FAMILY DATA AND STORIES

a.THE FAMILY STRUCTURE (BEFORE THE COMING TO BRAZIL)

Coming to Brazil there were two Kendrick family groups, headed by two brothers, Joseph and Richard (my great great grand father).

They were sons of the stonemason and bricklayer, Richard Kendrick (born at Birtsmorton in 1809 and dead at Castlemorton in 1869) and his wife, Elizabeth Smith (born at Dymock, Gloucestershire in 1813). Richard (grandfather), by his turn, was the son of Thomas Kendrick, born 1770, at Bosbury.

Richard (grandfather) and Elizabeth were married on December, 13th, 1833 and had eleven children, nine women and the two men (the ones who left to Brazil). The children were:

1. Martha Kendrick - born 1833 (Wellington, Shropshire, England); She was a gloveress. Martha got married to Christopher Morgan and they had eight children, between them, Thomas Morgan. Thomas Morgan got married to Alice Mary Peverill and they had nine children, between them, Martin Peverill Morgan. Martin got married to Clara May Brenan and they had two children, between them, Judith Alice Elizabeth Morgan. Judith got married to Ian Dudley Steele, and they got Rebecca Steele. This girl is now in touch with me and she kindly sent me Martha's tree. I will talk about her complete descendency later on.

2. Mary Ann Kendrick - born September 2nd, 1834 (Ledbury, Herefordshire, England); She was a gloveress. She got married to Thomas Williams, an agricultural labourer who was born in 1834, also. They had nine children: 1. Albert (born 1856); 2. Elizabeth (born 1858); 3. Charles (born 1860); 4. Alfred (born 1864): 5. John (born 1865); 6. Esther (born 1867); 7. Adelaide (born 1869); 8. Eliza (born 1870); and 9. Alice (born 1874).

3. Joseph Kendrick - born Dec 19th, 1836 (Ledbury, Herefordshire, England). He died in Castlemorten, Worcestershire, England in 1911; I will talk about his descendency later on...
4. Richard Kendrick - born Jan 15th, 1839 (Birtsmorton, Worcestershire, England). He died of a fever in Rio das Pedras, Guarapuava, Paraná, Brazil

, on December the 3th, 1916, and is buried at “Cemitério de Bananas”; I will talk about this descendency later on...

5. Elizabeth Kendrick - born Apr 25th, 1841 (Birtsmorton, Worcestershire, England);

6. Caroline Kendrick - born 7th, 1843 (Birtsmorton, Worcestershire, England);

7. Elizabeth Ann Kendrick – born Oct 22nd, 1845 (Birtsmorton (Upton Upon Severn?), Worcestershire, England);

8. Selina Kendrick – born March 6th, 1848 (Birtsmorton (Upon Severn?), Worcestershire, England); She was a gloveress. She got married to Thomas Smith (born Birtsmorton) and, at the census of 1871, they had two children: Elizabeth (3 years old) and Selina (1 year old) (both born at Birtsmorton). At the census of 1881, they had only other two children: Alice (11 years old) and Albert (8 years old). She was born in Birtsmorton and he was born in the United States of America. This proves that Selina and her family had been to the United States and got back to England later.

9. Esther Kendrick – born Apr 22nd, 1850 (Birtsmorton (Upton Upon Severn?), Worcestershire, England); She got married to William Patrick, an agricultural labourer who was born in 1847 and the couple had one child: Bethia E. Patrick, born 1871.

10. Louisa Kendrick – born Sep 24th, 1852 (Birtsmorton (Upton Upon Severn?), Worcestershire, England) and

11. Adelaide Kendrick – born March 19th, 1855 (Birtsmorton (Ledbury?), Worcestershire, England). She got married to Charles Price, a general Laborer (he was born 1859), on December 1876, and they had three children: 1. Leticia Ada (born 1881), 2. Theophitus (born 1885) and 3. Beatrice Alice (born 1888). At the census of 1891 they were living in Wales, with two of Mary Ann's children.
This is a photo out of St. Peter & St Paul's Church, Birtsmorton where some Kendricks were Baptised, Married and Buried:
Mary Ann Kendrick was Baptized here 2 September 1838;
Richard Kendrick (who died in Brazil) was Baptized here 15 January 1839;
Elizabeth Ann Kendrick was Baptized here 22 October 1845;
Selina Kendrick was Baptized here 6 March 1848;
Esther Kendrick was Baptized here 22 April 1850;
Louisa Kendrick was Baptized here 12 December 1852;
Louisa Kendrick was Buried here 11 September 1854;
Martha Kendrick & Christopher Morgan were married here on 4 November 1851;
Joseph Kendrick was living in Birtsmorton on 1881 census;
Adelaide Kendrick was living in Birtsmoron on 1881 census with her husband.This is a photo of St. Gregory's Church where some other Kendricks were Baptized, Married and Buried:
William (Martha's son) was Baptized here on 3 May 1857;
William (Martha's son) was Buried here on 21 February 1861;
Hannah (Martha's daughter) was Buried here on 11 March 1861;
Joseph Kendrick was living in the parish in 1861.

a.1. JOSEPH'S FAMILY
Joseph, who was a bricklayer, married Harriet Dowding, who was a leather glovemaker (the daughter of Charles Dowding and Eliza Summers) on December 31st, 1857 at Castle Morton, where she was born between July and September 1837 (though she wasn’t baptized till 1838). He was 21 years old and she was almost 19. (She died Mar 2nd, 1916 in Castlemorten, Worcestershire, England).

The couple had twelve children in all. Eight before they went to Brazil. Those eight were:

1) Joseph – their older child was born in Dec 5th, 1858. He died when he was less than one year old, on September 18th, 1859;

2) William – born 1860 (on his Christian birth certificate there is a mistake, he is said to be Richard and Julia’s son). He married Caroline Baldwin in April 21st, 1879, at Birtsmorton, Worcestershire, England;

3) Sydney – who was a general labor, was born 1863 at Castlemorten, Worcestershire, England. He got married to Agness Robinson on 1882 at Bromesberrow, Gloucester, England; They had thirteen children, between them, Harry. Harry got married to Bertha Goring and they had ten children. They moved to Burton Upon Trent. One of their children was Roy Dennis. Roy Dennis got married to Kate Elizabeth Underhill and they had a daughter called Sandra. Sandra got married to Colin Taylor and they had one only boy called Michael James Taylor. This guy has sent me a comment on the blog and we are, now in touch. He sent me Harry's tree, and will send me Sydney's, also. So, I will talk about this descendency later on...

4) Annie – born 1865 at Castlemorten, Worcestershire, England;

5) Albert – born 1868 at Castlemorten, Worcestershire, England. He married Ada James at Birtsmorton, Worcestershire, England on September 18th, and died in 1925 at Newent, Worcestershire, England. He had, at least one son, Walter Kendrick, born 1914 in England. This son married Patricia Hooper, born the same year and country. Denver, Walter’s son, lives, nowadays, in Worcester, England, with his family (his wife Ann and their children Stewart, Scott, Craig and Donna). Denver is very interested on Genealogy, also, and a rich source of information. The only link we had with our ancestors in England, before the blog.

6) Elizabeth/Elsey/Eliza/Lizzie – born june 7th 1868 at Castlemorton, Worcestershire, England. She married James Tyler;

7) Alice – born Mar 11th, 1870 at Castlemorton, Worcestershire, England and

8) Silas – born Jul 20th, 1871 at Castlemorton, Worcestershire, England.

a.2. RICHARD'S FAMILY

Richard, who was a brick mason, like his father, married Julia Ann Lawrence on December 23rd, 1861, at Ledbury, where they were living at the time. He was almost 23 and she was 19 years old (though on their marriage certificate it is written she was 21).

Julia was born in Birtsmorton, like her husband, on July 28th, 1842, daughter of James Lawrence (also mason) and Esther Berrow (at the site “familysearch.com” we will find an “Ann Cotton” married to a James Lawrence, but this woman has nothing to do with the family). James Lawrence died early in 1854, when Julia was only 12 years old. Esther married for the second time to Ambrose Croft, and this man helped her raise her children.

Julia worked as a leather glove maker, as did her sisters in law, Martha, Mary Ann and Selina, the wife of his brother in law, Harriet and many other women in the family (later on, Lillie, Harriet's daughter worked as a gloveress, also). Worcester was a leather glove making center, exporting to the whole Europe, what happened till gloves in France begin to get famous because of its finesse, breaking the business in Worcester. Julia was a dressmaker, also.

The couple had six children:

1) George – born at Castlemorton, Oct 9th, 1862 (my great grand father). He died Dec 12nd, 1902 in Almirante Tamandaré, Paraná Brazil, and is buried at Cemitério da Tranqueira;

2) Richard – born at Castlemorton, Dec 20th, 1863. He died of a flue at Rio das Pedras, Guarapuava, Paraná, Brazil, on October 22nd, 1931, and is buried at Cemitério de Bananas;

3) Arthur – born May 11th, 1865;

4) Alice Maud Mary– born June 20th, 1867 (Gwen, her grand daughter lives in Sandy, Utah, U.S. She is the contact and source of information in that country);

5) Elizabeth – born April 5th, 1869. She married Leonard Brick (the son of George Brick and Esther Taylor) and

6) Eleanor – born November 11th, 1872 (1870, at the picture we have out of her).

Alice, in the picture with one of her children, we suppose, was almost seven years old when her father left with her two brothers to Brazil… And she lived till when she was 83 (she died November 19th, 1950). She had, than, good memories of what has happened to her family when she was a little girl and, as she has had a long relationship with her grand daughter Gwen, having told her many of the stories we now know).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This picture, out of Eleanor, was sent by Gwen. It was between Gwen's grandmother (Alice) stuff. We don't have it's date, so, it is not possible to know if it was taken before Alice left England or after that.

