1849 - She was born on 27 Dec in Antwerp, Belgium. Her birth certificate is recorded on FHL film #671,454. It is loosely translated from Dutch as Birth Certificate #2921 of Maria Anna Bronkhorst born upon the 27th of December this year at one o'clock in the morning born here [in Antwerp] the legitimate daughter of Moses Hartog Bronkhorst, a diamond cutter, 35 years old, born Amsterdam, Holland, living in Antwerp, and Lea Hyman Grewel, his wife, 34 years old, born Amsterdam. Witnesses were Hyman Grewel [her grandfather] a tobacco maker age 68, and Solomon Meyer Frechie, a merchant, [her uncle, husband of her mother's sister, Grietje Grewel] age 32, both are living in Antwerp. [signed by] Moses Hartog Bronkhorst, Hyman Grewel, and Salomon Frechie.

Called Maria Anna and Mary Ann in England, Marion and Mary in the US census returns, Mary by her family, and Grandma Del in her old age. Four of her granddaughters (Marion Jacobs, Marion DeLaFuente, Mary DeLaFuente, and Marion Woolf) were named for her.

-Some of her younger siblings were born in Amsterdam, Holland, so the family must have moved back there from Antwerp somewhere between 1849 and 1855.

1866 - According to cousin Barbara Wright, the family moved from Amsterdam to London, England.

1871 - She is listed in the 1871 English census taken 5 Apr 1871, FHL film #823,379, Spitalfields, London, Parish of Christ Church, Middlesex Co, Superintendent Registrar's District of Whitechapel, Subdistrict Artillery, Parliamentary borough of Tower Hamlets, e.d. 1, p 15, # of schedule [family] 82, as: Marie Bronkhorst, daughter, unmarried, 22, born Belgium, living with her father, Mauritz [sic should be Morris], mother Leah, sister Rachel, brother Hyman, sister Sara, brother Solomon, and boarders Aaron Venetiance [a relative], Sophia Venetiance, [a relative] Abraham DeLaFuente [soon to be her husband], and Edward Bronkhorst [probably a relative]. There were 3 other families living at the same address.

- She married Abraham Simon De La Fuente on 31 May 1871. According to her marriage certificate, her marriage was solemnized in the Portuguese Synagogue, Bevis Marks, in the District of London City, in the City of London. She was a spinster, age 21, no profession, living at 36 Lamb Street, Spitalfields; her father is Moses Bronkhorst, a diamond cutter. They were married according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Jewish religion by Benjamin Artom, Chief Rabbi of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews Congregation, in the presence of David Peza and Joseph Haliva (I know nothing about these people).

According to Bartholomew's "Gazetteer of the British Isles," 9th ed. 1972, p. 634, Spitalfields is a former parish in the county of London in the metropolitan borough of Stepney. After 1685 it was extensively settled by French Protestants who introduced the silk manufacturing process, and is still occupied by silk weavers. I found Spitalfields on a map of London; it is in the NE section of the city, not far from the River Thames.

Her marriage is listed on FHL film #951,378, Index to marriages in England/Wales 1871 in the 2nd quarter, in district of London C, vol 1c, p. 191. Her marriage is also recorded in the book, Bevis Marks Records, at the Lib of Congress, p 124-125. This gives the same information, and also says that £50 was the "Husband's addition" and that Benjamin Artom was the witness of the Ketubah. Also, in looking through the book, one sees that the witnesses David Piza and Joseph Haliva, were witnesses for many marriages, so the likelihood of their being relatives is less.

1872 - Her daughter, Betsy, called Bessie, was born on 3 Apr at their home at 3 North St, Spitalfields Market, London.

1873 - Her son, Simon, was born 2 Oct. They were living at 27 Lamb St, Spitalfields, London, at the time. She was the informant for his birth certificate.

1875 - Her daughter, Leah, was born on 6 Aug at home. They were living at 27 Lamb St, Spitalfields, London. She was the informant for her daughter's birth certificate. Her sister, Vytje/Sophia Bronkhorst Schaverien, was also living at 27 Lamb St this year, and she gave birth to a son, Charles on 6 Jan.

1878 - [about]Her son, Morris, was born.

1879 - Her son, Solomon, was born on 14 Jan at 14 Angel Court, St Botolph Sub-district, London. She was the informant on his birth certificate.

