Militello Rosmarino, Sicily
Angelina was born Angela Russo Femminella 2 October 1895 in Militello Rosmarino, Messina Province, Sicily, Italy.
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| Militello Rosmarino (red pin) in Italy |
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| Militello Rosmarino (red pin) in Sicily |
The earliest archaeological evidence of human activity on the island dates from as early as 12,000 BC. By around 750 BC, Sicily had three Phoenician and a dozen Greek colonies and, for the next 600 years, it was the site of the Sicilian Wars and the Punic Wars. Sicily frequently remained Independent while the rest of Italy frequently changed hands after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. Sicily was ruled during the Early Middle Ages by the Vandals, the Ostrogoths, the Byzantine Empire, and the Emirate of Sicily. The Norman conquest of southern Italy led to the creation of the Kingdom of Sicily, which was subsequently ruled by the Hohenstaufen, the Capetian House of Anjou, Spain, and the House of Habsburg, It was finally unified under the House of Bourbon with the Kingdom of Naples as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It became part of Italy in 1860 following the Expedition of the Thousand, a revolt led by Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Italian unification, and a plebiscite. Sicily was given special status as an autonomous region after the Italian constitutional referendum of 1946.
Messina Province
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| Militello Rosmarino in Messina Province |
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| Messina Province (pink boundary) |
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| The region controlled by Militello Rosmarino (pink boundary) |
Sant'Agata and Militello Rosmarino History
Two settlements were found near Sant'Agata di Militello along the ancient shore line that date back to the Upper Paleolithic: San Teodoro and Scordoni. Civilization has been almost uninterrupted until the bronze age (1400-1300 BC). At that time, continued incursions by belligerent forces from the Italian peninsula attempted to establish villages. Excavations in Scurzi have shed light on the ceramic arts, melters and scallops that contributed to the spinning and weaving economy of those people. This settlement died out around 400 BC. However, some of the region's villages remained active beyond 200 BC.
[I am continuing to translate detailed history from http://www.militellum.net/Storia.htm.]
[1] Notes from a study by Prof. Salvatore Mangione.
[2]
Castro N. (supplement to No. 6, year II) The historical fair of S. Agata, in "PALEOKASTRO", quarterly magazine of studies on Valdemone.
[4]
Idem.
The birth is documented in a civil registry, but not yet in a
baptismal register. The parents are identified as Vincenzo Russo Femminella (1879-1940) and Rosa Blogna (est 1869-1961), who also were
documented in the 1920 U.S. Census, along with their children Biagio,
Joseph, Tony, and Caroline.Grandmother's birth registration is reported on two pages of the civil register. (I'm sorry that my ability to read the entry is not very good. I am handing it to an online service to try another's eyes at it.)
| Transcription | Translation |
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| [left column, page 1] Numero 79 Russo Femminella Angela [handwriting of T.Kohn:] 1895.10.02 Angela Russo Femminella d[aughter] of Vincenzo Russo F, age 24 [printed:] S'indicherà la professione e la confielano [?] [right column, page 1] L'anno milleottocentonovanta sinque add'i cinque di Ottobre, a ore - Avanti di me Russo Giuseppe assessore psyplenta - - - Uffiziale dello Stato Civile del Comune di Militello Rosmarino è comparan Russo Femminella Vincenzo di anni ventipunta Aracciale domiciliate in Militello - il quale mi ha chichiarto che alle ora A quanto sopra e a questo atto sono stati presenti quali testimoni Mosenzu Vincenzo | Number 79 Russo Femminella Angela 1895.10.02 Angela Russo Femminella daughter of Vincenzo Russo Femminella, age 24 ?? In the year one thousand eight hundred ninety-five on the fifth day of October at ten a.m. and fifteen minutes, at the community house. Before me Giuseppe Russo, assessor [?] The state civil office of the community of Militello Rosmarino has come Vincenzo Russo Femminella aged twenty-five years [occupation?] and resident of Militello - he, who has told me that this hour [tra] and 30 minutes, on the second day in the current month, at the home on Via Campi Elysi at the number -, that his wife Rosa Blogna [preleci sa novinto - - - - - - - -] was born a child of female sex, and who have given hime the name Angela. At the time given above and at this place were the witnesses Vincenzo [Mosenzu] |
| Page 2 ---, di anni trentoto, * sulgolario, e Russo Biagio - -, di anni trentacinque, * civilie-, enirambi residenti in questo Comune. Lote il peresente otto a Anstti gl'intervannta ususi e meco pole asattassitta il deileiannesto pesha del Campino praecocver detbriavi sorsambo. - - - Romanzo Vincenzo a Spiago Biagio becyto Sintechi |
aged thirty-eight, * [sulgolario?], and Biagio Russo, aged thirty-five, * civilian, who are both residents in this community.
