Fourth Generation

21. Victorina GRACIANI LORENZO¹ was born on 23 March 1862 in Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.⁵ She was baptized after 23 March 1862 in Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.^49,53 Baptized at the parish of Santa María. She lived at Calle del Colmillo 9, tienda in Madrid, Spain between 1871 and 1881.^{49,50,51,52,53,55,56,57,58,59,62,102} In 1882, married to Ricardo BESTEIRO FERNÁNDEZ, she was living at Calle de Milaneses 6 where her first-born Domingo was born.

Victorina was educated at the Escuela Nacional de Música y Declamación and graduated on 1 July 1880 in Madrid, Spain.¹⁰³ "Primer premio en la enseñanza de declamación." In 1881/2 she was an actress in Madrid, Spain.^1,104 Isabel BESTEIRO GRACCIANI wrote «Mamá ganó como sabías el 1er premio por oposición después de graduada pero se casó enseguida, abandonando la carrera.»

Issue Number 71 of the "Gaceta de Madrid, " 12 March 1881, carried the following article: "En breve se presentará en la escena del teatro Español la señorita Graciani, primer premio de declamación en el Conservatorio. Un aplaudido escritor ha escrito para la salida de la señorita Graciani un apropósito, en el cual interpretará la debutante cuatro papeles distintos." (Shortly Miss Graciani, first prize in declamation in the Conservatory, will debut on the stage at the Theatre Español. An acclaimed writer has writen a work for her appearance, in which the debutane will interpret four distinct roles.")

She appeared in the census on 1 December 1882 at C/Milaneses, 6, tienda in Madrid, Spain.¹⁰⁵ This was her first residence after her marriage to Ricardo BESTEIRO. Victorina lived at Calle de Milaneses núm. seis cuarto bajo in Madrid, Spain in January 1883.¹⁰⁶ She lived at Principe de Anglona núm. uno, piso primero in Madrid, Spain between 1884 and 1886.^107,108 She lived Plaza de la Cebada 10, tercero derecha in Madrid, Spain between June 1889 and December 1890.^7,60 Victorina appeared in the census in 1890 in Madrid, Spain.⁷ She appeared in the census in 1895 in Madrid, Spain.⁵ She lived at Plaza de la Cebada, 10, entresuelo derecha in Madrid, Spain between 1895 and 1906.^5,6 Victorina lived Calle Madera Alta, 28 tercero derecha in Madrid, Spain in November 1906.⁶ She immigrated on 2 April 1907 to Havana, Cuba.^1,109 It is almost certain she first came to Cuba on this date, nearly 2 years after her husband Manuel (who may, however, have returned to Spain in the meantime). According to Isabel BESTEIRO GRACCIANI, she came with her children Pepita, Jorge and Isabel, and this is verified by an entry in the 2 April 1907 edition of El Diario de la Marina, which lists "Victoria Gración y tres hijos." They arrived on the steamship Reina Maria Cristina which originated in Bilbao.

She lived at Consulado 104-106 in Havana, Cuba in 1908.¹¹⁰ This is where her son Francisco LAGOS GRACIANI was born in October 1908.

Victorina visited Spain about 1914 .^111,112 She traveled with her husband Manuel and youngest daughter Isabel, as indicated on their arrival together in New York. It´s not known when they traveled to Spain (only their arrival in New York on their return was noted), but in 2006 Victorina BESTEIRO ASENSIO recollected that she was told that her grandmother Victorina came to Spain from Cuba to visit and see the first of her grandchildren to be born in Spain (Victorina, that grandchild, was born in March 1913).

She visited on 12 November 1914 in New York, NY, USA.¹¹¹ This was on the family's return trip from Spain. The ship's manifest notes hat they were going to visit Antonio LAGOS and Josefa BESTEIRO and their family in New York City. She visited on 18 August 1915 in New York, NY, USA.¹¹³ She was visiting her daughter and her family, then living at 344 E. 85th Street. Victorina visited on 24 April 1920 in New York, NY, USA.¹¹⁴ Together with her husband Manuel, her daughter-in-law Mercedes LORET DE MOLA BETANCOURT, and her grandchildren Ricardo and Miguel Ángel BESTEIRO LORET DE MOLA, visited her daughter Pepita and her family, then living at 526 E. 83rd Street. She visited on 21 November 1922 in Paterson, Passaic, NJ, USA. She went to visit her daughter Pepita and her family, living on 307 Park Avenue. Curiously, although she was living in Havana (at San Lázaro 143), her husband Manuel was living in Santiago, and she was listed on the passenger manifest as "single." (It is known that they had a turbulent marriage.)

