Hi Everyone, It's nice to meet you! Thank you all for your help.
I have gotten this translation from Laura in Italy and just would like to make sure everything is correct.
I do appreciate your help in translating Francesco(pg.35) and Anna (pg.441) Sapienza's. The 1st one Frank is my Great Grandfather and Anna I think maybe too. I don't think this Maria is related,or the Vito ~ I have Rose Sapienza's baptismal document too. This will make 4 out of 17 children. . I am trying to get the documents that I find to come out clearer. The machine doesn't adjust too well. ~ Rita

Alfio Sapienza (pg. 296)
he was baptized the day May 13, 1884 , son of Lucia Di Stefano and Giuseppe Sapienza. Godmather was Giuseppa di Stefano.
In this act I can't understan which was the exact day of birth of Alfio....
On the left side there is the Marriage annotation:
August 17, 1910 he married Rosaria Fazio (daughter of Gaetano and Domenica Rizza or Frizza?) from Augusta (maybe the original town of Rosaria?) in New York City, Church of San Joaquin???
Laura

This is my 1st guess, I have involved again Luca and will get back if I have further information.

http://www.calabriangenealogy.googlepages.com/MRita1.jpg
page 35
Franciscus Sapienza, baptized April 19, 1893, godmother Domenica Sapienza, born April 4, 1893. Parents: Lucia Pracetto and Joseph Sapienza
The side note says: On May 20, 1917 he married Gratia Turco(?), coming from Mezzana(?) in the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary Civitatis Brooklyn America.

http://www.calabriangenealogy.googlepages.com/Mrita2.jpg
page 441
Anna Sapienza, baptized July 23, 1899, godmother Anna di Stefano, born July 1st, 1899. Parents: Lucia ??? and Joseph Sapienza

http://www.calabriangenealogy.googlepages.com/Rita0001.jpg
page 389
Agostinus Sapienza 1884
Edited on Jan 29, 2008: The Agostino in this document is NOT a Sapienza.

http://www.calabriangenealogy.googlepages.com/Rita20002.jpg
299
Vit??? Sapienza, baptized 18??, godfather Sancte Pellegrino, born 18)). Parents: Maria Longo and Mauro Sapienza

http://www.calabriangenealogy.googlepages.com/Sapienza.JPG
Alfio Sapienza baptized on May 13, 18??, Godmather Josepha Di Stefano, born ??? parents: Lucia Di Stefano and Giuseppe Sapienza.
The side note says: on August 17, 1910 he married Rosaria Fazio (daughter of Gaetano and Domenica Frizza) from Augusta,in the Church of St Joaquin, New York City.

Thank you Livio and please thank Luca too.

Livio,

Tell Luca he rocks (and so do you). We appreciate both his help and yours.

A question....Who is " Lucia Pracetto " in Francesco Sapienza's baptismal? I know this is my Great Grandfather but his mother's name should be Lucia DiStefano. The same with Anna Sapienza. Please explain. ~ Rita

Lucia could have been married before, or adopted, or using one of two names which I'm told they sometimes did. It could have also been an error. I know on my great grandfathers birth act they accidentally used the wrong surname as his father and therefore he was never allowed to naturalize. I have the amendment that he wrote away for in 1949. I don't think people really cared about things like names and birthdates too much. But of course, this is a guess.

Rita.............Joseph was married more than once, correct?

Yes. Joseph Sapienza was married once before. I would like to find out his first wife's name( I was told she died young) and find out the name of their first 3 children. Would there be a way to find out more about Lucia DiStefano and her family to find out the answers?

You'll need to find the marriage records of Joseph's marriages to be sure who he married and the years he married each person. So you will have to look at matrimoni records on film.

Just a tip...................you may have been told information by family memebers that they have always believed to be true. But sometimes the information turns out to be incorrect. In my case, everyone in my family was told that my grandfather was an only child and he may have had 2 half brothers. After going through the films I found out that he had an older sister who DIDN'T die, she had been alive and healthy and also that he had 2 brothers that died. So it's a far cry from being an only child.

My point is, maybe you thought there were only 1, 2 or 3 kids by a first marriage and the other 14 were from the mother Di Stefano. Reality might be that there were more children born to the first wife than you thought. Maybe instead of 2 marriages for Joseph, there might have been 3.