[Lote il peresente otto a Anstti gl'intervannta ususi e meco pole asattassitta il deileiannesto pesha del Campino praecocver detbriavi sorsambo. - - -] Vincenzo Romanzo Biagio Spiago [becyto Sintechi] |
Grandmother's 1911 passport. | Transcription | Translation |
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| [numbers illegible] In nome di sua maetà Vittorio Emanuele III per grazia di dio e per volonté della nazione Re d'Italia Passaport rilasciato a Russo Femminel[la?] Angela (mobile) figlia di Vincenzo e di Blogna Rosa nato a Militello R. il 2 Ottobre 1895 residente a Militello R. in provincia di Messina de condisione casalinga |
In the name of his majesty Vittorio Emanuele III through the grace of god and the will of the nation King of Italy Passport released by Russo Femminella Angela (__mobile__) daughter of Vincenzo and of Blogna Rosa born in Militello Rosmarino the 2nd October 1895 resident of Militello Rosmarino in the Province of Messina with the condition of home |
| Page 2 Connotati del Titolare del Passaporto Statura m. 1. 57 Eta anni 15 Fronte regolare Occhi cartagni Naso greco Bocca regolare Capelli cartagni Barba // Buffi // Colorito rosco Corporatura regolare Segui particolari N Firma del Titolare Russo Angela |
Characteristics of the Passport Holder Height 1.57 meter (5' 2") Age 15 years Forehead normal Eyes __cartagni__ Nose Greek Mouth normal Hair __cartagni__ Beard // __Buffi__ // Coloration red Body normal Notable __Segui__ N (none) Signature of the Holder Angela Russo |
| Page 3 Il presente passaporto e rilasciato per (1) Cleveland Ohio ed e valido (2) per tre anni Rilasciato cralirtiamente a norma dell' fiel. & com. 4 del R.D. 31 Gennaio 1901 Patti 31 Maggio 1911 Il Sottoprefatto VG Seal: Regia Sotto Prefettura di Patti Ufficio N.P.S. |
Page 3 She presents the passport and is released to (1) Cleveland Ohio and is valid (2) for three years Released __cralirtiamente__ pursuant to __fiel__. & com. 4 del R.D. 31 January 1901 Patti (a location) 31 May 1911 The undersecretary VG Seal: Regia Sotto Prefettura di Patti Ufficio N.P.S. |
An Immigrant in Cleveland
[missing: ship log of her entry to the U.S.]Family stories relate that Giovanni Iacano emigrated some ten years before his marriage, and that he went back to Sicily to meet and accompany Angelina to the U.S. or provided for the travel with a family member. However, her family appears in the 1920 Census of Cleveland, and Angelina Russo is documented as an immigrant with two other women from Militello Rosmarino in 1911. These documents may argue against the stories; the couple may have met in Cleveland.
The Iacano Family Through the 1940s
Grandparents' marriage license was issued 18 March 1914, and it documents their (joint) address
as 1435 Orange Avenue, Giovanni's age 30, and Angela's age 18. Their
parents are Vincenzo Russo Femminela and Rosa Blogna for Angela and Francesco Iacono and Francesca "Roetta" for Giovanni.