She was living in 1924 in Paterson, Passaic, NJ, USA.¹¹⁵ On the 1924 passenger manifest of their trip from Cuba (arrived 7 April 1924), Victorina and her husband Manuel were listed as US residents.

Victorina was living about 1927/8 in Paterson, Passaic, NJ, USA. Manuel and Victorina lived first at Oak Street, then Madison Street. (This was while the Lagos family was living at 922 22nd Street.) She left Paterson - possibly for the last time - to help her daughter Isabel when Isabel's son Pepe was born in October 1928.

She died on 14 July 1931 in Havana, Cuba.¹⁰¹ From cemetery documentation at home of Arturo VALDÉS DENIS: Cuartel Noroeste Cuadro 10 Campo Com. Bóved 21 . . . Milicia Josefina 8163. / 10 julio 1931 Joaquín / 15 julio 1931 Victorina She was exhumed and placed in an ossuary on 31 May 1944 in Havana, Cuba¹⁰¹ Victorina was the original Maina. This was a mispronunciation of "Mama Victorina" by her granddaughter Carmen LAGOS BESTEIRO and became the name - for an additional 2 generations - by which Lagos family grandmothers in the US were to be known.

Victorina GRACIANI LORENZO and Ricardo Julián BESTEIRO FERNÁNDEZ were married about 1882 in Madrid, Spain. Según la historia oral, Ricardo fué rechazado por su familia por casarse con una actriz. They appeared in the census in 1882 at Milaneses, 6 in Madrid, Spain.¹⁰⁵ They^¹⁰⁵ appeared in the census in 1895 at Plaza de la Cebada, 10, entresuelo in Madrid, Spain.⁵ Ricardo Julián BESTEIRO FERNÁNDEZ⁵ was born on 7 February 1854 in Madrid, Spain.^107,116 Full name: Ricardo Julián José María He was baptized on 8 February 1854 in Madrid, Spain.^116,117 Baptized at San Ginés.

He appeared in the census between 1855 and 1871 at Costanilla de Santiago, 15 in Madrid, Spain.^118,119 Ricardo was a businessman in Madrid, Spain.⁵ It appears that he inherited his father's food business (víveres) in Madrid. This is based on oral tradition and there is no documentation. Most likely it was at Milaneses, 6. According to the 1895 census, he was a "profesor mercantil."

He lived at Plaza de la Cebada, 10, entreseulo derecha in Madrid, Spain on 1 December 1895. He died on 25 June 1899 in Madrid, Spain.¹²⁰ He died at 8:15 AM of a stroke (apoplejía). (Note that although I reference his
death certificate, I don't seem to have it. I assume I did, or do, somewhere.)

Victorina GRACIANI LORENZO-106 and Ricardo Julián BESTEIRO FERNÁNDEZ-105 had the following children:

+49
i.
Domingo (Uncle Dominic) BESTEIRO GRACIANI-118.
+50
ii.
Josefa (Pepita) [Maina] BESTEIRO GRACIANI-89.
+51
iii.
Emilio BESTEIRO GRACIANI-119.
+52
iv.
Jorge BESTEIRO GRACCIANI-120.
53
v.
Luis BESTEIRO GRACCIANI⁵ was born on 6 May 1892 in Madrid, Spain. He appeared in the census in 1895 in Madrid, Spain.⁵ He lived at Plaza de la Cebada, 10, entresuelo derecha in Madrid, Spain on 1 December 1895.⁵ Luis was living on 1 December 1895 in Villar del Cobo, Teruel, Spain.⁵ "El niño Luis está temporalmente en Villar del Cobo - Provincia de Teruel. He died before 1 December 1900. His death before 1900 is deduced from the fact that he does not appear in the 1900 census (or any subsequent censuses).
+54
vi.
Isabel (Aunt Betty) BESTEIRO GRACCIANI-121.

Victorina GRACIANI LORENZO and Manuel LAGOS TOLEDO were married on 4 January 1904 in Madrid, Spain.

Manuel LAGOS TOLEDO was born on 3 January 1878 in Periana, Málaga, Spain.^121,122,123 He was born at Calle de las Monjas nº 3. He was living between 1885 and 1905 in Madrid, Spain.¹²⁴ He appeared in the census in 1890 in Madrid, Spain.¹²⁴ Manuel lived at Calle del Toro núm. 5 - principal in Madrid, Spain on 1 December 1890. He was educated at the Instituto de Cardenal Cisneros and received «el Título de Bachiller» on 18 December 1893 in Madrid, Spain.¹²⁵ He immigrated on 18 April 1905 to Havana, Cuba.^1,126 He sailed on the Manuel Calvo, which departed Barcelona on 26 March. He arrived at Ellis Island, New York, on 11 April, and got to Havana on 18 April.

