Author Topic: How can I locate a grave in Istanbul, Turkey?  (Read 250 times)

Offline Fide et Fortitudine

  • RootsChat Senior
  • ****
  • Posts: 328
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
How can I locate a grave in Istanbul, Turkey?
« on: Wednesday 08 November 23 20:37 GMT (UK) »
I know the name of the cemetery -- Feriköy Latin Catholic Cemetery, also called Pangaltı Fransız Latin Katolik Mezarlığı in Turkish -- and I know the name of the person I think might be buried there, but I don't know his year of death, the plot number, or even if he's buried there at all.  Year of death could be any time after 1860 and no later than 1923.  I have checked FindAGrave, nothing came up. 

His name is TOMASO LUIGI MADELLA, alternately spelled TOMMASO, and sometimes given with the English version of his name, THOMAS LOUIS MADELLA or TOMAS LOUIS MADELLA. 

I'm 90% certain he died in Constantinople.  He was Italian, baptised as a baby in Constantinople, in the Catholic Church of SS. Peter & Paul, so he has got to be in the Catholic cemetery.  There might be lots of other Madellas in the same cemetery.  Tomaso may be in the same grave as other family members.  He had 11 siblings, all of whom died in Constantinople between 1834 and 1908.  His parents also died in Constantinople and both were Catholics. 

His father was Domenico MADELLA, born in Mantua, Italy circa 1783, died 18th Feb 1853, in Constantinople, aged about 70.  Ref.  Old Parish Death Registers of Constantinople, Church of St. Mary Draperis, Book no. 6.  His mother was Anna MARCOPOLI, baptised 7 Aug 1791 Constantinople, died 6 Jan 1861 Constantinople, aged 69.  Old Parish Death Registers Catholic Church of St. Anthony of Padua, Book no. 44/491 and Church of St. Mary Draperis. 

Short of getting on a plane to Istanbul and wandering around the cemetery, how can I find Tomaso?
Fide et Fortitudine - By fidelity and fortitude
"I force nae freen" - I force no friend and fear no foe

Online Erato

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 6,755
  • Old Powder House, 1703
    • View Profile
Re: How can I locate a grave in Istanbul, Turkey?
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 08 November 23 21:41 GMT (UK) »
You could try contacting this guy.  He gives a contact address:

https://www.2mi3.com/ferikoy

I think that he has posted on RootsChat.  I might be wrong, but I think I recall reading a post about his 'museum' project.
Wiltshire:  Banks, Taylor
Somerset:  Duddridge, Richards, Barnard, Pillinger
Gloucestershire:  Barnard, Marsh, Crossman
Bristol:  Banks, Duddridge, Barnard
Down:  Ennis, McGee
Wicklow:  Chapman, Pepper
Wigtownshire:  Logan, Conning
Wisconsin:  Ennis, Chapman, Logan, Ware
Maine:  Ware, Mitchell, Tarr, Davis

Online Erato

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 6,755
  • Old Powder House, 1703
    • View Profile
Re: How can I locate a grave in Istanbul, Turkey?
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 08 November 23 21:46 GMT (UK) »
Wiltshire:  Banks, Taylor
Somerset:  Duddridge, Richards, Barnard, Pillinger
Gloucestershire:  Barnard, Marsh, Crossman
Bristol:  Banks, Duddridge, Barnard
Down:  Ennis, McGee
Wicklow:  Chapman, Pepper
Wigtownshire:  Logan, Conning
Wisconsin:  Ennis, Chapman, Logan, Ware
Maine:  Ware, Mitchell, Tarr, Davis

Offline Fide et Fortitudine

  • RootsChat Senior
  • ****
  • Posts: 328
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: How can I locate a grave in Istanbul, Turkey?
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 08 November 23 22:05 GMT (UK) »
Oooooh, thanks Erato.  Dimitri has got quite a lot on his site.  I'll check it out. 
Fide et Fortitudine - By fidelity and fortitude
"I force nae freen" - I force no friend and fear no foe


Offline Fide et Fortitudine

  • RootsChat Senior
  • ****
  • Posts: 328
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: How can I locate a grave in Istanbul, Turkey?
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 09 November 23 07:14 GMT (UK) »
There's no immediate connection with the Madella family of Constantinople and Dimitri's family on the 2mi3 online museum.  But I have PMd him and now waiting for a reply. 
Fide et Fortitudine - By fidelity and fortitude
"I force nae freen" - I force no friend and fear no foe

Offline Fide et Fortitudine

  • RootsChat Senior
  • ****
  • Posts: 328
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: How can I locate a grave in Istanbul, Turkey?
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 09 November 23 07:50 GMT (UK) »
The Italian Consulate of Istanbul might have death registers for the Ottoman era?  Especially for notable families, which the Madellas and the Marcopoli were.  They were related through dynastic marriages to many of the old bourgeois Italian Levantine families such as the D'Andria, the Corpi, the Justiniani, the Castelli, as well as to French Levantines:  Pech, Lapierre, Lahaille, etc. 

According to one academic source, there were around 14,000 Italians living in Istanbul in 1906, but only about 8,000 of them were officially registered with the consulate. 
http://www.levantineheritage.com/pdf/The-Italians-of-Istanbul-between-1873-1910-and-their-properties-Zeynep-Cebeci-Suvari.pdf 

I would think Tomaso Luigi Madella was registered because he was a medical doctor attached to the Ottoman army. 
Fide et Fortitudine - By fidelity and fortitude
"I force nae freen" - I force no friend and fear no foe