Asturian-American Migration Forum

Relatives on my dad's side of the family come from Asturias and two years ago a kind priest in Grullos obtained some documents for us. They identified several ancestors including my grandfather and some of his brothers. Absent from the documents was my cousin's father, Eusebio Arolas Fernandez. We are returning to Spain in September to continue our search for him and try to find out what happened to the relatives that did not migrate to Tampa, Florida. One son, we know, stayed in Cuba.

We were told that the church in San Roman, where apparently the records were kept, burnt down during the civil war. The priest, however, was able to secure documents for us from the Civil Registry in Candamo.

Does anyone know where the Civil Registry in Candamo is located and how I can find out when it is open? This is what is listed on the documents the priest obtained for us.

Who do we contact to be able to search the cemetaries? We plan to visit Santoseso, Villamejin, Fenolleda, and Oviedo. We wouldn't want to do anything without asking permission so we do not offend anyone or violate any local laws or customs.

Thank you.
Judy

I don't think Candamo has it's own registro civil (but I could be wrong). Try:

Juzgado: Primera Instancia/Instrucción 1
Calle: Plaza Marqués Casa Valdés, s/n
Pravia, Asturias, España
Código Postal: 33120
Teléfono: 985-820607
Fax: 985-822817

Thank you, Bob. We will try to contact someone at this location.

Hi, Judy, wellcome to the forum.

Normally all cemeteries are open to the public in a concrete horary, but the acces is free. The only exceptions are very small towns, where the cemetery could be closed, only open when a place-born person deads, for doing the funeral, or in significant days of the year, as for example All Saints Eve.

The cemetery of Oviedo is greater, and for this reason you can find more people. If at the moment that you do your visit to the place there is a funeral, it's enought to adopte a respectuous attitude.

Regards

Hi Carlos,

Thanks for your reply. We have seen the cemetery in Santoseso but we didn't go in since it was gated. We would like to go in this time when we are there in September as some of my relatives were from there as well as neighboring towns or villages. Most of them, mentioned on some of the documents we were given from the Civil Registry of Candamo, are pretty small. We will be staying in Oviedo for three of the 9 days we are planning to be in Spain and travel to the little towns from Oviedo as our base.

Judy

Judy, if you find a little cemetery closed, ask the neighbors, they could say to you who has the keys: a priest, the sexton or a simple reliable neighbor. Feel free of talk to everyone, if you are able of speak in a reasonably understandable Spanish, they will run to help you. Here people, specially in little villages, is very kind, more if you explain that you are from Asturian origin.

Regards

Thanks again, Carlos. Yes, my Spanish is not very good but fortunately my cousin, Dominic, will be with us and he speaks Spanish very well. It is his father Eusebio Arolas Fernandez that we are researching along with some of our other relatives.

You are correct in that the people there are very friendly and helpful. We are so looking forward to returning. Dominic wrote the priest who helped us last time so we are hoping he is still around and we can visit with him again.

My great-grandfather emigrated to Cuba in the 1800's. He stayed and married there and had seven children. He worked as a carpenter and his name was Francisco Fernandez-Valdes (think the rest was Lopez-Villamil). He had relatives in the US and Dominican Republic.
Are we related?
Aline

Somos familia?

Hi Aline. I don't think we are related as I have a document that shows that Francisco Fernandez was deceased at the time his grandson was born in the Parish of Fenolleda, Spain in 1888.

Thanks for asking though.

Judy