In 1940 Carlos and Patricia saved up enough money to move to the more upscale neighbrohood of Washington Heights. When he moved to Washington Heights he got a job washing dishes at a local reasteraunt. During this time Carlos started both drinking and smoking more often but did not effect his health very badly. In 1941 Charlie joined the U.S. Navy and left home to serve in the war. In 1943 Carlos got a new job as a janitor at a New York hospital. In 1945 Charlie returned to home but soon after moved to Miami, Florida. In 1948 Alvis married a man named Rudolph Markovich and moved to Los Angeles, California. In 1948 Patricia along with Margaret and Frankie moved to Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico while Carlos handled buisness in Puerto Rico. In 1949 Patricia and the children returned to New York. On January 6, 1949 Carlos and the family moved to Los Angeles, California.

In 1930 Carlos and his family moved to Spanish Harlem. When they first moved in they had to deal with cocaroaches and mice. In 1933 Carlos' mother, Antonia, died of natural causes. Because of this her caretaker/son, Juakin, had to move in with Carlos because he had no place to go. During his career as a construction worker he assisted in the building of many bridges and buildings. During their time in Spanish Harlem Patracia gave birth to 2 other children named Franklin and Margaret. Carlos was usually bullied and picked on by Irish workers for his unability to speak english. One day in 1938 an Irish worker pushed him to far in insults and Carlos then lifted the man into the air and was going to throw him into a cement mixer but was stopped just before he did. During this time Carlos saved up most of his money until 1940 when he moved yet again with his family to the neighbrohood of Washington Heights.

On July 25, 1923 Carlos and Patricia arrived in New York City. They first rented an apartment in Harlem but soon moved to midtown Manhattan. Although there were many jobs open in New York City Carlos did not get any because of his inability to speak english. In 1923 his wife Patricia became pregnant with a girl who was named Alvis. Because of his child being due soon he decided that the only good paying job for a man like him was in the illegal liquor buisness. In 1924 Carlos began bootlegging liquor in his living room. He primarily made Raki which is a popular sweetened liquor from Greece and Turkey. For the next 5 years Carlos made and sold liquor for a profit and was living large with wealth from his liquor buisness. In 1924 Alvis was born and in 1926 Charles was born. During their time in New York Patricia's brother and Carlos' cousin, Matilda and Pablo, moved in with them. But one day in 1929 the owner of their apartment set the building on fire for the insurance money. During the fire Carlos grabbed Charles and 2 pictures of him and his family and ran downstairs while Patricia grabbed about $5,000 from he drawers and dresser and ran down stairs with Matilda and Rafael. Meanwhile, Alvis was trapped in the apartment. The only way out was through the window and into the arms of a family member. Alvis then jumped and landed in the arms of Pablo. Most of their wealth was lost during the fire including Carlos' liquor machine. After the fire they then moved to Spanish Harlem while Carlos got a job as a construction worker.

When Carlos and his family returned to Puerto Rico in February 1923 they opened a general store in the city of Ponce. In May that year a woman by the name of Patricia Mage, daughter of the rich property owner Narcisus Mage, entered the store. Carlos was immediatly drawn to her. After she left his brothers told him that there was no chance that he could get with her. Carlos then sent a letter to her saying that he'd like to take her out to dinned. She replied with acceptance. When the date came they became a couple and on June 23 they married. On July 23 that year they left on a ship to New York City.

After arriving in Cuba Carlos and his brothers and sisters got jobs on a sugar cane plantation. Him and his brothers would cut sugar cane most of the day while his mother and sisters were the owner's maids. From 1918-1923 many of Carlos' brothers and sisters caught many deadly diseases. His brother Pedro died in 1922 of a brain tumor while in 1923 his brother Francisco died of the Tyfoid Fever. Another story Carlos would tell was when he was burying his brother Francisco on the beach and he then collapsed from symptoms of Tyfoid. He then climbed a tree and grabbed a cocanut. He then drank the milk of the cocanut and then he felt fine. The next day he told his mother and surviving brothers and sisters and told them that they needed to leave back to Puerto Rico. In all 3 of Carlos' brothers died and 4 of his sisters. His brother Enosencio and his sisters Rosa and Theodora stayed in Cuba while Carlos and his other sibling and mother left to Puerto Rico.

Carlos Cajigas Rios was born on November 4, 1890 in the town of Utuado, Puerto Rico. His parents named Pedro Rios and Antonia Villafania were wealthy coffee and tobacco plantation owners during Puerto Rico's Black Gold era. Carlos was also the 11th oldest of 16 brothers and sisters. A story that he told to his children that occured in 1897 was when a man found his wife cheating on him and the husband then pulled a machette and cut off the head of the wife man who was with his wife. In 1898 Carlos' house and plantation was destroyed by hurricane San Ciriaco. His family then moved to the city of Aguadilla soon after.

Soon after they moved to Aguadilla they regained their wealth in coffee and tobacco. During his teen years Carlos owned a Horse and a fighting cock. Carlos made alot of money from cock fighting until one day in 1914 when his rooster lost an eye during a fight. Carlos then retired his rooster from fighting. In 1916 Carlos' father died of natural causes at the age of 92. After the death of Pedro Carlos' brother, Enosencio, inherited the family's entire wealth. By June 1917 Enosencio had spent most of the family's money. In August that same year Carlos and all of his 8 brothers recieved draft letters to be sent to World War 1. To escape the war Carlos and his entire family along with his mother fled to Cuba.