The Life of Clemencia Carolina Acosta Bonafoux

As I was reading late into the night, I stumbled upon an article from the early 1900s that caught my attention. It featured a picture of a beautiful little girl named Clemencia Carolina Acosta Bonafoux, whose sweet innocence and adorable Shirley Temple-esque curls captivated me. Intrigued by her story, I decided to do some research on ancestry.com to learn more about this precious child.

It’s always a letdown when we stumble upon photos without names. It’s impossible to know if we’ll ever uncover the identity of the person in the picture. Nevertheless, researchers have an advantage in trying to identify these individuals when it comes to Latin countries, as we use two surnames. Just imagine if the name on the photo read, “María Rivera” – it’d be quite a challenge to narrow down which María Rivera we’re looking at!

I was able to research Clemencia’s family quite easily, thanks to her full name, her parents’ names, and my estimation of her age. It also helped that only one family in the San Juan area appeared on Ancestry, and their child’s age matched my estimate. Armed with all of this information, I set out to create a family tree that would finally allow Clemencia’s life story to be shared. Little did I know that this journey would take me down unexpected paths!

Genealogy of Clemencia Carolina Acosta Bonafoux

I was surprised when I saw the surname, Quintero. It seemed familiar, but I couldn’t recall why. Suddenly, it hit me – I had a book on my bookshelf that I had bought years ago, and it contained the complete genealogy of this little girl. Her life story was sitting there, waiting for someone to discover it. I knew that documenting her family and finding sources wouldn’t be a problem. However, it’s always a good idea to confirm sources to avoid any errors and possibly uncover additional information. During my investigation, I found that there was limited research conducted on the Bonafoux line, which was interesting since this line originates in France, and the family settled in Guayama, Puerto Rico. I saw this as an opportunity to work on this line and expand the Bonafoux genealogy.

Clemencia’s grandfather, Don Luis Bonafoux Adariche (Ardariche), was the owner of a successful hacienda in Guayama and was considered wealthy due to his wine industry business. Locating his death record proved to be a moment of mixed emotions. It was exciting to identify it, but unfortunately, the document was a victim of a bug infestation that caused a large hole to appear over the parents’ names. The father’s name was legible, but the mother’s first name was forever lost. Furthermore, since the death occurred in 1881, no civil record was equivalent to it. A possible brick wall? Quick thinking was in order!

Guayama Census record of 1871

Fortunately, an 1871 census record for Guayama existed. Don Luis, and a few members of his family, are listed. A side note briefly described Don Luis, including his parents’ names, Don Luis Bonafoux(s) & Doña María Juliana “Ardariche!” How fortunate to have this census record, as it allowed the brick wall to come down. Don Luis appears as owning one slave by the name of Juan, whom he later freed. The genealogy ends for him in Puerto Rico. Hopefully, the genealogy of Don Luis & his wife may require additional research in the French Archives. (See Table IV)

Clemencia’s parents were first cousins; (please refer to Table I), which shows their mutual ancestor. Unfortunately, I had some difficulty locating the wedding record for Don Mariano & Doña María Luisa. They live in San Juan, Puerto Rico—not identifying the marriage record there, so I decided to look in Guayama, Puerto Rico. (A suggestion for researchers; when the wedding is not taking place in the city they reside, look to see where the couple is naturally from, especially the bride. In most cases, the wedding may have occurred there.)

For example, Da. María Luisa was from Guayama. Upon inspection of the 1910 census, it stated they were married for eighteen years. The estimated date was 1892. On a hunch, I decided to research the marriage books for Guayama from 1891 through 1908. It took no more than two minutes to find the wedding record in Guayama! Whereas I spent two hours researching in San Juan with no success. The marriage took place in 1891, a year earlier than the estimated date of 1892.

It’s all about the research

When researching a family that is so rooted in the history of Puerto Rico, whether in the arts, historical, or political, going the extra mile to unearth additional documentation is essential to ensure the family’s story is well recorded and ready to be shared.

I limit the research to three generations to provide just enough content to allow people to connect to the family tree. But unfortunately, that is not always the case. Especially true when the person descends from a prominent family, such as in the case of Clemencia. This adorable child is a direct descendant of many influential men in Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Spain. However, not to ignore the women in this family, Doña Josefa Quintero Hernández, Clemencia’s grandmother, held her own and made her mark in the history of Puerto Rico.

Clemencia descends from a very noble, cultured, educated family. They were Humanitarians involved in politics and justice for the underprivileged. One could only imagine the passionate conversations at the dinner table. As her ancestor’s genealogy is available, you will find many articles and books written about various family members. A quick Google search will pull up a wealth of information to a Genealogist. Please refer to my sources below for additional information.

Conclusion

Transcribing names and dates to a tree is relatively mundane; so much more is involved. Yet, genealogy goes hand in hand with history. So, as I am researching and formulating a tree, my mind wanders, and I start to ask myself these questions:

• What was life like for them? 
• What was going on historically when they were alive?
• Did they enjoy life, or did they suffer? 
• What illness did they have to endure? 
• How was their social life? 
• Were they well off or starving? 
• How did they survive those awful hurricanes and pandemics like the Spanish Flu? 

