A Mother for Harriet C Weeks Howard: John J Weeks’ Baptism Certificate
The father of Harriet Weeks Howard, who was married to Seth Howard, has been confirmed to be John Weeks, Sr. who died in 1844, likely in Hillsborough County, FL. It has been determined that her brothers were William Weeks, Madison Weeks, Thomas Weeks, and John Weeks.
To follow the logic of this proof argument, you must be convinced that the John Weeks, Jr of Hillsborough County in the 1840s and 1850s is the same John J Weeks of Monroe and Lee Counties of the 1860s-1900. That requires a deep correlation with his pension application - which is 68 pages long. I have been working on the transcription for a past few months, but it is not yet complete. When it is finished, I will provide a detailed proof argument showing that John Weeks living in both locations is one and the same. Until then, follow along as if the fact is confirmed that John J Weeks of Chokoluskee Island, Monroe County in the 1870s is the confirmed brother of Harriet Weeks Howard.
On June 11, 1876, a man named “Joanness Lionem Weeks” was baptized:
The Basilica of St. Mary Star of the Sea (Key West, FL). Baptism Register, Volume II, Page 9, No. 98.
The digital image was provided to this researcher from fellow researcher, Faye Brown, who has written the book “Weeks Family Connections”, on March 20, 2024.
Zoomed in Version of Record:
Transcription:
“Die Unodiuma Junu 1876 in sim maris vulge
rito Chokoliska et in insula Lonit (?) Jouph(?) baptizous
Joanness Lionem Weeks 46 annos natum filuim
legitimam Joannis Weeks et Margarita Bennet Sponous
fuerment Philippi Santini et Maria Franusca Santini”
Translation:
“On the 11th day of June 1876 on the Island of Chokoloskee the rite of baptism was performed in the sea by J.L. Hugon for John Leon Weeks aged 46 years old, the legitimate son of John Weeks and Margaret Bennet. Sponsored by Phillip Santini and Mary Frances Santini.”
Many researchers have been relying on the “Certificate of Baptism” for “John Leo Weeks” to glean genealogical facts. This certificate is included below. It is important to recognize that the Certificate of Baptism is a derivative source, and it was created from the Baptism Register (as shown above) which is the original source. Thus, the Certificate of Baptism helps to verify the transcription of the original record, but that is all. The Baptism Register is the source that should be given the most weight as it was the source used to create the Certificate of Baptism.
The digital images were provided to this researcher from fellow researcher, Faye Brown, who has written the book “Weeks Family Connections”, on March 20, 2024.
Confirmation that that Certificate of Baptism is a derivative source can be seen on the bottom left-hand corner of the certificate:
“Dated August 13, 1991.
Vol. II
Page 9
No. 98”
The Baptism Records appear to be written in Latin. But as I found while trying to translate the record, it is not a standard version of Latin and did not lend itself to a “clean translation” when running it through Google Translate. Researchers with greater expertise in this area of study are encouraged to reach out and collaborate on the translation.
Because the person who transcribed the original Baptism Register and created the Certificate of Baptism listed John Week’s mother’s name as “Margarita Bennett”, this has led some researchers to conclude that she is possibly Spanish or Latina in origin. But a more detailed view of the original source (the Baptism Register) should be undertaken. Note the names listed on the Baptism Register compared with the names on the Certificate of Baptism:
As seen above, the men’s names have all been translated on the Certificate of Baptism to an anglicized version of their name. Maria Francesca Santini was not anglicized, however, when we view her in the 1870 Federal Census, we see that her name was reported as “Mary” and not “Maria”. So, she did go by the anglicized version of her name in day-to-day life.
"United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-64V3-V93?cc=1438024&wc=KL1V-SP8%3A518676601%2C518876101%2C519086901 : 8 June 2019), Florida > Monroe > Northward and eastward of Cape Roman > image 1 of 4; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
This now only leaves one name not anglicized. “Margarita” is the Latin version of “Margaret”: “Derived from Latin Margarita, which was from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites) meaning "pearl", a word that was probably ultimately a borrowing from an Indo-Iranian language. Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century.“
John Weeks’ name is listed within the Baptism Register as “Joanness Lionem Weeks” and translated as “John Leo Weeks” on his Certificate of Baptism. I have not not found a verifiable reason as to why he would have reported his name this way. However, there does exist a document in which John Weeks gives two affidavits describing his use of the middle initial “J” (see his pension file – excerpts of relevant portions can be found below).
