Grandpa Perry aka Victorino Pereira de Bertao

Victorino Pereira de Berao
1911

Victorino Pereira de Bertao was born on May 12, 1876, in São Mateus, Terceira, Azores, Portugal, the filho (son) of Ernesto Pereira de Bertao and Maria Carlotta.

Victorino was a member of the Portuguese Military from 1896 to 1907. During his time of service he married Amelia da Conceicao who was also from São Mateus. Victorino and Amelia married on November 19, 1904. Below is a copy of their marriage license. It is in Portuguese, someone in my family has attempted to translate it, that is why there is so much writing all over it.

In 1905 Victorino and Amelia welcomed a little filho, Manuel Lemos Pereira de Bertao, unfortunately he lived only a few months. August of 1906 brought happy news for Victorino and Amelia as they welcomed another filho, Joao Lemos Pereira de Bertao, he was a feisty one with shocking black hair and dark eyes. While Victorino was busy with the military, he knew there was a better life for his family in the United States. He had heard from his cousins in Massachusetts that he could come there, but he really wanted to go to California. He had seen pictures of the beautiful valley and tall mountains there.

On August 4, 1907, Victorino boarded the S.S. Peninsular from the island of Terceira heading for New Bedford, Massachusetts with his cousin, Joao Mello. Like I said, Massachusetts was not to be their final destination, they were headed for California. They had secured employment before they left Terceira in the coal mines of Amador County, California. Below is a copy of the ships manifest, Victorino and Joao are listed on the bottom of the manifest.

By 1909 Victorino had saved enough money he could send for Amelia and little Joao. So on September 21, 1909, Amelia and Joao boarded the S.S. Canopic from St. Michaels, Terceria bound for New Bedford, Massachusetts. She and little Joao would take a train from there to Ione, California with a note pinned to her dress stating her destination because she spoke no English. Here is a copy of the 1910 Census showing Victorino, whose name was Americanized when he landed in New Bedford to Victor Perry, with his family.

After Amelia’s arrival Victor continued to work in the mine driving the train. They also expanded their family. Adding Charles Lemos Perry in 1910, Frank Lemos Perry in 1911, Mary Irene Perry in 1912, and George William Perry in 1917. Here is a picture of the family before Mary and George joined them!

Victorino and Amelia
Charles, Joao, Frank
1911

Amelia, Mary and Frank
Ione (Carbondale), California 1915

Victor knew that the coal mine was going to be closing soon, so he started to look for work elsewhere. He had heard of a clay pottery further north in the valley that was hiring. He applied for a job and was hired.

Victor moved his expanding family to Lincoln, California in 1919 and began working for the Gladding, McBeam & Co Pottery. He would drive the train from the clay pits to the pottery so they could refine the clay and make it into pipes, plates, etc. Below is the 1920 Census showing where Victor and family first lived.

Initially Victor rented the house they lived in, but he found a nice house to purchase that had a basement for his winery and a large yard. He was also an avid gardener, so he needed lots of room to grow his vegetables. Below is the 1930 Census which shows the family in the new house.

Victor continued to work for the pottery and raise his family. All of his children went to school in the Lincoln schools. Mary was unable to attend high school because Victor was from the “old world” where women stayed home and took care of the house. Victor had a very dry sense of humor. You had to look him in the eye to really see if he meant what he was saying, but there was a twinkle in his eye that made him delightful. Here is a picture of the house on I Street in Lincoln, Victor is standing with his granddaughter, Joyce Webber. Notice the large garden to the right full of garlic and onions.

Joyce Webber and Victor Perry
ca 1950

Victor was able to build a large shed in his backyard that had a grinder so he could make his sausages. He was very good at making head cheese and a wonderful Portuguese sausage called Linguica, which is a family favorite in my house! He would use spices that he had grown in his garden in his sausages, like garlic, thyme, rosemary, and onion. Below is the 1940 Census, George is still living with Victor and Amelia but is married to a young lady named Mary. So the Mary listed is not George's sister, it is his wife!

Victor was the example for the family with his work values. He wasn’t the best at attending Mass and grumbled at Amelia for attending every day, but deep down he admired her commitment. When he made a promise, he kept it. When his son-in-law had to take a trip to the east coast for medical reasons in June 1951, Victor told him he would not be there on his return. The night before Victor died, he asked his granddaughter when her father was to return, she told him “Tomorrow.” He kept his promise, Victorino Pereira de Bertao died in his sleep on July 15, 1951. Below is a copy of his death certificate, it's a rough copy.

I cannot take credit for all of this information, my mom gave me a great deal of this information. Plus I have a paper from a family reunion in 1976 with some information. I pieced the rest together via the documents I have placed here.