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Primos
July 2004, Dedicated to
Hispanic Heritage and Diversity Issues |
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Areas United States--3 Surname: Padilla--23 Bernardo de Galvez--28 Orange County, CA--36 Los Angeles, CA--37 California--40 Northwestern US--71 Southwestern US --77 Black --82 Indigenous --84 Sephardic --103 Texas --105 East Mississippi--112 East Coast--115 Mexico --116 Caribbean/Cuba--145 International--146 History--158 Family History --162 Archaeology--164 Miscellaneous --165 2003 Index Calendars Networking Meetings END |
"50 Years Under God" |
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U.S. Senator Sam Brownback admires the "50 Years Under God" banner with Rev. Rob Schenck and other clergy. The new banner hangs across the street from the US Supreme Court, and was unfurled the very day the Supreme Court dismissed the suit against the Pledge. Coincidently, it was also the date of the 50th anniversary of the insertion of "Under God." Sent by Odell Harwell hiridr@sbcglobal.net |
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Primos Staff: Mimi Lozano, Editor John P. Schmal, Johanna De Soto, Howard Shorr Armando Montes Michael Stevens Perez Rina Dichoso Dungao, Ph.D. Contributors or Source: Gilberto Arteaga Joyce Basch Eva Booher Danielle Brown Roberto R. Calderon Rene Caraballo Bill Carmena Dennis V. Carter Bonnie Chapa Maria E. Cortez Johanna De Soto Alan Duaine Miriam Galicia Duarte |
Don
Garate David Cisneros Garcia Domingo Garcia George Gause Eddie Grijalva Glenn Harding Michael Hardwick Joan Harmon Odell Harwell Elsa Herbeck Sergio Hernandez Dara Jones Joe Martinez, Ph.D. Armando Montes Gus Montes Paul Newfield Jaime Oaxaca, Ph.D. Robert Andres Olivares Cindy LoBuglio Alex Loya Gloria Oliver Guillermo Padilla Origel, Lic. Jose Pantoja, Willis Papillion |
Roberto Pérez Guadarrama, Lic. Marvin Perkins Tom Pollino Joseph Puentes Angel Custodio Rebollo Art Reina Linda J. Rushton Michael Salinas Benicio Samuel Sanchez Garcia, Lic. Virginia Sanchez John P. Schmal Albert Seguin Howard Shorr Greg Bernal Smestad, Ph.D. Bob Smith Mira Smithwick Viola Sadler Leonardo de la Torre y Berumen, Lic. Paul Trejo Phil Valdez, Jr. Francisco M. Vega J.D. Villarreal |
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LETTERS:
" I am so happy with "SOMOS PRIMOS." My husband and I moved from Puerto Rico to Michigan ten years ago, and it is kind of hard, starting with some USPS employees. When we start sending mail they were sure that Puerto Rico was part of Mexico (nothing against Mexicans) and it took us a while to let them know that puertorricans are American citizens and that Puerto Rico is in the Caribbean. |
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2004
Heritage Calendar |
Military Gravesite Locator War Dead Information Logging Latinos' Legacy Workers, Late Shifts Locked Exits Sears Policy for military reservists Rewriting history (ACLU version) Good Idea AAD Access to Archival Databases Voices of Civil Rights Corn Tortillas Losing Popularity Digital divide might be narrowing National Awards, Univision |
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| The 2002 Floral Flag is 740 feet long and 390 feet wide and maintains the proper Flag dimensions as described in Executive Order #10834. This Flag is 6.65 acres and is the first Floral Flag to be planted with 5 pointed Stars comprised of White Larkspur. Each Star is 24 feet in diameter; Each Stripe is 30 feet wide. This Flag is estimated to contain more than 400,000 Larkspur plants with 4-5 flower stems each for a total of more than 2 million flowers. You can drive by this flag on V Street south of Ocean Ave. in Lompoc, CA, 2 1/2 hours north of Los Angeles. |
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Free
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Each year HomeOfHeroes.com remembers Veterans' Day with the release of a special calendar for the following year. Our FREE, DOWNLOADABLE 2004 Medal of Honor Calendar will be available on November 11, 2003, and will remain available throughout the year. This year's calendar is designed to serve as a tribute not only to our Medal of Honor heroes of past generations, but to the heroes of a new generation who serve around the world to defend our nation and our world from acts of terrorism. The Torch is Passed.... ....To a New Generation! The 2004 Heritage is a unique, full-color, patriotic calendar you and your friends can enjoy all year long. Every month displays not only holidays and important dates from history, but something new in this, our fourth year of calendar production. In
each month's calendar from the 2004 edition, you will see the faces and
learn the names of some of the heroes of this new generation. |
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Though there are far too many for us to highlight them all, we have attempted to find photos and information reflecting a cross-section of those brave men and women of all branches of military service who have received awards for their heroism and sacrifice in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world. The October page alone (pictured above) will introduce you to eight American soldiers who have received the Silver Star, including two Army captains who are identical twins. |
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Medal of Honor Gravesites Another activity of the Home of Heroes is a compilation of the gravesites of Medal of Honor recipients by state. Their goal is to have a photograph of each gravesite. They are seeking help to accomplish that task. You can go to any state by substituting the state of your interest in the URL below. http://www.homeofheroes.com/gravesites/states/california.html |
This site can be searched for WWII Enlistment records. Here is the place to go: http://aad.archives.gov/aad/search.jsp?file_id=3475&data_layout_id=494&coll_id=null&table_id=893 I received this information from another mailing list and the source is Lynna Kay Sheffield from "Along Our Lines" from Williamson County, Texas. Now, in order to search it, you *CANNOT* enter the term TX or Tex or Texas for searching in Texas. You have to get the state code which is available clicking on the link next to the entry for that state. Same goes for the county you want to search! The code for Texas is 85, but there are codes for Texas Concientious objector and other such things. The code for Bexar county is 029. For example, my great grandfather's brother Richard C. Padilla served in WWII. He can be found by just typing in his name as "Richard C Padilla" in the name box and pressing enter. His record will be the only one to come up and then I can click on "Select Record" and then his record comes up showing specific details about his enlistment. I can also choose a "Printer Friendly Version" of this information to either print up as a hard copy or (control-c) copy to my computer. Neat 'eh? Danielle Brown dtxn@yahoo.com Sent by George Gause ggause@panam.edu |
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| Compare
date of statehood or status of Commonwealth, with first year of representation. NEW JERSEY, 1787 1993- Robert Menéndez (D) NEW YORK, 1788 1978-1990 Robert Garcia (D) 1990- Jose E. Serrano (D) 1993- Nydia M. Velázquez (D) LOUISIANA, 1812 1913-1927 Ladislas Lazaro (D) 1931-1941 Joachim Octave Fernández (D) ILLINOIS, 1818 1993- Louis Gutiérrez (D) FLORIDA, 1845 TEXAS, 1845 CALIFORNIA, 1850 |
PUERTO
RICO Commonwealth, 1901 1901-1905 Federico Degetau (IR) 1905-1911 Tulio Larrinaga (U) 1911-1916 Luis Munoz Rivera (U) 1917-1932 Felix Cordova Davila (U) 1932-1933 Jose Lorenzo Pesquera (PR) 1939-1945 Bolivar Pagan (C) 1945-1946 Jesus T. Pinero (PD) 1946-1965 Antonio Fernos-Isern (PD) 1965-1969 Santiago Polanco-Abreu (PD) 1969-1973 Jorge Luis Cordova Diaz (NP) 1973-1977 Jaime Benitez (PD) 1977-1985 Baltasar Corrada del Rio (NP) 1985-1992 Jaime B. Fuster (D) 1992-1993 Antonio J. Colorado (D) 1993- Carlos Antonio Romero-Barcelo (NP) NEW MEXICO, 1912 |
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ISLANDS, Commonwealth 1973-1979 Ron de Lugo (D) 1981-1995 Ron de Lugo (D) |
GUAM,
Commonwealth 1985-1993 Ben Blas Garrido (R) 1993 Robert A. Underwood (D) |
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Jersey, no Hispanic representation for 206 years. Illinois, no Hispanic representation for 175 years. Texas, no Hispanic representation for 116 years. Louisiana, no Hispanic representation for 101 years. Arizona became a state in 1912, no Hispanic representation for 79 years. Florida, Hispanic representation, one year, 1822-1823, then a lapse of 66 years until 1989. Puerto Rico, continuous Hispanic representation since it Commonwealth status, 1901. New Mexico became a state in 1912, but has had representation, on and off since 1853. All the Hispanic U.S. Senators have been from New Mexico. 1928-1929 Octaviano Larrazolo 1935-1962 Dennis Chavez 1964-1977 Joseph Manuel Montoya |
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These
figures are those of the United States census which
Source: US Census Bureau Resident
Population and Appointment of US House of Representative
California was third (3rd) in population size in 1850
and 1870, but by 1900 had moved to second (2nd) position and
in 2000, first (1st) position by a huge margin. Colorado and Arizona have each experienced major growth periods, Colorado between 1870 and 2000 and Arizona between 1950 and 2000. New Mexico remained the least populated of these Southwest states. Percentage of
population increase 1850-2000 |
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Arizona California Florida |
53,160 |
% % % |
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Colorado Texas New Mexico |
10,780 |
% % % |
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Extract: San Antonio Population Surging BY MARK BABINECK Associated Press Writer, 06/24/04 http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?id=16718 Sent by Elsa Herbeck epherbeck@juno.com San Antonio, buoyed by a steady population influx and plenty of room to spread out, has eclipsed Dallas as the nation's eighth-largest city, according to estimates released Thursday by the Census Bureau. At around 1.7 million in population, the San Antonio metropolitan area remains far smaller than that of the Dallas-Fort Worth region, which stands at about 5.6 million and is climbing heartily. Still, San Antonio is proud to return to its former glory. The city became Texas' first urban center when Spanish missionaries established it in 1718. It was the state's largest city as late as 1920 before Houston and Dallas surpassed it. |
Extract: Ethnic Balance Shifting by Spring By Jeff Claassen, Forth Worth Star-Telegram Staff Writer, June 22, 2004 Sent by George Gause ggause@panam.edu Source: Domingo Garcia garciadtx@aol.com and Roberto Calderon beto@unt.edu Anglos are likely to be the minority in Texas by spring, about two years
earlier than originally expected. The Anglo population is growing more slowly because the flood of newcomers
that Texas saw in the 1990s has slowed to a trickle, Texas' state demographer
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NEW STATE PROJECTIONS SHOW 20 MILLION MORE CALIFORNIANS BY 2050; HISPANICS TO BE STATE'S MAJORITY ETHNIC GROUP BY 2040 SACRAMENTO - California's population will have jumped by more than 20 million people over 50 years to reach a total state population in 2050 of nearly 55 million, according to long-range population projections released today by the California Department of Finance. From fewer than 34 million Californians counted in the 2000 Census, the new data indicate that the state is projected to pass the 40 million mark in 2012, and to top 50 million by 2036. The new projections also show that Hispanics will constitute the majority of Californians by 2040. By the middle of the century, the projections indicate that Hispanics will represent 53.6 percent of the state's population, with Caucasians comprising 23.3 percent , the Asian population at 12.1 percent; the African American population at 6.4 percent, the Pacific Islander population at less than one-half of one percent, and Native Americans and people of more than one race 2.1 percent each. This is the department's first population projection series that separates the Asian race group from the Pacific Islanders race group, and is also the first projection series that includes a multi-race category. The 2000 Census marked the first time that Asians and Pacific Islanders were listed as separate racial/ethnic groups, and the first time that respondents were allowed to self-select more than one racial category. The new projections also show changes in the State's county populations. Los Angeles will remain the largest county in California, exceeding 11 million in 2050. In numeric terms, Riverside County is expected to add more people than any other county with 2.8 million new residents. By 2050, Riverside is projected to overtake Orange County and become the third most populous county behind Los Angeles and San Diego. San Joaquin County is expected to triple in size and experience the greatest percentage increase over the 50-year period - 201 percent. Other counties with large percentage increases include Merced, Riverside, Placer, and Madera. Seven counties in California - Inyo, Marin, Modoc, Plumas, San Francisco, Siskyou, and Trinity - are expected to have fewer people at mid-century than they did in 2000. The population loss in these counties is for the most part due to natural decrease - the amount of deaths over births. By 2050, the new projections indicate that Sierra County will have the highest percentage of Caucasians of any county, and Imperial County will have the highest percentage of Hispanics. San Francisco City and County will have the highest concentration of Asians, San Mateo County will have the highest percentage of Pacific Islanders, Sacramento County will have the largest proportion of African Americans, and Alpine County will have the highest percentage of Native Americans. Californians identifying themselves as being multi-race are expected to have the highest concentration in Inyo County. Whites will remain the majority in less than 40 percent of the counties in California. Hispanics will be the majority race/ethnic group in 20 counties in California. This is the first Department of Finance projection series to incorporate 2000 Census information. Compared to the projections released in 1998, these projections forecast 7 million fewer people by 2040, which was the end point of the previous projection series. Projections of the age and sex characteristics of the population will soon be available from the Demographic Research Unit. Mary Heim, Melanie Martindale and Nicola Standish prepared this population projection series. California State Department of Finance, May 2004 Demographic Research Unit 915 L Street Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 323-4086 Sent by JV Martinez, Joe.Martinez@science.doe.gov
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| A founding director of HispanicVista.com, Fernando Oaxaca, after a prolonged illness passed on Friday, May 28. He was accompanied at his bedside by his loving wife, Bertie, his best friend and brother, Jaime, and other family members and close friends. When we say, "he passed on" we also mean he passed on the baton to a new generation of Americans. First and foremost, Fernando will be remembered as an American statesman. A man of passion for his country and conviction for his principles, with unmatched dedication, loyalty and patriotic fervor Fernando devoted his life to his country. His love for America, adherence to his family values, appreciation for his Hispanic heritage and traditions, his belief in democratic ideals, rule of law, equality and justice - these are the hallmark of his legacy. Born in el Paso, Texas of Mexican parentage, Fernando always held his parents with the utmost love and respect. He often quoted his father's witty directives that guided him through his life. His strong family values, supplemented by his Hispanic heritage and American work ethic empowered Fernando to become the unique statesman that was his destiny. After graduating from the University of Texas in 1950 he moved to Los Angeles where he became a successful businessman. He was a co-founder of Coronado Communications, engaged in broadcasting and radio, and pioneered marketing and advertising to the Spanish language consumer. His business success catapulted him to community service and political involvement. He served in the Nixon/Ford White House and became with his close friends, the recognized leaders of the Hispanic coalition of the Republican Party. A position he occupied until his recent illness. To his credit and honor, Fernando broke ranks with the Peter Wilson California Republican Party when they turned on the defenseless immigrant community. The measure, Proposition 187, was passed by the electorate in an election riddled with biased and inflammatory anti immigrant rhetoric, was declared unconstitutional. And subsequently Fernando was instrumental in bridging the divisiveness with a more compassionate and understanding policy toward the undocumented immigrant working class. He joined forces with Dionicio Morales, a living role model in the Hispanic community, and became the Chairman of the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation. MAOF today is the biggest Hispanic community services institution in the United States. He was also Chairman of the Mexican Cultural Institute in Los Angeles, co-sponsored by the Mexican government and private donations, to promote the Mexican culture and foment cultural exchange between the two countries. Both of these organizations awarded Fernando with their 'Life Achievement Award' - an accolade not previously accorded. Fernando will be best remembered for his statesmanship. He preached what he practiced. He believed in a welfare system that was a safety net and not an entitlement. He believed in self-help, self-esteem and a work ethic. He believed in government accountability and fiscal responsibility. He was committed to a democratic society that was governed by institutions grounded on principles of justice and equality - the rule of law. Above all, he believed that America's strength was grounded on family values, love of country and cultural diversity. Had it been possible, he would have endowed America with the gifts he treasured, his fluency in the Spanish and English languages, and his bi-cultural heritage. His 'Oaxaca Journal' essays published in HispanicVista articulate, incisive, well documented commentaries espousing his conservative philosophy and ideals. He championed fair treatment and respect for all Americans. His enemy, whom he defined as America's real enemy, is the bigoted supremacist who cowardly drapes himself in the American flag and Christian credo. Fernando, hermano, we will continue to champion your cause. You will be remembered by grateful future generations of Americans, of all political affiliations, backgrounds and creeds. (COMMENTS TO -- LettersHVC@aol.com) Sent by brother, Dr. Jaime Oaxaca |
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Editor: I never had the opportunity of meeting Fernando
Oaxaca, but I thoroughly enjoyed his opinions, and clear logic in
expressing his ideas. Below is a letter from Francisco Vega written before Fernando’s passing on.
]] For your information: Fernando and I met in 1967 at a meeting of thirteen Latin-Americans, Hispanos, Chicanos, Latinos, and some with the identification of Other, in Washington, D.C., with the intent of "getting involved in government". As far as I can recall the meeting came about by word of mouth... we were from Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Michigan, and several other states.... most of those present had been in service in World War I I, had taken advantage of the GI Bill for their education and were well-off financially... We arrive on Saturday, looked at the statues and monuments on Sunday, and on Monday went to the National Office of the Democratic Party and they did not want us. We then went to the National Office of the Republican Party, and they did not want us either. -- -- - One of my businesses for over 45 years is designing, building, owning, managing cemeteries. .. . and when we returned to the hotel, I have never been to a worse wake when someone has died. - - - We were down because we felt that we had accomplishments and had a lot to offer.... but it was soon apparent that we did not know politics. The discussion brought out that we all said we were Democrats; however, not one of us had ever been to the local offices of ANY political party. People started to leave and five of us stayed and kept on talking. The five were: Fernando Oaxca (CA); Martin Castillo, Esq. (CA), Benjamin Fernandez (CA), Manuel Lujan (NM), and Francisco M. Vega (MI&TX). We organized ourselves as "The Republican National Hispanic Council". Ben was the first President. Ben appointed me Secretary, and I refused. He then said I would be the Historian. We laughed and I accepted. The next year we changed the name to "The Republican National Hispanic Assembly". Ben continued as President and he was then followed by Fernando as our second National President..... All this was done without the Republican Party's knowledge.... All five of us assumed the work of organizing State Chapters in our regions.... I had the five Great Lake States and Missouri..... We raised our own funds and in 1968 we walked into the Republican Headquarters in Washington, D. C., and handed a check for over $400,000.00 for the campaign of President Nixon !!! The person that received the check was a man by the name of Ben Cotton... he was nervous and went to get someone else... the second person thinking that this was some kind of joke by these identifiable minorities was upset, more angry than upset.... and Ben asked him to call the bank to verify the check.... he came back and smiled and was quite nervous... and blurted out, "All right, what do you people want?"- - - Ben, who never was at a loss for words, answered, "We do not want anything, we are cutting ourselves in!! - - - In 1972, the Republican National Hispanic Assembly (RNHA) was formally recognized by the Republican Party as the official political body to represent Hispanics. Saludos, Francisco M. Vega PANCHO VEGA13@aol.com |
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| Schools are "resegregating", records show The Bremerton SUN -- Newspaper 5/17/2004 Dear Editor: In response to your article; Schools are "resegregating", records show, by Thomas Hargrove, 5/17/2004.A bit of history is in order--due to the 50th anniversary of "Brown vs. Board of Education. Its now apparent that there were more then one famous school desegregation case. There was the California class action suit, by a group of Hispanic students/parents--Mendez vs. Westminster School District/1944.Because Mexican children were force to go to an all Mexican " Unequal school" This suit was ruled in favor of the Hispanic students--making California, the first state to desegregate its schools. These two school desegregation landmark case had glaring similarities. Both cases had the brilliant legal mind and defender of;" Equal Education", Thurgood Marshall and the defender of Civil Rights--Gov./Chief Justice Earl Warren. Who was the deciding official. Somewhere in the scheme of things---the Mendezs' desegregation case was lost in the shuffle and not given credit for actually giving impetus for Brown vs. Board of Education. As for the re-segregation of our public schools--that is cause by low-income, single families, changing housing patterns and white flight. It doesn't appear that in the near future--that we are going to re-distribute/or re-locate our low-income minority families. And as the schools reaching 60-to 80% minority--the level of quality education spiral downwards. Which is associated with lack of resources and low teacher/student expectations, parent involvement and negative student learning behaviors. And low ethnic teacher parity.!! It doesn't appear that we going reach ethnic teacher parity--so the next best thing that must be do is;1-Re-trained our existing teachers in the practice of high teacher expectation of all there students 2-Assure that all teachers educate all of their students--at the same high level--at the same time!!3-Required all parents to sign a parent/student involvement learning contract. Especially, those parents that are not working, on Welfare, Food Stamps and free lunches. These parents have more time for student involvement. And it their children that are academically performing low--according to the WASL test results. As for the WASL, it evidence last year--that our state had 526 failing schools. Sixteen in our County of Kitsap. According to the No Child Left Behind Act, there were over 9000 failing schools---across the Nation!! We're certainly not moving with " All Deliberate Speed", to provide all our students a equal and quality education.--according to the mandates of Brown vs. Board of Education. Also, it would appear that with over 9000 failing schools, across the Nation--and with Black and Hispanic students, only attaining academic proficiency at about 35%,in all subject matters. According to National Assessment of Education Progress. This should trigger public outcries of indignation from the NAACP, Congressional Black Caucus--protest marches from Rev. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton. Why the conspicuous absence--is it because of their closed ties and dependency on the teacher unions?? Willis Papillion 1578 Reo PL., NW Silverdale, WA 98383 360-697-5378 willis35@earthlink.net |
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Dare to Dream |
| Once upon a time we read about a man who had a dream about the world and what it could one day be, a great man with a dream that all people would one day be equal regardless of race. If I close my eyes, I can see it. A former President referred to it as a shining city on a hill, yet it seems so far away. There has been so many different ways that men have tried to get us to pull together. Pan-Africanism is a philosophy that is based on the belief that African people share common bonds and objectives and that advocates unity to achieve these objectives. It seems that no matter how far and how often we dream about what we could one day be, we are stuck in purgatory plagued by violence at our own hands. In Barrio communities and Project Complexes young black and Mexican children and teenagers are fighting and killing each other still over color. Red or blue, north or south has taken over and replaced the fight for equality among our young. Our young men are taking stands as soldiers fighting over property they inhabit, but shall never own. Most of them will leave their mark on this world in chalk outlines and bloodstains, rather then helping each other survive and succeed as a race. It is sad to see how we have become so removed from ourselves, and the goals of the generations before us. Our fathers and grandfathers lived harder lives then we, and had to change the world so we could live in freedom, and yet here we are fighting in a war . . . . Against ourselves. |
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| Latino Pre-school population HispanicVista.com Weekly Digest, 6/21/04 http://www.hispanicvista.com/ Data released yesterday by the U.S. Census Bureau about the growth of the nation's Hispanic population underscore the need for President Bush and Congress to invest in initiatives that benefit Latino children, especially in the area of early childhood education. According to the report, Hispanics were the most likely of all Americans to be preschoolers; more than one in ten (10.4%) Latinos are five years old and under. In fact, Latinos are the only racial or ethnic group whose five-and-under population exceeds 10%. |
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The Poster's Place in Wartime
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The 1930s had been an era of violent labor disputes. Now the war emergency demanded a change in American industry--not only a switch from consumer goods to war material, but also a change in workers' and managers' attitudes from antagonism to cooperation. The government launched a campaign urging workers to make personal sacrifices to win the war, and individual businesses and labor unions quickly followed suit. Eventually, privately produced posters vastly outnumbered official government-issued posters. For manufacturers, the war was an opportunity to gain greater control over their work force. In the push for increased productivity, factory managers called for employees to suspend union rules, abandon traditional work patterns, and make sacrifices in the name of patriotism. Government agencies offered tips on the design and placement of posters in the factory, urging employers to "use enough" -- at least one poster per 100 workers. Plant managers, company artists, paper manufacturers, and others needed little encouragement to carry out this advice; private industry produced vast numbers of production-incentive posters during the war.