Manuel lived at Consulado 104-106 in Havana, Cuba in 1908.¹¹⁰ This is where his son Francisco LAGOS GRACIANI was born in October 1908. He lived at San Nicolás, 1 in Havana, Cuba in December 1909.¹²⁷ This is where he was living when his son Paquito died on 12 Dec. 1909. He lived at San Nicolás, 1 in Havana, Cuba in 1912.¹²⁸ Manuel visited on 12 November 1914 in New York, NY, USA.¹¹¹ Arrived from Barcelona with his wife and her youngest daughter Isabel to visit his brother and his family, living at 344 E. 85th Street.

In 1918 he was a «contador» (accountant) at the Compañía Eléctrica Santiago in Santiago, Cuba.¹²⁹ We know he was at this position in 1918 because of a 21 September news clipping brought back by Gregorio LAGOS ESCALONA, who visited Cuba at that time. This occupation appears to have lasted several years. He was recorded as resident with a Dr. Muin in Santiago, Cuba.

He arrived in the US with his nephew Manuel LAGOS BESTEIRO in October 1919 in Baltimore, MD, USA.¹³⁰ Manuel visited on 4 October 1922 in Paterson, Passaic, NJ, USA. He was living in 1924 in Paterson, Passaic, NJ, USA.¹¹⁵ This, according to the ship manifest of his and Victorina's trip from Havana on 7 April 1924. He lived in 1927/8 in Paterson, Passaic, NJ, USA. Manuel and Victorina lived first at Oak Street, then Madison Street. (This was while the Lagos family was living at 922 22nd Street.) Manuel shot himself in an unsuccessful attempt to commit suicide about August 1934 in Havana, Cuba.¹³¹ His brother Antonio, who visited him shortly afterwards, noted that the cause of this misfortune "looked like Betty Boop." He lived with his brother Antonio and family for a time between 1936 and 1939 in Paterson, Passaic, NJ, USA.¹³¹ The exact time period is not clear, but the total time was probably about a year or so. This was when the family was living at 129 Lenox Avenue.

About 1950 he was a «juez de carrera caballo en el Hipódromo de Marianao» in Havana, Cuba.¹³² He was a judge at the Marianao race track in Havana. 1950 is an estimate of one of the many years that he was employed there. Manuel lived in the Hotel New York for several years between 1950 and 1960 in Havana, Cuba.¹³² He was living here when he died. He died on 26 July 1960 in Havana, Cuba.¹³³ He was buried on 27 July 1960 in Havana, Cuba.¹³⁴ Buried in Colón Cemetery. Manuel was exhumed and placed in an ossuary on 17 January 1964 in Havana, Cuba^101,135 A description of this curious Cuban tradition may be found in "Your Man in Havana", written by Emil SIGNES in 1999.

Victorina GRACIANI LORENZO-106 and Manuel LAGOS TOLEDO-109 had the following children:

55
i.
Francisco (Paquito) LAGOS GRACIANI ** was born on 13 October 1908 in Havana, Cuba.^110,136 Born at "la casa núms. 104 y 106 de la calle Consulado". Full name on birth certificate: "Francisco de Asís Antonio Manuela Victorina Eduardo Lagos Graciani."
He was baptized on 13 November 1908 in Havana, Cuba.¹¹⁰ His birth & baptism announcement reads: "Yó Francisco Lagos Graciani vine al mundo en 13 y Martes, dos días que dicen ser fatídicos pero yo no lo creo. Hecha ya mi presentación quiero decirles á ustedes: Que nací en la casa núms. 104 y 106 de la calle Consulado; Que son mis papas Manuel Lagos Toledo y Victorina Lagos Graciani y Lorenzo; Que mi bautizo hecho hoy 13 Noviembre; debió verificarse en la Iglesia de Montserrate pero al capricho de mi tío y padrino se debe el haber recibido las aguas de Jordan en mi propia casa; Que son mis padrinos Antonio Lagos Toledo é Isabel Besteiro Graciani; Y nada más ..... Paquito" (I . . . came into the world on the 13th and a Tuesday, two days which they claim are ominous, but I don't believe it . . . I was baptized today the 13th of November. It should have taken place at the Church of Montserrate but at the whim of my uncle and godfather I received the waters of the Jordan at my own house . . . My godparents are Antonio Lagos Toledo and Isabel Besteiro Graciani. And nothing else. . . . Paquito).
He died on 12 December 1909 in Havana, Cuba.¹²⁷ The news paper Diario de la Marina referenced a December 12 entry in the Registro Civil: "Francisco Lagos, 3 meses, San Nicolas, 1." The age was off by a year, but the address was correct and the family oral history always stated that he was a bit over a year old when he died.