Their marriage was performed by E. Raia (or Raca) on 21 June 1914. The photos
of the certificate do not include this date, which was provided in the
returned marriage license. Perhaps the certificate identifies the church
as well.
Grandparents' wedding photo, 1914. 
Grandparents' 1920 census entry. Though the census enumerator wrote the
family name as "Yadino," the given names and ages corroborate well to
the John Iacano family at this time. As well, the Orange Avenue address
is corroborated by other documents.
Note that Angelina Russo-Iacano's parents and siblings are enumerated only a few lines later. 
The Grandparents' next census entry, in 1930, enumerates them at 2565
East 114th Street, Cleveland. The family consists of the members John
(age 49), Angelina (36), Frances (17), Rose (13), Frank (11), Jim (10),
Jennie (8), and John (6). The youngest son, Joe (4) is enumerated on the
next census page. 
The 1940 census enumerates them at the same street but at a different
address, 3473 East 114th Street, Cleveland. Aunt Frannie has already
married and moved out, and the family consists of John (age 59), Angela
(44), Rose (23), Jenny (19, the respondent who was listed first), Frank
(21), Jimmy (20), John (14), Joe (13), and Gaetana (3). 
Grandmother's death document (1940). Note that the cause of death is
given as "Thoracotomy, rt. posterior, old post-operative five months for
Ecchinococcus cyst of liver" performed February 1940. No malignancy was
found. A contributory cause was "marked secondary anemia from
hemorrhage" on 15 July 1940. The "thoracotomy" is an incision into the chest cavity to gain access to the heart, lungs, or pleural lining. An "ecchinococcus cyst" is a fat, pus, or other liquid accumulation that likely results from tapeworm.
[missing: church register entry for his burial, Calvary Cemetery documentation of the plot location]
Web translation of http://www.militellum.net/Storia.htm
There are numerous ruins of Roman occupation. With the destruction of the Roman Empire, this territory, which is pertinent to landfills, where it continues to exist for agricultural purposes, was interested in its proximity to the coast and the main coastal path, from the military and economic events that will lead to a progressive aggregation in Interned houses and the establishment of the Byzantine-Greek element. The Norman conquest of Sicily, from the first incursions to the definitive subjection, lasted about thirty years (1060-1091). On Norman arrival, the inhabitants of these lands felt free from Arab oppression.
The story of Militello Rosmarino is the story of great events and authentic characters, of a laborious, educated, fearful God of God. A slow but gradual story that in the subtlety of research and in the acceptance of many friendly advices has its own Thought that is certainly of classical origin ” [1].
There are two etymological explanations of Militello, according to the interpretation of the Topographic Dictionary of Sicily of Vito Amico. The first is mythological and refers to the strong and belligerent character of the inhabitants. The etymological root "Militum tellus" refers in fact to an urban agglomeration built by soldiers who, after the death of Archimedes, escaped from Syracuse, settled in the hilly territory above what will later become S.Agata. The second hypothesis, he wants Militello to take his name from the rich and flourishing honey production of the land (melis tellus). However, it is also possible to trace a third interpretation, which specifically refers to the conquest of Sicily by the Normans, who were already ordained in Calabria. Coming to Sicily, the latter, probably wanted to repeat the toponyms of the two Calabrian cities to their worst, that is, Mileto and S.Marco of Calabria, ending to name two of the cities of Messina respectively S.Marco d'Alunzio and Miletellum ( Small Mileto).
