52 Ancestors – #23 Manuel Santos Marrero (1814-????)

My 23rd post will focus on my 5th great grandfather Manuel Santos Marrero. Manuel is from my mother's side of the family and finding him was interesting for a few reasons. At first, when I began to trace the Santos family, I started with my my 2nd great grandfather who was born in Morovis. His mother was apparently also from Morovis, but his grandfather was from Corozal. Since my 4th great grandfather José María Santos Avilés was from Corozal and born about the late 1830s-1840s, I knew that Manuel Santos Marrero was probably from Toa Alta. I was able to find Manuel's baptism record in Toa Alta.

Manuel Santos Marrero was born on the 26th of September 1814 and later baptized on the 10th of October of the same year. His godparents were Anselmo Colón and Rosalia Marrero. Very possibly Rosalia is related to Manuel through his mother, Bernarda Marrero -- possibly an aunt to Manuel. Manuel's parents were Antonio Santos/de los Santos and his wife Bernarda Marrero. He would have most likely been born at home and later taken to San Fernando Rey to be baptized. The church began its construction in 1752 and was finished by 1826, meaning that when Manuel was baptized the church was somewhere in its construction phase. I really want to visit this church someday!

Parroquia San Fernando Rey–Toa Alta, Puerto Rico [Google]

What's interesting to me is that Manuel was from Toa Alta, which is the town my paternal side of the family predominately comes from (via my Rivera family). When I found out that Manuel Santos Marrero was born in Toa Alta, I couldn't believe it! His family and my dad's ancestors were living in the same town in the late 1700s – early 1800s. The Marrero surname can be found in my family as recent as my great grandmother Mercedes Ortiz Marrero. My paternal 2nd great grandmother herself was surnamed Marrero Marrero and so I have two Marrero lines on that side of the family living in Toa Alta. Very possibly my parents could be related to one another through these families from Toa Alta. 

Manuel would marry Ferminia Avilés Pérez and have 5 children: José María (my 4th great grandfather), Carmen, Antonia, Clara, and Manuel. Ferminia herself also is from the town of Toa Alta, Puerto Rico. I'm not sure whether Manuel and Ferminia would have married in Toa Alta or in the town of Corozal, Puerto Rico. It seems that all of their children were born in Corozal according to various records they appear on. 

Manuel himself was 1 of 9 siblings: Antonia, Francisca, Juan, María Josefa, Bartolome, Manuel (5th great grandfather), María Ramona, and Francisco. They themselves were all born in Toa Alta as well, the earliest birth occurring in 1802!

Until I'm able to access Corozal church records before 1885 I have a lot of information missing for certain ancestors pertaining to their births, marriages, and deaths. I have heard that you can view the books but you have to get permission from the church and obviously be in Corozal to view them. One day… one day!

Christmas Miracle

Being a part of 23andme I have been able to read wonderful stories about adoptees finding their families and long lost relatives and distant family members finding one another and sharing their stories and photos. A year ago, scratch that- a day before it happened, I wouldn't have imagined what joy I would be receiving and the new connection I would have.

I was home for Winter break and I was sick in bed watching episodes of How I Met Your Mother. When my phone vibrated that I had received a new email. I noticed that it was from this blog and someone had commented. Little did I know it was my dad's cousin (his grandfather and her mother are siblings)! I didn't know too much about this family except the story of how my great grandmother and her daughter passed away the same day and how I tried to follow what I thought was a myth at the time to my great grandparent's grave. My new cousin was able to confirm that their grave was there but also provided me with pictures of my paternal great grandparents, as well as my great grandmother's mother- something I thought I would never ever have the opportunity to see. Lesson of the day: never, ever give up hope! You never know who's reading your blog, posts, etc or looking for the same person as you are! Thanks to this cousin I learned more about my family for example that my great grandmother, Mercedes Ortiz Marrero, worked for Felisa Rincon de Gautier, who was the first woman to be elected Mayor of a capital city in the Americas!!

Now knowing that the tomb is actually there I can visit it and take pictures and pay my respects to my great grandparents! This truly was a Christmas miracle!