1881 - Her son, Morris, age 3, died on 6 Mar at their home at 9 Tewkesbury Buildings, London, of scarlatina and pneumonia. She is listed in the 1881 English Census taken on 11 Apr 1881 on FHL film #1,341,096, p113, e.d.15, p14 as: Miriam [sic] Delafriente [sic], wife, married, 30, born Antwerp Belgium, living at 9 Tewkesbury Buildings, a 3-family building, in the Parish of St Mary Whitechapel, City of London, Parliamentary Borough of Tower Hamlet, Ecclesiastical Parish of St Jude's, Superintendent Registrar District Whitechapel, Registrar's Sub-district Whitechapel North, with her husband Abraham, daughter Betsey, son Simon, daughter Leah, and son Solomon.

1882 - Her daughter, Sarah, was born on 5 Apr at home at 9 Tewkesbury Buildings, Whitechapel, London.

1883 - Her father died on 28 Jun at his home at 17 Scarborough St, Whitechapel, London.

1884 - Her son, Henry, was born on 7 May. They were living at 10 Tewkesbury Buildings, Whitechapel, England.

1886 - Her daughter, Rebecca, was born on 1 Jul. They were living at 183 Wentworth Buildings, Whitechapel, England.

1891 - She is listed in the English census, Administrative County London, Civil Parish St Mary, Urban Sanitary District Whitechapel, Ecclesiastical Parish St Jude, RG12/280, Registration District Whitechapel, Subregistration District Whitechapel Church, e.d. 10, folio 12, page 25, Schedule #119 as: Mary Delafuente, wife, married, 40, no occupation, born Amsterdam, Holland [sic], living at 116 Houlston St, London, with her spouse, Abraham, daughter, Betsy, son Simon, daughter, Leah, son, Solomon, daughter, Sarah, son, Henry, and daughter, Rebecca.

1892 - Her husband, Abraham, left England for America in Sep. She and the children stayed behind. He settled in Boston, MA.

1893 - Her daughter, Betsy, married Alexander Woolf at the East London Synagogue on 17 Apr. Their address at the time was 116 Wentworth Dwellings, London.

1893 - She and her children, except Bessie, who was already married, immigrated to America, sailing from Liverpool on the S.S. Ohio, and arriving at the port of Philadelphia on 5 June, to join her husband in Boston. She is listed on the ship's passenger list as Mary Ann Delafuente, age 42 years 5 months, female, married, no occupation, able to read and write, nationality-Belgian, last residence London, Seaport for landing in US Philadelphia, Final Destination in the US Boston, having a ticket to the final destination, by whom was passage paid-mother [did this refer to HER mother, or to her as the mother of her children?] in possession of £2, never in the US before, going to join her husband, Abraham Delafuente, 10 Sudbury Place off Weston, Roxbury, Boston, never in prison or supported by charity, not under contract to labor in the US, good health, mental and physical, not deformed or crippled, ticket #12518. The above is from the handwritten ship passenger list. In 1937 the list was typed because of the poor quality of the original. In the typed version of the passenger list, her native country is given as Holland, not Belgium!

1894-95 - Her husband is listed in the Boston City Directory as Abram Delafuente, cigar maker, with a house at 8 Sudbury Pl.

1896 - Her husband is listed in the Boston City Directory as Abraham Delafuente, cigar maker, with a house at 255 Heath St. Her son, Simon, is listed the same. Her daughter, Leah, married David Gordon on 5 Nov in Boston.

1897 - Her husband is listed in the Boston City Directory as a cigar maker with a house at 136 Cabot St. Her son, Simon, is listed the same.

1898 - Her husband is listed in the Boston City Directory, p. 434, as a cigar maker with a house at 12 Weston Place, Boston. Her son, Simon is also listed as a cigar maker at 12 Weston Place, Boston.

1899 - Her husband is listed in the Boston City Directory, p. 434, as a cigar maker with a house at 12 Weston Place, Boston. Her sons, Simon and Sol, are also listed as cigar makers at 12 Weston Place, Boston. She and her daughter, Rebecca, were probably living there, too.

1900 - She is listed in the 1900 US Census, MA, film T623, roll 684, MA, Suffolk Co., e.d. 1420, sheet 5, lines 20-26 as Mary Delafuent [sic], white, female, born Dec 1850 [sic], age 49, married for 29 years, the mother of 9 children with 7 children still living, born in Belgium, her mother and father both born in Holland, immigrated to the US in 1893, 7 years in the US, able to read, write and speak English, renting her home at 12 Weston Place, Boston, MA, living with her husband, Amos, [sic] son, Simon, son, Solomon, daughter Sarah, son, Henry, and daughter, Rebecca.

