Puerto Rico Ancestry

Puerto Rico Ancestry

Puerto Rico Ancestry. Eloy Resto and Carmen Lopez. Are you my Cousin?

Hola Primos and everyone interested in Puerto Rico Ancestry. Today on Puerto Rico Ancestry I study my cousin connection to my Paternal Great Grandparents Eloy Resto Y Marrero and Carmen Lopez Y Casilla who lived in Canaboncito, Caguas, Puerto Rico. Are you my cousin?

I spend most of my time researching my Puerto Rico Ancestry DNA via the largest DNA platform in the world, Ancestry DNA. DNA is an amazing tool to and has been very helpful as I see how I connect to my cousins. The one important thing you have to remember is to look at the documents before you save them. I cannot stress this enough. Do you have any idea how many Maria del Carmen Lopez Y Casilla’s there are in Puerto Rico? Well there are too many to count. I had to verify each and every person associated with her to make sure I had the right Maria del Carmen Lopez Y Casilla.

Does DNA affect my life? It sure does! I’ve connected with living cousins because we have found the documents and we have a DNA connection. For that matter I wrote a story about my Long Lost Ancestor, Carlina Resto Y Lopez, and to date I have been able to connect to 9 living cousins which I never knew I had. It’s really been an amazing experience and it gets me so excited about my ancestry and my DNA.

Please note, when you hover over each person’s name it will lead you to their documents on my ancestry account, but only if you have an Ancestry.com account. I’ve also linked their baptisms on the free FamilySearch.org platform.

Meet my Paternal Great Grandparents:

Eloy, Guillermo Resto Y Marrero

  • Baptism: 1 Aug 1858, Dulce Nombre de Jesus, Caguas, Puerto Rico
  • Birth: 25 Jun 1858
  • Father: Estanislao Resto
  • Mother: Petrona Marrero
  • Paternal Grandfather: Ramon Resto
  • Paternal Grandmother: Tomasa Gonzalez
  • Maternal Grandfather: Gabriel Marrero
  • Maternal Grandmother: Geronima Cedeno
  • Godfather: Leocadio Resto
  • Godmother: Isabel Gonzalez

I found my Paternal Great Grandfather Eloy Resto Y Marrero in an 1868 Census, Caguas, Puerto Rico. He is 10 years old living with his father, Estanislao Resto Y Gonzalez, and his mother Petrona Marrero Y Sedeno (often spelled Cedeno). As I look carefully at the Census I also see his Aunt Maria Celedonia Marrero Y Sedeno and her husband Jose Fernandez and their children. Down the page a bit I see his Maternal Grandmother, Geronima Marrero Y Rosa (second last name may be an error), and other aunts and uncles. I’m assuming as my Puerto Rico Ancestry journey continues I will be able to figure out who everyone, or most everyone is on this page. For now it will have to wait. I noticed my family is considered neither Blanco (White), nor Negro (Black) but De Color (does that mean this is where my Taino Root come in)? I also notice only two people on this page know how to read.

Marriage: 21 Dec 1877, Dulce Nombre de Jesus, Caguas, Puerto Rico

Carmen Lopez Y Casilla

  • Baptism: 24 Jun 1850, Dulce Nombre de Jesus, Caguas, Puerto Rico
  • Birth: 28 Apr 1850
  • Father: Francisco Lopez
  • Mother: Antonia Casilla
  • Paternal Grandfather: Pedro Lopez
  • Paternal Grandmother: Josefa Vazquez
  • Maternal Grandfather: Ciprian Casilla
  • Maternal Grandmother: Maria Antonia Vazquez
  • Godfather: Inocencio Torres
  • Godmother: Nicolasa Casilla

Eloy and Carmen’s Children

The 1880 Census, Canaboncito, Caguas, Puerto Rico lists the years everyone was born. I do notice some dates differ from what I have found on baptisms. I’m never sure which one to believe. I’ve learned there was a fine charged for registering your children late so birth dates are all over the place. Eloy and Carmen now have a one year old daughter, Maria. Carmen’s sister, Josefa Lopez is now living with them. Eloy’s mother Petrona, brother Enrique, and cousin Gulliermo Resto Y Pagan are also living with them. Eloy and Petrona both know how to read.

In the 1884 Census, Canabonito, Caguas, Puerto Rico it looks as if Eloy and Carmen have a home of their own. Their family is growing and Maria now has a sister named Carlina. Carmen’s sister Mariana Lopez has moved in and she is 20 years old. I don’t yet know the relationships of Delfin Alamo and Felipe Alamo Y Coto who are also living with them. I also notice Petrona, Enrique and her nephew Guillermo have their own home.

The 1886 Census, in Canaboncito, Caguas, Puerto Rico finds Eloy is now 32, and both he and his wife work. He is a journalero (laborer) and his wife Carmen, 30, is a lavandera (washes clothes). Their daughter Maria (age 8), daughter Carlina (age 6), and son Felipe (8 months old). Eloy’s sister-in-law Mariana Lopez (age 20) and cousin Guillermo Resto (age 17) are also living with them and both are cocinero’s (cooks). According to this census no one knows how to read or write, but wait Eloy and his mother Petrona could both read in the previous census. Hmmm, something is off.

This 1890 Census, Canaboncito, Caguas, Puerto Rico finds Eloy and Carmen the parents of 4 children, Maria, Cristina (Carlina), Felix (Felipe) and Providencio (Eleuterio). Eloy’s mother has a girl named Martina Guzman, age 11, living with her and I do not know who she is. This census states no one on this page knows how to read or write.

This 1910 Census, Canaboncito, Caguas, Puerto Rico is the first census as a part of the United States. My Puerto Rican ancestors are American Citizens. This is such a pivotal moment in the lives of my family. This is also the last census my great grandfather Guillermo Eloy Resto Y Marrero appears on a census, he dies at the age of 55, 30 May 1913, in the town where he lived, worshiped, loved, and raised his family. He left behind his wife Carmen, his children, and his mother, Petrona.

It hard to put into words the experiences I have had. As I reflect on this part of my family research I realize my family has always had strong family connections. I grew up knowing my Resto family. We spent time together in church, at family functions, and aside from my sister’s, my cousins were my best friends. As our families grew and moved away we all lost the close contact. Now through the power of the Internet, Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Ancestry DNA we are rediscovering each other. It’s really been an amazing experience.

If I am your DNA cousin, please reach out. Send me a message via Ancestry, or my email down below, so we can connect. If you are on Gedmatch, my ID is RB7931081, Melanie Resto (my sister) LG4220322.

Hasta la Vista, Until Next Time,

Lilly Resto Gunderman (puertoricoancestry2022@gmail.com)

puertoricoancestry.org

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