In Brazil, after 1891:

Amelia (Brunetta) Menesini was born in Pescia, Italy in 1883 and was baptized in the Cathedral of Pescia (Duomo), in the same church where her parents married (Mr. Italiano and Marianna) in 1876. Amelia arrived at the Inn of Immigrants (Hospedarias) in Sao Paulo Brazil, with her parents on 19 Jan 1891. She was 7 years old completing 8 that year. When embarking from Genoa on 20 Dec 1890, the mother (Marianna) was already pregnant (from Paulina), probably 1 month and she should not be aware of that. Paulina was born in August of the year Amelia and her parents arrived in Brazil (1891). Initially the family lived at Rua das Palmeiras, Largo do Arouche (Sta Cecilia) in Sao Paulo. Paulina was born on this street. The name ‘das Palmeiras’ referred to the Palmeiras farm. The name of the street exists since in 1874. From what is known of old maps, it had that name from the region of Santa Cecilia. The street retains its name only between the Largo de Santa Cecilia (or Rua Dona Veridiana and its continuation, rua Helvétia) and the Marechal Deodoro (or rua Pirineus ). This is rua das Palmeiras today. The road to Campinas started from Largo do Arouche since at least the 18th century. Basically, it started off Largo do Arouche and followed what are today the streets of Rua Dr. Sebastião Pereira, Palmeiras.

There is a registration in the museum of immigrants in Sao Paulo, on behalf of the family of Mr. Italiano, Marianna and Amelia Menesini: Book: 023, Page: 185, Family: 03553, Provenance: Santos, Steam: Poitou, Arrival Sao Paulo: 01/19/1891, Disembarkation in Santos: 01/18/1891.

Information and maps of the city of Sao Paulo in the time of 1877-1890: 

http://www.estacoesferroviarias.com.br/avenidas/p/palmeiras.htm

http://www.arquiamigos.org.br/info/info20/i-1877.htm

Unlike several immigrants who arrived in Brazil and went to the interior to work in the coffee farms, the parents of Amelia stayed in city of Sao Paulo, probably because the father (Mr. Italiano) was shoemaker and tailor (calzolaio/sarto), and the mother Marianna) was a seamstress and tailor (Sarta/Ricamatrice). These were the professions of her parents (Menesini family and Rossini/Giobbi) who lived in Pescia, Italy, before going to Brazil. They left Pescia in 1888, the year that Pescia suffered economic decline due to the commercial war between Italy and France. In that same year of 1888, in Brazil, there was the abolition of the slavery. The price of coffee was high and Brazil needed a lot of additional labor. These two economic facts helped for the strong immigration to Brazil in the beginning of 1890.

Paulina, Amelia’s sister was born in Sao Paulo on August 1891 and baptized on September 12, 1891 in the Church da Consolacao, which was to be the closest to where they lived in 1891, soon after they arrived from Italy. The Church of Sta. Cecilia in that region did not yet exist. In the baptism books of the church in São Paulo, Paulina was born as the name of ‘Maria’ Menesini, but not ‘Maria Paulina’, or ‘Paulina Maria’, as it appears in other documents in the following years. Paulina’s real name was Maria. The name Paulina was created by her and then added in later documents. Probably Paulina followed the example of her older sister, Amelia, who also never had the name ‘Brunetta’ in the baptism and birth records of Italy (Pescia). The name “Brunetta” was created by Amelia in Brazil and later added by her in the documents in Brazil. Amelia Menesini, became ‘Brunetta Amelia Menesini’. This is the name that appears for the first time, in the official document (Diploma of Escola Normal de SP, 1901) that we found in Brazil about Amelia. The first official document in Brazil, is the registration book of the Inns of Immigrants (Hospedaria) of SP in 1891, of the Museum of Immigrants (SP), which shows her original name from Italy, Amelia Menesini (8 years old).

The 2nd sister of Amelia was also born in Brazil in August of 1894. At that time they lived at Rua Dr. Sebastião Pereira, which is a continuation of Rua da Palmeiras (where they lived before), but in the same neighborhood in Largo do Arouche in Sao Paulo. Most of the Italians immigrants in Sao Paulo lived in this area of the city: Largo do Arouche and Santa Cecilia.

