Fatima: Short answer: while the surnames are familiar, we do not have information on any of your specifically mentioned ancestors. Now what we do have:
Our research has centered on the two eastern parishes, the freguesias of Santa Bárbara and Santo Espírito. The surnames Coutinho, Coelho, Andrade, Fontes are found in these two freguesias. To help with a possible connection, do you have any dates for your mentioned ancestors (baptisms, marriage, deaths)? Specific names on which we have some information: 1. Ventura Soares COUTINHO, resident of Santana, [ north of Vila do Porto] freguesia of Nossa Senhora da Assunção 2. José Ignacio Coelho d'ANDRADE [also known as José Ignacio COUTHO] 3. Manoel Joaquim de FONTES [several of this name, as well as de FONTES with different given names] Since you were born in Vila do Porto, are these ancestors likely from the same area? If so, and if you have access to a Latter Day Saint Family History Center, I can furnish you with the microfilm numbers you will have to search. Are you familiar with the work of the Mormons in microfilming the Church ledgers? It is from these that most of us doing Azores genealogy rely upon. The films of Vila do Porto, five in number, contain records from 1599-1892. There is no index available, but each ledger was in chronological order, so if you have approximate dates, specific records are not too difficult to find (reading them may be the more difficult problem, given in some cases their physical condition, the use of Latin-old Portuguese, etc.) Unfortunately records from the other freguesias (Santa Bárbara, Santo Espírito, São Pedro) were not photographed beyond 1883. I hope this helps -- we shall be glad to stay in touch with you if you desire, Denis & Tish -- To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. Follow the confirmation directions when they arrive. For more options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail (vacation) mode, log into your Google account and visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my membership."
