History
Before establishing the area where Santa Isabel is located today, it was part of the boundary between the cacicazgos (or Taíno regions) of Guaynia and Guayama. During the Spanish conquest and settlement of Borinquen, the area became critical to the settlement and agriculture of Coamo. Which at the time was the second town in the southern part of the island. Numerous estancias(small farms) existed in the region to cultivate “Frutos menores,” or small crops for local use, such as rice, corn, beans, and root vegetables.
The official founding date of the municipality of Santa Isabel was October 5, 1842, by Antonio Vélez. Vélez led a group of residents to obtain independence from the city of Coamo, which Santa Isabel had initially been a part of.
Towns
Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Santa Isabel is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square, and sizeable Catholic church are in a barrio called “el pueblo.”
Baptism Books
| Book | Year | Race | Image | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1852-1872 | Enslaved | 4 | ||
| 1 | 1852-1857 | Whites, Pardos | 99 | ||
| 2 | 1857-1878 | Whites, Pardos | 221 | ||
| 3 | 1878-1888 | 604 | |||
| 4 | 1888-1899 | 815 | |||
| 5 | 1899-1906 | 1123 | |||
| 6 | 1906-1909 | 1428 | |||
| 7 | 1909-1928 | 141 | |||
| 8 | 1928-1933 | 1514 | |||
| 9 | 1933-1938 | 1724 | |||
| 10 | 1938-1943 | 1935 | This book includes the year 1941. | ||
| 10 | 1938-1943 | 4 | This is another book that starts in 1941. | ||
| 11 | 1943-1947 | 103 | |||
| 12 | 1947-1950 | 355 |
Marriage Books
| Book | Year | Race | Image | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1852-1874 | Enslaved(1855-1864) Whites(1852-April 1874) | 624-636 637 | |
| 2 | 1874-1934 | 748 | ||
| 3 | 1934-1959 | 979 |
Burials
| Book | Year | Notes | Image | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1852-1868 | 1460 | This book includes Salinas. | ||
| 2 | 1868-1883 | 1688 | 1856 | ||
| 3 | 1883-1898 | 1882 | 2087 | ||
| 4 | 1898-1904 | 4 | 118 |
Confirmations
As stated in my previous articles, do not discount the confirmation books. They contain the names of Parents and their God-parents. In addition, you may find siblings you were not aware of. Finally, in the event of a baptism missing, you could find them in the confirmation books listed with their parent. This will be proof of your lineage. Also, grandparents were chosen as Godparents. You would be surprised you may discover a relative you did not know about.