• Paulina (Maria): born on August 3, 1891, at Rua das Palmeiras, 40 (Largo do Arouche – SP)
• Annita: born on August 6, 1894, at Rua Dr. Sebastião Pereira, 04   (Largo do Arouche – SP)

(Information found on the birth certificates of Paulina and Annita)

The Baptism registry, in the Church (Capella at the time) of St. Cecilia, shows that she was not registered/baptized in 1894, when she was born. The following year, 1895 is the year of baptism and when the records were found. The Church of St. Cecilia began to function in 1895. Annita’s registration of baptism appears in the 1st book of baptism of that Church. The books also shows that the priest who baptized her, is the one who after became a bishop. There is a statue of him today in front of this church. This is the person who signs her baptism book. In 1894, this was the closest Church from where they lived, not anymore the Church da Consolation where Paulina was baptized. This chapel was younger and closer to them. Mr. Italiano died on 8 July 1895, in the same month, shortly before the date of baptism (24 July 1895). We imagine that it must have been a difficult year for them during 1894 and 1895, because Mr. Italiano should already be suffering from his disease (tuberculosis).

It took them nearly a year to baptize Annita after she was born (Aug. 1894). As for Paulina, they baptized her a month after her birth date (Aug. 1891). Annita was baptized soon after the death of her father Mr. Italiano. Probably Marianna waited to baptize Annita in expectation for her father to get better so they could baptize her. When her father died on the 8^th (July), they baptized her soon thereafter on the 24^th of the same month.

Marianna must have been a very strong woman. Her husband died and left her with 3 young girls to care for: 12-year-old Amelia, 4-year-old Paulina, and Annita still to complete 1 year the following month in August.

The years from 1895 to 1901, must have been very difficult for the four women. Marianna and Brunetta were quite warlike and combative. Strong people.

In 1897, Brunneta enrolled to study at the ‘Escola Normal’ (the best school of the time in Sao Paulo) and graduated after four years in November 1901, when she received the Diploma (1st document under the name of Brunetta we found in Brazil).

She was 18 years old. After 1894, the school duration was four years for the normal course and become a teacher.

Escola Normal de Sao Paulo, current name:  EE Caetano de Campos

Amelia, 18 years old, would be the only one of her four family members to be able generate income to support her family. Marianna had to take care of her 2 youngest daughters and she should not have time to work. Shortly after her diploma, Amelia must have received a position to work as a teacher in the village of Iguape, on the coast of São Paulo, south of Santos. At that time, Iguape belonged to the State of Parana. Iguape was an important village, it had a port, the first Brazilian money printer office and gold mine in the region. For this reason, there were many colonels of the army in the region.

At the beginning of 1902, Brunetta moved to Iguape and she took her family (her mother and her two younger sisters) to Iguape. She met there a Captain (after Colonel) Carlos de Souza Castro, married in 1903 and had 8 children. Souza Castro’s family had been in Iguape for some time. His family comes from Eldorado (old Xiririca), in Parana. It was a very traditional family, with four generations of colonel’s tradition above Carlos. Carlos’s uncles were very important people in the politics of Iguape, and the state of Parana and even the Empire of Brazil at that time. Carlos’s uncle (Brunetta’s husband), Dr. Sérgio F. de Souza Castro was a federal deputy for the province of Paraná, but was cited as an illustrious Iguapense citizen. He was also Senator at the time of the second empire. They are of Portuguese origin (descendants of Francisco de Souza Castro, from Braga, Portugal). The king’s bodyguard, or guardian of the King’s Corps, was an officer of the Crown of Castile whose job was to protect the monarch and command his personal guard.

About: Dr. Sergio (Francisco) de Souza Castro

Village: Iguape

Brunetta is the oldest of the 3 daughters of Mr. Italiano Menesini: Brunetta, Paulina and Annita.

Two sisters of Brunetta, Maria Paulina Menesini, who also signed as Paulina Maria Menesini, and Anita Menesini, also known as Annita Menesini.

Brunetta married in Iguape (1903) with a traditional family (Colonel Carlos de Souza Castro), Paulina married in Iguape (1908) with Alberto Alvares da Silva, and Annita married Célio Guarani Eco do Brasil (1915).

