From Argentina to Asturias

Versión de Español / Castellano

The last couple of weeks I have discussed a family history project that I am working on for a friend. See: Galicia Genealogy Websites and Salamanca and a Common Problem. This week I want to focus on the Fraga line that was from Asturias.

Place Problem…again!

All the family knew was that their ancestors were from Bustos, Asturias, Spain. I followed the same steps as I followed to pin down Gallegos de Argañan as discussed in the post: Salamanca and a Common Problem. This is where things got interesting; it turns out that there is no Bustos, Asturias only Busto and Bustoto. I determined that there were five possibilities:

1. Busto - in the municpio de Valdez
2. Busto - in the muncipio de Gozon
3. Busto - in the municipio de Villaviciosa
4. Busto - in the muncipio de Ibias
5. Bustoto - in the municipio de Salas

I clearly needed some help figuring out which of these variants the Fragas came from. I did some searching on the internet and found a wonderful forum titled: Asturian-American Migration Forum (http://www.asturianus.org/forum). I quickly registered on the site and posted a question in the Genealogy-Genealogia forum. To make a long story short Busto is Asturian for where the cattle were gathered for grazing…this only complicated things.

As my conversation in the forum continued (click here to see the forum post) I received a private email from one of the forum users named Luñia. She had actually visited the archive and found the Fragas I was researching. She also transcribed the records for me. Below is an excerpt from her email.

Busto – baptism of Joaquin José Fernandez de la Fraga (immigrant ancestor)

En la Yglesia parroquial de San Miguel de Canero, Concejo de Valdés, á veinte y seis dias del mes de Julio del año de mil ochocientos cincuenta y ocho, yo el infrascrito Cura propio de ella bautizé solemnemente, oleé y crismé un niño que nacio el dia referido: llamose Joaquin Jose que es hijo legitimo y de legitimo matrimonio de Lorenzo Fernandez de la Fraga y Joaquina Garcia Avella naturales y vecinos del Lugar de Busto: Es nieto paterno de Jose y Joaquina Pelaez y materno de Jose y Maria Fernandez Mayor todos de la espresada vecindad: fueron padrinos el abuelo paterno y Josefa Garcia Avella, que no tocó, tia materna del bautizado: adverti al padrino el nuevo parentesco y a ambos lo que previene el ritual romano: para que conste lo firmo =
Antonio Barrero Sotomayor (signed)

Final Thought

This particular example showed me that there are a lot of great people in the genealogical community that are willing to go the extra mile to help you in your research; you just have to find them. Individuals and groups in genealogical forums, online groups, and societies are normally willing to help. Find a group or organization and actively participate in the genealogical community, and you’ll be amazed where it takes you and your research!

Note:

If you would like to learn more about Asturians in West Virginia and Pennsylvania watch these three YouTube videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGTYYIsqaFs (part 1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-PvTU4TU34&NR=1 (part 2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-PvTU4TU34&NR=1