Research Journal #3, Entry #4
Sometimes in genealogy, you have to prove what isn’t true before you can find out what is true. In order to figure out who Ida Camara was, it was important to figure out who she was not. Her identity had to be separated from Ida (Cosmer) Drew.
It was time to find people connected to either Ida to sort out this mess. Ida (Cosmer) Drew’s children were found through their Camara cousins. They were more than willing to clear up any misconceptions and add a little spice to the pot as well! They knew a lot about their Mother, Ida–things that hadn’t been revealed before.
Ida (Cosmer) Drew wasn’t really a Cosma/Cosmer/Jacinto da Camara (Phew! Say that 10 times fast!). She was a Pavon! Her real parents were Manoel Rocha Pavao, Jr. and Alexandrinha “Shandra” Jacinto! Her mother was the Jacinto da Camara.
Since nothing is simple with this family, here’s the scoop on Ida Cosmer Drew:
Manoel and Minnie Jacinto da Camara (aka Manuel & Minnie Cosmer) had no children. Due to an illness, Manoel and Alexandrinha asked that Manoel and Minnie take care of their baby, Ida, for awhile.
When they were ready to take Ida home, Manoel and Minnie were grieved. She was the child they could not have. In the end, Manoel and Alexandrinha agreed to let them raise Ida. Since the families were close, she was raised among her siblings.
The 1910 Census is the first one that shows Ida with her adoptive parents. Note that the surname is recorded as Cosmo. You can read the census page which shows Manuel, Mary, and Ida living in Oakland. (Source: 1910 US Census, Brooklyn Township, Oakland, Alameda Co., California. Enumeration District 20, Sheet 11B.
Manuel Cosmo, 31, born in Portugual
Mary Cosmo, 31, born in Portugal
Ida Cosma, 3, born in California
There are also 5 boarders living with them.
Ida had two sets of parents, but only one husband, John Drew. This clearly meant that we had two different Ida’s. Now, the question is…
Who was Jose’s wife? And, what family did she belong to? If she didn’t belong to the Jacinto da Camara clan that I knew about, was there another one roaming around Kauai that I didn’t know about?
My daughter came across this blog when she was looking for info about our Grandfather, Manuel Rocha Pavon. Ida and Johnnie are my godparents. Two of the most wonderful people who ever walked this earth.
And, who might you be in the scheme of things? And who is Jose?