The earliest American document I can find with the mention of Ramon is his Naturalization Record to become a citizen of the United States on the 18th day of May 1881. His name is written as “Ramon Pina y Lamy,” which coincides with family word of mouth.
In a previous post about the family history letter written a hundred years ago to my grand-aunt Margarite PINA from her half-cousin Sara BOOTH, Sara mentions Ramon married his first wife, Anita Multra/Murtra, in Mexico, & had two daughters. They were Anna Rosa Piña, born in 1869 & Amelia Rosalia, born in 1871, both born in Cuba.
A newspaper article from The Evening Telegram, dated Saturday, 31 Mar 1888, covering the divorce & alimony against Ramon Piña, states that “he is a wealthy commission merchant while his wife is a member of one of the best known families of Cuba, and they were married in Matanzas on 6 Apr 1868. At that time, Mr. Piña was engaged in the perfume business in the West Indies.
Soon after, the couple came to this country [United States] & lived happily together until about 5 years ago [1883], when Anita discovered his unfaithfulness in their marriage with several women she did not know. Her specific charge for divorce is her husband’s unlawful relations with Margaret Gunther. Mrs. Anita Pina alleges that Ms. Gunther entered Mr. Pina’s office as a clerk & soon assumed less honorable relations with him.
She states that Miss Gunther resided in Brooklyn, under the name of Mrs Margaret Mannell. Mr. Pina had free & unrestricted access to his house known as Louis Mannell, the husband of this Miss Gunther. Mrs. Pina also makes the serious accusation that some nine months ago this ‘Mrs. Mannell’ gave birth to a child, of which Mr. Pina is the father. As of this morning, it is said that the Mannells & their child have moved away.
This complaint is accompanied by an affidavit swearing that Mrs. Pina is without means of support & that her husband has extensive business transactions with Cuba, the West Indies & South America, from which he derives an income of at least $19,000 a year. Mr. Pina was not in his office this morning to respond with his answer to Mrs. Pina’s suit.”
This article was a ‘shock’ as it revealed a family secret. Did Aunt Margarite know this about her parents as she grew older?
Photo of a young Margaret Gunther.
Photo of their daughter, Margarite Pina, born
27 Jun 1887.
After his divorce from Anna Multra & marriage to Margaret Gunther, Ramon settled in Brooklyn, New York. He continued his businesses as a merchant travelling throughout the United States & the Caribbean.
Their other children include my grandmother, Sophie Ramna Pina, born 8 Dec 1888, Ramon Pina, born 9 Oct 1891, Piedad Pina, born 30 Oct 1894, Frederick Alexander Pina, born 19 Mar 1896, Anita Pina, born 26 Apr1897 & died 3 months later, & Edward Pina, born 23 Sep 1903.
Ramon died on 7 June 1917. I have a copy of his obituary. The original is in the possession of a cousin. I have no source as to what newspaper this is from and his Death certificate I found during my first research visit to Salt Lake City in 2002.
He is buried at Evergreen Cemetery with several other members of his extended family.
See blog post “EVERWOOD or EVERGREENS Cemetery of Brooklyn, New York.”
No comments:
Post a Comment