Braga and dos Reis families of Santa Maria

[Jennifer S.]

Bom Dia!

I am writing with questions about a specific family from Santa Maria.

I have been searching for several years now and have hit a roadblock. I am reaching out in the hopes of finding others who share these ancestors to learn more about them. 

Emerenciana de Braga 

- born 1666 Santa Bárbara, ilha de Santa Maria

- died 1744 

- 2 husbands Antonio da Cunha and Manuel Curvelo Mendonça 

- daughter = Francisca de Andrade born in 1710 

- granddaughter = Mariana dos Réis born in 1739 

Please reach out if you know more.

Best,

Jenni S.

[Cheri Mello]

The early records on much of Santa Maria island are in pretty bad shape. If you get  Emerenciana's parents, then you will be at the end of line with those ancestors. 

The only *READABLE* record for 1666 containing an Emerenciana is this one in the middle on the left:

https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMA-VP-SANTABARBARA-B-1640-1694/SMA-VP-SANTABARBARA-B-1640-1694_item1/index.html?page=66

That Emerenciana is the daughter of Manuel de Mello and Emerenciana de Rezendes.

You will need your Emerencia's first marriage to Antonio da Cunha to verify if that is the correct Emerenciana.

Cheri Mello
Listowner, Azores-Gen
Researching: São Miguel island: Vila Franca, Ponta Garca, Ribeira Quente, Ribeira das Tainhas, Achada

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[Joe Matias]

Do you have dates and places of marriages for Emerenciana

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[Bill Seidler]

It appears she had 3 husbands.

Here she is marrying 3rd husband Antonio da Cunha, widower of Isabel de Mello buried Matriz de São Sebastião in Ponta Delgada.  She is widow of 2nd husband João de Fontes de Freitas.

https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-C-1708-1730/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-C-1708-1730_item1/index.html?page=35 (left side)

Here she is marrying 2nd husband João de Fontes de Freitas, widower of ?Ana Faleira? buried in Santa Barbara parish.  She is widow of 1st (presumably) husband Manuel ?C^va? (Curvelo) Mendonça buried in this (Santo Espirito) parish.

https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-C-1708-1730/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-C-1708-1730_item1/index.html?page=13

As Cheri said, you need her first marriage to get her parents' names.  I did not find that one.

Here is her first husband's obido:

https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-O-1708-1733/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-O-1708-1733_item1/index.html?page=15 (first complete record on right)

I hope this helps.

Bill Seidler

[George Sousa]

Hi Jennifer,

I have Emerenciana de Braga in my family tree. At the risk of repeating what you already know and what has already been said I will give you what I have.

Emerencia de Braga died on January 26th 1744 in Santo Espírito, Santa Maria. See https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-O-1733-1758/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-O-1733-1758_item1/index.html?page=41. According to the obit record, Emerenciana de Braga is approximately 70 years old. As such she was born some time around 1674 (plus or minus ten years or so)..

Emerencia de Braga had at least three different husbands. According to what I have been able to find, the first of these three was named Manuel Curvelo de Mendonça. It is with this man that Emerenciana de Braga has her first and only child, Francisca de Andrade. Francisca de Andrade was born on January 27 1708. See https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-B-1700-1710/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-B-1700-1710_item1/index.html?page=71.

Manuel Curvelo de Mendonça died less than a year after the birth of Francisca de Andrade, He died in Santo Espírito on December 7, 1709. See https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-O-1708-1733/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-O-1708-1733_item1/index.html?page=15.

Four months after the death of Manuel Curvelo de Mendonça, Emerenciana de Braga married João da Fonte Freitas. See https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-C-1708-1730/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-C-1708-1730_item1/index.html?page=13.

João da Fonte Freitas died on December 24 1717 in Fontinhas, Santo Espírito, Santa Maria. See https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-O-1708-1733/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-O-1708-1733_item1/index.html?page=26. According to this record João da Fonte Freitas was born in Santa Bárbara, Santa Maria.

According to the baptismal record of her daughter Francisca de Andrade, Emerenciana de Braga (or "Emerenciana de Fontes" as her name is recorded in the baptismal record) was born/baptized in Santa Bárbara, Santa Maria. In all of the other Parish records that I have found that reference her name, the place of Emerenciana de Braga's birth/baptism is not recorded. It is possible that Emerenciana de Braga was born in  Santo Espírito. There is a child named Emerenciana born in Santo Espírito on February 27, 1678. See https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-B-1671-1699/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-B-1671-1699_item1/index.html?page=20. Given the absence of records for the Parish of Santo Espírito for this time period we will likely never know if this is her or if she was indeed born in Santa Bárbara, Santa Maria.

Hope some of this helps... or confirms what you have already uncovered.

Please let me know if I can assist you further.

George

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[Jennifer S.]

Dear George,

First of all, THANK YOU! I just realized that I never responded to this thread. I am truly sorry about that!

Since my posting, I realized that I did have more files saved for this family. First, I have what I believe to be the baptism of Emerenciana da Fonte. I believe this was from Santa Bárbara, Santa Maria. Have you come across this? It looks like the mother is Emerenciana de Rezendes? 

