Migration & Names, Genealogy Quick Start, November 2025
This was a busy month! On Tuesday evening, I was a special guest on Shamele Jordon’s Genealogy Quick Start on the Migration and Names episode, talking about my third great grandfather in The Many Names of Telesforo Carrillo, based on a previous blog post. She is an amazing host, and I love her energy. Michael John Neill did the first part of the show, “Benjamin Butler Serves Research Suggestions” making suggestions for locating and verifying a very mobile ancestor who lived in several states over the course of his life.
While I spoke for just a half hour, i’m amazed at how a very long time researching ultimately distilled a story out of documents finally brought together. Thanks to the help of cousins, I pulled together documents to understand more about the struggles that each generation faced. Self identification and self determination weave through the lives of my ancestors. As a child in the South Bronx, I did get to meet Telesforo’s daughter Catalina, my great grandmother, who lived to be 104 years old. I ended with my grandfather’s 1925 passport, a folded page with the only photo of his first wife, Carolina Dorrios Picon and their three children, Bobby, Gloria and Sylvia Fernandez, in a photograph that is now a century old.
There are 213 episodes of Genealogy Quick Start, full of resources and recommendations for your browsing pleasure!
Rediscovering Latinidad, Season 7 Ep.8
Rediscovering Latinidad released their Kissing Cousin episode– Season 7 Ep. 8 – Cuando los primos se exprimen: La endogamia y el matrimonio entre primos, and I enjoyed talking with hosts Eduardo Rueda and Jellisa. Check it out as we go full cringe with endogamy and cousin marriage! This premier podcast about Latino genealogy, culture, heritage and rich layers of intersectionality also has a Patreon. With seven seasons of podcasts, Rediscovering Latinidad is a great resource for learning more about family history, with links for additional information on each episode page.
Rediscovering Latinidad Season 7 Episode 10
Rediscovering Latinidad also rereleased their most popular episode from Season 7 Episode 10, La Caida de 23andMe/ The Fall of 23andMe, with guests my cousin Teresa Vega and I. Teresa’s extensive knowledge of DNA and complex family histories adds to the discussion. Check out her blog, Radiant Roots Boricua Branches for fascinating research on Revolutionary War ancestors, ancestors from Madagascar, and deep dives into family history.
Moses Williams, cutter of profiles
On November 19, I participated in the Library Company of Philadelphia’s virtual symposium Finding Moses Williams, along with four amazing scholars, who shared new insights on his art, life and family. He left a considerable body of work, and perhaps, descendants. So much to learn from these talks!
Here’s a list of the presentations:
Carol Soltis, Finding Moses in the Peale-Sellers family album.
Nancy Proctor, Presenting Moses at The Peale Baltimore.
Ellen Fernandez-Sacco, Not Yet Completely Free, The Context of Gradual Emancipation & the Family of Moses Williams 1776-1830.
Dean Krimmel, Locating Moses Williams in Philadelphia, new information about Moses Williams’s life and death based on a re-examination of Philadelphia’s primary sources.
Thrilled to announce i’ll be presenting along with four other speakers at an upcoming virtual program. The Library Company of Philadelphia’s Program in African American History and the Center for American Art at the Philadelphia Art Museum are sponsoring the event.
My twenty minute talk, “Not Yet Completely Free: Gradual Emancipation and the Family of Moses Williams, Philadelphia, 1776-1830.” presents the results of an archival journey. While I searched for information on Moses Williams, I instead found indentures in the Pennsylvania Abolition Society Papers for his family members that let me reconstruct his family tree. These records show how a Free Black family navigated a difficult economy in the decades before the 1838 census.
The other presenters are Carol Soltis, Nancy Proctor, Dean Krimmel, & Lauren Mulvey with an introduction by Sarah J. Weatherwax, Senior Curator, Library Company. Appreciate the knowledge shared & discussed over the preceding months with artists and scholars whose work focuses on Moses Williams. There is much to learn about Williams life, art and family.
