Transcribing and translating your family documents

Books and documents are important components in our genealogical research as they help us build our own family history. Many times our ancestors belong to different countries and different languages that are not the one that we belong, and language, as well, becomes a barrier affecting our personal investigation when we don’t know it.

When transcribing a manuscript all the elements of the text are kept exactly as they appear on the writing, including all the abbreviations. While doing an abstract, only the relevant information is provided, including dates, places and full names.

I will use as an example the baptism of my maternal 3rd grandmother Balbina, from Cabo da Praia, Terceira Island, in the Azores. The original document is part of Biblioteca Pública and Arquivo Regional deAngra do Heroismo, all rights reserved.

In earlier times, it was common to condense some of the words in a document. If you are transcribing, is very tricky if you don’t know the original language.

Below is the above document transcribed, exactly as it appears on the original document, line by line, following the original old way of writing. Note that I placed in between brackets the words that are abbreviated by the person who wrote the document and on the left side the numbers correspond to the number of lines is the document.

1             1829

2             Balbina, filha de João Jaquez e de sua m^er.[mulher]

3             Maria do Carmo ella n^al.[natural] da Villa de S. Se

4             bastião e ele n^al.[natural] e ambos freguezes desta

5             Parochial de Sta. Catharina lugar do

6             Cabo da Praia desta Ilha 3^a. nasceo em

7             os quinze dias do mez de Novembro do an-

8             no de mil oito centos e vinte nove. Foi Ba

9             tizada por mim Vicente Toste Coelho Vig^ro.[Vigario]

10           proprio desta d^a.[dita] Parochia, em os vinte

11           e dois dias do d^o.[dito] mez, e como logo lhe im

12           puz os St^os.[Santos] Oleos: foi Padrinho Fran^co.[Francisco]

13           M^do. (Machado) cazado com Rita Ignacia nossos

14           Parochianos Era ut Supra.

15           Vig^ro  Vicente Toste Coelho

And here I have another way of interpreting the same document.  The text describes what is in the original paper but do not attain to it’s original writing, line by line as I have done above.

1829

Balbina, daughter of João Jacques and his wife Maria do Carmo, was natural of São Sebastião and he was natural of Santa Catarina Parish, at Cabo da Praia, where both were parishioners, in Terceira Island. She was born in 15 of November of 1829 and was baptized by the Vicar Vicente Toste Coelho, from the same Parish, in 22 of the same month and year. Francisco Machado, married to Rita Inácia, was the Godfather and both are parishioners. Date as above. The Vicar Vicente Toste Coelho.

Do you need any help researching, transcribing or translating a portuguese document? ? I can help you transcribe, translate, and conduct further genealogical research as well as restore these books, documents and photographs. Click here for more information about these services and below a link for the before and after pictures of my work while my site on conservation and restoration is in contruction.

Before and After of some of my work.

Thank you!

Vingança em Pernambuco - 1843

Neste primeiro semestre de 2012 estreiou nos Estados Unidos a mini-série “Hatfield & McCoys  - Nunca Perdoe, Nunca Esqueça”¹ que conta a saga de duas famílias e a rivalidade que entre elas cresceu após a Guerra Civil americana, em fins do século XIX. Kevin Costner e Bill Paxton são os respectivos patriarcas das famílias Hatfield and McCoy nesta mini-série de três capítulos.

Fazendo genealogia já há alguns anos sempre me surpreendi aqui e ali com alguns fatos na história de minha família, mas o que irei contar abaixo foi de todos o que mais se destacou e que não deixa de ser um paralelo com a história  das duas famílias acima e o espírito de vingança que foi suscitado através das animosidades entre membros das duas famílias.

Toda a informação que você irá ler abaixo é baseada em pesquisa que venho fazendo em livros e jornais da época, em meu tempo livre. Ë somente uma breve descrição do que aconteceu entre os anos de 1842/1843  e culminou com o assassinato de Antonio Francisco do Rego Barros, meu tetravô, dono do Engenho Genipapo, situado em Rio Formoso, Pernambuco, Brasil.

“Olho por olho” era uma expressão comum e muitas vezes “lei” paralela à lei oficial no Brasil do século XIX. Vendeta e coronelismo era parte do dia a dia de muitas famílias no nordeste brasileiro. Onde existia a atividade rural, exercida em largas propriedades de terra  nos nossos tão característicos “engenhos”, também existia esta prática política. Em 1840 muitas famílias viviam sob constante perigo, minha família era uma delas.

