Walking about and a contact breakthru

We spent 2 days in Roccabascerana and Cassano Caudino. The first was concentrated on research of records; the second on walking around the towns. We established that the Parrellas and Principes (yes, that is the correct spelling) lived in Cassano Caudino while the Cavuotos were in Roccabascerana. There are still many Parrellas and Principes in Cassano. Today, the Cavuotos are not to be found: anywhere,no people, no monuments, no names on doors, nothing to be seen of Cavuotos anywhere. Even records have very limited mention.  We learned that Maria Assunta Parrella's family were farmers who worked on large landholders olive trees. Also Assunta's family probably boardered other farm workers, especially when seasonal work demanded additional workers.

Research of any type was difficult because we found noone who could speak English. We found no Parrellas that even remotely could be related to Linda. Then on the second day as we were discussing leaving-----a big break----by shear happenstance Linda's Italian greeting to a gentlemen in his garden led to meeting his granddaughter, Filomena De Pietro, who spoke and wrote English, well. Furthermore, her grandparents are Parrellas and Principes. Filomena agreeted to give us her name, address and email. And, to exchange email letters exploring family connections. She gave us directions to the Cassano cemetery. We now have a path................!

Follow that car. The road guarded by the dog is the main road to Roccabascerana,

Linda stands by the sign marking the Roccabascerana Town Line.

Cassano Caudino. The hamlet of the Parrellas and Principes. The church steeple is Assunta's church.

The sign marking the town line of Cassano Caudino, the Parrellas and Principles hamlet.

The street is the street Assunta's family lived on. Note the plaque in the center of the picture.

Linda and Stan stand at the entrance to Assunta's church.

In the hamlet town square is this plaque honoring Cassano's WWI and WWII war dead. Under WWI are listed 3 of Assunta's brothers who died in WWI combat: Emilio, Earnesto, and Colo.

Linda walks along the street her grandmother Maria Assunta Parrella lived.

Wile walking along Assunta's street, Linda starts a conversation with a man, then his granddaughter who speaks English and who has a dauchsan dog.

A family conference more than 100 years in the making.

Their house. They grow olives and produce olive oil.

Like on a pilgrimage. Linda climbs the steps to the Cassano cemetery where the Parrellas and Principes are buried.

M(aria) Assunta Principe

Emilio Parrella, Assunta's brother who died in WWI. Flowers show he is still visited. Are they related to Linda? Most likely, yes.

The tower of the church Frederico Fedele Cavuoto. The church burned down in1929.

Wednesday, 23 October 2013, We focus on why we are here

After months of research at home, hounding all known relatives for information, searching using Ancestry.com and other search engines, consulting with genealogy experts, we arrive in Roccabascerana to research the town records for data about the Parrellas, Principis, and Cavutos. Town records are selected because church records do not cover all of the hamlets in Roccabascerana: like Rocca and Cassano Caudino, the church records only cover the parish of the church. Thus, we begin by going to the town clerk's office. We are assisted by a genalogy researcher from Naples, Alfredo Franco. Alfredo is employed by a US based organization that specializes in assisting Italians, "My Italian Family." Besides being an expert in genealogy reseach, he speaks Italian, Niether I nor Linda do. My Italian Family will provide us with a book that has pictures of all records, pictures of locations, the family tree built by our efforts, and paths to follow for further research.

Linda enters the limits of the Town of Roccabascerana

Linda about to enter the Town Clerk's Office

Roccabascerana's Banner.

Linda consults with Alfredo Franco as state of researh, her observations and what is to be done.

......and now we need...

The town clerk and one of his assistants.

Searching fragel page by fragel page.

Maybe this binder from 1870

Finding Parrellas

Are we following the correct family line.

We are finding that the Parrellas and Principes are located in Cassano Caudin, Cavuotos in Rocca.

Crecenzo Parrella

Linda leaves Town Offices.

The tree that dominates the picture upper left has been there for more than 200 years. Assunta would have seen it when 100 years.

The Parrellas and Principis Church in Cassano Caudino

Research of the Civil Records of Roccabascerana revealed that the Parrellas and Principis lived in the hamlet of Cassano Caudino while the Cavuotos lived in Roccabascerana. Therefore, the church attended by the Parrellas, to include Maria Assunta Parrella, was the one located in Cassano Caudino, Chiesa di Sant' Andrea. While the church attended by the Cavuotos in Roccabascerana was destroyed by fire, except the steeple, in 1929, Chiesa di Sant' Andrea still exists as it has for centuries. Like many of the churches in Italy we have seen, it has been recently restored; thus it looks like new.

Linda stands on steps of Assunta's and Gennaro's church, Chiesa di Sant' Andrea, located in Cassano Caudino in the town of Roccabascerana.

Linda enters the Parrellas church accompanied by a Principi who lived across the street from the church. The church caretaker openned the church after calling the priest for approval.

Assunta's Church where she probably got married to Frederico Fedele Cavuoto in 1906.

Linda learns about the church history. They are looking at a marble plaque in the wall telling of a Principi who was a priest and founder of the the church.

Linda reflects on what she is seeing.

The alter of the Church.

The Dome over the alter.

Christ preaching to the masses.

St. Anthoney

The wall to the right of the alter

Driving adventures and Roccabascerana

Our visit has been 10 books of stories, especially about driving in Italy. Yes, it is very doable. But, it takes fully one to drive and another as navigator. And, be sure to be prepared for unthought of occurrences that can ruin your trip if you do not make them part of experiencing Italy.

