Asturian-American Migration Forum

I am a genealogist helping a friend find his ancestors and am hoping someone here can help. I am monolingual in English only.

My friend's great grandparents were Victor Leon Fernandez, born Miranda, Aviles, Asturias, Spain on 14 February 1892 and Josefa Lopez Gutierrez, born about 1885 in Aviles. Victor emigrated from Spain to Harrison County, West Virginia on 30 Mar 1916. He died in Anmoore, West Virginia on 2 Jun 1970. He generally went by Victor Leon in America. His death certificate gives his parents names as Vicente Leon and Balbina (no surname given).

Victor's obituary states he had a brother Albert Leon in Spain and a brother Michael Leon in Wheeling, West Virginia. Michael Leon was the Miguel Leon who registered for the WWI draft in 1918. In that document he stated he was born on 5 Jun 1899 and his nearest relative was Bezento (would that be Vicente) Leon of Aviles, Astorus, Spain. He emigrated from Spain to America, arriving in NYC on 5 Jul 1917. He stated his last residence was Castrillon, Oviedo, and the family member still in Spain was his father Vicente iLeon in Castrillon, that he was born in Serin, Oviedo.

On the same ship with Miguel was his brother's wife, Josefa Lopez and Josefa and Victor's two sons.

Josefa and the boys, Jose (age 2) and Victor (age 1), were all born in Aviles. Josefa's nearest relative was her father, Antonio Gutierrez in Aviles, Oviedo. Her death certificate called her Josefa Lopez Gurierrez. She died of influenza 14 Oct 1918 in Harrison Co., WV. Victor married Aurelia Lopez Fernandez. The passenger list with her arrival 6 April 1920 lists her as Aurelia Lopez with the Lopez crossed out and Fernandez written in with the notation it was amended 3/13/1937. The passenger list states that her last residence was Castillon, her nearest relative in Spain was her brother Andres Lopez at Castillon. Also on the same ship was Antonia Gutierrez, age 50, born Castillon, and her sons Gerardo Guttierez 15 and Jose Gutierrez 9. Antonia was travelling to see her son-in-law Victor Fernandez at Clarksburg, and her nearest relative in Spain was her brother Andres Lopez at Castillon. Aurelia's nearest relative also appears to be the same brother, unless there was a father and son of the same name and Aurelia is Antonia's daughter. If it's the same person, then could Aurelia be Josefa's niece?

For all the information I have, I still cannot quite resolve the relationship, if any, between Victor's two wives or find the family in the Asturian records on familysearch.org. Not sure what the next steps should be and I am hoping someone knows something of this family.

Hi, Quodilin,

I have found two files, one of Victor and another one for Alvaro (brother of Victor). The Victor's one appeared in the Official Bulletin of Oviedo 18th November 1915. The Alvaro's one in the same Bulletin of 11th December 1916. They had to appear before the military authority for compulsory military service.
As you can see in the attached files, it seems that Victor and Alvaro were not born in Castrillón but in Serin, which is a Parish of the Council of Gijón. It is probable that the family moved to Castrillón and there they developed their life.

So, knowing that they were born in Serín, you could ask for their baptism certificate to the Archbishopric of Oviedo. In such document you can find the names not only of the parents but also of both side grandparents.

I hope it is helpful.
Marta.

Castrillon came from the passenger list for Victor which has his previous residence, and the same source said he was born in Miranda. His sons passenger list state they were born in Aviles and it was there that Alvaro died in 1974, although he was a naturalized US citizen. He had a nephew, Jose Leon, living in Aviles at the time of Alvaro's death. That would not have been Victor's son Jose as he was living in West Virginia. Perhaps it was their brother Miguel's son, or son of a different brother. Again, thank you so much for your help.

Hi,
what is striking is that for both brothers the Official Bulletin claimed they were born in Serin, isn't it?.
On the other hand, Avilés is the reference town for other councils such as Castrillón, Corvera, Illas.....etc

Miranda is an area belonging to Avilés.

Hi,

I think that José León González was a brother of Victor, as well as a Manuel León González.

In the Official Bulletin of Oviedo (1908), a José León González and other persons were required by the Castrillón court to make declarations in a trial.

Also, in a newspaper (El Progreso de Asturias, 1903), two boys, one of them named Manuel León González (14 years old) from Serin, were arrested for wounding another boy.

The files.

I am not sure they would be full brothers since the second surname is different (Victor Leon Fernandez and Jose Leon Gutierrez). Perhaps half brothers or cousins.

Next step appears to be church records, but I haven't ordered any yet. I would like to find the ancestors of the two couples, that is, of Anton Lopez and Antonia Gutierrez and of Vicente Leon and Balbina Fernandez.

quodilin wrote:I am not sure they would be full brothers since the second surname is different (Victor Leon Fernandez and Jose Leon Gutierrez). Perhaps half brothers or cousins.

Next step appears to be church records, but I haven't ordered any yet. I would like to find the ancestors of the two couples, that is, of Anton Lopez and Antonia Gutierrez and of Vicente Leon and Balbina Fernandez.

Los registros de Antón López y Antonia Gutierrez, habría que buscarlos en Serantes, que es una parroquia de Tapia de Casariego. Al menos, mi abuelo, Gerardo López Gutierrez, (hermano de Josefa y Aurelia), nació allí en 1881, y tenía 4 hermanos mayores.
La menor de las hermanas, Aurelia, es posible que ya naciera en Castrillón, puesto que nació en 1901. En ese caso, los registros estarán en el juzgado de Paz de Piedras Blancas, y nos pueden dar pistas acerca de los padres

Leo en las publicaciones de Marta Elena, que Victor León tenía 24 años en 1915, que era fundidor y residía en El Villar.
Esto quiere decir que residía en Castrillón, no en Avilés, El Villar es un lugar al lado de Piedras Blancas, capital del concejo de Castrillón, y cercano a Arnao, si era fundidor, seguramente trabajaría en la RCA.
Por otra parte, la edad de Victor es un misterio, según esto, que debería ser lo mas fiable, habría nacido en 1891??? no me encaja

I have seen several different dates for Victor's birth.

WWI draft registration has the earliest: 29 July 1884.
1920 census, if I have the right one, has aged 33, so born about 1887.
1940 census has aged 38, so born about 1888.
Passenger list (1916) has age 28, so born about 1888.
His death record has 9 January 1890.
The newspaper has him born about 1891.
1930 census has age 39, about 1891.
WWII draft card has 14 February 1892.

Either he didn't know or didn't want anyone else to know or whomever provided the information just guessed. That is another reason I would like to get his birth or baptismal record.