It's good to see that there are so many of us trying to get to the truth regarding the Marchena's of Bonaire. I would suggest that we form a research group specifically to searching for the answers to the very basic questions that keep coming up.
1. When did the first Mmarchena arrive on island?
2. I have a list of the earliest Marchena that I could find as follows:
A. Johannis and Maria Ignasi Marchena having Constantinus (b. 1813)
B. Anthonetje Marchena having Dominga Petrona Marchena (b. 1814)
C. Domingo and Anna Poulina having Juan Guillermo (b. 1816)
D. Juan and Anna Anthonia Marchena having Luzia Hermina (b. 1819)
E. Maria Isena Marchena having Susanna Martilia (b. 1820).
The parents must all be born late 1700s/ very very early 1800s. Do these people have ties to each other?
3. How did the Marchenas of Bonaire get their name? Where they slave taking on the names of there slave master parent?
4. Can we find documentation to prove or disprove what others have told us about our history?
5. How far has the Marchenas of Bonaire travelled and settled?
Anyone else interested in working on this?
Many thanks,
Nadine
Ntmkean@gmail.com