Rocco Pirri, in his work "Sacred Sicily", appoints the "civitates et castella", assigned by Gran Conte Ruggero between 1081 and 1082, to the Diocese of Troina; Among them, he also identifies Miletum. In 1197-98, in the "Sicilian Sacred" of the Diocese of Messina, the lands belonging to it are listed, again Miletum appears. From the news reported, we note that Militello is always named next to S.Marco and as in 1082 and 1198, it was called Mileto and in 1176, Militello. Militello's quote also appears in the Acts of the Aragonese Chancellery. There is little news we have about the first centuries of Militello's life, for the lack of documents. From the "Magnun Capibreve" by Giovan Luca Barberi, we learn that Militello, at the time of the Normans and the Swabians, was certainly a state-owned land, that is to say under the direct dependence of the Crown.
Under the Aragonese, Militello became a feudal land and the first to be invested, was the country's ruling Gania's Sancho militia. He had the Lordship, but having become a traitor, all good was confiscated. Militello passed, around 1320, to Sancho d'Aragona, the illegitimate son of King Frederick II. From the marriage of the latter, two children were born, one of them, Federico, Count of Cammarata, father's property was confirmed and the baronate of Militello and St.Marco was renewed in 1335. He married Giovanna d'Auria who gave To light two children, Sanciolo and Vinciguerra. The first of these, married Lucia Palizzi, from whom Matteo was born, who died without offspring, which is why his brother Vinciguerra (1364) succeeded him. Vinciguerra d'Aragona, certainly one of the most interesting figures of the Middle Ages in Sicily, was a great supporter of Frederick III who had much to do in the direction of the Kingdom. In 1371 the land was reconfirmed with the castle of Militello. In the Militello government, son Federico, rational teacher, was born in Vinciguerra, Lord of S.Marco and his ranches, Longi and S. Brother and captain of Alcara's life. He was among the barons who revolted at King Martino I's time and for this reason his possessions were confiscated, but it seems that with an act of clemency, on October 10, 1396, Martino I had reconfirmed the concession of Brother Brother, Mirto and Alcara, Even though some sources (Friend, De Spuches) agreed that Frederick, who was away from his land, died of exile. Archival sources document as in September 1400, Martino I, wanting to end the rebellion of his subjects and reward the services rendered to the state, wanted to grant the land of Militello to Bernardo di Caprera, who, with the approval Directed, exchanged him with Enrico Rosso -Gran Chancellor of the Reich-receiving the feud of Monterosso.
The Rosso family of Conti d'Aidone, a descendant of Red Ugon, son of Altavilla, headed for Militello throughout the fifteenth century, with the title of baronate, having the power of "mere and mixed empire" (civil and criminal jurisdiction ) And all the real rights of Guglielmo, niece of Damiano Rosso, for 60 in April 1442. Pietro Ponzio, son of William, was invested in 1455 by the baron of Militello, Cerami and Pardo, retaining his rights until death. His son Enrico succeeded in getting his investment on April 18, 1505; This captain of arms, for various cities of the Kingdom in the year 1480-1484 and 1499, as a regent on behalf of his father, resided at that time in Militello and he is due to an administrative fervor that finds in the promotion of construction and artistic, significant and Unexpected start towards a new urban development process, its most explicit manifestation. In 1508, at the death of Henry, he was invested by the son of Girolamo Rosso of Militello's baron, and in these he succeeded in 1515, Vincenzo Girolamo, who died without descendants. Thus, after more than a century, the Lady of Rosso at Militello ended. In 1536 the messenger Antonio La Rocca acquired the title of baron and took possession of the lands and the castle of Militello for himself and his descendants; A few years later he acquired the "mere and mixed empire". Baron, lands and castle passed to Giovanni del Carretto count of Racalmuto, spouse of the daughter of Vincenzo Girolamo Rosso, who remained a widow. The Count, in the name of his wife, redeemed Filippo La Rocca the barony, the land and the castle of Militello, giving the title and the goods, without ever having invested, to Girolamo Gallego and Rosso in 1573, born of the union of John Gallego and Angela Red. Fr. Girolamo's son and Margherita Requisens, Vincenzo Gallego was invested in the 1600's of the Militello lordship. To these, promoters, together with the mother of the Dominican convent (1615), turned to the Navy's naturalists to seek protection from frequent pirate attacks, after that in 1580, eight cormorant galleys landed on the beach and plundered each Which had deported many inhabitants, slaughtered in slavery, in Africa. It was Luigi, born of Don Vincenzo and Donna Francesca Giambruno, who succeeded her father, to obtain in 1628 the "mere and mixed imperium" and the faculty of building a castle at the Marina. This, which was built on the existing towers, created the conditions for quickly and quickly building a settled reality (S.Agata) at the coast, which is now more secure and therefore interested in productive activities and trade routes. At the tower there was a cargo, a carpentry, and some fishermen's houses. Engineers and military architects offered a picture of the situation of the coastal towers at the end of the sixteenth century and urged the strengthening of the tower, making for the first time the place of the old papers. However, the Gallegos showed that they had even bigger prospects.