Please register at the link below the program description:
Finding Moses Williams
Free Virtual Program
November 19th , 2025 at 1 PM ET
This program of illustrated talks by five speakers focuses on the identification of the exceptional hollow-cut paper profiles created by Moses Williams (1776-1830) at Peale’s Philadelphia Museum and on presenting new historically accurate information about Williams’s life and family. Moses’s parents were manumitted by Peale in 1786 and Moses, who was born enslaved, was then indentured to Peale by his parents until age twenty-eight
Raised within the Peale family, Moses was literate and trained in skills for creating and installing the Museum’s displays of art and natural science. After the installation of a physiognotrace device for creating hollow-cut paper profiles in 1802, Moses was freed and given the concession to operate this new attraction. The popularity of this inexpensive form of portraiture and the highly accurate and elegant profiles Moses cut, made him financially independent.
Recent research into Moses’s life provides us with a clearer understanding of his artistry and other activities, as well as his death date and the identity of his descendants. And, the story of Williams’s birth family illuminates how the practice of indenture used by Free Black families, like the Williams family, was a strategy for seeking financial stability.
A small selection of Moses Williams’s profiles will be on display at the Library Company during November and December and in the Peale Gallery at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
This program is sponsored by the Library Company of Philadelphia’s Program in African American History and the Center for American Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
A few weeks ago, I saw a hint on my Ancestry family tree for Estevan Vale Caban. To my great surprise, it included a photograph! Could it be my great uncle?
After finally locating the origin of a foto for Estevan Vale in Ancestry’s Passports database, I was struck by how much of a desire there is for an image of an ancestor. For some apparently, this desire was so strong, it overrode taking a closer look at the pages for the record the photograph came from. Yet I learned more about another branch of my family by searching for more on him.
Estevan Vale: dapper & traveling
Estevan Vale was born on Christmas Day, 1867, in Barrio Membrillo, Camuy, the son of Joaquina Vale. She is alive around 1892, when his brother’s grandchildren were born. Her death record remains unlocated,. It seems as though she evaded the pages of the Registro Civil, yet by chance, she is mentioned in her children’s records.
The photograph shows a seated dark skinned man with tight hair in a white shirt, light striped double breasted jacket and contrasting satin tie. The fact of his style and the tie dates the photograph to the early decades of the 1900s. His eyes are unusual. He appears to be staring because of the flash bulb used to take the photo, as his eye color is listed as black. His gaze takes in every detail as he moves between nations. He planned to go under an agricultural permit to Cuba, sailing on the Santiago de Cuba out of Ponce sometime in October 1919. He signed the document with his mark on 27 September 1919.
In order to find out more, my search broadened timewise, and I began by looking for him and his mother, Joaquina Vale, who is mentioned in the document.
Joaquina’s children: Camuy, 1872
JOAQUINA’S CHILDREN: Antonio, Aniceto, Dionisio, Estevan 1872 Registro de Esclavos, Camuy. FamilySearch
There, across two pages of the 1872 Registro Central de Esclavos for Camuy appear the seven children of Joaquina, all of them enslaved by Vincente Vale Caban (b. 1806, Moca-d. 1889 Camuy ) : Antonio 18, Aniceto 13, Dionicio 14, Ysabel 8, Ynocencia 6, Maria Antonia 11, and the last child on the first page– 10 year old Estevan. Aside from Joaquina’s children, there’s only 16 year old Nicomedes, the son of Martina who is also recorded as held by Vicente Vale in Barrio Membrillo, Camuy.
