Asturian-American Migration Forum

I am trying to trace family lineage past my great great grandfather Manuel Arguelles. He was born in about 1857. He is buried in an Asturian Cemetery in Tampa, Fl. I know that he left Spain, went to Cuba for about 7 years before moving to Tampa. Beyond that I am lost. I know that he was a cigar maker in Tampa, as referenced in immigration forms, but I can't find anything else. My grandmother told me that we were descendents of the family of Agustin Arguelles. I found that Agustin had no wife or children but his sister married and had a child named possibly Jose Reguero Arguelles. Beyond that I can't connect them to my great great grandfather. There is also another issue where the Surname, and Lineage name were changed upon my G Grandfathers arrival in the Americas. I noticed that Don Agustin Arguelles also had his name as Agustin Alvarez-Arguelles. I don't know if my G Grandfather was Alvarez-Arguelles, or something else, but the only references that I can find are with only Arguelles for a last name. I have seen stories where noble families left Spain and their lineage name Arguelles for example and changed to a surname(last Name) and the other name was dropped to fall in line with the way names were written in the US. My great grandfather was Alfredo Arguelles if anyone knows of him also. I have pictures of some ancestors and possible ancestors headstones in Tampa if anyone is interested. I also have most of their birth and death dates if it helps.
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Trans. Ana

Estoy intentando completar mi árbol genealógico hasta mi tatarabuelo, Manuel Argüelles. Nació en torno a 1857 y está enterrado en el Cementerio asturiano de Tampa (Florida). Sé que dejó a España para ir a Cuba. Allí estuvo como 7 años antes de trasladarse a Tampa. Por lo demás estoy perdido. En sus papeles de inmigración consta que se dedicaba a la manufactura de puros, pero no encuentro nada más. Mi abuela me contó eran descendientes de Agustín Argüelles. Descubrí que Agustín no tenía ni esposa ni hijos, pero su hermana se casó y tuvo un hijo cuyo nombre puede que sea José Reguero Argüelles. A partir de ahí no encuentro la conexión con mi tatarabuelo.

Hay otro asunto con el apellido, que cambió cuando mi bisabuelo llegó a América. Don Agustín Argüelles también figuraba como Agustín Álvarez-Argüelles. No sé si mi tatarabuelo era Álvarez-Argüelles, o era otro apellido, pero las únicas referencias que encuentro del apellido son sólo con Argüelles. Sé de familias nobles que salieron de España, apellidadas Argüelles, cambiándolo y suprimiendo el otro para escribirlo acorde la manera americana. Mi bisabuelo era Alfredo Argüelles, por si alguien lo conoce. Tengo fotografias de las lápidas de algunos de mis antepasados y de posibles antepasados, por si a alguien le interesa. También tengo las fechas de nacimiento y defunción, por si sirve de ayuda.

Have you tried exploring the membership records of the Centro Asturiano de Tampa? The organization still exists, and once had its own hospital and cemetery, so it seems a likely place to begin our serach.

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Trans. Ana

¿Has probado a consultar los archivos del Centro Asturiano de Tampa? Aún existe. Antaño tenían su propio hospital y cementerio, así que puede ser un buen sitio para empezar tu búsqueda.

I ordered the death certificate for my great grandfather and I'm still waiting for it in the mail. It should have a family members name on it. As far as Manuel goes, I'm going to go to a Mormon church here in Orlando, Fl and see if they have something to help. I called the one in Tampa and the lady suggested I check the one here first. I called the cemetery where Manuel is buried and I was directed to call the University of South Florida because the records are kept there. I haven't had a reply from them so I will end up physically going there soon. I visited the Centro de Asturiano in Tampa at the beginning of the year with my wife, but there was a wedding being set up so I couldn't speak with anyone that day, so I just took some good pictures.

Ok, I feel stupid now. I after 15 times trying over the course of 5 months...the digital collection at USF is up and running again! The link was dead for months! Now I have pictures and info!

If my memory is correct, Mark Greenberg is the appropriate contact person at the University oi South Florida Library. He was one of the presenters at the February 2006 Orlando/Tampa Asturian conference. A good scholar, a good human being, and someone whose presentation was well-received by those in attendance at the conference. As I recall, the records were just in the process of being transferred to the USF librarty.

I was able to find someone at USF that gave me the number of the records repository. The lady is searching now. I'm excited to see what she finds.

I recieved in the mail yesterday the death certificate copy for my great grandfather Alfredo Arguelles. His fathers name is 100% confirmed Manuel Arguelles, but the state didn't have an accurate name for his wife. It showed Compacion with an unknown maiden name. My father remembers a serafina, but I have found a ceferina as his wife. I am currently ordering a death certificate for Manuel Arguelles. I am lucky because he died in 1917 and Florida just began recording by law in that year. I hope that his certificate is a lot more informative.

I recieved the death certificate for Manuel Arguelles and it also has no listing for his wife, except to say that he was married. It also had his occupation before his death as a nightwatchman. His parents were listed as being Manuel Arguelles and Manuela Fernandez. Again, I am stuck there now. His parents, if a connection could be made, would have to be the offspring of Dona Maria Josefa Arguelles who was the sister of Agustin Arguelles and married and had a son Jose Reguero Arguelles. History on that part is easy enough to find. Manuel and Manuela would be the grandchildren of Maria Josefa I think.