Somos Primos

 December 2006 
Editor: Mimi Lozano ©2000-6

Dedicated to Hispanic Heritage and Diversity Issues
 
Society of Hispanic Historical and Ancestral Research
Celebrating 20th Anniversary 
1986-2006

Sent by Dr. Armando Ayala drchili@webtv.net
 and docrio@warpspeed1.net

If a nation expects to be both ignorant and free, 
it expects what never was and never will be.

Thomas Jefferson

  Letters to the Editor : 

United States

Business . . .26
Spendor. . new magazine
Family History Employment

The Reason for the Season
Christmas 2006
Sand Sculptures, Ocean City, Maryland

WE WOULD HOPE THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION COULD PAY YOUR EXPENSES.
IF FOR SOME REASON THIS POSES A PROBLEM, WE WOULD HOPE THAT
YOU WILL COME, KNOWING THAT SOLO WILL FIND SOME WAY TO TAKE 
CARE OF SAME.
PLEASE RESPOND IMMEDIATELY BY WIRE OR PHONE TO BERNARD LAFAYETTE,
PROGRAM DIRECTOR, SOLO, 334 AUBURN AVE. NE, ATLANTA. TELEPHONE
(404) 522-1420
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR PRESIDENT SOLO

14 1968 12:00 6:00 334 (404)522-1420

For more information on Dr. Hector P. Garcia, contact Rick Leal at GGR1031@aol.com
or call 415-307-7779

National Museum for the Latino Community

Give yourself and descendants a gift by writing a letter or making a telephone call to support the concept of a National Museum for the Latino Community in Washington, D.C.. Dr. Hector P. Garcia was the first national leader in the fight for the civil rights of everyone.  As we applaud the recognition given to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. we should also help the public acknowledge the Latino contributions as well. 

Contacting United States Congress members. Change the last two letters to the zip code for your own state.  You will find the phone, fax number and URL for that office. 
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/cgi-bin/newseek.cgi?site=ctc&state=ca

THIS IS THE TIME!!  Make your concerns and feelings known.

Santa Ana is now the nation's largest city with an all-Latino city council

By Jennifer Delson
Times Staff Writer November 9, 2006
Sent by Ricardo Valverde  RValverde@ochca.com

Santa Ana has already been anointed the most Spanish-speaking city in the United States. Now, it is the largest U.S. city with an all-Latino city council.

On Tuesday, three Latino candidates won seats on the city's seven-member council, joining four other Latino incumbents.

According to the National Assn. of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, no other city with a population over 300,000 holds that distinction. Santa Ana is the 51st-largest city in the nation, and the ninth largest in the state, with a population of nearly 350,000.

"What's happening in Santa Ana reflects what's happening all over the country," said Rueben Martinez, a longtime Democratic activist and Santa Ana bookstore owner. "There were so many Latino candidates around the country in places like Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon and elsewhere. Here, this is a city that leads the trend."

Just how long the majority will last remains to be seen, though. Councilman Jose Solorio won an Assembly seat Tuesday, and his seat will be filled either by appointment or special election.

Latinos hold all the seats in city councils in several smaller cities in Southern California, such as Irwindale and Bell Gardens, in border areas in the Southwest and in places such as Hialeah, Fla., where most of the population is Cuban American. But Santa Ana is the largest.

Rodolfo de la Garza, research director of the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute, is not surprised by the election results in Santa Ana.

He said the Latino population had grown and matured politically so the result was nearly inevitable.

Newly elected Councilman Sal Tinajero, who has served on the city's school board, said an all Latino council "is a wonderful opportunity for people to stop stigmatizing us and saying that a Latino representative only represents Latino people."

Solorio said the all-Latino majority came nearly 20 years after Latinos became a majority in the city. Only in 2002 did Latinos become a majority on the council.

Political analyst Steve Sammarco said he was not surprised it took that long.

Only half of the city's 91,000 registered voters are Latinos, and of those, only 12% voted in four of the last five elections, Sammarco said.

LATINOS IN CONGRESS (2000 to 2006)
By John P. Schmal
Extracted from NALEO Election Reports, 2000-2006

Before the 2000 Election

After the Nov. 2000 Election

After the Nov. 2002 Election

After the Nov. 2004 Election

After the Nov. 2006 Election

U.S. House of Representatives

Arizona

1

1

2

2

2

California

6

6

7

7

7

Colorado

0

0

0

1

1

Florida

2

2

3

3

3

Illinois

1

1

1

1

1

New Jersey

1

1

1

1

1

New York

2

2

2

2

2

Texas

6

6

6

6

6

Total

19

19

22

23

23

U.S. Senate

Colorado

0

0

0

1

1

Florida

0

0

0

1

1

Total

0

0

0

2

2

(as extracted from NALEO Election Reports, 2000-2006)

