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TOGNAZZINI Family History, Part IV

Giovanni Battista TOGNAZZINI (1797-1836)

1121.Giovanni Battista Tognazzini was born and baptized on August 9, 1797. His godfather and apparent namesake was his maternal uncle Giovanni Battista Francesco Balzari. His godmother was the widow Maria Maddalena (Comistò) Righetti.^{[Bap 1797]}He married Maria Margherita Maurelli, daughter of Filippo of Cevio, who died after only five months of marriage in 1823. Afterward he married Maria Anna ("Marianna") Dalidio, daughter of Antonio Maria. Battista and Marianna had at least five children, including twin boys:

During the civil census of 1808, which only recorded males, Giovanni Battista, age 10, was enumerated as absent, but his father was present in Someo.^{[Cen 1808]}

Battista and Margherita reportedly married on April 2, 1823, in Cevio.^{[Mar 1823]}

Maria Margherita (Maurelli) Tognazzini died five months after her marriage on September 4, 1823, at about the age of 30. She was buried on the 6th in L'oratorio della Madonna delle Grazie in Riveo.^{[Dth 1823]}

Six months after Margherita's death, Battista remarried to Marianna Dalidio on February 23, 1824, at the Church of Santi Placido ed Eustachio. Witnesses to their union were Giacomo Pietro Dalidio and Giovanni Giacomo Tomasini.^{[Mar 1824]}

Battista and Marianna chose the following godparents for their children:

1. Marianna: Francesco Dalidio and Giovanna Maria Tognazzini⁴, Battista's sister^{[Bap 1825]};
2. Antonio: Giovanni Antonio Muscio and Anna Maria Caporgno^{[Bap 1826]};
3. Eustachio: Giacomo Pietro Cerini⁷, Battista's brother-in-law, and Maria Elisabetta Dalidio^{[Bap 1829A]};
4. Battista (Jr.): Giovanni Battista Dalidio and Maria Assunta Dalidio, sister to Elisabetta, above^{[Bap 1829B]}; and
5. Caterina Addolorata: Giacomo Pietro Pezzoni (Jr.) and Giovanna Maria Tomasini.^{[Bap 1833]}

Marianna (Dalidio) Tognazzini died on December 23, 1835, at the family home. She was tended in her illness by Father Francesco Rusca, Pastor and Overseer (Æconomus) of Cerentino. Marianna was buried the following day at the church cemetery in Someo. She was 38 years old.^{[Dth 1835]}

Giovanni Battista Tognazzini died on August 13, 1836, at his home. He had just turned 39 years old days before. Battista was buried in the church cemetery in Someo on the 15th.^{[Dth 1836]}

Giovanna Maria (TOGNAZZINI) CERINI⁴ (1804-1876)

1123. Giovanna Maria Tognazzini⁴ was born in Riveo, Ticino, Switzerland, on March 8, 1804, and baptized the same day in the Church of Santi Placido ed Eustachio in Someo. Her baptism name was Marianna Francesca and her godparents were named as Giovanni Giacomo Righetti and Margherita Righetti.^{[Bap 1804]} Giovanna married Giacomo Pietro Cerini⁷ of Giumaglio, 2 kilometers downriver, in the Church of Santi Placido ed Eustachio in Someo on February 16, 1824.^{[Mar 1824]} They had as many as 12 children:

Giovanna and Giacomo Pietro were married in the Church of Santi Placido ed Eustachio in Someo on February 16, 1824. She was 19 years old and he about 23. Witnesses to their marriage were Giacomo Pietro Piezzi, who was likely the one who was Giacomo Pietro's cousin on their mothers' sides, and Giovanni Giacomo Coppi.^{[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. Paulo Celestino (elder): Giovanni Giacomo Righetti of Someo and Catterina 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. Catterina: Pietro Adami and the widow Mrs. Catterina Piezzi^{[Bap 1844]};
10. Carolina: Pietro Antonio Tognazzini of Someo and Carolina Pozzi, her apparent namesake^{[Bap 1847]}; and
11. Paulo Celestino (younger): Pietro Cerini (correlation unknown) and Maria Catterina Cerini, likely Giacomo Pietro's niece.^{[Bap 1849]}

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

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]}

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]}