Updated August 15, 2002 by Marco Antonio Ribeiro
Efrain Ribeiro Ibanez and Mercedes Wais Nievas married on January 11, 1952, in Lima, Peru. This page summarizes son Marco Antonio’s research on the Ribeiro and Wais families, with roots in Peru, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Spain, France, and Germany.
Efrain Ribeiro Ibanez was born in Callao, Peru, on April 27, 1922. He studied engineering at the Escuela Nacional de Ingenieros, Lima, Peru (C.E. 1943); Civil Engineering at Michigan State College (M.S. 1945); and Public Health at The University of Michigan (M.P.H. 1946). He served in U.N.C.A.C.K. during the Korean War, and wed Mercedes Alicia Wais while on leave. After the Korean War he worked for the Pan American Health Organization. He had two sons with Mercedes, my brother, and me, Marco Antonio. Efrain Ribeiro died in Lima, Peru (April 29, 1979)and is buried in Bellavista, Callao, Peru.
Mercedes Alicia Wais Nievas was born in Lima, Peru, on September 24, 1917. Her first marriage to Oscar Fernandini (April 30, 1933 in Callao, Peru) produced three children, and ended in divorce. She later married Efrain Ribeiro. Mr. and Mrs. Efrain Ribeiro lived in El Salvador, Argentina, and– after 1960– in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. In 1978 Efrain retired from PAHO and they returned to Lima.
Efrain Ribeiro Ibanez’ parents were Zacarias Ribeiro and Maria Rosa Ibanez. He had six brothers (Roberto, Samuel, Pablo, Jorge, and Democrito) and two sisters (Noemi and Margarita). Zacarias Ribeiro was born in Cuchilla del Salto, Uruguay, on January 9, 1889. He had two brothers (Euclidio and Claudino) and three sisters (Herminia, Berta, and Virginia). Drafted at 15, he fought in the Civil War of 1904. After the war, Zacarias joined the Salvation Army in Montevideo. In 1910, he sailed to Lima, Peru, along with Adjutant David Thomas, to found the first Salvation Army Mission in Peru. Zacarias left the Salvation Army in order to marry Maria Rosa Ibanez. He became a Methodist Minister and preached at the Iglesia Metodista, Avenida Boliva, Lima. He died in Lima (Feb. 11, 1968).
Zacarias’ parents were Zacarias Ribeiro (b. Brazil) and Eladia Fonseca (b. Uruguay); his paternal grandparents were Claudino Ribeiro and Sebastiana de los Santos, and his maternal grandparents were Joaquin Fonseca and Felixberta Benitez, (or: -Damota, -Damata, -Daponte).
Efrain Ribeiro’s mother, Maria Rosa Ibanez (b. Huacho, Peru 1884; d. Lima 1961), was the daughter of Policarpio Ibanez and Juana Grados. She had two brothers (Jose Antonio “Pepe”, and Potamio) and one sister (Juanita “La Mamacha”).
Mercedes Wais de Ribeiro is the daughter of Martin Wais (b. La Coruna, Spain, ca. 1875) and Maria Consuelo Nievas (b. Saladillo, Argentina, 1885). They married in Buenos Aires ca. 1905, and had five children (Guy, Julio, Consuelo, Graciela and Mercedes). They separated after 1917; Martin had another daughter, Luisa, who was raised by Consuelo after Martin’s death (Lima, March 2, 1944). (Luisa married Jorge, Efrain Ribeiro’s brother).
Martin Wais sailed from Spain to Havana in 1894 on board the ship “Navarro”; later, he fought in Cuba in the Spanish-American War. Afterwards he went to Argentina and entered business; he eventually founded and directed the Compania Nacional de Pesca (Peru).
Martin Wais was the son of Jose Maria Wais (b. 1840, Spain) and Martina Duran (b. 1852, Spain); he had a brother (Jose) and a sister (Carmina). The Wais family of La Coruna, Spain, descends from Sebastien Wais, a Roman Catholic born in Speyer, Germany ca. 1720-30.
Mercedes’ mother was Maria Consuelo Nievas (b. October 13, 1885, Argentina; d. 1980), daughter of: Jose Dopico (b. ca. 1846, Spain) and Manuela Vicenta Nievas (b. ca. 1867, Argentina, d. ca. 1900). Maria Consuelo had five brothers: Jose, Blas, Manuel, Luis, and Raul.
Marco Antonio Ribeiro
6523 Frietchie Row
Columbia,Maryland 21045
mantoniorw@gmail.com
FAMILY PHOTOS
Maria Consuelo with her 5 children: Guy, Julio, Consuelo, Graciela and Mercedes. 1921, Lima, Peru
This photograph shows Maria Consuelo with all five of her children. It was probably taken around 1921. (Left to Right: boys, Guy and Julio; girls, Consuelo, Mercedes, and Graciela).
Efrain with UNCACK Sanitation Division
Efrain was the director of the Sanitation Division, UNCACK
Zacarias Ribeiro Fonseca Baptismal Record
Documento del Cuchilla del Salto, Uruguay: Parroquia de Nuestra Sra del Carmen, Libro 16, Folio 106: Constancia del bautismo de Zacarias Ribeiro Fonseca (nacio: 09 de enero, 1889; bautizado: 6 de agosto, 1892).
Zacarias Ribeiro, “El Father” with Maria Rosa
Zacarias Ribeiro, a Methodist Minister, with his wife Maria Rosa.
