Pedro Moniz de Medeiros (Fenais da Ajuda, S. Miguel)

[Carlos Melo]

Hi,

Pedro Moniz/ Moniz de Medeiros was a widower when he married Maria Martins in Agua de Pau on April 23, 1730:

 http://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMG-LG-AGUADEPAU-C-1729-1750/SMG-LG-AGUADEPAU-C-1729-1750_item1/index.html?page=7

They are both my direct ancestors.

The priest did not identify Pedro's parents but mentioned that his previous wife, Josefa da Costa was buried in Fenais da Ajuda. Indeed, she died on December 22, 1729, at 33 years of age approximately. 

https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMG-RG-FENAISAJUDA-O-1729-1775/SMG-RG-FENAISAJUDA-O-1729-1775_item1/index.html?page=15

This is all I know. I cannot find their marriage record, and he did not have children with his first wife, at least I was not able to find any in Fenais da Ajuda. 

Since Pedro Moniz de Medeiros went on to marry a third time, I suspect that his marriage to Josefa da Costa was his first. So, assuming that Pedro and his first wife had similar ages, he was born between 1690 and 1700. 

I've looked for baptism records between 1710-1720 in Fenais da Ajuda where he could be a godfather while still single and his father would be identified, with no luck. I guess this is the end of the line, but if anyone has a spare Pedro around this time, in Fenais da Ajuda, Ribeira Grande, please let me know. 

This Pedro Moniz de Medeiros could be the son of Pedro Moniz de Bettencourt and Catarina de Medeiros as some of their children moved to Lagoa, but I am just speculating here. I have no evidence. 

Thanks!

Carlos

[John JMR]

I have a 

Pedro Moniz de Medeiros cc Maria Vieira in Achadinha, Nov 26 1703. He is filho de Jorge Pereira and Maria Moniz natives and likely married in Maria circa 1663; Shis is filha de Jorge da Costa and Maria da Roia or Roe.

JR

[John JMR]

Sorry about that, Jorge Pereira and Maria Moniz married in Maia crica 1663 and Jorge da Costa and Maria da Roia presumably married in Achadinha where they are from.

JR

[John JMR]

From RR----

 6 - Maria Moniz de Medeiros (do § 5.º) (Nota N.º 21). Casou antes de 1673 com o Alferes Manuel Garcia de Sousa, morador nos Fenais da Ajuda. A 14.11.1683, nos Fenais da Ajuda, com seu marido vende um foro (Notas de Francisco Pacheco Raposo, Livro de 1682 a 1684) (Nota N.º 26).

 7 - Pedro Moniz de Medeiros, alferes, casou nos Fenais da Ajuda, em 1726, com Ana Soares de Macedo, ou Dutra (Cap.º 334.º § 1.º N.º 3).

JR

[Carlos Melo]

Hi John,

Thank you very much for your suggestions. 

1) I actually descend from the first couple that you suggested, Pedro Moniz de Medeiros/ Afonso & Maria Vieira, who got married on November 26, 1703, in Achadinha, but from my paternal grandfather's side of the family (mostly from Salga, Achadinha and Fenais da Ajuda). Their descendants lived in the area for many generations thereafter.

2) The other ("7- Pedro Moniz de Medeiros, alferes...", RR) that you suggested, married Ana Soares de Macedo ou Dutra in 1726 and had at least one child, Maria. Hypothetically, this Pedro Moniz de Medeiros could have lost this wife within a year or two from their marriage in 1726, gotten married with Josefa da Costa soon after, and lost his second wife the next year since Josefa da Costa died in 1729. However unlikely, though, I tested this hypothesis, but I was unable to find any death record for Ana in the late 1720s. To completely rule out this Pedro, I searched for children from Pedro Moniz de Medeiros and Ana Soares de Macedo ou Dutra born in 1729 or later in Fenais da Ajuda, and indeed, they had a son named Pedro in 1730:

https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMG-RG-FENAISAJUDA-B-1724-1739/SMG-RG-FENAISAJUDA-B-1724-1739_item1/index.html?page=73

This Pedro is also ruled out.   

In short, there were at least three contemporary men named Pedro Moniz de Medeiros living in neighbouring parishes, unsurprisingly in Fenais da Ajuda and Achadinha.

3) The Pedro Moniz de Medeiros that I was referring to first moved to Agua de Pau for his 2nd marriage with my direct ancestor and then to  Santa Cruz, Lagoa, for his third marriage. I descend from the third Pedro through my maternal grandfather's side of the family, who were mostly Ribeira Grande and Lagoa. After having ruled out the other two, I really think that he was the son of Pedro Moniz de Bettencourt and Catarina de Medeiros because some of his potential siblings had the surname Moniz de Medeiros and moved to Lagoa as well around that time, but I just can't find evidence. 

I have to admit defeat and accept that this is the end of the line.

Thanks!

Carlos