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| Nationwide Military Gravesite Locator Buried Veterans' Records Now on Web By Suzanne Gamboa / The Associated Press [McAllen Monitor, Tuesday, April 13, 2004 / page 4A] Sent by George Gause ggause@panam.edu WASHINGTON – Sally Naporlee turned to the Department of Veterans Affairs to find out more about her grandfather, who served during World War I. After a few weeks wait for a response, Naporlee learned from the VA that Carmelo Castorina is buried at Pine Lawn National Cemetery in New York. Unexpectedly, she also learned from VA that her grandmother is buried with him, a privilege extended to veterans’ spouses. VA has made it easier and faster for the public to get answers about family history, old war buddies or famous war heroes. The agency put on the Web 3.2 million records for veterans buried at 120 national cemeteries since the Civil War. The Web site is http://www.cem.va.gov The VA’s Nationwide Gravesite Locator also has records for some state veterans cemeteries and burials in Arlington National Cemetery since 1999. Joe Nosari, VA’s deputy chief information officer for Memorial Affairs, said the records used to be on paper and microfilm. Private companies have put some of the information online and charged for it, but the VA information is free, he said. Naporlee, of Spokane, Wash., also learned her grandfather served with the Army’s 161 DB unit, enlisting June 24, 1918. He was honorably discharged December 17, 1918. The VA’s gravesite navigator includes names, dates of birth and death, military service dates, service branch and rank if known, cemetery information and grave location in the cemetery. The VA will withhold some information, such as next of kin, for privacy purposes. The site will be updated daily. Annually, about 80,000 veterans are buried at national cemeteries. The VA also hopes to add records for veterans whose families requested grave markers from the VA. Those markers may go to private cemeteries or cemeteries overseas. |
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| War Dead Information Sent by George Gause ggause@panam.edu The War Dead at http://www.abmc.gov/ is a web site you shouldn't plan on visiting unless you set aside at least a couple of hours to see what is there... many of us have friends and relatives listed amongst the dead and for the youngest ones on this mailing list there are bound to be relatives of those you know. The Korean War dead sections has room to have a photograph of each of those who died while in the service and in my viewing only a few cases had a photo. Mistakes are out there... an example was Chicago spelled Xhicago, doesn't sound like much but it could prevent a relative from finding this soldier... so if anyone has the time to donate to correct some of these mistakes everyone will eventually benefit. There are partial lists of those who died in many of the following wars: Mexican War, the Spanish American War, the Civil War, WWI, WWII, the Korean War, but not the Vietnam War. SOURCE: Dennis V. Carter [DennisVCarter1@aol.com] |
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| Extract: Logging Latinos' legacy, Encyclopedia explores influence on U.S. culture Peter Ortiz, The Arizona Republic, Jun. 14, 2004 Sent by Howard Shorr howardshorr@msn.com A group of Arizona State University professors spent three years on a project that will encompass 400,000 words and 500 essays, along with images and photos, in the Encyclopedia of Latina and Latino Popular Culture in the United States. The two-volume set promises its readers a comprehensive look at the diversity among Latinos in the United States and examines well- and lesser-known pioneers in literature, music, art, folklore, religion, geography, sports, politics and food. It is expected to come out in the fall. Cordelia Candelaria and Peter Garcia, ASU professors and co-editors on the project, enlisted help from 75 writers and focused attention on the three largest Latino populations in the United States: Mexican, Cuban and Puerto Rican. The writers not only showcased their subjects' popularity but also cited their lasting influence on American culture. Garcia points to Desi Arnaz, a Cuban-born actor who is etched in the minds of many as the passionate and funny musician Ricky Ricardo from I Love Lucy. What many fans of the show may not realize is the pioneering role he played in introducing an innovative technique involving three cameras instead of one, making it easier to film sitcoms. Arnaz also shattered perceptions that a Latino man could not play the husband and lead role to his Anglo wife in front of millions. Arnaz, who played the husband of Lucille Ball's character, also was married to the actress in real life. "Things like that give a fuller perspective and put some flesh where often we (Latinos) are a caricature," Garcia said. "I'm hoping it will encourage readers to delve deeper." "For Latinos, there is ignorance within the culture . . . so this will fill in a lot of gaps for many of our students," he said. Carlos Elvira-Galindo, director of leadership and community relations for Valle del Sol, said it is a "one-stop shopping guide on Latino culture." "It lifts up the contributions made by Latinos and gives some recognition," Elvira-Galindo said. The encyclopedia cites political accomplishments, like that of Loretta and Linda Sanchez, the first sisters to serve in the U.S. Congress at the same time. Attention is given to locals like Arturo "Arte" Moreno, an Arizona millionaire who purchased the Anaheim Angels baseball team in 2003. The encyclopedia also examines the lives of Latinos who dealt with American racism. Roberto Clemente, who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, became the first Latino player in the National Baseball Hall of Fame when he was posthumously inducted in 1973. The proud Puerto Rican embraced his Latino and Black roots and rejected racists who only saw the skin color of him and his African-American teammates. About 15 percent of the encyclopedia's content features Latinos who fall outside the Mexican-American, Cuban-American and Puerto Rican sphere, such as Shakira, the crossover star and Pepsi spokeswoman of Colombian and Lebanese descent. |
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Extract: Immigrant Workers Say Late Shifts Often Mean Locked Exits By STEVEN GREENHOUSE, New York Times, June 18, 2004 Howard Shorr howardshorr@msn.com David Sandoval, who cleans the floors of the Met Foods Supermarket in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, walks in through the front door most evenings around 8:30. But when the gates come down an hour later, he says, the door is locked, and he is unable to leave until the manager comes in the next morning. Zeferino Arenas Abundez, who scrubs and waxes floors at a Pioneer supermarket in Clinton Hill, says much the same thing happens to him most nights. Indeed, he said that when smoke set off the fire alarm at one supermarket he used to clean in the Bronx, firefighters had to saw through a large lock to get in. Interviews with janitors, state officials and local organizers who work with immigrants indicate that the experiences of these men and many others are part of a hidden threat in dozens of stores across the city, where concerns about theft trump worries about the fate of workers. To prevent workers from stealing merchandise, they say, many stores padlock their rear fire exits, even as the front doors are sealed behind steel gates. The Fifth Avenue Committee, a community group in Brooklyn that has helped immigrants for years, says it has taken similar accounts from 11 immigrants who work in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx who say much the same thing goes on at some of the most familiar groceries in the city. The group has identified more than 30 stores that lock cleaning workers in at night. David Billig, a spokesman for the New York City Fire Department, said that he had not heard of the allegations, but that the department would look into them. He said it made regular inspections, but did not know how widespread such lock-ins were. Calling the practice illegal, he said, "Obviously, we would not support locking people into places like this." According to the late-night cleaners, they arrive - sometimes by themselves, sometimes with a partner - shortly before a store closes, often being paid $60 a day for 10 or 12 hours of work. The storefronts are shuttered by pull-down metal gates, and the back doors, often padlocked during the day, remain locked. Mr. Saldaña and other cleaners said they had gone to the Fifth Avenue Committee to complain that the cleaning contractor who employed them was not paying them time and a half for overtime. The committee directed them to the attorney general's office, and when investigators in that office began interviewing the janitors, they said they were surprised to hear about the lock-ins. Mr. Arenas said that he was upset that J & J's owner, Julio Navarro, had not pressed the supermarket to stop locking in the workers after some workers complained to him. Artemio Guerra, director of organizing at the Fifth Avenue Committee, said, "It's very clear there is a shared responsibility on the part of the contractor and the store manager for the well-being and safety of these workers." Mr. Guerra added, "This is the type of thing that people don't pay attention to until there's a tragedy." "I worry that I will have no place to run if an armed robber comes in," Mr. Juarez said. "In that situation maybe I'd hide in a freezer. And sometimes I think if there's a fire, I'll hide in the freezer." |
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Sears Policy for military reservists Sent by Joyce Basch joycebasch@juno.com By law, companies are required to hold their jobs open and available, but nothing more. Usually, people take a big pay cut and lose benefits as a result of being called up...but listen to this! Sears is voluntarily paying the difference in salaries and maintaining all benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all called up reservist employees for up to two years. I submit that Sears is an exemplary corporate citizen and should be recognized for its contribution. Suggest we all shop at Sears, and be sure to find a manager to tell them why we are there so the company gets the positive reinforcement it well deserves. I decided to check it out before I sent it forward. I sent the following e-mail to the Sears Customer Service Department: I received this e-mail and I would like to know if it is true. If it is, the Internet may have just become one very good source of advertisement for your store. I know I would go out of my way to buy products from Sears instead of another store for a like item even if it was cheaper at the other store. Here is their answer to my e-mail...................... Dear Customer: Thank you for contacting Sears. The information is factual. ! We appreciate your positive feedback. Sears regards service to our country as one of greatest sacrifices our young men and women can make. We are happy to do our part to lessen the burden they bear at this time. Bill Thorn, Sears Customer Care web center@sears.com 1-800-349-4358 |
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Rewriting history (ACLU version) Sent by Bill Carmena JCarm1724@aol.com --I received this from a Friend--- Today I went to visit the new World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. I got an unexpected history lesson. Since I'm a baby boomer, I was one of the youngest in the crowd. Most were the age of my parents, veterans of "the greatest war" with their families. It was a beautiful day, and people were smiling and happy to be there. Hundreds of us milled around the memorial, reading the inspiring words of Ike and Truman that are engraved there. On the Pacific side of the memorial, a group of us gathered to read the words President Roosevelt used to announce the attack on Pearl Harbor: "Yesterday, December 7, 1941-- a date which will live in infamy-- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked." One woman read the words aloud: " With confidence in our armed forces, with the un-bounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph." But as she read, she was suddenly angry. "Wait a minute," she said. "They left out the end of the quote. They left out the most important part. Roosevelt said 'so help us God." "You're probably right," her husband said. "We're not supposed to say things like that now." "I know I'm right," she insisted. "I remember the speech." The two shook their heads sadly and walked away. Listening to their conversation, I thought to myself, "Well, it has been 50 years. She's probably forgotten." But she was right. I went home and pulled out the book my book club is reading. It's "Flags of Our Fathers" by James Bradley. It's all about Iwo Jima. I haven't gotten too far in the book. It's tough to read because it's a graphic description of the battles in the Pacific. But right there it was on page 58. Roosevelt's speech to the nation. It ends "so help us God." The people who edited out that part of the speech when they engraved it on the memorial could have fooled me. I was born after the war. But they couldn't fool the people who were there. Roosevelt's words are engraved on their hearts. |
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Good Idea Albert Seguin ASeguin2@aol.com You may have heard in the news that a couple of Post Offices in Texas have been forced to take down small posters that say "IN GOD WE TRUST," The law, they say, is being violated. The suggestion has been made to write "IN GOD WE 'TRUST " on the back of all our mail. If you like this idea, please pass it on and DO IT. |
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AAD Access to Archival Databases NARA . . . ready access to essential evidence http://aad.archives.gov/aad/title_list.jsp Sent by Bob Smith Regriffith6828 AAD has approximately 400 data files with millions of records available online, but how do you know which one will be of interest to you? To assist you, NARA has grouped the series available in AAD in eight ways. Select one type of list below, click "Submit" and you will see all the relevant series grouped in that way. Click on a series title, and you will get more information about the series, including links to information about the data files in the series. |
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Voices of Civil Rights Dear Organizational Leader, AARP and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) would like to invite members of your organization to be a part of history and a part of Voices of Civil Rights. Voices of Civil Rights is a multifaceted, year-long collaborative effort to create the world’s largest archive of firsthand accounts of the Civil Rights Movement. Already more than more than 1,200 stories have been submitted to the project. You can view some of those stories now on the Voices of Civil Rights website at www.voicesofcivilrights.org Your members’ experiences and memories are an important part of American history and an important part of the Voices of Civil Rights. That’s why we’re asking you to share with your members this invitation to add their personal civil rights memories to the Voices of Civil Rights project. To submit a story, in 500 words or less, go directly to www.voicesofcivilrights.org. Stories also may be submitted to the address below. AARP / Voices of Civil Rights 601 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20049 For more information or to schedule a presentation on Voices of Civil Rights for your members, please contact: Ben Morgan, Voices of Civil Rights Outreach Coordinator bmorgan@aarp.org 202 434 6107 The entire Voices of Civil Rights collection will be donated to the Library of Congress, as a tribute to those who witnessed or experienced America’s quest for equality and as an educational resource for generations to come. |
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Corn Tortillas Losing Popularity Sent by JV Martinez Joe.Martinez@science.doe.gov
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Extract: The digital divide might be narrowing. Colleen McCain Nelson -- The Dallas Morning News HispanicBusiness.com, June 21, 2004 Study Finds More Minorities Surfing Web Waves for News Minorities are logging on in greater numbers, making cyberspace a more ethnically diverse place, according to a new study. And blacks and Hispanics increasingly are surfing the Web for their news. Four years ago, the percentage of minorities online lagged behind whites, but a study issued last week by the Pew Research Center found that the gap has shrunk. Now, nearly two-thirds of whites and Hispanics and 61 percent of blacks use the Internet. The study also found that nearly one-third of Hispanics log on for news - a larger percentage than whites or blacks. |
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National Journalism Excellence Awards Announced: Univision Network Receives Two Edward R. Murrow Awards Fifth Time The #1 Spanish-Language Network Is Recognized With Prestigious Honor Miami, FL--(HISPANIC PR WIRE)--June 24, 2004--Univision Communications Inc. (NYSE: UVN) today announced that the Univision Network, the leading Spanish-language television network in the U.S., has been honored for its excellence in journalism with two prestigious 2004 Edward R. Murrow Awards. The first and only Spanish-language network to ever receive this national award, the Univision Network has now been honored a total of five times by the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA). This year, "Univision News" was recognized in the category of Videography and Univision's daily newsmagazine "Primer Impacto" was recognized in the category of Outstanding News Series. Univision received two out of the 11 awards given in the category of Network Television, with the other nine awards going to CBS (3), NBC (2), ABC (2) and ESPN (2). |
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SURNAME Padilla |
| Tratadistas genealógicos como Julián del Castillo en “Historia de los Reyes Godos”, (1582) Francisco Rades y Andrade, en su crónica de las Ordenes de Caballería de Santiago, Calatrava y Alcántara”, 1572; Gonzalo Argote de Molina en “Nobiliario de Andalucía”, 1588: Luis de Salazar y Castro, en “Historia Genealógica de las Casa de Lara”, 1696; Juan Félix de Rivarola, en su “Monarquía Española”, 1736; el padre Antonio Ramos, en su “Descripción Genealógica de la casa de Lara”, 1696; Juan Félix de Rivarola, en su “Monarquía Española”, 1736; el padre Antonio Ramos, en su “Descripción Genealógica de la Casa Aguayo “, 1781 y otros muchos autores de reconocido prestigio son unánimes en afirmar que el apellido Padilla es uno de los más antiguos y nobles que existieron en Castilla, ya que en el año | |
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En
las crónicas de su época, se relatan las batallas que sostuvo el Conde
Soberano de Castilla contra el Rey Almanzor, en los principios de la
segunda mitad del siglo X, señalándose en ellas que por su Alférez
Mayor don Godomiro de Padiella o Padilla, poblador de las villas de
Padilla de Suso y de Padilla de Yuso en tierras de Treviño en la
repetida provincia de Burgos, de las que tomó su nombre, diciéndose
que de don Alvaro de Padilla, hijo de aquél, procedió este esclarecido
apellido. En
el repartimiento de Sevilla realizado por el Rey don Alfonso X “el
Sabio” en 1253, se hace memoria de don Gutiérrez González de
Padilla, caballero de mesnada, el que fue heredado con importantes
tierras. En
una vieja historia de la Orden de Calatrava se habla de don Garci Gutiérrez
hijo de don Gutierre Gómez y de su mujer doña María Suárez, quien
fundó y dotó el Monasterio de Monjas de San Felices, en Burgos, por el
año de 1219, indicándose en esa narración que entroncaron después
con la casa de Lara y los Castro en la mitad de ese siglo, procediendo
estos caballeros del linaje de Padilla. Por
el libro Becerro, resulta que don Pero López de Padilla “el Viejo”,
fue padre de don Juan Fernández de Padilla y de otros hermanos que
florecieron en el tiempo de Alfonso XI, por cuyo mandato se escribió
dicho libro donde se asentaron las Behetrias de las Merindades de
Castilla, a mediados del siglo XIV, donde se acredita que don Pero López
de Padilla “el nieto”, fue casado con doña María González de
Leyva, por lo que heredó parte del lugar de Coruña en Santo Domingo de
Silos, comprando lo que le toco de él a los demás herederos y fundando
allí su casa y mayorazgo. De esta persona se hace memoria, entre otros
Caballeros que fueron testigos el año 1304, en la sentencia arbitraria
del Rey Fernando IV de Castilla y el Infante don Alonso de la Cerda,
sobre los Reinos de Castilla y León, según lo refiere Jerónimo de
Zurita en su “Crónica o Anales del Reino de Aragón”, 1621. Son
multitud los Padillas notables de la antigüedad pudiendo citarse entre
ellos a: Don Diego García de Padilla, Maestre de Calatrava; doña María
Díaz de Padilla, en quién el Rey Don Pedro I “el Cruel” tuvo un
hijo y tres hijas de las cuales una se llamo doña Constanza y casó en
Inglaterra con el Duque de Alencastre, que la hizo madre de la Reina doña
Catalina de Castilla, como esposa de don Enrique III, ambos padres de
don Juan II de Castilla, 1405-1454; don Juan Fernández de Padilla, Señor
de la Casa de Padilla, Coruña y Calatañazor, Camarero Mayor de la casa
de Castilla, quién se desposó en 1339 con doña Mencía Manrique, Señora
de Santa Gadea y de otros lugares, más tarde Adelantado Mayor de
Castilla del Consejo de Juan II y Ayo del Príncipe Don Alonso, fundador
de San Felices de Amaya y de la Asunción de Almagro, Ciudad Real, en la
Orden de Calatrava; don Martín de Padilla natural de la ciudad de
Valladolid, primer Conde de Santa Gadea por Merced de Felipe II, en
1586, Adelantado Mayor y Perpetuo de Castilla, Señor de Valdecaray.
Comendador del Corral de Caracuel y de la Orden de Calatrava; don Pedro
López de Padilla, que en su esposa doña Isabel Pacheco tuvo a don García
de Padilla, Comendador de Lopera y de Malagón en la Orden de Calatrava,
Clavero, Comendador Mayor y Tesorero de ella, primer refrendario de la Cámara
del Emperador Carlos V, de sus Consejos de Estado y de Justicia, Letrado
de las Cortes, Presidente de las Ordenes de Calatrava y Alcántara y del
Consejo de Indias, así como gran bienhechor del Monasterio de Frex del
Val. Don
Antonio de Padilla y Bobadilla, Alcaide de las Fortalezas de la villa y
Peña de Martos, Jaén, Señor de Noves y Mascaraque, en Toledo,
Mayordomo de Felipe IV, su Gentilhombre de Boca, creado Conde de la
Mejorada por Felipe III en 1617; don Juan de Padilla nacido en Toledo
hacia 1490, uno de los Jefes de las famosas Comunidades de Castilla
nombrado Capitán general del ejército comunero, quién después de
varios combates con los realistas que dirigía el Conde de Haro, cayó
prisionero de estos en Villalar, Valladolid, siendo decapitado junto con
sus compañeros de armas don Francisco Maldonado y don Juan Bravo, en
1521,por orden del Emperador Carlos V; doña Rosa de Padilla y Chaves,
viuda de don Cristóbal Ximénez-Herradura y Hurtado de Mendoza, Regidor
Perpetuo de Antequera, Málaga, premiada por Felipe V el 12 de marzo de
1739,con el Condado de Colchado, y don Francisco de Borja Fernández de
Padilla y Arias de Saavedra, que recibió de Isabel II el Condado de
Casa Padilla, por Real Despacho de 27 de mayo de 1856,como recompensa a
sus servicios en el desempeño de los cargos de Corregidor de Puente Geníl,
Córdoba y de Alférez Mayor de su ayuntamiento. Aunque
hay autores que señalan origen gallego a esta estirpe, lo cierto es que
desde hace varios siglos aparece ya en ambas Castillas, antes de que los
principales nobiliarios hablen de asentamientos galaicos, e inclusive
los genealogistas portugueses dicen que en su país hubo ramas de los
Padilla desde muy antiguo, todas procedentes de Castilla, afirmando que
su solar estaba en un lugar próximo a Castrogeriz, en Burgos, añadiendo
también que tenían vinculación con la Casa Real española y de otras
naciones europeas. En
30 de abril de 1530 y en 23 de agosto de 1532,respectivamente, don Juan
III de Portugal expidió sendas certificaciones de blasones a caballeros
de este apellido, en cuyos documentos está señalado el origen
castellano. Ante
la Sala de los Hijosdalgo dela Real Chancillería de Valladolid,
acreditaron su noble origen, don Antonio de Padilla, vecino de Atienza,
Guadalajara, en 1565; don Cristóbal de Padilla, morador de Miranda de
Ebro, Burgos, en 1534,y don Juan de Padilla, estante en Valdorros, en
dicha provincia, el año 1557. Los
Padilla están presentes en Andalucía desde los principios de su
reconquista, con importantes afincamientos en las provincias de Córdoba,
Jaén, Sevilla y Cádiz. Tuvieron un destacado papel en la toma de la
ciudad de Baeza, Jaén, en 1227,donde el año 1467 era Clavero de la
Orden de Alcántara don García de Padilla que tenía a su cargo la
custodia y defensa del convento de la misma. Son
innumerables los miembros de este linaje que probaron su nobleza de
sangre en las diferentes instituciones nobiliarias españolas, Reales
Maestranzas de Caballería y Real Chancillería de Granada, en el
transcurso de varios siglos así como en el Santo Oficio y los
diferentes ayuntamientos de las villas y ciudades de donde fueron
residentes, cuya enumeración sería interminable. Las armas mas generalizadas de los Padilla, que incluso han venido utilizando los de este linaje en México desde la época de su conquista, se describen así: EN
CAMPO DE AZUR TRES PADILLAS DE PLATA, Y EN TORNO A ELLAS NUEVE MEDIAS
LUNAS DEL MISMO METAL. Así se confirman por los diferentes tratadistas que al principio de este trabajo se citan. Corominas,
en su “Diccionario Crítico (1954),dice que esta palabra procede de
Padiella, del latín “patella”, diminutivo de “patina”, fuente,
cacerola, denominación del castellano que se aplicaba a una especie de
horno donde se cocía el pan. El
primer Padilla que pisó territorio americano, fue don Gregorio Don José
Gregorio de Padilla Villalobos, natural de la ciudad de Sevilla, el año
de 1512, quien al parecer se asentó en Santo Domingo. Don
José Gregorio de Padilla y Estrada, Gómez de Arratia y Niño de
Castro, natural de la ciudad de México, ingresó en la Orden Militar de
Calatrava el año 1741, siendo el cuarto poseedor del título de Santa
Fe de Guardiola, por su propio derecho, y fue cónyuge de doña Juana
María de Cervantes y Gorráez, hija legítima de don Juan Leonel Gómez
de Cervantes, mayorazgo de su casa, y de doña Francisca de Gorráz. Don
Juan Ildefonso de Padilla y Gómez de Arratia, Guardiola y Guzmán,
padre del anterior, nació en la isla de Santo Domingo y también fue
calatravo en 1691.Había contraído nupcias con doña Micaela Gregoria
de Estrada y Niño de Castro, segunda titular de la citada dignidad
nobiliaria. Este, a su vez, hijo de don Juan de Padilla y Guardiola,
Castrejón y Guzmán, que vio la luz en Sevilla el año 1643, quien
igualmente fue admitido en la expresada Orden, en 1682; desempeñó los
cargos de Alcalde de Lima, Oidor de la Audiencia de Caracas y de la de México,
recibiendo en premio a su servicios, el título de Marqués de Santa Fe
de Guardiola, otorgado por Carlos II, el 6 de marzo de 1689. Este
linaje es uno de los más ilustres que se avecindó en la Nueva España,
donde emparentó con las familias mas prominentes del pais en todas sus
épocas. Merecen atención las ramas establecidas en Guadalajara y
Tepatitlán, en hoy Estado de Jalisco. Del primero de estas lugares
procede el Capitán don Diego de Avila y Padilla, que en su enlace con
una Señora de apellido Dávila tuvo, entre otros hijos, a don Diego de
Padilla y Mota, Corregidor de Ixcatlán en 1663, y a don Lorenzo de
Padilla y Mota, con igual cargo en la capital tapatía el año 1647.
También hubo otros asentamientos, de los que se hará detallada mención
al final de este trabajo. Don
Gaspar de Padilla y Guzmán, desempeñó el cargo de Alcalde Mayor de
San Juan de Teotihuacan, en 1709; don José Padilla y Estrada, el de
Corregidor de la ciudad de México, en 1729; don Ignacio de Padilla,
Obispo de Mérida, Yucatán, en 1753,y don Pedro Padilla, Oidor de la
Real Audiencia de México, según consta en el padrón dela capital
efectuado en 1753,en el que se dice residía en la calle de San
Francisco. El
Bachiller don Nicolás de Padilla y Maldonado, de Pátzcuaro, hizo
información de su “limpieza de sangre, ante el Santo Oficio dela
Inquisición de México, 1717, con la finalidad de obtener el cargo de
Comisario del mismo. En 1800, don Antonio de Padilla, tenía el cargo de
Ayudante Mayor del Regimiento de Infantería de Toluca, y en la misma
fecha don Vicente de Padilla era Teniente de Dragones Provinciales de la
Nueva Galicia. Una
línea de los Padilla procedente de Jerez de la Frontera, sentó sus
reales en la región de la Nueva Galicia, posiblemente en la primera
mitad del siglo XV, cuya continuada genealogía es como sigue: Don
Bartolomé Martínez Dávila, natural de la expresada ciudad, poseedor
allí de la casa de San Salvador, quien se distinguió en la derrota del
príncipe musulmán Abdelmelic, descendiente de los Ávila o Dávila
afincados en Jerez después de su conquista por don Alfonso X “el
Sabio”, en 1255, que también concurrió al cerco y toma de Algeciras
en 1342, y al sitio de la plaza de Gibraltar, casado con doña Leonor de
Padilla, conforme aparece en las ejecutorias ganadas por don Jerónimo y
por don Martín Dávila, sus descendientes, de 1562 a 1564 y 1679, de
quienes procedió como su legítimo hijo don Juan Bernalte Dávila, Señor
de esta casa en la collación o parroquia de San Salvador, quien sirvió
a don Juan I en la batalla de Aljubarrota, librada el 15 de agosto de
1385, y a don Enrique II en las guerras de Portugal, de 1396 a 1398.
