Ramon Soiza Ortiz

Ramon Soiza Ortiz is not a direct ancestor of mine but he is related to me.  He is actually my 4th great grand uncle.  He is also the son of Ignacio Soiza del Carmen and Casimira Cerefina Ortiz de la Cruz.  One of the things I found quite interesting is that although he was born prior to his parents’ marriage, the church obviously didn’t consider him to be legitimate. In his wedding record the priest lists him as ‘hijo natural’ or out of wedlock child of his mother, Cerafina Ortiz, when he marries Gregoria Montanez Flores on February 11th, 1871 and keeps his father off the record.

His wife, Gregoria, happens to be the daughter to Estanislao Montanez Gonzalez and Maria Margarita Eduvige Flores Fontanes.  Her mother, Maria Margarita is the daughter of Juan de los Santos Flores del Rio and Juliana Fontanes Rivera.  Juliana is actually my six great grandmother via my Bayala line.  Estanislao is the son of Lorenzo Montanez de Rivera and Catalina Gonzalez. So yes my tree crosses over many different paths.  However getting back to Ramon…

Ramon Soiza Ortiz & Gregoria Montanez Flores Wedding Record

Ramon is listed as Ramon Soiza on the wedding record but he wasn’t the only child born out of wedlock for this couple, he just happens to be the only surviving one.  In reviewing the 1860 Census for Trujillo Alto, I found both his parents. His father, Ignacio, is listed as Ignacio Soiza del Carmen with his wife, Casimira Ortiz de la Cruz. The 1860 record shows Ignacio as 67 years of age, on entry number 2321 and Casimira is 80 years of age on entry number 2322.

Ignacio Soiza del Carmen & Casimira Cerafina Ortiz de la Cruz 1860 Census for Trujillo Alto

In the 1870 Census for Trujillo Alto, Casimira was deceased.  I am sure that if we look for Casimira in the Trujillo Alto church death (defunciones) books, we will discover her exact death date.  These books are not digitized but are available at the Archdioceses of San Juan.  For now we know she died between 1860 and 1870.  Most importantly there was a will filed by Ignacio in Trujillo Alto on February 22, 1856 that can be found in the Archivo General de Puerto Rico in San Juan.  In this will, the surviving children are listed as one child born natural and two legitimate children.  The legitimate children happen to be girls, one being my 4th great grandmother, Dionisia, and her sister Maria de la Encarnacion Soiza. I believe Maria de la Encarnacion outlives all of her siblings when she passes away in 1908 as I haven’t located Ramon’s or Dionisia’s death record. Dionisia dies before 1870 as her husband is listed as a widow on the 1870 Census.

Ignacio and Casimira did have other children but they all were deceased by the time the will was drawn in 1856. This is not uncommon for many families during this era.

Their son Ramon and Gregoria would have 9 children together.  Their children names are in the order of birth as Anastacio, Ramon, Emiliano, Carmen, Maria Leocardia, Alejandrina, Francisca, Jacoba, and Carmen.  They all carried the surname of Soiza Montanez. Through records I was able to discover that Ignacio Soiza del Carmen was from Portugal and it looks like he came alone. I hope this information can help you in your research.