This picture out of Elizabeth was sent by Gwen, also. It was between her grandma's stuff. It makes us suppose that Alice and Elizabeth kept in touch even after they moved from England (Alice to the States and Elizabeth to Canada), as Leonard Brick, her husband, seems to be an old man, already.

Joseph and Richard (father) used to live in Worcestershire, in the West Midlands of England, with their families, when they left to Brazil. Many of the cities mentioned on this report concerning the Kendrick's in England are in Worcestershire (Birtsmorton, Castlemorten (where the place called Coombe Green is located) and Upton Upon Severn, for instance.

This photo is out of Coombe Green area (Castlemorton, Worcestershire), where the Kendricks lived:

Richard Kendrick (grand father) was living here with the family on 1841 & 1851 census; Joseph Kendrick was living here with his family on 1871 & 1891 census;
Selina Kendrick was living here on 1871 census with her husband and family.

 

b.WHY LEAVING ENGLAND?

It was the “post” Industrial Revolution Era…

In England, as it has happened to many European Countries, the economical situation for labourers was terrible.

The Agricultural labourers, were being expelled from the inlands and going to the big cities, trying to find a way to survive. With the Industrial development, Agriculture was getting poorer and poorer, since the lands were being occupied on raising animals (especially sheeps) to sustaind the tissue industry.

 

At the big cities, there was a huge amount of people unemployee or subemployee by the industries... They lived in a miserable way, barely having what to eat, under the poorest conditions of habitation, submitted to terrible diseases...

 

For workers, in general, living was a nightmare.

This period of the European History reveals the consequences of the "Industrial Revolution". Many books deal with this matter: "The Capital" (Karl Marx), "Germinal" (Emile Zola), "Les Misérables" (Victor Hugo) and many others.

Poverty was unbelievable... A deep example of the "wild capitalism".

English Midlands, from where the Kendrick's came, was a very important industrial region (maybe we could say this was where the Industrial Revolution was born). It is called, till nowadays, the “Black Country”, because of the coal existing on the region and because of the chemenies with their dark smoke, always working (for the Ceramics Industry, especially).

"The Poor Law", which existed in England since XVIth till XXth Century, created "work houses", where the people not able to sustain themselves lived and worked. Those "work houses" were terrible, considered by those obliged to live in one as prisons: the family members lived separated from each other (men from women); visits between them were rare and under the observation of tutors; there was no individuality (they used uniforms and looked all the same); everything was controlled by the managers; the "work houses" were surrounded by high walls; the meals were weak and silent; smoking was forbidden.

 

At a "work house" people were treated like cattle. The intention of the Government was to make living in a "work house" so terrible that one would try desperately to be able to sustain himself and his family and get out of it. What, most of the times, was something unreachable.

At the middle of the nineteenth century to its end, many "Work houses were built because the needs were getting too high.

At the time we may talk about a British “Diaspora”. Many British families were leaving the country and going to live in Brazil, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, India and other countries, with promises of a better life.

c. WHY COMING TO BRAZIL?France (what happens till nowadays). Portugal has always been a good choicBesides, at the beggining of the XIX century, Napoleon was domin
In Brazil, at the time (the middle of the XIXth Century), there was a big campaign to colonize the South of the Country. The Government would prefer people of Northern Europe, considering that these people would bring new technologies and development (much more than the people from Southern Europe). Besides, there was the intention of whitening the South.

 

Agents of Colonization were employed in England to find out people to come over. They get money for each person who would come. For that, they would say many lies about what immigrants were gonna find in Brazil.

 

The Province of Paraná had just been emancipated from São Paulo (December 19th, 1853). To understand the extention of the question, the President of the Province on his first Speech said there was one big problem to be solved in Paraná: the colonization of the land.

 

The government, then, would promise tickets to come over, land, support (till the first production of the land), and even money to those who would leave their home countries to come living in Paraná (of course, the immigrants were supposed to pay for all of this, later). Immigrants who came to Paraná and to other South Provinces (included Cananea, in São Paulo) were attrackted by those promises of tickets, land, support and money.

I want to mention another important English Colony, the first one, which, by the 1870's, had already failed: Príncipe Dom Pedro, close to Brusque, Santa Catarina.

To immigrants who went to other parts of our country the offer was of work (not of land or money or anything else). Immigrants went to other States to work and substitute the slavish labour (after the forbidness of the Slavish Traffic). It was very different from what has happenned in Paraná, where there was very little slavery and not that amount of big Agricultural propperties. In Paraná colonization was the huge demmand.

 

The colonization of that particular piece of land at the Northeast of Paraná Province, I suppose, has lots to do with its Emmancipation from São Paulo . To assure its limits, I guess. Assunguy was the first Colony established (1860) by the Emperor at the just emmancipated Province. Close to Assunguy, in Cananea, the Emperor established another Colony, created the same year and belonging to the Province of São Paulo. Cananeia, at first was supposed to belong to Paraná, but São Paulo took it back. I suppose the Emperor wanted to just settle things down.

I think we shall say these immigrants who came that time were colonizers, at its strict meaning... The government wanted people there to define territories. The advertisement was promising land and money for agriculture. But how come settling people in Assunguy, for instance, a terrible place for agriculture? A land full of hills and rocks… not proper for that goal? And yet… too far away from any big centre and with no routes to get there? This is the poorest region of the whole State… till nowadays!!!

 

Besides, the people who came here were poor people of the cities, in England, not Agriculturers. They were people not used to tough work at the fields... they did not know how to deal with the land. My great grandfather was a bricklayer, for instance... Nothing to do with Agriculture.

Bigg-Witther, an English history studier who has visited the region, at the time, says two thirds of the English immigrants were not Agriculturers.

 

Many English immigrants came over only because of the facilities Brazilian Government would offer: they would come with no money. They would have their tickets paid by the Government and they would get the land when arriving, money and support. They would pay for it later, with their work. Many immigrants never did it (I guess none did it). They would just disappear before being obliged to pay for the lent.

All of these facilities offered by Brazilian Government, instead of helping, attrackted not interesting or not interested people. These facilities attrackted, basically, too poor people. People which the Crown needed to get rid of.

Besides, there was the strength of the Crown. English Government would oblige Brazilian Government to pay for their going back tickets (or tickets to other Countries) when immigrants were not satified.

Immigrants who went to other Provinces of the Nation (especially immigrants who came at the end of the XIXth Century and begining of the XXth Century) were immigrants to substitute the Slavish work after the “Áurea Law” (in 1888). I think there was a very different goal for this Immigration flush. When we talk about Immigration in Brazil… we remember this immigration - immigration to substitute the slavish work. Maybe, before that period we would better think about immigration for “colonization".

 

But the Brazilian Colonization squemes were not well controlled. At Assunguy (which was a Governamental Colony), the immigrants would not get enough for survival after their arrival, as promissed.

 

On the report of the English Consul, sent to Assunguy to verifie, under the Crown's order, why the English immigrants were so unsatisfied, and willing so hard to go back to England, we can see people dieying of starvation, almost nude after having exchanged their clothes for food, working and not being payed for their work, and, especially, we verifie a big lack of means to do their work: no routes, no schools, no churches, no medical care, no demarcation of their lands, no seeds, no machines, no tools... Many immigrants died. The great majority went back to England or went living in other places like the United States, Australia, Canadá, or, yet, other places...

 

The goal of Brazilian Government was Colonization. The goal of the immigrants was getting rid of the poverty at their home countries. Agriculture was just an excuse (or a mean) to get there for both sides. Both sides cheated and were cheated. The immigrants who did not get here what was promised to them by Brazilian Authorities and Brazilian Government who thought was bringing Agricultures, new technologies and development to the Country and got only poor, starving, uneducated, not used to fields work, people of the cities. Both sides cheated and were cheated. In fact, I think both sides were too naïve. Both sides lost.

 

I suppose, because of this lack of objectiviness, the English Immigration to Brazil was a great failure.

 

d. FROM ENGLAND TO BRAZIL

"Brazil is not usually associated with British agricultural immigrants, but in the late 1860s and early 1870s (especially between 1686 and 1873) great efforts were made to estimulate interest in the country. An idealized image of Brazil was created to help persuade dissatisfied Irish and English to pack up and join settlement schemes in a country of which they had previously known nothing.

Agents representing Brazil focused their attentions on the most impoverished members of society in places where discontent ran high. The industrial English Midlands were particular targets of agents, as were English farm laborers and poor town folk in central and south westerns counties, especially Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Dorset and Gloucestershire.

e. THE KENDRICK'S LEAVING ENGLAND AND COMING TO BRAZIL

The two brothers, Joseph and Richard, probably heard about Brazil. Probably their economical situation was not good.

Gwen says that Richard came to Brazil looking for gold. When she first said that, it seemed so weird to me: How was it possible coming to Brazil, especially to Paraná (not Minas Gerais, or any other more likely State) in the middle of the XIXth Century, (not at the XVIIth or XVIIIth Centuries, when, again, it would be more likely), looking for gold? This doesn't seem suitable in our history.

But, I now realize... it can be true.

The magazine "Monumenta" reproduces a note by the Brazilian Consul at Liverpool where it describes the Colonies in Brazil the English people would come to and, at Assunguy we see that it is written that here they would find gold, diamonds and plumb mines.

Yes... Probably Richard came over looking for gold.

I remember my grandpa telling he had knowlegments on mineralogy. Reading the text I wrote about 30 ago, when my grandpa was still alive, I mention Richard made prospections looking for diamonds and gold at the region of Palmeira. Yes... he was looking for precious stones. Yet, when he bought that property at Guarapuava, later on, it was in a place called Rio das Pedras" (River of the Stones). Wouldn't he be looking for precious stones or gold?

Joseph and his entire family (his pregnant wife and the seven of their alive children) and Richard and his two oldest sons (George and Richard), left England in 1873, arriving in Rio de Janeiro, before moving to Paraná.










