São Bento, Paraíba, Brazil Genealogy

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

History
At the end of the 19th century, Antonio Vieira, also known as "Catonho" and his family lived in the region where the Municipality is located today, on the property called Cascavel. What is certain is that the first houses were built there. Its excellent location, on the banks of the Piranhas River, although not perennial, its bed offered abundant underground water at any time of the year, even in the dry season, attracted many residents who settled there exploring the lands with agriculture and with creation. The village became known as Cascavel until a priest passing by on a religious mission suggested the name of São Bento, which, in addition to being more beautiful, resembled the name of a saint who, by the way, was protective of people who were bitten by venomous snakes. The name was readily accepted and remains to this day. With the death of Antonio Vieira or "Catonho", his son and successor Manoel Vieira, led, together with Leandro Pinto, the movement for the progress of the community. At first, in honor of São Sebastião, they built the Church, completed in 1889, when the first mass was celebrated by Fr. Emidio Cardoso. Around the Church, and on the banks of the river, the population nucleus was formed. The church was later replaced by a larger and more modern one, the first church having been demolished in 1954. Even so, many of the inhabitants did not approve of the idea, opining that they could have kept both churches. A weekly fair was then organized in a rustic shed that gave way, in 1929, to a public market, which was replaced in 1958 by a larger and more modern one. While the residential and commercial houses appeared, the small hammock industries also appeared, now technically more improved, which took the decisive step towards the development of the place. São Bento is currently known as the "Network Capital of the World". The continuation of the Piranhas River favored the development of the municipality, as well as the construction of the bridge over the Piranhas River, with 324 meters in length, which facilitates the entry and exit of the most varied products in the region. São Bento was born, grew up and developed under the rule of Brejo do Cruz until its political emancipation in 1959. However, it never appeared or figured in administrative divisions of that municipality, as it had no political autonomy (it was not a village, district or village). and it was only a cluster or hamlet. Elevated to the category of municipality with the name of São Bento, on April 29, 1959, separated from Brejo do Cruz.

Local Offices
Cartório Soares Avenida Sergio Silveira, 416 Centro 58865-000 Telephone: (83) 3444-2057 E-mail: cartsoares@ig.com.br

Online Resources

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

Local Churches
Paróquia São Sebastião Avenida João Agripino, s/n Centro 58865-000 Telephone: (83) 3444-2480