Quick Overview:

• 1890: embark from Genoa
• 1891: Arrive in Santos and Sao Paulo (SP)
• 1891: Maria (Paulina) is born in SP. Baptized in September of the same year (Church da Consolation)
• 1894: Annita is born in SP
• 1895 dies Mr. Italiano (47) in SP. He left 4 women: Marinna (38), Brunetta (12), Paulina (4), Anita (1).
• 1895: Annita was baptized, soon after the death of the father. He died on July 8 and Marianna baptized her on July 24, 1895. (Santa Cecilia Church)
• 1901: Brunetta (18) received a degree in SP. She became a teacher, and was offered a position to work in Iguape. Brunetta took the family to Iguape. Brunetta took her Italian immigrant mother Marianna (44), and the two younger sisters Paulina (10) and Anita (7).

Iguape from the beginning of 1902:

• 1903: Brunetta (20) married Colonel Carlos de Souza Castro (26). They had 8 children until the year 1925 (she was 42). Umbelina, Leonor, Carlos, Joaquim, Maria (‘tia Cotinha’), Paulo and Sergio. (There is also a boy who died drowned in the river of Iguape, he must have been the 3rd after Leonor).
• 1905: Umbelina is born: 1^stdaughter of Brunetta. She was married to Augusto de Andrada Rollo Junior, had 5 children and died in 1937 (32). (she got a bacterium, fever of 3 days and died). She died before her mother Brunetta.
• 1906: Leonor is born (2^ndoldest daughter) of Brunetta. Paulina (15), Anita (11). Leonor later became the eldest daughter alive, after Umbelina’s death in 1937.
• 1908: Paulina (17) married in Iguape.
• 1913: Marianna (56) dies in Iguape. Brunetta was 30, Paulina 22, Annita 19 years old.

Difference between Brunetta and Anita (11 years). Leonor was close to her aunt’s age, Annita (Leonor’s aunt). Between Leonor and Annita, only 11 years apart.

• 1915: Annita married in Eldorado.
• 1925: Sergio de Souza Castro (last son of Brunetta) is born: Santos. They had already moved from Iguape to Santos.
• 1930: Leonor (24) married in Eldorado. (Jose Alves de Souza Neto (28) (1902), came from Northeastern Brazil (Conde-Paraiba) to Iguape. He must have met Leonor in Iguape. As an attorney (public prosecutor) he was sent to work at Eldorado.

Jose Maria (1932) is born in Eldorado, Manoel Carlos de Castro Alves (1933) in Brotas, and later Ney (1935).

• 1937: Umbelina (32) dies (Brunetta’s eldest daughter). She leaves 5 children.
• 1939: Brunetta dies (56), in Santos. They had been living in Santos before 1925. Leonor and her children lived in Brotas (Santa Rita do Passa Quatro). That year, Jose Maria (7), Manoel (6), Ney (4). She Leaves the widow Colonel (62) and 6 living children:   

Leonor (33) the oldest. Umbelina had died 2 years before in 1937 with 32, and Sérgio (14) was the youngest son. The widower Colonel and children continued to live in Santos until 1945.

• 1945: Brunetta’s daughter, Maria (33) (1912) (tia Cotinha) took care of Colonel until 1945 when Maria died in 1945 (33). They closed the house of Santos and the Colonel (68) went to live with his eldest daughter Leonor (39) in Jundiai.
• 1949: Colonel Carlos died in 1949 (72) and was taken to Santos to be buried there. Leonor and her children lived in Jundiai. Manoel Carlos was 16 years old that year.
• 1984 Jose Alves de Souza Netto dies in SP
• 2002 Leonor dies (96) in SP

Paulina: born in Sao Paulo (1891), married in Iguape (1908) with Alberto Alvares da Silva and died in Eldorado.

Annita:  born in Sao Paulo (1894), married Célio Guarani Eco do Brasil Célio, who worked with beverages in Eldorado (Xiririca, according to Jornal de 1921). Annita’s husband became Justice of the Peace in 1913. Anita was Leonor’s youngest aunt and the last aunt to die. For Annita, Leonor was the eldest of the nephews. Annita used to visit Leonor in the 60’s and 80’s. Annita, as widow returns to Iguape and dies in Iguape in 1978. Anita had 3 children: Enzo, Breno (wife: Valda) and Meiri.