I would LOVE to hear all the details about your trip to Sortino! Please e-mail me. I want to make a trip there. Did you fly from Rome to Catania? Once in Catania, did you take a taxi or bus transport? I think Sortino is about an hour's drive? Anyway, I'd really appreciate any info you can share!

I think you and I once communicated, and we discovered that we might be distant relatives. Here's some recent information I'd like to share:

My grandparents were:
Carlo Piraneo - born January 24, 1895
Rosa Blancato - born September 7, 1903
They were born in Sortino, a little town in the province of Siracusa, region of Sicily. They immigrated to New York City and lived the The Bronx.

When I was planning a trip to Sortino, which never materialized, someone I subsequently wrote to at the Comune di Sortino sent me a whole listing of descendents! So, I have the following additional information:

The parents of my grandfather were:
Sebastiano Piraneo - born April 30, 1868
Sebastiana Capello - born August 6, 1873

Their parents (my great-great grandparents) were:
Carlo Piraneo - born July 28, 1829
Sebastiana Iaia - born September 27, 1831

Their parents (my great-great-great grandparents) were:
Giusepppe Iaia and Antonina Mineo (no birth dates given)

My grandmother's parents were:
Serafino Blancato - born October 11, 1852
Margherita Bucello - bron January 30, 1866

Their parents (my great-great grandparents) were:
Giovanni Capello - born August 26, 1873
Giuseppa Santo - (no birth date given)

I'd appreciate any feedback. Grazie!