Hello and welcome to my Puerto Rico Ancestry Journey. This journey into my past has taken me down several paths. It all started with finding out why my paternal grandmother, Rafaela Mijon Y Rivera, was an orphan which I wrote about in an earlier post. Then I started wondering why I had never met any cousins on my maternal side except for my great aunt, Ramonita Ramos Y Batista. My mother, Maria Teresa Marin Y Ramos, didn’t want to talk about it. Why? Why was there such a disconnect? 

Historically speaking Puerto Rico was in turmoil. The Great Depression, the San Ciprian hurricane in 1932, the Rio Piedras Massacre in 1935, and the Ponce Massacre 1937 killing 19 people and injuring 200 in a peaceful protest (this was the town where my mother was living with her family). Politically speaking the island was a mess. It’s no wonder Puerto Ricans were fleeing the island.

In the 1950’s, Puerto Ricans seeking economic opportunities began arriving in Spanish Harlem New York City, and my parents were part of that group. 

Fast forward to today when it’s so easy to pick up the phone and call, send a text or a message on so many platforms. That is not the way it was back then. First you had to know where your family was moving and then you had to write a letter. I tell you this because this week I met two cousins. Two cousins which I would have never met because my mother’s family wasn’t connected. 

My cousin Ray was given an Ancestry DNA test from his wife, Carmen. Many of you already know I’m on Ancestry each and every day. On November 24, 2023 I saw that my mom had a new connection with 943cm across 31 segments! OMG I was so excited I sent him a message immediately, time 1:19PM. I told him I thought we were connected through my mother’s sister, Luz Maria Marin Y Ramos. I told him I thought my mother was his great aunt. I even sent him my phone number! Something I don’t usually do, but I had a feeling this DNA connection was different. Sometimes when you send a message to someone on Ancestry they don’t always answer. I suppose some people just want to know where their family comes from and nothing else. I get it. Yes, it’s great knowing where your family comes from. My top 3 ethnicity origins come from Indigenous Puerto Rico (Taino), Portugal, and Spain. I called my Ancestry partner, my sister, Melanie and she was just as excited. Would this message get a response? 

On November 24, 2023, 1:24PM, I received a message back from cousin Ray. He was just as excited as my sister and I to get a connection. I still get chills at the power of DNA and the connections I have made with this platform.  Don’t get me wrong it isn’t easy if you don’t know your family. You still have to do the research and check documentation to get the correct connections. Thankfully since I’ve been researching for a couple of years I have tons of documentation.

On Wednesday, January 10, 2024. my husband and I stopped on our way home from Boston at the Red Rose Pizzeria in Springfield, MA. to meet my new cousins for lunch. Cousin Ray, his wife, Carmen, cousin Sherel and her husband Orlando. I have only one photo of my mom’s brother and I found Ray looked like him. Tall with hazel eyes and very handsome. Sherel is just beautiful and has a great laugh. We talked about how much we don’t know about our family and how a trip to Puerto Rico, where our ancestors lived, would be fun and educational. Thanks to Carmen I have a new Primo and Prima. Who knew giving a DNA test to someone as a gift would change so many lives.

Hasta la vista, Until we meet again,

Lilly Resto Y Marin

Lilly Resto Gunderman