1901 - On 21 Feb, her son, Solomon DLF, married Esther Polak, his first cousin on the Bronkhorst side and her niece, daughter of her sister, Sarah, who had been living next door. Her husband is listed in the Boston City Directory, p. 456, as a cigar maker with a house at 12 Weston Place, Boston. She was probably living with him there. Her sister, Sarah Bronkhorst Polak and family lived next door at 10 Weston Pl.

1903 - Her husband was naturalized on 18 Sep, cert or page #421-68 at the US Circuit Court, Boston. They were living at 8 Bower St, Boston at the time. She would have automatically become a citizen at the same time. He is not listed in the Boston City Directory.

1904 - Her husband is listed in the Boston City Directory, p. 521 as a cigar maker boarding at 8 Bower St., Roxbury, which appears to be the house of their son, Simon DLF. She was probably living there, too. Her daughter, Sarah, married Ralph Moffie on 29 May in Boston.

1906 - Her husband is listed in the Boston City Directory, p. 541 as a cigar maker boarding at 8 Bower St., Roxbury, which appears to be the house of their son, Simon DLF. Their son, Henry A Delafuente also boards there. She was probably living there, too. Her mother made her last Will on 14 May, and after leaving a few minor bequests, left the residue of her estate to be divided equally among her children.

1907 - Her mother died on 11 Jan at home at 76 Coborn Rd, Bow, London.

1907-08 - Her husband is listed in the Boston City Directory as a cigar maker boarding at 8 Bower St., Roxbury, which appears to be the house of her son, Simon DLF. Her son, Henry A Delafuente also boards there. Her daughter, Rebecca, married Samuel Jacobs on 2 Dec 1908 in Boston.

1909 - Her husband is listed in the Boston City Directory, p. 529 as a cigar maker boarding at 8 Bower St., Roxbury, which appears to be the house of her son, Simon DLF. His son, Henry A Delafuente also boards there, but her son, Solomon boards at 23 Walpole St, Roxbury.

1910 - The Boston City Directory says "Delafuente, Abraham, removed to New York city." Her sons, Henry and Simon are not listed, but her son, Solomon is listed as a cigar maker boarding at 23 Walpole St, Roxbury. Her husband is listed in the NY City Directory as DeLaFuente Abraham cigars 2403 Westchester av. She is listed in the US Census taken 23 Apr 1910, at New York, New York County, Bronx Borough, e.d. 1468, sheet 13A, lines 21-23 as:
Mary De La Fuente, wife, female, white, 60, married for 39 years, mother of 14 children 7 still alive, born Belgium with Dutch as her mother tongue, both parents born Holland with Dutch as their mother tongue, immigrated to the USA 1893, able to speak English, no occupation, able to read and write, living at 2403 Westchester Avenue, Bronx, New York, a two-family house, with spouse, Abraham and son, Henry A.

1911 - Her husband is listed in the NY City Directory as Delafuente Abram cigarmkr with a house at 520 E 164th. No DeLaFuentes are listed in the Boston City Directory, see p. 561.

1912 - Her husband is listed in the Brooklyn, NY City Directory, p 381, as Delafriente [sic] Abraham, h 606 Koscko. She was living with him there. Her son, Henry, married Nettie Goldstein in NYC.

1913 - Her husband died in Brooklyn, NY on 23 Dec, age 65, living at 606 Kosciusko St, a tenement. After her husband died, she lived in NY with her daughter, Leah DeLaFuente Gordon, until she became blind in her old age, then she lived with my grandmother, Rebecca DeLaFuente and Mom in Boston. Sometimes she stayed with her son, Henry, in NY and her son, Sol, in Revere, MA.

1920 - She is listed at the National Archives in the 1920 US Census in NY, Kings County, Brooklyn, Microfilm T625, Roll 1153, e.d. #328, sheet 1, line 84: 1071 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY, Marion DeLaFuente, white widowed female, age 70 years, living with her son-in-law, David Gordon, her daughter, Leah (DeLaFuente) Gordon, her granddaughter, Rachel Gordon, and her grandson, Abraham Gordon, she immigrated to the US about 1894 and was naturalized in 1902, able to read and write, born in Holland with Dutch as her mother tongue, her father born in Holland with Dutch as his mother tongue, her mother born in Holland with Dutch as her mother tongue, able to speak English, no profession.

