I finally found Ana Jacinta’s baptismal record

Before arthritis (also known as the time period B.A.), I used to go to the Family History Center in Oakland once or twice a month.  I spent many hours pouring over the microfilm for Achada, Nordeste, Sao Miguel Island, Azores.

I had a mystery to solve and the answer was in those microfilms.  I had found all but one of the children of Ana Jacinta de Melo and Jacintho Pacheco in Achada.  I found Ana’s family in Achada.  I found Jacintho’s family in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Fenais d’Ajuda).  But, I could not find Ana’s baptismal.  I could not find Jacintho’s baptismal or death record.  I could not find their marriage record.  And, I could not find their oldest son, Antonio’s, baptismal record.  I searched nearby towns to no avail.  I exhausted the Achada baptismal microfilm without finding Ana or Antonio.  I was stuck.

I had all the surrounding documents.  But, those basic documents alluded me.  I began to form hypothesis about the family.  Antonio was adopted.  Ana and/or Jacintho were married multiple times.  Ana and Jacintho never got married.  They were born in other villages, possibly Algarvia, which is a surname the Pacheco’s took on after 1900 in California.  They had changed their names because the story that Ana had killed off five husbands was really true.  I had many hypothesis, but no answers.

Around 2000, my arthritis seeped into my neck and shoulder.  The motion of turning a microfilm reader handle or simple sitting and staring for hours and taking notes was getting to be too difficult.  I had to give up going to the Family History Center and rely on online records.

Well, I waited.  12 years to be exact.  Just this weekend I found out that the village I needed, Achada, had been digitized and was online.  I couldn’t wait to get started!

So, I spent bits and pieces of three days going frame by frame through the Achada baptismals.  I worked from 1833 back to 1827 when Ana’s parents were born.  I didn’t find Ana but I found a couple more of her siblings.  I thought I might have messed up because for awhile I found myself looking for Jacinta instead of Ana.

This was just like working on a microfilm reader.  Page by excruciating page. I finished one group.  Then, I worked the other direction from 1833-1835.  I was on my last page (well, about my fifth last page).  And, there she was!  In 1835, I found Ana’s baptismal record.  She did exist!!!

I haven’t translated the record yet.  Right now, I’m just admiring its beauty.  I can now give Ana a real birth date instead of 1827-1840.  I can add her Godparents.  I now can search for a marriage record knowing that Ana was 20 years old in 1855.  That would be 8 years before her first documented child.

How satisfying it is!  This is the reward for searching relentlessly for years and never giving up.  I now have my Great Great Grandmother’s baptismal record!