Giovanni Riina (1897)

Born 1 Jan 1897 in Corleone, Palermo, Italy

Ancestors

Husband of Maria Antonina Birtone — married 19 Nov 1922 in Corleone, Palermo, Italy

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Biography

Giovanni Riina is born 1 January 1897 and baptized the next day. He is the son of Salvatore Riina and Paola Tutino. His godparents are Francesco Zito and Giuseppa Petta, mother and son.^[1] Francesco and his father are both active in the Corleonesi mafia.

Attilio Bolzoni and Giuseppe d’Avanzo, in their book, “The Boss of Bosses,” describe Toto’s father, Giovanni, as a member of the “class of 1897.” Based on his birth year, this is the same Giovanni Riina who marries Maria Concetta Rizzo. However, the marriage records contradict this fact.

It appears there are two men named Giovanni Riina, both sons of men named Salvatore, in the same generation in Corleone. This Giovanni, the son of Paola Tutino, is identified with his parents' names in the matrimonial index, when he marries Maria Antonina Birtone on 19 November 1922.^[2]

The father of Toto Riina, by process of elimination, is Riina-42. The two men named Giovanni Riina, both sons of Salvatore, are third cousins.

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism of Joannes Riina, record no. 6, 2 January 1897, "Italia, Palermo, Diocesi di Monreale, Registri Parrocchiali, 1531-1998," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12350-77268-35?cc=2046915 : accessed 13 November 2015), Corleone > San Martino > Battesimi 1895-1899 > image 132 of 309; Archivio di Arcidiocesi di Palermo (Palermo ArchDiocese Archives, Palermo).
2. ↑ "Italia, Palermo, Diocesi di Monreale, Registri Parrocchiali, 1531-1998," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11580-168583-87?cc=2046915 : accessed 7 May 2016), Corleone > San Martino > Indice (Matrimoni) 1529-1951 > image 274 of 584; Archivio di Arcidiocesi di Palermo (Palermo ArchDiocese Archives, Palermo).