Joseph family (St. Croix, Virgin Islands) documents

1835-1862

Maternal family of Arthuro Alfonso Schomburg, a renown bibliophile and collector of books on the black experience worldwide. Schomburg's mother, Mary Joseph, was born in St. Croix (V.I.) in 1837. She migrated to Puerto Rico before his birth and worked as a midwife or laundress. Schomburg and his sister Dolores Diaz spent most of their childhood in St. Croix. Their maternal grandfather and great-grandfather, Nicholas and Nathaniel Joseph, lived in St. Croix in the town of Christianted where they owned a house and lot. Certificate of baptism for Mary Joseph, Arthuro Alfonso Schomburg's mother; deeds of a house and lot purchased by Nicholas Joseph in 1835 and bequeathed to his son Nathaniel in 1860; and a contract for repairs to be performed to the family home.