Minha descrição tem o intento de somente ser informativa, ao lada da genealogia, já que o lado paterno de minha família estava envolvida nesta trama. Para compreender mais profundamente o ocorrido no Engenho Genipapo preciso ir além na minha pesquisa e trazer a luz novas informações.

O Professor de História da Tech Texas University, J. Mosher, em seu livro Political Struggle, Ideology and State Building², descreve a situação política da Província de Pernambuco entre os anos de 1815 e 1850 e, resumidamente, o assassinato de alguns membros de minha família, entre eles o de meu tetravô Antonio Francisco do Rego Barros, no Engenho Genipapo. Eu também tive oportunidade de ler um dos jornais da época, o Diário Novo, o qual descreve o assassinato extensivamente, em várias de suas edições, além de outros crimes que assolavam aquela Província na época.

13 January 1843

Tudo começou com a morte do tenente-coronel Pedro Cavalcanti Uchoa, adjunto da polícia local de Rio Formoso, nas matas do Engenho Genipapo, em 16 julho de 1842.³ Prontamente veio a reação àquele incidente com ataques a propriedade do Engenho acima. Este fato deu inicio a uma série de outros.

Antonio Francisco viajou da capital da Provícia para o Ceará em busca de proteção e enquanto lá estava, além dos ataques a sua propriedade onde teve suas plantações queimadas, dois de seus sobrinhos foram mortos e outro ferido como podemos ver abaixo nas palavras do Deputado Nunes Machado, em sessão de 25 de Janeiro de 1843, na Câmara dos Deputados:

“...é agredida segunda vez a sua propriedade, o seu engenho é saqueado, a sua casa de vivenda do mesmo modo, e ai a pretexto de correr as casas, por presumções de existencia de armamento, teve esta diligencia em resultado (diligencia sempre apadrinhada com as cores de autoridade publica) serem assassinados dois individuos em presença da senhora de Antonio Francisco , individuos pertencentes á sua familia, um sobrinho e um cunhado, escapando uma terceira victima toda baleada...”⁴

Em 2 de Janeiro de 1843, Antonio Francisco decidiu voltar para Pernambuco com um grupo armado. Sua mulher, Maria Marroquina de Jesus Nazareno estava grávida e pronta para dar à luz, este seria o décimo filho do casal. As animosidades só vieram a crescer no Rio Formoso com a sua volta.

Em  7 de Janeiro de 1843,  dois dias após o nascimento do bebê, o Engenho Genipapo acordou sabendo que aquele não seria um dia como os outros e suas vidas viriam se transformar para sempre. O engenho ficou sitiado por mais de 12 horas pelo delegado suplente de Rio Formoso, sua tropa e inimigos de Antonio Francisco, ao todo em torno de 200 homens, até o trágico desfecho que se formou naquelas terras.

O 1⁰. Comandante da Polícia, Miguel Afonso Ferreira, enviado pela capital da Provícia de Pernambuco, chegou pouco depois do crime e foi incapaz de fazer qualquer coisa, mas somente tentar ajudar a viúva e os filhos que pediam proteção do Governo.

Em relato do dia 11 de Janeiro ao Presidente da Província, o Barão da Boa Vista, o Comandante Miguel Afonso descreve o que encontrou:

“Quando entrei na cada de vivendo do engenho Genipapo achei o cadaver do finado Rego Barros (já tinha sido informado da sua morte) no assoalho, coberto com um lençol, tendo a seus pés sua infeliz mulher, que de joelhos pedia a proteção do governo. Tão lastimoso era o seu estado, e tão pungente era a sua dor e a de seus filhos, que fizerao todos banhar-se em lágrimas; e nada puderam naquela ocasião informar, senao que as fechaduras das portas tinham sido arrancadas por ordem do delegado, e a porta do quarto da casa de vivenda, em que estava o infeliz Rego Barros, tinha sido arrombada a machado pelos assassinos. É isso o que tenho a honra de levar ao conhecimento de V. Ex.”5

 Minha tetravó, Maria Marroquina,  mulher de Antonio Francisco, se mudou para a Província da Paraíba com todos os filhos, vendendo depois o Engenho Genipapo para outra família.

