Thanks, John, I think your suggestions will be my next step. I visited RI in 2003 and obtained my mother-in-law`s marriage record. The priest was less than enthusiastic until I said I wanted to make a donation in the name of the family. Suddenly, he was most helpful in finding the record and filling out a form (I did not know I could ask for a photo copy of the book), or if he would have given me one. My husband still has cousins living in RI so I may have to ask them to follow this up for me. Thanks again, Celeste
Celeste Perry [email protected] --- On Sun, 8/23/09, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote: From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subject: [AZORES-Genealogy] Re: Sunday in Terceira To: [email protected] Date: Sunday, August 23, 2009, 5:24 AM In a message dated 8/23/2009 7:35:12 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: I arrived in Terceira yesterday from Ponta Delgada. For the most part, my search did not produce much information. I found that the church in Lomba da Santa Barbara does not have confession rolls so I could not put Maria Cristo in the family. Maria Crista`s father did not have anything to leave to anyone when he died in 1899 so there were no taxes to pay; therefore no list of his children. I found no Maria (she had 2 older sisters with that name) who could have had a child and the child could have been raised by the grandparents, Joao Morais and Jacintha Libiana. Both names are unusual in Lomba da Santa Barbara which helped my search for a Maria getting married between 1888 and 1894 when the first 2 Marias would have been of age to marry. My search of the death records did tell me that one of the Marias died as an infant and also one of the Anas and the Manuel. That leaves only the first Maria unknown as to where she went and who she married. Oral history told me that these 4 siblings of Maria Cristo did not immigrate to the US. I now know why for 3 of them. The passenger list for 1909, when Maria Cristo left the Azores for Bristol, RI. She married in 1909 in Bristol and is listed in the 1910 census living with her brother, Serafim and his wife. I do not have her marriage record; the information I have is from her oldest daughter as to when she married and how old she was at the time. At this point, I think there are 2 possibilities: her baptism was not recorded, not usual; however, possible. The second is that she was raised in this family and was either an orphan or the child of a relative who died or was unable to raise her. There does not appear to be any way to prove this. That is what I have found on this search for the final link that will complete my family tree. This week in Ladaida Grand, Terceira is party time. There is a festa at the church; the bulls are running in front of the house where I am staying and everyday there is some activity. I am glad I rested in Ponta Delgada after the archive closed at 5pm. I was usually in bed reading by 7 and asleep by 9. Celeste Dear Celeste: I am delighted that you are having such a great time. I have one suggestion relative to Maria de Cristo. Since you know that she was married in Bristol, RI in 1909, have you tried asking the town clerk if he can find her marriage and send you a photocopy of the original filing. That should have the name and address of the priest who registered the marriage for recording with the clerk. (In Massachusetts the person who fills out the paperwork with the clerk's office is called the "informant.") With the informant's address, you can then know what church is located at that address (or was there in 1909; alas some churches have closed or have merged with others but the diocese will tell you where the defunct parish's records are now kept.) Then comes the hard part which should be the easiest part, but it isn't. You've got to find somebody who can prevail upon the parish priest to not only look up the marriage record, but to dig out the file with the original paper work. When you get married in the Church you have to sit down with the priest and provide some basic information. Besides the names of parents, place of birth, you have to be able to tell the priest when and where you were baptized and received the other sacraments, which gets recorded in that initial paper work (when people apply for an annulment years later, it's that paperwork that the Diocesan Tribunal summons from the rectory). In some of the older church records, information relative to baptism (which is really what you want) is recorded right in the marriage record in the register. In others it is found only in that initial paperwork application. Once you get that, you're on your way. You can send for the civil record from the Azores and the record from the church. (By 1909 you already had the civil and religious recordings, i.e., the baptism in the church and the birth recorded with the civil authorities, i.e., "o Regedor." And as you know in 1909 birth and baptismal records contain the names of parents AND grandparents.) I know that this is cumbersome, but I've tied up some loose ends this way. It takes time and persistence and I know that you don't live in Rhode Island. Unfortunately, its the church that is usually the hardest obstacle to overcome. Some of these folks seem to have little interest or patience with genealogists, unless you happen to be an active or at least very visible parishioner whom Father does not want to alienate or turn into a troublesome gadfly. I've also had amazing luck finding clues from cemetery records. But again, with the Catholic cemeteries patience and a sense of humor are required. Good luck. Maybe somebody on the list lives in Rhode Island and can help you. Enjoy the rest of your vacation! John Miranda Raposo --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. Follow the confirmation directions when they arrive. 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