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About Mary Ann

"As a first generation American born of Italian parents, I never thought I would be able to find any records of my genealogy, especially since my mother's father died when she was only an infant, then my mother's mother passed when she was a toddler. The research that Mary Ann provided was priceless for me. The books that resulted, although beautiful to look at,  more importantly, provides us with insight into our family history that we could never have imagined.  Truly amazing!  Tante Grazie." Lisa

My Specialty

Exploring the genealogies of ancestors from the

Abruzzo village of

Pacentro (AQ) Italy.

Genealogy has been my hobby for 32-years. Over those years, I have deciphered innumerable Italian and Latin records and created the genealogy of the village of Pacentro, a 9th century borgo in the rugged Abruzzo region of Italy that was the home of my grandparents.
 
While I am not a genealogist by profession, I am a retired university professor and a qualitative researcher with published research articles in peer-reviewed journals. I hold a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in Nursing from Widener University, Chester, PA, have taught research methodology and theory at several universities in Pennsylvania, and have conducted qualitative and quantitative research projects.

Because I am a qualitative researcher, I understand historical research methodology (i.e., genealogy), am tenacious in my exploration of data, and meticulous about noting sources and providing anecdotal comments pertinent to my findings. Developing a quality product that can be read and enjoyed by a client is my aim.

Most importantly, I am an expert on the genealogy of Pacentro and a direct descendant of the Cercone Family from Pacentro. My database contains over 74,000 names of villagers, all connected to their respective families (generations of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins) with information that reaches back to 1700 with most families.
 
My genealogical research reflects meticulous documentation of primary source material, such as:
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  • Civil registration records (1809 – 1865) of the Comune of Pacentro (Microfilm records obtained from the Family History Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints)
  • The "Catasto Onciario" of 1753 (Census record) for the Comune of Pacentro,
  • Ecclesiastic records from 1560 -1900 for the Chiesa della Madonna Miseracordia in Pacentro [digital photographic records],
  • Photographs of tombstones in the cemetery and mausoleum at Pacentro.
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