Asturian-American Migration Forum

Hi, my name is Brandi Suarez and I am hoping to find any information I can on my ancestors. My great grandfather, Luis Ardino Suarez Gutierrez came to the United states in 1917 and resided in Clarksburg West Virginia. I believe he was about 34 yrs old upon his arrival. He saved his money and brought my great grandmother Primitiva Suarez Lopez to Clarksburg in 1920 and I believe she was about 22 yrs old. They then moved to Canton Ohio a few years later where my great grandfather was killed in an accident at work on Christmas Eve 1927 or 1928(The Timken Co.)I believe they last resided in the Aviles area. My great grandmother remarried to Manuel Perez Martin I believe around 1932 or 1934. I am very unfamiliar with Spain. If anyone has any helpful information I would very much appreciate it.

Welcome, Brandi!

Do you have any other information, such as the names of siblings and children? Do you know their birth dates?

----------------

¡Bienvenido, Brandi!

¿Tienes cualquiera otra información, como los nombres de sus hermanos y hijos? ¿Sabes sus fechas de nacimiento?

Hi Brandi and welcome!
The best way to start becoming acquainted with Asturias would probably to surf the web for tourist info. The Asturias Regional Government has the following website, which is quite good. Click on the Union Jack for an English version.

http://www.infoasturias.com/

Enjoy!

Hello, I am looking for any relatives or any information regarding my great grandfather Luis Suarez Gutierrez (may have also been known as Ardino Suarez) from Asturias and my great grandmother Primitiva Suarez Lopez from Magdalena Oviedo Spain. I posted before but did not have dates at that time. I now do and am hoping someone may have any information.

I believe my grandfather came to theUS in April of 1917 aboard the ship Alfonso XII from Aviles Asturias Spain to NY then settled in Meadowbrook WV in Harrison county and worked as a furnace man at the Grasselli Chemical Co. which was a Zinc plant. I also have his box number from Meadobrook which was 175 or I75. He worked and saved enough money in three years to send for his wife Primitiva Suarez Lopez. Primitiva was born in October of 1897 and came to America on a ship named "France" in September of 1920.

At some time they left WV and moved to Canton, OH where he worked for the Timken Company. He was killed on Christmas Eve 1928 in a work related accident. They had two children. One male which died as an infant and my grandfather Louis Jesus Suarez born in WV and very young when they moved to Canton, OH. The reason I said he may be known as Ardino or Andino Suarez is because I have receipts my great grandmother received from the Industrial Commission of Ohio for death benefits which lists his name as Ardino Suarez and I also contacted the Cemetery where he is buried (i actually have the receipt for his burial plot that my great grandmother had kept with his plot number) and they have his name listed as Andino Suarez. very confusing. may have been a nickname. My grandfather always said that his mother Primitiva has brothers in Spain. Anyhow, I would appreciate any information anyone may have. Thank You! Brandi Suarez

Hi, Brandi,

I've moved your new post to your original thread. Please keep all of your messages together in one place so we can easily follow what has happened.

Also, please do not repost old messages. We don't allow messages to be posted more than once. I've deleted the earlier version of this message.

I think you'll find that your message would get more response if you were to use paragraphs and an empty line between paragraphs. It's hard to read as it is now. You can click on "edit" to add these paragraphs and spaces.

-------------

Hola, Brandi:

He movido tu nuevo mensaje a tu tema original. Se ruega mantener todos los mensajes en un tema sólo para que podemos seguir fácilmente lo que ha sucedido.

También, se ruega no publicar otra vez mensajes antiguos. No se permiten mensajes que se presenten más de una vez. He borrado la versión anterior de este mensaje.

Creo que recibirás más respuestas si utilizas párrafos y una línea en blanco entre los párrafos. Es difícil de leer como está ahora. Puedes hacer clic en "editar" para agregar estos párrafos y espacios.

Hello Bradi,
nice you to join the forum. Welcome.
Have you some information about the village where your relatives were born?
Around Aviles there are so many places that without a minimum data it is difficult to help you.
Please, check in your files for any name or even nickname of the family here, it is helpful.
Marta.

I honestly don't my trail pretty much stops with my great grandfather Luis Suarez Gutierrez and Grandmother Primitiva Suarez Lopez. I know that she lived in Magdalena and she had brothers but I do not know their names. I have no other info on my grandfather. unsure if he had any siblings or what his parents names were. All I know is Aviles, Austuria and Gijon were mentioned. I really wish I had more info.

