Genoa
(Genova in
Italian - Zena in
Genoese) is a
city
and a
seaport in northern
Italy,
the capital of the
Province of Genoa and of the
region
of
Liguria. The city has a population of ca. 620,000 and the urban
area has a population of ca. 890,000. Genua was a city of the
ancient
Ligurians. Its name is probably
Ligurian, meaning "knee" (from
Proto-Indo-European *genu 'knee'), i.e. "angle", from its
geographical position, thus akin to the name of
Geneva.
The flag of Genoa is the
St. George's flag, a red cross on a lime white field, exactly
the same as the
Flag of England. Some people claim that the flag of Genoa was
adopted by
England and the City of
London
in 1190
for their ships entering the Mediterranean to benefit from the
protection of the powerful Genoese fleet. The maritime
Republic of Genoa was rising and going to become, together with
its rival
Venice, one of the most important powers in the world. The
English Monarch paid an annual tribute to the
Doge of Genoa for this privilege. Between
England and Genoa, two mercantile and sea-faring nations, there
has always been a special, long-standing relationship. Genoa is
generally regarded as "the most English town in
Italy".
This is the start of information on
how a Francisco Monteverde, about 17 years of age, from the city of
Genoa Italy,
(excellent link here on the city) city of Christopher Columbus, sailed to the new world.
The age corresponds with the age listed previously. How he ended up
in Pitic, New Spain, will be interesting.
The above web site is how New
Spain/Spain established the San Francisco area.
166. The actual number
of artillery and workers exceeded this amount. In fact, Roca headed
a detachment of a dozen and a half workers, artificers, and
artillerymen sent out from San Blas for San Francisco. He and
Private Mariano Brito were the only married men. The majority of the
force hailed from Mexico, except for Roca, another native of
Catalonia from the town of Tarrega, Second Corporal Gregorio
Martínez of Cadíz, Juan Marine of Tarrega in Catalonia, and two
workmen, the carpenter Rafael Lledo of Palma and the
artificer (author-scribe-writer) Francisco
Monteverde from Genoa, Italy. The rest of the group included
Miguel Brito, José Cano, Matias Guerrero, José Medina, José Osorio,
José Sarco, and José Villaseñor (all artificers and workmen) along
with artillerymen José Francisco Argüelles (first corporal), Mariano
Mercado, José Peña, and Juan Zuniga. Most of the men were in their
early to mid-twenties, with the exception of
one 17-year-old (Monteverde), two 19-year-olds (Mercado and
Medina), Roca who was 37, and Lledo who was 44. Report, Pedro
Laguna, Royal body of Artillery, Department of New Spain, Mexico,
October 15, 1795,
Archives
of California, Provincial State Papers, VII, 289; Bancroft, History
of California, vol. I, 535-36.
One of the reasons that
Franisco Antonio Monteverde may have left Genoa in about 1795, was
the turmoil of war by the French to the Genoa area, while the
British continued to protect Genoa in continuing battles, especially
by sea. There was a depression in the northwest area of Italy,
including Florence. Things were not good. Even though Francisco was
born in Florence, Genoa was the major area for the Monteverde's of
Italy. In fact Napoleon, made a secret mission to inspect
fortifications of Genoa, in 1795.
Apparently, he left
Italy in 1794-1795, arrived in Mexico, for whatever reason, as very
few Italians were allowed in the New World of Spain. Genoa was once
the possession of Spain, especially during the Cesare Borgia period.
He probably took a job
building the defenses of the Presideo of San Francisco, for
what ever reason, probably went from Vera Cruz to San Blas, took a
ship to San Francisco. Now, how he was able to emigrate to
Hermosillo is another story, well worth researching.
MY MONTEVERDE GENEALOGY
HOME PAGE; http://www.genealogy.com/users/j/o/r/Alfred-R-Jordan/
