"Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on
film is captured forever. It remembers little things, long after you
have forgotten everything."
-Aaron Siskind
The photo of the woman centered above, is my great grand aunt. Her name is...
-Aaron Siskind
Agripina Torres Torres.
Born on October 1, 1899 in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico. Although, I think she was born a few years before this date was recorded. From what I've gathered she falls some where towards the end of the 12 children born to Juan E. Torres Galves & Ramona Torres Masa whom were cousins (I will write more about them in a later post). At around 7 years old her mother dies. I assume her older sisters (including my great grandmother) helped raise her & her siblings till she marries in 1919. Census records tell me that Agripina may have attended formal schooling. Sometimes she says she has, other times not. She is bilingual & can read & write so this leads me to believe that she did attend school. I was told today from a distant cousin that English was actually her first language, which is a surprise to me. Possibly the first language of some of her other siblings as well. Today I also learned some new information about Agripinia's husband, who is named Jorge Roque Cuevas. Like most newly married couples back then, they marry young. She is about 19 & he is about 22. Jorge is noted on census records as being a "Torcedor" which I've learned is a highly skilled & trained cigar roller in Gurabo. By 1935 I suspect they have hit some martial issues. I suspect this because Jorge is living alone, while Agripina is on her own with their children. In 1938 they loose 2 sons within 1 month of each other. José Anibar Roque Torres dies in May at age 12. Then Ernesto Ivan Roque Torres dies at age 5 in June of the same year. I can only image how incredibly heartbreaking it must of been for them to loose two of their little boys in such a sort span of time. I also learned today that my suspicions about their martial problems was right. Sadly this story gets worse before it gets better. Their separation & eventual divorce was lead by infidelity. Turns out Jorge had started a successful cattle farming business with a friend named Conception Mangual Sierra. They sold milk, beef & traded cattle all over the island. Conception dies sometime after the business takes off. He asks Jorge to look after his wife & 3 children. Jorge looked after his wife a little too well because she becomes pregnant with Jorge's son. In the same time this is going on Agripinia is also pregnant with her last child from Jorge. Agripinia & Jorge's mistress are both carrying sons at the same time. I can only imagine the drama that unfolded once this was revealed. They must divorce soon after this because by 1938 Jorge legally marries Hermenegilda Aponte Ortiz, who was the former wife of Conception.
By 1940 Agripina has been divorced for a few years. She lives as a single-mother to 4 of her remaining children. Also living with them is her ex-mother-in-law, whom is widowed. I find it interesting that her mother-in-law chose to live with her rather than with her own son that lives in the same town. No one is working in their home by 1940 except her only daughter named Carmen Delia as a seamstress. I was told that Carmen was a successful seamstress to the local military base on the island. She mended parachutes, uniforms & other miscellaneous military materials. This is a photo of what Carmen Delia looks like below.
Isn't Carmen beautiful?
Agripina
dies in 1977 at around the age of 77 in Caguas, PR. I was told she was
kind, a devoted Catholic & had a habit of making meals for families
in her community that she knew were sick or struggling in some way. She
never remarried but instead devoted the rest of her life to her children
& grandchildren.
This distant cousin of mine described Agripina as "a good woman". It made my
heart so happy to hear this about her. Agripina
lost her mother early in life, looses 2 of her little boys back to
back. On top of this, the hurtfulness she must of felt from her
husband's
unfaithfulness must of really ached. This was a woman that left
everything she knew behind in Puerto Rico (including a free plot of land
she inherited from her parents) in order to give her children what she
believed would be a better opportunity, a better life. Throughout it
all, Agripinia remains faithful, keeps strong to her religious Catholic
roots & moves forward. She
sounds very brave. I respect her so much for doing all the good she did
despite all the trials that came her way. It makes me wonder how much
of this was also installed in Agripina's older sister, who is my great
grandmother Maria Ana. I don't have any photos of Maria Ana, so when I first saw the photo above I immediately wondered how much Maria Ana & Agripinia reassemble each other. Sadly this photo of Agripinia is the only tangible thing I have to my great grandmother. Hoping to find more some day soon.
Sometime in the late 40's or early 1950's Agripina moves with her
children to Manhattan, New York. From this time forward she alternates
living in New York City & Puerto Rico.
Agripina & Jorge together have 7 children. 6 boys & 1 girl. Their names are below.
Julio Roque Torres 1917-1985
Jorge Roque Torres 1920-1990
Carmen Delia Roque Torres 1923-2007
Jose Anibar Roque Torres 1926-1938
Juan Antonio Roque Torres 1929-1998
Ernesto Ivan Roque Torres 1933-1938
Oscar Roque Torres 1936
