Family History, Lore and Legend-1

Emil Signes Family
Rev. 2005-02-23

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US Lagos History 1 - 1909-1912: Cuba and Spain
US Lagos History 2 - 1912-1921: The New York Years
US Lagos History 3 - 1921-1934: Paterson - the single years
US Lagos History 4 - 1934-1947: Paterson - the Lagos kids get married
US Lagos History 5 - 1937-1961: Paterson - grandchildren
US Lagos History 6 - The Lagos Diaspora


Emilito and Cuba

Emilito's Lagos - Toledo Branches (origin Alfarnatejo & Periana, Málaga, Spain)
Emilito's  Besteiro - Fernández Branches (origin Lugo Province, Spain)
Emilito's Graciani [Graziani] Branches (origin Villabuona, Pescaglia, Lucca, Tuscany, Italy)
Emilito's Lorenzo Branches (origin Villar del Cobo, Teruel, Spain)

Emilito's Signes Branches (origin Gata de Gorgos, Alicante, Spain)

Emilito - other family

The only family Emilito ever knew until after his 24th birthday (besides his father) were the "US Lagoses" (or more correctly, the "US Lagos-Besteiro family" and their Cuban cousins.  For this reason the "US Lagos-Besteiro family" rates several pages, from its formation in 1909 with the Havana marriage of Antonio Lagos and Pepita Besteiro to the present.  The entire Cuban branch of the family, so omnipresent in the lives of Emilito's generation and that of his parents, is also discussed.

After he has dealt with the US Lagoses and their Cuban cousins, Emilito will look backward at the origin of this group - branches identified with the surnames Lagos - Toledo - Besteiro - Fernández - Graciani - Lorenzo, etc etc etc.

Emilito's paternal line, the Signes family, remains largely in Spain, with a tiny US presence.  Recently, however, Emilito "discovered" a large branch of this family in Argentina.  Two members of this family (grandsons of Emilito's 2nd cousin José PEDRO GASCÓN) turned out to be rugby players who later spent a season each in Philadelphia and visiting Emilito's family in Bethlehem, PA. 

Sadly for research on the Signes branch, the horror known as the Spanish Civil War destroyed most of the records necessary to do it properly: in July 1936 Communist rioters in his father's home town of Gata de Gorgos burned all the Church documents (and, prior to 1871 in Spain, only the Church kept vital records).  Ironically, although Emilito was not yet born, his parents were in Gata for this church-burning that coincided with the beginning of the Spanish Civil War.  This was a personal horror for them, and Emilito has adapted his mother's recollections of this visit on this web site; it is listed under the Signes branch and may be found directly by clicking here.


Emilito expects other branches to appear and unveil their history when least expected.

Chapter END


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