Otorgó su última voluntad el 15 de octubre de 1439, mencionando a su cónyuge
doña Leonor García de Sigüenza, por cuya alianza entró en la casa de
Dávila el donadio de Villamarta. De
los anteriores consortes fue vástago don García Dávila “el de la
Jura”, vecino de la collación de San Lucas, Regidor de Jerez por
merced de Juan II, personaje de gran representación de su tiempo, jefe
del bando del Marqués de Cádiz, en 1469. Cuando los Reyes Católicos
entraron en aquella población el 7 de octubre de 1547, llevando la
población, pidió a los monarcas jurasen y confirmasen los privilegios
de la repetida ciudad, a lo que estos accedieron, quedándole de ahí el
sobrenombre referido. Con sus ocho hijos concurrió a las guerras de
Granada y dispuso su testamento el 6 de octubre de 1486. Casó en
primeras nupcias con doña Leonor Gutiérrez de Padilla, Alcaide de
Arcos de la Frontera y Mayordomo de Jerez, desposándose en segundas con
doña Francisca de Hinojosa, en la que no dejó descendencia. Don
Lorenzo de Padilla Dávila, hijo de los mencionados don García Dávila
“el de la Jura”, y de doña Leonor Gutiérrez Padilla, se dio las
manos el 30 de julio de 1492 con doña María de Vera, hija de don
Gonzalo Pérez de Gallegos y de doña Beatriz de Vera, y siguiendo una
costumbre muy usual en su época, adoptó Padilla como apellido de varonía. Fue
su hijo primogénito, don Fernando o Hernando de Padilla Dávila,
Caballero y Comendador de la Orden de Santiago, Continuo de la Real Casa
del Emperador Carlos V, Veinticuatro de Jerez y Alcalde de Tempul, quien
armó a su costa una armada para combatir a los infieles en Berbería.
Después, sirvió como Capitán de Caballos en la guerra de Túnez, y más
tarde se trasladó a las Islas Canarias, donde efectuó su enlace con doña
Leonor de Machicao por 1515, la que testó en 1566, hija de don Fernando
de Machicao y de doña Constanza de Rivas. Tuvieron, que se sepa, cuatro
hijos, siendo el mayor de ellos don Lorenzo de Padilla Dávila o Padilla
Machicao, nacido en la cuna de sus mayores, que después de estar como
Capitán en Flandes, pasó a la Nueva Galicia, siendo el fundador de la
hoy ciudad de Lagos de Moreno, en 1563, celebrando su himeneo con doña
Mariana de Temiño y Velasco, en la que engendró, en Guadalajara, a don
Diego de Padilla y Velasco, Alcalde Mayor de Lagos, fallecido en su
lugar de origen y cónyuge de doña Ana de la Mota y Vera, ambos
progenitores de don Lorenzo de Padilla y Mota, de la misma naturaleza
que su progenitor, también Alcalde en 1647 y Regidor, que en su mujer
doña Josefa Arias de Orozco y Valdés, engendró al Capitán don Cristóbal
de Padilla y Arias, igualmente jalisciense, el cual se trasladó a la
región alteña, en Xalostotitlán, siendo con su esposa, en aquella
parte del país, genearcas de dilatada e importante descendencia, que al
correr del tiempo y después de vivir varias generaciones de esta rama
en el rancho denominado “El Águila”, se diseminaron profusamente
por la zona, especialmente con motivo de los movimientos insurgentes y
otras situaciones políticas y militares .En León, principalmente, y en
otras poblaciones del Estado de Guanajuato, existen numerosa
descendencia procedente del tronco estudiado. |
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Bernardo de Galvez |
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Descendant
of Moctezuma The Louisiana Territory Los Islenos Heritage |
Website with Incorrect History
Santa Barbara Historic Trust Spanish, War for Independence |
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Source: The
Cajuns http://www.thecajuns.com/lahist.htm
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1. Motecuhzoma1;
married Miaxochitl, daughter of Ixtlicuechahuamátzin; born 1467; died
between 29
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Two 2. Tlacahuepantzin2 (Motecuhzoma1); married Quanxochitl; (1st cousins; she was his father's niece); died after 8 September 1570 in Mexico City, Mexico; buried at the Convent of Santo Domingo, Mexico City, Mexico. His baptismal name was Pedro de Moctezuma. He left a will on 8 September 1570 Mexico City, Mexico. Children of Tlacahuepantzin2 and Quanxochitl included:
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Three 3. Ihuitemotzin3 (Tlacahuepantzin2, Motecuhzoma1); married Francisca de la Cueva de Valenzuela, daughter of Francisco de la Cueva Bocanegra and Isabel de Valenzuela; died after 31 May 1606 Valladolid, Spain.His baptismal name was Diego Luís de Moctezuma. He was brought to Spain by King Philip II. Children of Ihuitemotzin3 and Francisca de la Cueva de Valenzuela included:
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Four 4. Pedro4 Tesifón de Moctezuma (Ihuitemotzin3, Tlacahuepantzin2, Motecuhzoma1); born Guadix, Spain; married Jerónima de Porres, daughter of Jerónimo del Castillo Porres and Francisca. Gutiérrez Palomiro Avalos; died after 7 November 1639 Madrid, Spain. On 13 September 1627, he was created 1st Count of Moctezuma de Tultengo. He left a will on 7 November 1639 Madrid, Spain. Children of Pedro4 Tesifón de Moctezuma and Jerónima de Porres included: |
Generation Five5. Diego Luís5
de Moctezuma y Porres (Pedro4Tesifón
de Moctezuma, Ihuitemotzin3, Tlacahuepantzin2,
Motecuhzoma1); died after 14 Jan
1680 Granada, Spain. He was 2nd Count of Moctezuma de Tultengo
(the title passed to his legitimate daughter by his wife). He left a
will on 14 January 1680 Granada, Spain.
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Six
6. Pedro Manuel6 Moctezuma (Diego5de Moctezuma y Porres, Pedro4Tesifón de Moctezuma, Ihuitemotzin3, Tlacahuepantzin2, Motecuhzoma1); baptized 28 February 1654 Lapeza Monterrocana, Spain; married Isabel de Loaysa y Ovalle 5 February 1679 Cadiz, Spain; died after 19 September 1717 Ronda, Spain. Children of Pedro Manuel6 Moctezuma and Isabel de Loaysa y Ovalle, all born in Ronda, Spain, were as follows:
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Generation Seven 7. Jerónimo Miguel7 Moctezuma y Loaysa (Pedro6Moctezuma, Diego5de Moctezuma y Porres, Pedro4Tesifón de Moctezuma, Ihuitemotzin3, Tlacahuepantzin2, Motecuhzoma1); born 6 October 1681 Ronda, Spain; married Teresa Micaela Salcedo y Ahumada, daughter of José Nuño de Salcedo and Bernarda de Ahumada y Mendoz, 26 Jul 1702 Ronda, Spain; died after 10 Oct 1751 Ronda, Spain. He was Judge of Ronda. He left a will on 10 October 1751 Ronda, Spain. Children of Jerónimo Miguel7 Moctezuma y Loaysa and Teresa Micaela Salcedo y Ahumada included:
14. Bernarda8 Moctezuma (Jerónimo7Moctezuma y Loaysa, Pedro6Moctezuma, Diego5de Moctezuma y Porres, Pedro4Tesifón de Moctezuma, Ihuitemotzin3, Tlacahuepantzin2, Motecuhzoma1); baptized 10 March 1716 Arriate, Spain; married Pedro Morejón Girón y Ahumada, son of Andrés Morejón Girón y Alarcón and Catalina de Ahumada Villalón, 4 October 1739 Ronda, Spain.Children of Bernarda8 Moctezuma and Pedro Morejón Girón y Ahumada included:
15. Jerónimo9 Girón y Moctezuma (Bernarda8Moctezuma, Jerónimo7Moctezuma y Loaysa, Pedro6Moctezuma, Diego5de Moctezuma y Porres, Pedro4Tesifón de Moctezuma, Ihuitemotzin3, Tlacahuepantzin2, Motecuhzoma1); baptized 8 June 1741 Ronda, Spain; married Isabel de las Casas, daughter of Manuel de las Casas and María de Aragorri, 22 October 1770 Barcelona, Spain; died 17 October 1819 Seville, Spain, at age 78. He served as a page to King Ferdinand VI in 1751. He began military service circa 1757, entering the army at the outbreak of the Seven years War. He was promoted to 2nd lieutenant in the Royal Guards circa 1761. He was in the vanguard of the infantry that stormed across the Portuguese border under Count de Maceda in 1762, and was promoted to 1st lieutenant in 1763, and to captain in July 1770. About 1775, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Príncipe Infantry Regiment. In December 1778, his regiment embarked for Cuba, and in April 1779, he took command as colonel of Príncipe Infantry Regiment. In July of that year, he was promoted to general and was ordered to New Orleans as deputy to Gov. Bernardo Gálvez. On 14 Jan 1780, he embarked with Gálvez from New Orleans with his troops on an expedition against the British at Mobile Bay. On March 10th, he served as actual battle commander (Gálvez was involved with the plans for the further expedition against Pensacola) and laid seige to Ft. Charlotte at Mobile. The Biritish surrendered on March 13th. On 29 March 1780, he returned to Havana to prepare for the expedition against Pensacola. In October, the expedition was driven back to Cuba by a hurricane outside Havana Bay, but was reorganized and embarked again on 28 February 1781; Girón was again appointed battle commander. On May 8th, he laid seige to Ft. George at Pensacola, which quickly capitulated. The next month he was named field marshal. In October 1781, the planned expedition by the French and Spanish to capture Jamaica was halted with calling of peace negotiations, and Girón returned to Spain in 1783, where he was created a knight of the Military Order of Santiago. In 1778, he was
appointed Judge for Life of his home town of Ronda. In 1786, he became
civil and military governor of Pamplona; in 1790, he took over the same
duties in Barcelona. In February 1791, he was promoted to lieutenant
general. Between 1793 and 1795 , he acted as commander of Spanish forces
in Catalonia during the French invasion. In August 1795, he was named a
member of the Junta de América. Between 1798 and 1807, he served as
Viceroy of Navarre. In 1807, he was named Counselor of the Supreme War
Council, but was abruptly relieved of that position by Napoleon. On the
death of his aunt in December 1791, he became 3rd Marqués de las
Amarillas.
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Generation Ten 17. General Pedro Agustín10 Girón de las Casas (Jerónimo9Girón y Moctezuma, Bernarda8Moctezuma, Jerónimo7Moctezuma y Loaysa, Pedro6Moctezuma, Diego5de Moctezuma y Porres, Pedro4Tesifón de Moctezuma, Ihuitemotzin3, Tlacahuepantzin2, Motecuhzoma1); baptized 3 January 1778 at the Church of Santa María Matriz, San Sebastian, Spain; married María de la Concepción Espeleta, daughter of José de Espeleta, 1802 Pamplona, Spain; died 17 May 1842 Madrid, Spain, at age 64.He succeeded has father in 1819 as 4th Marqués de las Amarillas. He was promoted to lieutenant general in 1820 and became Minister of War in 1835. He was created 1st Duke of Ahumada in 1835. Children of General Pedro Agustín10 Girón de las Casas and María de la Concepción Espeleta included:
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Generation
Eleven
18. General Francisco Javier11 Girón y Ezpeleta (Pedro10Girón de las Casas, Jerónimo9Girón y Moctezuma, Bernarda8Moctezuma, Jerónimo7Moctezuma y Loaysa, Pedro6Moctezuma, Diego5de Moctezuma y Porres, Pedro4Tesifón de Moctezuma, Ihuitemotzin3, Tlacahuepantzin2, Motecuhzoma1); born 1803 Pamplona, Spain; married Nicolasa de Aragón y Arias de Saavedra 29 January 1834 at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez, Spain; died 18 December 1869 Madrid, Spain.In the family tradition, he reached the rank of lieutenant general. He also founded the Guardia Civil of Spain. He was Gentleman of the Chamber to King Ferdinand VII. He held the titles of 2nd Duke of Ahumada and 5th Marqués de las Amarillas, and was also made a Grandee of Spain.
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SOURCES: All material on this page was taken from: Eric Beerman, "An Aztec Emperor's Descendant, General Jerónimo Girón y Moctezuma: Spanish Commander at the Battle of Mobile, 1780." The Genealogist, vol. ? (19??), pp.
172-187.http://book-smith.tripod.com/montezuma.html Another brief pedigree: 1 Monctezuma 2 Ignacia_Maria Navarro_Monctezuma
+ Francisca Garcia_Viera
+ Juan_Jose Marquez_Vargas
+ Virginia Febres_Cordero Goicoechea |
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Al hablar Usted de Moctezuma, me recordé que había una Persona que tenia entre sus Ancestros al Famoso Emperador Monctezuma. Aprovecho la oportunidad para enviarle un pequeño archivo que es un resumen Genealógico de un Libro que se llama : Pampán y sus Gentes ( Estelas Perdurables ) Tomo I Y II, Imprenta Oficial Trujillo 1976, del Escritor: Gilberto Quevedo Segnini ( Venezolano, Nacido en Pampán, Estado Trujillo ). Como este Libro habla sobre los Orígenes, Biografía de Pampán y sus Pobladores,... dado que Mi Familia Paterna proviene de ese Pueblo Andino de Mi Pais y tiene muchos datos Genealógicos de los Pobladores del Pueblo, Yo hice un resumen de todas las Personas que son mencionados en este Libro. Roberto José Pérez Guadarrama |
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The Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural Society Los Isleños
Heritage and Cultural Society was organized in 1976 in an effort to
preserve the culture and history of the Canary Islanders who settled in Louisiana
between the years 1778 and 1783. The Isleños, or Islanders, were a
hearty group of pioneers who braved the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean
and the marshes of Louisiana
to mold St. Bernard Parish and other areas of the state into livable and
productive communities. France ceded Louisiana to Spain and Great Britain in 1766 following the French and Indian War. Spain acquired that part of Louisiana lying west of the Mississippi River and the Island of Orleans, an area east of the Mississippi including New Orleans. Early in the 1770's Spanish officials learned that the British were planning to invade and occupy the Province of Louisiana, using the province as a base from which to attack Mexico and deprive Spain of the vast deposits of Mexican silver and gold. The British attempted to realize their plans almost fifty years later during the Battle of New Orleans. Consequently, Spanish administrators started developing Louisiana as a barrier between Mexico and the British colonies east of the Mississippi River. Reacting to successful British colonization efforts along the Gulf Coast in British West Florida, Spain settled thousands of immigrants from Malaga and the Canaries, as well as Acadian refugees, in Louisiana. The settlers came to Louisiana to increase production of food, populate the province and defend it against the projected British invasion. The first Isleños arrived in Louisiana during 1778 and continued to arrive in the province until 1783. They were settled in four locations, strategically placed around New Orleans to guard approaches to the city. |
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| Warning:
some historians are still limited in
their research concerning the American Revolution.
Evidence in the following website:
American Revolution, 1775-1783, The complete History of the American Revolution. .
http://www.americanrevolution.com
Webmaster: jim@americans.net |
| ON THE OTHER HAND.
.
this website, The Regiment of Louisana and the Spanish Army in the American Revolution By Thomas E. DeVoe and Gregory J. W. Urwin states. . . |
| "Much has been
made of the military and economic help France so generously supplied to
the struggling United States, but the many notable contributions of
France's Bourbon ally, the resurgent Spain of Charles III, have been
virtually ignored." In the matter of just a few weeks, Colonel Gálvez and his motley army had captured 550 British and German regulars, 500 armed settlers and Negroes, and three forts. They had added 1,290 miles of the best land along the Mississippi to their sovereign's domain, and all at the ridiculously low cost of one Spaniard killed and two wounded. It had been a brilliant coup, but Gálvez was just getting started. Go to the website for more statistics: http://www.magweb.com/sample/amr/ed82loui.htm |
The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation |
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The Santa Barbara Trust hosted the Spanish Consul General and his wife from Los Angeles at a spring fund raising event honoring endowment contributors to the Trust. Present also were living historians Michael Hardwick as Felipe de Neve and George W. Decker as Alferez Diario Arguello. |
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The Spanish Helped During the American War of Independence Soldados List Server Documents Spain Contribution to the American Revolution. Sent by Mike Hardwick Mike_Hardwick@msn.com Source: Tito CherokeeBraves@aol.com forwarded the following request Hola, I saw the following on the BAR (Brigade of the American Revolution) list and thought I'd forward it in case someone could assist in an answer or giving direction for further research. Thanks, "Tito" All, In the spring, 2004 issue of the COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG magazine there is an article titled "Spain's Sweet Revenge." In it the author talks about Spain's assistance to the Colonies in the early days of the revolution. It mentions that the King of Spain joined in the establishment of Hortalez & Co. in 1776, six weeks before the Declaration of Independence, of a loan of 2 million Spanish dollars, etc., etc. Of particular interest to me is the article's reference to the arrival in Boston in 1777 of Spanish ships (from France via Bermuda) which delivered 215 bronze cannons, 4,000 field tents, 12,826 grenades, 30,000 muskets and bayonets, 30,000 uniforms, 51,314 musket balls and 150 tons of gunpowder. Does anyone have more information on this shipment? Were the articles French, just carried in Spanish bottoms? Or were the muskets, cannons, uniforms, etc., of Spanish origin? What did the uniforms look like? And many other questions that could be asked but are too numerous to be mentioned here. Any information and/or leads would be appreciated. Many thanks in advance. All the best, Norm Fuss, 1st North Carolina Send any response to: http://www.brigade.org/ |
| Hispanic
Youth Conference 2004 SHHAR May Meeting of Artists |
13th Annual
Black Chamber Awards Banquet |
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Annual
Orange County Hispanic Youth Conference 2004 |
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On June 26, 2004 The JPL Diversity Programs Office coordinated with
Amigos Unidos to conduct a program for the Annual Orange County
Hispanic Youth Conference 2004 (youth from 12-18 years old) with
discussions and presentations on Outer Space, Mars and the Mars
Exploration Rover Mission (including an exhibit of mission artifacts
and technologies). Learn the contribution Hispanic professionals are
making to planetary and outer space exploration, and to overall NASA
mission. Amigos Unidos is an association of Hispanic JPL
Professionals involved in outreach programs to positively impact our
communities. The Youth Conference is a critical component of the youth
program sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints. For contact information: Gilberto Arteaga, Public Affairs
Director (949) 653-091 |
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SHHAR's May Meeting was
an Opportunity for a Visual sharing of History |
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Yolanda Ochoa stands by one of her family
history posters with histories, pedigrees, and photos of her extended
family.![]() |
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![]() Eddie Martinez, illustrator, artist points out the historical significance of sites along the map. Eddie has created maps demonstrating the relationships between indigenous groups based on language similarities. |
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Judge Fredrick Aguirre shares an article in the Excelsior concerning the veterans that traveled from Orange County to Washington, D.C for the WW II Memorial dedication. |
BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE—Orange County, California The 13th Annual Awards Banquet was attended
by over 900 persons who packed the Arena at the Anaheim Convention Center for the biggest Dinner and Celebration of the year. The
evening included entertainment, speakers, awards and dinner. |
| Fall
East L.A. Conference L.A. County Sued Over Official Seal |
Dona Josepha Sepulveda Wells Fargo InterCuenta Express |
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| The SHHAR Board is collaborating with the Public Affairs Department of the LDS Church to mount a fall Hispanic Family History Conference in Monterey Park. Veronica Jenks on the left and George Muriel on the right are co-chairs, your editor in the middle. A tentative date has been for October 9th. Save the date!! |
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ACLU Wants the Removal of the Cross from Los Angeles County official Seal LOS ANGELES — The American Civil Liberties Union (search) plans to sue Los Angeles County if it does not remove a cross from its official seal. County officials say the cross represents the Spanish missions (search), which are part of California's history. They add that it would be expensive to redesign the county seal, which was designed in 1957 and appears on most official county property: walls, documents, water bottles, uniforms, cars and trucks. On Friday, the ACLU gave the county two weeks to eliminate the seal. "What is the message that it sends?" said Ramona Ripson of the ACLU. "What that message is to everyone in California is one of Christianity, and we are a state of diverse people." Last month, the threat of litigation by the ACLU forced the city of Redlands, about 50 miles east of Los Angeles, to redesign its 40-year-old logo, which also included a cross. "Here you have this radical left-wing organization whose own symbol should be the hammer and sickle," said Mike Antonovich (search), one of five Los Angeles County supervisors. "They are using pressure tactics trying to rewrite history." Some local officials argue that the cross simply reflects history. The ACLU says that shouldn't matter because some members of the public find it offensive. The county has asked its lawyers for a legal opinion on whether to fight the ACLU. Thursday, May 27, 2004, http://search.foxnews.com |
The Los Angeles Times, Jan 8, 1899: Dona Josepha Sepulveda Dona Josepha Sepulveda died on Friday at her residence, No. 811 Kohler street, at the advanced age of 65 years. This lady formed a link between the olden days of Mexican rule in California, and the modern, bustling times of a more aggressive civilization. Her husband, Rafael Sepulveda, in early days owned the Los Feliz and San Vicente ranchos, comprising in round numbers, about 70,000 acres, but at the time of his death about fifteen years ago, the larger part of this acreage had passed into alien hands. Dona Josepha was the mother of twenty-two children, the ex-secretary of the American legation at the City of Mexico, Judge Sepulveda, being a nephew. Visit the California Spanish Genealogy website http://www.sfgenealogy.com/spanish/ Sent by Karla Everett EverettKA@bak.rr.com |
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Wells Fargo Expands its InterCuenta Express Consumer Money Transfer Service; Creates Largest U.S. Bank-Managed Remittance Distribution Channel Los Angeles, CA--(HISPANIC PR WIRE)--June 10, 2004--Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) said today it will create – through a new partnership with HSBC Mexico – what it considers the largest distribution channel among U.S. banks for consumer remittance customers in Mexico. InterCuenta Express(TM) allows customers to safely and conveniently transfer money to Mexico through multiple channels, including phone, store visit, ATM, and Online Banking. Earlier this year, Wells Fargo increased its daily remittance limit from $1,000 to $3,000. This latest partnership reaffirms Wells Fargo’s commitment to provide products and services that meet the financial services needs of the Hispanic community. “The agreement between Wells Fargo and HSBC Mexico strengthens bi-national ties between Mexican and American banks and grants new momentum to collaborative financial relations," said Ruben Beltrán, the Consul General of Mexico in Los Angeles. “This partnership also creates a significant network of financial distribution that will facilitate access to banking services for Mexican families." According to a recent study by the Inter-American Dialogue, consumer remittances to Mexico exceeded $14 billion in 2003 and have surpassed foreign direct investment in Mexico. Sent by: Medios: Miriam Galicia Duarte 213- 253-3721 galduaml@wellsfargo.com Inversionistas: Betsy Flanagan 415-396-8454 Betsy.Flanagan@wellsfargo.com Sala de Prensa de HISPANIC PR WIRE (866-477-9473) http://www.HispanicPRWire.com NOTE TO EDITORS: A graph image is available at: http://www.hispanicprwire.com/pic.php?id=2474 |
| The
Anza Letters 2004 ANZA CONFERENCE El Polin Springs Latino Arts Network |
Paul Edgar Trejo, Part II Early Years |
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| Sixteen
cartas written by Juan Bautista de Anza and addressed to Fernando Javier
de Rivera y Moncada have recently come to light. In this article, Californio descendant Phil Valdez Jr. interprets excerpts of three of sixteen cartas written by the Gran Capitan during the 1775/76 expedition after his arrival at Puerto de San Carlos in what is now Riverside county. In an effort to retain the flavor of Anza’s writing the spelling in Spanish has not been modernized, but left as it appears in the cartas. As with any article large or small, it requires the work of many, therefore, it is with pleasure to acknowledge Jose Pantoja, Don Garate, and Dr. Greg Bernal Smestad for their contributions. |
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| One of
the rocks that Father Font mention on his diary. Quote" From the
highest point one follows a dry arroyo for a short stretch, and on coming to some large round rocks one descends a gentle slope for a short distance where we halted". They are still there plain to see. |
There is a commemoration monument placed in Dick Cary's ranch to the left of the camping place and about a quarter of a mile distant. |
| While,
many books and articles have been written on both the 1774 exploratory
and the 1775/76 colonizing expeditions, few readers have seen the cartas
that were exchanged during the second expedition between Lt. Colonel
Juan Bautista de Anza and the Governor of the Californias, Captain
Rivera y Moncada. Other than what has been alluded to in both Font’s and |
Anza’s
diaries, little had been known about them until now. This exchange commenced on December 28, 1775 at the Puerto de San Carlos where the expedition had made camp and ended on May 3, 1776 when Anza was returning to Sonora. Even though this corresponding event had been a puzzling affair for me ever since first glancing at the diaries several decades earlier, not much thought had
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been
given to them until one evening while re-reading the diaries, as I often
do, it all fell into place. If these letters had not been found under Anza’s correspondence where could they be? Then it hit me like a ton of adobe bricks, they must be under the Rivera y Moncada documents as they were directed to him and surely he must have kept them.
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2 |
| Armed
with this information, my initial quest for answers took me to the
Bancroft library and the uncovering of sixteen letters under the Rivera
y Moncada papers ( Banc Mss C-A 368), which, from all
indications, have not been seen but by a few people. Certainly, they had
never been translated, as I have never seen them in print, nor have
scholars that have been polled. Somehow these valuable treasures, yet
unseen, but by a few, had been missed. Now with their translation we can
have a better understanding of what transpired between these two giants
during those tumultuous times.
As mentioned earlier, the first carta,
written upon Anza’s arrival at Puerto de San Carlos, informs Captain
Rivera y Moncada of the troops he is conducting (que condujo para)
to the Presidio of Monterey and which he has furnished with clothing,
arms, and other necessities granted by the most Excellent Lord, the
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This
statement corroborates the letters sent to Governor Rivera by Viceroy
Bucareli dated January 02, 1775, informing him of the forthcoming
expedition to augment the Presidio of Monterey and to establish both the
Presidio de San Francisco and Mission San Francisco de Asis.