Before the 2000 Election

After the Nov. 2000 Election

After the Nov. 2002 Election

After the Nov. 2004 Election

After the Nov. 2006 Election

State Senates

Arizona

4

4

5

5

5

California

7

7

9

10

9

Colorado

2

1

2

2

2

Florida

3

3

3

3

3

Georgia

0

0

1

1

0

Hawaii

1

1

1

1

1

Illinois

2

2

4

4

4

Kansas

1

1

1

0

0

Maryland

0

0

2

2

1

Massachusetts

0

0

1

1

1

Michigan

0

0

1

1

1

Minnesota

0

0

0

0

1

Nebraska

1

1

1

0

1

Nevada

1

1

1

1

1

New Mexico

15

15

15

14

14

New York

4

4

4

4

4

North Carolina

0

0

0

1

1

Oregon

1

1

0

0

0

Rhode Island

0

0

0

1

1

Texas

7

7

7

7

6

Utah

1

1

0

0

1

Washington

1

1

1

1

1

Total

52

51

59

59

58

State Houses of Representatives or Assemblies

Arizona

8

9

10

11

11

California

16

20

18

19

18

Colorado

8

9

6

5

4

Connecticut

5

5

5

6

6

Delaware

1

1

1

1

1

Florida

12

12

13

13

14

Georgia

0

0

2

2

2

Idaho

0

0

1

1

1

Illinois

4

4

6

7

8

Indiana

0

0

0

1

1

Kansas

1

1

1

4

4

Maryland

0

0

2

2

3

Massachusetts

3

3

3

3

3

Michigan

2

2

0

1

2

Minnesota

1

1

1

1

2

Missouri

0

0

0

0

1

Montana

0

0

0

0

1

Nebraska

0

0

0

1

0

Nevada

0

0

1

1

2

New Hampshire

0

1

1

2

3

New Jersey

5

5

7

5

5

New Mexico

27

29

30

29

31

New York

8

8

11

12

13

North Carolina

0

0

1

1

1

Oregon

0

0

0

2

1

Pennsylvania

1

1

1

1

1

Rhode Island

1

2

2

3

2

South Carolina

0

0

0

1

1

Tennessee

1

1

0

1

1

Texas

28

28

30

30

31

Utah

1

0

0

2

1

Washington

2

2

2

2

2

Wisconsin

1

1

1

1

1

Wyoming

1

1

1

1

2

Total

139

147

158

172

180

National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund (NALEO), "Latinos Grab Seats In State Houses Nationwide," November 9, 2000.

NALEO, "Latinos Gain New Ground in Congress and State Houses," November 11, 2002.

NALEO, "Latinos in Congress and State Houses After Election 2004: A State-by-State Summary," November 2004.

NALEO, "Latinos Achieve New Political Milestones in Congress and State Houses: Latinos in States with Emerging Communities Are Writing the Next Chapter of Latino Political History," November 7, 2006.

Bringing the Reality of History to the Community: Latino Advocates for Education 

For the 10th Year Latino Advocates for Education, based in Orange County, California 
hosted a Celebration to Honor Latino Veterans. Embedded in the activities is the goal of reaching young people to respect and honor their country and families. In addition to the distinguished guests which always make up the program, the assistance of Latino fraternities and service organizations are enlisted. President Judge Fredrick Aguirre is roundly supported by family and Latino Advocates for Education members. 

Wife, Linda Aguirre is a middle school teacher.  Her students prepare a mural appropriate to the theme. Below. hangs the mural above the display cases filled with military artifacts.

Grandmother/Granddaughter Book Project

Dia de los Muertos

Day of the Dead

La Catrina 
Jose Guadalupe Posada

By
Kathleen Carrizal-Frye
&
Kirsten Rawson

by Kathleen Carrizal-Frye

I moved to the Rio Grande Valley, from Houston, in 1996. Most people go the other way, to the big city.
 I guess I've always lived my life in reverse. I was born and raised in a barrio, not speaking any Spanish. The only Mexican culture I remember having was a piñata at birthday parties and wearing footwear called chanclas. I knew of Cinco de Mayo, but never heard about Deis y Seis de Septiembre.

(When my daughter was born on the 16th of Sept in 1970, my sister explained it to me. I told her "No, that's Cinco de Mayo", to which she said, "Oh no, Mexico celebrates two Independence days".)

So when I heard the description of Dia de los Muertos, it sounded fascinating.

In 2000, my granddaughter whom I’m raising, Kirsten Rawson, and I met George Gause (in charge of special collections at nearby UTPA) at a genealogical conference in Marin, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. (Jose Gonzalez of Houston started that celebration) We kept in touch via e-mail in reference to my genealogical work.

In 2001 we found out he put up an altar at the Dia de los Muertos exhibit at the Museum of South Texas History, in Edinburg. My granddaughter and I were anxious to view his display.

Once there, we were hooked. There were wonderful altars dedicated to the recent 9-11 attack on the WTC. Others were dedicated to deceased loved ones. There were fliers describing the symbolic meaning of everything placed on the altars. We grabbed a couple of them and set out to identify everything on the displays. We spent a couple of hours reading all the letters and studying all the personal mementos placed on the altars.  This was definitely something that we took to heart.

Later during the week, we saw an announcement for another exhibition in Donna, Texas. We knew we had to attend that one. We got out our map and found the old American Legion Hall where the Donna Hooks Historical Museum was temporarily housed after their museum was damaged by a fire. The altars there were wonderful. Kirsten was amazed at all the details of the altars. She was so mesmerized by the skulls with marigolds in their eye sockets that a reporter interviewed her for the local newspaper. The curator, Laura Lincoln, noticed Kirsten's fascination and asked her if she wanted to display an altar next year.

Well, that was five years ago and Kirsten has displayed every year.

In 2002, Kirsten was the youngest person displaying an altar. She was 10years old and in the 5th grade. Her teacher, Mrs. Loredo (our mayor's wife) came to see her exhibit. Kirsten’s altar was dedicated to "Los Abuelos". Both sides of her family tree were there. The Rawson/Brown on one side and the Carrizal/Hernandez/Rodriguez on the other. Kirsten wore a China Poblana costume and was just precious. She gave a speech on her altar and named all the items and what they meant to her.

Laura Lincoln had a sit down meal of traditional Dia de los Muertos food from the Frida Kahlo cookbook by Guadalupe Rivera, Frida's step-daughter. (She has hosted this meal every year) 

Kirsten's second year in Donna, 2003, she dedicated her altar to the art of Frida Kahlo. The curator, Laura, sponsored a Frida Kahlo costume contest that Kirsten won. (I made the costume complete with braids and a uni-brow) I made my first altar, dedicated it to my father Daniel Carrizal who died in 1988, and have put it up every year since. I make changes to it to keep it fresh.