Escritura de venda do Engenho Genipapo

Dois dos filhos de Antonio Francisco e Maria Marroquina do Rego Barros, são meus trisavós. Eram eles Claudino do Rego Barros e Maria das Merces. Claudino se casou com Josepha Antonieta Vasconcellos, filha de José Teixeira de Vasconcellos, Barão de Maraú. Maria das Merces se casou com Antonio Ferreira Balthar. Seus filhos, primos irmãos e meus bisavós Amalia do Rego Barros, filha de Claudino e Josepha, e Antonio Ferreira Balthar Filho, filho de Antonio e Maria das Merces, se cararam em 18 de Abril de 1880, no Engenho Munguengue, na Paraíba.

Claudino do Rego Barros, filho de Antonio Francisco

Antonio Ferreira Balthar Filho, meu bisavô, estudou na primeira Faculdade de Direito do Brasil, se tornando advogado, Chefe de Polícia e Desembargador, na Paraíba. Desde então tudo ficou em paz na família e agora faz parte da história.

Desembargador Antonio Ferreira Baltar

P.S. Quero agradecer, especialmente, a meu primo e genealogista Adauto Ramos pelas fotos de minha família como também nomes e datas na minha família paterna; e a Fabio Arruda, genealogista, pesquisador de famílias brasileiras e engenhos do Nordeste do Brasil, o qual me forneceu precisa localização do Engenho Genipapo e escritura das mesmas terras. Ambos são membros do Colegio Brasileiro de Genealogia - http://www.cbg.org.br/

1. "Hatfieds and McCoys"
2.  Jeffrey Mosher
3.  Newspaper research in Brazil - http://myportuguesegen.blogspot.com/2012/06/newspaper-research-in-brazil.html 
4. Anais da Câmara dos Deputados, 1843. Vol. II, Parte I. Google Books
5. Relatorio de todos os fatos ocorridos no engenho Genipapo desde o dia 5 até o dia 7 de Janeiro de 1843. Anais da Câmara dos Deputados, 1843. Vol II, Parte I. Google Books.

•          Mosher, Jeffrey C. Political Struggle, Ideology and State Building – Pernambuco and the Construction of Brazil, 1817 – 1850. University of Nebraska Press. 2008. 
•       History Magazine, May/June 2012
•       Diario Novo. 1 Agosto 1842, 13 Janeiro 1843, 18 Janeiro 1843. Biblioteca Nacional Digital
•      Arquivo Público do Estado de Pernambuco - Registro de Terras Publicas - 1858,1859 - Vol.5.  Rua Imper Dom Pedro II, 371 - Santo Antônio  Recife - PE, 50010-240, Brazil -tel:81 3224-0620

Vendetta in Pernambuco

Versão em português

Do you have a Hatfield or a Mccoy plot in your family tree? I do have on mine. I always post on this blog stories about my maternal lineage, from the Azores, but today I’m going to talk a little about my paternal lineage.

The mini-series “Hatfields & McCoys – Never Forgive, Never Forget”¹ released a few months ago, at the History Channel, trace the saga of these two families and the bitterness that grew between them through the years after the Civil War. Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton are the patriarchs, Hatfield and McCoy, in this three mini-serie episodes.

What happened to the Hatfields and McCoys was not something that only took place in United States. “Eye for an eye” was a common expression and the “law” in Brazil during many years. "Vendetta” and “coronelismo”^2­­ were part of the daily lives of many families in the northeast, especially in the XIX century. In 1840’s some families were living in constant peril, my family was one of them.

All the information you are about to read is based on the research I have been doing, on my free time, reading books and newspapers from that period, to say the least. It’s just a brief description of what happened between 1842/1843 and culminated with the murder of Antonio Francisco do Rego Barros, my 3x great grandfather owner of “Engenho Genipapo”, situated at Rio Formoso, Pernambuco, Brazil.

I’m not a scholar and my description has the only intent of being informative besides its genealogical nature, as my paternal side of the family was involved. To understand all that took place at my 3x great grandfather’s plantation I need to go further in my research and bring up more information.­­

Associate Professor of History, Jeffrey Mosher³, in his book Political Struggle, Ideology and State Building, describes the political situation that was taking place in the Province of Pernambuco between 1815 and 1850 and, briefly, describes the assassination of some members of my family, including my 3x great grandfather, Antonio Francisco do Rego Barros, at the Genipapo Estate. I also had the opportunity to read the Diário Novo⁴, newspaper of that time, and which describes the murder, extensively, and other crimes in that Province.

