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Tomas Babilonia Talavera was my great grandfather's brother, and his first wife, Enriqueta Kleibring Sotomayor is one of my connections to the Sotomayor [often appears as 'Soto' pelao] families of Moca & Aguadilla. Tomas was much more involved in legal administration, served as a judge and justice of the peace in Moca, in addition to being a hacendado. His signature appears repeatedly in Actas in the Registro Civil in the early 1900s.
Because of his marriage to Enriqueta, he eventually ran Hacienda Enriqueta after the death of her father, Johann Heinrich Wilhelm 'Enrique' Kleibring Goldmeier (1830-1890). Hacienda Enriqueta still exists, owned by Dr. Loperena, on Numero 2, the Old Road between Aguadilla and Moca. [You can even call the Alcaldia in Moca to book a visit- 787-877-3390; Fax 787-877-3560]
In the 1916 book by Sr. Don Arturo Lluveras, Hombres Notables de Puerto Rico y Venezuela: Bocetos Biograficos, is an entry under Aguadilla y sus Hombres.
Sr. Don Tomas Babilonia.
La inmaculada figura del ilustre hombre publico Don Tomas Babilonia, es de estas refinadas entidades que enaltecen la patria de nacimiento, como asimismo los pueblos en donde convivan.
Es un acaudado proprietario, conquistado todo, a fuerza de honradez y constancia, habiendo adquirido ante el mundo, la ciencia y la patria el mas alto credito, debido a sus dotes y a su honradez.
El Sr. Don Tomas Babilonia, goza ante el gobierno del mas alto prestigio, como politicamente hablando, su nombre es un institution, ante la sociedad borincana es altamente querido, primero por sus dotes intelectuales, y ultimo, porque es muy fino y correcto en todos sus actos.
El Sr. Babilonia es un verdadero altruista, amigo de ayudar a todo aquel que luche en pro del progreso y adelantado de la patria, lo demuestra sus alcanses y dotes intelectuales.
En fin, gloria a los que como el Sr. Tomas Babilonia honran a la patria de nacimiento. [30-31]
This doesn't tell us much, save that he knew how to read, and basically was a cultured guy. Together with Enriqueta, the only child of Enrique Kleibring and Maria de los Dolores Sotomayor Riollano, they had 8 children after marrying sometime in 1887:
Maria de los Dolores 'Lola' Babilonia Kleibring b. 1888
nino [parvulo] Babilonia Kleibring b.1889 d. 1889
D0lores Aniceta Babilonia Kleibring
Aurora Pascasia Babilonia Kleibring b. 1891
Maria Luisa Babilonia Kleibring b.1893
Maria del Rosario 'Sarito' Babilonia Kleibring b. 1894
Rosa Carlina Babilonia Kleibring b. 1896
Tomas E. Babilonia Kleibring b. 1901
In 1910, they lived on Calle Victoria in Barrio Santa Barbara, Aguadilla, where Tomas appears as Agricultor, along with his wife and children, and a criada (servant), Ricarda Gonzalez Cordero, 15.
On 5 December 1914, Enriqueta died of a kidney infection, and left with small children, Tomas sought another wife.
he married Aurelia Fradela Quinones of San German and lived on Calle Jose Barbosa 74, next door to my great grandfather, Alicides Babilonia Talaver.
Tomas & Aurelia had three children:
Concepcion Babilonia Fradela b. 1919
Joffre (1923-1987)
Purin
Also in their home were two servants; one a sister of my grandmother Felicita Rodriguez Vale, named Evangelista, who worked as a cook, and Juana Cardona Rivera age 12 in 1930. Tomas died of a combination of illnesses, hepatitis, a week of enterocolitis and three days of malarial fever on 10 September 1933.
I thought Tomas would be buried in the old cemetery of Moca, now gone, but while visiting the Old Cemeterio Municipal of Aguadilla, I found his resting place in a mausoleum of his first wife, Enriqueta, that overlooks the ocean.
Foto de Tomas y Enriqueta courtesia de Edna Comas
Foto del mausoleo, Ellen Fernandez-Sacco, 2006.