Her third year, 2004, Kirsten was filmed and interviewed as she set up her altar (dedicated to her great-grandma Brown from MS) at the Donna museum. They wanted her to explain the symbolism of each item as she placed it on the altar. It was aired on a local newscaster's bi-weekly feature, "Con mi gente", by Rick Diaz on our local ABC network affiliation. That year we also made 30 miniature shadow boxes, with a Frida Kahlo theme in them.

Her fourth year, 2005, Kirsten miniaturized her altar to her great-grandmother Brown for the Donna Museum, and remade her altar on Frida Kahlo for the IMAS museum in McAllen, Texas. I made an altar on Jose Guadalupe Posada and his works. We gave a speech on our altars and the experiences we had researching and displaying altars throughout the years. I also made an altar, for the Museum in Edinburg, dedicated to my cousin Eunice, who had died in April.

During the past four years, we've done research on the tradition of Dia de los Muertos. Friends and family have sent up articles and websites on altars. My sister Cyndi Ondrusek and her daughter Sandi Sutter, both of Burbank, CA, have scoured the bookstores, museum gift shops, Olvera St. shops, and the internet for items we could use on our altars. They have sent books, articles, and Dia de los Muertos art to us. They have supported our endeavors.

Kirsten and I co-authored a book on Dia de los Muertos. The book contains the history of the celebration, ideas on how to make an altar, recipes for the traditional foods and drinks, and arts-and-crafts for the decorations. The book is a culmination of all our research. We had been asked numerous times for our recipes of the fun food items such as the skeleton chocolate candies, severed-finger cookies, and the sugar skulls that we decorate. The children usually ask how we made the coffee-filter marigolds. All this is included in our book.  For the past two years, we were featured authors at the Hidalgo County Historical Society's book fair held in Hidalgo, Texas. 
Kirsten is always listed as the youngest author.

This year is Kirsten's fifth year displaying. The calls started coming in July about our participation in the cities that surround us. We live in San Juan, Texas and towns east and west called to book us for book readings and signings, altar displays, to participate in a class on making an altar, and to co-host a class on decorating skulls.

Sadly, we had to turn down many offers.

Kirsten is a freshman in high school, and is attending one of the toughest schools in the valley. Med High (South Texas High School for Health Professions). It was ranked 91st in the nation. It is located next-door to Science Academy that is ranked 11th in the nation. Both are located in Mercedes, Texas. (Out of 5 schools in Texas that made the Top 100 list, two are in the Rio Grande Valley, side-by-side.)

Mimi:  This Boricua learned about the Día de los Muertos while living in Mexico City. A young woman gave me a skull made out of sugar with my name on it. She worked for me, and I did not know what to think of it. She explained to me that by making fun of it, death would not touch me. I learned of this as she saw me grieving for a friend who had died of lupus in Chicago, Illinois. I learned that love transcends even death. I left Mexico in the late 80's and have never seen this woman again, but she is part of the lovely experiences I had while living in Mexico, and the love I have for that country.

Thank you Mimi, for bringing this beautiful memory back to me. I also thank you for all the incredible work you do to preserve our Hispanic, Latino heritage. I look forward to reading your newsletter and visiting your web site each month. 

Feliz Día de los Muertos 
Mildred Berríos de McMahan  milmac@coqui.net
Puerto Rico

Young nuns from the Sisters of Life Convent play volleyball near the water on the SUNY Maritime Campus in the Bronx, September 2006.
From the Magazine | Society

Today's Nun Has A Veil--And A Blog

More young women are entering convents. How they are changing the sisterhood
By TRACY SCHMIDT, LISA TAKEUCHI CULLEN
SUBSCRIBE TO TIMEPRINTE-MAILMORE BY AUTHOR
Posted Monday, Nov. 13, 2006, www.Time.com
Sent by Howard Shorr Howardshorr@msn.com

For the iPod generation, it doesn't get more radical than wearing a veil. The hijab worn by traditional Muslim women might have people talking, but it's the wimple that really turns heads. And in the U.S. today, the nuns most likely to wear that headdress are the ones young enough to have a playlist.

Over the past five years, Roman Catholic communities around the country have experienced a curious phenomenon: more women, most in their 20s and 30s, are trying on that veil. Convents in Nashville, Tenn.; Ann Arbor, Mich.; and New York City all admitted at least 15 entrants over the past year and fielded hundreds of inquiries. One convent is hurriedly raising funds for a new building to house the inflow, and at another a rush of new blood has lowered the median age of its 225 sisters to 36. Catholic centers at universities, including Illinois and Texas A&M, report growing numbers of women entering discernment, or the official period of considering a vocation. Career women seeking more meaning in their lives and empty-nest moms are also finding their way to convent doors.

This is a welcome turnabout for the church. As opportunities opened for women in the 1960s and '70s, fewer of them viewed the asceticism and confinements of religious life as a tempting career choice. Since 1965, the number of Catholic nuns in the U.S. has declined from 179,954 to just 67,773, according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University. The average age of nuns today is 69. But over the past decade or so, expressing their religious beliefs openly has become hip for many young people, a trend intensified among Catholic women by the charismatic appeal of Pope John Paul II's youth rallies and his interpretation of modern feminism as a way for women to express Christian values.

As this so-called JP2 generation has come of age, religious orders have begun to reach out again to young people--and to do so in the language that young people speak. Convents conduct e-mail correspondence with interested women, blogs written by sisters give a peek into the habited life and websites offer online personality questionnaires to test vocations. One site, Vocation-network.org frames the choice much like a dating service, with Christ as the ultimate match. "For a long time, we neglected to invite people to see what we are about," says Sister Doris Gottemoeller of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of America, a national order. "I think we're more ready to do that now."