I am known as a Family Historian, and they are constantly contacting me, asking questions. I grew up with limited knowledge about politics and the history of Puerto Rico, hence, why I spend countless hours reading and learning about the contributions of its people. Knowledge of history is vital. Therefore, I resort to books, magazines, and newspapers, as they will assist us in painting a picture of how life was for our ancestors.

My goal here was to paint you a picture of the life of Clemencia Carolina Acosta Bonafoux. She left behind no children, from what I was able to determine. I want to think she would be pleased with what I put together, and if she were alive today, who knows, maybe she would like me enough to consider me as an adopted son. I am also hoping that whoever connects to this family is pleased with what I could put together.

Please comment and let me know if you want to see more articles like this one, and please share your thoughts. Enjoy!

Clemencia Carolina Acosta Bonafoux Genealogy Charts

Below is a six-generation genealogy chart that records the family relationship between Clemencia’s parents, who are first cousins. All the dates are researched and verified. But, it is not a complete genealogy. Consequently, they share a mutual grandfather, Don Angel Clemente Joseph de la Concepción Quintero Hidalgo, a well-known man of his time. (See Table I)

This chart includes the genealogy on the paternal side of Clemencia. Doña Juana Antonia Calvo Garriga is from San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Viscaya, Pais Vasco, Spain, and it also includes the genealogy of the Bonafous(x). (See Table II)

1871 Guayama Census record

Below you will find members of the Bonafous(x) family. The family appears in the 1871 Census for Guayama, Puerto Rico. They are living in a section of town named San Antonio. The two oldest children do not appear to be living with the family. They are; Mario Luis & María Luisa. This transcription was researched and transcribed by Doña Ana Margarita Rámirez de Romanillos & Don Rubén Pomales Rivera and provided to the Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Genealogía (SPG) (See Table III)

Name	Age	Status	Race	Patria	Profession	Read/Write
Bonafous Adariche, Luis	45	C	B	PR	Comerciante	Sí
Quintero Hernández, Clemencia	39	C	B	Caracas	Propietario	Sí
Bonafous Quintero, Luis	15	S	B	PR	Student	Sí
Bonafous Quintero, Carolina	13	S	B	PR	Student	Sí
Bonafous Quintero, Clemencia	10	S	B	PR	Student	Sí
Bonafous Quintero, Soledad	8	S	B	PR	Student	L
Bonafous Quintero, Angel	6	S	B	PR	Student	N
Bonafous Quintero, Enrique	4	S	B	PR	None	N

Dates of death and location of children and variations of surnames

Name	Date of Birth	Country	Date of Death	City
Bonafous Adariche, Luis (Father)		France	Aug. 19, 1881	Guayama
Quintero Hernández, Clemencia (Mother)	ABT. 1828	Caracas	Mar. 31, 1906	San Juan
CHILDREN:
Bonafous Quintero, María Consuela	Abt. 1864		Jan. 27, 1866	Guayama
Bonafous Quintero, Clemencia		Guayama, PR	Nov. 22, 1874	Guayama
Bonafous Adariche, Enrique	Abt. 1866	San Lubertz, France	Jun. 10, 1899	Guayama
Bonafous Adariche, Angel Clemente	ABT. 1870	Guayama, PR	Nov. 09, 1914	Guaynabo
Bonafous Quintero, Ma. Soledad	Mar. 5, 1864	Guayama, PR	Mar. 08, 1918	San Juan
Bonafous Quintero, Mario Luis	Jun. 19, 1855	San Lubertz, France	Oc.t 24, 1918	London
Bonafous Quintero, María Carolina	Jun. 23, 1857	Arroyo, PR	Jan. 02, 1932	Guayama
Bonafous Quintero, María Luisa	Abt. 1872	Guayama, PR	Apr. 08, 1957	San Juan

Additional individuals in Guayama with the same surname

It is worth mentioning that I found two women named Juana (age 40) & Casimira (Age 48) Ardariche in the town of San Juan in Guayama, Puerto Rico. Their mother is Juana, and they are “Hija Naturals” (children born out of wedlock.) They are both white, single, and educated, according to the 1871 census. They are also owners of their property. I don’t know if there is a relationship. This will need to be investigated further. I may continue to research this further and post about it one day.

Da. Josefa Quintero Hernández; Clemencia’s Grandmother

Da. Josefa was a woman of nobility.  Born in Caracas, Venezuela, on April 20, 1838, as written by D. Pérez Losada in his article: “From the San Juan that I love”, of Spanish blood on all four sides, belonged to one of the most illustrious families of the Republic of Venezuela.

She was the daughter of Emperor Venzesolano Jurisconsult Don Angel Quintero, who served in his country as President of the Senate, and was proposed to the Presidency of the Republic and drafted the first constitution of Venezuela.  Sa. Josefa’s mother, Da. Soledad Hernández Martinez, a woman nobility, descends from the first founders of the Canary Islands and King Don Alfonso XI de Castilla, her sixteenth great-grandfather.

