Belém do Brejo do Cruz, Paraíba, Brazil Genealogy

Guide to Municipality of Belém do Brejo do Cruz ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, church records, parish registers, and civil registration.

History
The origin of the municipality dates back to 1850, when the Viana Family, it is said, coming from the municipality of Sousa, settled in a small farm called Belém, exploring subsistence cultures. The small property was located in the place where the city of Belém do Brejo do Cruz is built today. The origin of its primitive name "Bethlehem" is not exactly known, but everything suggests that it was influenced by the sacred history of which the affirmation "Christ was born in Bethlehem" was often heard. Years later, the place became well known due to the excellent qualities of its lands, and other residents settled there, exploring agriculture and organizing cattle ranches, an activity that had a very rapid development, constituting one of the main municipal sources of income. Between 1890 and 1900, from the municipality of Catolé do Rocha, Mr. Antônio Pedro, starting the local trade. He built a shed, where he sold the most varied products, especially food and offal. In 1920 a shed was built where the village's weekly fair was held. In such a shed, most of the population gathered to exchange or sell products from the region. Whenever the history of Belém do Brejo do Cruz is mentioned, two names should be remembered as pioneers of its foundation: José Alves Ferreira Maia and Paulinho de Morais. In 1928, Candinho Saldanha, as he was known, installed a small cotton processing industry that greatly influenced the growth and progress of the village that belonged to Brejo do Cruz. Preventing the product from leaving the municipality "in natura", increasing costs. The industry was closed in 1939, after the death of its founder. The village had several names, it was Belém, Bom Jesus, Taiassuí and finally Belém do Brejo do Cruz, which it still has today. In 1937, the district of Belém appears in the municipality of Brejo do Cruz. On November 15, 1938, the district of Belém changed its name to Bom Jesus. On December 31, 1943, the Bom Jesus district was renamed Taiassuí. On January 7, 1949, the Taiassuí district was renamed Belém. Elevated to the category of municipality with the name of Belém do Brejo do Cruz, on December 22, 1961, separated from Brejo do Cruz.

Local Offices
Cartório Andrade Rua Alcindo Olimpio Maia, 235 Centro Belém do Brejo do Cruz Paraíba 58895-000 Telephone: (83) 3447-1066 E-mail: cartorioandrade@yahoo.com.br

Online Resources

 * Brazil, Paraíba, Catholic Church Records, 1731-2013 no Registros Históricos do FamilySearch

Local Churches
Paróquia de São Sebastião Paça da Matiiz, s/n Centro Belém do Brejo do Cruz Paraíba 58895-000 Telephone: (83) 3447-1252