JOAQUINA’S CHILDREN: Ysabel, Ynoncencia, Maria Antonia, 1872 Registro de Esclavos, Camuy. FamilySearch
Vicente Vale Cordero, Barrio Membrillo
Vicente Vale Cordero (1806-1889) is my second great grand uncle, and I was unaware of enslavers on the Vale line until now. In part, that was because he lived not where most Vale lived, in Moca or Aguadilla, but in Camuy’s Barrio Membrillo, a different district. How he wound up there doesn’t have a concrete answer at the moment, however, there was an exodus out of many municipalities during the 1820s and again by 1849, due to drought and other conditions. These Vale may appear on municipal documents or notarial documents that lend more details about their lives. Vicente Vale was an enslaver, and after the Moret Law and the administrative development of the Registro Central de Esclavos, Vale became a local official.
In the recent cluster of 865 sets of documents under the Gobierno de Puerto Rico that were uploaded to FamilySearch are four slips from 1868 signed and stamped by Vicente Vale as sindicosuplente (substitute officer) of Camuy, verifying the identity and ownership of enslaved persons belonging to other enslavers. These documents supplemented the creation of cedulas (registration papers) for each person. Vale then, was employed by the Mayor’s office that sent documents to the Registro Central de Esclavos. I’m currently looking for more information about that post.
Vicente Vale Sindico suplente de este pueblo. Certifico que Ysabel, esclava de D. Miguel del Rio y de su propiedad y de oficio cocinera, y de estado soltera, y para que consta libro el presente en Camuy a los doce días de Abril de mil ochocientos sesenta y ocho. [Firma] Vicente Vales, Alcaldía Ordinaria, Camuy. FamilySearch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-WQ1C-43PY-B?view=explore
What’s odd is that while Vale family appears in the 1872 Registro Central de Esclavos volume that includes Anasco, they are not among the individual 1868 cedulas for Anasco- apparently the set of cedulas are incomplete.
We know that Joaquina is criolla, born into enslavement on Puerto Rico. So far, Joaquina’s children decided to take on the Vale surname after emancipation. Where exactly they labored in Vale’s farm or home, isn’t specified beyond a barrio, and will need more research to locate.
Barrio Membrillo, Camuy. From Jose Sierra Martinez, Camuy: Notas para su historia. p.6
The Vale Family in Census Records
Family Tree of Joaquina Vale pt. 1 by author, May 2025
By 1930, Esteban’s sister Tomasa Vale lived next door to her sister Maria Antonia Vale Rico; both women left Barrio Membrillo and moved to the San Juan area to increase their chances for work. Tomasa Vale supported her household by working as a lavandera on calle Martin Pena Chanel in Santurce. Cristina lives with her second husband, Felix Ortiz Ortiz. Also with the couple are her three children. She worked as a planchadora, an ironer, so it’s possible the sisters shared a business, or worked independently in the service industry.
In the 1940 US Federal Census for Camuy, Estevan, now 80 years old and his sister Ysabel Vale are in the household of Pedro Maldonado y Camacho and Emilia Gonzalez. They are listed as ‘tio‘ and ‘tia‘ respectively. The siblings appear with the maternal surname of Ahorrio, which may be a strategy to acknowledge their paternal lineage, safely used decades after their birth. Often this use comes up long after a father made his transition, so there is no familial repercussion.
The detail that tells us something about Joaquina is in the relationship to the head of household listed– Estevan and Ysabel are aunt and uncle to Pedro Maldonado Camacho. This suggests that Joaquina used Camacho, or perhaps had a partner with the surname. when looking at Pedro’s half sister, Ynocencia Vale Camacho, her death record has her father as Ramon Vales (bca 1827) and mother as Joaquina Camacho. Yet no records for Ramon beyond this entry turns up- or was he actually Ramon Camacho? This Ynocencia is may or may not be the same Ynocencia that appears on the pages of the 1872 Registro, with listed as the daughter of Joaquina. Another death record for Leon Camacho (1853-1923) of Camuy lists only his mother, Joaquina Camacho.
At the very least, Joaquina had seven children between 1857 and 1867; she herself appears on no cedulas, suggesting that she may have already obtained her freedom. In her grandson’s birth certificate she is referenced as ‘Joaquina Vale Liberta’, as is her son, ‘Antonio Vale liberto sin segundo apellido’. Yet by appending liberto, the municipal government calls out a status that supposedly ended in 1876, when the emancipated also became full citizens. Maria Cristina Vale Rico’s Acta de Nacimiento was filed in October 1888.