They came in the ship called Chimborazo (this ship belonged to the “Pacific Steam Navigation Co.” of Liverpool and was built in 1871). It was not a passenger ship. It was a cargo ship and we can imagine how they must have suffered. There are stories about children getting drowned and dying while getting off the ship in Paranaguá. There was no structure to receive them.

There are reports at Mr. Oliver Marshall's book which tell us how was the trip to Brazil of other British families, at the same year Joseph and Richard arrived... Probably they did the same way.

The trip would take about six weeks to get to Rio Janeiro. In Rio, the immigrants stayed at the "Casa de Saúde", where they would wait (sometimes for a month) for the steamer that was gonna take them to Paraná. This "Casa de Saúde", was located on a hill close to downtown, Rio, facing the Baía da Guanabara. I think this place can be upon the Santa Tereza hill.

During a certain period, due, in part, to the yellow fever in Rio, they would stay at Barra do Piraí, close to Rio, not at "Casa de Saúde".

At Rio, as at Barra do Piraí, the lodgements were good and the meal were suitable.

At Paranaguá, some group of immigrants were detained at Ilha das Cobras (where today is the Governor of the State summer house), as a quarantine stay (yet because of the fever at Rio, the Government would say... But some goups stayed there even if they did not passed trough Rio, and had stayed at Barra do Piraí. I guess the Government would just not have places where to allocate them). At Ilha das Cobras there were no buildings... just tents, and they would stay there from 10 days to more than a month. At Ilha das Cobras it would get hot (too hot) and rainny (too rainny). The conditions were terrible.

After that, they would be taken by boat to Antonina and then to Curitiba.

As their place at Assunguy was not ready, yet, for the party, they were obliged to stay at Bariguy Lodge, the provincial government's main immigrants' reception centre, located five kilometers North of Curitiba (I suppose this place is where Bariguy River crosses the ancient road to Assunguy, at the neiborwood called, nowadays, Abranches).

The conditions of this lodge, in fact a collection of wooden barracks, ten to twenty meters long and five meters wide, with eight or more families squeezed into some, were difficult in the extreme. Deaths were commonplace, infections spread rapidly. The days at Bariguy would turn into weeks or months.

As the allotments at Assunguy were getting ready, the families were sent to the Colony. Men would walk the hundred kilometers and women and children would be carried on mule back.

The fact is that, while waiting at Bariguy, the immigrants would hear many bad news about the condition at Assunguy Colony.

On July, 1873 the Curitiba newspaper o "Dezenove de Dezembro" reported that at least thirty English residents of the lodge marched to the Presidential Palace, in Curitiba, to protest against the order that they leave immediately for Assunguy. They would say that, after so many months waiting for their settlement, the contract was supposed to be broken and they would like to go to a better place, not to Assunguy, a place with a better climate where they would be able to cultivate the kind of produce they were familiar with in England. Due to official orders, though, most immigrants left Bariguy going to Assunguy. Some of them did leave Bariguy, not going to Assunguy and some of those who went to Assunguy, quit it not long after (as it has happened to Richard).

f. JULIA STAYS IN ENGLAND

Julia stayed in England with four of their youngest children. She stood in a terrible financial situation, not being able, either, to raise her children. Elizabeth went living with Julia’s mother and Alice with Julia’s sister, Alice Lawrence Newman. They stayed with their relatives till they got married.

Julia went living in a Union Work House, with two of her children, Arthur, the oldest, and Eleanor, the youngest. (she is living there on the sensus of 1881). After a long while, she went living with her mother, Esther Croft. She was living with her mother on the sensus of 1891). At the time she is a charwoman, and her mother is a retired laundress. She is said to be widowed, like her mother. But she, in fact, was not.This is a picture of Upton Upon Severn's Work House, where Julia went living with two of her children.

It is hard to understand what happened with Richard and Julia’s family. What was the intention of splitting the family like that? Did Richard have the intention to come back and never did? Did he have the intention to bring Julia and his four children left in England to Brazil and never did it, either? Did they just have the intention to separate from each other? It’s just too hard to understand.

Women using uniforms and having a meal at a Worcestershire Workhouse.

What I found out, is that it was usual for the men to come alone, leaving their families in Europe. They would come to see if they would succeed and after that, they would bring their families. There are official brazilian reports demanding that single men would not be allow in the Country anymore. Life in the Colonies was too difficult to live alone and the single men were creating problems.

g. JOSEPH GOES BACK TO ENGLAND WITH HIS FAMILY

Joseph and Harriet, who had brought seven of their children with them, had two of their children dead, very early after their arrival, the two youngest: Alice and Silas (one at Antonina and the other one at Bariguy).

There is a romance "Tess of the D'Ubbervilles" (Thomas Hardy) that tells the story of an English immigrant to Brazil who helps a mother with her dead child in her arms. "Tess", a Polanski's film, is based on this novel. On my researches, I have found other stories of children who have died while getting off the ship and yet, children who, without parents, who prabably have died, were raised by unkown people, children who were sold and girls prostituted.

In many reports telling stories about British colonization, it appears a story about a mother (with no names) having lost her children. That could have been Harriet.

The couple, Joseph and Harriet, decides to go back to England. But how? The family was helped by the British Consul (at Santos), leaving Paranaguá on the steamer “Camões” to Rio de Janeiro and then on “Hipparchus” to Liverpool in June, 1874. The name of the Brithish Consul who helped them was Charles Dundas. There are original correspondences of him on The National Archive in London, who testify this help.

A picture of the ship "Hipparchus"

When English people arrived in Brazil, there were no ship lists, as they usually came in cargo ships, or entrance documents. (I have been to Brazilian National Archive, in Rio, looking for this information. Found nothing. Before that, when I did not know where they had arrived, I have been to São Paulo, looking ship passengers lists of immigrants who arrived in Santos. Nothing, of course.).

It is much easier to find documents of English immigrants who left Brazil, than of the ones who stayed here.

It is important to notice that many, many English immigrants have left Brazil, after a while. Some of them, went back to England. Some went to other Colonies, since Brazilian English Colonization was considered a fraud.

Coming back to England, yet on the ship, off the Spanish Coast, Joseph and Harriet had a child:

9) Lillie Kendrick, born June 25th, l874. Lillie, who became a gloveress like her mother and aunts, married Thomas Tyler, a tracion engine driver. They had a child, James Tyler, born 1889.

Close to England, the ship entangled in a sand hill (according to Denver’s narration), and they had to wait the tide to go up to finish their trip. Lots of sufferance… Mill Pond, Castlemorton, Worcestershire - Joseph Kendrick was living here with his family on 1901 census.
h. AT ASSUNGUY

This picture is a painting of Assunguy by Caroline Tamplin, who was an English settler.

The colonizers had many difficulties at the settlement, especially with routes. There were no routes to bring to the Capital what they produced inland.

I remember my grandfather telling us that they brought turkeys from Assunguy to Curitiba (almost 100 km away from each other), walking and spreading corn in front of the animals to make them move.

The difficulties in the new country were numberless. The colonizers had no support from Brazilian Government. They were settled in a too distant place and they had to deal with many diseases… Life was rough. Many differences between Brazilian culture and their own were creating misunderstandings with the natives.

My grandfather used to tell us a story about the boys having been kidnapped. Studying, now, what the immigrants have passed through, we see that this was only one of the sufferances the immigrants were facing.
 

i. THE FAMILY SPLITS

When Joseph went back to England he said to his family that Richard and his sons had died. We never knew why Joseph did this.

Nobody, from our family in England or the U.S. ever knew, till a few years ago, that Richard had left descendents here in Brazil.

It was not till 2004 when a Gwen’s cousin heard about a Brazilian doctor named Kendrick who was giving conferences in the States, that they began to guess we did exist. To clear that up, Gwen got into a family search site asking for any Brazilian Kendrick descendents. Well… from now on, we know… Celia, Bertolina’s (George’s daughter) granddaughter and the daughter of Zahir, by hazard, got into that site and the family got finally and unbelievably together… again.

 

j. THE END OF JULIA AND RICHARD'S STORY

While living at Union Work House, Julia had a child, William, born more than a year after Richard had left England (march 8th, 1875). William got Richard’s last name and was raised as being his child, though he was not. How come, we don't know. What we know is that Julia's life was very hard.

The child's father is not even mentioned on his birth certificate. On this document we can read: "Baptised male child of Mrs. Julia Kendrick. Child's name: William. Husband has gone two years ago to Brazil. He took two eldest. Woman has three. This one now baptised is illegitimate." Later on William became a bricklayer, like Richard.

Julia lived with her mother until the time of her death in 1892, of diabetes, at home, in Berrow, November 29th, 1895.

Richard and Julia’s story is so sad... It is not possible to believe that they did not love each other.

Julia, in England, raised her children to love and respect Richard (even the child she had out of the marriage considered Richard as being his father).

Richard, in Brazil, never had another woman and raised his children to love and respect Julia and the rest of the family who stayed in England.

Many of the members of the family, in Brazil, were named after Julia (my mother, included) or Alice (the only feminine names of the family we knew before meeting Gwen and Denver). Some of the members of the family in Brazil were named Jorge or Richard, also, the only masculine names we knew before meeting our foreign relatives.

Thinking about the reasons Richard did not go back to England or brought his wife and kids, I would say, now, that, when Joseph went back with his family, Richard stayed because he would have thought that he, having come without his family to Brazil, was supposed to try harder. He had the intention of finding gold and diamonds (???). His brother could'nt stay cause he was with his entire family (and two of his children have died). But he, Richard, was supposed to stay and try harder. Maybe he wouldn't get another good opportunity in life. He knew what was looking for him in England: the wildest poverty. In Brazil he had a chance... he would get rich.
 

As I said, yet, I think he tried to send his sons with his brother, knowing how though things would get in Brazil. Somehow the boys stayed. At that time he wouldn't think about bringing the rest of the members of the family... he was trying to send back the ones he had brought.

It is important to notice that, probably Julia got pregnant of William the same month Joseph left to England. At the time Joseph left, at least, that was not the reason why the family split.

