SOME NAMES OF IMMIGRANTS

Several years ago I copied some data on immigrants from a variety of Cajas del Fondo de Gobernadores Españoles at the General Archives in San Juan. I will give the box number, the only reference I put down in my notes. Some notes are very sketchy, but I include them anyway. The names were copied from the Spanish documents and some of them may be misspelled in the originals.

Caja 105.
Felipe Matey, natural de la ciudad de Trieste en Italia en el Imperio de Alemania, hijo legítimo de Mateo y Mar.. Astosa - agricultor en Yauco - mayordomo en la hacienda del teniente de milicias D. Anastacio Díaz. 19 oct 1819.
Certifico que Felipe Mateo, marinero de la balandra española Monserrate (Capitán Jorge Fabre), se desembarcó en Guayanilla por enfermedad en viaje de Cabo Rojo a San Thomas. 6 Oct 1819.
D. José Marí Mattey, de Guayama, natural de Sentury en Córcega, hijo de D. Juan Mathey y Doña Lucia Vicenti de Mathei; 38 años, negociante, llegó 18 enero 1816 (he had a nice handwriting).

Caja 139.
Interpreters in Mayagüez: D. José Antonio Goicochea; D. Juan Mayans (in 1821), D. Tomás Brand (Brand said he didn't know much English).
D. Robert Lockhart began as interpreter of Cabo Rojo on Sep 30, 1834; on Jan 14, 1840, he asks for leave of four months to go to a colder climate because of his continuous diarrhea.
In 1819 D. Patricio Denning, from Ireland and nephew of D. Jorge Seary, is in Loíza. Miguel de Lancy, from Ireland lives in Ponce in 1815.
Some Germans: Nicolás Guillermo Emde, in Ponce, also Carlos Ehlers, from Hamburg; D. Gustavo Peikheins lives in 1831 Mayagüez on the hacienda Boquilla; Juan Jorge Droxemeyer also lives in Mayagüez at that time.

Caja 101.
Nicolás Jorge, from the Dutch island of Bonaire, has been in Cabo Rojo for the past 15 years and ignored the fact that he had to ask for a permit; farmer, doesn't know how to write. His friend José Rivera signs for him. August 24, 1830. Other family members (I assume this refers to the extended family): Alexandro Lisarra, Daniel Sabaliet and Andrés Sabaliet. They were farmers ..."en las tierras que les prestan sus amigos porque son tan pobres que aun no han alcanzado para comprarlas de su propiedad".
Mateo Jorge, from Bonayre, a dependency of Curaçao. He is seriously ill, doesn't know how to read, Francisco Vélez signs for him, May 29, 1817. He arrived 18 months earlier on the island of Puerto Rico. (".. el corto tiempo que le dejan sus continuadas enfermedades lo exercita empleandose en la agricultura con laboriosidad e inteligencia; labrador, casado.") Other witnesses were Don Manuel Urrutia who said Jorge couldn't file naturalization papers because of his illness; Gregorio Acosta (a widower who doesn't know how to write, farmer, 60 years old).
D. Pascual Antonio Jorge, French, to Mayagüez in 1828. Georg Ernst Hildebrandt, from Danzig (now Polish Gdansk), was born in 1801; he was a smith, knew how to read and write (at the time schooling was already obligatory in Prussia), became naturalized in 1833 in San Germán, but lived in Cabo Rojo on Oct 25, 1839. Originally a Lutheran he was rebaptized in the Catholic faith.

Caja 92.
Enrique Bingener, from Germany, was a shoemaker and came to San Juan via San Thomas on March 9, 1820. He signed in German Heinrich Bingner.
There is also more information on Tomás Brand, from Germany, the son of Tomás (Thomas) and Isabel (Elisabeth) Wagner. He had the position of interpreter and teacher in Mayagüez in 1814; knows several languages, came from Lavenburgo in Hanover, the English part of Germany (that was at the time when the British kings were at the same time kings of Hanover). He had been baptized at a distance of three leagues from Hamburg and lived first in St. Thomas. (I am surprised we did not find a re-baptism because if he came from the region of Hamburg, he was most probably a Lutheran.).

Caja 107.
Pedro Obem, in Guayama in 1827, farmer, was born in "Lorian" (I assume that is Elsace-Lorraine). In 1828 he wanted to marry. I assume that his name was Oben which is the name of a present-day Guayama family who is said to have come from Elsace-Lorraine.
D. Vicente Antonio de Nenadich, from Austria, farmworker. Came in 1813 and asked for naturalization on Nov 8, 1814.
Tomás Nesevich, from the Boque de Catano (sic) in the province of Venice in Germany (at this time people still refer to the old German-Austrian Empire although Napoleon had finished with this old structure some years earlier). He was 25 years old and lived in Mayagüez in 1831.
The Oppenheimers and Overmanns were mentioned; they were from Hamburg.

