Hello Dean havent heard from you in a long time.. I am going by family sotry only as far as background goes..I "assumed "that there was some money in the family as there was said to be a lot when in Madeira (?).. I do know that Sebastians sons went on to become members of Parliment and appeared in who Who In the World Books.. And still lines appear in British government papers and political writings there..So of course I thought it would take some good background to be able to be in the whos Who In the world books as they have to be selective and draw the line somewhere....But the part about the RUM shop might make more sense as the oldest children of this line,, thoug very young when he died, remembered being sent upstairs(?) when the "pirates" came to frequent the business... Now that I know Sebastion had business before he started plantations,, it seems that he started the platantion and spice growing ,, and also rum,, for the benefit of his children...they inherited Dougalston. It looks like it was just another business venture for the sake of the children.. Of course if you sold enough rum to the pirates that frequented his business.. you could afford to build estates for his children.. Mostly it seems for the benefit of Anna Petronella deFreitas who married Peter Brown,, who's family became affiliated with and help manage Dougalston. Perhaps these Browns and deFreitas all started out together???. I can see that I have to find a good source of Madeira and try there again.. my local LDS is small and has llittle knowledge in this area. Good to hear from you again. Lenora. ----- Original Message ----- From: "CaribGenWeb Coordinator" <caribgw@bellsouth.net> To: <CARIBBEAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2003 11:43 AM Subject: Re: Defreitas in Grenada > Lenora & Cindy, > > My understanding is that most of the Portuguese immigrants to the West > Indies were Madeiran. The stories that I have read about the early Madeiran > Immigrants to Trinidad and Guyana indicate that most of them were, in fact, > virtually penniless when they arrived. Many of them were indentured > servants. They would work out their indenture while conducting small scale > commerce on the side, then many of them stayed to start businesses of their > own. Rum shops were a common business venture for Portuguese as they had a > low cost of entry. One should not confuse these establishments with a bar > or tavern. They were typically dry goods stores that would also sell liquor > by the glass. Many of these stores were simply the front rooms of houses, > and catered to the working class. > > Keep in mind that the "Portagees" were considered to be low-class whites. > As such, they were not welcomed into the social circles of other Europeans > such as the French or English. They found their niche in society - in > conjunction with the Chinese and later the Syrians - as merchants that > bridged the gap between the "high class" whites, and the working class > Africans, Indians etc. Their entrepreneurial prowess made them the envy of > other whites, and there were even instances of riots in British Guiana where > Portuguese shop owners were beaten and their stores burned or looted. > > Earlier migrants paved the way for later waves of migration. Many Madeiran > Portuguese kept in touch with family back "home", formed Portguese social > clubs etc. Immigration from Madeira continued up until the early 1900's. > > My own Great Grandfather is a classic example of the West Indian Portuguese > success story. His parents came to St. Vincent in the late 1800's where he > was born. He left St. Vincent to work for his older brother who had started > a business in British Guiana. He went to sea as a deck hand to see more of > the world, worked as a civilian employee of the US Army during the Spanish > American War, and arrived in Trinidad at the turn of the century. He bought > a rum shop with his savings, parleyed his earnings into a leather tannery, > then began making shoes and investing in real estate, including a small > cocoa plantation. He served on the City Council of Port of Spain for over > 30 years, and served one term as Mayor. Even with those credentials, his > son (my Grandfather) had to sneak around to date my French Creole > grandmother. Her father did not approve of her dating a Portuguese.... > > Hope this helps. > > Dean de Freitas > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "cindy kilgore" <minke@wcvt.com> > To: <CARIBBEAN-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2003 2:16 PM > Subject: Defreitas in Grenada > > > > Hello Lenora, > > > > Are you sure they are not from Madeira? A lot of wine comes out of this > > Portuguese island and at least, in St. Vincent, a lot of people > > emigrated over in the mid-1800's. Portugal, on the other hand, was > > consumed by locusts out of North Africa at this time, and people were > > forced to flee or starve as the nation was almost reduced to famine. I > > wouldn't assume this is their first business - other than on Grenada - > > they probably didn't come empty-handed. Do you know when they arrived > > on the island? Also if you can get ahold of the Grenada Blue Book for > > that year, it will certainly give you some clues as to liquor licenses, > > etc. Of course, the only ones I know of are in St. George's but maybe > > Merrill, if she's out there listening, may know elsewhere. > > > > Are there no end to these puzzles? Yes, you and all the living > > relatives are the end thus far ..... enjoy the journey. > > Best wishes, > > Cindy > > On Monday, April 14, 2003, at 09:00 AM, CARIBBEAN-D-request@rootsweb. > > > > > > It has come to the families attention that family lore stated that D. > > > Defreitas had a tavern in Grenada where it was said pirates often > > > stopped and shopped so to speak. At first we assumed it was romantic > > > family stories.. but recently we have cause to believe that it might > > > have been true.. Do any of you have a means of searching businesses in > > > Grenada such as this?? It would have been early to mid 1880's as by > > > the late 1800's they had The Douglaston Plantation..It would fill in > > > the gap possible of the time of their arrival until there plantation > > > days.. Which of COURSE leads to another question,, how did they get > > > their start IF this was their first business...Fresh from > > Portugal???? > > > > > > Are there no end to these puzzles?? Everytime you think you know it > > > all, things like this jump out and you start all over again. > > > > > > Lenora... > > > > > > ==== CARIBBEAN Mailing List ==== > For information on individual islands, research aids, island bulletin boards or history please visit the CaribbeanGenWeb project at > http://www.rootsweb.com/~caribgw/