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CERINI Family History, Part II

Giovanni CERINI (Sr.) (-1680s)

1A. Giovanni Cerini (Sr.) was likely born around the early 1630s, probably in Giumaglio, Ticino, Switzerland, however, he was once referred to as being from Riveo, perhaps because his wife was from Riveo. His father was named Antonio, and as such my be an elder brother to our Giovanni Antonio Cerini². Giovanni married Margherita Camani of Riveo, 5 kilometers upriver. They had as many as three sons, the first of whom was born in Giumaglio and died in infancy. The others may have been born in Riveo:

Only first son Giovanni Maria appears to have been born in Giumaglio. His godparents were named as Giovanni Giacomo Cerini, the town notary, and Domenica Marchese, both of Giumaglio.^{[Bap 1671]} Giovanni died five months later on August 29 and was buried the same day in the cemetery of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta.^{[Dth 1671]}

Giovanni Cerini died before 1692 when his widow and two sons were enumerated in the first parish census of Giumaglio. Following their entry was that of Giovanni Giacomo and Margherita (Ferrari) Cerini, Giovanni's suspected brother and his family.

Margherita (Camani) Cerini died in her home on January 22, 1697, at the age of 63. She was buried in the cemetery of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta.^{[Dth 1697]}

After their mother's death, Giovanni and Giacomo Antonio, ages 17 and 15, were again recorded next to the family of their suspected aunt Margherita (Ferrari) Cerini, then widowed. Giovanni had wed to Guglielma Cerini by then and with them lived the 30-year-old Mrs. Guglielma (Cerini) Pedrotti, the widow of Giovanni Maria Pedrotti.

Giovanni Giacomo CERINI (~1633-1693)

1B. Giovanni Giacomo Cerini was born around 1632 or 1633, likely in Giumaglio, Ticino, Switzerland. He may have been an elder brother to our Giovanni Antonio Cerini². Giacomo may have been wed twice. His first wife was likely Giovanna Gaspari, with whom he had as many as three daughters. He later appears to have married Margherita Ferrari of Maggia and had one more daughter:

No baptism records exist before 1668 so the only available record was for Margherita Teresa, in which her godparents were named as Giovanni Cerini and his daughter-in-law Mrs. Caterina (Pozzi) Cerini.^{[Bap 1671]}

During the last week of May 1677, Giovanni Ambrogio Torriano, Bishop of Como, held mass confirmation ceremonies for parishes in the valley at Maggia, 4 kilometers downriver, and Someo, 2 kilometers upriver. The Cerini daughters were confirmed at the Church of San Maurizio in Maggia on May 22, at which time daughters Giovanna and Margherita Teresa's godmothers were named as Maria Perinoni of Someo (the wife of Doctor Giovanni Giacomo Pozzi) and Giovanna Fiori of Brontallo (the wife of Giovanni Giacomo Gaspari).^{[Con 1677A]} In turn, Giovanna was named as godmother to Giovanna Maria Mirenini^{[Con 1677A]} and Mrs. Giovanna (Fiori) Gaspari, as above.^{[Con 1677B]} Daughter Giovanna is also believed to have been named as godmother to Caterina Pozzi and Maria Caterina Pozzi at Someo.^{[Con 1677B]}

Giovanna (Gaspari) Cerini, recorded only as "Giovanna Gaspari," died on June 14, 1689, at the family home in Giumaglio. She was buried the following day in the cemetery of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. Giovanna was reported to be 60 years old.^{[Dth 1691]}

Giacomo apparently remarried to Margherita Ferrari of Maggia, who was some 30 years younger, between 1689 and 1690 and their daughter Giovanna was born in 1691. They chose Giovanni Giacomo Gaspari and Maria Caterina Pozzi, the daughter of the late Doctor Pozzi, above, as her godparents.

The first parish census of Giumaglio in 1692 recorded the family with Giovanni Giacomo, age 59; wife Margherita, age 29; and daughter Giovanna, age 1. Their family was enumerated following that of the widow Margherita (Camani) Cerini and her sons, thus suggesting that Giacomo could have been the brother to her late husband Giovanni Cerini.^{[Cen 1692]}

Giovanni Giacomo Cerini died at his home in Giumaglio on January 8, 1693. He was recorded to be "60 years or about" and was buried in the cemetery of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. Giovanna was reported to be 60 years old.^{[Dth 1693]}

In 1698, Margherita and daughter Giovanna were again enumerated next to the orphaned Cerini brothers of Giovanni and Margherita (Camani) Cerini.^{[Cen 1698]}

Margherita (Ferrari) Cerini died seven years after Giacomo at her home in Giumaglio on February 8, 1700, and buried the same day in the cemetery of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. She was 38 years old.^{[Dth 1700]}

What became of daughter Giovanna, who was 8 years old when her mother died, is unclear. She married in 1714.