After that period, it is possible he did not have the documents or did not have enough money to go back by his own means.
 

First of all, there are no records of an English immigrant who had paid his debt to Brazilian Government. Some gave up their contracts, leaving their lands... but they signed the papers. Maybe Richard did not have his situation set up. In addition, he might have had problems with the police, here (he might be one of those who marched till Curitiba's Government Palace, in 1873, leaving Bariguy, protesting against their going to Assunguy, for instance)...
 

Besides, he might have had no money and was not helped by the British Government to go back. I guess, though, if he would have said his wife and children were in England he would probably have had the support to return. It is important to notice that when the two brothers, Joseph and Richard, came to Brazil it was 1873, when the immigration schemes (with the rules they had come) where already at its end. Maybe when he first came he thought it would be possible to bring his family later, but, Brazilian Governmental help for the trip ended little after. Maybe when he decided to go back, if he ever did, he did not find the financial means for that. (there is a contradition here: he had money - it was always told us - what proves that is that he bought that piece of land, later on, at Guarapuava - or... did he ever find gold??? Maybe the money he did not bring it from England. Maybe he found gold. He had tried so hard...).
 

In addition, he probably came to know Julia had had another child. That would make things too hard. Maybe he considered himself not able to face that situation. He decides to stay.

Just suppositions...
 

There is something else... I suppose, now, thinking that Richard came over looking for gold (kind of a mercenary stuff), that Richard had the inttention to go back to England. He took his two oldest sons, one was ten and the other one was eleven, to help him (it was usual to work that early, at the time). He left in England Julia with his youngest boy and all the girls cause they would help nothing. We got to read the correspondence to the Consul at Santos at the time Joseph went back. If he really had the intention of sending his boys back... Yes... I would conclude he had the intention of not settling down in Brazil, but only, getting gold and go back to England.

Just supposition, again...
 

k. JOSEPH HAS SOME MORE CHILDREN

While back in England, Joseph and Harriet had three more children:

10) Isabel Emily – born 1876, at Castlemorton. She married George Henry Amphlett on February, 8th 1908 at Britsmorton, Worcestershire, England;

11) Walter James and – born 1878 at Castlemorton. He died on June 24th 1905 at Britsmorton and

12) Gilbert – born 1879 at Castlemorton.

l. RICHARD LEAVES ASSUNGUY

While Joseph gave Brazil up and went back to England, Richard gave Assunguy up and came to Curitiba, with his two sons. I don't know how long he stayed at Assunguy, probably, not long, like did the other immigrants. I guess Richard stayed in Curitiba, at least till the mariage of his elder son, George (ten years after his arrival in Brazil).

I believe Richard has had the intention to send his boys back to England. On the correspondence to the English Consul in Santos, asking for means to go back to England, there are references to two Kendrick families, one headed by Joseph, and another headed by George. I believe this George is our George (though he was only eleven), constituting a family with his brother Richard. For some reason, I guess that Richard couldn’t go back to England and as living here was so hard that he, probably had the intention to send them back to home country. Never did it, since the two guys stayed in Brazil while Joseph went back to England. We got to look at the documents at the National Archive, mentioning George, to find this out.

m. RICHARD'S WORKS

Richard built the famous bridge upon River “dos Papagaios”, close to Palmeira. This bridge, built between 1876/1880, under the order of the Emperor, is considered a National Monument (process number 42/773 of the “Departamento do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico do Paraná).

We don’t find any references to Richard on the bridge story, though it is known, for generations, in our family, that Richard (father) built it. It is a two arcs rock bridge, very similar to those we find close to or even, in Worcester, England. That’s one main goal of all of this research. Making Richard’s name get into the story of the bridge. It is not possible that English people left no traces of their colonization in Paraná. I just think nobody did give the right value for that.

He also helped constructing the road of “Mato Grosso”, between Curitiba and Palmeira.

The road is called like that because the Federal Government had made many studies to find out the best way to connect the State of Mato Grosso to the ocean (probably because of the War of Paraguay, also and the idea the Government had about the vulnerability of the region and wanted it protected).

The route is a continuation of the Graciosa Route, which links Paranaguá, next to the sea, to Curitiba, the Capital. The route never arrived to Mato Grosso State, though, having stopped at Palmeira, about 70km from where it started.

In Curitiba, the Road of “Mato Grosso” began, according to my grandfather’s story, exactly where “XV de Novembro” Street crosses “Dr. Muricy” Street. He used to say “XV de Novembro” Street stopped there; it didn’t go ahead to the direction of “Batel” because there were big houses built on the way, along “Dr Muricy Street". It was a dead end for “XV de Novembro” Street. Those houses were put down and the “Route do Mato Grosso” began, exactly on this crossing. Maybe this is the reason why, nowadays, the continuation of “XV de Novembro” Street, after “Dr. Muricy” Street, is called “Av. Luiz Xavier” (another name to another period street).

The route used to follow the path of “Av. Comendador Araújo, Av. Batel (which is called Av.Benjamim Lins before crossing with Av.Comendador Araújo), Av. Nossa Senhora Aparecida. All of those streets are sinuous… Plenty of curves… what denotes they are streets derived from roads.

If we keep on going on Av. Nossa Senhora Aparecida, we will arrive on a Street called “Mato Grosso” (for sure, an allusion to the ancient Road of “Mato Grosso”). If we keep on going we will arrive on Ferraria, where the ancient route to Palmeira will cross the new one. Long the new way to Palmeira, we will see, from time to time, the ancient road crossing the new one.

It is interesting to know that long the way on the Road there was a place where people were obliged to get a boat to cross a small river. This place is now known as “Batel”, an allusion to this boat they were obliged to get.

It is said, yet, that Richard built the sun clock that is upon a famous building (Stellfeld Drugstore) in the main square of Curitiba (praça Tiradentes). The date upon the sun clock must be an allusion to the date the Stellfeld Drugstore has been inaugurated in other place (Santa Casa Hospital, I guess). The date written upon the clock is 1857, and at that time Richard had not arrived to Brazil, yet.

n. GEORGE GETS MARRIED

While the family was living in Curitiba, George, Richard’s oldest son, got married, on October 24th, 1883, at the Metropolitan Cathedral, to Francisca Agner (people say he was an employee to her father). She was descendent of German people, and her father, Luis Manoel Agner (who was also called Maneco Padeiro - the son of João Francisco Agner and Catharina Barbosa) was important in town. Francisca’s mother was Maria dos Anjos Agner (who was the daughter of Joaquim José Gonçalves Cordeiro and Luíza Maria dos Santos).

João Francisco Agner, my grandpa's german greatgrandpa.

Luiz Manoel Agner had large extensions of land. He used to raise horses and was a very rich man. He was one of the founders of the “Jockey Club do Paraná” and of the “Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital”. He had many properties in town, including one at São Francisco Street (Casa de Saúde São Francisco) and another one at the corner of Visconde de Nacar Street with Ébano Pereira. Both those building still exist.

o. RICHARD AND HIS YOUNGEST SON MOVE TO GUARAPUAVA

Richard quitted Curitiba, bought some land in Guarapuava (in a place called Rio das Pedras) and went living there, with his youngest son, Richard. I suppose he went living there looking for precious stones, like Gwen told me people believed in England he had come for. George stayed in Curitiba with his wife and children (in fact he lived close to Curitiba, in a town named Almirante Tamandaré). He used to work as a pork grease maker.

p. GEORGE'S CHILDREN

George's house was located on the main street of Almirante Tamandaré, where today, there is a police station.

George had nine children with Francisca. Their names are:

1) Anália Agner Kendrick (called Sinhá) – born in Curitiba;

2) Julia Agner Kendrick – born in Curitiba;

3) Bertolina Agner Kendrick – born in Tamandaré. She married a very important politician in town and till our days her descendents are still important people for politics and arts in Paraná;

4) Jorge Agner Kendrick (called Negro) – born in Agudos do Sul (from his marriage to Josepha da Rocha Ribas, he had three children: Afonso – Maria Izabel’s father – my cousin who wrote the Genealogy of George’s descendents, Jéca (Wanderley’s father - my cousin who has been to England visiting Denver) and Maria Francisca)

A picture out of Jorge Agner Kendrick at his marriage with Josepha da Rocha Ribas. The girls by their side are Beliza and Alice, of his first marriage (with Celina Mendes dos Santos).
5) Maria Rosa Agner Kendrick – born in Guarapuava;

6) Maria dos Anjos Agner Kendrick – born in Curitiba;

7) Luiz Agner Kendrick (called Luizinho) – born in Guarapuava;

8) Victor Agner Kendrick – born in Curitiba. He got married on February 14th, 1927 to Rosa Izabel Damasceno Kendrick (who was born on June 8 th, 1910) the daughter of Felippe Gomes Damasceno e Marócas Maria da Nascimento Damasceno. The couple had four children, my mother, Julia Maria de Lourdes Damasceno Kendrick, Ilza Damasceno Kendrick, Rosita Damasceno Kendrick and Felipe Jorge Damasceno Kendrick. And

9) Alice Agner Kendrick – born in Curitiba – after the death of her father. My grandpa Victor, Uncle Luizinho, Aunt Julia, Aunt Bertolina, Aunt Maria Rosa and Aunt Alice.
The descendents of George are described in a book written by two cousins of mine… Maria Izabel Ayres Kendrick and Dalva Kendrick Fiuza dos Santos.

q. GEORGE DIES

George died December 12th, 1902. My grandpa used to tell he had a fight at a bar in Almirante Tamandaré and got knife hurted at his face. Because of the hurt he got weak and got a terrible cold. He died because of this cold.

George is buried in a place called Tranqueira, in Almirante Tamandaré. I have visited his grave and there is a cousin of mine, Maria Izabel’s father, who is responsible for it. It is kept clean and organized. George's grave

I am so involved with the Kendricks that, when I got to the Cemetery, on a beautiful sunny Sunday morning, all alone, I got off the car and went to the entrance. It seemed to me like I was dreaming.

