Originally this post was going to be a “how-to” guide on navigating the ANOM website. But after seeing that Google Translate works directly on the website, I figured it was better to demonstrate how one could go from having an ancestor in Puerto Rico to finding out more information about them in the French Caribbean.
I was fortunate to have some help and guidance when I first learned about my French Caribbean ancestors from Guadeloupe and Martinique and so I figured I would pay it forward with some examples on how you can use various tools and documents to find out more about your martiniquais ancestors.
Success will vary! It depends on what documents are available, the use of names (some get warped when they are in Puerto Rico like my ancestor’s did Lautin > Lotin), and things like if the ancestor was born free or enslaved (prior or after 1848). However, persistence is key! I did not think at first that I would be able to find my ancestors but luckily after various searches I was able to do it! My Guadeloupean ancestor took a bit longer but that brick wall also fell down!
So without further ado, let’s take a look at the ANOM (Archives Nationales d’Outre Mer) website!
Eugenio Voustad Prudent:
A Case Study
I chose to focus on Eugenio Voustad Prudent, an immigrant from Martinique to Puerto Rico because there were various documents available for him that allowed me to have a successful outcome. This way I can showcase the various ways one can go about finding more information. Again, this will depend for your ancestor and when they arrived to Puerto Rico. My ancestors, for example, do not appear on manifest or naturalization records which made the search a bit tougher but not impossible. Luckily, the French have fairly good record keeping (except, of course, when it comes to slavery and hiding many aspects of that part of life), but luckily a lot can be learned if your ancestors came from Martinique or Guadeloupe (amongst other islands in the Caribbean).
From the Beginning...
Or rather from the end!
I actually want to start my research point from the end of Eugenio’s life. Let’s say Eugenio was our great-grandfather. We had heard stories about him growing up, our own grandparents met him, but he died way too early for us to meet him. So one day you get curious, jump on Ancestry or FamilySearch to see if you can find his death record. And voilà! You do find it… and this begins your search!
In Eugenio’s death record we find that he died in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico on 7 December 1941. He was married to Cándida Casiano, and 76 years old – meaning he would have been born about 1865. He is listed as being a native of Martinique; however, none of his parents are listed. Though we do have both of his surnames – Voustad and Prudent… they do not seem like very common French-sounding surnames which is good! The informant is Nelson Rodríguez and we can not discern from this record what relationship he had with Eugenio and thus we have to take the information with a grain of salt. Only further research can confirm the information provided by Nelson. Lastly, we learn that Eugenio was a zapatero, a shoe maker.
With this information, we are able to find Eugenio’s niche/tomb which is located in the Old Cemetery of Mayagüez. The photo is thanks to FindaGrave – a website that focuses on digitizing and preserving tombs from different cemeteries.
Where to next?
Finding Eugenio’s death record has piqued your interest! You’ve always heard that he was from Martinique but no one in the family knew which exactly was Eugenio’s hometown. It has been so many years since he was alive…
So you decide to try and find more information on him. You turn to the U.S. Census records and the Civil Registry of Puerto Rico to learn more about Eugenio Voustad Prudent and his wife Cándida Casiano. A look into the 1910 U.S. Census record show them living in Mayagüez – so you turn to that document.
The 1910 Census provides you a bit more information about Eugenio and his family. You learn that Eugenio and Cándida lived in Cárcel, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico in 1910 along with their daughter Eugenia Voustad Casiano (born about 1898), they also lived with Eugenio’s sister named Eugenia Voustad Prudent and María Orsini Voustad, a niece and the likely daughter of his sister Eugenia. Eugenio and Eugenia were said to have been born in Martinique and the rest of the household was born in Puerto Rico. Eugenio was 46 years old, on his second marriage already for 10 years with Cándida (meaning they would have married about 1900, after their daughter’s birth). It also states that Cándida Casiano Rivera had two children but only one of them was alive at the time of the census. Eugenio was still a shoemaker and marked as “D” (dueño) meaning he owned his own business/practice. He apparently immigrated in 1890 to Puerto Rico, was able to read and write, and was not a U.S. citizen when this census was taken. Eugenio was listed as speaking English… but could it have been that he spoke French and the census taker did not know the difference? Similarly, the entire household was listed as “mu” meaning mulatto and that they were all mixed race.
