(Sources: [1] Delayed Record of Birth, State of Illinois, Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Statistics and Records, issued June 24, 1948 and based on Abstacts of Supporting Evidence, including her own affadavit of birth. [2] Marriage Announcement; Record of Marriage, License # 25665, issued Mar 3, 1949 by County Clerk of Sangamon Co., IL; Marriage Certificate of June 17, 1905, signed and issued by Pastor James E. Rogers, 3rd Presbyterian Church [3}Certificate of Death, County Recorder, Los Angeles Co., CA

In each of the above named sources, Edna identified her parents as:
Edward R. Defrates and Caroline Defrates.

A scrapbook article captioned April 1950, announces that Caroline Defrates, 94 yoa, of 1021 E. Miller, died at St. John's Hospital (the city isn't mentioned, I assume Springfield). The article goes on to say that she was the widow of Edward R. Defrates who died "many years ago". The article goes on " Mrs. Defrates is survived by one son, Ray, of Springfield; one daughter, Mrs. A.T. Conner {Edna} formerly of Grand Island, Nebraska; .....one brother, Frank, city; four grandsons, Joe, Michael and William H. all of city, and Walter C. Defrates Jr., Chicago, and seven great-children.

Where I need help:

With reference to: The Gathering of the Portugese, Published by Wanda Warkins Allers and Eileen Lynch Gochanour, November, 1984, certain pages of which I have.

Pages 209 and 210 refer to "my" branch of the Defrates family.

Page 210 identifies Ed Defrates as the son of James/Jim Defrates and Labena (?) Quintal.

Page 210 ID's Ed as marrying Caroline Defrates, daughter of Antonia Defrates and Caroline Fernandes.

Further, page 210, Ed and Caroline had two daughters, Stella and Dottie, and two son's, Walter and Ray.

Certainly, the Ed and Caroline referred to in this document are the same as those referred to by my grandmother and the April 1950 article. EXCEPT, Edna is NOT mentioned as a daughter of Ed and Caroline Defrates.

Edna was known by me and our family (and, I think, named by me as a child) as Dodo, and later as Dode. I surmise that the Dottie referred to in the Gochnaur document is in truth Edna.

As you can appreciate, my surmise is tenuous. I seek confirmation that Ed and Caroline Defrates either had a third daughter (Edna), or that my surmise is correct. In either event, I would be satisfied that my ancestry does include the information contained in the "Gathering" papers and my connection to the Madeira Exiles and thus my Portugese heritage would be established. BTW, (in my memory) Edna was described as a Portugese beauty and my grandfather's family is said (again, in my memory) to have disowned him for marrying out of class. In fact, I have managed to learn of a branch of my grandfather's family about whom I previously knew absolutely nothing. Perhaps there is a shred of truth to my memory.

Thanks to one and all who take the time to assist with "my" mystery.

King Conner