On January 15, 1765, a young couple, Donato Bello and Suzanne Moreau, were married in the Catholic Church in New Orleans which was then located in the Spanish Colony of Louisiana. The Colony had long been a French possession but via the secret Treaty of Fontainebleau in 1763, France ceded control of its North American Colonies to Spain! This began a period of Spanish Control of Louisiana that lasted until 1803 when France regained control a few months before the famous Louisiana Purchase of 1803! I have written extensively about this in several previous blog posts. I would encourage you to read those earlier posts if you have not already done so.
You may be asking, why bring this up again? Interestingly, Donato Bello was an Italian Army Officer from Naples who immigrated to Louisiana after the Spanish gained control. But why an Italian officer? The answer is complicated. I thought quantum mechanics was difficult to understand; however, I believe European politics in the period 1500 to 1915 may be more complex. Simply put, Spain had maintained control of portions of Italy and importantly the Kingdom of Naples since the early 1500s. The Kingdom of Naples consisted of most of Southern Italy and the island of Sicily. If you want a headache, read about the history of Italy during this period! Donato Bello was an Italian officer but subject to the king of Spain. He most likely was seeking his fame and fortune in Louisiana.
The marriage of Donato and Suzanne produced at least 2 children, Valerie Donato Bello and Donato Bello. The marriage was recorded as follows in the church records:
Donato (Victor and Marie DE LA SARD LA MAROJ), native of Corand, Kingdom of Naples, Archdiocese of Naples, m. Suzanne MOREAUX (Moreau), Jan. 15, 1765, w. A. OLIVIER, OIATEAU, MOREAU OLIVER, OLIVER, BOSSERON, Adolph FRENET, DELACOSTE, LAFITTE, Lisitte I-ERY, CHAPERON, JOVSELME (SIC, 85, 182 & M2, 12) [double entry)
Source: SACRAMENTAL RECORDS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW ORLEANS VOLUME 2, 1751-1771
Interestingly, I have not been able to locate Corand in Italy. I have found some information that hints it may have been in Sicily, but nothing definitive at this point!
Donato Sr. followed the custom of many other white men in New Orleans and maintained a second household with a gens des couleur libreby the name of Marie Jeanne Taillefero. That relationship produced at least four children, Martin Donato Bello, Céleste Susanne Bello, Marie Celeste Bello, and Catherine Victorie Donato Bello.
On November 3, 1789, Catherine (Catalina is Spanish) Victorie Donato Bello and Jean Baptiste Guillory were married in St. Landry Catholic Church in Opelousas, Louisiana. They are my maternal 3rdgreat-grandparents. I found a transcribed copy of the Marriage Certificate, and it is shown below:
“Certificate of Marriage
This is to certify that Jean Baptiste Guillory, Liberated Mulatto son of Gregoire Guillory (white) Marguerite Liberated Negress and Catalina Victorie Liberated Quarteron, daughter of Donato Bello and Marie Jeanne Taillefero of New Orleans. Were lawfully married on the 3 day of November 1789 according to the rites of the Catholic Church and in conformity with the laws of the state of Louisiana (note: Louisiana was not a state at the time of marriage). Rev. Pedro de Zamora officiating in the presence of Martin Donato, Joseph Chavis? and Geo. Bolard, witnesses as appears from the marriage register of this church. Dated October 28, 1992. Vol.13B 1 (not legible), P. 15.”
https://mafamilleguillorydecuir.com/f/the-children-of-marguerite-and-joseph-gregoire-pierre-guillory