And although the extreme conservatism of a nun's life may seem wholly countercultural for young American women today, that is exactly what attracts many of them, say experts and the women themselves. "Religious life itself is a radical choice," says Brother Paul Vednarczyk, executive director of the National Religious Vocation Conference in Chicago. "In an age where our primary secular values are sex, power and money, for someone to choose chastity, obedience and poverty is a radical statement."  Page 1 of 4  



 

Poesía en español - Spanish poetry
Menú de autores  http://www.poesi.as/index.htm

I've linked to a great interview on the life of Sor Juana which is entitled "The Female Shakespeare of Mexico." Please look in the "Mujer" section of the podcast to listen to this interview and revisit the two other presentations: "Hers, His, and Theirs: Community Property Law in Spain and Early Texas" by Dr. Jean Stuntz and "Rethinking Malinche" by Dr. Frances Karttunen.

There so many significant women that contributed so much to our history. I don't understand how this area of the podcast can only have three entries. Can you help me fill this area of the podcast? If you know of someone knowledgeable on the history of Women in Latin American History please help me contact them so we can arrange for other Audio Presentation to be uploaded to the "Mujer" section of the project? Maybe you have a message. . .please step forward and teach the community about our history. Visit the site: http://NuestraFamiliaUnida.com Join the planning committee: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/podhi/ subscribe to the notice group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NuestraFamiliaUnida/ send an email: NFU@JosephPuentes.com or leave a message: 206-339-4134.

Military & Law Enforcement Heroes

Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941

Puerto Ricans have participated in every major American military conflict, from the American Revolution when volunteers from Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Mexico fought the British in 1779 under the command of General Bernardo de Gálvez (1746-1786), to the present-day conflict in Iraq. However, it was during the Korean War that Puerto Ricans suffered the most casualties as members of an all-Hispanic volunteer unit. One of the problems that they faced was the difference in languages: the common foot soldier spoke only Spanish, while the commanding officers were mostly English-speaking Americans. Another problem that they faced was the climate. However, despite the hardships suffered by the members of the 65th Infantry, Puerto Ricans served with pride and honor.

World War I
On July 1, 1898, "The Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry, United States Army" was created and approved by the U.S. Congress on May 27, 1908. They trained in Camp Las Casas in Santurce, a section of San Juan. On May 3, 1917, the Regiment recruited 1,969 men, considered at that time as war strength. On May 14, 1917, the Regiment was sent to Panama in defense of the Panama Canal Zone. The Regiment returned to Puerto Rico on March 1919 and was renamed "The 65th Infantry" by the Reorganization Act of June 4, 1920.

World War II
Soldiers of the 65th Infantry training in Salinas, Puerto Rico. August 1941

Korean War
This 1992 painting depicts the Puerto Rican 65th Infantry Regiment's bayonet charge against a Chinese division during the Korean War.

Members of the 65th Infantry who distinguished themselves:
Col. Carlos Betances Ramriez, the first Puerto Rican to command a Battalion in Korea.
Staff Sgt. Modesto Cartagena, the most decorated Puerto Rican
Brigadier General Antonio Rodriguez Balinas, U.S. Army, was the first commander of the Office of the First U.S. Army Deputy Command.
Major General Juan Cesar Cordero Davila, U.S. Army, commanding officer of the 65th Infantry Regiment during the Korean War becoming one of the highest ranking ethnic officers in the Army.
Brigadier General Luis R. Esteves,U.S. Army, organized the Puerto Rican National Guard
Master Sgt. Pedro Rodriguez, awarded two Silver Star Medals in seven days.

Robert Gonzalez's Photography Serves the Military 

Willis Papillion
Silverdale, WA

YVETTE CABRERA

Register columnist 11/09/06
ycabrera@ocregister.com
Sent by Ricardo Valverde RValverde@ochca.com

Cabrera's opinions on local news appear every Tuesday and Thursday. She is a former metro reporter who has covered issues including immigration and higher education. Contact her at 714 -796-3649 or ycabrera@ocregister.com

CUENTOS

LITERATURE

MEXICO’S 19^th CENTURY SOCIAL COMMENTATOR: 
Vicente Riva Palacio, first in a series of Translations by Ted Vincent

SURNAMES

Compiled by John D. Inclan

Generation 1
1. ANTONIO¹ DE GALVEZ-Y-CARVAJAL He married ANA GALLARDO-JURADO.
Children of ANTONIO DE GALVEZ-Y-CARVAJAL and ANA GALLARDO-JURADO are:

2. i. MARQUES DE LA SONORA JOSE-BERNARDO² DE GALVEZ-Y-GALLARDO, b. 02 Jan 1720, Velez, Malaga, Spain; d. 17 Jun 1787, Aranjuez, Spain.

3. ii. COUNT OF GALVEZ MATIAS DE GALVEZ-Y-GALLARDO, b. 1725, Macharavialla, Malaga, Spain; d. 03 Nov 1784, Mexico City, D. F., Mexico.

Generation No. 2
2. MARQUES DE LA SONORA JOSE-BERNARDO² DE GALVEZ-Y-GALLARDO (ANTONIO¹ DE GALVEZ-Y-CARVAJAL) was born 02 Jan 1720 in Velez, Malaga, Spain, and died 17 Jun 1787 in Aranjuez, Spain. He married (1) LUCIA ROMET-Y-PICHELIN 02 Aug 1750 in Spain. He married (2) MARIA-DE-LA-CONCEPCION VALENZUELA 1775.

Note: José Bernardo de Gálvez Gallardo, visitor general of public finance in New Spain, the second son of Antonio Gálvez y Carbajal and Ana Gallardo Jurado, was born in Macharaviaya, Málaga, Spain, on January 2, 1720. His initial interests, under the influence of the bishop of Málaga, led him to the seminary, but he soon eschewed a priestly calling. After completing a degree in law, Gálvez gained recognition as a successful attorney in Madrid. On August 2, 1750, he married Lucía Romet y Pichelin, his first wife having died without issue.

