father: José da Cunha

mother: Maria da Cunha

b.: House of the Cachada [Quinta da Cachada], parish of Infesta, council of Coura, province of Minho, Portugal, ±Oct/1700.

bap.: parish of Infesta, council of Coura, province of Minho, Portugal, 2nd/Nov/1700.

d.: Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, 19th-20th/Fev/1774.

bur.: "he was deposited in the Church of the Reverend Clergymen and commended by te same with assistance of the Notable and Venerable Third Ordem and sepulchred in grave # 15 of the Holy Via" ["foi depositado na Igreja dos Reverendoz Religiozos e encomendado pellos mesmos com assistencia da N. V.el Ordem 3ª e sepultado na Via Sacra Sepultura Nº 15], on the 21th/Feb/1774, in the Chapel of the Venerable Third Order of Our Lady of the Mount Carmel [Capela da Venerável Ordem Terceira de N. Sra. do Monte do Carmo], of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

m.1w.: Lisbon, Portugal, ±1726

m.2w.: Tejuco Village [Arraial do Tejuco], MG, Brazil, ±1748.

m.1w.w.: Josefa Maria de Figueiró (b. Lisbon [?], Portugal, ±1710; d. Lisbon [?], Portugal, ±1728), daughter of ? and of ?.

m.2w.w.: Ignácia Mendes Ramos (b. Tejuco Village [Arraial do Tejuco] [?], MG, Brazil, ±1735-37; bap. Tejuco Village [Arraial do Tejuco] [?], MG, Brazil, ±1735-37; d. Prince Town [Vila do Príncipe], MG, Brazil, 27th/Apr/1819, ±84 years old), daaughter of ? and of ?.

education/formation: He would have at least the "First Letters" ["Primeiras Letras"], by observation of the correspondence that he changed with the Governor and Captain General of the Captaincy of Minas Gerais, if he would not also know "Rockoning" ["Contar"], and "Latim", but one ignore which was the military school he has attended.

profession/activities: Still in Portugal, he served as infantry soldier in the Province of Minho, during four years, three months, and six days, continued from 30th/Jan/1712 until 11th/Jun/1716. He arrived to Brazil, coming from Lisbon, Portugal, about Nov/1729, with the rank of Dragoons Liutenant [Tenente de Dragões], of the Draggons Company of Minas Novas, of which was commander the Captain Belchior dos Reys e Mello, where he served since 8th/Dec/1729. In the year of 1736, was found lent and accomplishing missions of the Governament o the Captaincy of Minas Gerais, in the Diamantine Demarcation [Demarcação Diamantina], although still belonging to the Company of Minas Novas. In the year of 1737, still in this rank, he was transferred and passed to commanding the Company of theTejuco Village [Arraial do Tejuco], MG, Brazil, since the 3rd/Fev/1737. By Patent Letter [Carta Patente] of the King Dom João V, dated or Lisbon, Portugal, on 28th/Mar/1743, he was promoted to the rank with Dragoons Captain, of the same Company. His enrollment, as Dragoons Captain, that is, his matricule with this rank, in the Book of Records of Officers and Soldiers of the Dragoons Company [Livro de Assentamento de Oficiais e Praças da Companhia de Dragões], with the pay of 80$000 réis by month, in Vila Rica, MG, Brazil, on 11th/Jul/1743. Among his deeds, is one of the delivery, on 14th/Jul/1745, of 15 diamonds, weighing 4 karats [quilates], confiscated to the Customs-Chief [Guarda Mor] Domingos Correa Gomes. In 1746, he solicited to the King "lhe faça merce conceder-lhe licença por tempo de hú anno, pª acudir as dependencias da Sua caza, e outras mais, q' tem nesta Corte.", having being conceded to him the licence of one year, without remuneration, to go to Lisbon, Portugal. Still during the year of 1746, he has been culprit of the crime of "offense and injury to the Justice" ["ofensa e injúria à Justiça"], acused o ordering to be given "palmatoadas" in an Justice Officer [Oficial de Justiça], who unduely cited him, in another process, of private carcer ["cárcere privado"], in which was culprit Dona Branca de Almeida, wife of Felisberto Caldeira Brant, Contractor of the Diamonds, having being judged and integraly absolved, by lack of proofs, and he represented against the General Listener [Ouvidor Geral] of Serro Frio, who was substituted. In the year of 1749, he solicited the payment of the difference of his pay with the rank of Dragoons Captain [Capitão de Dragões], since the day when he was promoted, 28th/Mar/1843, until 10th/Jul/1743, because he was enlisted on 11th/Jul/1743, in what it seems he had succeeded, by order of the Ultramarine Council [Conselho Ultramarino], in the year of 1753. By a mandate of 3rd/Jun/1753, was ordered the payment of his rations since the 1st/Oct/1752 till the 7th/Sep/1753, date "in which he marched to the Rio de Janeiro" ["em que marchou para o Rio de Janeiro"], the amount of 10$260 réis, last payment that he received, before his prision, in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. In 1753, he was formaly accused, by the General Listener [Ouvidor Geral] of Serro Frio, MG, Brazil, José Pinto de Morais Bacellar, of the opening of a bag and a box with diamonds, that apparently were contraband, although using the name of the Intendent of the Diamonds [Intendente dos Diamantes], as sender, being judged and sentenced by the Tribunal da Relação, of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, staying arrested in the Snakes Island [Ilha das Cobras] at least until the year of 1757, when in a petition of pity and clemence, done to the King of Portugal, exposed the gravity of his personal situation, "o q' tem padecido o suppte com detrimto da sua caza, fazenda, honra, e vida, ...", he was sentenced to "loosing of the military rank and 10 years of banishment to Angola ["perdimento do posto e 10 anos de degredo em Angola"], but he may have been granted amnesty, or indult, or had commuted his punishment, when he might have been freed. His latest petitions, in 1773 and 1774, just before his death, whose contents one ignore, does not appear to have echoed among the authorities, because either they haven´t had any dispach or they had negative dispach.