Just some food for thought.

Here are some Italian birth acts (no Latin!!!!) I gave it a shot for Rita can one of the expert traslators please see if I have the dates, names etc. correct? Some of the names I couldn't make out so what I have may need to be corrected.

Agata Sapienza
Born 1887 Registered June 12th but born on June 9th
Mauro Sapienza – age 29 – farmer living in Belpasso
Maria Longo or Longa – wife of Mauro – farmer
img297.imageshack.us/i...astqb0.jpg

Angelo Motta
Born 1887 Registered August 24th but born August 23
Tomaso Motta – age 33 (occupation ?) living in Belpasso
Gretona Signarello – wife of Tomaso - farmer
img339.imageshack.us/i...lipqh9.jpg

Giuseppi DiStefano
Born 1887 Registered on July 25th but born July 24th
Luciano DiStefano – age 30 - (occupation ?) living in Belpasso
Saicto (could be Santa or Santo) Schillari – wife of Luciano
img49.imageshack.us/im...lipzy1.jpg

Giuseppi Sapienza
Born 1889 Registered May 7th but born on May 5th
Domenico Sapienza – age 31 – (occupation ?) living in Belpasso
Mattea Perrone – wife of Domenico
img339.imageshack.us/i...lipmp5.jpg

Grazia DiStefano
Born 1887 Registered on November 15 but born on the 14th of November
Belasio DiStefano – age 47 (occupation ?) – living in Belpasso
Caterina Moralito wife of Belasio
Note below the name of child on left of document – united in matrimony to Antonino Manassane (son of the deceased Sebastiano September 1909). Married in Belpasso, Catania January 3 1910
img297.imageshack.us/i...lipap5.jpg

Thanks in advance for anyone that can help out.

Billie

I made some corrections (in bold)

Agata Sapienza
Born 1887 Registered June 12th but born on June 9th
Mauro Sapienza – age 29 – farmer living in Belpasso
Maria Longo– wife of Mauro – farmer
img297.imageshack.us/i...astqb0.jpg

Angelo Motta
Born 1887 Registered August 24th but born August 23
Tomaso Motta – age 33 (occupation ?) living in Belpasso
Gaetana Signorello – wife of Tomaso - farmer
img339.imageshack.us/i...lipqh9.jpg

Giuseppe DiStefano
Born 1887 Registered on July 25th but born July 24th
Luciano DiStefano – age 30 - (occupation ?) living in Belpasso
Saicto (could be Santa or Santo) Schillari – wife of Luciano
img49.imageshack.us/im...lipzy1.jpgThis picure refers to Giuseppe Sapienza

Giuseppe Sapienza
Born 1889 Registered May 7th but born on May 5th
Domenico Sapienza – age 31 – (occupation ?) living in Belpasso
Mattea Perrone – wife of Domenico
img339.imageshack.us/i...lipmp5.jpg

Grazia Distefano
Born 1887 Registered on November 15 but born on the 14th of November
Rosario Distefano – age 47 (occupation ?) – living in Belpasso
Caterina Morabito wife of Rosario
Note below the name of child on left of document – united in matrimony in September 1909 to Antonino Manassane (son of the deceased Sebastiano). [Note] written in Belpasso, Catania January 3 1910
img297.imageshack.us/i...lipap5.jpg

Great work Livio and thank you... I'm sure Billie will be really pleased.

I must confess, I have a great deal of trouble 'reading/seeing' such documents . If they were more distinct I would be able to help too.

Clear text poses no problem to translate - it's just these scans etc. that cause me problems

Carole wrote:

Great work Livio and thank you... I'm sure Billie will be really pleased. ....

Thank you for the kind words, but I am not satisfied , I was not able to read the occupation of Angelo Motta and Giuseppe Sapienza...

liviomoreno wrote:

Carole wrote: Great work Livio and thank you... I'm sure Billie will be really pleased. .... Thank you for the kind words, but I am not satisfied , I was not able to read the occupation of Angelo Motta and Giuseppe Sapienza...

You always do great work Livio! The handwriting is so difficult to read sometimes!
Could Giuseppe's father Domenico Sapienza's occupation be pastore (shepherd) or pesatore?