13 January 1843

It all started in July 1842, when the interim police commissioner of Rio Formoso, Pedro Cavalcanti Uchoa, was murdered in the vicinities of my family plantation. A reaction was promptly ignited and attacks to the property and to some family members were just beginning.

“Wealth did not provide sure protection from crime. In July 1842 the interim police commissioner of Rio Formoso, Pedro Cavalcanti de Albuquerque Uchoa, was murdered near the Genipapo estate. In response, a group of armed men surrounded the plantation and killed a man they thought to be the murderer. On October 19, 1842, a group again surrounded the estate and proceeded to kill two individuals”^5.

At some point, Antonio Francisco travelled to Ceará, that has a border with Pernambuco, and while he was there his sugar cane plantation “had been overrun several times, his crops burned and two of his nephews killed and another wounded”⁶. He decided to come back home, in January 1843, backed by armed men. His wife, Maria Marroquina de Jesus Nazareno, my 3x great grandmother was pregnant and almost giving birth. This baby was going to be their 10^th children.

The animosities just grew in Rio Formoso, knowing that Antonio Francisco was back. On January 7, 1843, two days after their baby was born, the Genipapo Estate awake knowing that this wasn’t going to be a normal day, their lives were going to change forever.

“Antonio Francisco and his men were surrounded for twelve hours, until a local police official convinced them to accept an offer of reconciliation. When his armed men disbanded, Antonio Francisco’s house was broken into and he was chased out a window, shot on the roof, and after he fell to the ground, repeatedly shot in the stomach. The attackers mutilated the ears and cut the face of the corpse. The victim left a widow and ten children, including a baby born only two days before his murder.”⁷

The Police sent by the Province arrived less than an hour after the murder and was unable to do anything but help the widow and the children. My 3x great grandmother, Antonio Francisco’s wife, Maria Marroquina, moved to the Paraíba Province with all her children and later sold the Genipapo Estate.

Genipapo Estate Deed

Two of their children are in my direct ancestor line, my 2x great grandmother, Maria das Merces do Rego Barros, and my 2x great grandfather, Claudino do Rego Barros.  Maria das Merces do Rego Barros married  Antonio Ferreira Baltar;  Claudino do Rego Barros married Josepha Antonieta Vasconcellos, daughter of José Teixeira de Vasconcellos, Baron of Marau. Their children, as well as cousins, Antonio Ferreira Baltar Filho, on one side, and Amalia, on the other side, married on 18 April 1880, at Engenho Munguengue, Paraiba.

Claudino do Rego Barros, son of Antonio Francisco and my 2x great grandfather

Antonio Ferreira Baltar Filho, my great grandfather, studied at the first law school in Brazil, Faculdade de Direito do Recife, Pernambuco and became later in this carreer  a Chief of Justice and a High Court Judge, in Paraiba. Since them all is peace and part of history.

Desembargador Antonio Ferreira Baltar

P.S. A special thank you to my cousin and genealogist, Adauto Ramos, for my great grandfather photo as well as names and dates information on my father's side; and Fabio Arruda, genealogist and researcher of families and "engenhos" from the northeast of Brazil, who provided information on Genipapo Estate location and Deed. They are both members of Colegio Brasileiro de Genealogia - http://www.cbg.org.br/

1. "Hatfieds and McCoys"
2.  a word in Portuguese to express the power of the land owners in rural areas of Brazil..
3.  Jeffrey Mosher
4.  Newspaper research in Brazil - http://myportuguesegen.blogspot.com/2012/06/newspaper-research-in-brazil.html
5.  Mosher, Jeffrey C. Political Struggle, Ideology and State Building – Pernambuco and the Construction of Brazil, 1817 – 1850. University of Nebraska Press. 2008. Page 126
6.  Mosher, page 149.
7.  Mosher, page 149
8. History Magazine, May/June 2012
9. Diario Novo. 1 Agosto 1842, 13 Janeiro 1843, 18 Janeiro 1843.

Giving life to your ancestors

Link para a página em Português.

As soon as I had in my hands the Marriage Certificate from my great grandparents on my mother’s side, Theresa Lopes and Francisco Machado Drummond, many doors were open in my research as well as finding the place where they lived in the first eight years of their marriage – 23 Travessa do Sereno, Morro da Conceição, downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  My curiosity became even bigger after that.

As an artist and having a degree in Museology and Art History I do have an eye for investigating things associated with my creativity. Since I found the address I started creating a picture in my mind of what would have been the life there and the surroundings of the house – my great grandparents, their house, Rio de Janeiro in the XIX century, besides other small details that came up with my research.