Anza continues to describe how the settlers were provided with a little more than three months wages at the onset, and that because they have been in service for eight months, their wages were all used up as well as their clothing. However, this statement does not agree with what the Gran Capitan tells the Viceroy on his letter dated November 17, 1774, when he says, "I think best to send them the articles of clothing, for to send their pay in cash will serve no purpose except to afford the opportunity for prodigality and gambling." He continues that because of
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the
cold season (estacion) that has been encountered, "la estacion
tan cruda," [this was the coldest winter ever recorded in the
Borrego Springs desert], they were truly in need of underwear for men,
women, and children and asks that if it didn’t sound inconvenient, to
send a provision to the rendezvous, " si no pulssa imcombeniente
les enbie al encuentro alguna provision de ropa interior que
verdaderamente estan necessitados hombres, mujeres, y ninos."
Among the families he is bringing is included the wife and children of a soldier named Duarte of that (esse) presidio [Monterey], who had asked at the [Royal Mining] Camp of Los Alamos, which he, as a favor, is transporting her to the side of her husband, who, as Anza puts it, serves Your Honor. "Entre las familias que llevo va agregada la mujer y hijos del soldado Duarte de esse Presidio quien me pidio des de el Real de los Alamos le hiciese el bien de conducirla a
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3 |
| el
lado de su marido a quien le server a Vuestra Merced ."
Interestingly enough, this piece of historical information was not known to readers of the Anza and Font diaries until this finding. However, we do know that on Anza’s roster, ff75,75v,76,76v Archivo General de la Nacion, he says "that included among them is a woman and three children who has just arrived and is going to Monterey to be with her husband." We now know her husband’s name is Duarte. He closes the first carta by stating that he is sending this notice so relief might be sent (if possible) in the form of cattle and whatever else is deemed appropriate, " darle esta noticia para que le embie, (si puede ser), socorro de bestias y lo demas que le paresca". Captain Rivera y Moncada sadly recalled how he felt when he was handed Anza’s carta upon his arrival at Mission San Gabriel, when he states in his diary dated January 02, 1776,
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"y
despues de dejar seis bestias cansadas, llegue a las 11 de la noche a
esta [mision] de San Gabriel, en donde me participio el Cabo de la
escolta que se hallba cerca el teniente coronel don Juan Bautista de
Anza, de quien me entrego carta. No la lei; que seguramente en la
actualida no me halle para el caso."
He writes, " and after having left six tired animals [behind], I
reached this [mission] of San Gabriel, where the corporal of the guard
handed me a letter from Lt. Colonel Don Juan Bautista de Anza informing
me that he was close by. I did not read it because, in actuality, I did
not find myself up to it".
It can be inferred that Rivera did not feel up to it because of the conditions at San Diego, with the killing of Father Jaime, a blacksmith (un herrero), a carpenter (un carpintero), and the burning of the Mission on November 07, 1775, word of which he received on December 13, 1775, and the reason why he was on his way to San Diego. |
He
however, does not mention that with approximately 267 soldiers, he had
been given the task to guard a country larger than Spain, that the
Padres were after him to build more missions, with the soldiers being
poorly armed, insufficiently provisioned, and often not paid, forcing
him to advance them money of which he had very little as he was never
paid by the King.
Perhaps not being up to reading Anza’s letter can be explained for fear of more bad news. Here, is perhaps the greatest mistake Rivera ever makes in avoiding Anza’s letter. By not reacting with precision timing, it appears Rivera alienated the only man that could possibly help him at that juncture in time. Anza’s letter two, written at Puerto de San Carlos as well, tells of how the Viceroy for the second time put in his charge the task of conducting thirty soldiers with their respective
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to reinforce those establishments under his [Rivera’s] charge, "Suponiendo
a Vuestra Merced noticias de la expedicion que segunda vez ha puesto a
mi cargo el Excelentisimo Senor Virrey para conducer trienta soldados con sus respectivas familias al refuerzo de los establecimentos del mando de Vuestra Merced." That since the departure of the expedition from the Presidio of Horcasitas at the end of September, sickness and other occurrences had plagued them. Anza does not mention the maladies. However, that his Excellency having foreseen these problems had left it up to him to arbitrarily stop at any of the establishments when necessary to secure help, "las que previstas por su excelencia, dejo a mi arbitrio el salir a cualquiera de los establecimientos para poderme reparar en ellos". Anza says that what he had stated previously was reason
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why he
did not find himself at that (ese) presidio [Monterey] under his [Rivera’s]
charge, with no hope of seeing it until the last days of January and
only if he receives at the smallest opportunity the help he is
requesting from Your Honor, "lo dicho anterior ha causado, el
que hoy no me halle, en ese presidio de su cargo y sin esperanza de
verificarlo ha fines de enero proximo, ocurrente si recibo al poco
oportuno los auxilios que expressare a Vuestra Merced".
Anza continues to say that at mission [San
Gabriel], he will leave the rest of the cattle after having taken the
precise number for the maintenance of the troops and twenty destined for
support of the new establish-
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provisions".
"A este comandante y Padre Ministro de ella [Mision de San Gabriel], pido me envien al encuentro las caballerias que puedan remitirme, y los viveres necesarios". And finally, Anza ends letter two by inserting a postscript informing Rivera that he has forgotten to tell him that the troops were also lacking in soap and footwear, and that first thing at the missions [misions del Ejercito], he will ask for and distribute the same. Posdata "Se me paso expresar a Vuestra Merced que tambien de lo que faltaba la Tropa es de jabon y calzado. Ahi el primero, en las misiones del Ejercito, lo pedire para socorrer les". Anza’s letter three is written after his arrival at Mission San Gabriel and dated February 20, 1776. Here, the Gran Capitan writes
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was unable to dispatch the pack string as they had agreed upon, because
on the 14th of the month, a soldier by the name of Yepis had
deserted along with three mule packer from the expedition, and a servant
of the sergeant of the same.
They had stolen tobacco, pinole, beads, chocolate, a musket of the guard, and other things of little value, belonging to the soldiers. Also taken, which was more sensible (es mas sensible), were twenty five saddle animals of the mission and guard. He says that even though the incident had been known since midnight, Lt. Moraga did not take pursuit until 10 o’clock of the next day. " y es el caso que el dia 14 del presente en que arribe a esta Mision, halle en el[ella] la ocurrencia de que la noche anterior se deserto el soldado Yepis de esta escolta (a quien tocaba estar de caballada) y tres marranos de mi expedicion y un serviente del Sargento de ella, los effectos que estavan
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a
sus cargo como tabaco, pinol, abalorios, chocolate, una escopeta de la
escolta, y otras cosas de poco monta, de los soldados mios, y lo que es
mas sensible como vienti cinco bestias de la Mision y escolta. Aungue
este suceso se supo a la media noche no pudo salir el Teniente Moraga
hasta otro dia a las diez".
Here we have always known that Juan Pablo Grijalva was the only sergeant of the expedition. However, what was not known is that his servant was traveling with him. This servant could very well be the Claudio that Anza lists as being 21 years of age with Sergeant Grijalva and wife listed as being 33 and 31 respectively. Therefore, it is impossible for Claudio to be their son, as some historians claim. This statement has been corroborated by Edward Grijalva descendant of the famed Sergeant. Here Rivera in his diary dated February 25, 1776 concurs with Anza’s report when his says "a
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soldier
of the Mission [of San Gabriel] and four mosos (sirvientes) belonging to
the expedition have deserted".
Anza continues, "I will advise Your Honor of all I have decided to do, so you will not be ignorant of anything, and you are able to take the appropriate measures" "Y a Vuestra Merced comunicarle aviso de todo lo que me ha parecido resolver para que de nada este ignorante, y segun ellos, tome por ahi las providencias que le convenga". Anza’s says he will leave the next day for Monterey with most of his individuals of the expedition, leaving twelve soldiers there with their families under the command of the sergeant [Grijalva]. The mission will remain guarded by the sergeant and five soldiers, and beyond that he is leaving three more to accompany Lieutenant Moraga as soon as he returns. He is leaving provisions of corn and beans for all of them to last
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days which is the same amount that he is taking (llevo yo).
Here, we get a glimpse of the expedition’s daily fare. "El dia de manana salgo para Monterey con los mas individuos de mi expedicion dejando en esta, dose soldados con sus familias a cargo del Sargento. Esta Mision queda resguardada con el sargento y cinco soldados, a mas de esos, tres para que acompanen al Teniente Moraga asi que se regrese. A cuyo total quedan comestibles de maiz y frijol para vienti tres dias cuya especie para el mismo tiempo llevo yo". Anza says that the expedition has been thrown off course because of the chase the lieutenant is making in pursuit of the deserters. That because of this reason, he is not sending any horses to Your Honor, as they had planned. However, in
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consideration
of the situation they find themselves in, the guard will remain there. That he will be able to put in place, at said presidio [Monterey], all of the requests that are contained in the letter of Your Honor [Rivera]. " Con el motivo de la seguida que hace el Teniente de los desertores nos emos desairado todos, y es el que causa el no remitir a Vuestra Merced (como aviamos quedado) algunos caballos. Pero en consideracion al desasio en graduo quedara esta escolta. En el mencionado presidio pondre en practica todos los encargos de Vuestra Merced contenidos en su ultima carta". He continues, "the cattle has recuperated such that they will be able to continue to our destination, with the exception of a few, which he is leaving with the sergeant so that the calves will not suffer". " El Ganado bacuno se ha establecido de
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modo
que puede sequir para arriba a excepcion de
unas pocas, que dejo a Sargento para
no malograr las crias".
Anza closes letter three stating that it has also occurred to him to advise Your Honor [Rivera], that the corn furnished by the Reverend Father Paterna amounts to more than forty-nine fanegas and six almudes, stating " tambien me ha parecido avisar a Vuestra Merced, que el maiz que has suministrado el Reverendo Padre Paterna hacien de a cuarenta i nueve fanegas y seis almudes". Clearly, Anza’s first three letters not only shed light on the needs of the expedition up to that point such as: clothing, soap, footwear, and horses, but the need to continue and accomplish the task of establishing the presidio and mission of San Francisco. However, in Rivera we can
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to see the complex behavior of a man that perhaps had been in the military too long. He had joined in 1742. With the difficult tasks of pacifying the Indians, keeping the padres in check, and establishing the presidio and mission of San Francisco, it appears Rivera was facing tasks far too difficult to handle. This has lead historians to believe that he was inept and unable to cope with the situation. Look for more to come with cartas four,
five, and six. |
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The letter at the top identifies some of the items that they have with them, such as Tabaco and Pinol . . . This letter to the right
requests clothing.. . "alguna provision de Ropa" . . . For Information on the |
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SALIDA, COLORADO AUGUST 26-29, 2004 Juan Bautista de Anza, early Spanish Explorer, founder of the land route to California and founder of San Francisco, California, will be celebrated in Salida, Colorado on August 26 – 29, 2004. Those dates will mark the 225th anniversary of Anza and his soldiers crossing Poncha Pass to challenge the Comanches. Come celebrate this heroic Spanish explorer and his soldiers and join us as we learn more about the Spanish history of the southwestern United States. We will be departing Albuquerque on August 26 at 8:00 am and driving in vans with Anza historians to Santa Fe to tour the Palace of the Governors. From Santa Fe we will drive to Ojo Caliente for lunch and the on to Salida. Our tour leaders will bring this historic journey alive at we travel north along Anza’s trail. After our check in to our motels, pizza and a panel discussion on Thursday night will provide lively entertainment as five Anza history experts debate the various routes Anza is alleged to have taken in the area. The Conference itself will be held on Friday, August 27 and papers will be presented by members of both the Anza Society US and the Anza Society Mexico. Saturday, August 28 will see us on the road following those Anza Trails through the beautiful Colorado landscape. Our banquet will be after the road trip. We will be departing for Albuquerque on Sunday morning. Please check out our website – www.touraz4fun.com or e-mail your questions to touraz4fun@cox.net. We look forward to having you join us for this annual celebration. The Anza Society, Linda J. Rushton, Event Planner
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Stanford Archaeologists resume excavation at El Polin Springs, Presidio of San Francisco On Monday, June 21, 2004, Stanford University resumes its archaeological investigation of El Polin Springs at the Presidio of San Francisco (in San Francisco, California). During the Spanish-colonial and Mexican period (1810-1840s), El Polin Springs was the home of the Briones family, a large colonial family whose members were founding citizens of the City of San Francisco. Archaeological investigations at El Polin Springs have also revealed that Native Californians were also living and/or working at El Polin Springs during the same time that the Briones family lived there. The public is invited to visit the excavation and field laboratory while the dig is in process (June 21 - July 20, Mondays - Fridays, 9am - 4pm). There are also public lectures, volunteer opportunities, and an oral history study associated with the project. Details and directions are available at the project website: www.stanford.edu/group/presidio . The project is conducted by Stanford University under the direction of Professor Barbara Voss in partnership with the Presidio Trust and the National Park Service. For more information: contact Dr. Barbara Voss at 415-816-7222 or at bvoss@stanford.edu |
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LATINO ARTS NETWORK Newsletter www.latinoarts.net [Newsletter reflects diversity of group] "Dedicated to strengthening and deepening the cooperative relationship among California’s Latino artists, arts organizations and the communities we serve" Founding Member Organizations: Arte Américas-Fresno, Centro Cultural de La Raza-San Diego, East Bay Center for the Performing Arts-Richmond, El Andar Publications-Santa Cruz, Galería de la Raza-San Francisco, La Peña Cultural Center-Berkeley, La Raza Galería Posada-Sacramento, Plaza de La Raza-Los Angeles, Mexican Heritage Corporation-San Jose, Self Help Graphics-Los Angeles To subscribe, send an email to subscribe@latinoarts.net |
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AUTO BIOGRAPHY OF PAUL EDGAR TREJO PART II, THE LATER GENERATIONS THE EARLY YEARS My Mother’s People
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The Oxenreiders and Yoakams had come to
this country from Germany about 1776. Both of these families
migrated over the years to Virginia, Ohio, and Iowa, and their main
occupation was farming. Abraham Lincoln Yoakham was born in 1862 in
Iowa. |
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Abraham Lincoln Yoakum married Candace Ann Oxenreider on February 12, 1882, in Lacona, Iowa. Candace’s parents were John Oxenreider and Sophia McAdams. Candace was born October 14th, 1859, in Lacona, Iowa. Candace died in San Jose July 27th, 1942, in San Jose, California, at age 82. Candace was my great grandmother. About 1893, Candace and Abraham decided to "Come West". They came by covered wagon over the Old Oregon Trail, arriving in Pendelton Oregon in 1894, where they settled for a short time. There were seven children that made the trip, the oldest being my Grandmother, Carrie Blanch age 10. the others were John age 8, Albert age 7, Clara age 5, Harold age 3, and Robert age 1. Another child, Clara, was born April 28, 1894, probably in Oregon. After a short time the family moved to San Jose, California, where their last child (my namesake) Paul Yoakum was born on October 10, 1896. |
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She also said that only six people could fit in the wagon, and that
since there were seven altogether, some one had to walk. The three older
children, Blanch, John, and Albert took turns walking behind the wagon
all the way across the country.
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My mother, Eldana Shelton was born March 20, 1908, in San Jose California. Her parents were Sylvester Shelton and Carrie Blanch Yoakum, and she grew up in San Jose. On February 10, 1924, at age 16, she married my father Ernest Ambrose Trejo in Stockton, California. My father was from an old Mexican-Spanish family, with early roots in San Luis Obispo, California. He was born in San Luis Obispo on December 7th, 1904. Ernest Ambrose’s Father, Tibo "Santos" Trejo, was born in San Luis Obispo, January 4th, 1878, and his mother was Maria Clotilda Garner, born February 22, 1877, in Castoville, California. Clotilda was the granddaughter of William Robert of Monterey and Antonia Francisca Emigdia Butron. Francisca’s grandfather was the soldado Manuel Butron. My father’s grandfather was Julian Trejo. Julian was born in Arispe. Senora, Mexico in 1838. Julian’s father was Jacinto Trejo, and his mother Maria Josefa Lopez. Julian came to California about 1847, and settled in San Luis Obispo. He married Catalina Bielmas, at the old Mission San Luis Obispo on October 23rd, 1867. She was 16, and he was 29 years of age. Catalina’s parents were Francisco Bielmas, and Roberta Garcia and
they were in San Luis Obispo in the 1840's. Julian Trejo and Catalina
Bielmas had 9 children, one of which was my grandfather Santos Trejo. |
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Mother, Eldana Shelton, 16
years old. |
The Early Years My older brother Ernest Santos was born August 30th, 1924, in San Jose, and I was born October 31st, 1926, in San Jose. My mother and father divorced when I was one years old, and in the later half of 1927 my mother, brother, and myself moved to Pacific Grove, CA, where we moved in with my grandparents in a tiny house on Caladonia street in Pacific Grove. My mother got a job as a grocery clerk at Holman’s Department, the major employer in town. In 1929 the great depression hit the nation and this was the start of terrible economic times for our country. Many people lost their jobs and families drew together to survive. |
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Then, my mother’s sister Violet, her husband Edward Silva, and their daughter Gloria Ann moved into the Caladonia house. Ed was a skilled glass cutter, who worked for the Del Monte Glass company in Monterey. He was laid off as the company was forced to cut it’s staff for lack of business. There was no bedroom space left in the house, so the Silvas moved into the double garage where some beds a few pieces of furniture were installed. Gloria Ann was my brother’s age, and I considered her somewhat of a brat. For one thing, she refused to sleep in the garage. Consequently, my brother and I alternated sleeping in the garage while Gloria Ann took our beds and slept in the house every night. There are many memories from those early years, but they have no place in a short biography. Suffice to say, we were as poor as church mice, but everyone else was in the same boat, so as kids we didn’t know we were poor. I can still remember walking along the railroad tracks with my grandmother, picking up wild mustard green. She would put them in a great iron pot on and old wood stove, throw in a ham hock, and we ate them with lots of vinegar! On Sundays we would visit the lettuce fields in Salinas. The farmers would plant four or five rows of lettuce next to the road. Then there was a 10 foot space where the main field was planted. People were allowed to take all the lettuce they wanted from the rows along the road, but were to stay out of the main field. I never recall anyone violating that trust. The next major milestone in my life was when my mother met Glen David Berwick. They were both clerks in the grocery department in Holman’s Department Store. They were married September 6, 1930, when I was four years old. My stepfather bought a house at 218 Alder in Pacific Grove for $2800.00 dollars. A few years ago that same house sold for $250,000 ! My stepfather was one of the most talented men I ever knew. He only had a high school education, but he was a semi professional photographer and extremely good in the shop. In those days, people couldn’t afford to buy things so they made them. He was and avid amateur radio operator who built all his own equipment. During the WW-2 he was commissioned a radio officer in the Merchant Marine, and served in the Pacific on various ships until 1947. In 1932 I was enrolled in Kindergarten at Robert down Elementary School in Pacific Grove.I was there through grade eight, graduating in June 1940. My teachers were strict but fair. An there was no such thing as "social promotion". If you did not pass, you were held back a year, which was considered by your classmates as a real stigma. There were no computers, so you learned your multiplication tables backwards and forwards. Our high school population reflected the makeup of the town, Pacific Grove had a population then of only 2300 people. and the total number of students was around 250. I will always attribute what successes I have had in life to my foundation schooling in the Pacific Grove school system. I was active in sports, lettering in track all four years and in Football three years. I had just commenced my Sophomore year of high school when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Overnight the whole world changed. We became paranoid. Japanese submarines shelled areas along the Pacific Coast of California and Oregon, which contributed to this paranoia. Because the Fleet had been so heavily damaged at Pearl Harbor there was a general feeling that the Japanese might attempt a landing on the west coast. The location of large military installations at Fort Ord and the Presidio of Monterey caused precautions to become doubly tight. Fifteen inch batteries were installed along the coast between Monterey and Santa Cruz, and manned by Army Field Artillery troops. The bunkers for these old batteries are still in place today. Monterey Bay is a large crescent shaped bay, that is really and open roadstead. It stretches from Point Pinos in Pacific Grove in the south, to Santa Cruz on the north, a distance of 20 miles across the mouth. There are miles and miles of ideal beaches to make and amphibious landing. All the roads along the beaches were patrolled by heavily armed
soldiers in jeeps. The waterfront at Monterey was closed to the general
public, and only fisherman with special passes were permitted on the
wharfs. |
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| At this time I was a member of a Sea Scout Troop. We had a 26 foot
power boat called the Sturgeon that we kept for our training. Early on
we were employed by the Coast Guard to patrol the waters on the bay from
Monterey, over to Santa Cruz. We had orders to report any suspicious
thing we might observe. We had no firearm or radio, only semaphore
flags, so to this day I’m not sure how effective we could be, but it
was "heady stuff" to be doing our part. |
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| As one example of how ridiculous thing could be I will cite on
example. My brother Ernest was attempting to take ariel photographs from
a box kite using a Baby Brownie camera and a sting tied to the shutter.
The only place with wind enough to fly the monster contraption he had
built was out on the Point along the beach. This was a restricted area . He
had just got his giant kite air born when and Army Patrol came by in a
Jeep. This guy taking pictures from a kite in a restricted area had to
be a spy! They took my brother, kite, camera and all down to the local
MP station. They called the Pacific Grove police chief who knew our
family, so it was straightened out OK. |
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A picture taken just prior to enlisting in the
Navy. I turned 17 on October 31, 1943. I started the process to enlist November 1st, 1943. I graduated from high school on June 6, 1944. Due to processing problems of having
used my step father's surname (Berwick) all my life, I was not sworn in
until February 28, 1944 as and Aviation Cadet. I was sworn in at
the Office of Naval Officer Procurement in San Francisco. I reported for
active duty July 1, 1944, to the Navy V5/V12 unit at the University of
Redland, Redlands, CA. |
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Enlistment Card |
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I turned 17 on October 31st, 1943 and was determined to enlist in the Navy. If I waited until I graduated from high school in June of 1944, I would only have four months until I turned 18, and then I would be drafted. There was and old peacetime law still in effect from the depression years that would allow a young man to enlist at 17 for a period until he reached his majority of 21 years, provided he could get his parents or guardian to sign the papers. This was known in the Navy as a "Kiddie Cruise." This was essentially a four year enlistment, and your ID Card which always had on it your discharge date would list it as your 21st birthday. However in this space was the letters DOW, which meant duration of war. The first week in November I persuaded a high school classmate, John Hamilton, that we should both make the 120 miles trip to San Francisco to enlist. We both had written parental permission in hand. Besides that, John had the transportation, and old Indian motorcycle with the "suicide shift". So, up we traveled to the Office Of Naval Officer Procurement at 707 South Market Street in San Francisco. We were given a packet of documents to comply with, namely letters of recommendation to obtain, and told to report back when we had the proper paperwork, for a physical, and to be sworn in. I had a another problem, my birth certificate said my name was Paul Trejo, but all my other paperwork said my name was Paul Berwick, my stepfather’s surname. The Navy requires either legal adoption papers or a legal change of name. I had to return to Pacific Grove to get affidavits from everyone who had written a recommendation that Berwick and Trejo were one and the same person. On February 28, 1944, I was sworn in as and Aviation Cadet, Class V-5. Under the terms of enlistment, I had to complete high school. I graduated June 6th, 1944 from high school, and reported July 1st to the Naval V-5/V-12 unit at the University of Redlands, California. The unit comprised 500 navy seamen cadets, and 200 marine privates. The marines would go on to Quantico, Virginia, after their Redlands training to be commissioned second lieutenants. From there they would become cannon fodder for the next landing in the Pacific. The V-5 seaman would be commissioned midshipmen, and be sent to preflight training. From there they would be sent to flight school, and on completion earn their wings. The next step was off to type training in the aircraft they would be flying. Their final stop was the fleet. The V-12 seaman would be sent to midshipman school and commissioned midshipman. On completion of that training, they were commissioned ensigns and shipped of to the fleet. The program was one of intense physical training, and academics leading to a four year college engineering degree. The discipline was extremely ridged, the physical training rugged, and the academics demanding. It was easy to wash out for almost any reason, and many did. When I was in grade school my mother insisted I learn to play some musical instrument. In grade school the instruments were assigned by drawing lots. I ended drawing a B-Flat Clarinet. I had hoped fore a trombone! In high school I played in the band except during football season. At any rate, at Redlands I joined the Navy Unit Marching Band, that played every Saturday when the Battalion stood inspection, and then marched in review. The band did not have to stand inspection! Those Saturday inspections were a bear. The average July temperature was from 100 degrees Fahrenheit to 110 degrees on a summer’s day. It took an hour for the
Commanding Officer, LtCdr. Jennings Courts to inspect the entire unit.
