I represent Manuel Peñalver, a blanco boy born in Pensacola. My parents were Manuel (a native of Granada, Spain) and Juana Josepha Antonia Benites Peñalver (born in New Orleans). At the time of the 1820 census of Pensacola, I was 1 year old. I lived with my parents and six siblings; my father made his living as a sailor.
In 1826, I contracted an apprenticeship with Gilbert Vandenberg, a master bricklayer and plasterer, until my 21st birthday. The contract stated I would turn 12 on July 2 of that year, which means that either my age of 1 year was incorrect in the census, or I may have fudged my age to get the apprenticeship. The contract also refers to me as an orphan, which could mean that I had lost both my parents, or might mean that only my father had passed away.