Catolé do Rocha, Paraíba, Brazil Genealogy

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

History
Historians show the discovery of these lands, with the first inhabitants, presumably, the Pegas (or Degas), Coyacus and Cariris Indians, at the end of the 17th century. The flags of the General government, captains of São Paulo, killed the Indians by demanding allotments of three leagues in length by one in width. It was they, the Garcia D'Ávila, Rocha Pita and the Oliveira Ledo who mainly populated the region of the Agon River. History records, however, the presence of inhabitants and cattle ranches since 1700, when Dona Clara Espínola, Count Alvor, Manoel da Cruz, Bartolomeu Barbosa required the allotment of three leagues for each one between those provided for in Poty and Riacho dos Porcos. and in the middle, the government at the time granted Dona Clara Espínola and Bento Araújo, lands in the backlands of Piranhas and Riacho Agon or Ogon. In 1717, Dona Clara requested three more leagues, reaching the fertile current, starting the colonization in 1769. In 1754, Francisco Dom Vital, a descendant of Teodósio de Oliveira Ledo, arrived in the region, settling on the banks of the Agon stream. Lieutenant Colonel Francisco da Rocha Oliveira and his wife Dona Brásida Maria da Silva, started the first buildings here, in 1774, with the construction of a chapel erected in honor of Nossa Senhora do Rosário. The territory comprised an extension of approximately 5,400 km. And as happened in almost all Northeastern cities and towns that emerged, its beginnings took place on the banks of streams and springs or subsoils that presented favorable conditions for water supply. With Catolé it was no different, its beginnings were on the banks of the Riacho Agon or Ogon or even Yagô, where there was plenty of water even in the dry years. Shortly after his arrival, the lieutenant began to explore the part of the land that was his, organizing plantations, building farms for raising cattle, building residential houses, cattle ranches as well as the construction of a chapel in the place where Av. Américo Maia, close to Banco do Nordeste, called Capela do Rosário. Years later, the Rosário chapel was demolished to open new avenues, and the mother church was built, under the invocation of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios. The municipality has a chapel on the site of Conceição, and the patron saint Nossa Senhora da Conceição, according to historians, was the 1st chapel built in the municipality. After the construction of the church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário, at the end of the 18th century, the place had a spurt of development. The toponymy Catolé do Rocha is due to the abundance of a native palm tree, named Coco Catolé, and Rocha, a tribute to its founder who had the last name Rocha. Some historians also claim that it is customary to refer to a locality, using the name of its owner, they also believe, because there is another locality with the name of Catolé, they usually referred to "Catolé dos Rochas" because it belonged to Lieutenant Francisco da Rock. Elevated to the category of village with the name of Vila Federal de Catolé do Rocha, on May 26, 1835. In 1933, the village appears with the simplified name for Catolé do Rocha and constituted of the district headquarters.

Local Offices
'''Cartório Distrital de Coronel Maia Coronel Maia''' Catolé do Rocha Paraíba 58884-000 Telephone: (83) 9687-6448 E-mail: cartoriocelmaia@gmail.com

Cartório Registro Civil Travessa Venâncio Neiva, s/n Centro Catolé do Rocha Paraíba 58884-000 Telephone: (83) 3441-1218 E-mail: cartorioregistrocivil@gmail.com

Cartório Distrital de Pico Rua da Matriz, s/n Zona Rural Catolé do Rocha Paraíba 58884-000 Telephone: (83) 3441-1735

Online Resources

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

Local Churches
'''Paróquia Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (1958) Rua Fundador Rocha, 70 Centro Catolé do Rocha Paraíba 58884-000 Telephone: (83) 3441-123

Localities
Districts: Coronel Maia, Itacambá (Jericó), Riacho dos Cavalos, Brejo dos Santos, Picos. Sites: Cajazerinha, Melada, Colina, São José, Sossêgo, Rancho do Povo, Trapia, Cajueiro, Boqueirão, Maniçoba, Vaca Morta, Estrela, Picos, Ricardo, Lagoa Rasa, Serra Nova, Serra das Almas, Jenipapeiro, São Domingos, Catolé de Baixo, Pau de Leite, São Francisco, Conceição. Farms: Mendonça, Liberdade, Nova América, Passagem Limpa