In the seventeenth century, Vincenzo and Luigi Gallego sought and obtained permission to build a large palace next to the towers, obtaining for the family the title of "Marquis of S.Agata" and then of princes (1658). Luigi was still granted the populist license by King Philip IV (1657) to promote in the same site the foundation of a village, a real urban settlement on which the future development of the town will be based. The information from "Riveli" shows a greater degree of agility, due to the success of breeding silkworm and the production of oil and wine. The feudal economy was still based on rights, property, gabelles, censors, customs, duties. Luigi died on September 19, 1662, one day before the premature death of his son Vincenzo, born of the union with Anna Spadafora. Then, in Louis, succeeds Brother Girolamo, according to Prince of Militello, in 1664, who died without heirs. The state of Militello, therefore, passed to his nephew Vincenzo (1678). His brother, Gaetano, succeeded in 1693, who was the fourth prince of Militello and marquis of S.Agata. In 1722, the state of Militello passed to Giuseppe, the fifth prince of Militello and Marquis of S.Agata, then to his son Francesco Paolo (1755), and again to his son Giuseppe (1777). The last Prince of Militello was Don Giuseppe Gallego Naselli, who in 1815 had been involved in political processes, accused of belonging to Carboneria. In 1821, to cope with his debts, he had to surrender all his feuds and also the Castle to Prince Don Giuseppe Lanza Branciforte of Trabia and Butera, for a lifetime. He was privately owned by any of his possessions, had to leave his city and move to Naples, where he died after a few months. From the examination of the feudal land rivals, existing at the State Archives of Palermo dated 1584, we can have a fairly clear picture of Militello's urban situation. They also document that agricultural activity was widespread at the coast and adjacent hills (vineyards S.E.A.T., arable land at S.I.P.R.A. and Serrabernardo). From the Militello Rivals of 1811, the old rights that the population exercised until the end of feudalism were derived, and that, with the liquidation of the feudal regime, they were no longer recognized by the new emerging class. From these records, it turns out that Militello had a castle with prisons and warehouses; The documents prove to be unequivocally the existence of a castle, of which there are, however, no reliable news on the foundation date, although it is likely that it can be traced back to the Norman period. Even in 1787 and 1792, laws had been enacted which envisaged the census of state lands and their enfiteous concession to the less well-off classes.
With the Liberal Constitution of 1812, feudalism was abolished, although it had spontaneously given up these rights, in reality, the feudalists still benefited. It was in 1835 that he tried to solve the demagnetic problem; To this end, Ferdinand II appointed General Visitors to investigate the agricultural conditions of Sicily and in 1841 another important decree was issued, which ordered the Intendents to actively collaborate in the work of the Visitors. There was a long series of litigation and controversy in all the Sicilian municipalities, which inevitably came to an end in the systematic abusive appropriation of communal land by the nascent bourgeoisie.