May we learn more about the struggle & resilience of these ancestors.
Thrilled to learn that I was awarded a Phyllis Wheatley Award for my article, “Not Yet Completely Free: Gradual Emancipation, and Moses Williams’ Family, Philadelphia 1776-1833.” from the Sons and Daughters of the US Middle Passage (SDUSMP)! The article is in the AAHGS Journal v.43 Winter issue.
Silhouette of Moses Williams, Cutter of Profiles, 1802
Appreciate those people who have read various drafts, made suggestions or discussed issues with me; thanks to Guy Weston and the AAHGS Journal, for accepting the article for the journal, and to LaJoy Mosby, who invited me to be part of discussions on it. To Dean Krimmel, a deep appreciation of having the opportunity to talk about Williams; also to Nancy Proctor of The Peale Baltimore for encouraging my research on him and including me among a group of scholars and artists who continue to research him.
Deep thanks to Bernice Bennett, for having me on her new podcast, Ancestor’s Footprints. She gave me an opportunity to share what I learned about the Williams family and how they dealt with the terms of gradual emancipation in Philadelphia. Looking forward to Faye Anderson’s project of having a memorial marker installed in Philadelphia so more people can learn about Moses Williams. May his legacy and that of his family continue despite any attempt to erase or obscure this history.
Here’s the initial 865 list followed by the municipalities that are in the Cajas recently uploaded to FamilySearch!
Listed below are: Isabela, Camuy, Vega Baja, San Juan, Utuado, Guayama, Juncos, Lares, Hormigueros, Manati, Rio Grande, Comerio, Carolina & last, that big cluster of School Personnel files. What can you find about your ancestors & their communities?
Caja 74, Padron de Esclavos, Arecibo, im 17. FamilySearch
Did you know that 865 sets of documents under Gobierno de Puerto Rico were recently uploaded to FamilySearch last December?
These aren’t indexed yet, but the Caja information and municipality are mentioned. While it’s not every municipality, it’s definitely worth a look!
Some of those included are Isabela, Camuy, Vega Baja, San Juan, Utuado, Guyama, Juncos, Lares, Hormigueros, Manati, Rio Grande, Comerio, Carolina & a big cluster of School Personnel files.
Here are some links to the results to help you get started:
I’m happy to share that my interview with Bernice Bennett on her podcast, Ancestor’s Footsteps will be on air, tomorrow, March 24 on Spreaker– the link is below.
In “Moses Williams, his Family & Gradual Emancipation. ” I offer a brief overview of what I learned about the Williams family in Philadelphia in the Early National period, based on my journal article, “Not Yet Completely Free” in the Winter v. 43 issue of the AAHGS Journal.
Bernice’s new podcast is a wonderful source, where you can listen to her & her guests discuss a wide range of historical and contemporary topics weekly, so be sure to tune in!
So happy to announce i’ll be talking about my recent publication in the Winter 2025 issue of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society Journal, “Not Yet Completely Free: Gradual Emancipation and the Family of Moses Williams, 1776-1833.”
I’ll discuss the 1780 Gradual Emancipation Act in Philadelphia, part of the lesser known history of Northern slavery. By tracing the family histories connected to the silhouette artist and museum artisan and assistant Moses Williams (1776-ca 1833) one can catch sight of the challenges experienced by African descended and multiethnic Free People of Color in their emancipation process in this city. Williams was among the children of John and Phylis Williams, a couple held in bondage until 1786. He worked in the Philadelphia Museum of Charles Willson Peale from his childhood to adulthood and was manumitted about 1802.
Shamele Jordon will present on the heritage of Green Book locations in New Jersey, and Mary Belcher and Guy Weston will discuss recovery and reclamation of Black cemeteries in Washington DC and Flushing New York.