Caja 89.
Ahrens: a nephew of the Oppenheimers, from Hamburg.

Caja 110.
Rieckehoff, from Bremen to Mayagüez, 1832.
Runge, from Hamburg to Patillas, 1822.
Juan Rachick, from Zara, Gulf of Venice, 1830.

Caja 90.
Aubain, from St. Bartholome to Guayama, 1824/5.
Auben, from St. Bartholome to Guayama, 1830.
Arau, from the lower Pyrenees to Guayama, 1830.
Lucy Arnau, from France via Bonaire with two slaves.

Caja 108.
D. Pedro Palau, from southern France, 1818.
Mr. Eugenio Pasekin, from Bremen to Aguadilla, 1834; lived with the family Font-Schröder.
Peikeins (this seems to be a phonetic spelling), from Hamburg to Mayagüez, 1832.

Caja 112.
D. Santiago Steffen, from Germany to Vega Baja, 1822.
Siterich or Sterichi, from Venice (?) to Patillas, 1813.
Steinwarden, from Hamburg, 1833.
Enrique Stahl Jäger, from Braunschweig (Brunswick) .
Hans Heinrich Rosa, to Aguadilla, 1844, master shoemaker (in German: Schuhmachermeister) .

Caja 111.
D. Francisco Sansón, from Bordeaux, to Patillas via St. Thomas.
D. Pedro Sallaverry, from France to Guayanilla, 1839.
Juan Salrembran (?), from St. Thomas to Ponce, 1821, cobbler.
D. Tomás Espri Sardon, from France to San Germán, 1816.
D. Juan Bautista Laubot, from Bayona to Guayama-Naguabo via St. Thomas, 1816.
Carlos Martin Scharboy, from Curaçao, after 1830.
D. Adolfo Schröder, from Leer (this is a little village north of Münster in Westfalia, the Catholic part of the old Kingdom of Hanover), 1826.
Andrés Sabaliet, from Bonaire to Cabo Rojo, farmer, naturalized in 1830.
Daniel Sabaliet, from Bonaire to Cabo Rojo, farmer, naturalized in 1830.
Henry G. Segretier, from Martinique to Guayama, 1820.
José Selly, from Genoa (?) to Yauco via St. Thomas, in business ("comerciante"), 1823.
Gustav Adolf Schröder, from Leer in the Catholic Kingdom of Hanover to Aguadilla, 1824.
Nicolás Schmuck, born in St. Croix, arrived about 1813 and lived in 1833 in Humacao.

Caja 112.
Paul Ström (or Strom), from Hamburg to Guayama, May 8, 1830.
Pedro Sola, from Curaçao, he converted to the Catholic faith.
D. Ramón Soegaard, from Denmark mayordomo of the hacienda of D. Miguel Harnín in Loíza, 1823.
Enrique Stahl, from Braunschweig (Brunswick), Germany, lives in San Juan, 1843, and is the son of Johann Heinrich (Juan Enrique) Stahl and Rosa Jäger; Stahl Sr. was a shoemaker or cobbler in Aguadilla.
Johann Nicolaus (Juan Nicolás) Steinwärder, from Hamburg, 1833, employee of the Oppenheimers.
D. Luis Solis, from Gibraltar to Cabo Rojo, 1831, a cooper; his parents were from Genoa.
D. Santiago Steffen, in Vega Baja, 1822, a surgeon .
D. Juan Sola, from Amsterdam, 1817, "acomodado" with D. José Geigel.

Caja 89.
In this box, there is a copy of the Real Cédula.
Juan Luis Ales, from St. Thomas to Coamo, 1824, a carpenter.
Miguel Albony, from San Remo in Genoa to Rincón; the widower of Catalina Martina and married Dec 10, 1819 in Rincón to Isabel Rosado Bellido, daughter of Manual and Juana; he was naturalized in 1820.
Felipe Amay, from Benencia (sic), Italy to Rincón; has lived there since 1812 and was naturalized in 1824; his capital was less than 25 pesos.
Francisco Antonio Agostini, from Corsica to Mayagüez, naturalization in 1833, was the nephew of a farmer in Mayagüez.
Pedro D'Albrevill, from Louisiana to Aguadilla, mason, about 1820.
Juan Alcebo, from Venice to Aguadilla, 1830.
Juan Simón Agustini, from Liorra (Toscany) to Hormigueros, leased land from Mateo Belvis, naturalized in 1814.
D. Fernando Amadeo, from Corsica to Aguadilla, farmer, naturalized in 1817, documents include birth certificate.
D. Antonio Alban, from Naples to Añasco, 1820; in 1824 he is 45 years old, his color was given as "trigueño".
D. Francisco Miguel Andrals, from New Orleans to Mayagüez, 1821.
Tomás Alegra, married to María Josefa Canchy, from St. Librador in France, to Mayagüez, carpenter, 1816, 48 years old, has a daughter, Francisca.
D. Theodor Ahrens, from Hamburg to Ponce, nephew of Carlos Oppenheimer, his parents were Jakob and Wilhelmine; he said about his religion (obviously evading the question as he must have been a Lutheran), "en aquel país hay iglesia católica y él es de religón cristiana".
Francisco Abeillé, from Bordeaux, born on Dec 28, 1800, the son of Dr. Jean Abeillé and María Agathe Nanté; lives in Mayagüez in 1824 and doesn't know how to write.
Francisco Juan Esteban, from Aguarone (San Mauricio, Italy) to Mayagüez, 1820, farmer.
Pedro Acart, from Port au Prince to Mayagüez, 1816, has 400 pesos in capital; 18 years of age, his mother was Madame Marie Viejeot, widow.