1924 - Her daughter, Bessie DLF Woolf, died on 3 Feb in Boston.

1930 - She is listed at in the US Census taken 1930, New York, Kings County, Brooklyn, Microfilm T626, Roll 1496, e.d. #1279, sheet 13B, lines 75-81 as:
Mary De Lafuente, mother-in-law, female, white, 79, widowed, married at age 25, did not attend school during the previous year, able to read and write, born Holland, father born Holland, mother born Holland, English spoken at home before coming to the USA, immigrated to the USA 1893, an alien, able to speak English, a insurance superintendent [sic - I think this occupation was supposed to be for the following person], living at 1937 East 17th St, Brooklyn, a two-family house, with son-in-law, David Gordon, daughter, Leah Gordon, grandson-in-law, John J Hertz, granddaughter, Ray Hertz, great-grandson, Milton Hertz, and great-grandson, Russel Hertz.

1933/34 - She is listed in the Brooklyn City Directory, p 567, as:
DeLaFuente Mary (wid Abr) r 1937 E 17th

1938 - Her daughter, Leah, died on 19 Sep in NY City.

She was short, white hair, medium build. She spoke Dutch but had no accent in English. She was very fast at addition. Mom loved to brush her hip-length yellowish-white hair. She slept in Mom's bed. Mom remembers being awakened and spooked one night by Grandma Del all dressed in white, who was feeling her way back to bed. She was blind by then, and so had to feel her war around. To "iron" clothes, she used to fold them and put them under a chair. Alfred DLF thinks she fell down a circular staircase at her son, Sol's. According to her great-granddaughter, Lucille Gordon, Maria Anna was a twin, so every time Lucille was pregnant, she would be teased about the possibility of having twins. It turns out Maria Anna was not a twin, but her sister, Sarah, and brother, Hyman, were twins.

1940 - Listed in the US Census, Massachusetts, Suffolk County, e.d 15-237, sheet 8B lines 49-52, living at 128 Emerson St, Boston:
Jacobs, Samuel, head of household, renting his home for $21/month, not a farm, male, white, 51, married, did not attend school, completed 7th grade, born Troy, NY, lived same house in 1935, worked in March, worked 40 hours/week a cab driver, employer, worked 52 weeks last year, income $1000, no other source of income
Jacobs, Rebecca, wife, female, white, 53, married, did not attend school, completed 8th grade, born England, a naturalized US citizen, lived same house in 1935, housework,
Jacobs, Marion, daughter, female, white, 22, single, did not attend school, completed 4 years of high school, lived same house in 1935, worked in March, worked 40 hours/week, a stenographer for the electric company, worked 52 weeks last year, income $1000, no other source of income
DeLaFuente, Mary, mother [in-law], female, white, 89, widow, did not attend school, completed 4th grade, born Holland [sic], a naturalized US citizen, lived same house in 1935, unable to work,

1940 - She died 7 July. Her death certificate, #6086 says Mary DelaFuente died 7 July 1940, white female, widowed, age 89, husband Abraham DelaFuente, residence at 128 Emerson St, Boston, MA, a housewife, died at Jewish Mem Hosp, born in Belgium, father Morris Bronkhurst [sic] born in Holland and mother Leah Gravel [sic] born in Belgium, died of bronchopneumonia Lung abscesses, Gen Arteriosclerosis, Carcinoma of stomach, buried at Hand In Hand Cemetery, Boston MA.

- Her obituary is in the Boston Globe, Monday morning 8 July, p15 col 4, and Monday evening p19 col 7: DELAFUENTE: Entered into rest, July 7 Mary (nee Bronkhorst), mother of Sarah Moffie, Rebecca Jacobs, Simon, Henry and Sol DeLaFuente. Services at the Solomon Funeral Home, 420 Harvard St, Brookline, Tues July 9 at 2 pm.

Her gravestone, beside her son, Solomon's, says:
DE LA FUENTE MOTHER MARY 1850 - 1940

1949 - Her son, Solomon DLF, made his will, and donated money to Bichor-Cholim, the Jewish Memorial Hospital, in her memory, as well as in the memory of his wife and daughter.