To their children, they were “El Father” and “La Mother”.
Efrain, missing Mercedes
Efrain with the photograph of his wife that he kept by his bedside. Mercedes was then living in occupied Japan.
Adjutant Thomas & Lieutenant Ribeiro
Adjutant and Mrs David Thomas and Family, and Lieutenant Ribeiro, in Uruguay, 1910. They are about to depart to Lima, Peru, to found the first Salvation Army mission there. This photograph appeared in the Salvation Army publication, ‘All the World’, August 1910, p. 420. Many thanks to Gordon Taylor, Archivist with the Salvation Army (International Heritage Center, London) who informed me about this photograph. Zacarias was 21.
Efrain with Dr. Cassel, in Pusan (20 KB)
Efrain with friend and co-worker, Dr. Cassel.
Manuela and Consuelo’s entry in 1895 Census, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Entry in the 1895 Argentine Census for “Manuela Nievas and Consuelo Dopico”.
On the following page are listed Consuelo’s siblings:
Jose (6), Blas (5), Manuel(2), Luis(1); the elder Luis born in 1887 had apparently died by 1895
The Wais Nievas sisters, ca. 1929
Policarpio Ibanez with daughter and grandchildren
From left to right: Top row: Noemi Ribeiro I., Maria Rosa I. de Ribeiro, Pablo Ribeiro I., Samuel Ribeiro I. Bottom Row: Democrito Ribeiro I., Policarpio Ibanez (seated) with Margarita Ribeiro I. on his lap, Efrain Ribeiro I., and Jorge Ribeiro I.
Consuelo Wais con pandareta
Epi and Meche et al., Monticello Avenue, 1970
Left to Right: Werner Lywen, Meche, Epi, Jackie Lywen, Tia Clelia, Oscar in 1970. Werner and Jackie were next door neighbors; Clelia (Meche’s ex sister in law) was visiting from Peru.
The Wais girls, ca. 1920
Left to right: Consuelo, Graciela, and Mercedes
Epi at Lima Panagra counter ca. 1954
Epi, probably during his early years at PAHO.
Efrain and Mercedes with their first born 1953
Epi, Meche, and new arrival Api in Japan, 1953
The Ribeiro Ibanez children, 1920’s
Four: Jorge; Five: Efrain; Three: Pablo; One: Naomi (Toto); Two: Samuel
Efrain Ribeiro in Korea with UNCACK folks
Front row: Second from left: Efrain Ribeiro;
Middle row: fourth from left: Peruvian engineer Lucho Orihuela
Zacarias Ribeiro with five of his children, 1920’s
From left to right: Unknown, Toto, Zacarias (with Efrain on his lap), Jorge, Pablo (above Jorge), Samuel
Samuel, Mito, Jorge, and Efrain (1920’s)
Left to Right: Samuel, Mito, Jorge, Efrain ca. 1925 in Lima
Mercedes and friends, in Japan
Mercedes with her friends in Japan (UNCACK wives & roomates;
Sra Orihuela and Sra Madueno are to Mercedes left
Meanwhile, back at the ranch. . .
Pino, Amalia, Gladys, and Consuelo in Lima, 1952. Newlywed mom & daughter Meche was in Japan. . .
Graciela Wais ascending Machu Picchu, 1936
Graciela Wais at Machu Picchu
Seven of the Ribeiro Ibanez children in the 1920’s
Top row (l. to r.): Samuel, Naomi, Pablo Bottom row (l. to r.): Efrain, Margarita, Mito (?), Jorge
Mercedes with Marco Antonio, 1957
This may be the first photograph of Marco Antonio.
Maria Rosa Ibanez in West Virginia, 1959
Left to Right: Maria Rosa (“La Mahther”), Jorge, Jorge’s two children, and Efrain.
La Tia Clelia, 1929
La Tia Clelia, Mercedes sister-in-law. March 14, 1929. La Punta, Callao, Peru.
Epi and Jorge in 1922
One of the earliest photographs of Epi and Jorge Ribeiro.
La Abuelita Consuelo, 1967
Maria Rosa Ibanez
Maria Rosa Ibanez de Ribeiro in the 1920’s with an unidentified friend.
Marco Antonio & Api, 1957 In El Salvador.
Api, almost 4, looks at his infant brother Marco Antonio.
Ribeiro and Rovegno children ca. 1960
Ileana, Ana Maria, Pablo, Rafael, Efrain, Mariella, Marco Antonio, Gladys, ca. 1960
Efrain y Mercedes, 1950
First portrait together, September 1950, just prior to Efrain’s departure for Korea.
Margarita y Mito in the 1970’s
Margarita and Mito Ribeiro in the mid 1970’s. En el restaurante “Suizo”, en el centro de Lima.
Efrain (second from left) with UNCACK folks, Korea
Taken December 15, 1950
Pablo R. L. in the 1970’s
Pablo in the 1970’s smiling, at home.
Efrain on Pusan front, March 1951
Efrain wearing helmet.
Mercedes Wais at age 9
This is Mercedes Wais in her class picture in Argentina, at age 9.
Mercedes Wais at age ten.
This picture is from Mercedes’ class picture in Argentina; she was ten years old.
Mercedes Wais at age 11.
Mercedes Wais, in her class picture in Argentina, at age 11.
Family Tree Maker Reports and Trees
Related Links
Salvation Army Website, 1910 Peru: Z. Ribeiro mentioned