Toa Alta; is west of San Juan, the capital city, and boasts a rich history that dates back to 1751. The San Fernando Rey Church was constructed in the main town square in 1752. Some believe that the town’s name comes from the Taíno word for mother or fertility, Thoa. But it is more likely that it comes from the same language’s word for valley or mountain. The region is also known as Valle del Toa.
Agriculture has played a significant role in the town’s economy over the years. Granja de los Reyes Católicos (Toa Alta) is the name it went by during the peak of the agricultural economy. This translates to (the Farm of the Catholic Monarchs). Ciudad del Josco and “La Cuna de los Poetas” (Cradle of Poets) are other names it goes by. This is due to the numerous Spanish-language poets born there, such as Abelardo Díaz Alfaro and musician Tomás “Masso” Rivera. In 1776, the population of Toa Alta consisted of around one hundred houses. Nearly three thousand people reside in the surrounding area. The economy had changed considerably by this time. Similar to other areas of the island, cattle, sugar cane, and fruits are its main source of income.
In 1853 Toa Alta already counted a church, a King’s House, and a cemetery.1
I transcribed a book of Pardos and Enslaved Babtisms for 1779. This is a book that is not available on FamilySearch. I transcribed this in 2011 when I visited the Archives in Puerto Rico. Maybe you will be one of the lucky ones and will find your ancestor on this list. The PDF is sorted by date and by surname in two separate tables. Good Luck.
