Can't find Catarina de Conceicao Gomes baptism

[David Amaral]

Hi Everyone,

I'm on the hunt for a baptism record of one Catarina de Conceicao (Gomes), daughter of Antonio Gomes (of Sao Sebastiao) and Maria Jose Gracioso (Vila Franco do Campo Sao Pedro). She is mentioned as their daughter in the birth certificate of her son, Manuel [1]. I have previously asked about her in a different thread [2], as I am unable to find her birth certificate. In that thread, JR pointed out that there was a baptism certificate issued on Maria Jose Gracioso's baptism record (mother of Catarina) for Feb 29, 1860 (thank you, JR, you're always very helpful). I'm thinking this may be Catarina, but I cannot find this record at all. However, it's 6 years before Maria Jose and Antonio got married [4] and Antonio Gomes was only 16 at the time [5]. Either way, I can find neither this Feb 29th record or Catarina's baptism record. I've searched exhaustively in both of the Vila Franco do Campo parishes and the three Ponta Delgada parishes. 

Any clues or ideas?

Is there usually a reason for the baptism certificate issue noted on the mother's baptism record that could be a hint?

Is there something in the Manuel birth certificate that I can't read to help?

1. Baptism Certificate Manuel, son of Catarina de Conceicao

http://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMG-PD-SAOSEBASTIAO-B-1885-1889/SMG-PD-SAOSEBASTIAO-B-1885-1889_item1/index.html?page=200

2. Previous thread

https://groups.google.com/g/azores/c/YxemeybTAVc/m/izfFJDH1BgAJ

3. Baptism Certificate: Maria Jose Gracioso

http://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMG-VF-SAOPEDRO-B-1832-1847/SMG-VF-SAOPEDRO-B-1832-1847_item1/index.html?page=56

4. Marriage Certificate: Antonio Gomes & Maria Jose Gracioso

http://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMG-VF-SAOPEDRO-C-1860-1869/SMG-VF-SAOPEDRO-C-1860-1869_item1/index.html?page=53

5. Baptism Certificate: Antonio Gomes

http://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMG-PD-SAOSEBASTIAO-B-1840-1845/SMG-PD-SAOSEBASTIAO-B-1840-1845_item1/P152.html

[JR]

The certificate was issued to the 'baptizada', that is to Maria Jose Graciosa, on the said date of 29-Feb-1860. There is no event associated with this date, it was a request for a certicate. It is possible that the priest made an error and he meant 1866, not 1860. This makes sense because the church was establishing that the bride and groom were baptised before they married.  They married on 26-Dec-1866. If we assume the priest meant 1866, then this is accord with certificate issued for Antonio Gomes, her spouse, on 20-Nov-1866. 

The other possibility, if the date of 29-Feb-1886 is correct, is that there was another event associated with this date that you have not yet discovered. Could it be the baptism of Catarina? Perhaps Catarina was given to the church and her baptism is among the expostos, either in Sao Sebastiao or Sao Pedro, Vila Franca. If Maria was betrothed to another person, this could have triggered the certificate of 1860, as Maria was about 27 years old then.

Some things to think about.

JR