Gálvez's legal accomplishments won him a royal appointment on November 25, 1764, as a civil and criminal justice (alcalde de casa y corte) of Castile. In that capacity he came to know the influential Conde de Aranda and Conde de Campomanes. After the visitor general designate of New Spain died unexpectedly, in February 1765 José de Gálvez received that post as well as honorary membership in the Council of the Indies.

As visitor general of public finance, he spent six years in New Spain (1765-71). His overarching powers were such that he could make recommendations on general colonial policy and its reform-recommendations that could not be contravened even by the viceroy. Initially, Gálvez found himself at loggerheads with the Marqués de Cruillas, who delayed reform for a time. But the recalcitrant viceroy was replaced in 1766 by the more cooperative Marqués de Croix. In the second half of his six-year sojourn, Gálvez turned his attention to the northern frontier of New Spain. His specific reform programs included overhauling revenue collection, strengthening crown monopolies, and expelling the Jesuits^qv from the viceroyalty. The visitor general also initiated the permanent settlement of Alta California.

When Gálvez returned to Spain in 1772, he assumed various responsibilities as an honorary member of the Council of the Indies and performed special services for King Charles III. In 1776 Don José assumed the prestigious post of minister of the Indies, from which he could direct the Bourbon reforms that affected the Spanish Empire from Argentina to Texas. Changes in New Spain included establishment of the Provincias Internas^qv (1776), a huge, shifting governmental unit that included Texas for the remainder of the colonial period. In the previous year Gálvez married María de la Concepción Valenzuela, and from that union came his sole heir, María Josefa.

Throughout much of his adult life José de Gálvez suffered from serious emotional problems; one attack left him incapacitated during his visitation in Sonora (1769-70). He died on June 17, 1787. distinguished kinfolk included an older brother, Matías de Gálvez, who served as viceroy of New Spain, and a more famous nephew in Louisiana and Texas, Bernardo de Gálvez,^qv who succeeded his father as viceroy in 1785. Texas Online History.

Child of JOSE-BERNARDO DE GALVEZ-Y-GALLARDO and MARIA-DE-LA-CONCEPCION VALENZUELA is: 

i. MARIA-JOSEFA³ DE GALVEZ-Y-VALENZUELA.

3. COUNT OF GALVEZ MATIAS² DE GALVEZ-Y-GALLARDO (ANTONIO¹ DE GALVEZ-Y-CARVAJAL) was born 1725 in Macharavialla, Malaga, Spain, and died 03 Nov 1784 in Mexico City,      Bernardo de Galvez re-enactor  
D. F., Mexico. He married MARIA-JOSEFA DE MADRID.                   Hector Diaz

Note: A Spanish general, governor of Guatemala (from April 1779 to April 3, 1783), and viceroy of New Spain (from April 29, 1783, to November 3, 1784).

Matías de Gálvez was born in a small town in Malaga, Spain. He joined the army and distinguished himself on campaign. He rose in rank to general, and because of his military record and the influence of his brother, Jose de Galvez an important administrator in New Spain, he became well known at Court. He married María Josefa de Madrid and they had two sons, Bernardo and José. José died at 8.

In Guatemala, Governor Gálvez showed himself an active administrator and a good organizer. He worked to reconstruct Guatemala City after the earthquake of 1773, established a mint and built the cathedral.

To reward Gálvez for his service in Guatemala, the king named him viceroy of New Spain, in spite of his age and ill health. He traveled overland to the capital, passing through Oaxaca and Puebla. Matías de Gálvez was the last viceroy to make his formal entry into Mexico City on horseback, which he did on April 28, 1783.

Spain and England had just made peace, and Gálvez was able to dedicate himself to improving the capital. During his brief administration, he worked to clean the waterways and drain the lake surround Mexico City, built bridges and a sewage system, and paved the streets of La Palma, Monterilla and San Francisco with cobblestones. He divided Mexico City into four quarters, and improved the police service. He approved the San Carlos academy of fine arts founded by his predecessor, and continued work on it. He dedicated 15,000 pesos annual for this project.

He also ordered the reconstruction of the palace of Chapultepec. He organized the Banco Nacional de San Carlos, a subsidiary of a Spanish bank. He tried to import mercury from China (for use in the silver mines), in exchange for furs. He founded a pawn shop. He also increased government revenues to 19 million pesos annually.

Matías de Gálvez died November 3, 1784 in Mexico City. Shortly before, on October 20, 1784, he turned government functions over to the Audiencia. There were no sealed instructions to be opened on the event of his death, and the Audiencia turned over the administration to Vicente Herrera until the arrival of a new viceroy. In his will, Gálvez had asked that his funeral services be simple. He was interred in the church of the Apostolic College of San Fernando, with due regard for his rank and the services he had rendered the colony. His son, Bernardo de Galvez, Spanish governor of Louisiana, succeeded him as viceroy.

Children of MATIAS DE GALVEZ-Y-GALLARDO and MARIA-JOSEFA DE MADRID are:

4. i. COUNT OF GALVEZ BERNARDO³ DE GALVEZ-Y-MADRID, b. 23 Jul 1746, Macharavialla, Malaga, Spain; d. 30 Nov 1786, Tabucbaya, Mexico City, D. F., Mexico.

ii. JOSE DE GALVEZ, d. Died young.

 

Generation No. 3

4. COUNT OF GALVEZ BERNARDO³ DE GALVEZ-Y-MADRID (MATIAS² DE GALVEZ-Y-GALLARDO, ANTONIO¹ DE GALVEZ-Y-CARVAJAL) was born 23 Jul 1746 in Macharavialla, Malaga, Spain, and died 30 Nov 1786 in Tabucbaya, Mexico City, D. F., Mexico. He married MARIE-FELICE DE SAINT-MAXENT-ESTREHAN 02 Nov 1777 in Parroquia San Luis, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana. She was born in New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana.

