Theodore B Ceruti (abt. 1812 - aft. 1848)

Born about 1812 in Regno di Sardegna

Husband of Matilda Catherine Charlotte (Necks) Ceruti — married 1 Feb 1837 in Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas, British West Indies

Descendants

Died after 1848 after about age 36 in The Bahamas [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Marion Ceruti [send private message]

Biography

Theodore Ceruti is part of a Bahamian family.

Theodore Ceruti has English ancestors.

Theodore Ceruti ha origini italiane.

Theodore was an Ornamental House, Sign, and Carriage Painter and Gilder.

Theodore B. Ceruti may have been born about 1812 on Sardinia, which at that time was not part of a unified Italy. Sardinia was a kingdom that was governed by the Duke of Savoy, who was also the King of Sardinia. Savoy is significant because many people with the surname, "Ceruti" live in Northwestern Italy, in what was once Savoy.

Theodore's marriage record indicates that he was a bachelor at the time of his marriage to Matilda Necks, who also had not been married previously. We do not know what the "B" signifies. It could mean "Bentley" "Burton" or something else.

The following marriage announcement appeared on page 3 of the The Royal Gazette, and Bahama Advertiser on Saturday, 4 Feb. 1837: "MARRIED, on Wednesday evening last, by the Rev. William Hepburn, Rector of Christ Church, Mr. Theodore Ceruti to Miss Matilda Necks." This further confirms that the wedding date was 1 Feb. 1837.

The following advertisement appeared in the Royal Gazette, and Bahama Advertiser on Saturday, 2 Dec. 1837: "T. Ceruti and John Rea, Ornamental House, Signs and Carriage Painters & Gilders, Beg to inform the Citizens of Nassau, that they will be ready to embrace the opportunity of engaging and perfecting any kind of work in the above line, ALSO — Ornamental Ceiling and Bordering in Water and Oil. Old portraits clean and varnished & also frames gilded afresh. P. S. Having both served their time in Europe, and worked in England, France and Italy, they trust that the inhabitants of Nassau may not be backward in setting off their Drawing rooms with taste, T. CERUTY, JOHN REA. December 2nd 1837." This notice provides further evidence of English, French, and Italian connections.

Theodore's birthplace was listed in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census as Sicily, which was part of Italy by 1900 but was not part of Italy when Theodore was born. However, Theodore's and Matilda's marriage record indicates that Theodore came from Sardinia. Theodore and Matilda were married at Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas. Matilda was born in the Bahamas.

Edward Burton Ceruti, Sr., who was Theodore's youngest son listed "Italy" as the birthplace of his father in the 1920 U.S. Federal Census.

The marriage record and the census records differ on his birthplace, but one thing they have in common is that both locations later became part of a unified Italy.

Theodore and Matilda had three sons, Frederick Lin Ceruti, Sr, Theodore Bently Ceruti, Sr., and Edward Burton Ceruti, Sr., in that order. The oldest and youngest sons have living descendants (as of July 2022) However, living descendants of Theodore Bently Ceruti have yet to be discovered.

Theodore must have lived at least until 1846. His youngest son was born in 1847. No death record has yet been found.

Family Legend That Isn't True

Fiction: A story was repeated by close relatives, including aunts and cousins, that was based on an assumed connection between the Ceruti family from the Bahamas and the Ceruti violins made in Cremona, Italy. This is the myth has been debunked with a combination of circumstantial evidence and Y-DNA evidence.

Fact: Cremona, was home to many famous violin makers, including Giovanni Battista Ceruti, Guiseppe Ceruti, and Enrico Ceruti. Three generations of violin makers produced works of fine art used by principal violinists in various orchestras. Instruments made in the Ceruti shop in Cremona include other members of the violin family such as violas and cellos. Marion Ceruti actually observed one of these fine violins in 1980, made by G. B. Ceruti, whose signature is visible inside the instrument. The instrument had a lovely resonant and refined sound, typical of the fine violins made in Cremona during its "golden era." The violin's owner has asked that his identity not be revealed because high-value instruments, like Ceruti violins, have been targets of theft.

Research: An inquiry into the Ceruti genealogy in Cremona failed to demonstrate any familial connection between the Ceruti family in Cremona and the Ceruti family in the Bahamas. Moreover, the DNA evidence supports other hypotheses disconnected from the Cremona Ceruti line of descent. A trip to the Archivio di Stato in Cremona failed to yield any support to the myth.

Conclusion: Whereas the lack of supporting evidence does not prove that the myth is false, a better explanation for its origin is the use of the story to attract members of the opposite sex with a romantic tale about an alleged connection to famous people. Some family members are known to have believed in it, without evidence, because they heard it from other family members. This is not the first family legend that has been debunked and it won't be the last.

Cover Up

The descendants of both Theodore's oldest son Frederick, and youngest son, Edward, have confirmed that these sons never liked to talk about their family. We don't know any descendants of the middle son, Theodore Bentley Ceruti, so we can't ask them. Why did Edward Burton Ceruti, Sr.'s mother-in-law hate him? There is a big story of something (or a collection of events) that happened in the 1800s, the details of which remain a mystery, but most likely, these events occurred prior to 1870 and may have been related to Frederick Lin Ceruti Sr.'s departure from Ragged Island to Andros.

