Maria Rosa Babkirk & Daughter Edythe 1889

Maria Rosa (1867-1914) is eldest child of Joseph Rosa and Abbie Madden- Rosa. She was born in San Francisco California within two years of the time that her Father Joseph came to San Francisco as a seaman. It is unknown at this time if his wife Abbie came with him from the Boston/New Bedford area or whether they met in San Francisco. Maria was the first of at least nine children born to the Rosa family. She was followed by a sister Amelia, 1868-1871, her brother Joseph Jr. in 1870, Victorina - 1872, Thomas Jefferson -1875-1876, Annie -1877-1880, Elizabeth Anna - 1879-1880, a daughter in 1882 (name unknown) and Abbey Rosa 1874-1874.

Joseph Rosa was born September 29, 1837 on the Island of Sao Jorge in the Azores. In June of 1854 he arrived in the United States and lived in the New Bedford - Boston area. He was 17 years old, a seaman who became a barber by trade. In 1866 his name shows up in the San Francisco City Directories (see link below) as a seaman living at the northwest corner of Union and Calhoun Streets. Over the next 27 years, Joseph, Abbie and their children lived at 20 Calhoun Street, overlooking Samson Street and San Francisco Bay. He worked with Charles Rapp at 433 Pine Street (Rosa & Rapp).  Abbie Madden Rosa died in 1884 and Joseph continued to live and work in San Francisco, according to the City directories.  After 1892, his name no longer shows up in the directories.