I can certainly see how the squiggle after the last letter, which I say is SANCTA, looks like a Z and that would clearly be Sanchez. But I would be more convinced it's Sanchez if I saw another example and that should be no trouble for anyone interested in this family.
So Fred, once you make more progress and find another example, please pass it on to the list for all to evaluate.
Yes, I could be wrong. But so could everyone else. I am reminded of some "authorities" at the Angra archive sending me a transcribed entry of a record on microfilm that was so severely faded I had to fork out money for them to read it and give me their answer, plus a copy. When I got the copy, it was way better than film and I found I could read it. I also discovered those at the archive could not do it justice and got it wrong.
Also, someone once contacted me about some Sao Bartolomeu, Terceira families named Rocha, I believe it's one of our list members, Marcio de Borba, who was told by Jorge Forjaz (publisher of many genealogy books) some names and it was a misreading of the record. Sure we are all trying to read sometimes very difficult records and sometimes the priests got a little sloppy, too. That opens the door to errors. But when that happens, one of the best ways and what I always do is look for more examples and if that is possible it usually resolves any questions.
So let's see what Fred finds...
Doug da Rocha Holmes
Sacramento, California
Pico & Terceira Genealogist
916-550-1618
Sacramento, California
Pico & Terceira Genealogist
916-550-1618
---------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [AZORES-Genealogy] Marriage Record Help
From: John Raposo <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, November 22, 2013 4:02 pm
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Sorry Doug, but in this case I disagree. Notice that there is a Z at the end of Águeda's family name. And, more definitvely, Rodrigo Rodrigues, (Genealogias de São Miguel e Santa Maria) has the couple as Ventura Ferreira and Águeda Sanches (p.3000). Rodrigo Rodrigues, like all mortals, was capable of error. However, he spent his entire adult life reading those records and I would consider him an Azorean paleographer without equal. But he and I could be wrong. I learned the hard way, a long time ago, not to be dogmatic when it comes to these things. Whenever I have a doubt I ask 2-3 other researchers to take a look at the same record, without telling them what I think it says, and ask them to tell me how they read it. Even then in some cases there is no consensus.
About 10 years ago I found the marriage of record of one of my ancestors from Ribeira Grande, from the time of Gaspar Frutuoso's immediate predecessor. Although the writing was clear and sharp, no matter how long I stared at it, I could not decipher it. For an additional cost, I asked the archives to send me a typed transcription. The director at the time gave the project over to one of the paleograhers and I received a typed transcription in due time. Years later, when I purchased the 6 volumes by Rodrigo Rodrigues, I looked for that information. The paleographer and Rodrigo Rodrigues were in complete agreement.
No doubt there are Azoreans with the family name Santa (or Sancta), but I do not think that this Águeda is one of them.
John
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