One of the strangest discoveries at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Oakland, California was coming across the tombstone of Willie P. Smith. Willie was most likely born as Guilherme Pacheco but some how recorded as Wilhelm Pacheco by a 1900 Census enumerator who was obviously a little confused. He is the third child of Theodoro Pacheco…
Tag: Kilauea
Tombstone Tuesday: Who Left These Flowers?
While walking through Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Hayward, California, about ten years ago, I came across the grave site for my Great Great Aunt and Uncle, Jose de Braga and Maria Jacinto (aka Joseph DeBraga and Mary Camara). Jose was the son of Jozimas de Braga and Maria da Conceicao de Mello, of Maia, Ribeira…
Tombstone Tuesday: Ana Jacinta’s Crumbled Stone
My Great Great Grandmother, Ana Jacinto de Melo Pacheco, came to Hawaii in 1882. She was widowed bringing her children with her. If I hadn’t seen her immigration records, I would have no evidence that Ana stepped on Hawaiian soil. She isn’t listed in any census, vital records, or church records that I have come…
Take Another Look at the Census: Your Female Ancestors
You may be sitting with your research in front of you. Stacks of folders and binders surround you. Papers litter your work area. Now that you’ve collected all this information, what do you really know about your ancestors? You’ve spent many hours collecting documentation. You’ve dutifully filled in your pedigree chart. But, you still feel…