One thing to notice is that Eugenio’s surname so far has not suffered any changes over a period of some 30 odd years. This is important to note because it is very possible that Voustad was the original spelling when he came over from Martinique. Since he was able to read and write it is very possible that he was instrumental in preserving the spelling of his surname.
So… you search for other census records; however, you find none/learn nothing else from them. Since you know that Eugenio and Cándida had a daughter named Eugenia born about 1898 you decide to look for her birth record in hopes that it provides the names of her grandparents.
Puerto Rican Civil Registry
Eugenia Voustad Casiano is a name you are more familiar with since you heard it all of your life growing up and your mother even got a chance to meet her… though she was young and doesn’t remember much. So you are hoping that her birth record will tell you more. Lo and behold, you find her birth in 1898 just like the 1910 Census stated! From the record, you learn more about Eugenia, her father Eugenio, and his parents!
Eugenia Ruperta Voustad Casiano was born on 27 March 1898 and registered on 12 April 1898. Her father Eugenio Voustad Prudent, a native of Martinique, shoemaker, and resident of Cárcel, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico came forth to recognize her, despite him not being married to Cándida.
Eugenio’s parents were Andrés Voustad deceased, and Luisa Prudant, said to be living in Mayagüez. Cándida’s parents were José Encarnación Casiano and Isidra Rivera, natives of Maricao.
You also notice that on Eugenia’s birth record there is a marginal note that mentions her birth being legitimized by her parents’ marriage which occurred in Mayagüez the 18 September 1899 (Book 5, Folio 358).
Along the way you also find Eugenia’s sister’s birth, the one mentioned in the 1910 U.S. Census only as a number – here she becomes Dolores, who was born on 18 September 1895 but died shortly after on 19 April 1897 from viruela, smallpox. You tuck away the information, say a little prayer for Dolores, and continue with your research. Sometimes genealogy can be difficult.
A Marriage
The next record you find is Eugenio’s and Cándida’s marriage in Mayagüez. Eugenia’s birth was spot on and you were able to find the marriage record fairly quickly, despite seeing Eugenio’s surname misspelled as “Voustal”.
Nonetheless, you are able to confirm this is Eugenio. The information is the same, he was a native of Martinique, the son of Andrés Voustad and Luisa Prudent.
So far you know that Eugenio Voustad Prudent was born about 1865 (as late as 1870) in Martinique (no town discovered yet!) and the son of Andrés Voustad and Luisa Prudent.
So you type Eugenio Voustad back into Ancestry to see if you can find more information to nail down which town he was from. Bingo! You find a passenger manifest with Eugenio and his wife Cándida.
All aboard!
You had always heard that Eugenio had gone back to Martinique a few times in his life and so wondered if there was a passenger manifest that might list him and provide more information about his town of origin. You find that in 1931, Eugenio traveled to Martinique via the capital Fort-de-France with his wife Cándida (here listed as Candide). Since the manifest was from Fort-de-France back to Puerto Rico in 1931, you don’t blink twice at the French spelling of their names.
The manifest teaches you a few new things about Eugenio (or should we say “Eugene”?). He had naturalized on 28 February 1928 and he provided his naturalization certificate when he traveled (nº 2524387). And finally you have a town of origin! François, Martinique and a birthdate July 1865! You look up “François, Martinique” and find that the town is named Le François, located on the eastern shores of Martinique.
You are excited about researching in Martinique (I guess you’ll have to brush up on your French!), but first you want to round out the research in Puerto Rico – especially since you noticed that Eugenio became a naturalized U.S. citizen. So you search for his naturalization and you are surprised to find it… and why does it list Brooklyn, New York??
From the petition for naturalization you learn that Eugenio Voustad likely lived (albeit shortly?) in Brooklyn, New York at 162 Willoughby Street. The rest of the information seems to match up with what you know abut Eugenio in Puerto Rico; he was from François, Martinique, a shoemaker, born in 1865, married to Candida, and had a daughter named Eugenia (here listed as Eugene) and here listed as born on 1 October 1901. Weirdly enough Cándida is listed as being born in “Russia” which we know is highly not true given all the other records we have and her surnames “Casiano Rivera” – not very Russian ones!