For more intriguing, peculiar, and unexplained observations and legends, visit the Ceruti Family-Mysteries Page [1]

Research Notes

Nothing is known about Theodore's parents. Y-DNA indicates that he may have been an adopted child or he may have descended from an adopted child. This is the most likely hypothesis to explain the observations. If Theodore had been adopted or a descendant of an adopted child, he may not have known about it.

Alternately and much less likely, he may have been an English pirate in the Caribbean who "retired" from piracy as he jumped ship, swam to shore on one of the many uninhabited islands in the Bahamas, and started a whole new life. Regarding this hypothesis, no direct evidence has been found to substantiate the assumption that Theodore was a pirate. The age of piracy had long since passed before his arrival in the Bahamas.

Y-DNA evidence is consistent with English ancestry, descending from the Field or Fields family of Sir John Field, the noted English Astronomer. Both of these theories are speculation with no source documentation except the Y-DNA evidence, but both theories explain how not even one man with a Ceruti surname appears among the Y-DNA male relatives prior to the 19th century. However, the name Field and Fields are plentiful among male relatives who share the Y-DNA. Of course, no pirate would leave a paper trail by writing about what actually happened because he would not have wanted to end his days swinging from a rope.

Another theory that has been discussed among Theodore's descendants is that Theodore left Sardinia with a brother, possibly named Frederick, but so far no one has come up with sufficient documentation to confirm this idea. Names of people in the same family tend to be repeated from one generation to the next. Theodore, Sr. and Fredrick, allegedly from Sardinia, may have been confused with Theodore and Frederick, sons of Theodore, Sr. Alternately, they may have been confused with Theodore and Frederick, sons of Edward Burton Ceruti, Sr.

Note that Theodore and Frederick are not Italian names, but then again, the Y-DNA result does not indicate Italian descent.

Cousin Burt provided the following information on a possible relative of Theodore Ceruti, Sr. Edward Butler Ceruti, born on New Providence Island, Bahamas, grew up with Edward Burton Ceruti. Edward Butler was said to have born in 1846, and "three years older than Edward Burton Ceruti." This actually is not possible. if Edward Butler Ceruti's birthdate were in 1846, he would have been about one year older than Edward Burton Ceruti. If he were three years older, his birth year would have had to have been 1844. Whereas it is biologically possible, given the birth years, for Edward Butler Ceruti to have been Theodore, Sr's child, it is more likely that Edward Butler Ceruti, if he existed, was Theodore Sr's brother's child. This is a hint that Theodore Sr. may have come to the Bahamas with a brother, possibly named Frederick, but it is by no means proof. Birth or marriage records are needed to confirm the identity of Edward Butler Ceruti.

Theodore's sons, Edward, Sr. and Fredrick, Sr. were Episcopalians and Masons, as were some of their descendants. The middle son, Theodore Bently Ceruti, may also have been an Episcopalian and a Mason but documentation will be necessary to confirm this.

Theodore Ceruti's name was mentioned twice in "Bahamas. Grant Records 1815, Land Records 1815, Wills 1788–1955, Probate Indexes 1788–1955, Grant Records 1788–1955." More research is needed to determine the exact nature of the record described. Moreover, the Theodore Ceruti mentioned could have referred to Theodore Bentley Ceruti, Theodore's second son.

• "Bahamas Records," images, FamilySearch [2] December 29, 2023, image 22 of 172; Bahamas. Registrar General. Theodore Ceruti, Book O 4, p. 164.

• "Bahamas Records," images, FamilySearch [3] accessed January 8, 2024, image 163 of 172; Bahamas. Registrar General. Theodore Ceruti, Book O 4, p. 151.

Sources

• Family research documented in email messages by his descendants, Frank Ceruti, and Edward Burton Ceruti, IV.
• Marriage document No. 66 dated 1 Feb. 1837 and signed by Rector William Hepworth (on Ragged Island, The Bahamas.) Witnesses who attended the ceremony signed the document as John Boyd and Newton J. Jones.
• The Royal Gazette, and Bahama Advertiser, Saturday 4 Feb. 1837, Vol. XXIV, No. 2,403, page 3, column 1, marriage announcement, the University of Florida Florida Digital Newspaper Library, [4]
• Royal Gazette, and Bahama Advertiser on Saturday, Vol. XXIV, No. 2,490, advertisement dated 2 Dec. 1837, published Wednesday, December 6, 1837, T Ceruti and John Rea, page 3, [5]. This advertisement appeared on page 3 of the December 9 and 13, 1837 issues as well.
• Edward B Ceruti Sr in the 1920 United States Federal Census, Provided in association with National Archives and Records Administration to Ancestry.com [6]
• Heather Dettro Family Tree on Ancestry.com [7] Theodore Ceruti b. 1812, wife Matilda Catherine Charlotte Necks b. 1816, m. 1 Feb. 1837.
• Ancestry.com researched mainly by Frank Ceruti, descendant of Theodore's first son, Frederick Lin Ceruti, Sr.
• Biography of King Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia, who was also Duke of Savoy in early 19th century. [8]
• Ceruti violins on Wikipedia [9], which have nothing to do with Theodore B. Ceruti.