Militello's population grew a lot in recent years and from Sicily's "Journal of Statistics" No. 22 of December 1853, published in Palermo, we learned that in 1798 Militello had 3520 souls, in 1831 he had 3527 and in 1847, 4003 ( Of which 2800 males and 1203 females). In 1855, there was the separation of S.Agata from Militello, which made it autonomous. Having greatly increased and now being able to express himself in a municipal identity, S.Agata forwarded, in 1830, an instance of autonomy to the Government of Naples. However, the required number of inhabitants was still lacking in order to be brought to the common ground, so the request was rejected and the Government granted to the town of S.Agata only an office to receive the acts of the Civil State and later in 1838, the official who cared for the state Civilian was also tasked with guarding the annona. In 1839, despite the lack of numerical requirements to break away from Militello, the mayor, who had possessions in the hamlet with skillful diplomacy, made the municipal body of time leap to a resolution approving the transfer of mandatory prisons and municipal offices from Militello to S.Agata. With the transfer of the municipal offices to S.Agata, the geographical maps were also revolutionized, referring to the fraction as: S. Agata Militello Messina Valley District of Patti Circondario S. Agata Militello. Militello did not silently silence the overthrow and immediately went to the open rebellion, sending to the General Assembly of 1848 a memorial explaining his reasons and asking for justice to be made. Even the nearby commune of Alcara, who was injured by the longest distance to go to S.Agata, filed a petition to the parliament for the filing of any document. Over the years, Militello's situation deteriorated more and more.
While the resource before S.Agata was trade, with the transfer of municipal offices, the only resource of Militello, the forensic activity, was to die. Already in 1840, the municipality's rent was invested in the Navy and Militello's inter-municipal roads and public buildings began to fall in ruins. The Militello municipal authorities, forced to travel far from their country, began to integrate into the new reality and to slowly, but gradually detach themselves from their place of origin. The actual separation between Militello and S.Agata was, therefore, definitively sanctioned, the legal one, only in 1855. The estate agent Giuseppe Manso had the task of sharing the territory between the two municipalities. S.Agata was now completely removed from Militello; A new page of history began for the new community.
The predominantly pastoral and agricultural economy typical of the Nigerian countries found one of the most favorable market opportunities at the Saint-Raphael rally. In the coastal strip, where more favorable communications were possible and on which a small number of small population centers were making use of the practice of marking girovaga, the implementation of such a large fair, such as that of S.Agata, provided the possibility Of meeting for the sale of livestock and the purchase of handicraft and "consumption" products to the inhabitants of a part of the island that lived in singular isolation.
Although already for some time an appointment for merchants and buyers at the castle, in Gaetano Gallego in 1700, had the privilege of setting up a trade fair in S.Agata. This appointment became more and more an important moment of exchange, confirming the growing economic importance of the coast compared to the feudal centers, which, on the other hand, resented a gradual depletion. In fact, at S.Agata, they held annual meetings with the traffickers, and the favorable position provided ever greater luck at the fair. Moreover, a number of documents belonging to Gallego's homeowners insist on the antiquity and importance of this market, underlining how "Always, ab ancient and by those who have no bad memory in the opposite, a fera in the Marina of S.Agata, which is famous for all this Kingdom”[2]. The Barons Gallego had assumed the lordship of Militello in 1573; Girolamo, son of Don Giovanni Gallego, born of an Aragonese knight and an Aztec Princess and Castelano of the Savior in Messina, married Angela Rosso, a descendant of a man who from the time Martini had owned the town. In 1600 title and property passed on to his son Vincenzo, who in April 1620 obtained the Royal Curia the mere and mixed empire with the faculty of making a castle at the towers "?S.Agata di Militello with regard to the four far removed from the land of a thousand paces, he called unto him, to fortify their towers than to build, on behalf of the offense of their parents, and eventual suppression intends proseguía thou? And she said unto the enemies of our holy faith and the defense of the ”[3] The pirate incursions had to be frequent and fierce at that time, so much so that they would demand greater defense of the