PEDRO MARQUEZ of CULEBRA - MEMORIAL
Donation protected
FUNDRAISER FOR PEDRO MARQUEZ MEMORIAL
Dear Successors of Pedro Marquez of Culebra,
March 13, 2018
As descendants of Pedro, we are all proud of his adventurous journey from Lorca, Spain in 1870 to Puerto Rico. After settling first in Vieques and starting a family of eight with Maria Cruz Laureano, he seized an opportunity offered by the Spanish Crown to found and colonize Culebra in return for land, conditional on Pedro and a small group of courageous pioneers moving their families to Culebra island. Starting in 1881, the colonizers endured hardships due to drought, mosquitos, clearing dense brush and traversing rough terrain. Despite the odds, Pedro persevered, using his one mast sailboat, the Pedrito he called "Dolorito", to bring water and also cattle to raise then sell when fattened. Pedro expanded his ranch and land ownership and thrived.
Following the Spanish American war in 1898, in anticipation of the arrival of the American Navy and their commandeering of the original settlement of San Ildefonso, Pedro decided to move his family across the bay to start a "new" town. He named it Dewey and resided on the street that still bears his name. In 1905, he was appointed by the American Governor to serve as mayor of Culebra. During the first two decades of the 1900s, Pedro 1905-12, and also his two sons, Alejandro (1912-14) and Manuel 1918-20), served as appointed Mayors. They contributed to the development of Culebra in those early tender years of the new American administration. (To learn more, I recommend all to read "Apuntes y Commentarios de la Colonizacion y Liberacion de la Isla de Culebra (Notes and Commentary on the Colonization and Liberation of the Island of Culebra) by Claro C.Feliciano, written in Spanish, providing an excellent opportunity to master our native language).
The purpose of sharing this brief narrative is to inspire you to assist me in raising the funds to honor and memorialize Pedro, our common ancestor. There are three areas that need your support:
1) PEDRO'S GRAVE NEEDS REPAIR. The cross is on the ground, and the chain link needs replacing. See photo taken March 7, 2018.
2) PEDRO'S KIOSKO HAS FALLEN APART AND SHOULD BE RESTORED WITH A COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE AS A HISTORIC SITE. As early as 1890 this 9'x12' zinc based building was the first butcher shop In Culebra, where Pedro distributed fresh beef from his stock to the community. It is located across from Zaco's Tacos on Calle Pedro Marquez. In fall of 2017, ferrocious hurricanes Irma and Maria tore off what was left of the roof and the sides and two doors. Pedro's Kiosk needs to be restored. See photo of PEDRO'S KIOSKO taken March, 2018. (In SHAMBLES!)
3) INSTALLATION OF A PLAQUE IN THE PLAZA AND CITY HALL listing the names and terms of service of the early founding mayors who were "appointed" before elections for mayors were instated on Culebra in 1928. Although, there is already a plaque In the plaza commemorating those elected, we should also recognize those who served before the era of actual elections.
To achieve these goals we wish to raise $10,000. As descendants of Pedro Marquez of Culebra, consider donating XXX dollars, or whatever you can afford to this fund. We will also ask for support from the Culebra municipal government, the Culebra Historical Museum Society, and of all of the community. Also, we will request that the Mayor and the Culebra Legislature pass a resolution recognizing the service of not only Pedro but of all the early mayors, and the requisitioning of a Culebra Early Founders plaque. As a capstone event, the planning of a Founder's Day and Plaque installation celebration that generations of families can proudly attend.
I will obtain and share quotes for the repairs. Your ideas are encouraged. Through the GOFUNDME site the aim is to raise up to $10,000 for our project. Do sign-up and join the Facebook Messenger group site "Pedro Marquez of Culebra Family Tree" to see latest postings and photos. I urge everyone of you to share handed-down stories about the Marquez of Culebra. Since I do not have contact information for descendants of all eight children of Pedro, it is important for each of you to notify those you know of this effort. PEDRO is our common root and his 8 children are the branches: I believe this is their birth order: ISABEL, ALEJANDRO 1[phone redacted], MANUEL DOLORES, PETRA, MARIA, ALFONSO, MARIA CORAL, JOSE. Kindly assist by entering dates for your branch.
Each of us can assume a family tree number. My Pedro's family tree number is 2.3.1 because my grandfather Alejandro was Pedro's 2nd child, my father Alejandro Jr. his 3rd child, and I Rachel his first child.
It would be wonderful for you to identify yourselves this way.
Kindly send names and contact info to me to my email: [email redacted].
Please help get this out to all. Thank you.
