Emilio BAIOCCHI & Elvira BERNARDINI

Emilio BAIOCCHI was the son of Arcangelo BAIOCCHI & Caterina FAGNANI

Emilio was born in Meati in 1851 and he passed away in Meati on 19 February 1925. Meati is a village near Lucca, in the region of Tuscany.

From the 1871 census, Emilio BAIOCCHI was in Corsica as an "agriculturalist" for more than 6 months. (probably a farm laborer)

Emilio BAIOCCHI and Elvira BERNARDINI were married in a religious service in the village of St. Anna, at the church of St. Anna on 21 October 1876, followed by the marriage in the town coucil of Lucca on 26 December 1876. It was the custom of the day to have both marriage ceremonies performed.  Elvira BERNARDINI was born in 1854. Elvira worked in the manufacture of Tobacco products. Elvira's daughter Emma Baiocchi described Elvira as someone that did not desire power or wealth. She was an intelligent, simple, good and wise woman.
Click here to read about the wonderful history of the Bernardini family.

Emilio and Elvira had the following children:

Enrico BAIOCCHI, born 1879

Silvio BAIOCCHI, born  26 February 1882 and emigrated to South Africa and married Anne Roödtman

Emma BAIOCCHI, born 1886. Emma married Agostino STAGI

Adele BAIOCCHI, born 1893 (was a dress designer and dress maker)

Silvia BAIOCCHI, born 1898. Silvia passed away in 1916, at the age of 18, from an epidemic caused by contaminated water.

In 1914, Emilio Baiocchi and Elvira Bernardini welcomed Luigi, Rita and Italo Bernardini into their home, due to the death of the childrens' parents from an epidemic. Their father was Cosimo Bernardini, the brother of Elvira Bernardini Baiocchi.

Then in 1916, Elvira Bernardini passed away, the same year as her daughter Silvia passed away.

View  image of marriage contract signed by Emilio Baiocchi on 20 September 1876. Essentially this says: "In the name of the Holy God,  the underwriter Priest of Meati guarantees that for three consective Sundays has loudly said during Mass that Emilio Baiocchi has declared that he wants Elvira Bernardini to become his wife and that nobody or nothing can be considered to obstacles to the legitimacy of such a marriage. In addition, Emilio Baiocchi has given me full assurances that during the time he has been absent from his home village of Meati he has not become married to anyone and this he has confirmed by oath and by signing this document."

View document that Emilio Baiocchi filed with the Lucca Town Coucil to become married to Elvira Bernardini.

View church marriage record dated 21 October 1876 from the church of St. Anna.

View the Town of Lucca record of the December 26, 1876 civil marriage in Lucca.

Emilio Baiocchi was a small building contractor. He started his building career by building fence walls and olive orchard terraces at the nearby hill villages of Pozuolo and Gattaiola. It is believed he later began to build villas. This photo shows the precision of the laying of the stones in the building of a villa. It is believed this villa was built by Emilio Baiocchi. It was owned by Antonio Lemucchi, a relative by marriage of Emilio. 

This view shows the ornate decoration under the gutter of the roof. It is believe to have been designed by Emilio's daughter Adele Baiocchi.

Here is another view of a decoration designed by Adele Baiocchi. It was painted by her husband, Pietro.

Elvira Bernardini's nephew, Italo Bernardini who came to live with her in 1914, became a mason apprentice and wood carver, and self made sculpter. In the late 1950's he emigrated to the United States and lived there for about 25 years. While there he did many sculptures. A couple of his sculptures are a 12 foot tall cross. and a full size bronze of Jesus on a cross. It is still in Boston. A replica of the bronze sculpture is in on display on the piano in the home of Divo Stagi.

Emma Baiocchi Stagi and Enrico Baiocchi, holding rifle

Enrico watching his sister Emma Baiocchi Stagi shoot a rifle

Emma Baiocchi Stagi

Following are photos from the visit of members of Silvio Baiocchi's family from South Africa to their cousin Emma Baiocchi Stagi and her family in Lucca, Italy in the year of 1969.

     1) First meeting of cousins Elvira Biaocchi Pretorius and Divo Stagi

     2) First meeting of cousins Elvira Biaocchi and Divo Stagi

     3) Elvira and Divo viewing the beautiful city of Firenza (Florence)

     4) Elivira Baiocchi Pretorius, Emma Baiochi Stagi and Sid seated below sign post for the town of Fagnano where Catarina Fagnani came from and the sign post for Meati where Arcangelo Baiocchi came from

     5) Original house of Arcangelo Baiocchi and Catarina Fagnani

     6)  The bedroom of Silvio Baiocchi(born 1882) as a child.

     7)  Meati Church the Baiocchi family would have attended

     8) Alla Salute!!!

     9) Divo Stagi, Elvira Baiocchi Pretorius, and Emma Baiocchi Stagi

    10) First cousins Divo Stagi and Elvira Baiocchi Pretorius

    11) The meeting place in Lucca, Italy, the home of Divo Stagi

    12) Sid, Elvira Baiocchi Pretorius, Theresa and Rudi

    13) The Family

This page was last updated on 25 October 2010