In the beginning I started searching the internet for images of Travessa do Sereno. I had an urge to see the place they lived, where they started their life, where they walked in their everyday life and also where my grandmother, Leonor Lopes Drummond, was born on June 4^th, 1900. I found out that Morro da Conceição, Travessa do Sereno neighborhood, was a convergent point for the Portuguese immigration in Rio de Janeiro. So, little by little, I was creating an imaginary picture. 

The universe started working in my behalf and I found the website from João Barcelos and his paintings, one of them was picturing Travessa do Sereno. I really love João’s painting, he not only pictures the actual landscape but investigates the architectural history of Rio de Janeiro creating unique works of art. I saw clearly that João Barcelos was the right person to work with me in my new project. Immediately I sent an email to him and explained that I would love to have my great grandparent’s house painted. He promptly went to visit the address, took photos and sent to me.

Strategically situated close to Rio de Janeiro’s Port, the Morro da Conceição is at the moment being remodeled as it became a tourist point because of its uniqueness in Historic Downtown Rio de Janeiro. 

After a few days I received a sketch from João Barcelos. His ability as an artist was quickly revealed as he was able to remove all that was polluting the landscape, creating a poetic composition for me. Having my approval, he proceeded with his art work.

Now in my living room, besides family photos, I’m happier than ever with my painting. I have a feeling of work done, partially.for sure, as I’m always inspired by my family. It’s through her and its legacy that I guide my life and of those who share theirs with me.

- João Barcelos

Fotos e trabalhos de arte acima.

http://www.joaobarcelos.com.br/pg_inicial.htm

- Nina Rabha – Arquiteta

http://www.crisisprodutivas.com/pdf/nina-rabha.pdf

Morro da Conceição, patrimônio histórico

- Morro da Conceição, um pedacinho de Portugal no centro do Rio de Janeiro.

Dando vida aos seus antepassados.

Link to the English page

Quando tive acesso a Habilitação de Casamento de meus bisavós maternos, Theresa Lopes e Francisco Machado Drummond, novas portas se abriram em minha pesquisa além de vir a constatar o local onde residiram nos primeiros oito anos de sua vida de casados – Travessa do Sereno 23, no Morro da Conceição, no centro da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Minha curiosidade cresceu imensamente.

Como artista, museóloga e historiadora da arte tenho um olhar investigador aliado à minha criatividade. Passei então a tentar dar vida a uma nova “composição” que se formava em minha mente – meus bisavós, a casa e local em que moravam, Rio de Janeiro no século XIX, além de uma série de outros pequenos detalhes que vieram a se confirmar com minha pesquisa.

Decidi inicialmente buscar na internet imagens  da Travessa do Sereno. Precisava “ver” o local onde meus bisavós moraram, onde iniciaram sua vida, onde caminharam no seu dia a dia e onde minha avó, Leonor Lopes Drummond, havia nascido em 4 Junho de 1900. Descobri que o Morro da Conceição, local onde se localiza a travessa foi, no século XIX, especialmente na segunda metade, ponto de convergência dos imigrantes portugueses que chegavam no Rio de Janeiro. 

E foi assim, com o universo conspirando a meu favor, que encontrei o site de João Barcelos e suas pinturas, uma das quais retratava a Travessa do Sereno. De pronto adorei a arte de João, não só retrata paisagens de hoje como também investiga o passado arquitetônico da cidade onde mora e dele tira inspiração para suas pinturas. Vi, com clareza, que João era a pessoa certa para trabalhar comigo nesta nova idéia. Imediatamente entrei em contato através de email e a partir dai iniciamos o processo de criação de uma pintura onde ele retrataria a casa de meus antepassados. João prontamente visitou o local, tirou fotos e me enviou.  

Localizado estrategicamente ao lado do Porto do Rio de Janeiro, a travessa e o Morro da Conceição estão, no momento, sendo revitalizados por ser local não só de turismo, como também de valor arquitetônico único inserido no Centro Histórico do Rio de Janeiro.

Passaram-se somente alguns dias e rapidamente eu já tinha um “sketch” do quadro feito por João. A habilidade de João se fez presente, pois ali conseguiu remover tudo que polui a paisagem atual e acrescentou seu lado poético de artista na composição. Tendo minha aprovação, João prosseguiu com seu trabalho.

