Genealogy and miracles!!!

I am so HAPPY today!!! After we were baptized I became fascinated with genealogy.  I would interview my grandma (mom's mom) and ask questions about my ancestors. It was during one of these interviews that I found out we were related to the famous Pirate of the Caribbean, Roberto Cofresi.  Alison was also interested in genealogy and on one of my mom's trip to Orlando she also asked my mom questions like I did with my grandma.  When my mom went back to PR she mailed Alison a beautiful letter that when I have time I will share in my blog.  My mom told her that because of the notes that I took she was able to do some genealogy.  She sent her a copy of my notes and I am impressed with myself that I even dated the page and wrote at the top "Historia de Mageña". Mageña is what we called my grandma so that says "Mageña's history" and it is dated January 11, 1979!! I was 13 years old. My grandma told me the story of when she was little, she had gone to the small market and the attendant asked her if she was related to the Roberto Cofresi? She asked why and was told because of the last name, it is in your family.  My grandma went home and asked her mom and she told her never to mention his name that it was a disgrace to their family.  I was so excited to hear that!! I have ever since then tried to figure out how we are related.  My grandma's grandpa was Jose Maria Irizarry Cofresi.  In Spanish we use both last names so Irizarry is the dad's and Cofresi is the mom's last name. Jose Maria's mom was a Cofresi.  The Cofresi family is from Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. My grandma was born in Cabo Rojo and the families married their relatives.  The pirates mother's last name was Ramirez de Arellano, which is my grandma's father's last name, so my grandma was related to the pirate from both her mother and father's line.  But I was not successful in finding the missing link, until Matthew Herzog helped me!! This Saturday I got the email where he finally connected my family.  I was in tears, I feel the spirit so strong!!

Before my mom passed away, we both tried so hard to find information on that line.  She has always known how much I love genealogy but she knew how hard it is to do our family.  Shortly after she died I got called to be the Stake Relief Society secretary and I felt that my mom had something to do with it, as if she wanted me to be with these wonderful women, because I was so sad she was gone.  I know now that I was called so that I could help with my genealogy.  I have always known that I would be the one in my family that would do the genealogy, it is something you just know and feel.  I have loved it since I was little! When it was announced that the Stake Relief Society secretary had been released I had the overwhelming feeling that I would be called as secretary.  A few Sundays later the Stake RS presidency came to our RS and I was conducting that day. My RS president said to the Stake RS president "No secretary yet?" and at moment again I had the strong impression that I would be called.  Not long after that day President Johnson, from our Stake presidency called my cell phone that he was coming to my house to meet with me and Brent.  I told Brent that I knew he was going to call me as the Stake RS secretary, and he did.  During one of our presidency meetings I found out that Matthew was Sister Hales (the Stake RS President's) nephew and that he helped others with genealogy.  I contacted him and now he has helped me with hundreds of my family members both on my mom and my dad's side. I know that the reason I got called to the Stake was to help my mom and dad get their genealogy done.  I know that from heaven they are helping me and Matthew and they are the ones directing this whole work, because I feel them so close helping me, I just know!! We have done so much work since my mom passed away.  It was as if my dad was waiting for her to be with him and for me to find Matthew and the work just took off!!  

So here is the Cofresi line:

Cristoforo Von Kupferschein was born in Bohemia, Austria (Prague) we don't know his wife's name yet. He had a son Fenicio Von Kupferschein, who was born in Kaernten, Austria and married Nicoletta Inrico who was born in Trieste, Italy. Their son Francesco was born in Trieste and married Orsola also from Trieste. They had a son Giovanni, who had a son Francesco who had a son Giovanni, who also had a son Francesco. This last Francesco moved from Italy to Puerto Rico, he changed his last name from Von Kupferschein to Cofresi because the Spaniard could not pronounce it. He was well to do and bought land in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. He married a Puerto Rican named Maria Germana Ramirez de Arellano. They had four children one was the pirate Roberto Cofresi and one was my fourth great grand father, Juan Francisco Cofresi.  I am so happy that Matthew was able to help me.

When Alison was called on her mission to Italy, I was a little sad that it was not Spanish speaking.  I knew that she was going where she needed to be.  Trieste, Italy is part of her mission and I can't help but think how wonderful it is for to serve where our family came from!! I am so happy she is there.  To think that she is part Italian and is serving in Italy!! How I love genealogy!!!