Well, quite well-known Madeiran families! Even today. Capitão means exactly that. Dona is something else. In the past it was used to denote nobility and upper class. Over the years to our day it was used also to show respect. Eventually it did get out of hand. Why some used and other not? Well, family importance or claim to importance was one reason, and the inverse was true. Sometimes the priest could get carried away, or not. It was pretty much a colonial society and these things happen. José -----Original Message----- From: prt-madeira-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:prt-madeira-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of gregobhte1@aol.com Sent: November 14, 2006 10:03 AM To: prt-madeira@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PT-MADEIRA] Book - Familias da Madeira e Porto Santo Hi Jose...hope you cvan help me in this: just making my family tree and i found 2 people with the title CAPITAO before their names: the first was CAPITAO Escorcio Vital Drumond (around 1683) and his son-in-law CAPITAO Jose Franca de Vasconcelos (around 1728) that was married with Escorcio's daughter DONA Maria Telo de Menezes. I know that translated CAPITAO means Capitain, but was there any meaning with that word?? and also why the name Maria is preceded with DONA whilst other female menbers of other brances of my family doenst carry such prefix??? Thank you so much -----Original Message----- From: jose.fernandes@yrdsb.edu.on.ca To: prt-madeira@rootsweb.com Sent: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 2.13PM Subject: Re: [PT-MADEIRA] Book - Familias da Madeira e Porto Santo Janette, I am sure you know, but any way...one of the current deputies to the Madeiran Parliament for the Socialist party. I believe that family carries both names. Now, I don't know what "to" refers to. It is not a Portuguese word. Could you put into a context, a sentence or a phrase? José -----Original Message----- From: prt-madeira-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:prt-madeira-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Janette Chun Sent: November 13, 2006 4:04 PM To: prt-madeira@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PT-MADEIRA] Book - Familias da Madeira e Porto Santo Thanks Jose. Not sure yet if I'm related to the Calaca family although according to this newly found family member I am - I've only been researching the Mendonca/Gois line. I used the reference Coelho and Calaca as an example as the book - or at least the copies of the pages I have - shows a reference to a name be it Vasconcellos, Gavioas, Drummonds, etc. after the genealogical breakdown. I'm interested to know what the 'to' refers to, and where I can get copies of any of these references that I may be interested in. Thanks for the interesting information though...will look that up on the colonization/rabbit plague. Janette -----Original Message----- From: prt-madeira-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:prt-madeira-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Fernandes, Jose Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 10:46 AM To: prt-madeira@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PT-MADEIRA] Book - Familias da Madeira e Porto Santo Janette, I can only attempt to answer the first question. Calaça is a well-known family from Porto Santo and so are the Coelhos. Now there is a story about the colonization of Porto Santo that refers to a rabbit plague. Coelho means rabbit but not when the C is capitalized. There are many Coelhos also in the island of Madeira. I have not read this book and therefore I don't the context but I do know if you are a Calaça you do come from the original families. Although this is limited for at one time it is said that there were only less than 30 persons in the island. And there is the connection to Morocco but I am not getting into that! Cheers, José -----Original Message----- From: prt-madeira-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:prt-madeira-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Janette Chun Sent: November 13, 2006 1:09 PM To: prt-madeira@rootsweb.com Subject: [PT-MADEIRA] Book - Familias da Madeira e Porto Santo Hello, I recently received a couple of pages from the Families of Madeira e Porto Santo book with details of some of my ancestors. It's been a very exciting discovery but I'm wondering if anyone can help me answer a couple of questions. 1) Frequently after entries, there is a reference - e.g. em to de Calaca or em to de Coelhos, etc. - what does this reference? 2) I've looked for the book online but have only been able to find it at antiquarian book dealers - at a hefty price - title stipulates Vol. 1 - how many volumes are there? 3) Is this book available online similar to the TOMO I, II, III and how does this book differ from the TOMOs? Suggestions/feedback welcome. Thanks, Janette Chun (Canada) ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PRT-MADEIRA-request@rootsweb.com 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 PRT-MADEIRA-request@rootsweb.com 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 PRT-MADEIRA-request@rootsweb.com 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 PRT-MADEIRA-request@rootsweb.com 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 PRT-MADEIRA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message