Note: Bernardo de Gálvez was born on July 23, 1746, in Macharaviaya, a mountain village in the province of Málaga, Spain, the son of Matías and Josepha Madrid y Gallardo de Gálvez. During his lifetime his family was one of the most distinguished in the royal service of Spain. Following family tradition, Bernardo chose a military career. In 1762 he served as a lieutenant in a war with Portugal, after which he was promoted to captain in the Regiment of La Coruña. He arrived in New Spain for the first time as a part of the entourage of his uncle, José de Gálvez Gallardo,^qv who undertook an inspection tour of the viceroyalty of New Spain. In 1769 Gálvez was commissioned to go to the northern frontier of New Spain, where he soon became commandant of military forces in Nueva Vizcaya and Sonora. He led several major expeditions against Apaches, whose depredations seriously crippled the economy of the region. During campaigns along the Pecos and Gila rivers in 1770-71, he was wounded twice but gained military experience that proved invaluable a few years later. The name Paso de Gálvez was given to a crossing on the Pecos River where Gálvez led his troops to victory in a fight with the Apaches. 

Gálvez returned to Spain in 1772 and spent the next three years in France, where he enrolled in the Regiment of Cantabria to perfect himself in military science and learned the French language and culture. In 1775 he returned to Spain and was assigned to the Regiment of Seville. As captain of infantry under Alejandro O'Reilly, he participated in a failed attack on Algiers and suffered another wound. In recompense, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and attached to the Military School of Ávila. In 1776 he was transferred to the faraway province of Louisiana and promoted to colonel of the Louisiana Regiment. On January 1, 1777, he succeeded Luis de Unzaga as governor of Louisiana.

Before Spain entered the American Revolutionary War, Gálvez did much to aid the American patriots. He corresponded directly with Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, and Charles Henry Lee, personally received their emissaries, Oliver Pollock and Capt. George Gibson, and responded to their pleas by securing the port of New Orleans so that only American, Spanish, and French ships could move up and down the Mississippi River. Over the river, a veritable lifeline, great amounts of arms, ammunition, military supplies, and money were delivered to the embattled American forces under George Washington and George Rogers Clark. Spain formally declared war against Great Britain on June 21, 1779, and King Carlos III commissioned Gálvez to raise a force of men and conduct a campaign against the British along the Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast. In order to feed his troops, Gálvez sent an emissary, Francisco García, with a letter to Texas governor Domingo Cabello y Robles^qv requesting the delivery of Texas cattle to Spanish forces in Louisiana. Accordingly, between 1779 and 1782, 10,000 cattle were rounded up on ranches belonging to citizens and missions of Bexar and La Bahía.^qv From Presidio La Bahía, the assembly point, Texas rancheros and their vaqueros trailed these herds to Nacogdoches, Natchitoches, and Opelousas for distribution to Gálvez's forces. Providing escorts for these herds were soldiers from Presidio San Antonio de Béxar, Presidio La Bahía, and El Fuerte del Cíbolo, and several hundred horses were also sent along for artillery and cavalry purposes. Fueled in part by Texas beef, Gálvez, with 1,400 men, took to the field in the fall of 1779 and defeated the British in battles at Manchac, Baton Rouge, and Natchez. On March 14, 1780, after a month-long siege with land and sea forces, Gálvez, with over 2,000 men, captured the British stronghold of Fort Charlotte at Mobile. The climax of the Gulf Coast campaign occurred the following year when Gálvez directed a joint land-sea attack on Pensacola, the British capital of West Florida. He commanded more than 7,000 men in the two-month siege of Fort George in Pensacola before its capture on May 10, 1781. On May 8, 1782, Gálvez and his Spanish forces captured the British naval base at New Providence in the Bahamas. He was busy preparing for a grand campaign against Jamaica when peace negotiations ended the war. After the fighting, Gálvez helped draft the terms of treaty that ended the war, and he was cited by the American Congress for his aid during the conflict.

After the peace accords in April 1783, General Gálvez, accompanied by his wife, the former Marie Felice de Saint-Maxent Estrehan of New Orleans, and two infant children, returned to Spain for a brief rest. In October 1784 he was recalled to America to serve as captain-general and governor of Cuba. Early in 1785 he was appointed viceroy of New Spain to succeed his father, who had died on November 3, 1784. Gálvez and his family moved to Mexico City, which was in the throes of famine and disease. He became endeared to the people of Mexico City by opening up not only the resources of the government but also his personal fortune to help the populace through the difficult times. Two of his main achievements as viceroy were the start of the reconstruction of the Castle of Chapultepec, today a showplace for the Mexican nation, and the completion of the Cathedral of Mexico, the largest cathedral in the western hemisphere.

Gálvez died of an illness on November 30, 1786. His body was buried next to his father's crypt in the wall of the Church of San Fernando. His heart was placed in an urn and reposed in the Cathedral of Mexico. On December 12, eight days after his funeral, his widow gave birth to another child. In 1778 San Bernardo, a Taovayan village on the Red River, was named in honor of Gálvez, then the governor of Louisiana. While he was viceroy of New Spain Gálvez ordered José de Evia's^qv survey of the Gulf Coast; the mapmaker named the biggest bay on the Texas coast Bahía de Galvezton, a name later altered to Galveston. On November 30, 1986, forty members of the orders of the Granaderos and Damas de Gálvez from Texas, in conjunction with the Sociedad Mexicana de Amigos de España, placed a bronze plaque on Gálvez's crypt to honor the life and deeds of this great Spanish hero of the American Revolution.

