I hit a goldmine about 5 years ago when I stumbled upon the Brooklyn
Eagle archives. I found over 87 references to Magin and Joseph Janer.
MOstly ads for leasing property. He owned tons of property throughout
Brooklyn. He had one son, Joseph whose fate I uncovered after 90 years
of secrecy. But that is not my interest now. I am trying to locate
Magin Janer before 1860. He was born in Barcelona and died in New York
cira 1895. He may be related to Janers in Puerto Rico or Geners in
Cuba. I don't know. I know my Ggrandfather and GGgrandfathers has
business in Cuba. That's all I know. I have never seen a "JANER"
reference when searching about the Cuba sites. ONly Gener - Of course
the famous Cigar maker Jose Gener in Cuba. I found lots of Janers in
Puerto Rico whose ages match up with Magin Janer. Jose Gener also
matches up with Magin Janer. In any case they are all Catalan origin.
Magin Janer and son were incredibly wealthy. Iheard stories of pet
Leopard and of son Joseph Janer walking down the street with a bear!
Magin Janer founded the "spanish Benevolent Society" in New York in
1868. I found his name mention in company of the infanta Eulalia of
spain when she visited New York after the Chicagos World's Exposition.
I have an invitation for Esq Janer and wife to the inauguration walk
across the Brooklyn Bridge.


So there you are. This is what I have found. I am trying to  trace
Magin Janer between the time he left spain and the time he arrived in
New York circa 1858.

Cuba records could be helpful. I have found some Janers in Puerto
Rico. They were brothers who were pro Spain. I wonder if Magin Janer
was on the other side and ended up in the U.S.

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Request for Question Clarification by scriptor-ga on 02 Nov 2006 15:17 PST

A very interesting question, I must say! Currently, my research has
led to only one result: In the 1880 Federal Census, Magin Janer is
spelled "Magine". The complete set of information about his family in
1880 reveals the following information:

Magine Janer. Born 1835 in Spain. Occupation: Real estate.
Nellie Janer, his wife. Born 1842 in New York State. Occupation: Keeping house.
Joseph Janer, their son. Born 1873 in New York State. Occupation: At school.
Census place: Brooklyn, Kings.

It does not provide any answers yet, but it might prove useful for
something. I'll continue searching for clues.

Scriptor

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Request for Question Clarification by scriptor-ga on 02 Nov 2006 15:57 PST

Please forgive me if the question in inappropriate, but was your
great-grandfather Joseph Janer identical with the waelthy NY
businessman Joseph M. Janer, who was sentenced to 21 years in prison
in 1909 and who died on 23 August 1910 in the Maryland penitentiary?

In that case, his father's connection to Cuba would be for certain. On
4 February 1909, the Washington Post described him as "Joseph M.
Janer, a Cuban, Reputed to Be Worth $500,000" (His address was
mentioned too, see below). "Cuban" is probaby not meant as Cuban
citizenship (this would be less likely since Cuba was still a Spanish
colony when his father came to NY), but to indicate the
ethnicity/ancestry.

The full Washington Post article was:

HE FACES GALLOWS	
Kidnapper of Little Girl Held at Baltimore. IS WEALTHY AND MARRIED
Crime Punishable in Maryland by Death or Long Prison Term. Joseph M.
Janer, a Cuban, Reputed to Be Worth $500,000, Apprehended in Company
With 11-Year-Old Catherine Loerch, Whom He Lured From Her Home in
Brooklyn -- His Extradition to New York Opposed by Police Chief.
Baltimore, Md., Feb. 3. -- Joseph M. Janer, aged about 34 years, of
274 Clauson avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y., a rich clubman, married, and the
father of children, was today, after a hearing before Police
Magistrate Grannan, held without bail for the action of the grand jury
on a charge which, stripped of its legal technicalities means
felonious assault upon Catherine Loerch, of 343 Clauson avenue,
Brooklyn, who, she told the magistrate, will be 12 years old on
February 22.

---

Clarification of Question by dhamra-ga on 07 Nov 2006 20:52 PST

Most of this information I have already uncovered. I am seeking info
before his arrival to the U.S. He may have been in Puerto Rico
previously or Cuba. I hve not been able to determine. I suspect the
earlier dates are probably more correct for his birth.

Joseph was his son and his fate was a horrible discovery for me and my
family. No one knew his fate until a year ago.

Anyway I am trying to locate info on Magin/Majin/Magine Janer/Gener
before his appearance in 1858 in New York.



Also, I would like to get more info on his business dealings in the US
besides the typical investment properties. For example, I understood
he possibly owned a building on Maiden lane in Manhattan.



We would love to find more info on Joseph's assets which were
basically controlled by his Wife Nellie Barranco/Blanco Janer. I
suspect, at this point, Marie Janer, Joseph's first daughter somehow
ended  up with the assets and moved to New Jersey when she married.

According to the 1880 United States Census (as referred to by Scriptor)

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Search/census/household_record.asp?HOUSEHOLD_CODE=1880US_10715386

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Search/census/individual_record.asp?INDI_CODE=1880US_10715386_0

Magine JANER was 45 years old at the time of the census (i.e. born 1834 or 1835).


However, elsewhere
e.g.
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/CUBA/2004-01/1075317770

it is stated that Magin(e) Janer was born in 1846.


Do you have any detailed information regarding his age or the year of his birth?