to say would change anyone's mind on the notions they already have. I'll just ask that you actually read the Emancipation Proclamation:

Library of Congress. Public Domain.

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of Civil War. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free."

What does THAT FLAG mean to me? That I'm from the South, that I've got ancestors who died for it. I've got a little bit of Rebel in me.

Do I think it should fly over our capitol dome? No, I don't.
Do I think it should fly at Civil War memorials? Yes I do.
Do I feel that citizens of the United States should be able to fly THAT flag if they choose? Yes I do.
Do I think that all Civil War memorials should come down? I think that's ridiculous. The founding fathers owned slaves. Why would you erase history just because you don't like it?

In the news today I'm seeing news reports of defacement of memorials, calls for the Confederate Battle Flag flying high on I-65 to come down (it is on private property and flies over a Confederate Memorial Park), memorials in city parks to come down. It scares me. ISIS is doing the same thing to sites that offend them. Where will it stop?

Yes, we lost the War Between the States. We realize this. The flag remained a symbol of Southern Pride, sort of like our state motto "We Dare Defend Our Rights". Somehow the thought that this country was founded by traitors to the British flag escapes some people. I'm descended from those Rebels too.

The flag has become a symbol of hate groups, and I HATE hate groups. I HATE that that deranged guy in South Carolina was trying to start a race war, and this controversy has given him the attention he was looking for.

Do I think that everyone that owns a coffee cup, bumper sticker, or T-shirt with a Rebel flag is proclaiming they are a hater? No. If you do all I can say is well bless your heart!

I personally don't fly the battle flag. I realize some people find it offensive, and I respect that. I am shocked that now many retailers are no longer selling the Confederate battle flag. How will I decorate my ancestors's graves?

Kicking Butt in 1789, Isaiah and Joel Jr Phillips

I discovered an interesting court case while researching Phillips in Wilkes County, Georgia. This case concerns Isaiah and Joel Phillips Jr., sons of Joel Phillips. Both were born about 1760. I found this in the Georgia Archives

According to the plaintiff, John Hardee, Isaiah and Joel Phillips Jr, "on the fifth day of December in the year of our [Lord] one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine in the county aforesaid, with force and arms, to Whit, with Swords, Staves, Gunns, knives, Clubs, fists & feet, made an assault upon your petitioner, and then and there did beat, wound and evily treat, so that his life was Greatly dispared of and other enormities then and there did, to your petitioner against the peace and dignity of the State, and against the welfare of the Inhabitance thereof, to the damage of your petitioner, five hundred pounds."

In other words, it appears Isaiah and Joel beat the stew out of John Hardee, and he was suing for five hundred pounds. Unfortunately none of the juicy details were included in the four page document.

Isaiah and Joel (or their attorney) were required to appear in court the fourth Monday in July 1790. They were charged with trespass, assault, and battery.

There appears to have been a jury trial, and the defendants were found guilty. The funny thing is, they were only required to pay 10 pounds instead of the 500 pounds that John Hardee was suing for.

I was curious as to how this would work out in today's money. I found a nice currency converter at the National Archives. It converts old money to new, at least to 2005's standard, which is close enough for me.

John Hardee sued for 500 pounds.
In 1790, £500 would have the same spending worth of 2005's £28,015.00.

A little google search and

28015 British Pound equals

42797.11 US Dollar

And the result:
In 1790, £10 would have the same spending worth of 2005's £560.30

A little googling with that result and we come up with this:

560.30 British Pound equals

855.94 US Dollar

It looks like they got off fairly easy. It is not stated if they had to pay this individually or together. Either way it's a BIG drop from what they were being sued for.

It makes you wonder what was in those court minutes, doesn't it?