by Karen Yvonne Hamilton, 2025

Blanca Rosa Bello Garcia was born on March 20, 1907, in Key West, Florida, to Maria Carmen Amparo Rodriguez (1885-1959 b. Cuba) and Jose Garcia Bello (1871-1950 b. Cuba)

Maria Carmen Amparo RODRIGUEZ
Jose Garcia

SIBLINGS

In 1920, Blanca lived with her parents and siblings at 615 Simonton Street. Her father, Jose worked at a cigar factory. 

In 1927, Blanca and her brother, Candido lived at 615 South St in Key West.

Key West City Directory 1927

MARRIAGE

Blanca Rosa Bello Garcia married Jose Ramon Diaz in Cuba. No records of marriage date have been found as of this writing (2025).

CHILDREN

  • Marcos L (dates unknown)
  • Maria Josephine was born on August 27, 1939, in La Habana, Cuba.
Blanca Rosa GARCIA Diaz and her brother, Evelio (Joe) Garcia BELLO
Clara Belle LARIZ Garcia and Blanca Rosa GARCIA Diaz

TRAVEL

Blanco traveled between Cuba and Key West frequently. 

On January 28 1909, Jose Garcia, Carman Rodriguez, and Blanca Rosa Garcia sailed on the SS Mascotte from Havana to Key West.

On Aug 15 1911, Carmen Rodriguez, Blanca Rosa Garcia, and Candido Garcia sailed from Havana to Key West on the SS Mascotte.

On  Oct 24 1925, Jose Garcia and Blanca sailed on the SS Cuba from Havana to Key West. 

On  Dec 26 1941, Blanca Garcia and daughter Maria J Diaz, age 2, sailed on the SS Cuba from Havana to Key West.

Blanca Rosa Garcia with her brother and his family: Evelio Garcia (Joe Bello), Clara Belle LARIZ Garcia (holding Delores GARCIA), Josepha DIAZ, Jane GARCIA, and Josephine GARCIA

Blanca Rosa Bello Garcia died on April 12, 1982, in Key West, Florida, when she was 75 years old.

BELLO/GARCIA Name Confusion Explained

Joe is listed with the U.S. Social Security system as Jose Garcia Bello. His gravestone reads Jose G. Bello. He went by the name Joe Bello for most of his adult life. His grandchildren called him Papa Garcia.

This is from his oldest daughter, Jane GARCIA Rowland: “There were several confusing things that concerned my dad’s name. He was known for most of his life as Evelio Garcia. It was the name he used to wed my mother, and the first three children were Garcias on their birth certificates. The Spanish custom of using the mothers maiden name caused some confusion, but my dad was never named Rodriguez, which was his mother’s maiden name. His dad used the Garcia De Bello title, Bello being his mothers maiden name. 

My grandfather signed his name Garcia sometimes. Other times he used Bello and Garcia De Bello. My dad was drafted into the Army during WWII and questions arose about what name was correct.He began to use the Bello name, and my younger sister Rose Mary was named Bello.Then after he wed his second wife and applied for a passport there were all kinds of problems. He sent for his original birth certificate. The name his father gave him was Joseph Evelio Garcia Bello. My father and his second wife decided to change his name legally to Joseph Garcia Bello Jr. 

This was legal and his name was Bello from then on. Our names were still Garcia. Elio, his younger brother, who was drafted at the same time, also changed his name to Bello.

I visited my uncle, my dad’s oldest brother, Candido ‘Beby’ Garcia, in the early 1980s. He was very upset about the name change and he did not change his name. He said, “They can change the name on the paper, but they are still Garcias.” My dad’s two sisters also retained the maiden name of Garcia.”

SOURCES

1920 United States Federal Census; Florida Death Index, 1877-1998; Florida Passenger Lists, 1898-1964; Florida, Naturalization Records, 1847-1995; Key West City Directory 1927; Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current; The Miami Herald 3 Jun 1950; U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007; U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014; personal photos of Jane GARCIA Rowland