In 1871 Goretti's future father, Torello Ancillotti (1843–1899) married her mother Marianna Coriaglegno, known in the family as Demetria or Memi, with whom he would have two other children, Luisa, who died aged nine, and Demetrio apart from Beatrice. Torello Ancillotti had met his wife through his friend and the son of Demetrio Corgialegno, Carlo, when, in 1859, they had both joined Giuseppe Garibaldi during Italy's Third War of Independence. Awarded a silver medal for bravery during the conflict, when he returned to Florence, he was employed by the National Library of Florence. As a youth, he had studied at both the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze and that of Siena. He continued to paint, influenced greatly by the Macchiaioli, and in 1876 and 1877 held exhibitions in both Genoa and Turin.