Cajazeiras, Paraíba, Brazil Genealogy

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

History
According to reports from old documents, dating from the 18th century, the lands located on the banks of Lagoa de São Francisco were, through a sesmaria, ceded to the owners Francisco Gomes Brito and José Rodrigues da Fonseca by the governor of the captaincy of Paraíba, Luiz Antônio Lemos. Brit. Thirteen years later, on February 7, 1767, José Jerônimo de Melo, another governor of the captaincy, donated part of these lands to Luiz Gomes de Albuquerque, from Pernambuco, who later founded Fazenda Cajazeiras (also sometimes called Sítio Cajazeiras). This farm was donated by its founder to one of her daughters, Ana Francisca de Albuquerque, after her marriage to Vital de Souza Rolim, a member of a traditional family from Ceará who came from Jaguaribe. With the donation, the place became a large cattle ranch. In 1804, near the site, The Casa Grande da Fazenda (a residence) and the Açude Grande (which served to supply the local population, as well as to raise animals) were built. From the marriage union between Ana and Vital, some children were born, among which stands out Inácio de Souza Rolim, born in Sítio Serrote on August 22, 1800 and ordained as a priest at the Episcopal Palace of Olinda, in Pernambuco, in September 1825. Almost four years later, in 1829, Father Rolim founded the "Escolinha de Serraria", which is directly linked to the foundation of Cajazeiras. This small school began to grow in 1833, attracting students from the local and other regions. In 1834, Ana de Albuquerque founded a chapel, dedicated to her devotee Nossa Senhora da Piedade, which today corresponds to the Cathedral of Nossa da Piedade. Two years later, the Serraria School, which had been built in a house made of wood, moved to a new double, now made of masonry. Seven years later (1843), Father Rolim moved to his place of origin, where his parents still lived, and founded a college for Salesians (now Colégio Nossa Senhora de Lourdes), which also attracted many students and even personalities, among them Father Cícero (coming from Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará). In addition to him, other personalities also studied there and started to live in the vicinity of the college, which is why Cajazeira is referred to as "The land that taught Paraíba to read". These residences gave rise to a city, with the name of "Cajazeiras" (in reference to the old farm founded by Luiz Gomes de Albuquerque and where several cajá trees were planted). District created with the name of Cajazeiras, on August 29, 1859, subordinated to the municipality of Sousa. Elevated to the category of village with the name of Cajazeiras, on November 22, 1863, separated from Souza. Headquarters in the village of Cajazeiras. Elevated to the status of city with the name of Cajazeira, on July 10, 1876.

Local Offices
Cartório do 1 Ofício Rua Beliza Marques Galvão, 44 Centro 58900-00 Telephone: (83) 3532-1301 E-mail: cartoridimasandriola@adllik.com.br

1 Cartório de Registro Civil Rua Maria Cavalcante de Alencar, 41 Cajazeiras Paraíba 58900-000 Telephone: (83) 3532-1154 E-mail: srnobrecoelho@gmail.com

Cartório Distrital de Engenho Avidos Rua Isaías Lima Verde, s/n Cajazeiras Paraíba Centro 58905-000 Telephone: (83) 3532-0027

Online Resources

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

Local Churches
Paróquia Saõ João Bosco Praça Camilo de Holanda, s/n Centro Cajazeiras Paraíba 58900-000 Telephone: (83) 3531-3225