Nossa Sehora de Piedade, Cathedral in Cajazieras, Brazil
To start the great genealogy reset I selected my mother’s line for a few reasons:
- I had yet to really do any work with it so there wasn’t much to “redo”
- It is centered in Paraiba, Brazil and as far as I know stayed there for the foreseeable past so the record search will be localized to one area and language.
- I expect all my “from home” or family history library research options will be exhausted quickly and I’ll be “finished” with this line fairly soon.
I want this to be a real test of my newly established research practices and organization so this line should be perfect for that! I’ll be starting with Manoel, my mother’s grandfather since I have some information already from her since she met him and knew some details. Also, he is far enough back in time that the records are more readily available.
Starting with my mother (1) Manoel (4) is her grandfather. This chart is from my new “clean” database and doesn’t contain any unverified facts.
First up, the christening record for Manoel de Souza LIMA. This was actually the very first record I ever found (years ago!) using microfilm at the Family History Library in SLC. It was so exciting! Now, all these images are digitized which makes searching much easier!
Nossa Senhora da Piedade (Cazajeiras, Brasil), Batismos 1800, Jan – 1886 Abr, image 136, page 118, Manoel christening record; digital images, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org : downloaded 20 May 2016).
Transcription:
Manoel, branco, filho legitimo de Ildefonso de Souza Lima, a-
gricultor e Maria da Conceição de Jesus, sem officio, moradores
na Malta Fresca, Frequizia de Nossa Senhora da Piedade de Ca-
jazeiras, naseido a vinte e dous de Dezembro de mil oito centos
oitena e quatro e baptizado solemimente por mim na Ma-
triz no dia vinte e trez de dito mez e anno, sendo padrinhos
Tenente Acario de Souza Rolim e sua mulher Antonia O-
lindina do Conto Rolim; do que para constar mandou fa-
zer este termo, em que se assigna {signature}.
Translation:
Manoel, white, legitimate son of Ildefonso de Souza Lima,
farmer, and Maria da Conceição de Jesus, not employed, residents
of the Malta Fresca, Parish of Nossa Senhora da Piedade of
Cajazeiras, born on the twenty second of December of eighteen hundred
eighty four and solemnly baptized by me in the
chapel on the twenty third day of the same month and year, as godparents
Lieutenant Acario de Souza Rolim and his wife Antonia
Olindina do Conto Rolim; for the record I ordered this record
made, and to attest, I sign {signature}.
Notes
Here are all the “facts” I was able to draw from this document and add to my new clean database:
- Manoel is the son of Ildefonso de Souza LIMA and Maria da Conceição DE JESUS. He is male and was named Manoel.
- His birth date is 22 Dec 1884 in Cajazieras, Brazil.
- Ildefonso is a farmer.
- Manoel was “legitimate” meaning his parents were married prior to his birth. So I should be able to find a marriage record for them prior to 22 Dec 1884.
- Manoel was christened in the Nossa Senhora da Piedade church in Cajazeiras, Brazil on 23 Dec 1884.
- His godparents were Lieutenant Acario de Souza ROLIM and his wife Antonia Olindina doe Conto ROLIM who were likely friends with Manoel’s parents.
That is quite a bit of information from just this one record. From here I can keep going with Manoel’s parents and try to find a marriage record or keep looking in the birth records for any other siblings. Luckily his father’s name, Ildefonso, is quite unique to the area (although I have come across another man with that same first name in the records) so it should be relatively easy to find siblings and the marriage record.
His mother’s name, Maria, is much more common and I’ve even come across another Maria da Conceição but she didn’t have the “de Jesus” part so I’m pretty sure she’s a different woman.
The fun continues!