Last week I finished my the Pacheco side of my family tree. This week I will start with the de Braga side.
The de Braga’s were from Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island, Azores. This is my Great Grandmother, Maria d’Espirito Santo (de Braga) Pacheco Smith’s side of the family. She was the wife of Theodoro Pacheco (later Theodore Pacheco Smith) whose line I’ve been documenting the last few Surname Saturdays.
Her parents were Jozimas de Braga and Maria da Conceicao de Mello. Jozimas and Maria brought the family to Hawaii in 1882 to work the sugar plantations of Kauai. In 1907, the de Braga’s made their way to California. So their migration went from the Azores to Hawaii to California in a 25 years.
Jozimas is an unsual first name. He is my only ancestor with this name. I’ve shown it to other Portuguese researchers and they’ve never seen it before. So, I have to assume my ancestor made it up or slurred really bad after giving birth. LOL
My oldest ancestor in this line is Pedro de Braga born ca 1570 in Fenais da Vera Cruz, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island, Azores. Pedro is my 11th Great Grandfather. (Note: Fenais da Vera Cruz is now called Fenais d’Ajuda). This line passes the surname down through the paternal and maternal lines–it even skips a generation when one of my ancestors decided to take the surname Dutra.
The line moves from Fenais da Vera Cruz to Maia, Ribeira Grande (not very far away) in the early 1700s. There the line stays until my ancestors left in 1882. I found cousins traveling between Maia and the East Coast around 1910-1920. It is very likely I still have de Braga cousins in the village of Maia today.
Ahnentafel of Maria Esperito Santo de BRAGA – 29 Jul 2011
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First Generation
1. Maria Esperito Santo de BRAGA: born on 2 Jun 1876 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island; died on 25 Feb 1938 in Oakland, Alameda Co., CA.
Second Generation
2. Jozimas de BRAGA: born on 17 Jul 1849 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island; married on 28 Aug 1871 in Divino Esperito Santo, Maia, Sao Miguel, Acores; died on 14 Feb 1922 in Oakland, Alameda Co., CA.
3. Maria da Conceicao de MELLO: born in Jan 1845 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island; d. ca 1895, Kauai, HI.
Third Generation
4. Jacintho Jose de BRAGA: born on 21 Sep 1806 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island; married on 26 Aug 1829 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island.
5. Rosa de Medeiros PACHECO: born on 4 Mar 1810 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island.
Fourth Generation
8. Joao de BRAGA: born about 1770 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island; married on 8 Oct 1800 in Espirito Santo, Maia, Sao Miguel Acores.
9. Maria do ESPIRITO SANTO: born about 1770 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island.
Fifth Generation
16. Manoel Paiva BRAGA: born about 1740 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island; married on 17 May 1771 in Espirito Santo, Maia, Sao Miguel Acores; died on 29 Mar 1781 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island.
17. Isabel do COUTO: born about 1740 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island.
Sixth Generation
32. Pedro de PAIVA: born on 25 Jun 1716 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island; married on 23 May 1744 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island.
33. Maria BRAGA: born on 21 Oct 1725 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island; died before 20 Dec 1788 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island.
Seventh Generation
66. Damiao de BRAGA: born about 1687 in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Ajuda), Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Isl.; married on 1 Jun 1720 in N.S. da Annunciacao, Achada, Nordeste, Sao Miguel Island; died on 8 Mar 1757 in Maia, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island.
67. Barbara or Maria de FRIAS: born about 1700 in Estrela, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel, Acores.
Eighth Generation
132. Antonio de BRAGA: born about 1670 in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Ajuda), Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Isl.; married on 22 May 1699 in Faial de Terra, Sao Miguel Island; died on 11 Jun 1730 in Faial de Terra, Sao Miguel Island.
133. Maria SIMAS(?): born about 1670 in Faial de Terra, Sao Miguel Island.
Ninth Generation
264. Manoel Pereira DUTRA: born about 1625 in Povoacao, Sao Miguel, Acores; married on 18 Mar 1660 in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Ajuda), Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Isl.; died before 13 Jul 1707.
265. Anna FERREIRA: born about 1625 in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Ajuda), Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Isl.; died before 13 Jul 1707 in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Ajuda), Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Isl..
Tenth Generation
530. Pedro JORGE: born about 1600 in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Ajuda), Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Isl.; married on 8 Dec 1625 in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Ajuda), Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Isl..
531. Maria de BRAGA: born about 1600 in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Ajuda), Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Isl..
Eleventh Generation
1062. Pedro de BRAGA: born in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Ajuda), Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Isl.; married.
1063. Maria LOURENCO: born in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Ajuda), Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Isl..