I lost count of the cousin marriages that I come from. 14? 16? The vast majority were poor peasants.
Here's one of mine: 23 Nov 1819 Victorino de Mello & Maria Joaquina, Ponta Garca, Sao Miguel island Note: Her name is listed as Maria Claudina in the dispensation. (It rhymes with Joaquina). The dispensation stated the relationship of 3rd degree of consanguinity. Also, it listed the following that needed to be done to redeem themselves (translated through Joao Ventura, genealogist): Victorino must serve the parish for 4 months and fast all day on Friday and Saturday. The rosary must be prayed each day to the purity of our Lady. Victorino's mother was Constancia de Jesus or could be known as Constancia de Pimentel. The priest interviewed both Victorino and Maria (appears to be separate interviews) He asked both Victorino and Maria if they had every kissed or anything else. Both said no, not even holding hands. Victorino said that he needed to marry his cousin as the people in the freguesia had been speaking about her (I guess they were seen together) and since she had a reputation, he felt obliged to marry her. (Note: Victorino was the 5th kid and the 3rd to live to adulthood. Maria was one of the middle kids as well). =========================== Another dispensation from the 18-teens, Achada, Sao Miguel island. Manuel Pacheco Dutra & Maria de Jesus Pacheco. Both appear to be the oldest in their family. The dispensation was applied for twice. Through the translation of Joao Ventura, genealogist in Angra, it said: First dispensation (1818?) Maria was a "fragile and miserable" girl (her spirit/soul was fragile and miserable). This misery was made public, as she had a child out of wedlock. No age was given for her. Manuel stated that he was 25 years old. It also stated that they both owned some property. His property brought in $5000 reis a year and hers brought in $4000 reis a year. Second dispensation (1819?) Manuel was now 23 years old. Maria was living in Lomba da Feiteria. They could not resist the flesh. He was living with his mother and she was living with her aunt. Maria was a fragile and miserable girl (in spirit/soul) that allowed herself to be seduced by him. Manuel was working for his uncle Francisco Pacheco Dutra (Maria's father). When Francisco found out Maria was pregnant, he threw her out of the house. She was a poor and miserable girl (they stated this frequently). It also stated that Manuel and Maria had some land to rent. It stated that his mother was dead and her father was dead (this was backwards as he was living with his mother and her father threw her out of the house; also the death certificates prove they wrote this backwards). Joao Ventura, genealogist, feels that the second dispensation was probably filed because they had money from the land and were able to send for the dispensation. ============================= The language of the time period is funny by today's standards (couldn't resist the flesh). The woman was basically at fault (they bashed Maria over and over by calling her a "miserable" girl, yet nothing was said about Manuel doing the deed). Not all married for land and money. Most of mine were poor. I think they just went to church with their cousins, went to a festa with their cousins, and one day they have lunch brought to them by their cousin Maria and she's not a little girl anymore. And the food is good. Half the freguesia is your cousin, so you just wind up marrying your cousin. I can't remember if my dispensations stated how they were married and gave the lineage. I may not have written it down as I already had it. Not all dispensations exist. Many were lost over time. Dispensations in Cape Verde are called Justifications and they draw out the trees. Cheri Mello Listowner, Azores-Gen Researching: Vila Franca, Ponta Garca, Ribeira Quente, Ribeira das Tainhas, Achada -- For 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." --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Azores Genealogy" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/azores.
