I think the use of "dona" can be applied very arbitrarily. I've seen many old records where it appears to be noble families but it's also simply used as a sign of respect.....our bankers on Pico always call me "Dona" Nancy and that's certainly not because of a noble rank! We have a neighbor who is the wife of a professor and she is always referred to as Dona Manuela. Nancy Jean From: p...@dholmes.com To: azores@googlegroups.com; dpai...@gmail.com Subject: [AZORES-Genealogy] use of "dona" Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2014 23:17:22 -0700
Hi Dano, I just wanted to mention that I have many ancestors who were capitao, alferes, sargento and one tenente, plus another ajudante, not one of them whose wife was called "Dona." Mine are from Pico and Terceira - mostly Pico for my military ancestors. I do know they were "from old and noble families" or some such wording in priest applications. I guess they just didn't get that higher level treatment for some reason. Come to think of it, I even have some Capitao-mor ancestors or sons of my ancestors and still their wives were not "dona." But you are right in most cases that on other islands we would see "dona" for their wives. I guess it's just a quirk on Pico, but "dona" was certainly found on Pico. I have one single ancestors with "dona" and she was the wife of an administrator of a "vinculo" so I guess that finally was enough to qualify. But her mother was not a "dona." It came from her husband, yet his mother was not "dona" either! Since my only comment was about the use of this word, I changed the subject. By the way, your comment about your failing eye sight came as a surprise, since you still show no sign of it preventing you from reading the records well. Impressive, but sorry to hear about that. Doug da Rocha Holmes Sacramento, California Pico & Terceira Genealogist 916-550-1618www.dholmes.com -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [AZORES-Genealogy] Re: Marriage and Death Record help From: Dano <dpai...@gmail.com> The obito is not for your Francisco, as he seems to have acquired a new surname, and the high level military title of Captain, not even a full eight years after his marriage, when his occupation was "shoemaker." People just did not rise from artisan/craftsmen to the class of Captain "ever." Only those of the privileged (noble) class could expect any such appointment, and I don't see any Dom or Dona title for any of the people mentioned. -- For options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail (vacation) mode, log into your Google account and visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my membership." --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Azores Genealogy" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to azores+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/azores. -- For options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail (vacation) mode, log into your Google account and visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my membership." --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Azores Genealogy" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to azores+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/azores.
