FoundlingLibertinoLoGuasto

Libertino lo Guasto

Born: about 1796 ~Serradifalco, Caltanisetta, Sicilia
Died: 11 January 1846 ~Serradifalco, Caltanisetta, Sicilia

Meaning of lo Guasto [lu-GWAHS-tu]: the broken one, the lame one

        No baptism or birth record survives for my maternal GGG-grandfather Libertino lo Guasto. Both his civil and church death records indicate that his parents were unknown. He was probably left at a church, convent or foundling home, in a 'ruota' or foundling wheel, to be found by a 'receiver of foundlings' and given a made-up first name and surname. His civil death record of 1846 gives his place of birth as Serradifalco and his age at death as fifty, so he was born in about 1796. The 1821 civil birth record of his daughter Concetta gives his age as twenty-six (born in about 1795), and the 1834 birth record of his son Salvatore gives Libertino's age as thirty-six (born about 1798). It's likely the earlier dates are closest to correct. Concetta and Salvatore's civil birth records may be seen by clicking HERE.
      Typical of surnames given to foundlings at the time, his surname is stigmatic, meaning 'the broken one' or 'the wasted one'. He may have had a deformity or a twisted limb. His death records indicate that his first name was Bertino (Bertinus on the Latin church record), but the name on his children's birth records is given variously as Libertino or Alberto. The birth record of his daughter Concetta identifies him as a contadino (sharecropper), age 26, living at Vicolo Pidduzza Number Three, and gives his name as Libertino lo Guasto. 'Libertino' means 'libertine', a free spirit or one of loose morals. It may have been meant to reflect the perceived character of the child's unknown parents.
      The odds against survival for abandoned children were overwhelming. If they did not die of exposure in the wheel or on their way there, conditions in foundling homes could be horrid, causing their residents to suffer from malnutrition, and from diseases borne by wet-nurses. In a small town like Serradifalco, Libertino may have been consigned to a foster family. There he may have been shown some care, but too often these children were 'adopted' simply to be used as servants or workers in the family enterprise.
      Regardless, Libertino overcame these odds; his blood runs in the veins of hundreds of progeny, and his trials and tribulations no doubt helped formed the family values that have descended to us.
                                                             Click HERE for more about foundlings.

In 1796, the island of Sicily was part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, which included the Italian peninsula as far north as Naples. It was ruled by a son of King Carlo of Spain: Ferdinando, who was variously known as Ferdinando I, III or IV!!! 1796 was the year that Napoleonic forces drove Ferdinando from Naples and the Italian mainland, and he retreated to Palermo on the island of Sicily. This was the split that was later 'resolved' by the 'unification' of Italy. The face of the coin below shows Ferdinando with the inscription 'Ferdinando IV, through the grace of God, King of Sicily and Jerusalem.' The back of the coin shows the coat of arms of Spain, to whom Ferdinando owed allegiance.

In the United States in 1796 there were fifteen states. The capital of the new nation was Philadelphia, where George Washington gave his farewell address. John Adams was elected the country's second President.

ATTO DI MORTE (CIVIL RECORD OF DEATH)

...

.

Numero d' ordine 8

L'anno milleottocentoquarantasei, il di Undici del mese di
Gennaro alle ore Ventuno avanti di Noi Francesco
Antonio Gambuto Sindaco
ed uffiziale dello Stato Civile del Comune di Serradifalco Distretto di Caltanissetta Provincia di Caltanissetta sono comparsi Luigi Scamacca, di anni Cinquantanove, di professione
Contadino regnicolo domiciliato Strada Angilella,
e Leonardo Avenia, di anni quarantaquattro, di professione Corriere, regnicolo domiciliato Strada Piconotto,
i quali han dichiarato, che nel giorno undici del mese di
Gennaro anno sudetto,
alle ore diciasette è morto nel la casa propria Berti-
no lo Guasto di anni cinquanta sposo di Francesca
Saetta ~ ~ ~
...
nato in Serradifalco, di professione Conatdino,
domiciliato ivi, figlio di padre d'ignoto,
di professione ~ ~ domiciliato ~ ~
e di Madre d'ignota domiciliata ~ ~
       Per esecuzione della legge ci siamo trasferiti insieme col detti
testimonii presso la persona defunta, e ne abbiamo riconosciuto la
sua effetiva morte. Abbiamo indi formato il presente atto, che ab-
biamo inscritto sopra i due registri e datane lettura al dichiaran-
ti, si è nel giorno, mese, ed anno come sopra segnato da Noi so-
amente avendo detto li testimonii di non sapere scrivere
                                      Il Sindaco
                     Francesco Gambuto

...