coast. When in 1629, Duke Alburquerque signed the execution letter of the concession, Gallego, he was already building the fortress in the Navy. Gallego, received the title of Marquis, obtained the following year for a rescript of King Philip IV the "faculty of popular S.Agata". The founding of a farmhouse on the coast suggests that it was changing considerably the socio-economic reality of the territory; In the same center of Militello, the private villagers who went to live in the new village, the number of inhabitants grew compared to the previous century. Campaigns, generally cultivated with olive trees and "working", came from the 16th century to house "vineyards and home-made vineyards" [4], witnessing a decisive intervention for the conversion of crops, which was the basis for the enrichment of a classy farm Of landowners. The production of silk in the various centers was remarkable and substantial source of income for almost the entire population, encouraged by the increase in demand that had a peak around the year 1660. The greater production of goods, which had to influence the increased standard of living, the progressive resolution of the coastal defense problem (in the documents of the end of the century there is no mention of the problem of piracy) and the existence of osterias and found in the coast , Who supported greater mobility for commercial purposes, were the motives for increasing fairs that, from that time, could rightly be said to be "magnificent". Don Gaetano Gallego Ventimiglia, who in 1692 had received the title and investment of Prince of Militello and Marquis of S.Agata, had to ask about the end of the seventeenth century a recognition of the fair, from which privilege had always enjoyed his succoncessori. In those years, he had been summoned by Fr. Diego Joppolo Ventimiglia, Duke of Sinagra and Count of Nose; In fact, the latter alleged that the fair was abolished, as it coincided with the Capo d'Orlando market, which was granted in 1697. The acts relating to petitions addressed to the Real Property Court and their concessions constitute a number of historical data: the first of it is a privilege of July 28, 1700, with which the prince was granted the right to make the fair, with the modifications Made from the achievements of the Count of Nose; The second, dated March 30, 1703, is the plea for a precise definition of the date, accepted by the viceroy, and sufficient to put an end to the dispute. Having been bitterly challenged by the Possessing that our prince is his antecedents he has and have had On December 16, 1699, the ruling of the court pronounced for the "prohibition of the fair" [5], reserving to Prince Gallego the power to appeal and to proceed with the new request for concession. Don Gaetano Gallego, hoping to prove by all means "the immemorial possession and concession of privilege", made an appeal in the following year, in order to confirm his right as it had been for the past. In the document, Procuratore Don Filippo Di Paola, notes the prince and his predecessors, They always have antiquity, and there is no homosexual memory in the contrary, made a fete in the Marina of S.Agata, precisely of this illustrious prince with the frank of the Doghana or baronial gabelles due to it sig.Principe on the day of October 24, every year, what does the exporter intend to do and so have to do the future Against it, he had tried to judge the Count of Nose, "claiming to ban this feta under pretense that he had such a fake concession ... in the Marina of Capo d'Orlando on October 21, 22 and 23 Every year, though for many and many years, have not been executed. " The same witnesses and vassals of Count Nose, while asserting that this market had been done in the Cape town, however, "could not deny that S. Agatha's fever had always continued with a great contest of people without No contradiction ". The noble nasitano used the fact that Gallego did not possess at present any document and found the incompatibility between the two fairs distant 10 miles away and carried out with mutual harm, almost simultaneously. In the act, the Prince of Militello, sure of the inherited possession of the license, asked to confirm the right to the fair, to be made from October 24, not to proceed, however, a request. Count Ioppolo, then also for similar reasons, with Don Corrado Lanza, Duke of Brolo and Baron of Ficarra (the fair at that castle was held in late October), asked the jurors not to grant what Gallego required. Strongly of the favorable judgment of the previous case, he claimed, in no way, that he should be licensed in October either to Prince of Militello or to Noble of Brolo. By providing his indications, he suggested that for the first, he could admit to making a weekly show "incipient to the first sevembris et quo at dom.ill. Ducem Broli in eius Castri Broli for dies quatuor incipiendo to die vigesimo nono ". The text that was written recited "Let's