Source: Texas Online History

Notes for MARIE-FELICE DE SAINT-MAXENT-ESTREHAN:
A.K.A Marie Felice de Saint Maxent de la Roche

Children of BERNARDO DE GALVEZ-Y-MADRID and MARIE-FELICE DE SAINT-MAXENT-ESTREHAN are:

i. MIGUEL⁴ DE GALVEZ, b. Haiti.

ii. MATILDE DE GALVEZ, b. New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana; m. RAYMOND CAPECE-MINUTOLO, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana; b. Madrid, Spain.

iii. GUADALUPE DE GALVEZ, b. 12 Dec 1786, Mexico City, D. F., Mexico.

Buenos Aires Patriots of the American Revolutionary War 
Part 2, D to Ll

Prepared by Granville W. Hough, gwhough@oakapple.net


    The Viceroyalty of Buenos Aires was not formed until 1776, but there was early action by the Spanish against the British, Portuguese, and Dutch merchants and sailors who were smuggling on the Rio de la Plata. All-out war was averted, and many of the soldiers who had served on the Rio de la Plata were later to serve under General Gálvez at Pensacola, Cuba, and Haiti.  To protect the new Viceroyalty, units and military stations were developed at Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and Santa Fe. 

    Between the 1783 end of the war and 1800, military records were kept on all units and their key persons, what we would today call the cadre.  Records for each person in the cadre are carefully preserved in bundles, or legajos, for specific years, in what could be called a military census for preparedness.  The record for each soldier goes back to the
date of enlistment, then lists the dates of service in each unit, up to the time of the census.  Microfilm copies of the legajos are available from the Family History Centers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  All the military census dates are after the war, and some of the younger soldiers enlisted after the war.  However, they are still
of interest because they frequently had a father or other relative of similar name in the same unit during the war.

    The object of these listings is to help descendants identify their ancestors, and then be able to join the patriotic organization, Sons of the American Revolution.  It is also possible that in the future, female descendants may be able to join the Daughters of the American Revolution.  So we continue the listings for Buenos Aires patriots with
names D through Ll.

Joaquin de Chopitea.  Captain, Inf. Militia of Montevideo, 1799.  Legajo 7258:III:5.

Juan Dalmao.  Sgt, Asamblea Cab. de Buenos Aires, 1789: Legajo 7258:X:14.
Antonio Daunis.  Sgt, Inf of Buenos Aires, 1787.  Leg 7257:XVIII:71.
Antonio Delgado.  Sgt, graduate SubLt, Asamblea, Inf(antry) of Buenos Aires, 1789, Leg 7258:XI:8.
Gregorio Delgado.  Sgt, Inf of Buenos Aires, 1787.  Leg 7257:XVIII:83.
Manuel Diago.  Lt, Inf. Militia of Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:III:10.
Francisco Diaz-Gomez.  Sgt, Dragoons of Buenos Aires, 1791, Leg 7257:IX:79.
Pedro Diaz de Vivar.  Capt, Cav. Militia of Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:3.
Francisco Javier Dominguez.  Sgt, Cab (Cavalry) Blandengues, Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:35.
José Dueñas.  Sgt, Dragoons of Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:V:92.
Juan Luis Dumont.  Sgt, Milicias Cab, Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:55.
Bernardo Duran. Lt de Granaderos, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:70.
Bibiano Duran.  Alférez (SubLt), Mil. Cab. de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:27.  
Juan Duran.  Lt, Mil Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:17.
Pedro Duran.  Lt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:87.

Juan Francisco Ecala.  Capt, Cab Blandengues, Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:23.
Narciso de Echague y Andia.  Cadet, Compañia Blandengues Santa Fe, 1791, Leg 7257:XII:8.
Juan Fermin Echechipia.  Lt, Mil(itia) Cab, Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:14.
Juan Ignacio de Elia.  Capt, Mil Cab Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:2.
José Francisco Elias.  Cadet, Cab Blandengues Montevideo, 1798, Leg 7258:VIII:51.
José Elorga.  Capt with grade of Lt Col, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1791, Leg 7257:XIV:10.
Juan Ramón Elorga.  Cadet, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:149.
Juan De Ellauri.  Lt, Batalión Mil Inf de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:III:14.
Juan José Enseña.  Cadet, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:177 y 194.
Agustin de Erezcano.  Capt, Mil Cab Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:29.
Francisco Escolar.  Sgt, Asamblea Inf de Buenos Aires, 1791, Leg 7257:X:10.
Pedro Blas Escribano.  Cadet, Cab Blandengues Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:60.
Tomás Escudero.  Capt, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1787, Leg 7257:XVII:18.
Pedro Espinosa.  Alférez, Cab Blandengues Buenes Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:28.
Francisco Esquivel y Aldao.  Capt, Cab Blandengues, Montevideo, 1798, Leg 7258:XII:2.
Tomás Estrada.  Capt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:52.

Félix Falcon.  SubLt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1795, Leg 7257:VI:59.
Manuel Falques.  Porte-estandarte (the standard bearer), Mil Cab, Buenos Aires, 1798:Leg 7258:IX:30.
Apolinario Faneca.  Sgt, Mil Cab Buenas Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:42.
Francisco Fayos.  Sgt, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1796, Leg 7258:V:13 y 14.
Diego Fernandez.  Cab Blandengues Montevideo, 1798, Leg 7258:VIII:12.
Fernando Fernandez.  Sgt, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1791, Leg 7257:IX:51.
Francisco Fernandez.  Sgt, Mil Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:51.
Juan Fernandez.  Lt, Mil Inf de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:III:9.
Juan Eugenio Fernandez.  Sgt, Mil Inf de Buenos Aires, 1799, Leg 7258:I:32.
Manuel Fernandez.  Capt, Cab Blandengues de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:19.
Ramón Fernandez.  Sgt, Mil Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:45
Ramón Fernandez.  Cadet, Cab Blandengues, Montevideo, 1798, Leg
7258:VIII:52 and 57, seemingly two records for the same soldier.
Vincente Fernandez.  Lt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1795, Leg 7257:VI:37.
Juan Ferradas.  Sgt, Cab Blandengues de Montevideo, 1798, Leg 7258:VIII:31.
Gregorio Manuel Ferrari.  Sgt, Mil Cab, Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:44.
Mariano Ferreira.  Sgt, Mil Cab Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:43.
Ramón Ferreiro.  Alférez, Mil de Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:32.
Isidoro Figueredo.  Sgt, Cab Blandengues Buenos Aires, 1799, Leg 7258:VI:7 y 8.
José Figuerola.  Alférez, Mil Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:33.
Lorenzo Fleytas.  Sgt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:142.
Pedro Florencio.  Sgt, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:V:68.
Rodrigo Flores Picon.  Cadet, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1793, Leg 7257:XIV:128.
Tomás Flores Rodriguez.  Sgt, Mil de Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:53.
Pedro Fondevila.  Sgt, Dragones de Buenos Aires.  1798, Leg 7258:V:79.
José Fonteceli.  Lt, Mil Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:24.

