Jose Ferreira De Couto (born abt. 1920 in Acores/Azores, Portugal and died accidently either in 1956 or 57 in Montreal, Canada)

[Kelley O'Rourke]

I am helping Connie Couto search for her father, Jose Ferreira De Couto, who came to Montreal, Canada in March 1954 from Acores/Azores by ship (Sao Miguel) to work on a farm.  According to Connie, he came with a friend (she cannot remember his friend’s name) and was on the first of two ships that came to Canada.  He was one of the first of a group of Portuguese immigrants to leave Acores/Azores.

 

The plan was, that he was to come to Montreal, Canada, work on a farm, set up a home and then send for his wife, Erania Mediros De Couto who would follow with their two daughters.  Sadly, he was killed in a hit and run accident either in August of 1956 or 1957.  Subsequently his wife never made the trip either (she died in a car accident in Acores/Azores and is buried there) but his two daughters, Esrisanto and Connie emigrated in 1965 with their aunt.

 

They never found out where he was buried or what really happened to him.  They know it was in Montreal but do not know where.  Connie (she is now 62) is the only remaining living family member and would love to know what really happened to her father, Jose and where he is buried in Montreal so she may visit his grave.  She would like to know as much about his (short-lived) life here in Canada.  She now resides in Toronto with her family.

 

Any pictures or information you could provide would be most welcome.

 

Sincerely,

 

Kelley O’Rourke, 

[Cheri Mello]

To simplify things, why isn't Connie doing this? She probably needs a researcher who can search the newspapers of the time to find out what happened to dad. Mainly this list works with the older records (before 1911) on this list. Hopefully, a Canadian will know of some 1900 resources to help.

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

[Nancy Couto]

Kelley, do you know where on Sao Miguel (which freguesia) Jose was born? Where was Connie born?

Nancy

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[Manita M]

Oh my that is so incredibly sad :(

I have an idea.

I live in Toronto and I have a contact at the Portuguese consulate.  I can try asking him?

Please give her my contact information.

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[Marilyn Thompson]

Maybe try newspapers for the time period. Sometimes there are indexes online at least in the United States. If you have any idea of the area, try dead records. Good luck

[Monica C]

The Montreal Gazette has their newspaper on line free of charge. It would take a while but you can search for a possible article that may have mentioned this tragedy. I would also suggest that you find exactly when he died so that you can focus on that time period when researching.

Good luck to you!

Monica

[Sonia Pacheco]

Unfortunately, this search is going to be more difficult than you realize--the first clue to this difficulty is that you're starting off with information that just doesn't add up.

The first 2 ships to arrive in Canada did so in 1953, so Connie is either remembering the wrong date, or he wasn't part of the original 2 voyages.

First, you need to verify the travel date. The lists of passengers for those voyages are available and with some research, can be found.
Secondly, all of the individuals traveling in those first 2-3 years, did so under work contracts, again where they obtained work can be sought out.

Yes, you can look in the local Montreal newspapers for a hit and run, but the likelihood of it being listed is quite small: you don't know if he was actually working in Montreal or in a rural farm *near* Montreal. In addition, it is well known that a number of individuals deserted from their work contracts and settled outside of the intended areas.

You need to confirm the date he arrived, and where he worked before you can go any further.

Sonia

Sónia Pacheco
Librarian Archivist
Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese American Archives
Claire T. Carney Library
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
285 Old Westport Road
N. Dartmouth, MA 02747
Tel. 508-999-8695
Fax  508-999-8424
Email spac...@umassd.edu
Web site: http://library.umassd.edu/paa

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From: "'Kelley O'Rourke' via Azores Genealogy" <azo...@googlegroups.com>
To: "Azores Genealogy" <azo...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 9, 2015 10:47:18 PM
Subject: [AZORES-Genealogy] Jose Ferreira De Couto (born abt. 1920 in Acores/Azores, Portugal and died accidently either in 1956 or 57 in Montreal, Canada)

[danan...@comcast.net]

Do  you know where he was from in Santa Miguel?  

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From: "Manita M" <manita....@gmail.com>
To: "azores" <azo...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2015 8:34:46 AM
Subject: Re: [AZORES-Genealogy] Jose Ferreira De Couto (born abt. 1920 in Acores/Azores, Portugal and died accidently either in 1956 or 57 in Montreal, Canada)

[mnk]

My father also arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia March 1954 on SS Homeland or as my father called it "the Omlando". He also said he was in the second group of immigrants to Canada from the Azores. Search this group for SS Homeland and you will find a discussion about it along with a picture of some of the people on the boat.
MNK

[Júlio]

Bom dia

Encontrei, José Ferreira do Couto, Junior era da Ribeira Seca da Ribeira grande

José ferreira do Couto (27 anos)  filho de José Ferreira do Couto e Maria Hortencia, casou a 17-12-1947 e Urânia Teixeira Medeiros - (21 anos) Filha de Manuel Francisco de Medeiros e Lucinda de Melo Teixeira ou Melo Tavares (casados a 15-05-1922)

Jose Ferreira do Couto 25 anos Filho de António Ferreira do Couto e Maria da Conceição e Maria Hortencia 22 anos filha de Manuel Caetano e Maria Julia Casaram a 27-10-1902 na Riberia Seca da Ribeira Grande

[Hermano C. Pires]

Kelley O'Rourke,
 
I believe that the link below might be of help (if not, you can reach me at lago...@hotmail.com).
I would appreciate any information that Connie may have because her parents are my distant (12th cousins).
http://mea.cm-ribeiragrande.pt/index.php?p=p&sp=fe&nome=Jose%20Ferreira%20do%20Couto&freguesia=todas&destino=2&pesquisa=pesquisa&idfe=397

 

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Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2015 02:52:30 -0700
From: juli...@gmail.com
To: azo...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [AZORES-Genealogy] Re: Jose Ferreira De Couto (born abt. 1920 in Acores/Azores, Portugal and died accidently either in 1956 or 57 in Montreal, Canada)