His petition states the he entered on the S.S. Zulia on 27 July 1917. Even though you located the file, the link is heavily marked and thus making it hard to read or find Eugenio’s information on that manifest.
One finally clue that this is the same man is the signature – the way Eugenio began his “E” in his name, the “V” of his surname, and the tail of the final “d” are clues that this was the same person signing his name throughout his life.
Now you’re ready to jump into the ANOM records. Êtes-vous prêts? Allons-y!
Le François, Martinique
You know that Eugenio was born in Le François, likely with the French version of his name, Eugène around 1865. So you decide to check out the ten-year index from 1865-1875 to see if you could find Eugène Voustad.
You don’t find a Eugène Voustad being born but you find the index entry for a André Garçon Voustad who died in 1868. Could this be Eugène’s father? You make note of it and continue your search.
Having found no mention between 1865-1873, you decide to jump backwards 10 years to see if Eugène was born between 1855-1865… who wouldn’t want to be a few years younger?
In 1863 you find an entry for a lengthly named Voustad being born under “Eugène Joseph Hyppolyte Ludger” – the first name is Eugène so this could very well be your ancestor! You take note and go to the year 1862 to find his birth.
You also find:
1859 – Raymond Voustad, page 40 (birth)
Given the few “V” surnamed people, and your excitement, you jump back another 10 years to see if you can find any other Voustad and you do!
1853 – Marie Colette Voustad, page 30 (birth, death)
1852 – André Garçon Voustad and Marie Luce Prudant, page 66 (marriage)
You do a little happy dance because it seems you found Eugenio Voustad’s birth and his parents’, Andrés Voustad and Luisa Prudent, marriage!
Eugène Joseph
Hippolyte Ludger Voustad
You’re fairly sure you hit the jackpot! The information overlaps very well with what you know about Eugenio in Puerto Rico.
Eugène Joseph Hippolyte Ludger Voustad, born on 24 June 1862 was registered on 21 July 1862. He was the son of André Garçon Voustad, 43 years old, and Marie Luce Prudent, 32 years old.
Though his age is a bit off, his name, his parents’ names, and his place of origin are all spot on! You continue research on the Voustad in Martinique! The 1868 record you discovered earlier is actually the record of a stillborn, child of André Garçon Voustad, 49 years old, a mason, and Marie Luce Jean-Pierre, 39 years old.
Though Luisa’s (Luce in French) surname is “wrong”, researching enslaved French ancestors has taught you that sometimes the surnames were changed around depending on the freedom and liberation of said ancestors. Therefore, Jean-Pierre could have been her father’s name and the “surname” they carried until they were given Prudent.
André Garçon Voustad &
Marie Luce Prudant
A marriage for André Garçon Voustad and Marie Luce Prudant shows that they were married on 8 June 1852 in Le François, Martinique.
André Garçon Voustad, aged 33 (born about 1819), proprietor, born in Le Vauclin, living in Le François was the son of Thérèse (deceased).
Marie Luce Prudant, aged 22 years old (born about 1830), without profession, born and residing in Le François, daughter of Jean Pierre Prudant, deceased, and Colette Sylvestre, living in this community.
This marriage confirms that Marie Luce’s father was named Jean Pierre! This is the reason she appears with this as a surname in other records.
You continue researching the Voustad family and related branches and build out a family tree. WOW! Who would have taught it possible to research the family into mid-late 1800s? Suddenly, you want to encourage your friends to learn more about their genealogy!
Conclusions
You did it! After a lot of hard work you were able to find the origins of your Voustad family in Martinique. Was it easy? Hmm… not necessarily, but totally worth it!
Your research even showed that the Prudent branch likely had a mix of slaves and free people of color (who received their freedom prior to the 1848 decree of liberation for French slaves). Elise, the mother of Jean Pierre was likely the first slave of this branch in Martinique given her identification of négresse (a term used for a person who was black but not mixed). On the other hand Sylvestre and Colette seemed to be a mix of classifications themselves with Sylvestre classified as homme de couleur (man of color) and Colette as mulâtresse (mulatto), likely one parent was black and the other white.
You foresee some genetic DNA testing in your future. 😉