Giovanni Antonio CERINI (II)² (~1639-1698)

11. Giovanni Antonio Cerini (II)² was born around 1639, likely in Giumaglio, Ticino, Switzerland. He married Giacomina Giornica¹ of Giumaglio by 1672 and had at least five children, perhaps as many as seven. Giacomina died in 1691^{[Dth 1691]} and Antonio remarried to Giovanna Dalidio^• (D'Ali), of Someo, 2 kilometers upriver, on August 4, 1692, in the Church of Santi Placido ed Eustachio in Someo.^{[Mar 1692]} She was around 17 years younger than Antonio, she around 37 to 40 and he close to 60. They had one daughter together, when she was in her early 40s:^{[Cen 1698]}

Antonio and his wives named the following godparents for their children:

• Giovanna, Maria, and Domenica: no baptism records survive from before 1668.
• Caterina: Giacomo Pietro Cerini and Mrs. Caterina (Pozzi) Cerini^{[Bap 1672]};
• Margherita: Carlo Antonio Pozzi and Maria Cerini^{[Bap 1675]};
• Antonio (elder): Antonio Pedrotti and the widow Mrs. Giacomina (Stolfi) Giovanotti^{[Bap 1678A]};
• Antonio² (younger): Giovanni Cerini (Jr.) and Mrs. Caterina (Rietti/Righetti) Pozzi^{[Bap 1682]}; and
• Giacomina: Giacomo Pozzi and Domenica Terini (Marchese).^{[Bap 1696]}

Antonio was likely named as godfather to Giovanna Lesina^{[Bap 1670A]}, Giovanni Pedrotti^{[Bap 1670B]}, Caterina Bonetti^{[Bap 1671]}, and Maria Barbara Rusca (Giovanotti).^{[Bap 1678B]}

During the last week of May 1677, Giovanni Ambrogio Torriano, Bishop of Como, held mass confirmation ceremonies for parishes in the valley at Maggia, 4 kilometers downriver, and Someo, 2 kilometers upriver. The two younger Cerini girls were confirmed at the Church of San Maurizio in Maggia on May 22^{[Con 1677A]} and the two elder were confirmed at the Church of Santi Placido ed Eustachio in Someo on May 31.^{[Con 1677B]} Their godmothers were named as follows: Maria's was Domenica Sartori; Domenica's was Maria Cerini; Caterina's was Giovanna Rusca (Giovanotti); and Margherita Apollonia's was Mrs. Giovanna (Bonetti) Cerini.^{[Con 1677A-B]}

Giacomina (Giornica) Cerini died on August 21, 1691, at their home in Giumaglio. She was 55 years old. Giacomina was buried the following day in the cemetery of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta.^{[Dth 1691]}

The following year, Antonio was enumerated with daughter Margherita and son Antonio.^{[Cen 1692]}

Antonio remarried to Giovanna Dalidio of Someo, 2 kilometers upriver, on August 4, 1692, in the Church of Santi Placido ed Eustachio in Someo. Witnesses to their marriage were Giovanni Giacomo Righetti, Giovanni Muscio, and Giovanni Flora (Fiori?), all residents of Someo.^{[Mar 1692]}

Giovanni Antonio Cerini died suddenly at his home in Giumaglio on October 5, 1698. He had confessed the day before but apparently passed unexpectedly before receiving his last rights. Antonio was reported to be "about 60 years" old and was buried the following day in the cemetery of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta.^{[Dth 1698]}

After Antonio's death, son Antonio became head of the household with his sister Margherita, stepmother Giovanna, and half-sister Giacomina.^{[Cen 1702-1703]}

Giovanna D'Ali (Dalidio) Cerini died between 1703 and 1709, by which time stepson Antonio had married and daughter Giacomina continued to live with him.^{[Cen 1709]} She may have been the "Giovanna, wife of Giovanni Cerini," who died on October 9, 1705, reportedly at the age of 52. She was buried the following day in the cemetery of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta.^{[Dth 1705]}

Giacomo Pietro CERINI (~1633-1684)

A1 Giacomo Pietro Cerini was born around 1633, likely in Giumaglio, Ticino, Switzerland. His relationship to our Giovanni Antonio Cerini (I)¹ is not known and he is believed to be the brother of Giovanni Cerini. Giacomo Pietro is known to have had two daughters:

Giacomo Pietro's daughters were born before available baptism records, but he was later named as godfather to six parishioners of Giumaglio: Maria Cerini^{[Bap 1670]}; Giovanni Giacomo Giovanotti^{[Bap 1671]}; Caterina Cerini^{[Bap 1672A]}; Giovanna Sartori^{[Bap 1672B]}; Maria Rusca (Giovanotti)^{[Bap 1676]}; and Giacomo Antonio Pedrotti.^{[Bap 1678]} He was also godfather to Giuseppe Lafranchi of Coglio.^{[Bap 1677]}