John Weeks (Pvt., Capt Bliss), survivor’s pension application file No. 24722 (Rejected) Mexican War; Case Files of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications Based on Indian War Service; Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files, 1800–1960; Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C.; digital images, "Indian Wars Pension Files, 1892-1926.; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm publication T318, 12 rolls.
John Weeks (Pvt., Capt Roberts, Capt Sparkman, et al), survivor’s pension application file No. 5339 Indian Wars; Case Files of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications Based on Indian War Service; Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files, 1800–1960; Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C.; digital images, "Indian Wars Pension Files, 1892-1926.; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm publication T318, 12 rolls.
As the document within his pension file is notarized and verified to be written as John J Weeks’ own words, it is a better direct source than the Baptism Register because, as shown in the examples above, we have irrefutable proof that the names were adjusted in such a way as to be “latinized” on the Baptism Record.
Finally, we must confirm that the John Leo Weeks is the same man as the John J Weeks who applied for a pension in 1898. John J Weeks who applied for a pension died on June 4, 1900, and his widow, Elizabeth Weeks, applied for a widow’s pension. She notes that her birth name was “Mary Elizabeth Raulerson”.
Look at the record right below Joanness Lionem Weeks on the Baptism Register:
This record can be roughly translated from Latin to read:
“On the same day was baptized your faithful daughter Elizabeth Mary Rolson <sic> born 10th of August 1865 as the legitimate daughter of Jacob <anglicized for translation> Rolson <sic> and Sarah Messer <sic>. Sponsors…”
The record must continue on page 10 of Volume II of the Baptism Register, but fellow researcher Faye Brown could not locate a copy of it at the time of our communications. I reached out to The Basilica of Saint Mary Star of the Sea in Key West, Florida:
The following response was received back:
As of this writing, I not seen page 10 of Volume II of the Baptism Registers for Saint Mary Star of the Sea. But noted in my email above, I have the Baptism Certificates for Sarah Jane Weeks and Appolonia Mary Frances Agnes Weeks (also shared with me by Faye Brown). They were baptized on June 11, 1876, and June 12, 1876, respectively and they were sponsored by members of the Santini family. Their father was listed as “John Weeks”, and their mother was listed as “Sarah Messer”.
On the 1880 Federal Census of Monroe County of the areas outside of the Island of Key West, John J. Weeks with his wife Elizabeth Weeks, are enumerated on the same page at Phillip and Mary F Santini.
"
”Florida. Census 1880, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYYY-9K7Q?view=explore : Sep 4, 2024), image 214 of 811; United States. National Archives and Records Administration.
In addition, through many other secondary sources (see profile for John J Weeks in public tree titled “Sunni’s Family Tree” on ancestry.com for username sunnisearchangel), we know that the Santini’s lived on Chokoluskee Island with John J Weeks in the 1870’s.
“John Leo Weeks” was translated from “Joanness Lionem Weeks” found within the Baptism Register. This was a name given to him at the time of his Baptism. “Baptismal names” are a custom within Catholicism. It is confirmed that the man listed as “Joanness Lionem Weeks” on this baptism record is the same man who went by the legal name “John J Weeks”.
John J Weeks was baptized on the beach while living on Chokoloskee Island on June 11, 1876. His friends and neighbors, the Santinis, were there and stood as sponsors. John’s step daughter (and future wife) and daughters were also baptized that day and the next.
John J Weeks’ father was John Weeks. His mother was Margaret Bennet(t).
So! If John J Weeks’ parents were John Weeks, Sr and Margaret Bennet Weeks AND John J Weeks is the brother of Harriet C Weeks Howard (whose father is confirmed to be the same John Weeks, Sr), then it is likely that her mother is Margaret Bennet as well.
Next steps: find the parents of Margaret Bennet. Identify siblings of Margaret Bennet. Complete a DNA study to verify that the descendants of Harriet C Weeks Howard share autosomal DNA with descendants of Margaret Bennet’s parents.