There was an old man by the gate and he asked me: “What are you looking for?” – I am looking for the grave of Jorge Kendrique (I said with a Brazilian accent, in order to let him understand me. He was a very humble man). He answered me, pronouncing the name with perfect English accent: “George Kendrick?” “Siga-me (that means: follow me).” He said. I couldn’t understand it: he had no Brazilian accent and he took me straight to my great grand father’s grave. For me, he was an angel guiding my steps to my ancestor’s grave. It was really touching.

As I first saw the grave I realized that I was there in an historical research. That made me feel guilty. I went out of the cemetery to buy some flowers. There was not a place where to buy them. Then, I walked a little bit and I found some flowers to pick up, by the walls... I picked them up and pick also up a plant with roots which I planted in a vase that was upon Jorge's grave. I prayed for him, as asked him to help reach the truth. The village is very small, even today, and it is surrounded by hills and pine trees... Beautiful, peaceful place!!!

Some time later I found out that this grave was built on George’s homage by my grandfather on the 1980s, probably. My grandfather knew George, his father, was buried at Tranqueira but he never knew where in the Cemetery. He decided to build a grave just to have a place where to pray but there is no body or ashes inside it. Never was.

Tranqueira is a place between Curitiba and Cerro Azul (where Colonia Assungui was placed).

It is said that at Tranqueira there was a place, surrounded by a fence, where the people coming from Assunguy would leave their animals kept together, maybe to spend the night, on the way to Curitiba. The name “Tranqueira” (to those who understand Portuguese), comes from this fenced place.

George having lived at Almirante Tamandaré has nothing to do with he having lived before in Assunguy. George lived there because of his wife relatives…

When George dies, Francisca gets into a very bad financial situation. She had, already eitht children and was pregnant of the nineth, Alice. What I can tell is that fact has united very much the brothers and sisters. My mother's family is very large and George's kids were raised one by the other. They have been close to each other through their lifetimes, one always helping the other. When George's sons and daughters grew older, got married and had children, their children were, also, very close to one another.

r. RICHARD (FATHER) DIES

Richard (father) died in Guarapuava, on December 3rd, 1916 (fourteen years after his older son) and so did his son Richard on Oct 22nd 1931 (29 years after his brother).

Richard (father) never got married again and we never knew he had another woman. He left a great amount of land when he died.

It is said that he brought the money from England. I remember my grand father telling he had pounds hidden. Whenever he needed money he would go to the Russian (???) Colonization to exchange his money.

s. RICHARD (SON) STORY

Richard (son) took care of the land his father had left, since he was in Guarapuava and his brother had died a long time before.

We know that Richard (son), either, never got married (as this is confirmed on his death certificate) but we know he had a companion called Prudencia.

From now on, what I will tell is the story George's descendents know. I would appreciate very much to know the story from the side of Prudencia's descendents, if there is any still alive.

Some people say Richard (son) never had children (though he raised two of Prudencia’s). Some people say these kids were his.

It is said that when Richard (father) died he left a letter telling his land would be divided between his two sons.

Richard (son), never opened an inventory, though. His brother, George had already died and his nephews and nieces were too young and yet, too far away.

t. RICHARD (SON) DIES

When Richard (son) died, as he had no descendents, the land went to Prudencia’s children.

The Kendricks lost all the land Richard (father) had bought with the money he had brought from England.

We know, through documents we have on our hands that, when Richard (son) died, my grandfather went to Guarapuava to try to get back the land his father might have left to his children.

u. TRAVELLING TO GUARAPUAVA

I still remember my grandfather telling the story of how hard it was to travel from Curitiba, where he lived with his family, to Guarapuava, to solve the land’s problem.

Many days of traveling with no good roads on the way. There were no hotels or things like that but people were so gentle, on the way, that I remember my grandfather telling us that the families received people who were traveling they did not know to spend the night at their houses. In fact, sometimes, they leaved their bedrooms for the visitors and went sleeping some place else, outside.

To have a small idea of how hard the travel was, the first night, after leaving Curitiba, on the way to Guarapuava, they spent it where today is the “Mate Museum”, next to the “Bom Jesus School” (what is nowadays, very close to town). Tired of traveling, my grandfather took his entire family and moved to Guarapuava. My Aunt Rosita was born there. He came back when he saw the problem was too difficult.

v. ABOUT RICHARD AND JULIA'S CHILDREN WHO STAYED IN ENGLAND

About Richard and Julia’s children who stayed in England we know:

v.1. ARTHUR

Arthur, the only Richard’s boy who stayed with her, in England, died four years after the departure of his father and brothers, on July 26th, 1878, in an accident in the river when he was still a boy, leaving no descents. This happened in Upton on Severn, Worcester, England. It is said that he worked too much during the day, not having time for fun. He went swimming at night, just for delight, getting drown. So sad…

v.2. ALICE

Alice (Alice Maud Mary Kendrick) moved to the United States, in 1892, the same year of her mother’s death, as she was promised to get married to someone there, by the Uncle of hers who raised her. Getting to the States she did not like the man and did not marry him. But she met someone she already knew from England, James Robinson Parry (born April 8th, 1846, in Worcestershire). This man was widowed, he was 21 years older than her, and had, already, nine children. She got married to him, raising all of his children and getting nine more of her own… One of them is Gwen’s mother.

Times were hard for Alice and all those children. She was lucky to keep track of them. Then James Robinson Parry died in 1913 and she was left in a very desolate state because she could not keep the farm. She married twice more but in the end she divorced both of them and lived with one child and another until she died because she didn't even have a home.

All of Alice’s children were born in Salt Lake City, Utah:

1) James Amos Parry – born October 11th, 1893 – died January 12th, 1948;

2) Elsie Julia Parry – born July 7th, 1895 – died January 1st, 1961;

3) George Kendrick Parry – born June 28th, 1897 – died April 21st, 1963;

4) Raymond Lester Parry – born March 7th, 1899 – died December 22nd, 1968;

5) Edith Leone Parry – born January 29, 1901 – died October 1st, 1973;

6) Philo Tom Parry – born April 1st, 1904 – died February 18th, 1949;

7) Milton Theo Parry – born January 18th, 1907 – died June 22nd 1964;

8) Violet Mary Parry – born May 5th, 1908 – died June 4th, 1985 (Gwen’s mother) and

9) Nina Marie Parry – born May 28th 1910 – died July 11, 1996.

Violet Parry married Richard Edwin Jeffs on July 7th, 1931.

They had the following children:

1. Geraldine Jeffs - born February 26th, 1932, Utah (died March 31th, 1942, Utah), at the age of 10;

2. Gwendolyn Jeffs - born March, 4th 1934 Utah;

3. Sharon Kay Jeffs - born January 7th 1943. v She married Ron Wilberger who died March 2007. They had two children, Shirley Wilberger and Jerry Wilberger;

4. Sandra Lynn Jeffs - born July 27th, 1944. She married William Brown and they had two children: Shelley Brown (died 1994) and Cindy Brown married with four children;

5. Richard Edwin Jeffs - born October 4th, 1947. He died January 25th, 1986, havind had one child; and

6. Craig Parry Jeffs - born July 10th, 1949. He died May 12th, 1991, having had two children.

Gwen got married to James Sherwin Gray (born march 9th, 1934 at Richmond, Cache Co, Utah) and those are her children:

1. Sylvia Gray - born February 26th, 1954 in California. She died the next day;

2. James Richard Gray born April 23rd, 1955 in California. He died April 13th, 1972, at the age of 17;

3. Kalin Gray - born August 6th, 1956 in Utah. She got married Jay David Hooser and died March 23rd, 1993. She had four children and seven grandchildren;

4. Randy Clark Gray - born April 12th1959. He got married to Cindee Wilma Haslam and has four children;

5. Russell Craig Gray born 5 June 1961. He got married to Sandra Lynn Bernard with one child and two grandchildren.

Alice died November 11th, 1950 at West Jordan, Salt Lake City, Utah.

v.3. ELIZABETH

We know that Elizabeth moved to British Columbia, Canada, and that she married Leonard Brick (born October 17th, 1869, at Penolock, Worcester, England), around 1890, before her mother’s death, yet. She died Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, on August, 11th, 1940.

v.4. ELEANOR

Eleanor stayed in England getting married, on February 1st 1899, to William Edward Slade (born 1866 at Exeter, Devon, England). She died in London, England in 1950. We don’t know if Elizabeth or Eleanor had any children.

v.5. WILLIAM

It is said that William, though not Richard’s son, came to Brazil to meet him… He never met him, and we know nothing about him or his descendents.

x. ABOUT VICTOR AGNER KENDRICK'S CHILDREN

I got to talk a bit about Victor Agner Kendrick's family, who was my grandpa.

He got married on february, 14th, 1927, to Rosa Izabel Damasceno Kendrick (born june, 10th, 1910) the daughter of Felippe Gomes Damasceno and Marócas Maria do Nascimento Damasceno.

A picture of Greatgrandma Marócas and Greatgrandpa Felippe, my grandma's parents.

My dearest Grandma Rosa Izabel Damasceno Kendrick (also called Rosita)

They had four children:

1. Julia Maria de Lourdes Damasceno Kendrick (born november 12th, 1927), my mother;

2. Ilza Damasceno Kendrick;

3. Felipe Jorge Damasceno Kendrick and

4. Rosita Damasceno Kendrick.

Julia Maria Maria Damasceno Kendrick got married to Ideny Ilhone da Cruz (born march 21, 1930).

My parents at their wedding day.

 

They had four children, between them, me: Vera Regina da Cruz (born june 30th, 1956)...

And finally I have a daughter, Paola de Orte, born december, 27th, 1985.

HISTÓRIAS QUE O VÔ VITO CONTAVA...

O meu vozinho Vito

O vô Vito costumava contar e recontar as velhas histórias da nossa família.

