Family History

I've talked to my mom and her mother quite a few times about my family history–I know more about my mom's side than I do about my dad's side, so I'll mainly focus on my mom's story. What I do know about my dad's side is that his grandfather (on his mother's side) is 100% Danish and that he (my father) is a general mix of almost all European countries. I acquired a very small fraction (only 1/28th) of Australian from my grandfather on my dad's side. So from my dad, I am an "English mutt'.

On my mother's side, I gain my biggest ethnicity: I am 1/4th Portuguese from her side. She is 1/2 Portuguese, and so are both of her parents, and the rest is again, "English mutt". Since my mom's parents divorced when she was really young, she only really learned about my grandmother's family background. I called my grandma Terry to find out some more information. My great-great-great grandfather, John Machado (originally named DeMachado) was born in 1871 in Portugal. He immigrated from Portugal to the United States sometime before 1894 to have a fresh start at life. He lived in the San Jose area of California for most of his life in the Sates. When he arrived in the U.S. he sent for a bride from Portugal named Mary Freitas (birth: not stated–death: 1899).  It is unclear if Mary was a picture bride or someone he actually knew. John and Mary got married in California in 1894. There son, Joe Machado, was born in 1896, three years before his mother passed away. Joe Machado was my grandma Terry's father, and thus my great grandfather. He passed away in 1985, four years before my parents got married. According to my grandmother, my great-great grandparents had other kids, but she didn't elaborate on any of them. It wasn't until my grandma that the family Portuguese bloodline wasn't 100% pure. John Machado passed away in 1942 in San Jose.

Both my dad's mom and my mom's mom have books and documents of family history, which I will hopefully be able to look through soon to find out more about my family's past.