Are there Records for the Azores from 1850s?
I am looking for my great grandfather Alfred Manuel DeRose birth and or Baptism Records. I believe he was born in August of 1855 or 1856 and came to Massachusetts, USA in 1882. He reported on an 1885 USA marriage record that he was born in the Western Islands to John and Maria and was a sailor. Later he was a farmer in USA. I think he may have come from Sao Miguel or Sao Jorge.
I don’t know what records are available and I do not speak Portuguese. I do have a friend who can help me translate.
Thank you for any help you can give me.
Debby DeRose
Respostas
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I have good news and bad news! The good news is that almost all the birth, marriage, and death records for the Azores have been digitized and you can view them online at http://www.culturacores.azores.gov.pt/ig/registos/Default.aspx
The bad news is that these records are organized on the parish-level, meaning you will need to know the parish your ancestor came from in order to successfully look for his birth record. Thankfully, the Azores have also digitized their passport collections (before they left the Azores they would fill out an application that included stating their parish of origin), and by finding your great-grandfather there, you can know where to look for his birth record. Did you get the 1882 immigration date from a census or passenger list, or is it family lore?
The link to the passports is here: http://www.culturacores.azores.gov.pt/ig/passaportes/Default.aspx
If you don't know the exact island he came from, you will have to check the registers for Ponta Delgada, Angra do Heroismo, and Horta.
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