Maria Grazia Todesca (center) with daughters Regina Cefalo (l) and Olimpia Cefalo (r) - date unknown. Photo copyright Florindo Cirignano.
Maria Grazia Todesca was born in Torre le Nocelle to Ciriaco Todesca (of Torre) and Maria Raffaella d'Arena of Taurasi. She was the youngest of eight children born to this couple. Older brother Michelangelo was the first born (1838), followed by Agostino (1839), Angelamaria (1841), Gennaro Antonio (1845), Carmine (1847), Giovanni (1849), Maria Carmela (1852), and finally Maria Grazia on 5 February 1856. (Maria Grazia also happens to have been the aunt of our trick cyclist - Ralph Albert Todesca.) Below is her birth act:
Birth act of Maria Grazia Todesca
#9 Filed 6 Feb 1856
Name: Maria Grazia Todesca
Birth: 5 Feb 1856 ad ore diciotto
Baptism: 6 Feb 1856
Father: Ciriaco Todesca, son of the deceased Michelangelo Todesca, age 46, proprietario
Mother: Raffaella d'Arena, 43, wife of Ciriaco
Witness: Filippo Bevilacqua, contadino
Witness: Gennaro di Iorio, contadino
Sindaco: Vincenzo Penna, Secondo Eletto
Maria Grazia married Carmine Cefalo on 18 September 1877 in Torre. Carmine was the son of Andrea Cefalo of Torre and Maria Luigia Coscia of nearby Montemiletto. Below is their marriage record:
Marriage act of Carmine Cefalo and Maria Grazia Todesca
#11 Filed 18 Sept 1877
Sposo: Carmine Cefalo, 22, contadino, nato e residente in Torre le Nocelle, figlio del fu Andrea Cefalo e Luigia Coscia.
Sposa: Maria Grazia Todesca, 21, contadina, nata e residente in Torre le Nocelle, figlia dei furono Ciriaco Todesca e Raffaella d'Arena.
Witness: Carmine Cardillo, 60, possidente
Witness: Lorenzo Penna, 60, possidente
Sindaco: Luigi de Dominicis, Assessore
The couple settled into their home on Contrada Bosco Faiano and soon began their own family. Children born to Carmine and Maria Grazia:
1. Andrea Cefalo - 10 February 1879
2. Erminio Cefalo - 1 November 1884 (Erminio later married Maria Carmina Luongo of Torre.)
3. Luigi Cefalo - 15 May 1889
4. Regina Cefalo - 1 August 1891
5. Giuseppe Cefalo - 29 April 1894
6. Olimpia Cefalo - 1 April 1896
1. Andrea Cefalo - 10 February 1879
2. Erminio Cefalo - 1 November 1884 (Erminio later married Maria Carmina Luongo of Torre.)
3. Luigi Cefalo - 15 May 1889
4. Regina Cefalo - 1 August 1891
5. Giuseppe Cefalo - 29 April 1894
6. Olimpia Cefalo - 1 April 1896
Search Massachusetts Naturalization Records At Footnote
I guess this makes us distance cousins, too, since your research shows that Ciriaco Todesca was second cousins with Gennaro Todesca who was my great-great grandfather!
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