Jose Beleza da Ponte

"The Courtship of Jose Beleza DaPonte and Ines Benedita Chaves" : by daughter Maria Ines (Chaves Ponte) Sousa

July 24, 2008

"Jose Beleza DaPonte and Ines Benedita Chaves grew up at the same time in the early 1900's in Vila do Porto, yet did not know each other! Both came to Somerville , MA. Ines came first when she was 15 years old; she lived with her Tia Maria (Chaves) Beleza; Jose came later on April 14, 1914 on the SS Canopic to live in East Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was 17 years old and also lived in the areas of Providence and Somerville. They met here in the US and remained for 6 years. They married here in a Protestant church in Cambridge, MA, got pregnant with Maria Joana, and then returned to Santa Maria. The reason they returned to Santa Maria was because of Jose's mother, Maria Virginia Beleza, told him to return for military service and not to lose his Portugal citizenship rights. There they had Maria Joana. Jose then returned to the US by himself to work for 2 more years, and when he went back to Santa Maria he brought with him boxes of rope and wire to make fishing nets. Later in the 1950's, he lived with his daughter Maria Joana in Warren and worked as a dishwasher at King Philip Hotel in Bristol, RI! Jose and Ines married in a Catholic church in Santa Maria, Igreja da Fatima, after all of their children were born!"

The small church is there up on a hill with lots of stairs. We hope you visit it when you go!

We have an immigration document showing Jose and his future brother-in-law Joaquim Jose de Chaves traveling together to the United States when he was 17 years old. Therefore, my mother -in-law was incorrect...Jose and Ines DID know each other in Vila do Porto!

Joaquim José de Chaves)

Carl LaPietra 9/24/17