Boqueirão, Paraíba, Brazil Genealogy

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

History
Boqueirão, a city in the interior of Paraíba, was founded around 1664/65, by Antônio de Oliveira Lêdo, son of the Captain-General Teodósio de Oliveira Ledo and his first wife, Isabel Paes, pioneer, emigrant from Bahia, also Captain, married twice, the first with Joana Batista Acióli, the second with Emerenciana de Lucena. He was also a farmer, owner of many cattle in the hinterland of Piranhas and Cariri, and died in 1751. Father of five children, three from his first marriage and two of the second. The Oliveira Lêdo family played a crucial and differentiating role in the entry of cattle into the Paraíba hinterland. The Oliveira Lêdo were the first to locate themselves in the interior of Paraíba, at a distance of more than 14 leagues from the sea. A priori, they settled where, currently, the city of Boqueirão, then called Carnoió, is located, land of the fierce Cariri Indians. The Oliveira Lêdo farm then became the irradiating center for the occupation of the Sertão. The town's foundation camp, shortly afterwards, served as a point of reference for those looking for passages to explore the hinterlands of Paraíba. The name “Boqueirão”, which the Aurélio Dictionary defines as (sm. 1. Mouth; 2. Opening in a maritime slope, river or channel), it originates, precisely, from a large cut that the Paraíba river made in the Cornoió mountain range. In a short time, the population of the village would be increased in a very picturesque way, according to the legends. Captain Pascoal de Oliveira Ledo, mulatto and cowboy from Casa da Torre, bastard nephew of Antônio de Oliveira, fell in love in Bahia with a small traditional family full of prejudices. Some chroniclers guarantee that it was really the niece or foster daughter of a nobleman from Tatuapara. The parents didn't even want to hear about such a marriage. The lovers decided to flee on horseback, late at night, but the dogs took part. Alarmed by the family, the men lit torches and set out in pursuit of the fugitives. From career to career, stopping only to change horses, the lovers reached the right bank of the São Francisco River on the third night. At that time, Pascoal had a very happy idea. As there were a lot of people gathered on the riverbank, he said to the curious: I'm going to take a lit firebrand, which I'll raise high. If the light doesn't go out, it's because we've reached the other side of the river. If it goes out, it's because we drowned. He got into the water, with his girlfriend on his back, and whipped the horse. Reaching the middle of the river, he dropped the brand. When the pursuers arrived hours later, they received news that the loving couple had perished. In 1939-1943, the district of Boqueirão appears in the municipality of Cabaceiras. On December 31, 1943, the district of Boqueirão was renamed Carnoió. Elevated to the category of municipality with the name of Carnoió, by state law nº 2078, of 30-04-1959, separated from Cabaceiras.

Local Offices
Cartório Único Rua Ivanilda Rodrigues das Chagas, s/n Centro Boqueirão PB 58450-000 Telephone: (83) 3391-1120 E-mail: tabborjacastro@hotmail.com

Cartório do Registro Civil de Pessoas Naturais Rua Oliveira Lêdo, 69 Centro Boqueirão PB 58450-000 Telephone: (83) 3391-1205 E-mail: cartorioaab@gmail.com

Online Resources

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

Local Churches
PARÓQUIA DE NOSSA SENHORA DO DESTERRO 1961 Vigário Paroquial Pe. José Gonçalves de Lucena Neto Av. Nossa Senhora do Desterro Centro Boqueirão PB 58450-000 Telephone: (83) 3391-1214 E-mail: paroquiadeboqueirao@hotmail.com