Algumas delas, aquelas mais ricas em detalhes, dados e datas, são absolutamente reais e podem ser lembradas como retrato de uma época ou até mesmo como fato histórico. Outras de suas narrativas, principalmente aquelas que envolvem seus ascendentes ingleses lhe foram contadas por terceiros e, portanto, talvez parte da verdade tenha se perdido.

Estas últimas devem, pois, ser encaradas assim como uma espécie de lenda, já que não se pode saber até onde vai a realidade ou onde começa a fantasia.
As histórias que o vô Vito contava são o seu mais caro legado.

Espero que outras pessoas que também tenham escutado suas narrativas possam ajudar, completando dados ou até mesmo contando novas histórias.

É importante notar que, este trabalho foi escrito quando meu avô ainda estava vivo, há muitos anos atrás (início da década de 80), portanto, às vezes faço referências a fatos que sabemos, hoje, totalmente inverídicos.

As histórias das quais me lembro:

... de porque um nobre inglês precisou deixar sua pátria.
... de onde ele veio dar e porque abandonou Assunguí.
... de como seus meninos foram seqüestrados.
... de suas habilidades profissionais e de suas obras.
... de sua ida para Guarapuava.
... de como as terras foram perdidas. (*)
... da união de um inglês e uma descendente de alemães.
... das propriedades de Luiz Manoel Agner.
... de como morre Jorge.
... de como cuidar de nove filhos na ausência do pai.
... de como sem pais, o vô Vito se arrumava para sobreviver.
... das gulodices de um menino.
... do pão sem margarina ou geléia. (*)
... de como o Vô Vito começou a fumar (*)
... de como Víctor conheceu Rosita. (*)
... de como ele reencontrou Rosita.
... dos problemas logo após o casamento
... da vinda para Curitiba.
... das várias mudanças até o estabelecimento definitivo. (*)
... de como se viajava de Curitiba para Guarapuava. (*)
... do tiro no pé. (*)
... da preta que mordeu o dedo. (*)
... do jacaré pescado. (*)
... da lasanha. (*)
... dos primórdios do barreado. (*)

(*) - Histórias das quais só me lembro vagamente e que tentarei narrar em futuro
próximo (quando tiver maiores dados).


... de porquê um nobre inglês precisou deixar sua pátria...

(esta história não passa de lenda, a verdadeira, somente viemos a conhecer recentemente, em nosso contato com a Gwen. A história não tem nada de realidade, mas era a verdade do Vô Vito, portanto fica o registro)

Na Inglaterra do século passado as famílias nobres costumavam possuir extensas áreas que eram destinadas exclusivamente a seu esporte favorito: a caça.

O Sr. Richard Kendrick era, segundo afirmam, um lorde de tradicional família, que morava ao norte da Inglaterra (ao meu avô sempre foi dito que seus ancestrais vieram do norte da Inglaterra e isso sempre foi aceito com fato consumado. Quando recebi, porém, pouco antes de sua morte a resposta de uma minha carta a um senhor de sobrenome Kendrick, dizendo que tinha ascendência escocesa, meu avô, perturbado confessou ser possível os Kendrick’s terem se originado nesse país, localizado ao norte da Inglaterra, a Escócia. Ainda vou tentar descobrir alguma coisa a esse respeito). Ele era casado com D. Julia Kendrick e possuía quatro filhos: Julia, Alice, Jorge e Richard.

Assim como a grande maioria dos homens da época em igual posição social, tinha o Sr. Lorde o hábito da caça. Em certa ocasião, enquanto praticava esse esporte feriu uma lebre dentro de sua propriedade que, se debatendo, no entanto só veio a morrer em terras de um vizinho seu o qual era também seu inimigo político.

O guarda-caças da propriedade ao lado entregou então o animal morto ao seu patrão, que se aproveitando da situação ameaçou processar o lorde por estar caçando em terras que não lhe pertenciam.

O Sr. Richard então, temendo uma situação tão degradante para a sua família e para si próprio, um orgulhoso nobre inglês, abdicou de seus bens, terras e propriedades, pegou seus dois filhos varões e deixando sua esposa e as duas filhas na Inglaterra, partiu rumo a uma nova vida na América do Sul...


... de onde ele veio dar e porque abandonou o Assunguí...

Vieram da Inglaterra o Sr. Richard e seus dois filhos, juntamente com outras famílias de ingleses que se tornariam no decorrer do tempo, tradicionais em Curitiba.

São estas as famílias: Withers, Walter, Haus, Pugsley, Coper, Rodbard (hoje sei, que pelo menos os Rodbard vieram em 1875 e foram alocados em outra colônia, Kittoland), entre outras.

Estas famílias desembarcaram no porto de Santos (não, foi no Rio de Janeiro) provavelmente entre a segunda metade da década de 50 e o início da década 60 do século XIX. (a data mais próxima, hoje podemos dizer, é 1873). Foram elas designadas para a localidade de Assunguí, situada a pouco mais de cem quilômetros ao norte de Curitiba, no município chamado hoje de Cerro Azul.

Após a emancipação do Paraná em 1853, a Princesa Izabel enviou a essa região da Serra do Mar, agrônomos que estudando a fertilidade do solo e as condições do clima e topografia, concluíram que estas terras se prestavam principalmente à cultura do café, da cana-de-açúcar, laranjas e cereais em geral.

O governo imperial mandou então demarcar uma área de mais de 60.000 hectares, que dividiu em 400 lotes, os quais foram entregues aos colonos alemães, ingleses, suíços, franceses e italianos recém chegados da Europa, formando a colônia de Assunguí.

A falta de estradas ligando Assunguí à Capital fez com que os colonos muito sofressem.
Sua produção agrícola apodrecia nos celeiros, pois, não havia como escoá-la. A comunicação entre Assunguí e Curitiba era feita através de uma picada pela qual vinham os colonos com grandes dificuldades tentar vender seus produtos na Capital. Os perus que criavam, por exemplo, (havia também criação de outros animais) eram trazidos em bandos tocados e atraídos por grãos de milho que iam sendo jogados à sua frente.

Estas dificuldades de comunicação foram uma das causas que levaram várias das famílias de colonos a trocarem Assunguí pela Capital da Província. Entre estas famílias estavam os Kendrick’s.

Até hoje a região do Assunguí (Cerro Azul) é uma das mais pobres do estado e até muito recentemente, a estrada para cidade era precaríssima.


... de como os seus meninos foram seqüestrados...

Quando vieram morar em Curitiba, os filhos do Sr. Richard, Richard e Jorge, muito pequenos, despertavam a curiosidade de todos por não falarem outra língua senão o inglês.

Quando saía para trabalhar em suas obras como construtor (habilidade sobre a qual discorro mais demoradamente a seguir), não tinha com quem deixar os meninos e por esta razão os meninos ficavam sozinhos. Certa vez ao voltar para casa não encontrou os filhos. Procurou nas vizinhanças e nada.

Esperou o tempo passar e eles não voltaram para casa. Não queria acreditar, mas seus filhos haviam sido seqüestrados.

Seus esforços eram poucos para descobrir onde se encontravam, porém, um dia quando foi contratado para fazer uma obra adiante de São José dos Pinhais encontrou, por obra da coincidência, os seus meninos.

Não quis saber quem os seqüestrou ou o porquê, tomou um menino em cada mão e os trouxe de volta para Curitiba.


... de suas habilidades profissionais e de suas obras...

Possuía o Sr. Lorde muitos conhecimentos nas áreas de engenharia e mineralogia, acreditando-se que tivesse diploma de curso superior em alguma dessas carreiras. (A Gwen nos conta, recentemente que, na Inglaterra, Richard trabalhava como “brick mason” (ou pedreiro).)

Edificou ele no Paraná varias construções que, no entanto, nunca levaram seu nome (meu avô não soube explicar o porquê). Foi ele o mestre construtor responsável das obras de arte da “Estrada do Mato Grosso “, por exemplo. Esta estrada foi projetada com a finalidade de proteger a fronteira do Brasil na altura de Mato Grosso, de possíveis invasões por parte dos paraguaios.

A Guerra do Paraguai durou de 1865 a 1870, a estrada, porém, nunca chegou além da cidade de Palmeira a cerca de 80 km de Curitiba.

A Estrada do Mato Grosso começava onde hoje fazem esquina a Rua das Flores e a rua Dr. Muricy.

Na época a Rua das Flores acabava nos casarões que desciam a Dr. Muricy.

Estes casarões foram demolidos para dar lugar à estrada que continuava pela Rua Comendador Araújo, seguia o traçado da Av. Batel até cair na estrada que ainda hoje serve para ligar Curitiba a Campo Comprido. De lá se pega a direção da Serra de São Luiz do Purunã, onde ao pé da Serra, se viermos para Curitiba pela estrada atual, devemos pegar à esquerda logo após a bica dos caminhoneiros, antes de um recanto. Na altura da Fazenda Thalia a estrada antiga volta a encontrar a nova; mais adiante se pega à esquerda para dirigir-se a Palmeira onde a estrada finalmente acaba.

Os muros de contenção e os viadutos desta estrada, na altura da Serra de São Luiz do Purunã são de responsabilidade de meu trisavô (??? Não, acho que é tetravô que se diz). Hoje a estrada antiga da Serra ainda é um lugar bastante romântico, onde se pode observar, enquanto se passeia, como as estradas antigas agrediam menos a natureza, numa época em que a velocidade não era coisa importante.

A estradinha na maior parte de sua extensão continua sendo de saibro sendo que em algumas partes, onde se formam atoleiros, foram colocados matacões de pedra do próprio local. Logo quando se entra na estrada antiga, se descermos do carro e entrarmos na mata pelo lado esquerdo vamos encontrar um bebedouro que na época provavelmente servia para dar de beber aos cavalos antes da subida da serra.

A linda ponte sobre o Rio dos Papagaios, na altura de Palmeira, também foi construída por meu trisavôj (???).