Also, I believe this family to be connected to the following family noted in R. Rodrigues:

Sebastião da Fonte Velho, capitão, morador em Santa Bárbara de Santa Maria. Sua mulher Maria

Romeiro Velho foi madrinha de um baptizado na Matriz de Vila do Porto a 22.2.1598. Parece que foi

casou a 1.ª vez com André Fernandes (Nota N.º 1). Casou na Ilha de Santa Maria a 2.ª vez (?) antes de

1598 com Maria Romeiro Velho (Cap.º 33.º § 8.º, N.º 7).

Teve da 1.ª mulher:

4 - João da Fonte de Morais, que foi para o Peru onde fez testamento em Espanhol a 22.6.1633 em que

fala na mãe e nos irmãos e diz que o pai casou 2.ª vez com Maria Romeira.

4 - Beatriz da Fonte, que casou com Belchior Gomes Velho.

Tiveram:

5 - Margarida de Braga Velho, que casou com Hilário Carvalho de Rezendes (Cap.º 30.º § 3.º,

N.º 6).

Teve da 2.ª mulher:

4 - Padre Manuel de Fontes Velho, vigário em Santa Bárbara de Santa Maria, que segundo o testamento

do irmão João da Fonte de Morais parece ser filho da 1.ª mulher do pai; contudo o genealogista Velho

Arruda considera-o filho da 2.ª mulher Maria Romeiro. Justificou a sua ascendência com seus irmãos

Sebastião e Domingos na Vila do Porto a 14.5.1642. Fez testamento aprovado a 9.12.1638 em que

deixou por herdeira sua filha natural Maria Reinosa.

Teve a filha natural que perfilhou de Maria Reinosa; solteira:

5 - Maria Reinosa, que casou com Cristóvão Vaz de Melo o qual casou 2.ª vez em Santa

Bárbara a 7.2.1661 com Emerciana da Fonte, viúva de Francisco Vaz Botelho.

Tiveram:

6 - Capitão Manuel de Sousa Resendes, que casou em Santa Barbara a 17.3.1670 com Maria

Melo, Francisca de Francisco Vaz Botelho e Emerenciana da Fonte. c. g.

6 - António Velho de Melo, ou António Velho da Fonte, natural de Santa Barbara, onde foi

padrinho a 10.11.1647 do baptizado de Maria, filha de Manuel de Melo e Emerenciana de

Resendes. Casou na Matriz de Vila do Porto a 22.9.1664 com Inês de Andrade de Moura (Cap.º

194.º § Único, N.º 3).

What are your thoughts? 

Thanks again! 

Jenni 

[Jennifer S.]

Thanks again to all who took the time to reply. Very much appreciated!

On Wednesday, October 23, 2024 at 7:36:22 PM UTC-4 George Sousa wrote:

[George Sousa]

Hi Jenni,

I located the record corresponding to the image attached to your email:
https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMA-VP-SANTABARBARA-B-1640-1694/SMA-VP-SANTABARBARA-B-1640-1694_item1/index.html?page=66

From my reading, this record shows an Emerenciana baptized in Santa Bárbara, Santa Maria on March 27, 1666, daughter of Manuel de Mello and Emerenciana de Resendes. Based on the details, it's certainly plausible that this is the same Emerenciana de Braga (or da Fonte) you're researching.

As mentioned earlier, Emerenciana de Braga died on January 26, 1744, in Santo Espírito, Santa Maria. Here is the death record:
https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-O-1733-1758/SMA-VP-SANTOESPIRITO-O-1733-1758_item1/index.html?page=41

The obituary gives her age as approximately 70. While this would suggest a birth year around 1673–1674, we know that age estimates in records from this period are often imprecise. A baptism in 1666 (i.e., dying at around 78) is not out of the question.

That said, in my experience, this alone is not enough to confirm the baptismal record as definitively belonging to the same Emerenciana who died in 1744. You may have access to other sources that I’m not aware of, and if so, I’d be very interested to learn more about what you've found.

Additionally, I’ve noticed variations in the recorded names of Emerenciana’s parents across different records from the period. Specifically, I've seen:

• Manuel de Mello and Emerenciana de Resendes

• Manuel Cabral de Melo and Emerenciana de Resendes

• Manuel de Melo Cabral and Emerenciana de Resendes

These may all refer to the same couple, or they could represent distinct individuals. Further records could help confirm or rule out connections between them. I suggest continuing to look for marriage records, additional baptisms, or other documents that could clarify these relationships and provide more certainty.

If you've already done some of that work, I’d be glad to hear more about what you’ve uncovered.

George

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[David Furtado]

Hi Jen,

I have Francisco Vaz Botelho married to Emerencia da Fonte

I descend from their son Antonio de Braga Feio - he married Dona Maria de Mello on Mar 17, 1660 in Santa Barbara

Antonio died on Mar 29, 1708 in Santa Barbara 

Dave Furtado 

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