I'd resigned myself to having a dead end in my direct paternal line, *BUT* ... did the new marriage index just help open this up?
I looked up *Antónia de São José*, who was the mother of my great-great grandfather, *Manuel Jose da Cunha* (13 FEB 1843). Here is Manuel's *birth record* <http://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SJR-CH-TOPO-B-1840-1848/SJR-CH-TOPO-B-1840-1848_item1/P77.html> and translation from João Ventura: *Manuel, son of unknown father and Antónia de São José, maternal grandson of Manuel José da Cunha and his wife Maria de São José, all native of Topo, São Jorge Island, was born on 13 February 1843 and was baptized on the 16th, in Topo, São Jorge Island. Godfather was Manuel José, son of the maternal grandparents. * I looked for Antonia's name in the new marriage index, and found a hit ... *This is a marriage record for Antónia de São José <http://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SJR-CH-TOPO-C-1828-1853/SJR-CH-TOPO-C-1828-1853_item1/P115.html>*, daughter of Maria de São José. It looks like on 2 Dec 1843, she married *Joze Silveira Luis*, filho de pai não sabido e de Anna Francisca. http://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SJR-CH-TOPO-C-1828-1853/SJR-CH-TOPO-C-1828-1853_item1/P115.html This record seems to say that Antónia's mother was Maria de São José and pai não sabido, but I have records showing Manuel Jose da Cunha as her father - including in Manuel's birth record, shared above. *There is a lot in this marriage record that I am not understanding, and I am hoping someone with more skills than I have can help me out ...* I tried using Google Translate, for the first part ... not making much sense, and I fear it's the fault of my inexperienced eyes on the document. *Joze Silveira Luis, filho de pai nao sabido e de Anna Francisca, e Antonia de Sao Jose, filla de Maria de Sao Jose e de pai nao sabido, las quan nacer am a contra hente em as doze dias do mes de Abril do anno de mil oito centos e veinte, e fai baptizado em as quatorze de af do lito e anno, e a contrahente em as veinte cinco dias do mes de Fevereiro do anno de mil oito centos e de oito e fai baptizada em as dois dias do mes de Marzo do anno de mesmo anno natura e freguses desta matriz des nova senhora do Rosario da Villa Nova do Topo* *Joze Silveira Luis, son of an unknown father and Anna Francisca, and Antonia de Sao Jose, filla de Maria de Sao Jose and father not known, when born against. On the twelfth day of the month of April of the year one thousand eight hundred and twenty, and shall be baptized on the fourteenth day of the month and the year, and the counterpart on the twenty-fifth day of February of the year one thousand eight hundred and Of eight and fai baptized in the two days of the month of March of the year of the same year natura and freguses of this matrix of the new lady of the Rosary of the New Villa of Topo* If this is true, then I have likely extended my paternal line to include Joze Silveira Luis, filho de pai não sabido e de Anna Francisca (at this point, another pai não sabido, but at least it's another generation?) THANK YOU to all of the researchers who put together this amazing resource!! - Eric -- 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 https://groups.google.com/group/azores.