Cajas 91/2.
Juan Pablo Bartolomei, from Corsica Mr. Julio Barbot, assumes the management of the haciendo his late brother Mr. Juan Barbot left him in Cabo Rojo; he came from France May 24, 1836.
D. Cayetano Besosa, from Naples, came to Cabo Rojo in 1810, married a woman from Cabo Rojo and has ten children with her; owns a store, asked for naturalization in 1832.
D. Juan Nicolás Bey, from San Germán, asked for a letter of naturalization in 1816 by mail as he is sick (sciatic nerve problems) and cannot travel. He established himself in San Germán 34 years before and was married to Cathalina Befer, 15 children, writes very well. (This family was related to the Colbergs in Cabo Rojo. They were from Curaçao; his name was originally Jan Claas and she was Catharina (Befer is one of several spellings, the original name was Weever). He was described as from Curaçao, 10 (!) years of residence, farmer.. hacendado de Macuna, District of San Germán).

Caja 90
Nicolás Apolonio, from Rovigno (state of Venice), to Humacao, caprenter, employed in the Royal armery (arsenal real) for 45 months. He was baptized in the parish of Sta. Eufemia, June 12, 1786. His parens were Simón Apolonio and María Lavini (o Savini); naturalization April 27, 1818.
D. Josef Webbe Archbal alias José María Archevall alias Archabala, from ?, lives in Ponce, hacendado, Catholic, June 2, 1824.
D. Juan de Archevall, from England, Catholic; signs his name: John B. Archbald, in Ponce since Dec. 1823. Until he became ill, he was the mayordomo on the haciendo of his relatives, his parents were William and Elizabeth, also Catholics; June 3, 1824.
Abraham S. Smith, English, Catholic, father unkown, mason (albañil), from St. Croix, single, 27 years old, 1824.
D. Robert María Archbald, builds and rebuilds steam "trapiches" = sugarcane processing plants; brother of D. José María. (Interesting comment: they had employed the engineer William Sinkin from New York to repair machinery. The authorities wanted him (I believe Archbald) to travel to San Juan, but he was obese and had hemorrhoids, that's why he couldn't ride on horseback and asked for permission to stay without going to San Juan personally.) 1830.
Apparently this Robert Archbald was Robert McGill Archbal, from the island of Nieves, an English possession; he was single, lived in Juana Díaz, owned 7,000 pesos capital and eight slaves. May 25, 1818.
Carlos Archebald, from the English island of St. Kitts, natural son of D. Roberto Archbald and the Catholic Betsy Claxton. He want to work with his father. Ponce, Nov 15, 1831.
D. Auguste Achille Huart, from Nantes, Catholic, in Guayama as a settler, 1833.
D. Francisco Aubar (or Anbar), from Lorraine, France, husband of Doña Ursula Carlota Maillard. He had been living in Humacao with his father and siblings for over ten years; was a cooper, Feb. 12, 1824.
D. Santiago Auben, from St. Bartholome, in Guayama since 1822. Came with his father of the same name who died before 1830; owns a sugarcane "haciendita". July 1830.
Juan Luis Ayez, from St. Thomas, lives in Salinas, district of Coamo, married to Juana Evangelista de Jesús, from Salinas, a carpenter, Coamo, 1824.
Peter Armamí, from St. Martin, mayordomo on the hacienda of D. Benito Paz, in Ponce, July 1821.
Dr. Francisco Armstrong, professor of medicine and surgeon, from St. Croix, arrived about 1822, Bayamón, February 1826.
Dr. Lucas Armstrong, physician, from St. Croix, he wants to live in Arecibo; was baptized on June 20, 1819 in San Juan, the son of D. Tomás and Doña Isabel Marín. This baptism was a conversion as an adult.
Dr. Pedro Armstrong, Ponce, Dec. 1848 (no other information given).
Dr. Tomás Armstrong, from St. Croix, a Catholic baptism certificate in Latin from June 18, 1799; son of Thomas Armstrong and Anna Creagh. Arrived in 1827 in Puerto Rico.
Luis Arno, from St. Thomas; he was French and signed Louis Arnoux; Ponce, 1833.