Re: Silveras of St. Mary, Jamaica
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In reply to:
Re: Silveras of St. Mary, Jamaica
3/11/02
Good morning, Andrew.Though we haven't made an apparent connection yet, it is said that all of the Silveras in Jamaica are related--reportedly all descended from two Silvera sons (Portuguese Jews), Robert (Bobby) and Leopold (Leo), who were two of the sons of George Silvera (b. 1808, d. 1884) and Deborah Rodriguez Dacosta.Other Silveras(from other families, or other siblings of this family), though, may well have made their way to Jamaica.
According to the history I've been given, my grandfather was Henry Silvera (I have seen his death certificate) and grandmother Eliza Henry.Henry's father was the Leopold (Leo) Silvera I mentioned above.Henry was illegitimate, of course, hence our difficulty finding good records.To find genealogy on the Jewish Silvera family in Jamaica go to http://www.sephardim.org/jamgen/index.htmlhttp://www.sephardim.org/jamgen/index.html.Our mixed race family members, though, will likely not be listed there.That site though has helped me to verify stories I was told anecdotally by my uncles in St. Mary.[BTW, Leo Silvera had a brother named Arthur--not much is said about him at the genealogy site, though.I'll have to look back at your note because I'm fairly certain you mentioned an Arthur among your great-grands.]
You might also ask your grandmother whether she knows of a relation to the Townend family.One of Leopold's legitimate daughters married into the Townend family--effectively making all of the Silvera land in St. Mary Townend land--which was eventually parceled out and sold, much of it becoming the land of present day mixed-race Silveras.That would seem like a story your granmother may have been privy to--that might help us make the link that I'm fairly certain exists.
BTW, I will likely be visiting London in late May, early June.Be interesting to meet you, particularly if we are family (however distant).
Glenroy