In our quest to find our ancestors, we are perplexed at times as to why did they move. What affected their choices?
Years ago I found an article “Discover the “why” behind your ancestor’s choices”. The article referenced a good how-to research tip on history (see 20 Timeless Genealogy Research Tips) and how to create a timeline to align with your ancestor’s journey.
From an American experience, the Civil War (1861-1865), World War I (1914-1918), Great Depression (1929-1939) , World War II (1939-1945), Korean War (1950-1953), Vietnam (1955-1975) are some of the key historical events that shaped the experience of our ancestors in the United States and abroad.
In addition, the following events are what I believe affected my Puerto Rican ancestors’ lives.
- 1868 El Grito de Lares – See: The Grito de Lares: The Rebellion of 1868
- 1873 – Spanish abolish slavery in Puerto Rico See: Library of Congress: Aboliition of Slavery in Puerto Rico.
- 1898 – Spanish American War – Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States. See: Library of Congress: Chronology of Puerto Rico in the Spanish-American War and The Spanish-American War, 1898
- Hurricanes. Most notable was 1899 San Ciriaco Hurricane. U.S. Army Major Albert L. Myer described the hurricane as “more disruptive to Puerto Rican society than was the American invasion.”[10] The San Ciriaco hurricane was described as the first major storm in Puerto Rico since the 1876 San Felipe hurricane.
Official estimate of 3,369 fatalities. Approximately 250,000 people were left without food and shelter.
Note that in the 1899 Puerto Rican census, the island population was 953,243( Wikipedia – 1899 Puerto Rican Census).
So over a quarter of the island’s population was affected by death and many cases famine. - 1917 – Jones-Shafroth Act – President Wilson Grant Puerto Ricans US Citizenship
Also checkout Politico: Puerto Ricans granted U.S. citizenship, March 2, 1917).
This legislation changed the future lives of Puerto Ricans. First of all, it changed the governing system of Puerto Rico to resemble the U.S. (and U.S. state) government with executive, judicial and legislative branches. But it also started the process for the U.S. government to draft Puerto Rican men into service towards the final years of the first World War. - 1940s: Operation BootStrap – From sugar plantation economy to industrialization.
- 1952 – Puerto Rico becomes a commonwealth
Mi Tios (My Uncles): Journey to New York and becoming “American”
My Tio Cangelo Vargas y Caro arrived in New York City by ship on April 1, 1937 (no joke!).
Canjo was instrumental in leading the way for many in our family to New York. He helped many, but I want to call out the two other New York patriarchs in my family, my Tios Juan Valentin y De Jesus, and Flor Valentin y De Jesus.
The following is the earliest listing I have discovered when my Tio Juan arrived in New York on April 23, 1938,
Both Cangelo and Juan enrolled in the US army as cooks in the second world war. Later in the Korean War, Tio Flor served in the army as well. After the war, they all owned restaurants in the garment district and Spanish Harlem.
Other uncles and cousins were inspired by them and enrolled in various branches of the US military. Like all Americans, they all have their qualms about war and its struggle, but I am proud and grateful for their service.
What brought my uncle Cangelo to New York?
My guess was to get work to rise his family from the poverty his immediate family was experiencing on the island especially in the middle of the Great Depression. His father (my grandfather) was a very good man, but he was a subsistence farmer.
With annual hurricanes, growing population on the island that literally could not feed themselves, with over 50% imports into the island was for food.
My uncles Cangelo, Juan, and Flor positively impacted my life and the lives of our extended family on the US mainland as well as on the island of Puerto Rico. I personally have had more opportunities having been born and raised in NYC. I have a great education and blessed with a great career from their being my role model through their strong work ethic and the strong family community they created in New York.
They were and are foundational to a very strong “New York Puerto Rican” family that I am very proud and honored to be part of.
— What world events changed the course of your ancestor’s journey? —
More resources of interest:
Interested in Puerto Ricans in US Wars and Conflicts? Check out Puerto Ricans Represented Throughout U.S. Military History.
Also found great photos of Puerto Rico from 1890 to 1901 in the Library of Congress website: https://www.loc.gov/collections/detroit-publishing-company/?fa=location:puerto+rico
Other resources you maybe interested in reading as well.
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