military service: He was a professional military.

honours/mercies: He received, of the King Dom João V, many mercies, between 1741 and 1746. On 6th/Mar/1741, he received a Royal Letter of Revenue [Carta Régia de Padrão de Tença], and, on 29th/Apr/1741, another, of the Christ Order [Ordem de Christo]. On 5th/Mar/1746, he was nominated by Royal Warrant, of the King Dom João V, as Squire [Escudeiro], and, soon, Knight of the Royal House [Cavaleiro da Casa Real].

religion/brotherhoods: He was roman apostolic catholic. Professed, as brother of the Venerable Third Order of Our Lady of the Mount Carmel [Venerável Ordem Terceira de Nossa Senhora do Monte do Carmo], of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, in Minas Gerais, Brazil, in March of 1748, of what the presented certificate on 18th/Dec/1757, paid his debt with the Order, until 15/out/1758, with the value of 10$160 réis, on the 22nd/Feb/1758, remaining as balance, from this date until his death, 15$360 réis, and all indicates that, in the year of 1758, he was freed and lived "near the new Mother Church" ["ao pé da Sé nova"] (nowadays, Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and Saint Benedict of the Black Men [Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário e São Benedito dos Homens Pretos], seated at the Uruguaiana Street [Rua Uruguaiana], in front of the Rosary Street [Rua do Rosário], in the Center).

slaves: When he was still in Minas Novas, in 1735, he paid the tax over one (1) single slave. But, soon in the year of 1736, folowing his own words, he had four (4) sçaves, number that seems to be mantained in the following years, at least until the year of 1741, although he has received the reimbursement of tax of one (1) single slave in the year of 1743, and of only two (2) of them in eaach one of the following years, of 1744 and 1745. But, one should consider that some of his slaves or ex-slaves had descendants, and that they might have been freed. Among those slaves that were identified nominaly are: Luiz da Cunha Pereira, Clemência da Cunha Pereira, Joaquim da Cunha Pereira (son of Clemência), and João da Cunha Pereira. One should note that could assume the surname of the family Cunha Pereira. In particular, Luiz da Cunha Pereira seems to have been more favored, because he was made Horseshoe Master and Veterinary [Mestre Ferrador e Alveitar] of the Dragoons Detachment of the Tejuco Village [Arraial do Tejuco], with autonomy including signing terms with juriditial value, in the year of 1744, and exercised this activity till estimatedly the year of 1753.

diverse: One find references to the Liutenente and later Captain o Dragons Simão da Cunha Pereira, also as to his brother, Priest Frier Dom Braz da Cunha Pereira, in the correspondence of Gomes Freire de Andrada, publishe in the Revista do Arquivo Público Mineiro, in many issues, with the titles: "Motins do Sertão", year of 1896, vol. I, 2nd part, sts. 649-672; "Correspondência de Gomes Freyre de Andrade", year 1911, vol. XVI, sts. 239-460; and "Demarcação do Sul do Brazil", year 1928, vol. XXII, sts. 201-324. Many references to his name also may be found in the book of VASCONCELLOS, Diogo, História Média das Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Itatiaia, 1974, 267 pp.

residence: Although he had affirmed in a letter to the Governor and Captain General of the Captaincy of Minas Gerais, dated of "S. Romáo 31 de 8.brº de 1736", "I dont have more home than my horse and four black that accompany me" ["eu nao tenho mais Caza q' o meu cavallo e quatro negros q' me acompanháo"], he resided in Salvador, BA, Brazil, in Minas Novas, MG, Brazil, in the parish of Saint Anthony [freguesia de Santo Antônio] of the Tejuco Village [Arraial do Tejuco], MG, Brazil, and in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, in the parish of the Mother Church Cathedral [freguesia da Sé Catedral] (then in the Church of Our Lady or the Rosary and Saint Benedict of the Black Men of Rio de Janeiro [Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário e São Benedito dos Homens Pretos do Rio de Janeiro]).

children: With Josefa Maria de Figueiró, in Lisbon, Portugal (1 or +): Dionísio Caetano da Cunha Pereira. Children with Ignácia Mendes Ramos (2 or +): Anna Fortunata da Cunha Pereira, and Marianna Luciana da Cunha Pereira.