Even at parade rest people would pass out in the heat. There was and
ambulance and medical corpsmen on hand to take the fallen to sick bay. |
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In October of 1945, they decommissioned the Redlands Unit, and a lot of people were sent to the fleet. I was transferred to the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where I was transferred first from the V-5 program to the V-12 program, and then to the NROTC program, where I was commissioned a line Midshipman. The problem was that the Navy had thousands of officer candidates in all their various programs, the war was nearly over, and they needed to downsize big time. On what basis they made the cuts we were never told. On June 6th, 1947, I received a Bachelor of Naval Science Degree from USC, and a commission as and Ensign in the regular navy. After a months leave and six weeks of Damage Control School at Treasure Island, I flew out to Pearl Harbor to report on board my first ship the USS McCook (DMS- 36/DD-496). |
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USS McCook |
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My first ship the USS McCook. Passing under the Golden Gate February, 1949. I served on her from 1947 to 1949. If you look carefully you can see the out line of the bridge in the background. That is ME in the bow with my elbow cocked. The other officer was Lt. Bud Butler.. |
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EARLY CALIFORNIA WILLS Author: Daughters of the American Revolution. California State Society. 1952: California. Vol. 1/2. 1850-1890, Los Angeles -- v. 3. 1848 to 1900, San Diego County, California -- v. 4. Placer, Shasta and Yuba Counties, 1849-1900 -- v. 5. Probate Court, Kern County, California early marriage records -- v. 6. Santa Clara County, 1850-1864, Solano County, 1850-1873. Vol. 1. Title page Vol. 1. Front matter Vol. 1. Table of contents Vol. 1. Early California wills... Vol. 1. Explanation to index Vol. 1. Index Vol. 2. Title page Vol. 2. Early California wills Vol. 2. Explanation to index Vol. 2. Index Vol. 3. Title page Vol. 3. Table of contents Vol. 3. Front matter Vol. 3. Index: List of ranchos Vol. 3. Part I: Introduction Vol. 3. Probate proceedings: Register of actions Vol. 3. Indexes of wills Vol. 3. Probate proceedings: Will books I, II, & III Vol. 3. Explanation to index Vol. 3. Index Vol. 4. Title page Vol. 4. Table of contents Vol. 4. Vital records-Shasta County Vol. 4. Early wills-Shasta County Vol. 4. Early marriage records of Placer County, Auburn Court House Vol. 4. Early wills of Placer County, California Book "A" Vol. 4. Early wills, Yuba County Vol. 4. Index Vol. V. Title page Vol. V. Front matter Vol. V. Table of contents Vol. V. Kern County wills Vol. V. Abstracts of wills Superior Court of Kern County, California Vol. V. Marriage licenses Vol. V. Explanation of index Vol. V. Index Vol. VI. Title page Vol. VI. Table of contents Vol. VI. Santa Clara County wills Vol. VI. Index (Santa Clara County wills) Vol. VI. Solano County wills Vol. VI. Index Source: ron@sfgenealogy.com via CA-SPANISH-L@rootsweb.com |
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Former Migrant Worker Aims for the Moon
By Guy Gugliotta, Washington Post Staff Writer On May 6, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration chose Jose Hernandez, the son of Mexican migrant farm workers from Stockton, Calif., and Michoacan, as an astronaut candidate, destined, perhaps, to be the next human to set foot on the moon. His credentials are considerable. Hernandez, now 41, is a materials engineer at Houston's Johnson Space Center and an expert in X-rays, tomography, ultrasound, and other nondestructive means of medical and materials analysis. As part of the 11-member astronaut class of 2004, he will train as a mission specialist. Before joining NASA in 2001, he worked for the Department of Energy, where he helped develop the inspection techniques and monitoring procedures used in the disposal of 15 tons of Russian enriched uranium. And at the DOE's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the 1990s, he and a colleague used experience gained working on the Reagan administration's X-ray laser defense initiative to develop the first full-field digital mammography system for detecting breast cancer in women. Along the way, he also become president of the Society of Mexican-American Engineers and Scientists, an avid runner who has participated in the Marine Corps Marathon and the father of five children. Hernandez was born in French Camp, Calif., just outside Stockton, the family's final stop on its annual "California circuit," which began in February, when they arrived in California's Central Valley and headed for the strawberry fields near the city of Ontario. "Then we'd move north to Salinas, for lettuce," Hernandez recalled. "And then to Stockton, for cherries, cucumbers, apricots, peaches, tomatoes. . . We finished with grapes" in October, he said, then drove back to Michoacan for an extended Christmas vacation. But "during all the stops, we went to school," Hernandez said. "We didn't work Monday through Friday, but always on the weekends. And late in the school year, when all the kids were looking forward to summer vacation, I was dreading it." It was sometime during grammar school in the early 1970s when Hernandez's itinerant life began to change. He went to his teacher late in the harvest season to pick up enough homework to tide him over until the next circuit began, but the teacher insisted on talking with his parents. They had some bright kids, who needed some stability, the teacher told them. " 'You should put down some roots' is the way it came out," Hernandez recalled. "After that we stayed with the same school district -- we adapted well." And performed well. Hernandez's sister is an accountant and his two brothers are a mechanic and a DOE engineer. Salvador Hernandez eventually ran his own business driving a fertilizer truck and is semi-retired in Stockton with Julia. "My mom never learned English," Hernandez said, which is
the chief reason he speaks fluent Spanish. And with two Mexican-born
parents, Hernandez enjoys dual citizenship, to the delight of Mexico,
whose embassy feted him here after his selection as an astronaut. He had joined Lawrence Livermore as a work-study undergraduate and was rehired when he returned from UCSB. But even as a young Energy Department up-and-comer, his ultimate goal was to become an astronaut. "I remember [in 1981] when NASA chose [Costa Rican-born] Franklin Chang-Diaz as an astronaut, opening the road to Latinos," Hernandez said. "I said to myself that I had no excuse now. I can't say they don't let Latinos in." (c) 2004 The Washington Post Company |
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By John P. Schmal
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The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo On May 13, 1846, the United States
Congress, at the request of President James Knox Polk, declared war on
the Mexican Republic. And thus began the Mexican-American War. The war
in California ended less than a year later with the Treaty of Cahuenga,
signed on January 13, 1847. Another year later, on February 2, 1848, the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo forced Mexico to hand over to the United
States 525,000 square miles of landing, including California. A year later, forty-eight
delegates met in Monterey to put together the first California
Constitution. For six weeks from September to November 1849 the
Constitutional Convention created a constitution that would guarantee
rights to all citizens living within California’s borders. The final
Constitution – written in both English and Spanish – provided that
all major legislation in the future would be written in both English and
Spanish. The first California Senate in
1849 was composed of nine members from northern states, five members
from southern states, and only two members who were native Californians.
The session last four months and adjourned on April 22, 1850. Less than
half a year later, on September 9, 1850, California would be admitted as
the thirty-first American state. It was Mariano’s brother who
stands as the most spectacular Chicano legislator during California’s
Nineteenth Century. Born in Santa Barbara in 1831, Romualdo Pacheco was
a proud Californian who also had roots in the Mexican state of
Guanajuato. Señor Pacheco originally served as superior court judge in
San Luis Obispo from 1853-1857. Romualdo moved on to serve in the State
Assembly in 1853-55 and 1868-70. In 1857, he first started serving in
the California State Senate and he continued to serve intermittently,
also in 1861-63 and 1869-70. Then, in 1891, Assemblyman A. J.
Bledsoe introduced an English literacy requirement as a proposed
constitutional amendment in the State Assembly. Bledsoe had earlier
belonged to the vigilante Committee of Fifteen that had expelled every
person of Chinese ancestry from Humboldt. In his introduction, he
lamented the "the increased immigration of the illiterate and
unassimilated elements of Europe, and believe that every agency should
be invoked to preserve our public lands from alien grasp, to shield
American labor from this destructive competition, and to protect the
purity of the ballot-box from the corrupting influences of the
disturbing elements ... from abroad." The End of World War II The year was 1947 and the place was California. World War II had ended two years earlier and millions of American GI’s had returned home to their families and jobs. The Great Depression had ended with the coming of World War II and California – like the rest of the country – was experiencing a newly found economic prosperity. As a result of this prosperity, Los Angeles was drawing large numbers of people from all around the United States and from Mexico. Between 1940 and 1950, the population of California increased from over 6 million people to 10 ½ million. During the same period, the population of Los Angeles County jumped from 3 million to 4.7 million people. During World War II, hundreds of thousands of Hispanic Americans had served in the U.S. military, many receiving decorations for their service to their country. These proud veterans returned to their native land, but still experienced many forms of discrimination and prejudice in the job market. However, as the war drew to an end, an important piece of legislation presented Chicano veterans with an opportunity for advancement in California. The G.I. Bill Act of June 22, 1944 – or the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act [Public Law 346, 78th Congress, Title III, §§500-503, 58 Stat. 284, 291-293 (1944)] – put higher education within the reach of thousands of Mexican-American veterans. The Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1952 [Public Law 550, 82nd Congress, July 16, 1952, Ch. 875, 66 Stat. 663, 38 U.S.C. 997] provided similar privileges to Korean War veterans. Over the next decade,
Mexican-American veterans attended local and nationwide colleges and
universities to obtain college degrees. In many cases, these vets were
the first members of their families to receive a higher education. Armed
with the weapon of education, many of these Chicano veterans became the
politicians of the 1960s and 1970s. In California’s expanding wartime economy, some Mexican Americans had become skilled workers, putting them into a new economic bracket. But, the new prosperity had not translated into political representation yet. Not a single Hispanic person from California had served in Congress since the end of Romualdo Pacheco’s tenure as representative in 1883. Additionally, not a single Mexican American had served in the California Legislature since the end of Miguel Estudillo’s tenure in the California Senate (1911). The last Latino to serve as mayor of the City of Los Angeles, Cristobal Aguilar, had been voted out of office in 1872 and the last Mexican-American member of the Los Angeles City Council had stepped down in 1881. The Emergence of Edward Roybal It was in this vacuum of non-representation that a unique individual came onto the scene. More than any other person, Edward Roybal would pave the way for two generations of Mexican-American Californians, who would achieve representation in the Los Angeles City Council, the U.S. Congress, or the California Legislature. Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Roybal had come to Boyle Heights in 1922 with his parents, when his unemployed father sought new employment. Roybal graduated from Roosevelt High School and attended UCLA before going to World War II. After the war had ended, he returned to Los Angeles and became the Director of Health Education for the Los Angeles County Tuberculosis and Health Association. In 1947, 30-year-old Edward R. Roybal decided to run for councilman of the 9th Council District, which included Boyle Heights, Bunker Hill, Civic Center, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, and the Central Avenue District. The racial makeup of the district’s 185,033 residents was: 45% White, 34% Latino, 15% African American, and 6% "other." Even Roybal’s political base, Boyle Heights, was just 43% Hispanic at the time, while 34% of the inhabitants were native-born Whites. Professor Katherine Underwood has analyzed Roybal’s run for office and noted that Roybal’s first campaign lacked endorsements and neglected voter outreach. In the primary election on April 1, 1947, Edward Roybal and three other candidates ran against the incumbent councilman, Parley Parker Christensen. On Election Day, Christensen won 8,948 votes, while Roybal came in third with 3,350 votes (15% of the total ballots cast). Seventy-five percent of Roybal’s support had come from Boyle Heights. (Katherine Underwood, "Pioneering Minority Representation: Edward Roybal and the Los Angeles City Council, 1949-1962," Pacific Historical Review – 1997). Following this loss, Roybal became involved with several of his campaign supporters to create the CPO (Community Political Organization) in September 1947. The organization, which was later renamed CSO (Community Service Organization), became the first broad-based organization within the Mexican-American community, representing veterans, businessmen, and workers. The primary goal of the CSO was to register Mexican Americans to vote. For this purpose, the organization recruited 1,000 members and registered 15,000 new voters in the Latino sections of Boyle Heights, Belvedere, and East Los Angeles. By 1949, Roybal believed that he had enough support to run for the Ninth District seat once again. In the April 5, 1949 primary election, Roybal knocked Daniel Sullivan and Julia Sheehan out of the council race by capturing 37% of the total votes cast. This forced a runoff with Christensen in the May general election. In the general election held on May 31, 1949, Edward Roybal soundly defeated six-term Councilman Christensen by a vote of 20,472 to 11,956, winning by a 2-to-1 margin. With this victory, Ed Roybal became the first Mexican American since 1881 to win a seat on the Los Angeles City Council. He would serve as Council member of the 9th District from July 1, 1949 to Dec. 31, 1962, before moving on to the U.S. Congress in 1963. Even with Roybal’s victory, CSO continued its registration efforts. By 1950, some 32,000 Mexican Americans had been added to registration rolls, contributing to the election of businessman Albert G. Padilla to the San Fernando City Council. Mr. Padilla was made Council member on April 18, 1950 and served for four years. (Source: Elena Sanchez, San Fernando City Clerk). A year later, Roybal was reelected to the Council seat for the 9th District in the primaries on April 3, 1951 when he defeated Irving Rael by 17,941 votes to 5,762 votes (almost a 3-to-1 margin). The Election of Charles Navarro (1951) In the meantime, a second Hispanic, Charles Navarro, ran for the City Council. In the April 3 election, five candidates ran for the Council seat, representing District 10. In this primary election, left-wing Assemblyman Vernon Kilpatrick received 5,301 votes, while Navarro received the second largest number of votes with 5,077. Navarro and Kilpatrick thus advanced to a showdown in the general election, to be held in June. The Los Angeles Times reported that this election represented "one of the bitterest Council fights in years," pitting the Conservative income property owner and "champion of free enterprise" Charles Navarro "on a strong anti-Communist platform" against the left-wing Kilpatrick. Kilpatrick had already served for twelve years as an Assemblyman but, according to the Times, "had a long record of left-wing activities and associations." Once the complete returns had been tallied, Navarro had defeated Kilpatrick 9,075 votes to 7,382 on June 29, 1951 at the general election. Navarro took office as Councilman on July 1, 1951. In the 1953 contest for the 9th District, Roybal ran unopposed, winning his seat in the April 7, 1953 primary election. Charles Navarro was also reelected at the same time. Very little changed in the political representation of Latinos for the rest of the 1950s. Edward Roybal sought the nomination for Lieutenant Governor in 1954, but failed. Then in 1958, Ed Roybal announced that he would run for the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors. The outgoing Supervisor John Anson Ford endorsed Roybal. He and Councilman Ernest Debs opposed each other. The Eastside supported Roybal, but last minute defections hurt Roybal as several prominent Chicano leaders defected to Debs. Because Roybal had openly opposed the Chávez Ravine and Boyle Heights issues, the Los Angeles Times opposed him and endorsed Debs. On the first ballot, Roybal led by 393 votes, 139,800 to 139,407. But the County Voter Registrar reported that a 12,000-vote error had been made. After four recounts, Debs won 141,011 to 128,994. In the 1950s, large numbers of Mexican Americans moved from Texas to the Midwest and California. By 1959, the Mexican-American population of Los Angeles County had increased to 600,000. However, aside from the two Latinos on the Los Angeles City Council, representation was nil. No Mexican American represented East Los Angeles or other Hispanic communities in Sacramento, nor did any Hispanic represent California in the U.S. Congress. MAPA To address the issue of representation in California, the Mexican American Political Association (MAPA) was organized by 150 volunteer delegates at Fresno. Meeting for the first time in April 1959, MAPA Delegates drew up a plan for
direct electoral politics. From the beginning MAPA declared that its
main goal was to become the political voice of the Mexican American
community. Ed Roybal was elected first MAPA president. Navarro as City Controller In 1961, Los Angeles City Councilman Charles Navarro decided to run for the office of City Controller, challenging the incumbent City Controller, Don O. Hoye, who had served in that capacity since 1957. In the May 31, 1961 General Election, Navarro coasted to an easy victory of the incumbent Hoye, taking a 2-to-1 lead over Hoye in the early returns and maintaining his lead throughout the night. The final tally from June 2, 1961 gave Charles Navarro 331,340 votes, well above Hoye’s 161,690 votes. Charles Navarro took office on July 1st as City Controller, thus vacating his council position. Upon his victory, he stated, "I’ll miss the debates and personality clashes of the City Council, but I’m looking forward to my new responsibilities as controller." An Anglo, Joe E. Hollingsworth, was appointed on August 25, 1961 to Charles Navarro’s unexpired term on the 10th District seat. Hollingsworth would be succeeded by Thomas Bradley, who was elected at the April 2, 1963 primaries to replace Hollingsworth on June 30, 1963. Bradley served the 10th District until July 1, 1973, when he became Mayor of Los Angeles. 1961 Reapportionment and Redistricting In 1960, California had a total population of 15,717,204 persons. This new figure increased California’s representation in the U.S. Congress from 30 seats in 1950 to 38 seats. Roughly 1.5 million Hispanics made up more than 9% of the California population, but 20% of these Hispanics were foreign-born, many of whom were not naturalized and, as a result, were not eligible to vote. In Los Angeles, Latinos only made up 9.6% of the population in 1960, slightly above the African-American population of 7.6%. As the new decade commenced, there were still no Chicanos in the State Senate, the Assembly or in the California Congressional delegation. There was no representation of the Mexican-American population in any part of California, primarily because of political fracturing. "Fracturing" is the drawing of district lines so that a minority population is broken up. Members of the minority are spread among as many districts as possible, keeping them a minority in all the districts. Because of fracturing, the Latino community of Los Angeles was unable to concentrate its strength so that it might elect representatives in some of its districts. And so it was that the East Los Angeles Barrio, with its large population of Hispanics, was split up into nine different Assembly districts, seven State Senate districts, and six different Congressional Districts. Most of these districts were combined with neighboring Anglo communities so that Hispanics rarely made up more than 20% of any one district's population. This district manipulation was effective in depriving the Latino community of legislative power and influence. In 1961, with the 1960 census
statistics as a guide, the California Legislature reapportioned the
Senate and Assembly pursuant to section 6 of article IV of the
California Constitution. Testifying before the Reapportionment and
Elections Committees of the Senate and Assembly, Los Angeles City
Councilperson Edward Roybal, complained about the fragmentation of the
Chicano communities in L.A. He stressed the importance of creating
Hispanic districts. After the 1961 reapportionment, Mexican Americans represented significant populations in the following Assembly Districts: the 40th, 45th, 48th, 50th and 51st Assembly Districts. All of these districts fragmented the Chicano community and attached the districts to surrounding Anglo districts. The California Supreme Court later ruled that California's congressional districts, as drawn in 1961, were unconstitutional and ordered reapportionment of the districts (Silver v. Reagan, 67 Cal. 2nd 452). Similarly, the Supreme Court also ruled that the Assembly and Senate would have to reapportion their districts (Silver v. Brown, 63 Cal. 2nd 270). Although most of the redistricting
that took place in 1961 resulted in obvious and continued gerrymandering
of the Latino community in the Los Angeles area, the increasing Latino
population in the Los Angeles area finally led to the election of
Mexican-American representatives. Most significant was the creation of a
congressional district, which would pave a way for Edward Roybal to run
for Congress. The 1962 Elections In the June 5, 1962 California Primary Election, thirteen Chicano candidates ran for office. City Councilman Edward Roybal had announced that he would run for the 30th Congressional District. Around the same time, Henry Mendoza, a Republican, announced that he would run for the 21st District. Altogether, eleven Chicanos were on the ballot for the 40th, 45th, 48th, 50th, 51st and 77th Assembly Districts. In East L.A.’s 48th District, Frank Lopez and Frank Paz had run against each other in the primaries. Political analysts believed that Frank Paz might have won that election if he had not faced another Latino in the primary. Of the thirteen candidates, only three men would take office following the November 6, 1962 General Election. In the primaries, John Moreno had faced three other Chicano Democratic candidates in the contest for East Los Angeles’ 51st Assembly District seat. A native of Los Angeles, Moreno had attended USC and served in the U.S. Navy from 1945 to 1947. Before running for his Assembly seat, John Moreno served as the Mayor of the City of Santa Fe Springs. Once elected, Assemblyperson Moreno would serve as the representative of the 51st District for only two years: 1963 and 1964. Philip Soto, a Democrat from La Puente, was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and was a member of the La Puente City Council prior to his service in Sacramento. He became the state representative for the 50th Assembly District. With their November 6 elections, Philip Soto and John Moreno became the first two Latinos from Los Angeles County to be elected to the California State Legislature in the Twentieth Century. They were also the first Latinos to be elected to serve in the State Assembly since the election of Miguel Estudillo of Riverside County in 1907. The election of these two men set a precedent for a long line of Latino legislators committed to the service of their communities. While Soto and Moreno celebrated their Assembly districts, Ed Roybal also savored his own victory. On November 6, 1962, after defeating Loyola University Professor William Fitzgerald, the City Councilman became the first Hispanic from California to be elected to Congress since the 1879 election of Romualdo Pacheco. Edward Roybal took his seat in the House of Representatives on January 3, 1963 at the start of the 88th U.S. Congress. He would serve for twenty years from the 88th Congress to the 102nd Congress, retiring on January 3, 1993. At the start of his Congressional career, Representative Roybal represented the 30th District from 1963 to 1975. From 1975 to 1993, he served in the 25th District. In 1976, Roybal became one of the founding members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. As Ed Roybal prepared to run for Representative of the 30th Congressional District, he resigned from his City Council seat on July 31, 1962. An African-American, Gilbert W. Lindsay, was appointed to replace him on January 28, 1963, even though the 9th District had a large concentration of Latinos. Lindsay would serve in this capacity to Dec. 28, 1990, when he died in office. In three years, African Americans went from having no representation on the Los Angeles City Council in 1960 to having three representatives in 1963. At the same time, Latino representation went from two council members to zero. The City Council apportionment of 1962 split East Los Angeles among seven councilmanic districts. Because of this fragmentation, Chicanos could not be a majority in any one of the city’s fifteen districts, even though they represented a large portion of seven of the council’s fifteen districts. The 1964 Elections In the June 2, 1964 California Primary Election, Ed Roybal received 49,151 votes in the 30th Congressional District, easily winning reelection to his Congressional seat. His closest opponents received only 15,153 and 13,228 votes. In the elections for the California Assembly, many Chicano candidates stepped forward to seek a mandate for representing their communities. A total of eleven Chicanos ran for the 10th, 38th, 40th, 45th, 48th, 50th 51st, and 75th Assembly District seats. However, by the time the elections had ended, only one Hispanic Assemblymember would take office. In the 50th Assembly
District, Philip Soto won reelection by 2,178 votes in the general
election. Two years later in 1966, however, facing the same opponent in
1966, Soto would lose his seat by 4,309 votes, most likely because of
boundary changes to his district after the 1966 reapportionment. When Assemblyman Moreno tried to get reelected to his 51st District seat, he found himself up against another Chicano candidate, Dionisio Morales. This contest split the Chicano vote and led to victory in the Democratic Primary by Jack Fenton. Jack Fenton received 16,278 votes to John Moreno’s 12,850 votes. 1965 Reapportionment of the California Legislature In 1965, the California Legislature was forced to reapportion itself under order of the California Supreme Court. Governor Edmund "Pat" Brown called a special session of the Legislature to consider reapportionment, and, in October, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill No. 1, which fashioned new Assembly and Senate districts. However, the 1965 redistricting continued the fracturing and dilution of the East Los Angeles Chicano community. Five Assembly Districts – the 40th, 45th, 48th, 50th, and 51st – all dipped into East Los Angeles for 20-30 percent of their registered voters, while five other Assembly Districts – the 52nd, 53rd, 56th, 65th and 66th – all dipped in for smaller percentages. (Richard Santillan, "California Reapportionment and the Chicano Community: An Historical Overview 1960-1980," in The Chicano Community and California Redistricting, Vol. I (Rose Institute of State and Local Government, Claremont Men’s College, 1981). The 1966 Elections In the 1966 California Primary Election on June 7, 1966, four Hispanics ran for the 14th, 19th, and 29th Congressional Districts, and all of them lost. Fifteen Chicanos also ran for positions on the Assembly. All of these candidates, some of whom opposed one another in the primaries, lost their elections. The one Latino incumbent, Philip Soto, lost by 4,309 votes,. In addition, nine Latinos also ran for State Senate seats, the 9th, 10th, 27th and 28th and 30th. Richard Calderón received the CDC and MAPA endorsements for his bid for the 27th Senatorial District but lost by 311 votes. Cecilia Pedroza and Raúl Morín had splintered the Mexican-American vote, preventing Calderón from winning. In his reelection bid for the 30th Congressional District, Ed Roybal received 48,117 votes against the 22,347 votes of his Republican opponent, Henry O’Bryant, Jr. This represented the only bright spot for the cause of Chicano representation in the 1966 election year. Julian Nava’s Election (1967) The election of Professor Julian Nava in 1967 to the Los Angeles Unified School District Board was significant in many respects. He was the first Latino elected to the school board and he was able to defeat an incumbent in an at-large election. His vote total, over two million, was actually the largest ever received by a victorious Latino candidate in the United States up to that time. In an interview with the author, Julian stated that his election "lit fires in many places" and "inspired the famous ‘Walk Outs’ of the Los Angeles high schools in February of 1968, just seven months after I took office." Julian explains that these walkouts took place because "the students (and their leaders) believed that for the first time their demands for reform might be met with one of their own on the school board." But Julian Nava’s surprise victory was one of the few events that gave representation to Latinos during this period. The author, Richard Santillan, in "Chicano Politics: La Raza Unida" explains that: "After 1968, the Mexican-American… looked at the American political system and found that the Mexican-American after almost 120 years of being an American citizen did not have any real political voice. The Mexican-American tried to work in the two-party system, but the system failed him. In 1968, the California Legislature did not have one Mexican-American in the Assembly nor the Senate." (Richard Santillan, Chicano Politics: La Raza Unida (Los Angeles: Tlaquilo Publications, 1973), p. 11). The 1968 Elections By 1968, the California Legislature was once again without Latino representatives. In the June 4, 1968 primary elections, 13 Latinos ran for Assembly seats. Philip L. Soto once again ran for the 50th Assembly seat again but lost one more time. By the time the elections had ended, only one Chicano was given a ticket to enter the Assembly. In the primary election for the 40th Assembly District, the Democratic candidate Alex Garcia had faced twelve other candidates in the primary election, including four Hispanics. For Mr. Garcia, this election would begin a political career, as he served in the Assembly from 1968 to 1974 and in the State Senate from 1974 to 1982. Assemblyman Garcia was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a graduate of East Los Angeles Junior College, the University of California, Los Angeles and the Southern California Business School. Before his election to the State Legislature, Garcia was a field Representative for Congressman Ed Roybal for five years. A New Decade (the 1970s) The 1970s represented new opportunities for Chicano candidates. The beginning of true Hispanic representation would be established during these years. In 1970, California had a total population of 19,971,069 persons. Of this total, 2,369,292 were Hispanics, who made up 10.8% of the state’s total population. However, in this year, out of 15,650 elected and appointed officials at the municipal, county, state, and federal levels, only 310 (1.98%) were Chicanos ("Political Participation of Mexican Americans in California," Report of the California Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights, Sacramento, Calif., August 1971, p. 15). Of the 2.4 million Hispanics living in California, 490,892 were foreign-born, making up 22.9% of the total Hispanic population. Many of these people were not citizens and ineligible for American voting privileges. This represented a significant stumbling block in electing Chicanos to public office. Assemblyman García was the lone Latino in the California Legislature at the beginning of 1970. However, in the June 2, 1970 primary election, three Republican Latinos ran for Congressional seats in the 9th, 16th and 22nd Congressional Districts. In addition, fourteen Chicanos also ran for Assembly seats in the primaries, but only two men won. In the primaries, Alex P. Garcia won reelection to the 40th Assembly District by a wide margin, getting 15,151 votes out a total of 22,953. The Democrat Peter Chacón was elected as the representative for the 69th Assembly District in San Diego County. After receiving a bachelor’s degree, teaching credential and M.A. from San Diego State University, Mr. Chacon worked as an educator and administrator for the San Diego Unified School District. The Elections of 1972 The Elections of 1972 represented another step forward for the Hispanic community of California. Richard Alatorre and Joseph Montoya were elected from their respective districts in Los Angeles to the California Assembly, while Ray Gonzales was elected to represent his Bakersfield District. Ray Gonzales, a Democrat, won a stunning victory against a veteran Republic legislator in a bid for the 33rd Assembly District, which took up most of Kern County, including Bakersfield, one of the most conservative areas of the state. Gonzáles had graduated from Mount San Antonio College and UCLA, and spent four years in the U.S. Air Force. His career in elective politics began at the age of 28 with a one-vote victory to the La Puente City Council in 1968. He later served as Mayor of La Puente before his election to the State Legislature. Richard Alatorre, a Democrat from Los Angeles, was elected to serve as the representative of the 55th District to the California Assembly. A native of East Los Angles, Alatorre served in the Assembly from 1972 to 1985. In 1985, he took a seat on the Los Angeles City Council representing the 14th District. Alatorre would be elected as the first Chair of the Chicano Legislative Caucus. Aware of their unified strength,
the five Latinos now serving in the State Legislature officially formed
the Chicano Legislative Caucus. The establishment of the Caucus marked a
significant turning point in the political empowerment of the Latino
community. For the first time in California's legislative history, an
agenda was established and legislative priorities were put forward to
protect and preserve the rights of Latinos throughout California. Later Years The Chicano Assemblymen and Congressional delegates of the 1960s and early 1970s forged an important path for other people to follow, and Latino representation slowly, but steadily, increased. As the 1970s progressed into the 1980s, more Chicano legislators stepped forward. But, in the eyes of many, their progress remained painfully slow. By 1985, seven Latinos were in the state legislature, making up only 6% of the total legislative branch. Three Latinos also served as representatives to the U.S. Congress from California (Ed Roybal, Marty Martinez, and Esteban Torres). In this year, Richard Alatorre left the Assembly to join the Los Angeles city Council, once again bringing Latino representation to that political body. By the end of the 1980s, the Latino community of California had elected ten people to represent their districts: Three were members of the U.S. Congress. Three were State Senators and four were serving in the State Assembly. The Hispanics in the State Legislators represented only 5% of the total seats in the Assembly and Senate. In many ways, the Latino community of California remained disenfranchised, when one considers that by 1990, they represented 26% of the California population. However, because many Latinos were foreign-born non-citizens or below the age of 18, they only made up about 5% of the California electorate at this time, effectively reducing their influence in electing their choices for political representation. The Latino share of the electorate, however, would increase dramatically to 14% by 1998 (Alvarez and Nagler, 1999: 19). The 2000 Elections A decade later in the November 2000 elections, the first major elections of the new millennium, Latino candidates recorded a net gain of eight state house seats. In California, the number of Latinos in the 80-member State Assembly increased from 16 to 20, giving them 25% of the seats. November 2002 After the November 2002 elections,
Latinos representatives to Congress numbered seven. In the State Senate,
the elections brought the number of Latino Senators to nine, while
Hispanic membership in the Assembly reached 18. The struggle has been
long and hard-fought. But, with the Latino population increasing at a
significant rate, Chicano political analysts see that time is on their
side. © 2004, John P. Schmal. All Rights Reserved. Sources: Fernando J. Guerra and Dwaine Marvick, "Ethnic Officeholders and Party Activists in Los Angeles County" in Institute for Social Science Research, Vol. II (1986-87). Malcolm E. Jewell, The Politics of Reapportionment," (New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1962).