Casa dos Bisavós de Isabella - Óleo sobre Tela - 2012 - João Barcelos

Hoje estou mais feliz do que nunca com minha pintura, na minha sala de estar, ao lado de fotos da família. Tenho uma sensação de estar cumprindo pouco a pouco o trabalho que tanto me inspira, a história de minha família. É através dela e do legado gerado aos longo dos séculos, que norteio minha vida e daqueles que dela partilham.

Links pesquisados:

- João Barcelos

Fotos e trabalhos de arte acima.

http://www.joaobarcelos.com.br/pg_inicial.htm­­­­­­­

- Nina Rabha – Arquiteta

http://www.crisisprodutivas.com/pdf/nina-rabha.pdf

Morro da Conceição, patrimônio histórico

- Morro da Conceição, um pedacinho de Portugal no centro do Rio de Janeiro.

Preservation and restoration of your family treasures

Let’s talk a little bit of conservation of your family heirlooms!

If you read my profile you probably noticed that I’m also an artist, besides my background in Museology and Art History. I love to express my inner self through acrylics and, specially, watercolors.

Before

At certain point in my life I decided to work in the preservation and restoration field. It was easy to decide that I want to work with books as I love them since I was a little girl. Also, I could use my artist skills of over 20 years and my academic background to help people preserve their precious family treasures and books for the generations to come.

After

The last 30 years of my life was dedicated to study arts, art history, preservation and conservation. A few years ago I started using my art background to restore old books, family bibles and documents. Working with these family gems provides me with a great deal of gratification, challenge and excitement since it invites me to participate in the history portrayed by each book or manuscript, and the techniques utilized by that specific time period and culture.

The book restoration process depends on a series of characteristics presented by the book. First of all, is the thorough analysis of the book’s history and structure for this will determine which methods will be utilized when putting the book pieces together at the end.

Below a graphic, made by my daughter, explaining the steps I use in book restoration and a little bit of my work:

 Before                                                                                                    After

Last but not least, through my lenses, book restoration and conservation goes beyond the techniques utilized and the process of taking a book apart and placing it back together, it gives me the opportunity to immerse in a different time and experience the stories told by people all over the world!

Below you have two links where you can buy archival materials to store your documents, books and photos. If you need any help in a custom project, just let me know I will be more than happy to help you:

Archival Inc.

University Products

40 Top Genealogy Blogs - Around the World in 40 Blogs

I'm so happy that my blog was selected to represent one of the 40 Top Genealogy Blogs International from Family Tree Magazine!

I've been trying to do my best in helping others to find their relatives in Brazil while I research my ancestors! Every comment is welcome and I will be more than happy to help others not only with tips on where to research, but as well as restoring their family heirlooms, like books, family bibles, documents and translations whenever is needed.

Thank you, Family Tree Magazine! 

A Ship Manifest, a Passport, and a Newspaper in your research

My great grandfather, Francisco Machado Drummond, grandson of Francisco Ferreira Drummond, the historian from São Sebastião, Terceira Island – Azores, emigrated from the Azores to Brazil, for the first time, when he had just completed 13 years old. His passport was clear with several information about himself. I found it at the archives in Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira Island (see footnote 1.). This was the first of several others trips he was going to do during his life time between the Azores and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Finding his passports records at the Angra's archives brought so much life to my great grandfather, his family history, thus my family genealogy.

The second time he traveled to Rio de Janeiro was in the company of his second wife and a son of six months old. The year was 1893. After obtaining a copy of their passport for this second trip from the archives in Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, BPARAH, I was able to learn when they were traveling - June or July of 1893. Attached to the family passport there was also the ship ticket’s receipt. On the ticket receipt there was the ship's name, the Lissabon. What a great find to continue my research.

I decided to find more about my great grandfather, his family and his arrival in Brazil. I knew the year and the approximate months of arrival in Rio de Janeiro. The best place to start my research was using the Arquivo Nacional do Brasil and their online database. This is the equivalent of the National Archives of USA. If I could find the ship manifest with his name and his family new doors were going to open, bringing more information and evidence. The Arquivo Nacional has a large online database in Portuguese immigration and is always updating their digital archives with more records.

