Asturian-American Migration Forum

I found this forum today and with my records not handy I will post information on my Great Great Granfather Jose Fernandez, much of which has been related to me by my grandfather.

Jose Fernandez came from Asturias after serving in the Spainish Army in the mid 1800's to NYC. He married a Katherine Mills and they had two or three children before he was drafted by the Union Army. After the civil war Jose and Katherine had more children, a total of five. All there names I am not sure of, but there was Jenny, Perciville and Juan. He was a very patriotic man and therefore my great Grandfather was named George Washington Fernandez. George Washington Fernandez was a commercial artist in NYC. Gold leafing and decorating sailing ships and public buildings. He married the daughter of a harbor master named Nina Fountaine. They aslo had five children before his untimely death in 1910 after the effect of smoke inhalation from a house fire.

Some other family lore given by my Grandfather Thomas Mills Fernandez.
Jose live/owned a house in Brooklyn.
The Fernandez family fought to chase the Moors from Spain.
The family has a coat of arms. Mom say if they didn't have arms they would be vests.
Jose Fernandez worked in the Hotel New Yorker and turned down a land deal, with the not so famous at that time, Cornelius Vander Bilt.
One of Jose's sons was a battallion fire chief in California.
His daughter Jenny? married the owner of a large Construction company in NYC.

Does any of this sound familiar to anyone.

Dear Eileen:

What information are you looking for? I have access to the US census documents and I can tell you how to get your ancestors Civil War records, if you have not done so already.

Census records would be most appreciated, it may give me an area to find Jose's and Katherines marraige record. Katherine was and Irish immigrant. I am not sure if they always lived in Brooklyn all their married life. They may also have lived in Manhattan. I am going off of what I remember of stored research from a few years ago when I hit a brick wall. Eventually I would like to find from where in Asturias he came and who his parent were.

My great granfather George was born 1877 and was one of the younger of their five children. I just remembered he also had a brother Leon.

thanks for the response.

Dear Eileen:

I spent a couple hours looking up your family. I found a Jose and Catherine Fernandez living in Manhattan in 1880. Jose was 49 years old and born in Spain. His worked at a resturant. His wife Catherine was born in Ireland. In 1880 she was 43 years old. They had the following children living with them: Jose (25 years), Jennie (23 Years), Thomas (21 years), Leon (12 years), William (7 years) and George (5 years).

Jose Jr. and Thomas were listed as working as Plumbers. [I could be mistaken on some of the names, the handwriting is really bad]

I tried to find Jose's Civil war record. I could not find a Jose Fernandez listed in the Union Army, but I did find a few Joseph Fernandez soldiers. Two in NY and 2 in NJ.

What was curious to me is I found a George W. Fernandez who served in L company of the 22nd NY Infantry in the Union Army. His wife was named Nina Fernandez and she applied for a Civil War Pension in 1910.

This George could not be your great grandfather because he was born in 1875. I have the documentation for all of this. If you send me a Private Message and give me your email address I will send you the documentation. I am a bit confused. Maybe you can figure it out.

The fact that there is a Pension file on you ancestor is great. Civil War pension files are full of information and can be ordered from the government. I have to find my notes to find out the procedure for doing so.

Dear Eileen:

I had a few minutes free this morning, so I checked on that Fire Chief in California you talked about. Jose's son Thomas M. Fernandez was listed in the San Francisco 1900 Census as a fire chief of the area. He lived to at least 1930 where I find him as a retiree living with a family in San Francisco. I have these documents if you want them.

Wow, Donna, congratulations!!!

Have you seriously thought of working for the FBI or as a private eye? I believe that you have the best conditions!

Seriously, congratulations for your patience and your skill in obtaining information.

Dear Carlos:

Thanks. I used to be a Military Police Officer, but I now enjoy my job as a stay-at-home Mom.

Dear Eileen:

I found your great grandfather George W. Fernandez and his wife Nina in the 1900 Census. They are living in Kings County, NY.

George is listed as born in 1874 and Nina in 1876. They had been married for 5 years. The census says George was born in NY and his father was born in Spain and his mother in Ireland.

Nina is listed as being born in NY and her father in NY and her mother in Ireland.

George lists his occupation as a sign painter. They have two children: John born in 1897 and Jennie in 1898.

Dear Eileen:

In the 1910 Kings County, Brooklyn Census, Joseph Fernandez and his wife Catherine Mills are found living with their 37 year old Divorced son William and their 13 year old grandson John Fernandez [I do not know if John is son of William or George. This John is the right age to be the son of George Fernandez. Could he have went to stay with his grandparents after his Dad died in 1910?].

The couple is listed as being married for 57 years. Joseph came to America in 1848 and Catherine in 1849. It also states that together they had 8 children born, but at that time only 3 were living.

When it comes to Occupation it appears to say "our Income" for Joseph and "Supervising" for Catherine. I guess it means they are retired.

Dear Eileen:

A few years after your great grandfather's death (George Fernandez), his widow, Nina Fernandez, remarries. She married an Irish born man named William Wilson. In 1920, William is 42 years old and works as a boat captain in New York. They have four children together: Catherine (13), Patricia (10), William (6) and Robert (4). Also living with them are three of Nina's children from her marriage with George: John (23) who works as an Electrician, Jane (20) and Thomas [18] who is working as a plumber.

Did you have any of the information I have given you?

In 1930 your great grandmother, Nina, is living in Brooklyn, Queens, NY with her second husband William Wilson. He is 55 and she is 52 years old. Her husband William is now working as an Electrician for the electrical company. The Fernandez children are no longer living with them. They had the following children living there: Patricia [21 years] a registered nurse and working in a Hospital. Their son William [16 years old] was working as an auto mechanic at an auto sales business. Their youngest son is 14 and does not work.

Also in 1930 I found a 29 year old Thomas Fernandez living in Brooklyn Queens. With him is his wife Anna and his three children: Eleen [4 years], Thomas [31 months old] and Marie [7 months old]. Could this be your grandfather?

Dear Eileen:

Was any of this information helpful to you? Did you want copies of the Census records? If so you need to tell me where to send it.

Donna you are fantastic. Jose worked in the New Yoker Hotel. this is my family. All the names match up. George was my great Grandfather who died in 1910. A house fire caused a medical condition and he died three years later. William Wison was George's best friend on his death bed he asked him to look after Nina and the children. The years between George's death and marrying Wilson were very difficult for Nina and the children. Her family were Huguenots and still not forgiving for her marrying a Papist they gave little help and my grandfather was sent to an orphanage. My grandfather their son Thomas, told the story of the first hing Wilson did when he married his mother was get him out of the orphanage.

Anna and Thomas are my grandparents. My mother is Eileen and Marie and Thomas are twins.

I had no idea Bill Wilson was born in Ireland.

Sorry if these posts are irradic I am so excited.

George W. Fernandez was not a vet of the civil war. The family story is he singed up with Roosevelt for "Remember the Maine". My cousin has a picture of him in Uniform on a horse.