Lawrence (or Larry) Kestenbaum,
"The Political Graveyard: California: State Assembly, 1850s."
http://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/CA/ofc/asmbly1850s.html [Last full
revision: September 1, 2003]. Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and William C. Velasquez Institute, "California Congressional Redistricting Plan" (Submitted July 17, 2001, Los Angeles). http://www.maldef.org/publications/pdf/Congressional_Plan_Supplement.pdf "Political Participation of Mexican Americans in California," Report of the California Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights, Sacramento, Calif., August 1971. Richard Santillan, "California Reapportionment and the Chicano Community: An Historical Overview 1960-1980," in The Chicano Community and California Redistricting, Vol. I (Rose Institute of State and Local Government, Claremont Men’s College, 1981). Richard Santillan, Chicano Politics: La Raza Unida (Los Angeles: Tlaquilo Publications, 1973). Katherine Underwood, "Pioneering Minority Representation: Edward Roybal and the Los Angeles City Council, 1949-1962," Pacific Historical Review – 1997
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"Unveiling Ancient Knowledge" U.S. District Judge Ricardo Martinez |
Search for an Equal
Education Scrapbooking Boom |
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"Unveiling Ancient Knowledge" Art Exhibit featuring Peruvian Artist, Ernesto Apomayta, hosted in Utah |
| Peruvian
Artist hosts art exhibit
SALT LAKE CITY, UT (PRWEB) June 21, 2004 --
Award winning cross-cultural Peruvian artist, Ernesto Apomayta,
announced today the “Unveiling of Ancient Knowledge” art exhibition
on Saturday, June 26, 2004 in Bountiful, Utah. Displaying many of his
works with influences from around the world, Mr. Apomayta will show
pieces that express his spirit through watercolors, oils, natural inks,
acrylics and charcoal applied to textured paper, rice paper, silk and
the walls of structures. |
"They're Cheering in the Martinez Household!" Source: Senator Murray's Hispanic News Update: Sent by David Cisneros Garcia garcia.david.c@worldnet.att.net Dear Friend: We’re thrilled to share with you the latest Hispanic News Update from U.S. Senator Patty Murray. Tuesday, June 15, 2004 Senator Murray's Ten-Month Effort Succeeds in Confirming Washington’s First Latino District Court Judge Murray's work for home-state nominee leads to confirmation of highly qualified judge (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Ricardo Martinez as a District Court Judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. Since her first meeting with Judge Martinez in August 2003, Senator Murray has worked with Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and the White House to get Judge Martinez nominated and confirmed. The nomination was approved today by a vote of 98-0. Immediately after the vote, Senator Murray called Judge Martinez from the Senate floor to congratulate him. "They're cheering at the Martinez household. I am proud to have worked to confirm Judges Martinez. He is a highly qualified jurist of great integrity, and his confirmation marks progress for Washington state," Murray said. "Today's vote proves that when we work together to find strong, qualified candidates for the judiciary, Washington state wins." Judge Martinez, the first Latino district judge in the history of Washington state, has been a distinguished Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. He has also served Washington state as Superior Court Judge and a King County prosecutor. Judge Martinez was named the first Drug Court judge in Washington state and worked tirelessly to ensure the success of this program, which uses treatment services as an alternative to incarceration. "Judge Martinez clearly meets the standards of fairness and adherence to the law that we look for in our federal judges. Outside of his numerous professional credentials, I have met with him, and I have been impressed by his professionalism and decency," Murray said. "It is my pleasure to support the nomination of Judge Martinez to the federal bench, where he will continue to serve the people of Washington state well.” A 10-Month Journey. Senator Murray met with Judge Martinez in August 2003 and immediately supported his nomination, which the White House announced on August 13, 2003. On October 14th, 2003, the White House officially sent his nomination to the U.S. Senate for consideration. On January 13, 2004, Murray introduced him before the Senate Judiciary Committee and urged her colleagues to support his confirmation. On February 20, 2004, Murray shared Martinez’s inspiring story with students at the fourth annual conference of Washington’s Latino/a Educational Achievement Project (LEAP) in Olympia, Washington. On March 4, 2003, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved Martinez’s nomination and sent his confirmation to the full Senate, which today confirmed Judge Martinez. More Information: Murray's work on Latino issues: http://murray.senate.gov/hispanic En Espanol: http://murray.senate.gov/espanol/ Get updates on Latino issues: http://murray.senate.gov/hispanic/update |
| In response to your May 9, 2004 feature article; The Search for an Equal Education: Legacy of Brown vs Board of Education Dear Seattle Times Editor: May 10,2004 In response to your May 9,2004 feature article; The Search for an Equal Education; The legacy of Brown vs Board of Education, by Sanjay Bratt--Fifty years have passed and we haven't fully implemented the mandates of this Supreme Court ruling. After 39 years[ 1965] and 120 billion education dollars later, invested in Title 1, Compensatory Federal/State Compensatory Education designed to increased the academic achievement of low-income/minority students--and closed the academic proficiency cap of these students. And even after 39 years [1965],Elementary, Secondary Education Act-150 plus billion educational federal/state dollars.[ See US Dept. of Education reports : Washington State Profiles/ State Education Indicators--Title 1and " Closing the Education Achievement Gap: Is Title 1 Working, by Marvin H. Kosters We still haven't provided an equal integrated quality education for all our students!! And with," All Deliberate Speed'', Brown vs. Board of Education. We didn't get educationally serious, about providing an integrated equal quality education, for all our students--until18 years later,1972--with the Emergency School Aid Act, designed to physically and culturally desegregated and integrated our nations' public schools. While at the same time, increasing the minority students Academic Achievement--and reducing their Minority isolation. I had the opportunity and honor to administer [ fund, monitor and evaluate] the ESAA educational programs, for the Western-Court order and Volunteer Desegregating School Districts, while employed with about 15 other federal education employees--of the U.S. Office of Education, HEW/Region 1X, SF,Calif. And we accomplished all of this, without busing.! By using educational programs of Math and Science / Magnet Schools--multi-cultural, Computer assisted Instructions, AP programs, in English, Reading , Chemistry. and history classes. And teacher training in the ethnic histories, of their students. Also, using local funded non-profit Community Organizations, to assist in the implementation of the School Districts' desegregating plans. Phllys Beaumonte and William Huelett, retired excellence teachers of the Seattle School District--with their collective 50 plus of K-12 teaching and administrating education programs--makes a qualifying assessment: 1]Low teacher expectation 2] re-segregated schools 3]The need for ethnic teacher parity. While the causes for failure to fully implement the mandates of Brown vs Board Education, and recommendations for cure, are many. Somehow, I'll attempt to address a few. 1-Low-income and changing housing patterns, and re-segregated public schools. Not in our State of Washington. 2-Low teacher exceptions of their Black and Hispanic students. 3-White flight 4-Poor distribution of the limited educational resources. A-We should try and re-distribute and re-locate some of our low-income single families. Since that won't be an occurrence in the foreseeable future--and we won't we reaching ethnic parity of our teachers--in the near future. C-Then we must re-train our existing teachers, in the practice of high teacher student expectations. D-Required that all of our State teachers, teach to the " Essential Academic Learning Requirements, recommended by the educational research;" A Decade of Reform," by Dr.Fouts--2003,Seattle University. And assure that all of our students, are educated at the same high level--at the same time.!! E-Require all non-working parents, on Welfare, Food Stamps, medicaid,Subsided housing and the Free Lunch program--to assure their children plosive learning behaviors and attendance. And sign a parent/student learning commitment contract --or risk penializing their entitlements!! F-Release all working parents/non-parents/citizens--from their employment, during the day--on a rotating bases--to be involved in their educational development of their children. As Black-Americans, we should put more emphasis on our accomplishments and success---then on our failures! We need to teach our children the values of a quality education. And that " Poverty and Racism--are not a sentence to failure" Prof. John Mc Whorter, UC Berkeley. For an educationally sound program and producer of an equal education for all its students--we need not look any further then our own State. There is a Math, Engineering, Science Achievement[ MESA ],statewide funded program--for the last 22 years. With five MESA Centers,Classes in 23 Schools Districts and 80 schools. That has been steadily increasing the Academic Achievements of Black, Hispanic, Native-Americans and Females students. And increasing their representation in the fields and careers, of Math Science and Engineering. On a very low level funding. The MESA program is sponsor by University of Washington/College of Engineering. I'm educationally please to report, that Bremerton and Central Kitsap School Districts---have incorporated the method of teaching to the," Essentials Academic Learning Requirements", recommended by, " A Decade of Reform". We should see some positive results, in about two years. Also, the Bremerton School District--will begin its MESA program, this Fall.! Willis Papillion, A lifelong participant in the struggle for a quality education--for all our students.!! Kitsap Peninsula MESA-Interim Director 1578 Reo PL.,NW Silverdale, WA 98383 360-697-5378 willis35@earthlink.net |
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Scrapbooking Boom Scrapbooking is believed to have begun in Utah among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who have a passion for genealogy, said Don Meyer of the Hobby Industry Association. From there, the phenomenon exploded, Meyer said. In 1996, Americans spent about $200 million on scrapbooking. In 2001, that figure grew to $1.5 billion and last year topped $2.5 billion, according to association research. Mormon community early to scrapbook By Rachel Sauer, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer, Friday, June 4, 2004 http://www.palmbeachpost.com/accent/content/auto/epaper/editions /today/accent_04fb877772313116003c.html Only 15 years ago, few outside of Utah had heard of scrapbooking. Sure, people kept scrapbooks in which they stuck ticket stubs and playbills, but the phenomenon of scrapbooking quietly percolated for years before it hit the mainstream. It began in Utah among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who have a passion for genealogy, said Don Meyer of the Hobby Industry Association (www.hobby.org). Slowly it spread, quietly spawning companies such as Creative Memories, for which consultants went into homes and taught groups how to scrapbook. From there, the phenomenon exploded, Meyer said. In 1996, Americans spent about $200 million on scrapbooking. In 2001, that figure grew to $1.5 billion and last year topped $2.5 billion, according to association research. Scrapbooking is most widespread in the West and Midwest, though it's popular across the country. It ranks third in popularity among hobbies, behind cross-stitch and home-decor painting, and is the fastest-growing in the craft industry. He attributed the hobby's popularity to a number of factors. "In the last five to 10 years, crafting has really become much more mainstream than it was, say, 20, 25 years ago," he said. "And in the last five years or so, there's been something of a rebellion against technology, a more do-it-yourself sensibility. Scrapbooking is an interactive activity, it's a creative outlet for people, it's a way to express yourself and a way to give a little piece of yourself to someone. "To some extent we've turned away from the accumulation of material goods, and now it's about the accumulation of experience." Though it's mainly women who scrapbook, he said, men become involved in the picture-taking, downloading and printing aspect of it. The advent of digital photography has affected only the way people print their photos, he said. Scrapbooking has spread so widely that now mainstream retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target and Office Depot carry some sort of scrapbooking supplies, which can include anything from hand-made paper to fancy pens. According to the association, there are 4,000 independent scrapbooking retailers nationally and 15,000 retail outlets that carry supplies. This helps explain how the average scrapbooker spends $50 a month on scrapbooking supplies and has $1,600 worth of supplies at home. On average, scrapbookers spend 10 hours a month on their hobby. Scrapbooking also has spawned several off-shoot hobbies, including card-making, which utilizes many of the same materials, and altered books, in which books are cut, painted and embellished to become scrapbooks. |
| Jose Teofilo Sanchez,
80-year old Receives High School Diploma Hispanic-businesses top 500 DNA Mexican-Americans Colorado |
Los Lunas,
N.M. Mystery Rock Keystone Heritage Park, Inc. Juan Matias Sanchez, Southern California Ranchero |
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Jose Teofilo Sanchez Written by daughter On May 29, 2004, 80-year old Jose Teofilo Sanchez became the first World War II veteran to receive his high school diploma under rules recently approved by the New Mexico State Secretary of Education. Sanchez participated in the Class of 2004 Mora High School commencement ceremony in Mora, New Mexico. He was escorted by an honor guard and he received a standing ovation when he was presented his diploma. Sanchez said, "I was surprised and happy to receive my high
school diploma 60 years after leaving high school to serve in the United
States Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Like so many
other New Mexicans who left school to serve in the war, we did so as our
duty and honor and proudly served our country. The impact World War II
had on us is that of patriotism, change, and personal growth." |
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Sanchez, born in El Oro near
Ledoux, New Mexico left high school to
serve in the Navy on the USS California. The USS California joined
the task force of the 7th Fleet, which consisted of the USS
Colorado, two aircraft carriers, a cruiser, some destroyers, and her
sister ship the USS Tennessee. The fleet sailed to its first
operation -- shelling enemy costal batteries off Saipan in the Mariana
Islands. Seaman 1st Class Jose Teofilo Sanchez was an
Ammunition Handler on a five-inch gun mount. After the war, like many men from northern New Mexico, he migrated to Wyoming to find work with the railroad. He worked for the Union Pacific Railroad for 38 years until my retirement. He enjoys reading and learned about carpentry and plumbing and became a self-employed carpenter specializing in cabinetry. |
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In a letter to the graduating students of Mora High School, Sanchez wrote, "I wish you happiness in your future endeavors. I advise you to find a way to continue your higher education, study hard, widen your horizons, and follow your dreams. I encourage you to take part in the political process and exercise your right to vote. I ask that you to reach out to other World War II veterans and encourage them to apply for their high school diplomas. Help instill a commitment to education, community, and family." For a State’s school board to issue a high school diploma to a World War II veteran, the veteran must be an honorably discharged member of the armed forces of the U.S. who left high school before graduation to serve in World War II. Veterans who hold a high school equivalency diploma may also apply, and high school diplomas may be issued posthumously. Similar laws have been enacted in at least 18 states, whose legislatures have approved the program in cooperation with their Veterans Affairs and Departments of Education. Just thought I'd add to what I submitted on my father's WWII diploma. His diploma actually reads, "Given this month of May 1944." Although he went through commencement with the 2004 class, the school district backdated the year on his diploma. I found this interesting and thought you'd like to add this tidbit. Virginia
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Local Hispanic-owned businesses in top 500 By Mike Hall LMTBusiness, Journal editor Mike Hall may be contacted at 728-2529 or by e-mail at mhall@lmtonline.com 06/10/04 Sent by Elsa Herbeck epherbeck@juno.com Three Laredo-based companies were listed in the nation’s top 500 Hispanic-owned businesses in the 25th anniversary issue of Hispanic Business, a major business publication published from Santa Barbara, Calif. A fourth business in neighboring Zapata County was given the listing honors. Also a major Texas auto insurance company, with five locations in Laredo, made the list. “I think it’s a good indicator Laredo has as a place to do business,” commented Miguel Conchas, president and CEO of the Laredo Chamber of Commerce. “Several on the list (from Laredo) have been there before, and this shows that these companies are maintaining their strength in the community. International Bancshares Corp, a Hispanic-controlled public company, was listed 13th in the nation, up from 60th in 2003. The financial services institution started in 1966, currently has 2124 employees, and $335,650,000 in revenue as of 2003, according to the magazine. Another Laredo-based financial services institution, Falcon International Bank, started in1986 by Adolfo E. Gutierrez, lists 167th, according to the magazine. It ranked 163rd in 2003. The firm has 171 employees and revenues of $26,140,000 as of 2003. Pan American Express Inc, an interstate transportation service company, ranked 210th with $20,780,000 in revenues in 2003. The company’s rank was relatively unchanged with 203rd place in 2003. Med-Loz Lease Service Inc., of Zapata, ranked 226th with revenues of $18,030,000 in 2003. The oil field construction services company that started in 1984 was reported to have 187 employees. It improved its rank from 232nd in 2003. Fred Loya Insurance, a leading provider of non-standard auto insurance based in El Paso, Texas since 1974, had $91,160,000 in revenue in 2003 enough to place it 58th on the Hispanic Business top 500 companies. Hispanic Business said in a comparison with the list five years ago (1999), fewer large Hispanic companies from Texas made this year’s list, while such businesses were growing in Georgia, New Mexico, Illinois and the New York-New Jersey corridor. Despite this trend, Texas remained third overall with 65 businesses listed for $2,612,770,000 in revenue. California was first and Florida was second in total revenue. |
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DNA of Mexican-Americans living in Colorado. The Genealogy of Mexico http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3077130/ Sent by Johanna De Soto DNA studies on Mexican-Americans show a higher European admixture. *Anthropologist Andrew Merriwether and colleagues conducted a study on Mexican-Americans living in Colorado. Using classic genetic markers they estimated an admixture of 67% European and 33% Native-American. He further tested their mitochondrial DNA (mtdna) which is a test to find the origins of your great, great...grandmother, going back 10's of thousands of years. This one ancestor which is your families "Eve" so to speak, showed up as Native-American 85% of the time and European in origin 15% of the time. Thus showing that the majority of unions in this admixture were of European males and Native-American females. Other findings in Mexico showed varying results depending for the most part on what the cultural influences were on the population under study. |
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There is a fascinating old site some few miles west of a little town called Los Lunas in New Mexico. The site has been known as "Mystery Mountain" by the locals for many years. At the foot of this hill there is an ancient rock inscription. Many scholars now believe that it contains the Ten Commandments, including 3 instances of the Tetragrammaton, inscribed in old Hebrew letters.
