In my previous post, Bibi Had A Secret, I mentioned that I hadn’t been able to find and “Alberto” in vital records from Brava… Until now!!!!
I think I found Alberto!!!!
This Alberto was born in 1896 in Ponta Achada, Sao Joao Baptista to Fernando Vieira Martins and Virginia d’Andrade Martins. His paternal grandparents were Boaventura Martins and Palmira de Abreu Vieira Martins and his maternal grandparents were Jose Lourenco d’Andrade and Rosa Pires, natives of the parish of Sao Nicolao, Lisbon.
It may be a long shot but this is the first record I have come across for an Alberto. Hmmmm!
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Author: The Creola Genealogist
My name is Anna Lima. I am the daughter of immigrants, born and raised in Massachusetts. I am the mother of two and a Speech Pathologist. My love of family history began as a child listening to my elders speak of “the old country”. Through their stories grew a love for the culture and traditions of my ancestors and I wanted to know more about who they were. My great-grandmother, our family Griot, was my greatest inspiration as she passed down stories and traditions that have helped me become the person I am today. I believe that remembering our ancestors strengthens who we are. I hope to continue my great-grandmother’s legacy, to continue to pass down the stories of not only my own family history but also the stories of the ancestors of anyone who wishes to remember. My blog is dedicated to the ancestors, those remembered and those yet to be found.
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The Creola Genealogist 
That’s a good start!
Thank you!
Hello,
I am a novelist from Brava (live in U.S). I have written 2 novels set in Brava. I’am now in the process of writing this historical novel with a working title, ” The island of roses” from the Portuguese “A ilha das flores.” The story will span 3 centuries (1700, 1800. 1900). I just found you in relation to the book Matilde which showed up in FB. I would appreciate any leads of books or other documents relating to Brava during these periods.
Thank you.
Good stuff! i only recently discovered your blog. It is very interesting and you seem to have a real gift for this. My father had begun recording our fairly immediate family but had hoped to flesh out a real history but didn’t get far. The other side of my family was going like gangbusters back to about 1100. I thought maybe I could try to find out a few things and did have a look at the church records from the different islands but did not find what I was looking for. I can see just how much time it will take to research individuals. I hardly got anywhere at all and already stumped. i thought it would be possible to link up with other families but it isn’t. My great-grandfather’s name is João which doesn’t help. I am very impressed by all the work you have done. I’m glad to hear you are making progress.
Hi Ms Fonseca
Please don’t give up! You would be amazed how much important information I have found in the most serendipitous ways! Start with US census records before 1940 and the immigration records. Look for variations in spelling and keep in mind that accurate birth dates apparently weren’t important, lol! Your family is definitely in the records somewhere. I know of several instances where people took their maternal surnames and even omitted first names completely when arriving in the U.S. so you have to find clues in more creative ways. I would love to help however I can. If you are searching for Fonseca, you should look for d’Affonseca and Affonseca. “Fonseca” is a more recent variation on d’Affonseca. My d’Affonseca line in Brava traces back to Capitão Antonio d’Affonseca who’s daughter, Mariana d’Austria married Francisco Jose de Senna, grandson of the first island administrator for the island of Brava. The d’Affonseca family in Brava date back to the earliest donatariod of the island, an old family for sure. Which island is your father’s family from?
Hi! Thanks for the advice. Actually I know my family here. I was lucky enough to know my great-grandmother Adelaide Silva, she only died in 1989. Her husband died in the 70s and I never met him. He was from Boa Vista. They were my paternal grandmother’s parents.
My paternal grandfather’s parents were from Cape Verde but I don’t know which islands. I have the names of his parents and his wife’s sister (Barros).
The funny thing is I found there is a link between my Canadian family (mother’s side) and much older generations of Fonsecas. We truly are all related. I’ve seen the Affonseca spelling which surprised me. I did not know about taking maternal surnames but I guess it makes sense.
Thanks again for the tips.
Josee
I just came across this “I think I found Alberto”, my father is the great grandson of Boaventura Martins , I would like to see more of the stuff you have so far, and if you need more info my father aunt or uncle could be of help.
Hi Mr Martins- I’m so sorry for my late response. I had posted this document in response to another post I wrote about my great-grandmother, Maria Coelho Rodrigues, who could only say “Alberto” after suffering a stoke when she was 94 years old. I often wondered if this was an old love interest of hers when she was younger since my great grandfather’s name was Avelino! Alberto wasn’t a very common name in the records from Brava and this was the first one I came across, half-jokingly wondering if this was her old flame. It would be great to find out if anyone in your family knew my great-grandmother. She was known as Nha Mabibi or Nha Maria Rosinha and lived in Cham de Sousa, Nossa Senhora do Monte. Her paternal family (Coelho) was from Pabason – somewhere around Ponta Achada, I believe. She was born in 1904 so it may be a stretch. I have definitely know a lot about this Martins family and I have some pictures I believe of some the Viera-Martins people. I am related (although pretty far back) to them via my Barbosa family line. Please find me on Facebook – either through “the Creola genealogist” or “Nanie Lima”.
I may be related my name is Persida Britto but my father John Dius Brito spelled the Britto surname with one tee. He had a brother named Michael Brito who lived in Brooklyn, on Decator
street and a brother named anton or Antonio Brito who lived int Rhode Island. My father was born in Boa Vista, Cape Verde, I don’t know anything about my grandparent and hope that I can find out what happen to my grandparent. .
Hi Ms Britto- have you checked the digitized records available for Cape Verde through the Mormon Church? There are thousands of records there. For Boa Vista, you will find records for around 1874 to about 1895. If you have the names of your grandparents, you may be able to find baptism, marriage and obituary records there. I do have some de Brito connections through my Lima side from Rabil, Boa Vista but without names it will be difficult to make more connections. Hope this helps.
Anna
Hi there! I’m Javiel! I have relatives from Brava,Cape Verde! My great grandparents were Joseph Britto & Catherine Lopes