Fraga is a very rare name in Madeira, and it is curious that both Fragas, the noble set and this workman, appear in Caniço, and during the same time frame. I don't think this is a coincidence. 2 explanations: 1. Jº Rodrigues Fraga, illegitimate son of a Fraga -> not probable, as the surname dies with him (a son with the same name also appears, but that's all). Also, look at his marriage, with the illegitimate daughter of a former slave. Those Fragas were big fish in Caniço, they would never allow such a thing... 2. Jº Rodrigues Fraga, former slave of a Fraga (or slave son) - He's never mentioned as such, which would easily happened if he was a white slave (Moorish) or son of slave. It was usual for the slaves to take their master surnames, which would explain the Fraga. Married among his ilk, with a daughter of a former slave, building a new family of free people. Therefore, I'm more prone to think that he could be a former slave or slave descendant. Both marriages of Catarina seem to have been to traditional families of Caniço, with a presence that can be traced back to the 15th century or very close. The only bad thing about mulatos or "baços" is that they are, almost always, a dead end. On the other hand, some of them became a reference lasting for centuries, especially with the inquisition, haunting every attempt of their descendants to get a position as Familiar do Santo Ofício. And what was bad for them, is a golden mine for the genealogists, greatly helping in the rebuilding of the family ancestry. The other reason I like about all those mulatos and former slaves appearing in everyone's genealogies is that it helps to demonstrate that race bias was not such a big deal back then (except for the inquisitors, of course). We see the slave descendants happily intermixing with the farmer families, rapidly integrating in the Island's society. To be fair, at that time slaves were mostly house keeping personnel, with strong bonds with their masters, who often left them nice rewards in their wills. Butlers and house maidens, one could even say, a social step above the free unskilled workman just arrived from the mainland. It also shows where the Madeira slaves have gone: They became part of us all. :) Paulo Miguel de Castro Henriques <[email protected]> wrote in Thu, 4 Feb 2010 23:26:49 +0000: > Ah thanks a lot. I am descendant from the second marriage of Catarina > Rodrigues, not from Martim de Gºois. In the regito I Have she appears as > widow of Martinho de Góis, without signaling her parents.. So she was > grandaughter of a mulata? Great, I like that. > > About the Fragas or Frágoas, there were noble Fragas in Madeira, according > to PA, ranking as escudeiros. Maybe there were two branches of Fragas with > nothing in common. > > > Do you know if this Fraga, tranlhadior, has any link with the Caniço > Fraga's, married to Nóbregas? > > > 2010/2/4 Paulo Santos Perneta <[email protected]> > >> Most certainly. >> >> He: Son of André Martins, farmer, and Beatriz Nunes "do Castelo", p. >> greatson of Estevão Martins and Iria de Góis, m. grandson of António >> Gonçalves (another one) and Maria... >> >> She: Daughter of João Roiz Fraga , workman, and Inês Álvares, m. >> granddaughter of Violante ÁLvares, mulata, slave of Inês Gonçalves >> (wife of João Barradas). Violante had children also from João Dias >> (teh Tinims or Denims) and later married Pedro Álvares, a farmer. They >> lived at Moinhos, Caniço. >> >> Beatriz Nunes is probably from the Calaças, as the surname appears on >> a grandson (Maria Calaça, d. of Martim de Góis and Catª Roiz). >> >> Paulo >> >> >> Miguel de Castro Henriques <[email protected]> wrote >> in Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:56:51 +0000: >> >> > Hello all, >> > >> > >> > Has anyone info. about Martinho de Gópis m (1590, Caniço) Catarina >> > Rodrigues? >> > >> > Thanks in advance, >> > >> > >> > Miguel >> > >> > ------------------------------- >> > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without >> > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> > >> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >