Giovanni Antonio Vitali was born on 9 March 1823 in Druogno, Piemonte, Italy. His parents were farmers, Pietro Vitali and Anna Maria Beccari. When Giovanni was sixteen he travelled to Holland to work as a chimney sweep. He soon founded his own business and settled in an apartment in Amsterdam.
Sophia Pardoen was born on 4 May 1827 in Den Haag, Zuid-Holland. She was the youngest child of Johannes Pardoen, a paviour, mason and hodman, and his half-Prussian wife Margaretha la Heij.
Giovanni and Sophia married on 24 July 1850 in Den Haag. Although they never lived there, it was customary to marry in the bride's hometown. The couple had twelve children.
Giovanni died on 25 May 1893 aged seventy; Sophia then lived with her children until she died on 9 January 1905 aged 77. Children: Maria Catharina Louisa Vittali (1851-1891) Pietro Johannes Antonius Vittali (1852-1912) Pietro Antonio Vitali (1854-1921) Cornelia Maria Vitali (1856-1934) Paulus Francisco Vittali (1858-1861) Johanna Susanna Sophia Vittali (1860-1860) Paulus Wilhelm Vittali(1862-1934) Sophia Margaretha Vittali (1864-1866) Johanna Susanna Carolina Vittali (1866-1946) Alida Maria Vittali (1869-1944) Johannes Lambertus Vitali (1871-1949) Victorio Anquilino Vitali (1871-1871)
Notable Descendants
Margaretha Vittali (1893-1971), physic, fortune teller; married Adam Nering-Bogel (1872-1934), diplomat.
Hans van der Zee, soccer manager and scout (Ajax, Chelsea).