"Hometown Help" Campobello di Licata Local Custom Tip by tpal

I actually went to Campobella De Licata with the goal of finding some family roots and to my amazement did so with some ease. The town is a pretty sleepy place but it still manages to have 5 churches. Not knowing where to start I picked the obvious. The big church on the square in the center of town...San Giovanni Battista.

Despite waking the pastor from his afternoon nap, he agreeably took us up to the rectory office.I didn't speak Italian and he spoke no English but I had equipped myself with a family tree. By manner of pointing and gesturing I was able to indicate my grandfathers who were originally from Campobella De Licata. I knew their birth dates and probable years of birth from various U.S. paperwork. Without much reaction he rotated in his chair to the bookcase behind him containing rows of ledger books measuring about 4 inches wide and 12 inches high (the actual book can be seen in the photo with red binding). In a matter of about 2 or 3 minutes he had found handwritten baptismal records for both grandfathers...one in 1883 and the other in 1885.

I was astonished but the congenial pastor presented the results with a shoulder shrug and smile as if to say. "What else would you expect? I've been waiting for you."