Silva Family Photograph Collection [1928-1965]
Dublin Core
Title
Silva Family Photograph Collection [1928-1965]
Date
1928-1965
Description
This collection includes photographs that represent the life of the Silva family, a family with a mix of Azorean and Brazilian roots. Photographs include Hermenegildo playing guitar, the women at work, and other parts of everyday life.
More recent photos include images of Rancho Folclórico de Santo António, the Portuguese dance group that was started in 1981 by Maria de Fatima Silva (Hermenegildo's daughter, 13 years old at the time) and Maria Guadalupe Espínola (15 years old at the time).
COLLECTION OVERVIEW
To understand the full immigration journey of the Silva family, the story starts in Brazil at the end of the 19th century. Manuel Correia de Melo (b. 1870) and Rita Angelica Pacheco (b. 1886) were both born in Brazil before the turn of the century. On January 15, 1910, they got married and began their life together. They had six children together and, eventually, decided to move to the island of Graciosa in the Azores.
One of their daughters, Luiza Correia Pacheco de Melo (August 25, 1912-November 5, 1998), got married at the age of 16 to Eduardo Pacheco DaSilva. The newlyweds decided to move to Bahia, Brazil, where they had three children: Hermenegildo, Carmelita, and Luzia. After Eduardo died at an early age, Luiza decided to continue raising her children in Brazil. Sadly, one of her daughters passed away from tuberculosis, which prompted Luiza to move back to Graciosa with her two surviving children in 1950.
One of these children was Luiza’s only son, Hermenegildo Roque Jose DaSilva (b. August 16, 1940). He was 10 years old when his mom decided to move with him and his sister back to the Azores. After the Azorean Refugee Act of 1958 was passed (in response to the Capelinhos eruption on Faial), the 19-year-old Hermenegildo decided to move to the United States in September of 1959. He originally moved to Peabody, MA, but then moved to Lowell after three months.
While in Lowell, Hermenegildo worked in many local factories, including Grace Shoe, Symphonics, Joan’s Fabric, and Lawrence Manufacturing. In 1961, his mother, Luiza, decided to join him in Lowell, where she also worked at Grace Shoe. A few years later, Luiza, met and married Nuno Andrade, a painter for the Silva Brothers.
Hermenegildo then decided to travel back to the Azores to ask Teresina Bettencourt (b. June 26, 1943), who he knew from his childhood growing up in Graciosa, for her hand in marriage. They got married in June of 1965 and Hermenegildo brought her back to the United States in September of the same year. They went on to have two children, Maria de Fatima and Edward.
While living in Lowell, Hermenegildo was heavily involved with the local Portuguese community. He lived with his family in the Back Central neighborhood and was a communicant of St. Anthony’s Church, where he was also a member of the choir. He belonged to the Holy Ghost Society, the Portuguese American Center, the Portuguese Senior Center, and the Trinidade Society.
Hermenegildo eventually switched his job to work at Raytheon, where he stayed for 38 years until his retirement. He died on December 18, 2008 of cancer.
More recent photos include images of Rancho Folclórico de Santo António, the Portuguese dance group that was started in 1981 by Maria de Fatima Silva (Hermenegildo's daughter, 13 years old at the time) and Maria Guadalupe Espínola (15 years old at the time).
COLLECTION OVERVIEW
To understand the full immigration journey of the Silva family, the story starts in Brazil at the end of the 19th century. Manuel Correia de Melo (b. 1870) and Rita Angelica Pacheco (b. 1886) were both born in Brazil before the turn of the century. On January 15, 1910, they got married and began their life together. They had six children together and, eventually, decided to move to the island of Graciosa in the Azores.
One of their daughters, Luiza Correia Pacheco de Melo (August 25, 1912-November 5, 1998), got married at the age of 16 to Eduardo Pacheco DaSilva. The newlyweds decided to move to Bahia, Brazil, where they had three children: Hermenegildo, Carmelita, and Luzia. After Eduardo died at an early age, Luiza decided to continue raising her children in Brazil. Sadly, one of her daughters passed away from tuberculosis, which prompted Luiza to move back to Graciosa with her two surviving children in 1950.
One of these children was Luiza’s only son, Hermenegildo Roque Jose DaSilva (b. August 16, 1940). He was 10 years old when his mom decided to move with him and his sister back to the Azores. After the Azorean Refugee Act of 1958 was passed (in response to the Capelinhos eruption on Faial), the 19-year-old Hermenegildo decided to move to the United States in September of 1959. He originally moved to Peabody, MA, but then moved to Lowell after three months.
While in Lowell, Hermenegildo worked in many local factories, including Grace Shoe, Symphonics, Joan’s Fabric, and Lawrence Manufacturing. In 1961, his mother, Luiza, decided to join him in Lowell, where she also worked at Grace Shoe. A few years later, Luiza, met and married Nuno Andrade, a painter for the Silva Brothers.
Hermenegildo then decided to travel back to the Azores to ask Teresina Bettencourt (b. June 26, 1943), who he knew from his childhood growing up in Graciosa, for her hand in marriage. They got married in June of 1965 and Hermenegildo brought her back to the United States in September of the same year. They went on to have two children, Maria de Fatima and Edward.
While living in Lowell, Hermenegildo was heavily involved with the local Portuguese community. He lived with his family in the Back Central neighborhood and was a communicant of St. Anthony’s Church, where he was also a member of the choir. He belonged to the Holy Ghost Society, the Portuguese American Center, the Portuguese Senior Center, and the Trinidade Society.
Hermenegildo eventually switched his job to work at Raytheon, where he stayed for 38 years until his retirement. He died on December 18, 2008 of cancer.
Subject
Brazilian Americans
Azorean Americans
Portuguese American women
Musicians
Antique and classic cars
Coverage
Lowell (Mass.)
Source
Donated by Fatima Silva.
Publisher
UMass Lowell, Center for Lowell History
Rights
In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted: This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Format
JPEG
Type
Image
Identifier
SilvaFatima_
Have information on this item? Tell us below!