In 1851, due to the political struggles unleashed on her land, Doña Josefa’s father emigrated with his family. He settled in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she met her future husband, Don Jose Julian de Acosta y Calvo.

Two years later, Da. Josefa co-founded in 1860 Asilo-Colegio de San Ildefonso, located on San Justo Street.  The institution is dedicated to the education of both rebellious and orphan girls, and on several occasions, the biography had the honor of being president and vice president. In that educational center, she collaborated with the Countess of Caspe, the Marquise de la Vega Inclán, and Doña Rafaela de Contreras.

From her memory, written by Doña Quintero de Acosta and read at the Meeting of November 22, 1884, the following is evoked:

In 1879 the County Council granted a subsidy to this School Asylum, thanks to the efforts of the Countess of Caspe, wife of Governor Despujol. It was a part of the profits of the provincial Lottery. On June 10, 1881, upon handing over the Presidency as a worthy administrator, he handed over to the presbyter Dean, doctor Don Jaime Agusti, the sum of 22,600 pesos, coming from the subsidies donated by the Provincial Council; All the general expenses of the establishment are covered. On the Countess of Caspe’s advice, they agreed in the Ladies’ Board to put said capital back to ensure the life of the Asylum School and enacted by Father Agusti. He bought house No. 14 on Calle de San Jose and No. 37 on Calle del Sol, giving the helpful rest mortgages on urban farms in this city.

History remembers her for her enormous work as president of the Spanish Red Cross in Santurce, Puerto Rico, and her participation and intervention in restoring Saint Vincent de Paul. Also known for her re-establishment of the College of the Reverend Mothers of the Sacred Heart. At Sagrado Corazón, she devoted herself to decorating the altars and organizing the musical programs. The Governor of that time, Captain-General Don Antonio Dabán y Ramírez de Arellano, inducted her into the Order of Noble Ladies of Queen María Luisa in 1893 for her merits as a woman of excellent character, culture, virtues, integrity, loyalty, and love for the underprivileged. (Source; La Familia Quintero de Venezuela y su Descendencia en Puerto Rico, Escrito por Dr. Don Jaime Alberto Solivan de Acosta)

D. José Julián de Acosta Calbo, Clemencia’s Grandfather

Don de Acosta was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Francisco de Acosta y Sandoval and Juana Antonia Calbo y Garriga. There he received his primary education. Acosta was the founder and editor of El Progreso (Progress) newspaper and collaborated with many other publications oriented toward liberalism.

Acosta became a member of the Liberal Reformist Party, and in 1870, he founded the political newspaper El Progreso. In 1871 he became an elected representative to the Spanish Courts. In 1873, he became president of the Liberal Reformist Party but decided to leave the party in 1874 and joined the Autonomist Party formed by Román Baldorioty de Castro.

On March 22, 1873, Acosta witnessed his abolitionist efforts with the decree proclamation to abolish slavery in Puerto Rico. Acosta died on August 26, 1891, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was interred in Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery in Old San Juan.[His great-grandson was Colonel Gilberto José Marxuach, the “Father of the San Juan Civil Defense.”

Judge D. Angel de Acosta Quintero, Clemencia’s Uncle

Don Angel de Acosta Quintero was a political prisoner in the early 1900s. Here he is photographed along with other prominent members of society; Bankers, Lawyers, Reporters, Doctors, and Judges.

Original Article in Spanish that appeared with the picture above about the Political Prisoners:

Don Luis Bonafoux Quintero, Clemencia’s Maternal Uncle

Spanish-French writer and journalist. Son of a French father and a Venezuelan mother, he studied in Madrid and Salamanca. He lived for many years in Spain and had Spanish nationality; however, he also spent long periods in Puerto Rico. He assiduously collaborated in the liberal press and left behind an abundance of work, such as essays and compilations of newspaper articles.

He became a controversial author of progressive ideology, possessing a lively, direct, and concise style with which he attacked the Catholic Church and the political class.

Don Luis owned three slaves; Adrián, 52 years old, single, from Africa, employed as a domestic; María Paz, 16 years old, single, from Puerto Rico; and Paula, 42 years old, Single, employed as a Cook from Africa.
There is one slave that was granted his freedom by the name of Juan. Not sure if Don Luis Senior or his son owned it.

Supporting Documentation

Updated On August 10, 2020

Dr. Don Jaime Alberto Solivan de Acosta just shared the following pictures with me and allowed me to share them with you. So please thank him in the comments.

Sources:

• The Puerto Rico Herald
• “La Familia Quintero de Venezuela y su Descendencia en Puerto Rico,” written by Dr. Jaime Alberto Solivan de Acosta, 1992
• Family Search
• Ancestry
• “Día de Gloria,” San Juan, Puerto Rico, Mar 1898
• Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Genealogía (SPG)