These are indices (or indexes if you prefer). They were constructed by reading each birth, marriage or death record, translating months and some occupations, and checking against the original index, when available. Although every care was taken to ensure accuracy, mistakes occur in any project as large as this. Therefore, the family historian MUST use these indices only as pointers to the original document. Entries in ancestral databases should be made ONLY after examining the digitized image of the original record.
These are indices. They do not represent all the information in the document. The family historian is STRONGLY URGED to locate the digitized document and read it completely. In many cases you will find additional dates and times, ages of some participants, witness, previous marriages, marginal notes, and other miscellaneous items.
These are indices. The information they contain is only as accurate as the original recording. Although the village clerk tried to be accurate, he may have been provided with inaccurate information himself, failed to listen closely or otherwise made an incomplete or inaccurate entry. From time to time this may present the family historian with incomplete or conflicting data. Standard genealogical methods for dealing with such problems should be employed.
No attempt was made to index the allegati of the village. They may contain useful information for the family historian and they are available through the Family History Centers.
Asterisks have been used throughout to indicate that the person was dead at the time the record was made. In the actual record the clerk wrote “fu” before the name or “de funto” after the name.
Occasionally the honorific “Mro” (an abbreviation for maestro, or master) appears in the original record. It is omitted in these indices.
In some instances, the village clerk had very poor handwriting, the ink has faded, or the image is too blurry to read. In these cases “[illeg.] has been inserted into the index, or [?] is used to indicate that the family historian should use extra care when reviewing the record. [Sic] is used to indicate that the preceding word is correct, even though it may seem otherwise.
The Mormon website [www.familysearch.org] has many resources to help the family historian read Italian records.
Today, Valledolmo is a prosperous, small, friendly village not far from Palermo. If you have not already done so – make a visit as soon as you can.