.

Number 8
Year one thousand eight hundred forty-six, day Eleven of the month of
January at hour Twenty-one before Us Francesco
Antonio Gambuto Mayor
and official of the Civil Record of the Town of Serradifalco District of Caltanissetta Province of Caltanissetta have appeared Luigi Scamacca, age Fifty-nine, occupation
Sharecropper subject of the realm, living at Strada Angilella, and Leonardo Avenia, age forty-four, occupation
Courier, subject of the realm, living at Strada Piconotto,
who have declared that on day eleven of the month of
January, year as above,
at hour seventeen has died in his own house Berti-
no lo Guasto age fifty, spouse of Francesca
Saetta ~ ~ ~
..
he was born in Serradifalco, occupation Sharecropper,
lived here, son of an unknown father,
occupation ~ ~ living at ~ ~
and of an unknown Mother who lives at ~ ~
       According to the law we went together with the named
witnesses to the side of the deceased, and we have acknowledged
his being dead. We have today created this document, we ha-
ve inscribed it on the two registers and have read it to the declaran-
ts on the day, month and year as above, and it is signed by Us al-
one, the witnesses having said they don't know how to write
                                      The Mayor
                     [Signed] Francesco Gambuto

From Serradifalco Registri Stato Civile 1466474, 1846 Deaths, No. 8, Bertino lo Guasto

Though not a strict literal translation, this is factually correct.

Church Death Record

From Serradifalco Registri Ecclesiastici 2013010, 1846 Deaths, pp. 241-242, Bertinus lo Guasto

loGuasto
8

.
Die 11 Januarii 1846

Bertinus lo Guasto Filius ex igno
tibus ortus, Vir Francesca Saetta

quinquaginta extremis munitus Sacramentis obiit cuius cadaver per Rev Nicodemus Ro
ma capellanus Palermi delatum fuit in Orato
rium Animarum Purg^mibique sepultum

loGuasto
8

.
Day 11 of January 1846

Bertino lo GuastoSon of unknown origin, Husband of Francesca Saetta

fifty, he died fortified by the finalSacraments his body was taken by Reverend Nicodemo Ro-
ma chaplain of Palermo to the Orato-
ry of the Souls of Purgatory, Here he is buried.

On both the civil and church records of the death of Bertino lo Guasto, his widow's name is given as Francesca Saetta. However, the birth records of their children give her surname as Lattuca (or Lattuga, or Lettuca) [see Concetta lo Guasto]. Sicilians often use "nciurii", or nicknames, in place of surnames. 'Saetta' means 'arrow', and it may have been given to Francesca Lattuca because of her thinness. On the other hand, her actual surname may have been Saetta, and the family may have been given the nickname 'Lattuca', meaning 'lettuce', if her father was a vegetable farmer or a greengrocer. Francesca's 1878 death records state that she was the widow of Bertino Loguasto, and give her surname as Lattuga. Pick the version you like best.

Libertino lo Guasto married Francesca Lattuca before 1821

Known Children

Concetta lo Guasto: 17 Sep 1821 - after 1869 (Married Antonio Cimino) [my ancestors]
Antonia lo Guasto: 10 Jan 1824 -
Maria Anna lo Guasto: 6 Oct 1826 - 15 Dec 1830
Vincenzo lo Guasto: 10 Dec 1829 - 14 Jan 1857
Salvatore lo Guasto: 29 Aug 1834 - 17 Nov 1896 (Married Serafina Nicosia)
Fedele lo Guasto: 28 Feb 1837 - 23 Aug 1838
Fedele lo Guasto: 13 Mar 1840 - after 1901

Click HERE for a list of Libertino and Francesca's descendants.

Click HERE for more about foundlings.