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| Parcial view of Chinchón, España [Wikipedia] |
Alonso Maldonado is another ancestor with connections to Spain, he himself was born around 1502 in the town of Chinchón in what was the kingdom of Toledo, Spain. This town, just like Pastrana, is not too far away from Madrid. I love looking up these towns and reading up on all the information I can on them. Since I’ve researched and read about many of the towns from my family in Puerto Rico and Martinique, every time I find a new town for an ancestor I look up images, maps, and any other information I can get my hands on.
Chinchón’s population, like Pastrana’s, is also pretty tiny, in 2008 it hovered a little over 5,000 people. It’s interesting to note that the town’s church, Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, started construction in 1534 and was later finished in 1626. This means that my ancestors would have been in the town when the church’s construction was underway but never saw its completion since my 11th great grandfather, Pedro Maldonado, left Spain for Puerto Rico in 1549. Alonso Maldonado, Pedro’s father, on the other hand might have seen more of the church’s construction. I’m not sure if Alonso stayed in Spain or moved to Puerto Rico as well but since he was born about 1502 he would have been in his mid-30s when construction began. I’m also not sure of his death, but I imagine he died by the late 1580s, any longer than that would be past the typical life expectancy and sooner than 1580 is possible as well.
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| View of Chinchón, España [Wikipedia] |
Since Chinchón is a small town, there isn’t too much going on or to see except the few historical monuments here and there. One of the interesting spots is the Castillo de Chinchón, also known as the Castillo de los Condes. I would love to visit this castle, since an event occurred here in 1520, which means my ancestors where still around. I’m not sure how easily or not it is to get to the town of Chichón and its castle, but I would love to attempt to go.
Alonso Maldonado was married to Elena de Torres, also a native of Chinchón. Both surnames, Maldonado and Torres, seem to be found in higher frequency in the south of Spain. I’m not sure of Elena’s death date as well. There are many different trees online that include Alonso and Elena and since I’m not sure of who their parents are I’ll hold off from believing or adding any of the information I see.
Excited to learn more about the town my ancestors lived in and hopefully see and walk the same streets they did!