After looking on some steamers arrivals at that time, all in pdf format, I finally found the ship they traveled to Brazil, the Lissabon, from the SÜDAMERIKANISCHEN DAMPFSCHIFFAHRTS GESSELSCHAFT , a german company leaving originally Hamburg, in Germany. After downloading the pdf to my computer, I took a careful look on the manifest and was able to find the date of arrival, July 8^th 1893, the commandant’s name, Holm, and extensive list of 363 passengers, all in 3^rd class. Although the ship steamer had 2^nd and 1^st class, only the third class was listed. No death took place during the trip and all arrived in good condition.

http://www.histarmar.com.ar

The newspapers of that time usually had information on what was happening on the Ports of Brazil, and knowing that the main library in Brazil, the Biblioteca Nacional, has them digitized and fully researchable, my next step was finding those with the approximate date of the ship’s arrival. I not only found the newspaper of my interest, but got more new information. The names of other passengers that were not listed on the ship manifest from Arquivo Nacional do Brasil were found on the newspapers. I don’t know why they did not list these passengers on the manifest, but they were probably traveling on the 1^st and/or 2^nd class. The number of days the ship took from São Miguel to Rio de Janeiro was 16 days, from a total of 27 days. The newspaper also has a list of all the ships that were arriving on that day besides the Lissabon, as well as other ones that were expected to arrive on the next couple of days.

I learned that we really need to go as further as possible in our research, searching all kinds of sources. When we less expect we can find something new that can lead us to unexpected discoveries!

Detail of "O Pais - Domingo,  9 de Julho de 1893"

Biblioteca Nacional 

Find more about how to research in the Azores and Portugal at:
https://myportuguesegen.blogspot.com/p/researching-in-azores-and-portugal.html

1.

Biblioteca Pública e Arquivo Regional Luis da Silva Ribeiro

Rua do Morrão, 42 - 9700-054 Angra do Heroísmo

Telefone: (+351) 295 401 000Fax: (+351) 295 401 009

email: bparah.arquivo@azores.gov.pt

http://www.bparlsr.azores.gov.pt/html/index.html

Old Steamers Ads

Researching the digital archives of Biblioteca Nacional - http://memoria.bn.br/hdb/uf.aspx - I found some ads from companies that were travelling between Europe and South America at Gazeta de Noticias newspaper. Those ads are a constant in the editions that I searched between the years of 1880 and 1899. These ones are of 9 March 1887 edition. You will find the cities where they stop besides the final destination and the departure date; on some you will also see the price of those tickets. The Norddeutscher Lloyd was one companies that traveled constantly to Brazil

Below we have a specific ad that stops at the Azores Island, one of my interests as my family from my mother’s side is from Terceira Island.  If they had enough passengers to bring to Brazil on their way back they made the stop there. They also mention special conditions for those who are coming as colonists. I believe it’s about their price; they may have a special rate for those who were coming to settle.

Hamburgo Sudamerikanische Dampfschiff-fahrts-Gesellschall

The steamers of these lines leaves to 

Bahia, Lisboa and Hamburgo

 on the 5, 13, 20 and 27 of each month.

Coming back from Hamburgo

Azores Island

if there are enough passengers

 Excellent accommodations for the first class passengers.

Special conditions for those who are colonist.

SOMETIMES THE LINK TO BIBLIOTECA NACIONAL DOES NOT WORK. THEIR SERVER IS NOT STABLE, PLEASE BE PATIENT AND TRY AGAIN LATER.

Newspaper Research in Brazil

Rio de Janeiro has one of the most beautiful libraries in the world, the Biblioteca Nacional- www.bn.br

It is considered by UNESCO one of the tenth libraries in the world and the biggest in South America. Part of it is digitized and available on line for research.  You will find books, photos and newspapers from many states of Brazil. It’s precious for us doing genealogy.

What I most use is the newspaper database that is available on the following link and it’s fully researchable.

http://memoria.bn.br/hdb/uf.aspx

What I like most is that we can also save the images that are significant for our research.  I already found some nice references from the XIX century and some of my family members.

I wish the web site were both in Portuguese and English.

Immigration in Brazil II

Don't forget to visit Immigration in Brazil I

In January 2011 the Public Archives of the State of São Paulo started a project involving the immigration in State of São Paulo together with the Museu da Imigração. The result of this effort is an amazing online database of images available to the public which involves “documental organization, interventions of conservation and preservation, digitization and processing of digital images”.

Swiss immigrants boarding at Genova Port, in Italy, to Brazil, in 1898. Photo from the descendants of Sta Laudicéia Schutz and now at the Museu da Imigração digital archives.