license to the illustrious prince who can do feta in the Marina of S. Agatha for the term of six days, starting from the 21st century. Of every year for all the twenty-six (in) form as pria for the past he did ... with all those powers, authority, privilege, lucro, emoluments and franchises, immunities, exemptions of the Baronale Doghana, as in all those other gabelles The past has enjoyed and solved enjoying and granting and being able to concede to the merchants who came to that feta ... ", not intending to grant exemption from some taxes (donors and secretaries), but having the protection of the officers of the Kingdom. After three years, during which the marina's fair had a remarkable decline, Fr Gaetano Gallego asked for the revocation of the sentence "knowing from the experience that the fera does not succeed and remains useless (why) in that time to be People applied to the mousetrap and the heat they make and the malaise are neither mercenaries nor buyers. " "In order not to be lost, this famous fever" he asked "license to be able to do fera in the marina of S. Agahta, as he did for the past ... on the sixteenth of November every year, up to twenty-four of the same and of the same The way and the way that has been used for the past with the power and authority to be able to do it throughout the Kingdom, as always, so that it comes to the news of each one. " The court of the kingdom confirmed the granting of baronial franchises "and the immunity of the gabelles that they grant and have given in other powers of this kingdom, and in the just form and manner that is practiced in other cities and lands of this kingdom where there is An annual fever, in which we allow the illustrious supplicant (Prince Gallego) and his officers to publish and banish them in nearby towns and lands, so that they can take notice of it, and mercaders can freely enter all sorts Merchandise, livestock and others ... .. " [6]. The concession suffices to succumb to any dispute; The period and duration were thus definitively established.
The feudal lords continued in the "peaceful possession" of their ancient rights, which was merely an exception, the payment of customs gabelles, donations and segregation. Market opportunities were a reason for substantial economic revenue for the prince, who also demanded "the silk weight straight, sold in the scales for Libra, which uses for the commodity of the mercadent buyers ... .. and the (straight ) Above every species that from the Earth and Territory of Militello and the countryside and territory of St. Agatha, at any time to extract. " In the eighteenth century, the countryside was rich in biada, planted with olive trees, jellies and hives. Only important trade exchanges were the annual fairs in which, besides the livestock, the products of the land, cheeses, textiles and domestic and peasant goods were brought into the market, carried in the form of a mule, or, By means of merchant ships. Don Giuseppe Gallego Naselli, the last holder of the title and the lordship of Militello at the time of the abolition of feudality, asked and obtained, in April 1790, that the rights to sell silk and abstraction of feudo products on time Fair, granted to his family since 1651.
In the hillsides and mountains, the shepherding practice was spreading more and more, due to the degradation of the agrarian landscape. The degraded soils constituted the large areas of pasture which allowed a great diffusion of cattle and sheep. The greater demand of the rural population made the old function of the livestock trade show to grow; It also became more and more conspicuous the consumer market.
S.Agata's fair became, from the second half of the last century, one of the most important business places, widening its scope of action to a clientele embracing the entire Valdemone (one of the three arcs in which it was subdivided Sicily, in those years). Especially the retail trade, it found a large expansion, for the rapid spread of men and goods. S.Agata operated the mail and telegraph services, while osterials and foundations were active, constituting an essential infrastructure to foster the mobility of goods and buyers. In 1895, the first train arrived in the new, important railway line.
Although the reality of immigration marked the period between two centuries, demographic growth was the basis of a significant development of the town. The fair became the distinctive moment of S.Agata's economic activity. The Municipal Administration, at the beginning of the last century, promoted a second edition of the important market, based on the rules of new laws regulating the matter, to be carried out on April 14 and 15. The new and the old fair, thus represented the first and last chance to gather in the district. A large number of people were called back because the two moments were the most suitable for supply and winter supply, or for entry into the circuit of the new annual cycle.