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Text from website: However, conventional history teaches that the Americas were discovered by the Europeans either in 1492 by Columbus, or maybe a few hundred years earlier by the Vikings. There still seems to be an aversion among the establishment historians to even consider the idea that ancient Mediterranean peoples from the Middle East might have traveled to the Americas in the centuries before Christ. Only so-called diffusionists (14) would have accepted a different view. And yet, there it is, this inscription in New Mexico, an undeniable witness from an ancient past telling its history ... |
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| Archeology The Keystone Site is important mainly for the houses it contains. Twenty-three known or suspected buried house locations were identified by the small-scale test excavations. Only four of the house floors were fully exposed, and they yielded C14 dates of approx. 3,600 to 4,800 years old (Middle Archaic period). More importantly, the density and distribution of the known and suspected houses suggests there may be as many as 40 houses contained in the site. This is, by far, the largest site containing Archaic period houses anywhere in the western U.S. or northern Mexico. It is the oldest know village site in the western U.S. The Archaic pit houses consisted of a shallow, basin-shaped floor excavated out of the soil, covered by a framework of timber and branches, such as mesquite, cottonwood and willow, then plastered with a thin layer of clay. They were about three meters in diameter, with simple doorways facing east. They are clustered in groups of 2 to 5 houses. Because they are more substantial than some other types of desert shelters, it is believed they were occupied during the winter. The Keystone Archaeological Site (41 EP 494) is unique in its ability to inform us about the major behavioral changes that occurred during the Archaic period. This is when people changed from being mobile hunter-gatherers and began the shift towards a reliance on cultivated plants. This change, the beginnings of domestication, is believed by scientists to be the single most important behavioral change in the development of modern humans as a species. The Keystone Site predates the introduction of crops (corn, beans and squash) into the Southwest, but it contains evidence of an organized village, a social development traditionally thought to be dependent on a farming way of life. So, the site contains evidence that could require a major revision of the way we think about the development of complex societies in the Southwest. |
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Juan Matias Sanchez, Southern California Ranchero Southern California & New Mexico Family History http://juanmatiassanchez.com/index.htm Sent by Dara Jones Darajones@aol.com |
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| Features a streaming video and featuring photos owned by Lucy Sanchez and period music performed by Los Californios. |
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This is a forum for descendants of Juan Matias Sanchez and others who are interested in early California history to gather and contribute information. We have included a portion of our family tree here, though not all of it. If you have interest in learning more about it, contributing your own information or writing an article for the web page, please contact me at darajones@aol.com. We are currently in the planning stages of including articles by various family members as well as others about the history of California, New Mexico and the Sanchez family. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to hear our family stories! Dara Jones Juan Matias Sanchez Extended Family There are 92 individuals and 34 families representing 29 surnames in this database. These WWW pages were produced on Sat Mar 6 02:23:37 1999 . Alvitre(1), Andrade(1), Archuleta(1), Baca(1), Basye(5), Bojorquez(1), de Herrera(1), de Leon(1), Fresquis(1), Garcia(1), Gonzalez(1), Guirado(1), Gutierrez(1), Jeffredo(1), Maldonado(1), Martin(2), Romero(5), Romo(1), Rosas(1), Rowland(1), Sanches(14), Sanchez(20), Sandoval(1), Serna(1), Silva(18), Vallejos(1), Vigil(1), Williams(1), ?(6) Bud Sanchez is doing a family tree of those of us descended from Juan Matias and I am doing version which includes the families of his parents and grandparents as well. There are many holes in the information each of us have and we need your help to get them filled in. If you'd like to add your family's information and are using gedcom software, please send your family info in gedcom file format as an attachment to darajones@aol.com. If you aren't using this software, either email or mail your info to me at Dara Jones 214-361-0829 660 Preston Forest #333 Dallas,TX 75230 Please include as much information as possible especially birth and marriage dates and places, siblings, oral family history, etc. In exchange, we'll add you to our list of contributors and send you a copy of the complete family tree. We have not included a large part of it online in order to protect the privacy of the living. |
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| Genesis
and Darius Gray GI Bill, great Emancipator/Equalizer |
France
Honors Tuskegee Airman |
| Darius Gray, of Salt Lake City, one of the original members of the
Genesis
formed in 1971 to encourage African American research. Mr. Gray is a frequent lecturer and was responsible for the development of the Freedman Bank Records CD to aid in African American family history research. For information on how to obtain a copy of the CD, please contact Marvin Perkins perkinsmc@sbcglobal.net |
The GI Bill is the great Emancipator and Equalizer of our time.! The American Legion Magazine 700 N. Pennsylvania St.--P.O. Box 1055 Indianapolis, IN 4626 IN mazine@legion.org ; www.impact04@legion.org May 31, 2004 Dear Editor: In response to your article; The Greatest Legislation, by Kenneth E. Cox, June 2004, issue. The GI Bill has been and continue to be the greatest instrument for Diversity, on Americas' College Campuses!! In spite of the restrictive laws, during the 40s and 50s; Jim Crow --segregated schools, and segregated housing. The GI Bill, along with the initial tremendous and continuous assistance of the American Legion---have deposited a very large representation of Americans--of Color, low-income and females, on our College Campuses. Resulting in the development of thousands of State and National Educational and Political leaders --of Color!! In my own personnel life, I have received my Masters' degree from UC Berkeley, in the 70s--with only the GI Bill and a G.E.D from the US Air Force. I'm from a family of ten children, who lived the majority of our young adult lives, in government projects. The GI Bill, not only provided me a College education, but it gave me the opportunities to purchased two homes, and provide a better life for my children and grandchildren's. The GI Bill reinforce my long held beliefs, that; " Poverty and Racism--are not a sentence to failure" As a Black-American, its my educated opinion--based on 11 years of military service, both active duty and reserves, and 13 years working in education, plus 36 years of government service, I can unequivocal say; that the GI Bill has been and continue to be the only program, including the combination of Welfare, Food Stamps, Subsidizes Housing, Medicaid and Affirmative Action--that has been a catalysts for positive social change for Americans--of Color!! Willis Papillion, American Legion Post 245 Poulsbo, WA 1578 Reo PL.,NW Silverdale, WA 98383 360-697-5378 willis35@earthlink.net |
Tuskegee Airman Honored in France By USBE&IT News Services Jun 4, 2004, 17:27 file://C:\Documents%20and%20Settings\All%20Users\Documents\AOL%20 Downloads\TuskegeeAirmanHonoredinFrance.htm Sent by Willis Papillion willis35@earthlink.net Col. Charles E. McGee, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), one of the celebrated Tuskegee Airmen of World War II, will be named a knight of France's Legion of Honor during this week's events in Paris and Normandy marking the 60th anniversary of D-Day, the landing of Allied forces on the European mainland. Acceptance into the Legion of Honor is one of the highest awards France gives to non-citizens of the country. Col. McGee, 84, a decorated combat record-holder, was one of 450 pilots who served overseas in the all-Black 99th Fighter Squadron or 332nd Fighter Group. In all, approximately 922 Black cadets entered Army Air Corps Flight Training at the historic Tuskegee Institute/Moton Field during WWII. The Tuskegee Airmen never lost an escorted bomber to enemy fighters. No other escort unit could claim such a record. Col. McGee remained on active duty in the Air Force for 30 years, flying more than 6,100 hours, and became a command pilot. Col. McGee's daughter, Charlene M. Smith, Ph.D., associate dean of the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine at the New York Institute of Technology, has written a book about her father's military career: "Tuskegee Airman: The Biography of Charles AE. McGee, Air Force Fighter Combat Record Holder." |
| Lowry
American Indian Artist LANIC The Yaqui Indians Resistance Indigenous Identity in Mexican Census |
Racial Makeup of Native-Born Mexicans Indigenous Identity Mexican Census Table Herederos de Moctezuma reclaman sus pensiones |
Extract: Judith Lowry explores her American Indian heritage by Sevil Hunter, RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL, 5/26/2004 http://www.rgj.com/news/stories/html/2004/05/26/71641.php Sent by Cindy LoBuglio lobuglio@thegrid.net |
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Nevada City, Calif., artist Judith Lowry paints.
She uses images from her life to tell her stories. "It is of the American Indian experience and how we are part of contemporary art.”
Lowry said. “I am not a painter. I paint. I am a storyteller.” Lowry, 55-year-old artist and mother of three, was selected to participate in the Smithsonian Institution`s National Museum of the American Indian in New York City in June. She is among 12 contemporary American Indian artists to have their own gallery inside the new museum. “Their work confirms the presence of native people at the forefront of the visual arts, while addressing issues, such as identity, place, language and history, that have personal, cultural and universal relevance,” said W. Richard West, director of the National Museum of the American Indian. “These Native artists, who were influenced by European modernism and American art movements, were originally rejected as ‘inauthentic’ by mainstream art dealers and institutions.” |
No longer. Lowry’s work combines life’s experiences, the story of creation, and blends each image in her personal folk-art style. The death of her father caused Lowry to reflect on her own life, purpose and passion. Lowry’s father was Army Lt. Col. Leonard Lowry of Susanville. He was of the Maidu tribe and the most decorated and highest-ranking American Indian to serve in World War II. He died in 1999. Her father appeared in her 1996 painting “Beautiful Dreamers.” The handsome war hero stands in a bar, where he’s celebrating New Year’s Eve in 1945. The seemingly happy scene is loaded with demons and social commentary. Her paintings will be on display in the museum’s exhibit titled “Continuum.” Her exhibit runs through Aug. 25. The artists in the exhibition represent the Arapaho, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Colville, Cree, Flathead, Hamowi-Pit River, Hawaiian, Mohawk, Mountain Maidu, Nisenan Maidu, Pueblo Santa Clara, Seneca, Shoshone, Tuscarora, Yuchi and Yurok cultures. “Being chosen to do this show is such an honor,” Lowry said. “It’s not only to show the contemporary side of art, but there is a responsibility that comes with it.” Check out the Smithsonian`s National Museum of the American Indian at http://www.nmai.se.edu |
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| LANIC: Guía preliminar de fuentes documentales etnográficas para el estudio de los pueblos indígenas de Iberoamérica http://www1.lanic.utexas.edu/project/tavera/ Sent by Paul Newfield pcn01@webdsi.com Es una publicación de la Fundación Histórica Tavera, España Para mayor información: presidencia@tavera.com Comentarios Preliminares Iberoamérica: Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, México, Paraguay Perú, Venezuela Estados Unidos: por Daniel Restrepo Manrique Nota preliminar Biblioteca del Congreso (Library of Congress - Washington) Brancroft Library (Universidad de Berkeley - California) John Carter Brown Library (Universidad de Providence) Nettie Lee Benson Library (Universidad de Texas - Austin) William Clements Library (Universidad de Michigan) Yale University Library (Universidad de Yale) Newberry Library (Chicago) Henry E. Huntington (California) Sociedad Filosófica Americana (Philadelphia) The Latin American Library (Universidad de Tulane) Tozzer Library (Universidad de Harvard) St. Louis University Library (Universidad de St. Louis) Lilly Library (Universidad de Indiana) Flager College (Florida) Otros archivos (USA) Europa: España, Francia, Gran Bretaña, Italia y Estado del Vaticano, Portugal |
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Over the years, I have met many Americans who have proudly stated that they had a Yaqui grandmother or Yaqui great-grandfather or are in some way descended from the Yaqui Indians of Mexico's northwest coastal region. Many Mexican Americans have indigenous roots from various parts of Mexico, but the assimilation and mestizaje that took place in many northern and central states of Mexico has obscured any cultural or linguistic identity with specific tribes. However, the Yaqui Indians - and their cousins, the Mayo Indians - have held tightly to their ethnic and linguistic identity in a way that many other indigenous groups have not.
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Racial Makeup of Native-Born Mexicans (from the 1921 Mexican Census) © Copyright 2004, John P. Schmal. All Rights Reserved. |
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State |
Indígena Pura* |
Indígena Pura (% of Total State Population) |
Indígena Mezclada con Blanca** |
Percentage of Indígena Mezclada con Blanca |
Total State Population |
Indígena Pura (% of "Indígena Pura" of Mexican Republic) |
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Aguascalientes |
17,961 |
16.70% |
71,137 |
66.12% |
107,581 |
0.43% |
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Baja California – North and South |
4,197 |
6.68% |
40,488 |
64.44% |
62,831 |
0.10% |
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Campeche |
33,176 |
43.41% |
31,675 |
41.45% |
76,419 |
0.79% |
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Coahuila |
44,779 |
11.38% |
306,433 |
77.88% |
393,480 |
1.07% |
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Colima |
23,854 |
26.00% |
62,886 |
68.54% |
91,749 |
0.57% |
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Chiapas |
200,927 |
47.64% |
152,956 |
36.27% |
421,744 |
4.81% |
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Chihuahua |
51,228 |
12.76% |
201,182 |
50.09% |
401,622 |
1.23% |
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District Federal |
169,820 |
18.74% |
496,359 |
54.78% |
906,063 |
4.06% |
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Durango |
33,354 |
9.90% |
300,055 |
89.10% |
336,766 |
0.80% |
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Guanajuato |
25,458 |
2.96% |
828,724 |
96.32% |
860,364 |
0.61% |
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Guerrero |
248,526 |
43.84% |
306,361 |
54.05% |
566,836 |
5.95% |
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Hidalgo |
245,704 |
39.49% |
320,250 |
51.47% |
622,241 |
5.88% |
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Jalisco |
199,728 |
16.76% |
903,830 |
75.83% |
1,191,957 |
4.78% |
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México |
372,703 |
42.13% |
422,001 |
47.70% |
884,617 |
8.92% |
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Michoacán |
196,726 |
20.93% |
663,391 |
70.58% |
939,849 |
4.71% |
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Morelos |
36,131 |
34.93% |
63,344 |
61.24% |
103,440 |
0.86% |
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Nayarit |
29,773 |
18.32% |
107,312 |
66.04% |
162,499 |
0.71% |
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Nuevo León |
17,276 |
5.14% |
253,878 |
75.47% |
336,412 |
0.41% |
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Oaxaca |
675,119 |
69.17% |
274,752 |
28.15% |
976,005 |
16.15% |
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Puebla |
560,971 |
54.73% |
403,221 |
39.34% |
1,024,955 |
13.42% |
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Querétaro |
42,718 |
19.40% |
176,525 |
80.15% |
220,231 |
1.02% |
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Quintana Roo |
1,434 |
13.08% |
2,950 |
26.90% |
10,966 |
0.03% |
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San Luis Potosí |
136,365 |
30.60% |
275,812 |
61.89% |
445,681 |
3.26% |
|
Sinaloa |
3,163 |
0.93% |
335,474 |
98.30% |
341,265 |
0.08% |
|
Sonora |
37,914 |
13.78% |
111,089 |
40.38% |
275,127 |
0.91% |
|
Tabasco |
38,929 |
18.50% |
112,941 |
53.67% |
210,437 |
0.93% |
|
Tamaulipas |
39,606 |
13.80% |
198,990 |
69.36% |
286,904 |
0.95% |
|
Tlaxcala |
97,670 |
54.70% |
75,783 |
42.44% |
178,570 |
2.34% |
|
Veracruz |
406,638 |
35.06% |
556,472 |
47.97% |
1,159,935 |
9.73% |
|
Yucatán |
155,155 |
43.31% |
121,189 |
33.83% |
358,221 |
3.71% |
|
Zacatecas |
32,422 |
8.55% |
326,615 |
86.10% |
379,329 |
0.78% |
|
The Mexican Republic |
4,179,449 |
29.16% |
8,504,561 |
59.33% |
14,334,780 |
100.00% |
|
* Indígena Pura - Pure Indigenous Origins ** Indígena Mezclada con Blanca (Indigenous Mixed with White) Source: Departamento de la Estadística Nacional, "Annuario de 1930" (Tacubaya, Distrito Federal: 1932). |
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INDIGENOUS IDENTITY IN THE 2000 MEXICAN CENSUS -- © Copyright 2004, John P. Schmal. All Rights Reserved. |
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|
State |
Persons Classified as "Indígena" |
"Indígena" as a % of the State Population |
Persons Aged 5 or More Who Speak Indigenous Languages |
Total State Population |
"Indígena" Population as a % of the Population of the Mexican Republic |
|
Oaxaca |
1,648,426 |
47.9% |
1,120,312 |
3,438,765 |
1.7% |
|
Chiapas |
1,117,597 |
28.5% |
809,592 |
3,920,892 |
1.1% |
|
Veracruz |
1,057,806 |
15.3% |
633,372 |
6,908,975 |
1.1% |
|
Yucatán |
981,064 |
59.2% |
549,532 |
1,658,210 |
1.0% |
|
Puebla |
957,650 |
18.9% |
565,509 |
5,076,686 |
1.0% |
|
México |
939,355 |
7.2% |
361,972 |
13,096,686 |
1.0% |
|
Hidalgo |
546,834 |
24.5% |
339,866 |
2,235,591 |
0.6% |
|
Guerrero |
529,780 |
17.2% |
367,110 |
3,079,649 |
0.5% |
|
San Luis Potosí |
348,551 |
15.2% |
235,253 |
2,299,360 |
0.4% |
|
Quintana Roo |
343,784 |
39.3% |
173,592 |
874,963 |
0.4% |
|
Distrito Federal |
339,931 |
4.0% |
141,710 |
8,605,239 |
0.4% |
|
Michoacán |
199,245 |
5.0% |
121,849 |
3,985,667 |
0.3% |
|
Campeche |
185,938 |
26.9% |
93,765 |
690,689 |
0.2% |
|
Chihuahua |
136,589 |
4.5% |
84,086 |
3,052,907 |
0.2% |
|
Tabasco |
130,896 |
6.9% |
62,027 |
1,891,829 |
0.1% |
|
Sonora |
126,535 |
5.7% |
55,694 |
2,216,969 |
0.1% |
|
Sinaloa |
87,948 |
3.5% |
49,744 |
2,536,844 |
0.1% |
|
Baja California |
81,679 |
3.3% |
37,685 |
2,487,367 |
0.1% |
|
Jalisco |
75,122 |
1.2% |
55,414 |
6,322,002 |
0.1% |
|
Morelos |
72,435 |
4.7% |
30,896 |
1,555,296 |
0.1% |
|
Tlaxcala |
71,986 |
7.5% |
26,662 |
962,646 |
0.1% |
|
Nayarit |
56,172 |
6.1% |
37,206 |
920,185 |
0.1% |
|
Querétaro |
47,420 |
3.4% |
25,269 |
1,404,306 |
0.1% |
|
Tamaulipas |
41,858 |
1.5% |
17,118 |
2,753,222 |
0.0% |
|
Durango |
39,545 |
2.7% |
24,934 |
1,448,661 |
0.0% |
|
Nuevo León |
30,051 |
0.8% |
15,446 |
3,834,141 |
0.0% |
|
Guanajuato |
26,512 |
0.6% |
10,689 |
4,663,032 |
0.0% |
|
Baja California Sur |
11,481 |
2.7% |
5,353 |
424,041 |
0.0% |
|
Coahuila |
7,454 |
0.3% |
3,032 |
2,298,070 |
0.0% |
|
Colima |
6,472 |
1.2% |
2,932 |
542,627 |
0.0% |
|
Zacatecas |
4,039 |
0.3% |
1,837 |
1,353,610 |
0.0% |
|
Aguascalientes |
3,472 |
0.4% |
1,244 |
944,285 |
0.0% |
|
Mexican Republic |
10,253,627 |
10.5% |
6,044,547 |
97,483,412 |
10.5% |
|
Instituto Nacional de Estadística Geografía e Informática, "XII Censo General de Población y Vivienda 2000: Síntesis de Resultados." CONAPO, "Cuadro 1. Población Total, Población Indígena, y Sus Características." |
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Herederos de Moctezuma reclaman sus pensionesLos descendientes del último emperador azteca, Moctezuma II, intentan recuperar las pensiones que el Reino de España y posteriormente el Gobierno de México les otorgaba desde 1550 de manera vitalicia pero que en 1934 fueron suspendidas. Moctezuma II el joven, (1466-1520) fue emperador de los aztecas entre 1502 y 1520. Moctezuma II, herederó su imperio de Auítzotl y fue el gobernante de la gran ciudad azteca de Tenochtitlán. En la primavera de 1519, recibió la primera noticia de la llegada de extraños a la costa este de su imperio. El 8 de noviembre de 1519, se encontró con Cortés, a quien tomó por el dios Quetzalcoatl, algo que vino muy bien al conquistador español. Durante la ausencia de Cortés, el gobernador delegado decretó que el ritual azteca del sacrificio humano debía finalizar. El pueblo se alzó en una revuelta, y los españoles hicieron prisionero a Moctezuma, quien en un intento de sofocar el violento tumulto, se asomó a la balconada de su palacio, instando a sus seguidores a retirarse. La población quedó indignada de la complicidad de su emperador con los españoles por lo que comenzaron a arrojarle piedras y flechas, falleciendo poco tiempo después del ataque. -(Existe la version de que ya Moctezuma habia sido asesinado y solo fue exhibido para simular su muerte en un populacho, bssg)- La princesa Isabel Xipaguazin Moctezuma hija de Moctezuma contrajo matrimonio con dos compatriotas del conquistador, primero con Alonso de Grado y luego con Pedro Gallego de Andrada. Ambos murieron poco después del enlace. Luego, según se sabe por algunas fuentes, Isabel se casó por propia voluntad con Juan Cano de Saavedra. De estos dos últimos matrimonios proceden sus actuales descendientes. La princesa, fue nombrada por el rey Carlos I propietaria "a perpetuidad" del señorío de Tacuba, un área que actualmente corresponde a gran parte del Centro Histórico de la ciudad de México. Las rentas por el usufructo de ese señorío se constituyeron en las "Pensiones de Moctezuma" que la Corona española otorgó a perpetuidad a Isabel y todos sus descendientes, antes de que ella muriera en 1550. Las "pensiones de Moctezuma" se han convertido actualmente en una deuda gigantesca. Tan sólo del pago de los intereses podrían vivir sin preocupaciones los descendientes de Isabel en México y los que se trasladaron a la península. La familia Acosta, que vive en México, y los condes de Miravalle -españoles que residen en Granada- son herederos de estas pensiones. Cuando en 1821 México se independizó, el nuevo estado asumió los compromisos de la antigua colonia española y con ello también las "pensiones de Moctezuma". Pero a finales de 1933, el presidente Abelardo Rodríguez declaró nula la deuda, cesando los pagos. Luego dio inicio en España de la Guerra Civil (1936-1939) y México nunca reconoció la dictadura de Franco (1939-1975), rotas por tanto las relaciones diplomáticas entre ambos paises los descendientes españoles no volvieron a reclamar sus derechos hasta 1991. "México tiene que reconocer que fue un error suspender estas pensiones", afirma el historiador Alejandro González, representante de los intereses de la familia Miravalle en México. Acosta apunta que los Miravalle nunca fueron expropiados formalmente y menos aún renunciaron a sus derechos, y por ello sus demandas siguen siendo válidas hoy. "El reconocimiento de los derechos de los Miravalle podría contribuir a que aquellos mexicanos, que se habían negado a ignorar la parte española de su identidad, se reconcilien con ella". Además, señala que el hecho de que muchos mexicanos sigan hoy culpando a los españoles actuales de lo que hizo Cortés, es "como si los franceses les echasen en cara a los italianos lo que hizo Julio César en la Guerra de las Galias. México tiene que aprender a reconciliarse con su pasado, con su historia" afirma el historiador. Pero no todos los descendientes de Moctezuma II están de acuerdo con la actitud de sus parientes. "En España siempre reclamaban. No les importa México un pito, pero quieren el dinero. Eso me molesta, me indigna como mexicana que amo a mi país". Así opina la historiadora Blanca Barragán Moctezuma que se muestra orgullosa de su árbol genealógico, en el que figura el nombre de Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin. Blanca vive el la capital mexicana, es descendiente en decimosexta generación del emperador y muy conocida porque desde hace años intenta con ahínco, pese al poco éxito obtenido, que el Museo Etnológico de Viena (Austria) devuelva la corona de plumas de Moctezuma a su país de origen. Blanca dice que su abuela también cobraba dicha pensión pero que sólo en el caso de que los Miravalle reciban realmente dinero del Estado mexicano, entonces, y sólo entonces, también reclamará sus derechos, aunque tiene serias dudas de que eso realmente vaya a suceder. Guillermo Acosta, descendiente de Moctezuma II en decimocuarta generación también reside en México. Su familia junto a la Miravalle está dispuesta a llegar hasta el final, "Incluso tras la Revolución (1910), todos reconocíeron las pensiones, hasta que en 1934 sin más, nos dijeron adiós. El gobierno mexicano obró mal, obró con prepotencia, con todo su poder y dijo ¡no te reconozco nada! ", lamenta Guillermo Acosta. Antes de la suspensión de las pensiones, la familia de los condes de Miravalle recibía por este concepto un pago de 5.258.090 pesos oro al año. El "peso oro" en aquella época equivalía a 1.480 gramos de oro puro, (alrededor de 250.284 onzas), que cotizadas al valor actual del mercado, equivaldría a una pensión de 90.000 Euros anuales" Doña María de las Mercedes Enríquez de la Luna del Mazo, actual condesa de Miravalle, dice haber dejado el asunto en manos de sus hijos y lamenta no haber podido viajar nunca a la tierra de sus antepasados por razones de salud. Sobre cómo se siente al ser una descendiente del gran Moctezuma, ella contesta: "Hoy en día no hay nada, se siente uno como todo el mundo". (http://www.portaldehistoria.com/secciones/portada2/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=43) Sent by eventos@ancestros.com.mx |
| Crypto-Jews
of Monterrey Document Victims, Locate Survivors Izkor Books Go Online |
Sephardic Jews in Northern
Mexico Melugeon DNA Project |
| Conquistadores
and Crypto-Jews of Monterrey by David T. Raphael. Sent by George Gause ggause@panam.edu Recommended by Dr. Adalberto Garza,. Call Number: F1391.M79 J475 2001 Publisher : Valley Village, Calif. : Carmi House, c2001. |
How to Document Victims and Locate Survivors http://www.avotaynu.com/holocaust Basic steps, a case study and more help you research people caught up in the Holocaust. |
Izkor Books Go Online Family Tree Magazine Email Update 6-10-04 The New York Public Library (NYPL) has put digitized images of nine Jewish yizkor books on its Web site at http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/jws/yizkorbooks_intro.cfm and announced plans to do the same with the rest of the 700-plus books in its collection. Jews have written yizkor (or memory) books throughout history to memorialize the dead. After the Holocaust, European Jews revived the practice. Their books tell the histories--often stretching back decades or centuries--of decimated communities. Many of the books contain photos and necrologies, or lists of Holocaust victims. NYPL's initial posting of yizkor books covers 12 towns. For more information on yizkor books and how to find them, visit JewishGen's Yizkor Book Project Web site at http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor . The volunteer-run site contains a database of the 1,200 or so books known to exist, translations from dozens of them and a list of libraries and archives that have yizkor books. The site also has a Necrology Index from the books that have been published. If you find a yizkor book about your ancestor's town, you might be able to purchase a copy. The Yiddish Book Center sells reprints of the books from NYPL's collection as well as its own for $120 ($90 to the center's members). Visit http://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/+10151. |
Sephardic Jews in Northern Mexico The July speaker for Los Bexarenos in San
Antonio, Texas was Mr. Richard Santos. His topic: |
Melugeon DNA Project http://www.melungeons.com/articles/melungeondnaproject.htm Sent by Johanna De Soto Interesting site with a variety of bits and pieces of historical information on early colonizations primarily on the East coast. A file of Melugeon Surnames by Elizabeth Hirschman included: Moore: This surname is common, so one must be very careful to collect DNA from a known relative in order to determine origins. This DNA sample is from a Moore family which immigrated to Virginia in the early 1700's from England and then came to live in Melungeon settlements in Appalachia. We believe that many persons surnamed Moore, Muir, Morea and Moorhead, received those names as a result of immigrating to Britain from the Mediterranean, where Moro meant dark or swarthy. Many were likely Sephardic Jews. They may also have been Moors (i.e., Muslims) from Spain who left during the Inquisition. Index Carter: This DNA sample is from a descendant of Captain Thomas Carter whose family settled in Tidewater Virginia in the mid-1600's. (See Early Carters in Scott County, VA. for additional details). The DNA is centered in Spain/Iberia and the Carters typically were dark haired and dark skinned according to portraits. Elizabeth Hirschman believes they were also Sephardic Jews who had likely made their way to England from France. Their surname in France may have been akin to Cartier. They married into the Dale, Skipwith, Ball and Williamson families. Wallen / Walling / Walden: Wallen/Walling/Walden One of the early long-hunters with Daniel Boone was Elisha Wallen/Walling. This DNA sample from a descendant is centered in Spain/Iberia. The Wallens married into the Blevins family and Elizabeth Hirschman believes that they were Sephardic Jews also. Index Ramey: Ramey/Remey The Ramey family came to Wise County, Virginia early on and photos show them to be dark skinned and dark haired. Their DNA matches Caldwell and is centered in Iberia/Spain. Elizabeth Hirschman believes they also were Sephardic Jews. Alexander, Bruce, Campbell, Gordon, Douglas, Forbes, and Stewart: The DNA scores representing these surnames are all for persons who can trace ancestry back to these specific clans in Scotland. We sought these donors to test a very important hypothesis: In 1066 when William the Conqueror invaded England from Normandy, France he brought with him several Jewish families to assist him in setting up the civil administration of England. Several of these families later migrated to Scotland at the invitation of the Scottish kings (to serve as chamberlains, administrators, stewards, judges, educators, etc.). Based on our interpretation of the genealogies for the clans listed above and documentation that each of these families had originated in France (and were NOT Celtic), we gathered DNA samples. We have confirmed that these DNA samples are from the Mediterranean (especially Spain- Iberia- Italy) and are therefore consistent with the hypothesis that these families were originally Sephardic Jews. Some members of these families did practice Judaism once they had immigrated to the American Colonies, lending support to the proposal that some branches retained their Judaic affiliation. |
|
"Texas is a state of mind. Texas is an obsession.
