Ramon Freire was born April 6,1912 in Cidra, Puerto Rico, the son of Jose Freire Y Baldrich and Guadelupe Castro Y Vasquez. His parents divorced quite early in his life. In 1920 he was living with his father, step-mother and assorted full and half siblings- Jose, Luis, Jesus, Amelia and Angel Fernando.
The 1930 census found Ramon once more living with his mother, and his sister Maria Dolores, still in Cidra. At the age of 17 Ramon was working as a "cobradore" on a "guagua", which loosely translated as a cash collector on a bus.
Soon after, his mother Guadelupe moved to New York City. On May 22, 1932, Ramon joined her, making his journey from San Juan to New York City on the SS Chateau Thierry.
Two years later, on July 20, 1934, Ramon married Luz Marie Montalvo Y Vasquez. In 1938 their daughter Eileen was born .
In early 1940 the family was living at 505 W. 161st Street in New York City. Ramon was working as a bartender at a bar and grill, making an approximate annual income of $1200. By October of that year, they had moved to 701 W. 180th Street #59, and Ramon stated he was working at Topps Restaurant on West 42nd street. His draft card described him as 5' 7 1/2" tall, weighed 136 pounds, with brown eyes, black hair and a dark complexion.
On March 15, 1944, Ramon, Luz and Eileen flew from Miami to San Juan on Pan American Airlines.
The next spring found Ramon working as a "utilityman", and later as a waiter on the ship MS John Ericsson, making the Atlantic crossing from Le Havre, France to New York City.
In 1950 the family was living in Puerto Rico, with the addition of two more children- Ramon Jr. and Linda. Ramon was working at the Hotel de la Capital as the "Jefe de Comedor" which translates as "head of the dining room" or headwaiter. With an annual income of $2160, and a live-in servant, life would have been comfortable.
The fall of 1956 Ramon was once more working on a ship. He took a job as the assistant headwaiter on the ocean liner SS United States, again traversing the Atlantic between Le Havre and NYC.
Ramon Freire died on July 30, 1987 at Mt. Sinai West. On August 20, 1987 he was buried on Hart Island.
Sources: Ancestry.com; US, Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014; 1920, 1930, 1940, and 1950 Federal Censuses; US, WW II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947; Puerto Rico, Arriving Passengers and Crew Lists, 1901-1962; Puerto Rico, Civil Registration, 1885-2001; NY, Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1957.
