Delabarre was absolutely sure of his original discovery of the Portuguese Theory, accomplished more than 81 years ago! He was gratified by receiving the Portuguese decoration of the Cross of the Order of Christ, one of the highest Portuguese awards.

Delabarre died on March 16, 1945. He left a will which was signed on February 8^th 1940. On his will he left a small parcel of land, 250 square feet, contiguous to Dighton Rock, the nucleus for a Dighton Rock Park. He bought this land with his own money!

He left also "the sum of one hundred dollars, by the testamentary disposition to the Old Colony Historical Society of Taunton, or its successors, for the protection of Dighton Rock and for the improvement and beautification of the land surrounding it."

Unfortunately the Old Colony Historical Society of Taunton never did anything to protect Dighton Rock. Not even a simple fence to protect it from vandalism! They pocked the $100 dollars given by Professor Delabarre, that was all they did!

The unfortunate rock continued to be exposed to all the natural elements and worse than that,  to the attack of all the vandals damaging its face by throwing  rocks, bottles at it, and of course engraving on its face their initials and other scribbling, whenever the low tides allowed it.

Professor Delabarre at the center with a cap surrounded by Portuguese Americans on a pilgrimage to Dighton Rock, on October 10, 1926. (At the time I was only 35 days old) When Professor Delabarre was alive, he organized several pilgrimages to the rock, many Portuguese Americans went to the site, and some of them showed interested in preserving the rock, but they spent their energies fighting amongst themselves, and because of much jealousy, nothing was ever accomplished!

                  Now go to the Fourth  Round