Another branch of the Seghieri family in France is now connected to our extensive Montecarlo tree

Alan della Roma, born to Emilie Seghieri in France.

Another Seghieri has been found. Or rather he has found us. Alan della Roma (who goes by the name Dishual Landell on Facebook) sent me a message in September, stating that his mother was Emilie Seghieri, born in France to Saturnin (Saturnino) Seghieri, whom Alan believed was born in Montecarlo around 1893. Alan lives in the Brittany region of France and speaks English and French but no Italian, and he wanted assistance in finding his Montecarlo roots.

Alan had become Facebook friends with Marco Seghieri of Ponte Buggianese, who himself had only recently discovered his connection to his other Montecarlo relatives. Marco referred Alan to me, and I looked at my charts when I was in Montecarlo recently. At first, I found no connection.

I don’t have access to all the Montecarlo church files in the same way I do to those of many other churches in the Valdinievole. Most churches have put their records of baptisms, marriages and death on file at the parish archives in Pescia, which are open to the public twice a week—but the Montecarlo church of Sant’Andrea has chosen to keep its books in its own offices. Will I be allowed to access them? This is a question I put to the church secretary this week, and she will talk to the priest and get back to me. If the answer is yes, I may be spending quite a bit of time in the church when I return to Montecarlo next February.

Back: Sergio and Manuela.

Meanwhile, thanks to our friend Elena Benvenuti, Lucy and I had dinner this week at the home of Sergio Nelli and his wife Manuela, with Elena serving as interpreter. Sergio is an author, historian, official at the state archives in Lucca and an authority on the historical and genealogical origins of Montecarlo. He’s also our next door neighbor. It was Dr. Nelli who had in 2012 provided me with my line of descent from my great great grandfather Seghiero Andrea Seghieri (1818-1892) all the way back to Giunta Seghieri, born around 1255 in Vivinaia (an area now called Montecarlo).

The brother of Gaetano Seghieri,
one of Dishual's ancestors.

Doctor Nelli has already recorded the names of every Seghieri listed in the church archives into his personal databases, which include both handwritten journals and computer files, so it took us only half an hour to trace Alan’s line back to Giunta, our earliest known ancestor. As for the connection between Alan’s family and my own—and the other Seghieri families of Montecarlo’s Marcucci neighborhood—our closest common ancestor is Mariano Seghieri (1415-1469). Alan’s late mother Emilie would be my 12th cousin, so Alan is my 12th cousin once removed.

Seghieri crest in Montecarlo.

He comes from a Seghieri line that was quite distinguished, with some of his ancestors labeled doctor, captain, lieutenant and alfiere (a type of civil guard). Many of the brothers of his ancestors were also priests and abbots, and one was the bishop of Sovana. This distinguished Bishop Seghieri is now buried in the crypt of the Montecarlo church (read Random and intriguing . . . Seghieri discoveries). Members of this family line owned the large house and garden next to Montecarlo’s Porta Fiorentina, the one which still has the Seghieri crest over the door.

“I’m very glad to discover all this about my ancestors, and particularly at this time of remembering dead relatives,” Alan wrote. “I’m 75 years old and I would like to go to Montecarlo before my death, not only for the country but to meet longtime forgotten relatives. Many thanks for your help.”