Above all, |
|
Rails to the Rio Rio Grande
Valley History |
|
|
|
|
|
100th
Anniversary |
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RAYMONDVIILE CELEBRATES ITS 100TH BIRTHDAY In July there will be a celebration of the arrival of the St. Louis Brownsville Mexico Railway. On the 4th of July 1904, trains traveling from Corpus to Brownsville and from Brownsville to Corpus Christi passed each other in the inauguration of the completion of the railroad to the Rio Grande River. Festivities were planned at each city to welcome the new form of transportation replacing the 40-hour stagecoach ride from Brownsville to the railhead at Alice. This vision by the ranchers of these vast prairies of the Gulf Coastal Region opened up a new and improved marketing method for the beef cattle raised in South Texas. No longer would it be necessary to walk the cattle up the Chisholm Trail to Wichita, Kansas to the railhead. Now the cattle could be shipped direct to the eastern market slaughterhouses. The spin off from this great venture created watering and fuel (mesquite wood) loading points along the 141-mile route. At these points new communities sprung up leading to the formation of new towns. Places that had never existed became Raymondville, Kingsville, Harlingen, San Benito, Lyford, Sebastian, Combes, Robstown, Sarita, Driscoll, Bishop, and Olmito. This year we will celebrate this milestone with a centennial celebration. There will be a Youth Rodeo with prizes on Friday night, July 2. On Saturday July 3 there will be a golf tournament at the Municipal Golf Course. At the Eddie Stark City Park there will be a baseball tournament, train rides for the children, food and drink booths, con junto music entertainment and concession booths. Meanwhile the Historical Museum will be open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM as a meeting place for old-timers to congregate and visit, and they will be served punch and cookies while touring the museum. At the Tourist Center during the day there will be an exhibit of 200 enlarged pictures from the new book "Rails to the Rio" by Glenn Harding and Cindy Lee. At 6:00 PM this historical picture exhibit will accompany a reception of food and drinks honoring the event and our guests at the Tourist Center. At 7:00 PM, Mr. Frank Yturria will give a historical 16mm film and Mr. Jimmy Tiller will present a modern slide program of our cattle history in the Historical Museum’s auditorium. The theme will be dedicated to the cattle industry that made it possible for Raymondville to become a town in South Texas. Mr. Yturria’s film will show the old method of rounding up the cattle from the vast pastures with cowboys. Mr. Tiller’s program will show the modern method of using helicopters to round up cattle. Both these ranching programs will be of great interest to the people of this county who have lived in this great cattle-raising area, but have never had the opportunity to witness this exciting part of ranching. Mr. Tiller will sign his new book, "Helicopter Cowboy" for all who are interested in buying a copy. It is a marvelous collection of aerial pictures taken over South Texas ranches during cattle roundups. Also Glenn Harding and Cindy Lee will sell their new book "Rails To The Rio". On Sunday July 4th the City Park will once again feature train rides, food and drink booths, ice cream, music, "pan de campo" competition, souvenir’s of train whistles and signed copies of "Rails to the Rio". At 8:00 PM there will be a Gala Fourth of July Parade in downtown Raymondville. After dark there will be a spectacular 4th of July fireworks display. Prior to these events; Red, White, and Blue patriotic street banners will be seen on the light poles in downtown. At the Texas State Bank the 200 historical picture exhibit from "Rails to the Rio" will be shown, during banking hours, from June 17 to July 9, 2004. Mr. Travis Richards invites everyone to come in and enjoy the exhibit and have a cup of coffee while viewing the picture collection. This Centennial will be a great occasion and the
Mayor Joe Alexandre and the city commissioners would like to invite the
citizens to come and enjoy this program planned by the Chamber of |
"Rails to the Rio" is in the format of 8 1/2" x 11" and is 172 pages with 300 historical pictures. Some are from the Runyon collection in Austin at the Univ. of Texas and others from So. Texas sources including the large collection of my mother. There is a bibliography of 26 books, 12 journals and magazines, 16 newspaper articles and 3 unpublished articles. The book is in black and white and was published by Morgan Publishing Co. in Austin,Texas in a private limited edition of 400 soft cover and 400 hardcover. Soft cover is $30.00 plus $2.50 sales tax and S&H $2.50 Hardcover $45.00, sales tax $3.70 S&H $ 3.30 Glenn Harding P.O. Box 130 Raymondville, Texas Phone (956) 689-2706 Fax (956) 689-5740 |
Date Set to Exhume Body of Famed Rancher By LYNN BREZOSKY Associated Press Writer Source: Austin American Statesman Sent by J.D. Villarreal juandv@granderiver.net June 18, 2004 HARLINGEN, Texas — A judge on Friday set July 10 as the date to exhume the body of a noted South Texas rancher for DNA testing to prove whether he fathered a Corpus Christi woman during an affair with his maid. John G. Kenedy died in 1948 without a blood heir. Attorneys for Ann Fernandez say tests may prove she is the rightful heiress to an estate valued at up to $500 million. The 400,000-acre Kenedy Ranch now generates income for Catholic charities throughout Texas. Judge Guy Herman in January set a Feb. 28 exhumation date, but that date passed as ranch lawyers appealed his jurisdiction. A state appeals court on Wednesday lifted the stay on the exhumation. Herman said the exhumation would start at 8 a.m. and would be witnessed by representatives of the Oblate Fathers, the charities, the Fernandezes, and the lab companies that would be taking samples. He ordered that privacy tents be provided for the witnesses and the lab workers. Analysis will be done by private labs in Austin and Houston. Lawyers for the John G. & Marie Stella Kenedy Foundation and the John G. Kenedy Jr. Charitable Trust, which run the ranch, say they will fight the exhumation. "It is our intention to pursue whatever remedies are available under law to contest this order," foundation attorney Jorge Rangel said Friday. "We are considering our options. We'll take the appropriate action at the appropriate time." Ann Fernandez, 79, now suffers from dementia. Her son, Nueces County Medical Examiner Ray Fernandez, says he has been pursuing her legal battle for her since his grandmother, Marie Rowland, told him "You looked like your grandfather, John Kenedy." Rowland worked as a maid on the Kenedy Ranch during the 1920s. Rowland died shortly after making the statement. From some saliva taken from an envelope licked by Kenedy's mother and from DNA taken from Kenedy's surviving cousin, Ray Fernandez proved enough of a genetic match to persuade Herman to order exhumation. Kenedy was believed to be sterile from a childhood illness. He was survived by a wife and sister, who set up a charitable trust and foundation to manage the ranch after they died. Kenedy is buried on the Kenedy Ranch near Sarita, which is about 60 miles south of Corpus Christi. The cemetery is kept by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. |
Sanchez Family Donates to TAMIU Sent by Elsa Herbeck epherbeck@juno.com Times Staff Reports, 06/21/04 The Sanchez Family Foundation representatives announced their gift of $400,000 to establish the Antonio R. and Maria G. Sanchez Family Scholarships at a small reception for students and their parents at Texas A&M International University this week. Twenty incoming freshmen were selected based on their high school academic achievement. Antonio R. “Tony” Sanchez and Maria G. “Tani” Sanchez, president and vice president respectively of the foundation, said the gift is considered an investment by the foundation in the future of Texas. “We have long maintained that higher education is the only true catalyst to change. The scholarships reflect a commitment to the city and state that has been a home to us for generations and that continues to bless us,” said Tony Sanchez. “We are proud of the recipients and are confident they will succeed at TAMIU,” said Tani Sanchez. Ray Keck, TAMIU president, applauded the foundation’s generosity and the vision of the Sanchez Family. “The Sanchez’s are no strangers to TAMIU and have provided gifts through the years which have funded popular initiatives such as the Sanchez Distinguished Lecture Series which has broadened perspectives and minds for the past three years. How fitting that they now choose to further broaden our students’ horizons by making higher education possible for these 20 students for their entire undergraduate experience here,” Keck said. The students will be known as Sanchez Scholars. The scholarships will provide books, fees and tuition for a four-year degree program completion. |
25th Annual Texas State Hispanic Genealogical and Historical Conference “Racing through History – Tracing the Lives and Travels of our Ancestors” Program of Events September 17,18, 19, 2004 Holiday Inn Hotel 2705 E. Houston Highway ~ Victoria, Texas 77901 Host Club Victoria Hispanic Genealogical and Historical Society of Texas In partnership with the Cultural Council of Victoria Sophia Postel Wilson, President 701 N. West Street Victoria, Texas 77901 Texas State Hispanic Genealogy Conference
Conference Registration $45.00 per person if made before August 13,
2004,
$55.00 per person thereafter. Reception and luncheon are included
with
registration. Student registration $15.00 (no meals included).
No refunds
after August 31, 2004. A $15 administrative fee will be deducted
for all
Make checks payable to Cultural Council of Victoria and mail to: |
Six national flags have flown over Texas since the first European exploration of the region by Cortez in 1519. The six flags are: ** Texas under Spain: 1519-1685, 1690-1821 ** Texas under France: 1685-1690 ** Texas under Mexico: 1821-1836 ** Texas as a Republic: 1836-1845 ** Texas in the Confederacy: 1861-1865 ** Texas in the US: 1845-1861, 1865-Present |
"With All Arms" Sent by Alan Duaine aduaine@stx.rr.com This is to advise you that there really will be a 2nd Edition of Carl L. Duaine's "With All Arms". It will be coming out this month at Eakin Press in Austin and we should begin mailouts early in July. I have ripped the budget, but it's going to be a Cadillac of a book at 425 pages or so, including more than 15 new illustrations by Jack Jackson, plus a vastly expanded index (which includes every name that appears in the text). A late decision was to include a dust jacket; this may take a while to turn out, so please advise if you would be willing to get the book first and the dust jacket later, or if you would prefer to wait for the whole package. To honor my aim to present the book at less than $50.00, I am sending out the first 100 at a flat rate of $50.00 (tax and shipping included). If this price is agreeable, send me a check as noted below and stand by for Christmas in July. Sincerely, Alan Duaine Make checks out to Las Animas Press and Mail to Las Animas Press, 5801 Trailridge Circle, Austin, TX 78731 |
HOGAR de Dallas New website: http://www.home.earthlink.net/~hogardedallas/ |
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South Texas Museum Captures Blended History By LYNN BREZOSKY Associated Press Writer Corpus Christi Caller-Times, December 26, 2003 Sent by George Gause ggause@panam.edu EDINBURG, Texas- The doors of the Museum of South Texas History are carved of mesquite, the chandeliers graced by carvings of yucca plants and longhorn cattle, the wrought-iron door handles crafted by a San Antonio specialist. From the caliche walls to the Mexican ceramic floor tiles, no detail was spared in transforming what was once a small county museum into a significant history of a region that remains a melting pot of old Mexico and new Texas. What was once known as the Hidalgo County Museum got a $5.5 million facelift this year that added some 28,000 square feet at a new building alongside the historic jail that housed the old museum. The trademark hanging tower at the jail will remain when the two buildings are joined later this year, as will existing exhibits from the old museum. Shan Rankin, executive director of the museum, said the goal was to rival large museums such as those in San Antonio and Monterrey, Mexico. But the upgrade also was needed because the history of the Rio Grande Valley merited more space, she said. Several large Texas charitable foundations eagerly contributed funds for the new museum, which is more than double its former size. "We are so often called and depicted as a very poor, backward region, and we have a wonderfully rich history," she said. "That story needed to be told." The new museum tour starts with a walk into a darkened room beneath a 24-long mosasaur, a giant prehistoric sea lizard from thousands of years ago when the region was covered in water. Dappled lighting simulates the effect of being in water. Exhibits include a 25,000-year-old mammoth tusk and leg bone found over the border in Mexico and donated by a man who remembered sitting on them as though they were stools. There's also a leg bone found in Reynosa, Mexico, and a tooth found in Sinton, Texas. From there, the rooms progress through history _ an exhibit on the now-extinct Coahuiltean tribe ends at a 16th-century Spanish door that symbolizes a crossing into the New World. There's a ship's hold stocked with models of harnessed horses and a floor featuring a mosaic from a navigational chart. There is a case of weapons and other artifacts that washed up over the centuries on the Texas coast, including a swivel gun and cannonball from a 1554 galleon. Then comes the period of Spanish colonial ranching compound, the Mexican-American War era, the pioneer and gold rush era and the riverboat era, where fortunes were made by shipping goods out of Matamoros, Mexico. "We were the back door of the Confederacy," Rankin said, standing beside a facsimile of a Civil War-era hotel modeled after one that stood in Brownsville. "The cotton would be shipped out of the area to Europe and that s how the Confederacy was able to survive." The fact that the history of the region is still unfolding is evident in the tales behind the exhibits. When staff struggled to get the mud-and-stick dwelling known as a jacal right, a contractor who had grown up in one showed them how. Exhibits such as the horno, a beehive-shaped caliche oven used in Spanish colonial ranching compounds, were copied from the ones slowly crumbling away on the lonely grounds of nearby ranches. Jim McAllen, a rancher whose family is the namesake of the neighboring city, made the fence known as a lena in the cattle kingdom exhibit, threading his own antique staples and fence wire into the wood and insisting on the bent-log hinge. When a company wanted $1,000 per burlap-covered cotton bale for the riverboat exhibit, a local building contractor came through for a fraction of the price. Trouble finding the right music for the pila, or cattle watering hole, ended when the son of the late rancher John Armstrong donated a 1980s recording of his uncle singing old campfire songs, two in Spanish one in English. Rankin recalled how the artists who designed the exhibit were on hands and knees throwing the cement so it would appear as wind-blown cattle tracks. "Every museum has a mission statement," Rankin said. "Ours is to preserve and protect the blended histories of South Texas and northern Mexico. ...The whole premise we want people to go away with is that this region is a mixture of the history of two nations that has formed its own region." [Information below added by George Gause Museum of South Texas History 121 East McIntyre Edinburg, TX 78541 (956) 383-6911 Voice (956) 381-8518 FAX E-Mail: mosthistory@hiline.net |
Texas Newspaper Holdings Index http://www.cah.utexas.edu/newspapers/newspapers_fa.pdf Sent by George Gause ggause@panam.edu Source: Roberto R. Calderón beto@unt.edu Center for American History, at The University of Texas at Austin provides an overview of what Texas newspapers and for what periods, etc. available for research during the 19-20th centuries. |
Lupe Martinez Honored with Likeness Sent by Elsa Herbeck epherbeck@juno.com 06/02/04 Times Staff Reports, Laredo Community College unveiled Tuesday a bronze sculpture honoring one of its major contributors, Guadalupe Martinez. The ceremony was held in the lobby of the college's new Fine Arts Center which also bears Martinez' name. "There are no words that can express our gratitude towards you and your family, Tio Lupe," said LCC Board President Ramiro V. Martinez, whose family shares roots in the ranch land of Zapata County with the donor. "What you have done for the college, for our students, for the arts, should not be forgotten and we will certainly remember you always." Guadalupe Martinez, and his late wife Lilia, recently established a family foundation whose contributions helped LCC build the $8.4 million auditorium and classroom building. Contributions from the Martinez family also purchased equipment for the facility, including a Steinway grand piano. Mr. Martinez is a retired rancher. His wife, Lilia, is a retired educator from the Zapata Independent School District. Their philanthropic efforts have benefited numerous organizations such as the Boy Scouts, Bethany House and the Diocese of Laredo. Mr. Martinez is an active and charter member of the South Texas Development Council and is a member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. The LCC Fine Arts Center was dedicated in August 2003. The couple also received the LCC Meritorious Service Award for 2003. The bronze likeness of Mr. Martinez, wearing the rancher's traditional cowboy hat, was unveiled at a ceremony that hosted members of the Martinez family, LCC board members, college faculty and administrators. Laredo artist Armando Hinojosa created the bronze sculpture, which will be permanently located in the lobby of the LCC Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center. |
Texas State Deaths for 2002 released. View at http://www.vitalsearch-ca.com/gen/tx/tx_/txdeathm.htm Sent by Mira Smithwick This report is best viewed by setting your Browser to a mono-spaced font such as 10-point Courier. (AOL Users: Because the AOL default Browser's font cannot be set, the report may be difficult to read.) The Vitalsearch Month in Review can also be seen from your Browser at: http://www.vitalsearch-ca.com/gen/_newsletters/MIR.htm Work has resumed in rescanning the 1905-29 & 1930-39 CA Deaths from the original source documents. We thank you. The Vitalsearch Company Worldwide, Inc |
Saving Texas History! Texas General Land Office New Initiative Sent by George Gause ggause@panam.edu Greetings friends of the Archives of the Texas General Land Office - It is my distinct pleasure to introduce you to the first issue of our latest publication "Saving Texas History - The Newsletter of the Texas General Land Office Archives." This will be a way to keep all of our interested customers, patrons, donors, and friends up to date on the exciting things taking place in the Archives of the General Land Office. As many of you know, under the leadership of Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, we recently launched a new initiative called "SAVE TEXAS HISTORY!" designed to inspire Texans to get involved in the conservation of our very important collection. We will be using our newsletter as a way to keep all of our supporters up to speed on important milestones as that initiative develops. It will also serve as an educational tool for those of you only just now getting involved with the General Land Office Archives. I hope that it will help you to better understand what we are about and what services we can offer you. This newsletter is a free publication, distributed via email and the internet. It will be published on an occasional basis. To access it, simply click the link below and it will open as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file: http://www.glo.state.tx.us/archives/pdfs/ARNewsletter_sm.pdf If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, a complimentary copy may be downloaded here: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html Please take the time to visit our website at www.savetexashistory.org for more information about the Archives of the Texas General Land Office and our many ongoing projects. I thank you all for your continuing interest in our collection and wish you the very best. Sincerely, Jerry C. Drake, M.A. Director, Archives & Records, Texas General Land Office (512) 463-5260 1-800-998-4GLO visit our website at: www.glo.state.tx.us |
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Texas State Library and Archives: Helpful websites... Texas State Library and Archives / Archival Finding Guides http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/#findingaids Texas State Library and Archives / Texas Treasurers (keeps above current) http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/treasures/ Texas State Library and Archives (general) http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ Sent by George Gause ggause@panam.edu |
Historical Data on Buildings, Dwellings and Other Structures of Fort Ringgold, Rio Grande City, Roma, and Surrounding Areas Source: Texas Historical Commission and National Registar http://home.granderiver.net/~juandv/histdatarioroma.html Source: J. D. Villarreal Juandv@granderiver.net |
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"They Came in Ships..." |
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[An address delivered by Paul Newfield III on October 7, 2000, at Donaldsonville, Louisiana, on the occasion of the dedication of the monument celebrating the Canary Islanders who settled in Louisiana in the late 18th century.] El año mil setecientos, setenta y ocho... The year 1778. They came in ships -- men, women, children -- our ancestors. Seven hundred recently enlisted recruits with their families, departing their native Canary Islands forever, aboard sailing ships that would carry them across the seas to Spanish Louisiana. By estimate, approximately 2,363 Isleños set sail for Louisiana, but not all of them arrived here. King Carlos III of Spain required fresh troops to bear arms in the imminent war against Great Britain, and he needed loyal subjects to settle, populate and defend his Louisiana lands. Over a period of about five years, beginning in the about 1778, our Canary Islands ancestors came to Louisiana. They settled at places they called San Bernardo, Tierra de los Bueyes, Galveztown, Barataria, Valenzuela. I have often tried to imagine what it might have been like for those early Isleños. Why did they come? What circumstances would compel a man to leave his native land and boldly travel to the other side of the earth, to a distant destination, Nevermore to return? It takes Courage, Inner Strength, Faith, and a lot of Hope –Attributes that I admire in my ancestors and that I look for in myself. Who were those people?? These CORVO, MARRERO, FALCON; SANCHEZ, SUAREZ, DIAZ, DOMINGUEZ; LOPEZ, RAMIREZ, GONZALEZ; GARCIA, PEREZ, HERNANDEZ, RODRIGUEZ, FERNANDEZ; MARTIN, MARTINEZ; HIDALGO, DELGADO; MORALES, TORRES, TRUXILLO; ACOSTA, ALEMAN and PLASENCIA?? These Canary Islanders were loyal subjects of King Carlos III of Spain. Their native archipelago consisted then, as it does now, of seven volcanic islands situated in the deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean, some 800 miles southwest of Spain and 100 miles west of Morocco on the African continent. They came to this place called Louisiana -- this flat, featureless land of marshes, bayous, swamps and prairies -- a place so very different from their homeland. They were military men, freshly recruited soldiers of the newly established Second Battalion of the Fixed Louisiana Regiment. Earning their pay, they captured Baton Rouge from the British in 1779; they captured Mobile in 1780, and Pensacola in 1781. In the story of America's fight for Independence, these soldiers justifiably earned a place of honor. They were pioneer farmers - tamers of the land and cultivators of the soil. Equally deserving of recognition and a place of special honor were the Women -- the wives, the mothers -- keepers of the hearth, Women who shared the hardships and joys, who bore the children and who reared and nurtured them. In our research, we are fortunate to have access to the detailed records, penned by Spanish clerks and administrators more than 200 years ago, among which are a series of ledger books called Libros Maestros. In Valenzuela, the Libro Maestro dates from 1779, and lists 113 family groups, including 3 widows and 9 orphaned girls, for a total count of about 400 souls. The very first name appearing in that Libro Maestro was Francisco Gonzales Carbo, with his wife and 9 children - 11 family members in all. It is no wonder that this family name is so well known to us all. Many Canary Islanders prospered... But not all. Those in Galveztown were not so fortunate. The recruit Antonio Alonso set sail from Santa Cruz de Tenerife on October 28, 1778 aboard the frigate San Ignacio de Loyola, with his wife Rita and their 5 year old son, Antonio. Rita was two months pregnant when they began the voyage. She must have been a strong woman. A sea voyage, pregnant, but with a spirit full of Hope. They arrived at New Orleans in early January, 1779, and they were among 28 families of the San Ignacio who ascended the Mississippi River to Galveztown, a newly established frontier settlement at the confluence of Iberville's Bayou Manchak and the Amite River, directly across from contentious British territory. The Alonso family would be part of the Galveztown settlement, and the elder Antonio would hope to wear the uniform of Bernardo de Galvez's Second Louisiana Infantry Battalion. The Alonso family was enrolled on the pages of the Libro Maestro, and from these pages from Galveztown we read the following notations: "On May 27, 1779 was born a daughter. "On the 8th of July, 1779 the son died; "On the 25th of July, 1779 the daughter died; And then lastly we read, "All the remaining individuals of this family died on the 2nd and the 16th of September, 1779...." Only 11 months after Antonio Alonso and his family sailed, they were all gone. Vanquished Hope! Sic transit gloria mundi. The old settlement at Barataria has all but disappeared, returned now to its original moss and palmetto, but its cultural legacy to us is a small, languid bayou, remembered to this day as Bayou des Familles - "Bayou of the Families" - in recognition of the Canarian families that once inhabited its banks. Ironically the name of the bayou is in French. From the settlements of San Bernardo and Tierra de los Bueyes in St. Bernard parish, those early Isleños bequeathed to us their Spanish language, which they passed along to their children and their children's children. They perpetuated the old stories, and they sang their decimas - those distinctive songs of a particular form and meter that celebrate life. The Isleños of St. Bernard, above all, have been "keepers of the flame", where that glowing ember of "Spanishness" has continued to smolder for more than 200 years. And back to the settlement of Valenzuela - along the banks of Bayou Lafourche des Chetimaches - where we are today. We have come here, this October 7th, 2000, to this old venerable parish cemetery of the Church of the Ascension, in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, to dedicate and bless this beautiful monumental stone. And in so doing, let us also call upon our Isleño ancestors - those bold immigrants - for their blessing upon us and our families; and we pray that their strengths and virtues will continue to pour down upon us, their lineal descendants and heirs of their blood - upon us here, who, in their time, were the Hope for which they prayed. Paul Newfield III Sent by Bill Carmena |
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If you have never researched in the National Archives in Washington, D.C., this might be a good time to schedule a trip. Workshop speakers have been selected, but not firmed, except for the keynote, Dr. George Ryskamp, Director of the Center for Family History and Genealogy at BYU. Dr. Ryskamp is the author of many books and articles on tracing Spanish-language family lines. Dr. Ryskamp's first book, and the only one on the subject at that time, was first published in 1984, Tracing Your Hispanic Heritage, 972 pages packed with How-To information. The latest book, just released was co-authored with his wife Peggy, A Student's Guide to Mexican American Genealogy published by Oryx American Family Tree Series. As the program information is available Somos Primos will publish it. In addition, a NARA website will soon be set up to post the information as it develops. Although the program is geared to adult family history researchers from beginners to advance, every attempt will be made to encourage teachers, youth social workers, high school and university students to attend. Cost of the conference will be minimal, or none at all. |
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Friday, October 1 10:30 a.m. to Noon : Keynote address and panel 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. - 3 workshops 1:15 to 2:30 - Lunch (patrons on their own) 2:30 to 3:30 - 3 workshops 3:30 to 4:30 - 2 workshops 4:30 to 5:30 - Reception |
Saturday, October 2 All events in Conference Rooms: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. - 3 worksho |