Gertrudis Santana
Gertrudis Santana was born in Havana, Cuba more than 118 years ago on February 27th, 1902 to her Father, Felix Santana and Mother, Gertrudes Suarez who were both natives of the Canary Islands in Spain.
** Interesting events that occurred around the World during Gertrudis birth year of 1902 included.
• On January 8th, 1902 New York state assemblyman Francis G. Landon gets a bill passed to criminalize men turning around on a street and "Looking at a Woman in that way".
• On January 10th, 1902 Ellen Dougherty of New Zealand becomes the World's first registered nurse.
• On April 2nd, 1902 the "Electric Theatre*, the first movie theater in the United States, opens in Los Angeles, California.
• On May 20th, 1902 Cuba gains it's independence from the United States.
• On June 16th 1902 the Commonwealth Franchise Act in Australia grants Women's suffrage in Federal elections for resident British subjects making Australia the first independent country to grant Women the right to vote on a National level.
• On August 22nd, 1902 in Hartford, Connecticut Theodore Roosevelt who was accompanied by businessman Colonel J.L. Greene becomes the first American President to ride in an automobile. President Roosevelt is a passenger in a Columbia Electric Victoria. ( Image below )
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Gertrudis was the fourth of nine children born to her Mother and Father. Chronologically her elder siblings were Felix Jr., Angel, and Gisleno. Her younger Brothers and Sisters included Genaro, Concepcion, Carmen, Manuel, and Adolfina Santana.
Shortly after having celebrated her 12th birthday, Gertrudis and the entire Santana family leave Havana aboard the SS Mascotte and immigrate to America, specifically the city of Tampa, Florida.
Once situated in the culturally diverse Southern metropolis, Santana Patriarch Felix the Senior supports his family in the field of cigar making.
According to Florida Census records from 1920 this evening's honoree, Gertrudis Santana at the age of 18 lists her relationship status as "Single", still lives @ the family home in Tampa, Florida and is employed as a skilled artisan in the hand rolled Havana tobacco cigar making industry.
On Saturday December 21st, 1929 a celebration is had when Gertrudis at the age of 27 marries Jose Garcia who is one year her senior.
After marrying, the young couple move in with Mr. Garcia's family who also immigrated from Cuba to Tampa, 12 years prior to the Santana's in 1902.
Gertrudis Husband, Jose Garcia supports the newlyweds in the field of cigar making. According to Census records from 1930 Gertrudis is no longer working.
Wednesday January 13th, 1932 by all accounts should have been a momentous occasion for Gertrudis and Jose, as she was preparing to give birth to their first born child, a baby boy. Surely this was to be one of many wonderful blessings to soon follow.
But alas, although her modest obituary reveals nary a clue, jarring details disclosed in two separate death certificates paint a painful picture of that day 88 long years ago. At 2 p.m. on January 13th, 1932 their unnamed little boy was stillborn. It's a bit startling to look upon his somber death certificate rhat indicates his age as...
0 years 0 months and 0 days
The Santana and Garcia families are dealt a second Earth shattering blow two and one half hours later when Gertrudis at the age of twenty nine loses her life at 4:30 p.m. from "Post-Operative Shock.
She leaves behind both of her parents, her husband Jose, and all eight of her siblings both older and younger to mourn her loss.
Gertrudis Santana De Garcia... Beloved Wife, Daughter, Sister, American Dream.... Nearly Realized