Despite our GPS and mapless issues (the GPS would show us two arrows to follow coming back at our location and maps in Italian are sometimes undecypherable), thus, arriving very late, we very much enjoyed the day in Roccabascerana. The driving adventures are as much part of experiencing Italy as having a gelato. We now have a whole book of stories about why driving in Italy is a real test of coming to understand Italians. Never loose your sense of humor and recognize it is not the United States. Besides, now you can understand Bostonian driving.

We obtained most of the information we came seeking and in many instances more information than we knew to ask about. The walk about Roccabascerana and Cassano Caudino was priceless, especially the opportunity to see the inside of the church Linda's grandparents probably attended. (Chiesa di Sant' Andrea, first built 1700) And, we will always remember with joy the lunch at the agritourist restaurant and inn (Barbati). The setting for a delightful meal was most appropriate for our visit, an agritourist restaurant on a very high hill overlooking Cassano. Assunta's church was very visable from our table seats outside under a garden cover on a patio The discussion with the owner and his sons, then, wife, of Italian customs and food mixed with meeting local Parrellas and Principis, thus, discussion of family genealogy, was frosting on the cake. And, we must not forget the continuous flow of Roccabascerana history facts from the many encounters made possible by our guide, Alfredo Franco. Linda was able to contribute her DNA Ancestry. com test reflecting the history of Southern Italy. None would have happened or would have been possible without our guide provided and prepared thru "My Italian Family."

Some changes to family history: the earthquakes of 1980 & 1981 had nearly no impact on Roccabascerana and Cassano Caudino, rather they brought extensive damage to Southern Avellino Provence and the out skirts of Naples. The collapse of many buildings in Roccabascerana was probably due to more than 50% population reduction in 1900-1915 by disease and immigration to the United States and Brazil. The population drop for Roccabascerana village was from 4500 to less than 2000; in 2003 the population finally got to 2000+. Many buildings were abandoned; thus, collapsed from neglect. The church in Roccabascerana was destroyed by fire in 1929, but the steeple remains and a new church was built. The church the Parrellas, to include Assunta, and Principis attended is located in Cassano and we got to see the inside. We made a significant donation to the church in the Parrella family name. The Parrellas and Principis lived in Cassano Caudino, the Cavuotos in Roccabascerana (the village names). Assunta's family, father etc, were olive farmers who worked for large landholders. They probably took in boarders of those who did not own their own dwelling, especially during times when the farms needed additional help. Their houses addresses were not clearly identified in the records, but the portion of a street that still exists was. We went there and have pictures of the nieghborhood. The Cavuto family were probably orginally from Benevento. We go there tomorrow.

Will take a bit to get all the pictures on the Blog please be patient. And, we will be getting a book detailing the family trees, complete with digital copies of the records that go back to the 17th Century. One thing, there are at least 4 Parrella branches completely separate from each other. Assunta and Gennaro were from different branches; they were not cousins, not even close.

Avellino.....

We rented a car, Ford Focus, and drove to Avellino from downtown Naples. Once out of Naples we entered very steep, beautiful mountains. A very nice road to drive. Avellino sits in a valley between mountains. Like being in the Alps, except it is very warm, mid-70's. Very unusual weather according to the natives. Avellino is a community of 52,000. Looks very prosperous, shopping consists of Hermes, Gucci, Prada, et al. Saw some men's underwear that was considered a bargain at 2 for 35 Euros. That's about $50, or $25 each. The driving is much less frantic than in the other places we have been. Very few bicycles and scooters.

Breakfast in Naples

Lunch in Avellino. You would love this place. That's a swimming pool in the background.

View from hotel window. That mountain is where we go to go to Roccabascerana.

Another view.

Avellino Town Hall

Gelato everywhere and always being eaten

Learning an essential Italian skill

Some views of Naples

Today we decided to just roam the streets of Naples to get a feel for the city of 1 Million and its people. It has been a wonderful day of awe and laughs. Napoli suffered horrorably from bombing by the Allies in WWII. National monuments obliterated. Whole blocks of apartment buildings leveled. Factories gone forever. Like the Poles the Napoli Italians have built it all back. They really, even now, appreciate the generosity of the Americans in helping them. They have created a society and way of life like no other. We have selected a few of the pictures to give you a sense of Naples.

Clothes drying is an art in Naples.

Dryers do not sell in Italy. Fresh air is the way.

Hang'em where you can.

Every widow is a clothes dryer.

Clothes add color everywhere.

Do it everyday, with a smile.

You have no idea how fast that scooter is moving.

Chapels on every building.

Some are true works of art.

Some are quite elaborate. Only fresh flowers are accepted.

Beauty Shop owner cleans up from first customers.

Nieghborhood fresh produce and general murchandise stores.

Picking the days fruits.

Yard Sale.

Local repair shop

Shopping Center, called a gallerie, built in 1892. Only first class merchandise stores accepted.

Sweets always available

Yard Sales always should be repeated.

PDA is doing well in Naples

Yep, PDA is acceptable and openly practiced. You how practice makes perfect. Well perfect is close in Naples.

Sometimes PDA leads to weddings.

Nona gets instructions from Papa.

Now what?

Park'em where they fit.

Police ticket scooter scooters.

Yep, have ATV's too.

Nuns driving a car.

Yep, have visiting cruise ships. 7 this morning. Most Americans met were either getting ready to go or were just returned. We are the only ones visiting Italy.