Your prima, Rachel Marquez
Dear Successors of Pedro Marquez of Culebra,
March 13, 2018
As descendants of Pedro, we are all proud of his adventurous journey from Lorca, Spain in 1870 to Puerto Rico. After settling first in Vieques and starting a family of eight with Maria Cruz Laureano, he seized an opportunity offered by the Spanish Crown to found and colonize Culebra in return for land, conditional on Pedro and a small group of courageous pioneers moving their families to Culebra island. Starting in 1881, the colonizers endured hardships due to drought, mosquitos, clearing dense brush and traversing rough terrain. Despite the odds, Pedro persevered, using his one mast sailboat, the Pedrito he called "Dolorito", to bring water and also cattle to raise then sell when fattened. Pedro expanded his ranch and land ownership and thrived.
Following the Spanish American war in 1898, in anticipation of the arrival of the American Navy and their commandeering of the original settlement of San Ildefonso, Pedro decided to move his family across the bay to start a "new" town. He named it Dewey and resided on the street that still bears his name. In 1905, he was appointed by the American Governor to serve as mayor of Culebra. During the first two decades of the 1900s, Pedro 1905-12, and also his two sons, Alejandro (1912-14) and Manuel 1918-20), served as appointed Mayors. They contributed to the development of Culebra in those early tender years of the new American administration. (To learn more, I recommend all to read "Apuntes y Commentarios de la Colonizacion y Liberacion de la Isla de Culebra (Notes and Commentary on the Colonization and Liberation of the Island of Culebra) by Claro C.Feliciano, written in Spanish, providing an excellent opportunity to master our native language).
The purpose of sharing this brief narrative is to inspire you to assist me in raising the funds to honor and memorialize Pedro, our common ancestor. There are three areas that need your support:
1) PEDRO'S GRAVE NEEDS REPAIR. The cross is on the ground, and the chain link needs replacing. See photo taken March 7, 2018.
2) PEDRO'S KIOSKO HAS FALLEN APART AND SHOULD BE RESTORED WITH A COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE AS A HISTORIC SITE. As early as 1890 this 9'x12' zinc based building was the first butcher shop In Culebra, where Pedro distributed fresh beef from his stock to the community. It is located across from Zaco's Tacos on Calle Pedro Marquez. In fall of 2017, ferrocious hurricanes Irma and Maria tore off what was left of the roof and the sides and two doors. Pedro's Kiosk needs to be restored. See photo of PEDRO'S KIOSKO taken March, 2018. (In SHAMBLES!)
3) INSTALLATION OF A PLAQUE IN THE PLAZA AND CITY HALL listing the names and terms of service of the early founding mayors who were "appointed" before elections for mayors were instated on Culebra in 1928. Although, there is already a plaque In the plaza commemorating those elected, we should also recognize those who served before the era of actual elections.
To achieve these goals we wish to raise $10,000. As descendants of Pedro Marquez of Culebra, consider donating XXX dollars, or whatever you can afford to this fund. We will also ask for support from the Culebra municipal government, the Culebra Historical Museum Society, and of all of the community. Also, we will request that the Mayor and the Culebra Legislature pass a resolution recognizing the service of not only Pedro but of all the early mayors, and the requisitioning of a Culebra Early Founders plaque. As a capstone event, the planning of a Founder's Day and Plaque installation celebration that generations of families can proudly attend.
I will obtain and share quotes for the repairs. Your ideas are encouraged. Through the GOFUNDME site the aim is to raise up to $10,000 for our project. Do sign-up and join the Facebook Messenger group site "Pedro Marquez of Culebra Family Tree" to see latest postings and photos. I urge everyone of you to share handed-down stories about the Marquez of Culebra. Since I do not have contact information for descendants of all eight children of Pedro, it is important for each of you to notify those you know of this effort. PEDRO is our common root and his 8 children are the branches: I believe this is their birth order: ISABEL, ALEJANDRO 1[phone redacted], MANUEL DOLORES, PETRA, MARIA, ALFONSO, MARIA CORAL, JOSE. Kindly assist by entering dates for your branch.
Each of us can assume a family tree number. My Pedro's family tree number is 2.3.1 because my grandfather Alejandro was Pedro's 2nd child, my father Alejandro Jr. his 3rd child, and I Rachel his first child.
It would be wonderful for you to identify yourselves this way.
Kindly send names and contact info to me to my email: [email redacted].
Please help get this out to all. Thank you.
Your prima, Rachel Marquez
Organizer
Rachel Marquez Wilkins
Organizer
Miller Place, NY