Uniforms of the Dragoons Companies of Minas Gerais, 1730 - Gravure by José Washt Rodrigues, for the book Uniformes do Exército Brazileiro, by Gustavo Barroso, Obra Commemorativa do Centenário da Independência do Brazil, Edição Especial do Ministério da Guerra, Rio de Janeiro e Paris, 1922, estampa I. By courtesy o Franz Holstein Ligório da Fonseca, Sargent of the Brazilian Army, Researcher in Military History. By the portuguese military tradition, the name "Dragons" ["Dragões] always named a mounted infantry troop, that is, transported by horse. The two first Dragoons Companies were formed in 1719. In 1735 the third was criated, that was extinct a little later, in 1739, transferred to the frontier of the South of Brazil, to forming the Regiment of Dragoons of the Sacrament Colony [Colônia do Sacramento] (today, city of Sacramento, in Uruguai), later transferred to the Rio Grande de São Pedro. The Captaincy of Minas Gerais only has incorporated again a 3rd Company, that was in Minas Novas, after 1757, when this one was untied from the Government of Bahia. The Dragoons Liutenant Simão da Cunha Pereirainitialy belonged to the Company of Minas Novas, since the year of 1729, when he arrived to Brazil, was lent to the Governament of Minas Gerais, about 1735, and definitively transferred to one of the Companies of Minas Gerais, in the ywar of 1737, being most probable that he has enrolled then in the 1st Dragoons Company.

Historical Center of Rio de Janeiro, in 1776, one seeing indicated by the letter "E" the New Cathedral (abandoned, was never finished, in 1808 was in ruins, today is the building of the FAFICH/UFRJ, Faculty of Philosophy, Letters and Human Sciences [Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas] of the UFRJ, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro],at Saint Francis Square, in the Center [Largo de São Francisco, Centro]) - Map Detail: "Plano da Cidade de São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro e Porto do Rio de Janeiro, situados a 23º de latitude sul e 334º 26' de longitude meridiano de Tenerife, segundo D. Esteban Alvarez Fierro e extraído por D. Manuel del Canto". Gravado por Joseph Rico. Com carta de Manuel Del Canto, de Cádiz, em 17 de Junho de 1777, MP, Buenos Aires - 27,5 x 45 cm - apud: As Relações Luso-Espanholas no Brazil Durante os Séculos XVI ao XVIII, Espanha, Ministerio de Educación, Cultura Y Deporte, Secretaria de Estado de Cultura, 87 pp., à p. 47. - The legends indicate, by capital letters: between the "A" is situated the city; in "B", at right, the Archbishop Palace and the Fort of the Conception, in the Hill of this name; in "C", in the bottom, Square, Palace of the Vice-King, Mint and Audiences (today, 15th of November Square and Imperial Palace Museum); "D" indcates the Monastery of Saint Benedict, in the Hill of this name; "E", the New Cathedral (today is the building of the FAFICH/UFRJ, Faculty of Philosophy, Letters and Human Sciences [Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas] of the UFRJ, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro], at Saint Francis Square, in the Center [Largo de São Francisco, Centro]); "F", the Hill of Saint Anthony; "G", the Hill of Saint Teresa; "H", the batteries of Our Lady of the Conception; "I", the Hill of the Mercy and Castel of Saint Sebastian (Castel Hill, demolished); "N", to the left, indicates the aqueduct that brought water from Santa Tereza to Saint Anthony and, from here until the Small Beach [Praínha] (today, Mauá Square), run a "trench" ["vala"] by the street later baptized Trench Street [Rua da Vala] (today, Uruguaiana Street); and "O" designates the Field of Saint Dominic, where there were a bog and a lagoon, (of which remained the Saint Dominic Square, that desappeared with the openning of the Presidente Vargas Avenue, remaining the actual commercial region of the "Sahara", limited by the ancient Lampadosa Square, nowadays Tiradentes Square, connected by the Lampadosa Street, nowadays Passos Avenue). The rectangles represent bloks or built in squares, occupied by buildings. Parallel and at a small distance from the "trench" ["vala"], run the "wall" ["muro"], that was built to avoid invasions, after the french pillage, of 1710 and 1711, later demolished. The Captain of Dragoons Simão da Cunha Pereira could be dwelling, since about 1758, behind the "trench" ["vala"] (and of the "wall" ["muro"]), in the Saint Dominic Field, or, most probably, before that, for instance, in the Tinsmiths Street (actual Gonçalves Dias Street).