During the last week of May 1677, Giovanni Ambrogio Torriano, Bishop of Como, held mass confirmation ceremonies for parishes in the valley at Maggia, 4 kilometers downriver, and Someo, 2 kilometers upriver. Daughters Giovanna and Guglielma were named as godmothers to Giacomo Pietro's nieces Marta Caterina and Angelica Cerini at the Church of San Maurizio in Maggia. In turn, Giacomo Pietro was named as godfather to Giacomo Pietro Giornica^{[Con 1677A]} and a week later daughter Giovanna was confirmed at the Church of Santi Placido ed Eustachio in Someo on May 31, at which time her godmother was named as Mrs. Domenica (Gaspari) Langeri.^{[Con 1677B]}

Daughter Guglielma was later named as godmother to Elena Rusca (Giovanotti).^{[Bap 1679]}

Years later, Carlo Ciceri, Bishop of Como, similarly held confirmation ceremonies for parishes in the valley at Maggia and Someo in June 1683. Giacomo Pietro was named as godfather to Michaele Marca at the Church of San Maurizio in Maggia on June 19.^{[Con 1683]}

Giacomo Pietro Cerini died on January 12, 1684, at this home in Giumaglio and was buried the following day in the cemetery of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. He was reportedly 50 years old.^{[Dth 1684]}

Giovanni CERINI (~1634-<1717)

A2 Giovanni Cerini was born around 1634, likely in Giumaglio, Ticino, Switzerland. His relationship to our Giovanni Antonio Cerini (I)¹ is not yet known. He first married Maria Giovanotti and had three children, but died giving birth to the third. He then married Domenica (Delnotaro) Mazzini, the widow of Giovanni Mazzini (Sr.). She had two children from her first marriage and she and Giovanni had four children together. Domenica died in 1693 after which Giovanni remarried to Guglielmina Cerini, whose relationship to Giovanni is not yet known. Giovanni and Guglielmina had two children together:

Cerini Connections

Giovanni is the progenitor of the Cerini family of Tomales Bay, California, however, his relationship to our branch is not known. Youngest son Pietro married Giacomina Cerini of our line, which forms the closest Cerini relationship between our two families, albeit not by direct male lines. As noted in Pietro and Giacomina's marriage record, there was no relationship impediment between them, meaning that any blood relationship they had was beyond another four generations back.

Giovanni and his wives chose the following godparents for their children:

1. Marta Caterina: Giovanni Giacomo Pozzi, doctor of Giumaglio, and Mrs. Caterina (Pozzi) Cerini, the sister of Doctor Pozzi^{[Bap 1671]};
2. Angelica: Giovanni Giacomo Giumini and Giovanna Cerini, Giovanni's niece^{[Bap 1674]};
3. Antonio: died at birth, no godparents named^{[Bap 1677]};
4. Guglielma: Giovanni Giacomo Pozzi, the town notary, and Giovanna Cerini^{[Bap 1680]};
5. Domenica: Guglielmo Guglielmetti of Coglio and Mrs. Domenica (Delnotaro) Fanna (?) of Coglio^{[Bap 1683]};
6. Giacomina: Giovanni Delnotaro of Coglio and Caterina Cantoni^{[Bap 1686]};
7. Margherita: Bartolomeo De Bernardi of Lodano and Domenica Teresa Delnotaro of Coglio^{[Bap 1688]};
8. Pietro: Giovanni Antonio Cerini and Perpetua Pozzi^{[Bap 1699]}; and
9. Giovanna: Giovanni Antonio Cantoni and Mrs. Giovanna (Cerini) Adami.^{[Bap 1701]}

Maria (Giovanotti) Cerini died giving birth to son Antonio, who also died the same day on July 19, 1677. Both were buried the following day in the cemetery of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta.^{[Dth 1677]}

In 1692, the family consisted of Giovanni, Domenica, her two Mazzini children, and their children Angelica, Guglielma, Domenica, Giacomina, and Margherita.^{[Cen 1692]}

Domenica (Delnotaro) Mazzini died on October 18, 1693, at the family home in Giumaglio. She was reported to be either 34 or 35 years old, but was likely closer to 40. Domenica was buried in the cemetery of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta.^{[Dth 1693]}

Come 1698, the family was enumerated with four Cerini children, less Guglielma and the two Mazzini children. Daughter Guglielma is believed to have married Giovanni Cerini, whose relationship is not yet known, by that year. The Mazzini children were enumerated as their own household next to that of Giacomo Mazzini, perhaps an uncle. Giovanni's new wife Guglielmina was added at the end of the census record suggesting that they had married soon after the record was originally written earlier in 1698. Giovanni was 33 years older than Guglielmina, he 63 and she 30 years old.^{[Cen 1698]}

Their two children were added and daughter Angelica married by 1702. The family continued together through 1703.^{[Cen 1702-1703]}

Guglielmina Cerini died between 1703 and 1709, likely while in her late 30s.

Giovanni Cerini died between 1709 and 1717, while in his late 70s or early 80s.

Continue on to Part III