California and Hawaii's First Puerto Ricans, 1850-1910: The 1st and 2nd Generation Immigrants/Migrants

by Daniel Lopez

Overview

There has not been a comprehensive, and detailed, book describing the historical beginnings of the California, and San Francisco, Puerto Rican community. The U.S. Federal Census during the periods from 1850-1900 identified 12 persons that were born in Puerto Rico (aka: Porto Ricans, from 1899-1932), and whom also resided in California during this period. The 1910 U.S. California Census identified a total of 342 persons who had been born in Porto Rico, and whom were also ressiding in California, while 213 resided in San Francisco, as of the April 1910 enumeration date. The first "Group", out of a total of 11 separate "Groups", arrived in San Francisco, CA,on December 14, 1900 (see: The San Francisco Examiner, Dec. 15, 1900: 1). Out of the original "Group" of over 114 immigrants, a total of 64 (and NOT 56, as had originally been widely reported) remained in San Francisco, and within two (2) weeks, were "dispersed" to 17 different Northern California Cities, and and 12 different Counties. However, it is undisputed that a total of 56 DID arrive in Hawaii (their originally scheduled immigration destination) on December 23, 1900, to begin working on the Hawaiian Sugar Plantations as "contract laborers" (see: The Hawaiian Star (Honolulu [Oahu] newspaper; Dec. 24, 1900, p. 1). Also, The Hawaiian Gazette newspaper (Dec. 26, 1900: 8) reported that: "The Porto Ricans arrived...on the Rio Janeiro (sic)....[Steamship]."

This book deals with the identifying of as many "Porto Ricans"/Puerto Ricans, by name, age, number of children (if any), occupation or profession,spouse's name, year of (their) immigration, etc., as well as the identification of several other social characteristics (social/sociological variables), for the first "Porto Ricans" (Puerto Ricans) that arrived in California, during the 1850-1910 time period(s). Begining in Dec. 1900, and therafter in larger numbers, Porto Ricans began to immigrate to Hawaii,(they also migrated as well) to California, and to the San Francisco Bay Area in particular, from 1900 to 1910, and again, even thereafter well into the 20th Century.

The specific names, as well as their respective social variables, i.e., the "hard data" was "extracted" by this author from the genealogy-related software, Ancestry.com, as well as from the various U.S. Federal California Census covering the periods from 1850 through 1910. Note: Since there was no 1850 California Census, the 1852 California State Census was used (California became a State of the U.S. in Sept. 1850). Therefore, utilizing current geanealogy-related software technology allowed this author the identification, as well as the verification, via the reviewing of the ("Original") "digitized version" of the U.S. Federal Censuses, especially the 1910 U.S. Federal (California) Census (also known as the Thirteenth Census of the United States), of the names of a least 151 Porto Ricans, as well as their respective family members, that had immigrated to the United States, and who were also living in the San Francisco Bay area as of early (April) 1910.

As a result of the foregoing, these immigrants, along with their children, became the first Porto Ricans/Puerto Ricans, in any meaningfil numbers, that created the beginnings of Californi'S first Porto Rican/Puerto Rican ethnic enclaves (i.e., "Colonias"), and thereafter, communities. Finally, and importantly, the names of the children of these early Porto Rican immigrants to California, and to the San Francisco Bay area, namely, the "2nd Generation" Porto Rican in California, were identified.

While there have been numerous researched books, and scholarly articles, written about the immigration of the many "ethnic groups" to California, and to San Francisco as well, over the many years, there has not been a comprehensive book about the beginnings of the Puerto Rican community(communities) in California, or in San Francisco. This book is this author's attempt to bridge this long overdue, and much needed, and glaring gap. As a result of this book, this author hopes that the history of both United States and California Etnic Groups will now be more complete and accurate, as well as the subject of U.S. Puerto Rican history and Genealogy can be added to.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940014128865
Publisher:	Daniel Lopez
Publication date:	04/11/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Mr. Lopez was born in Puerto Rico, and was raised in the South Bronx area of New York City throughout his High School years. Mr. Lopez is currently the Editor, and Staff Writer, of the El Boricua newsletter for the House of Puerto Rico-San Diego, San Diego, CA. He worked for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), as a Senior Enforceement Investigator for almost 30 years. Mr. Lopez published his first articles relating to the Puerto Rican diaspora while he was graduate Student at the University of Oregon beginning in 1975, and thereafter. Since 1997, Mr.Lopez has published numerous articles in the "El Boricua newsletter" for the San Diefo County Puerto Rican community of just over 20,000, according to the 2010 U.S. Federal Census; while the California 2010 Puerto Rican population was at 189,000.