1 Mar 2021

I retrieved some backup copies of Jeff’s research diaries to replace some that had been corrupted. Reading through the 1992 diary I was reminded of the Chile-born Patrice Herrera that we found living in Tredegar Street, Risca in 1871. I wondered if I could link him to the Hemmings/Ximenes family. I had a search on Ancestry and found a very credible match in another family tree which seems to have been compiled by a descendant.

He was called Patricio Herrera and was born in about 1849 in Concepcion, Chile. He arrived in Liverpool in 1865 on the West Australian. He married Louisa Thomas on 17 August 1868 and lived in Lower Machen until 1871 where he moved to Altofts in Yorkshire. They had 6 children: Caroline (b. 1869, Lower Machen), John William (1872-1956), Herbert (1874-1936), Ellen (1877-1916), Florence Gertrude (1880-1975) and Phillipa Jane (1886-1969). Patricio had moved back to Mynyddyslwyn by 1891 and remained there until his death in 1929. [Source: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/786215/person/-2049256009/facts]

There is also an interesting pair of letters, with this commentary:

Letters to Patricio: These letters were among my Grandmother’s effects (Phillipa Herrera) Patricio’s youngest daughter, there was also a letter from his mother, berating him for marrying an English woman, and telling him to come home. This letter is with my sister Pat.

Letter 1:

South Town Dartmouth

July 27th 1865

My dear Patricio

I should have written to you before but I have been very poorly and obliged to go under my doctor’s care and am not much better now but would not delay writing as I felt that you would be very disappointed did you not hear from me. My daughter would have written you but she has been in London for the last three weeks, she is quite well and sends her love. I am sorry you should not have left Capt. Luke as he was a great favourite of mine but has you say it cannot be helped. Now be sure you write and let me know what you intend doing. I am anxiously looking out for letters from your Uncle. Should any come for you I will be sure to keep them until you return. I cannot write more now I feel very poorly, be sure you write soon and with kind love.

Believe me dear Patricio

Yours affectionately Mary Bate.

Letter 2:

My dear Patricio

I had this letter returned to me to day. I had made a mistake in the number. I am sorry for it as I know you must have been very disappointed. I wrote again yesterday but I hope I have not made the same mistake. I should be glad to hear when you sail. My daughter Mary writes with much love.

Believe me dear Patricio

Yours most affectionately Mary Bate.

It’s not 100% clear but it appears that Mary Bate is the mother of his stepfather William Archibald Bate who married his mother in 1855

Mister Patricio Herrera

Vista del Mar 2nd July 1868

Dear son,

I received your letter and I am glad to know that you are well. You have no idea how happy I was to read your beautiful letter and to learn that you are a good young man as I had always wished.

It is good to know that you have a nice new boss. Even though I was sorry to hear that you’re not with Captain Luke any more,  was happy since it was a promotion. I hope you will behave like a good young man, and please tell that gentleman, your Captain that I would be very grateful if he looked after you like a father and taught you how to write some numbers to do accounts.

If he ever comes to Chile I will be delighted to host him in my house and to thank him personally for helping you.

Let me know if you are already a pilot and please write to me in Spanish and don’t forget to tell me if your boss comes to Chile.

I will send you my photograph and Carolina’s who always thnks of you. I hope you speak many languaes since you have been to so many places, I wish I could visit them too.

With all my heart, from your mother,Felipa Bate

Here is a snapshot of his family tree

rom this information I don’t believe he is related to Joseph Ximenes. However it is interesting that he came to Liverpool from Chile before moving to South Wales. That might suggest a similar route for our ancestor.

While browsing Ancestry I came across this baptism for a Jose Agustin Ximenes in Chile:

But Ximenes/Jimenez was a fairly common name so this may not mean anything.

I then had the idea of looking for DNA matches from south america or spain. This is how I worked out my dad’s Norwegian connection.

I found someone with the username of jcabec540343 who is Portugese and lives in Portugal. Ancestry estimates that we are 4th-6th cousins. His tree shows his father José de Sousa Cabecinha (b. 1932, Faro, Portugal) and mother Maria Paula de Sousa (b. 1932, Faro, Portugal). His grandparents on his father’s side were José de Sousa Cabecinha and Ana dos Mártires Viegas.

However, he does not seem to have the native american ancestry that is shown on my dna profile, so maybe this is some other branch. Interestingly in another tree with these people under a different account (jcabec) I found several Ximenes but none later than 1670 and they didn’t seem to connect to his tree.

Just like I did for my dad’s side I am going to create a new tree with these people and see if Ancestry can help me make a connection. To be 6th cousins we would need to share a common 5th great ancestor. Joseph Ximenes is my 2 great grandfather, so this connection is 2-3 generations back from Joseph.

I spent some time trying to connect DNA matches into my family tree. So far I have connected:

DGE who is my second cousin. She is the granddaughter of my grandfather’s sister Eileen Chambers. (https://www.ancestry.co.uk/account/profile/069F4C4D-0006-0000-0000-000000000000)

DO who is my third cousin. She is the great granddaughter of George Henry Chambers’ brother John who moved to Malton, Yorkshire to become a farmer (https://www.ancestry.co.uk/account/profile/04B8C071-0006-0000-0000-000000000000)

I have messaged DGE and DO through the Ancestry website.