Ron may know something about your family. Ron?

It's interesting that you mention Magdalena. I'm pretty sure that Magdalena was a rather small neighborhood in those days.

Were your grandparents married in Asturias? If so, it would have been in the church associated with Magdalena, and it would be a good idea to search for a marriage certificate there. That would give you names and birthplaces of their parents and grandparents.

--------------------------------

Quizás Ron sepa algo sobre tu familia. ¿Ron?

Es interesante que mencionas La Magdalena. Estoy bastante seguro de que La Magdalena era un barrio más bien pequeño en aquella época.

¿Se casaron tus abuelos en Asturias? Si es así, habría estado en la iglesia asociada con La Magdalena, y sería una buena idea buscar allí para un certificado de matrimonio. Te daría los nombres y pueblos de nacimiento de sus padres y abuelos.

Thank You!! Yes they were married, I would assume in Austuria. I have a document from an attorney Biagio Merendino in Clarksburg WVA which is an affadavit June 25, 1920 which states my grandfather haved enough money to send for Primitiva and that she is a resident of Magdalena, Oviedo in the county of Spain. I have another document which is in spanish which I cannot read that I think may be her Visa. the document says El Gobernador civil de la provinicia de Oviedo. I believe her birthday may be October 11, 1897 per this form. Again, I cannot read spanish so I am unsure. I also have a letter sent to my grandmother in 1931 coming it looks like a Juan Suarez and at the top of the letter is says Aviles La Magdalena. Again I cannot read the letter.

I have not idea how to go about contacting the church in Magdalena, I am not familiar with Spain at all and also I do not speak spanish. Is there someone I could contact that speaks English? I appreciate any help! Thank you so much!!

Ron has written to me that he didn't know your family.

Can you scan that document and post the image in a message in this thread?

If that's your grandmother's birth year, her birth certificate should be recorded in the Registro Civil. But let's see the document first.

Please note that the name of the place your grandparents were from is "Asturias". Many people give it an Italian sounding name. In fact, reporters in West Virginia have written that Asturias is a town in Italy!

Brandi wrote:Magdalena, Oviedo in the county of Spain

That's probably a mistranslation. The "county" would probably be Avilés (which is also a city). The province or region would have been called "Oviedo" then, but it's called "Asturias" today. You'll want to read more about the meaning of "Oviedo" here:
http://www.asturianus.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2224

-------------------------------

Ron me ha escrito para decir que no conoce a tu familia. Qué pena.

¿Puedes escanear el documento y pegar la imagen en un mensaje en este tema?

En caso de que tu abuela nació en este año, su certificado de nacimiento debe ser registrado en el Registro Civil. Pero permitanos ver el documento en primer lugar.

Ten en cuenta que el nombre del lugar de que tus abuelos eran originarios es "Asturias". Muchas personas lo dan un nombre que suena de italiano. De hecho, habían periodistas en Virginia Occidental quienes escribieron que Asturias es una ciudad en Italia!

Brandi wrote:Magdalena, Oviedo, en el condado de España

Eso es probablemente un error de traducción. El "concejo o condado" probablemente sería Avilés (lo que también es una ciudad). La provincia o región que se llamaba "Oviedo" en aquella época ahora se llama "Asturias". Querrás leer más sobre el significado de "Oviedo" aquí:
http://www.asturianus.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2224

If you look Magdalena Asturias up on the internet it tells you that it is a "village" - owned by the Municipality of Villaviciosa, Asturias Province and Autonomous Community: Principality of Asturias Spain. It appears to have a current population of 6 or 7.

Here is the link.

http://www.vivirasturias.com/asturias/v ... gdalena/es

Wow, not very man people at all. Is there a way I can find out the names of the family living there?

Please show us the document, Brandi. If your grandmother was from in or around Avilés, that wouldn't be the village near Villaviciosa. There is a neighborhood now in Avilés with the same name. These place names probably come from a local church named for Mary Magdalene. There are probably many of them.

Thank you for all your help I will scan the documents tonight and post. I also have a letter is it possible you could translate? I would greatly appreciate it!!

Yes, if you scan it, someone will try to translate it for you.