Esta ponte que vencia um rio piscoso e cristalino, com cerca de um metro de fundura, mas com panelões profundos onde viviam os lambaris, foi inaugurada por D. Pedro II, quando de sua passagem por aquela região. (aqui há provavelmente um equívoco de meu avô, já que D. Pedro II visitou o Paraná no ano de 1880 e que a ponte, segundo inscrição sobre ela mesma, foi inaugurada no ano de 1876).

A ponte da qual o imperador ficou admirado pela sua solidez, foi construída com pedras de dimensões enormes formando arcadas, segundo o modelo de pontes existentes ao norte da Inglaterra.

A ponte do Rio dos Papagaios foi tombada pelo Governo do Estado do Paraná em 03 de setembro de 1973 (Inscrição Tombo 41-II).

Por essa mesma época fez o Sr. Kendrick varias prospecções a procura de ouro e diamantes na região de Palmeira. (Isto confirma a história da Gwen que afirma que Richard veio para o Brasil em busca de ouro).

O Sr. Richard Kendrick tinha o costume de construir um relógio meridiano em cada uma de suas obras. A ponte sobre o Rio dos Papagaios possuía dois, um em cada cabeceira.

O seu relógio do sol mais conhecido em nossos dias é aquele que está sobre a porta de entrada da “Farmácia Stellfeld “, na Praça Tiradentes. (a data hoje inscrita sobre o relógio é a data da inauguração da farmácia – 1857. O relógio deve ter sido acrescentado a posteriori.)


...de sua ida para Guarapuava...

Terminado o seu trabalho na Estrada do Mato Grosso, pegou o Sr. Richard o rumo que esta deveria ter seguido e vai dar na cidade de Guarapuava.

Compra um pouco além dessa cidade a “Fazenda dos Porcos “, propriedade com cerca de 300 alqueires e nela leva uma vida tranqüila, praticando uma agricultura de subsistência.

Possuía muitas cabeças de gado eqüino e bovino, no entanto não costumava vendê-las. Quando necessitava algo que não possuía em sua fazenda, pegava uma libra e ia comprar na Colônia dos Russos, ali perto.


...da união de um inglês e uma descendente de alemães...

Aos 24 dias do mês de outubro de 1883 casam-se o filho do Sr. Richard Kendrick e de sua esposa Julia Kendrich, o Sr. Jorge Kendrick e a Sra. Francisca Agner. filha do então Major Luiz Manoel Agner e de D. Maria dos Anjos Agner. O fato deu-se na Paróquia de Nossa Senhora da Luz de Curitiba.

O pai da noiva era natural da região de Würtemberg, ao sul da Alemanha. Ao contrário do que muitos pretendem fazer acreditar, dizendo que deserdara D. Chica por ter se casado com Jorge, o Sr. Luiz Manoel (Maneco Padeiro), como era conhecido, recebeu Jorge com muito afeto dentro de sua família.

Por ocasião da Guerra do Paraguai (que unia Brasil, Argentina e Uruguai) lutou como integrante da 1a. Companhia de Cavalaria comandada pelo Tenente José Joaquim Ferreira Júnior.

É desse tempo uma sua cigarreira de tartaruga e prata que ficou em poder de meu avô até sua morte.

Era vontade de meu avô entregar essa cigarreira a um museu paranaense, hoje, infelizmente, não sei onde ela se encontra.

Luiz Manoel participou também da Revolução Federalista. Esta revolta, uma das mais sangrentas de nosso país, teve origem no Rio Grande do Sul onde muitos não estavam contentes com o resultado das eleições convocadas por Marechal Floriano e alastrou-se até o Paraná ameaçando São Paulo.

Os revoltosos tiveram também o apoio da Marinha Brasileira, sediada no Rio de Janeiro e que considerava ilegal o governo de Marechal Floriano e exigia eleições para presidente.

Os chefes dos Maragatos (como eram conhecidos os revoltosos), nunca tiveram, no entanto, unidade de ação e nem ao menos os mesmos objetivos políticos: alguns eram monarquistas, outros adeptos da república e outros como Gumercindo Saraiva eram separatistas (queriam uma nova nação formada pelo Sul do Brasil e o Uruguai). Essa falta de objetivos comuns enfraqueceu os revolucionários que, após muita luta, foram vencidos pelas forças do Marechal Floriano (os Pica-Paus).

Por ocasião da Revolução Federalista (1893-1895), Luiz Manoel Agner, assim como outros estrangeiros organizaram batalhões revolucionários em 1894, e com eles operaram no Paraná contra as forças legalistas que retornaram ao Estado, então ocupado militarmente por Gumercindo Saraiva. Sua atitude foi condenada por muitos que acreditavam que por ser ele estrangeiro, apesar de casado com brasileira, não deveria fazer parte de lutas políticas e agitações revolucionárias do país.

Mais tarde, serenados os ânimos, foi eleito deputado ao congresso legislativo do Estado.


... das propriedades de Luiz Manoel Agner...

Maneco Padeiro era senhor de muitas propriedades que mandou construir na cidade de Curitiba. Entre estas estão: - uma casa, hoje já modificada, à rua São Francisco onde funciona atualmente o Hospital São Francisco; - um sobrado na esquina das ruas Visconde de Nacar e Emiliano Perneta. Esta propriedade, cuja sede resiste até nossos dias, fazia divisa com o terreno onde hoje fica a Telepar e dava fundos a rua Jesuíno Marcondes; - outra de suas propriedades localizava-se na rua Comendador Araújo em frente a Sociedade Thalia. O terreno ia desde ao lado da Igreja Protestante até ao lado da Casa Glaser e seu fundo ia até a rua Emiliano Perneta. A casa já não existe mais. Possuía também uma chácara à rua Saldanha Marinho, onde hoje encontra-se a Clínica Santa Maria.

Maneco Padeiro, que, ainda entre outras coisas é um dos fundadores da "Loja Maçônica do Paraná", faleceu a 10 de janeiro de 1899.

Ainda, com respeito a Luiz Manoel Agner, por ocasião da visita de D.Pedro II a Curitiba, em 01 de junho de 1880, diz o jornal "Dezenove de Dezembro" do dia seguinte:

" DE VOLTA A CAPITAL DA PROVÍNCIA

As 08:00 horas e três quartos, partiu a imperial comitiva para a capital, chegando a colônia russo-alemã, Marienthal as 10:00 horas , suas majestades se dignaram a aceitar o lauto almoço que o povo da Lapa, havia lhes preparado, visitando em seguida alguns lotes da colônia, cujas condições, lhe mereceram as mais solícitas informações.Daí partindo, chegaram a esta cidade os augustos viajantes depois das 24:00 horas. Por um reduzido grupo de cavalheiros, nacionais e alemães, acompanhados do Dr. Chefe da Polícia, com piquete de cavalaria, tendo archotes acesos, foram os imperiais viajantes recebidos a mais de meia légua no lugar Capão Grande, sendo nessa cidade ainda quase toda iluminada, recebido por grande número de pessoas, que aclamações de regozijo, lhes dava as boas vindas. Junto ao Paço, em guarda de honra, com a banda de música, de polícia, fez as devidas continências, ao apearem dos carros, os augustos soberanos, acompanharam também as suas majestades, alguns cavalheiros, que dirigidos pela incansável cidadão Major Luiz Manoel Agner, tomaram em ter que fazer as honras aos nossos soberanos desde sua chegada a esta capital."

Do casamento de Jorge e D.Chica nasceram nove filhos: Anália (Sinhá), Julia, Bertolina, Jorge, Maria Rosa, Maria dos Anjos (Mariinha), Luiz, Victor e Alice. Esta última, porém, o pai não chegou a conhecer.

Jorge manteve sua amizade com alguns dos ingleses que vieram com ele da Inglaterra.

Enquanto morava em Tamandaré fazia com freqüência, viagens com a família para Curitiba. Na volta sempre passava pela casa da família Coper onde lhes era servido o café, antes de seguirem viagem.

Nessas ocasiões, matava as saudades de falar a língua natal, mas só o fazia, por consideração, quando por perto só se encontrassem pessoas que pudessem entender o que falavam ou então afastavam-se no jardim onde pudessem ficar a sós.


... de como morre Jorge...

Durante uma briga de bar, Jorge recebeu alguns ferimentos a facão, sendo que um deles foi bastante profundo, na altura do nariz. Desmaia e é abandonado na rua tido como morto, somente permanecendo perto de si seu cachorro de nome Soldado. Ao voltar a si, Jorge pega o lenço que usava no pescoço e o amarra em torno da cabeça, segurando seu queixo com um nó sobre a cabeça. Cambaleando se dirige a casa de amigos que finalmente o levaram até sua casa.

Após três meses de convalescença, quando já estava quase bom do ferimento, mas ainda bastante debilitado, resolve capinar sua horta, quando percebe uma leve garoa. D.Chica o chama. Já era tarde, no entanto, pois o corpo de Jorge, suado em função do trabalho, recebe a garoa gelada. Seu organismo, muito fraco, não resiste e pega uma pneumonia da qual pouco tempo depois veio a falecer. Isto ocorreu no ano de 1902. Tinha já oito filhos e sua mulher esperava o nono que nasceu um mês após sua morte. A menina recebe o nome de Alice, numa homenagem que Jorge sempre quis fazer à sua irmã que ficara na Inglaterra.


... de como cuidar de nove filhos na ausência do pai ...

Após a morte de Jorge, o Sr. Richard, seu pai, propõe a D. Chica que vá, juntamente com os filhos morar junto a ele em Guarapuava, pois desta forma não teria problemas de ordem econômica.

D. Chica, porém, acreditando ser muito dura a vida no interior para uma pessoa de sua educação e não querendo viver à custa do sogro não aceita.

O Sr. Richard traz então de Guarapuava 50 cavalos que deveriam ajudar a custear a educação de seus netos. D. Chica aceita de bom grado.