"Call Letters: About 32 000 documents that declared security aid to immigrants wishing to join the family already established in Brazil. The forms and letters facilitated the entry of immigrants who came to work in the country, for proving the existence of a charge for the cost of tickets and food. 

Record enrollment: Documentation that proves the passage of the immigrant hostel. Through the last name you can find information regarding the date of arrival, age, family, and others. The page of the book contained the record can be viewed in digital format. 

Cartography: Set of maps and plans of colonial settlements, lots, farms, buildings and the Inn of immigrants, accounting for more than 2,800 files. 

Iconographic: Research that provides about eight thousand documents that make up the collection of images. Among the materials, are portraits of immigrants, postcards and photographs.

Requirements of the Secretary of Agriculture, Commerce and Public Works (SACOP): Documents made ​​by immigrants seeking to obtain a refund for transport costs to the arrival in Brazil. Some of these applications requesting advance tickets or served to account for advances. 

Newspapers: Provides more than two thousand editions of newspapers in the colonies of immigrants in Brazil, published between the years 1886 and 1987. Most titles are in the mother tongue of the immigrant group to which the publication was directed. The issues pertain to the collection of the Public Archives of the State of São Paulo, Instituto Italiano di Cultura of São Paulo Institute of History and Geography of Sao Paulo."

Click here for the 87,000 images available for viewing and download free of charge at the Museu da Imigração do Estado de São Paulo, Brazil.

More information:

Museu da Imigração do Estado de São Paulo

Rua Visconde de Parnaíba, 1316 - São Paulo /SP - CEP: 03044-002

Tel.: (11) 4114-1800 / 2692-1866 | E-mail: museudaimigracao@museudaimigracao.org.br

Adriana's Birthday 19 Feb 1904

Today was my maternal grand aunt Adriana’s birthday. She was much more than my grand aunt, she raised my mother and looked after me and my sisters like her own grandchildren while we spent vacation with her, or when she traveled to visit us. No one called her Adriana, but Sinhá. We had a very special connection from the beginning of my life. I loved her deeply. I was 17 years old when she died in 1976 and until today I remember how caring, sweet and loving she was.

Adriana’s older sister, Leonor, was my mother's mother and my blood grandmother. Leonor died very young with 36 years old when my mother was only 5 years old. Adriana took care of my mother as her own daughter.

Adriana and Leonor were the two daughters of  Thereza Lopes and Francisco Machado Drummond, being Leonor the older one and born in 1900. They were from Terceira Island in the Azores. He from the Vila de São Sebastião, Angra do Heroísmo municipality, and her family from Porto Martins, in Praia da Vitória municipality.

On this photo Adriana appears with my mother, Maria Thereza.  I believe my mother was about 6 years old. The photo has no date but I can say it's around 1934, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In search of Thereza

Until the beginning of this year I didn’t know much about my maternal great grandmother Thereza Lopes, not even a photograph. She was just a name. I contacted some family members and little by little I started getting more information on her three deceased daughters. I was sure that making that decision would give me new clues. Having the information on their marriage certificates, birth certificates and death certificates I was sure I would be able to finally make a much more solid portrait about Thereza’s life.

This week I finally found the certificate of Theresa Lopes's Civil Registration marriage to my  great grandfather Francisco Machado Drumond, who was born in São Sebastiao, Terceira Island – Angra do Heroismo - in the Azores.

Having this in hand I was able to verify they were living in Morro da Conceição, downtown Rio de Janeiro, a place where some of the Portuguese immigrants settled in the XIX century. Until today the neighbor preserves some atmosphere of the traditional Portuguese streets and the narrow streets.

The site below shows some photos from Morro da Conceição, downtown Rio de Janeiro, by Rafael Soares.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=996117

Going back to our research, the link below is from the Arquivo Nacional but different from the others that I mentioned before. You will find birth records, marriage and death records, civil and commercial cases belonging to the Civil Courts, Commercial Courts, Pretorias of Rio de Janeiro and Superior Courts, as well as processes of ancient collections formed over the years in the National Archives, as slaves, Lands Inventories and Holders.

http://www.an.gov.br/Basedocjud/MenuDocJud/MenuDocJud.php

I have a long way to go before I find everything I need from my ancestors, but I know I’m on the right way to get there. When we do genealogy we need to count on every detail and help we can find, from family and genealogists in your circle of friends. Also participating in groups, associations and societies will help a lot; they can provide support giving you knowledge and tips in finding new sources and amazing discoveries in your family.