Silhouette of Moses Williams, Cutter of Profiles, 1802. Library Company of Philadelphia
So happy to share that “Not Yet Completely Free: Gradual Emancipation and the Family of Moses Williams, Philadelphia 1776-1833. ” is in the latest issue of the AAHGS Journal!
Volume 43 Winter Edition of the AAHGS Journal is available via Amazon. Editor Guy Oreido Weston brought together articles that span several states. The issue delves into family and local histories, the recovery and reclamation of Black cemeteries in Washington DC and New York.
Not Yet Completely Free: Gradual Emancipation and the Family of Moses Williams, Philadelphia 1776-1833.
Moses Williams is a paradigmatic figure for the 250th Anniversary of the founding of our country. Born into slavery in 1776, and eventually freed by 1803 under the terms of the 1780 Gradual Emancipation Act, Williams was the first Black museum professional. For a time, he owned property and a house at 10 Sterling Alley; he had a wife and at least four children. Raised in the museum, in proximity to the Peale children, Williams learned how to read, how to prepare birds and other animals for displays. Eventually he cut silhouettes there using a patented machine. In 1810, he considered his role important enough to tell the census enumerator that he ‘attended at the Museum’.
Now in 2025, an amazing group of historians, curators, writers and artists from different institutions & independent professionals are focusing on Williams’ life and craft. This is a sea change from the shock I experienced listening to an exasperated curator ask why look at him? in the midst of the Peale exhibition touring nationally some two decades ago. I published my first article in Museum Anthropology detailing what I learned about Williams, who also figured in my dissertation. This built on then-current Peale scholarship on the audience for Peale’s Museum. Black history did not figure into the history of museums, even though to function, some institutions were dependent on the labor of enslaved and indentured persons. Similar to Monticello, the Peale project suffered from a segregated history that has changed since the late 1990s.
Since then, Williams has been recognized as an artist and artisan in his own right, part of a growing community through exhibitions organized by Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw and other scholars. There is also an initiative by Faye Anderson, Director of All That Philly Jazz; she also serves on the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and plans to have him remembered with a historical marker where his former home stood, to be featured in future walking tours of the city.
Williams is a historical figure I can relate to. He knew a lot about many things, was literate and skilled with his hands. When I went to museums I found myself connecting to the people who worked there cleaning, protecting and maintaining the collections, and so I see him as a kindred spirit, an ancestor who deserves to be taken seriously. To see the constructed nature of the display, its arrangement, the acquisitions taken as booty in wartime, silenced behind display labels shows the larger threads that colonization wove to establish particular kinds of truth. There was a silencing or veiling of the destruction of Native settlements and the genocide that accompanied these early campaigns, also tied to an economy built on the backs of enslaved people. Despite these challenges, Williams’ presence is there, part of a larger story of this nation.
Beyond the display were questions of family. Even with what was reconstructed and recently discovered, there remain questions and the hope of finding more fragments to pull together. I’m part of a group that shares these new finds. Public historian Dean Krimmel working with The Peale found a probate file showing that he died 18 December 1830; of three daughters, two, Louise and Sarah are named, his son Carl became Charles. Now we know he had four children with Maria– whose surname remains unknown. The likelihood of finding descendants today increases with these additional names.
Descendants of John & Phillis Williams- The Williams Family Tree
But back to Williams and his family. Their experiences resonate, as they lived under the threat of kidnapping and forced deportation, the result of the constitutional amendment passed in 1793– the Fugitive Slave Act. They did everything to insure their family’s survival, even if that meant separation by indenture. My research uses details from the Pennsylvania Abolition Society Papers, church records, the Peale Papers, newspaper accounts, census records and other items to reconstruct two generations of the Williams family. My hope is that this reconstruction makes it possible for descendants to connect.
Hope, resilience and faith in a better future drove their choices. To face the future despite the challenges is what defines the Williams’ family history.