Em outra ocasião, quando Nego e seu cunhado Morais foram visitar o Sr. Richard em Guarapuava ganharam dois lindos animais de montaria e trouxeram de presente para D. Chica mais 50 cavalos que foram sendo vendidos conforme a necessidade o mandava.

Além da ajuda do sogro, D. Chica contava também com o aluguel da propriedade da rua São Francisco, doada a ela por seu pai antes de ter morrido. (a casa ainda existe. Funciona, hoje, como funerária).

Ela, que continuava morando em Tamandaré, aluga a propriedade de Curitiba por 25 mil réis.

Quando necessitava de alguma quantia maior para ocasiões especiais (o casamento de uma de suas filhas, por exemplo) o locatário lhe emprestava a soma necessária em troca de alguns meses de aluguel adiantado.

Em uma dessas ocasiões, quando necessitava 150 mil réis e não encontrou o locatário em casa, aceitou o dinheiro oferecido como empréstimo por uma de suas irmãs, a qual a faz assinar um recibo.

Sua irmã, segundo o acerto receberia durante algum tempo o aluguel da propriedade da rua São Francisco. Transcorrido esse tempo, D. Chica vai ter com o locatário para receber seu aluguel. Qual não foi sua a surpresa: o locatário lhe apresenta o recibo de compra da casa.

Certa ocasião, no entanto, necessitando de quantia mais volumosa (150 mil réis), vende a propriedade a uma de suas irmãs. (hoje, relendo, não consigo decifrar o que quis dizer à época).

No ano de 1908 falece D. Chica.


... de como, sem pais, o vô Vito se arrumava para sobreviver ...

Com a morte de D. Chica ficaram seus filhos menores sob a guarda dos mais velhos que já eram, então, casados. Victor com apenas nove anos ficou com Julia e foi com esta morar em outros Estados como o Rio de Janeiro e Minas Gerais.

Ele voltou ao Paraná somente em 1913. Tinha quatorze anos e trabalhava como engraxate, carregador de malas na estação, pintor de paredes... o que aparecesse que lhe proporcionasse alguns trocados.

Costumava também trabalhar em casa de parentes e na época que pintava a casa de sua tia Nhanhazinha, foi buscar, juntamente com seu primo Eduardo Withers, as cestas de mantimentos que eram mandadas de Paranaguá todas as quartas-feiras e sábados. Foram os dois juntos até a estação e voltaram com as duas pesadas cestas. Ao voltarem ...[2] (pena, não sei... acho que aqui entra a história do pão sem manteiga ou geléia que alguém lhe serviu... não sei...).


... das gulodices de um menino ...

Da época em que morava com tia Julia há duas histórias que lembram as gulodices de vô Vito.

O vô Vito tinha verdadeira loucura por melado. Quem já comeu sabe que uma colher desse doce colocada em um pires e misturada com farinha de mandioca basta para nos deixar empalagados. O vô Vito, em certa ocasião, tanto incomodou e insistiu e esperneou por querer melado que a tia Júlia, cansada, encheu um prato fundo até ao máximo de melado e deu para o vô, permanecendo ao seu lado e obrigando-o a raspar o prato.

O vô Vito o fez e acho que por algum tempo, ao menos, não quis nem ouvir falar em melado.

No entanto até seus últimos dias ele sempre tinha um potinho desse doce em casa e nunca deixava de oferecer um pouco aos netos.

Outra história lhe causou um grande problema. Ao encontrar no armário uma lata de soda cáustica achou parecida com açúcar; pegou uma colher bem cheia e engoliu direto. A soda estrangulou-lhe o esôfago e esse problema carregaria para sempre, tendo de se cuidar ao comer, pois, com freqüência engasgava-se, causando-lhe imenso sofrimento.


... de como ele reencontrou Rosita ...

Em dezembro do ano de 1926 foi o sargento Victor Agner Kendrick designado para a cidade de Palmeira.

Era ele na época uma rapagão muito disputado entre as mocinhas em idade de casamento.

Alugou um quarto de pensão e passou a freqüentar a barbearia da cidade.

Por essa ocasião era o chefe do clube dos Operários de Palmeira o Sr. Felipe Gomes Damasceno. O Sr. Felipe era proveniente de Passo Fundo no Rio Grande do Sul. Veio morar na Lapa quando da Guerra dos Farrapos (1835/45)(??).

Mudando-se em seguida para Palmeira. Ele possuía três filhas: Helena, Rosa Izabel e Lydia. Helena, quando da chegada de Victor a Palmeira, havia acabado de casar e tinha partido com seu marido Antônio Cassou e sua irmã Rosita, passar uns dias em Porto Amazonas. Quando Rosita voltou a sua cidade, no dia 30, encontrou suas amigas alvoroçadas e o motivo era o sargentinho que havia chegado. Nair chegou mesmo a dizer que o estava namorando e convidou Rosita para acompanhá-la até a barbearia onde certamente encontrariam o tão disputado moço. Rosita de fora da barbearia não conseguir reparar no rapaz, mas Victor notou-a imediatamente.

No dia 31 de dezembro haveria uma churrascada na colônia dos franceses e o Sr. Felipe convidou Victor a participar. Victor não deixou de comparecer e lá passou a tarde a conversar com Rosita.

Nos dias que se passaram Victor sentiu-se ainda mais aprisionado por Rosita. Soube por outras pessoas da chegada na cidade de outro rapaz que viera pedir a mão de sua escolhida em casamento. Não havia tempo a perder. No dia 15 de janeiro de 1927 pediu a mão de Rosita a seu pai, antes que qualquer outro o fizesse.

Não queria festa de casamento e não tinha muito a oferecer, mas convenceu o futuro sogro de que quem ama é feliz mesmo debaixo de uma ponte. Seriam pobres, mas, o importante era que permanecessem juntos. O Sr. Felipe impressionou-se com a filosofia do rapaz e entregou-lhe sua filha. Victor mandou fazer as alianças no dentista da cidade e marcaram o noivado para o dia 02 de fevereiro, dia do aniversário do Sr. Felipe. A preocupação passou a ser então, os preparativos para a comemoração do noivado. Resolveram por um almoço, mas não estavam muito seguros da escolha já que acreditavam que Victor não era de muito comer. Assim pensavam, pois, Rosita e Lydia sabiam o que ele comia na pensão: um pão, um copo de café fraco (ele sempre gostou de café fortíssimo), um bife pequeno e um ovo frito. Só depois do almoço de noivado é que compreenderam que ele, muito exigente no que lhe era servido à mesa, não conseguia comer o que lhe era oferecido na pensão. Ao contrário do que pensavam a princípio, era um excelente garfo.

Seu quarto de pensão era freqüentemente bisbilhotado, principalmente por Lydia. Esta, no entanto, encontrava tudo muito bem organizado e limpo. O seu colchão, por exemplo, o acompanhava por todas as cidades que ia. Era um espécie de saco vazio que ele mandava encher de feno em cada cidade que fosse dormir.

Corria tudo bem até que Victor foi destacado para a cidade de Tibagi. Mas era difícil sair da cidade!!! Estava noivo!

O caminho entre as duas cidades era difícil: de Palmeira a Ponta Grossa teria de pegar o trem e de lá até Tibagi precisava pegar a diligência ou ir a cavalo.

Apelando, conseguiu sua permanência em Palmeira, com o comandante da polícia, Sr. Clotário Portugal.

O capitão da cidade, no entanto, talvez por ter pretendido um casamento de Victor com sua filha, estava dificultando as coisas e Victor para não complicar mais resolveu que deveriam casar logo. O casamento foi marcado para o dia 12 de fevereiro de 1927. Rosita tinha então 16 anos.


... dos problemas logo após o casamento ...

Victor e Rosita vieram para Curitiba logo após se casarem. Ao chegarem já encontraram os primeiros problemas. Victor foi preso. O motivo não se sabe, talvez algum problema referindo-se a sua transferência. Antes de ir para a cadeia, no entanto, levou Rosita para a casa de sua tia Nhanhazinha e avisou sua sogra para que viesse buscar Rosita. Victor saiu da prisão dia 27. Antes de ir para Palmeira foi visitar D. Conchita, uma benzedeira e vidente, sua conhecida que comunicou-lhe que sua esposa já estava grávida e que o bebê era uma menina. Victor foi para Palmeira, pegou sua jovem esposa e vieram morar em Curitiba. Julinha, a filha do casal, nasce no dia 12 de novembro (dois dias antes de completar nove meses de seu casamento). Os comentários que esse nascimento e principalmente o fato de dizerem que Victor a havia abandonado logo após o casamento, magoaram muito a Rosita e fizeram que esta nunca mais quisesse voltar para Palmeira.

Quando de passagem por esta cidade a caminho de outros lugares nunca quis nem ao menos descer do ônibus, sendo Victor obrigado a levar-lhe o lanche dentro da condução.


... da vinda para Curitiba ...

Vindo para Curitiba, Victor comprou uma casa para os lados do Parolim, a qual foi, no entanto, obrigado a vender, pois, ela era muito longe e em dias de chuva a lama era tanta que em certos dias era impossível almoçar em casa.

Alugou uma casa à Rua Rockfeller entre as ruas Silva Jardim e Iguaçu. Foi nessa casa que nasceu Julinha.

Logo depois se mudou para uma chácara à Rua Santo Antônio. Nessa casa foi seu fiador o Sr. Secretário da Fazenda. O aluguel era descontado em folha porem o proprietário queria recebê-lo diretamente de Victor. A situação tornou-se tal que nove meses depois já estava se mudando em Curitiba.

a casa da Rua Santo Antonio, hoje

Foi para a Rua Santo Antônio 19. Desta para a rua Santo Antônio 43 e desta novamente para a rua Santo Antônio 19. Esta casa ficava praticamente em frente ao quartel. Nesta época possuíam uma cabrita de nome Branquinha que passeava pelos campos ao redor e entrava no quartel livremente. Era desta cabrita o leite que alimentou Julinha.