Mateo Gallego.  Capt, Mil Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:12.
Pedro Gamba.  Sgt Mil Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:60.
Manuel Garayo.  Cadet, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:V:102.
Francisco Garcia.  Sgt, Mil Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:64 and 59, seemingly two records for the same soldier
Ildefonso Garcia.  SubLt, Mil Inf de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:III:16.
Indalecio Garcia.  Sgt, Asamblea Inf Buenos Aires, 1800, Leg 7258:1 y 2.
Lucas Garcia.  Sgt, Dragoons of Buenos Aires, 1791, Leg 7257:IX:47.
Manuel Garcia.  Alférez, Comp Blandengues Santa Fe, 1798, Leg 7258:VII:4.
Bartolomé Garcia Busto.  Sgt, Mil Inf de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:III:23.
Rafael Garcia Pizarro y Zaldua.  SubLt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:96.
Francisco Garcia Ponte.  Sgt, 1st class of Granaderos (Grenadiers), Mil Inf de Buenos Aires, 1799, Leg 7258:I:37.
Luis Garcia Villasante.  Cadet, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1795, Leg 7257:VI:135.
Juan Francisco Garcia Zuñiga.  Comandante Lt Col, Mil Inf de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:III:1.
Prudencio Garrañadiu.  Capt, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1795, Leg 7257:IV:15.
Manuel Gasco.  Sgt, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1791, Leg 7257:IX:73.
Gabriel Gascon.  Lt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:85.
Mariano Gascon. Lt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:91.
José Gascon y Arce.  Lt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:90.
Matias Gil.  Sgt, Cab. Blandengues de Buenos Aires, 1791, Leg 7257:XI:20.
Manuel Gil, Sgt, Cab Blandengues Montevideo, 1798, Leg 7258, VIII:34.
Tomás José Gil.  Capt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:56.
Mariani Giles.  Sgt, Mil Cab de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:50.
Pedro Giles.  Sgt, Mil Cab Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:46.
Felix Gomez.  Lt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:83.
Francisco Gomez.  Sgt, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1799, Leg 7258:V:11 y 12.
José Gomez.  Sgt, Mil de Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:58.
José Ignacio Gomez.  Capt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:55.
Juan Gomez.  Sgt, Cab Blandengues Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:41.
Juan Esteban Gomez. Cadet, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:192.
Juan José Gomez.  SubLt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1791, Leg 7257:XIV:140.
Lazaro Gomez.  Capt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:67.
Santiago Gomez.  Capt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:66.
Roque Gomez de la Fuente. Cadet, Cab. Blandengues Montevideo, 1798, Leg 7258:VIII:56.
Antonio Gonzalez.  Sgt, Cab Blandengues de Buenos Aires, 1795, Leg 7257:I:36.
Cosme Gonzalez.  Sgt, Cab Blandengues Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:52.
Francisco Gonzalez.  Sgt, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:V:96.
Isidro Gonzalez.  Sgt, Mil de Cab de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:48.
José Gonzalez.  Sgt, Cab Blandengues de Montevideo, 1798, Leg 7258:XVII:12.
Juan Gonzalez.  Sgt 1st Cl with grade of SubLt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:121.
Juan Gonzalez.  Sgt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:128.
Nicolás Gonzalez. Lt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1795, Leg 7257:XIV:28.
Felipe Gonzalez de Castilla.  Capt, Mil de Cab de Buenos Aires, 1798:Leg 7258:IX:7.
Antonio Gonzales de Cossio.  Sgt, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:V:80.
Francisco Gonzales de la Peña.  Sgt, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1795, 7257:IV:87.
Joaquín Gonzales de Teran.  SubLt de Bandera, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:120.
Manuel Gordillo.  Lt, Mil de Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:13.
Miguel Granada.  SubLt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:98.
Ramón Gras.  Sgt, Inf de Buenos Aires.  1799, Leg 7258:IV:17 y 18.
Antonio Grijoa.  Lt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:84.
Mariano Grimau.  Cadet, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:165.
Pedro Nolasco, Gramau, Cadet, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:155.
Juan Antonio Guardo.  Sgt, Mil Inf de Buenos Aires, 1799, Leg 7258:I:33.
Martin Guemes.  Cadet, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1799, Leg 7258:IV:27 y 28.
Francisco Guerra.  Cadet, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:183.
José Raimundo Guerra.  Capt, Mil Inf de Buenos Aires, 1799, Leg 7258:I:7.
Rafael Guerra.  Capt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:49.
Francisco Gutierrez.  Sgt, Cab Blandengues Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:37.
Luis Antonio Gutierrez.  Lt, Mil Inf de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:III:11.
Manuel Gutierrez Varona.  Sgt Major with grade of Lt Col, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:V:29.

Enrique Haye Sant Hilayre.  Capt, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1800, Leg 7258:V:1.
Agustín Hernandez.  Cadet, Cab Blandengues Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:58.
Esteban Hernandez.  Alférez, Cab Blandengues Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:29.
Feliciana Hernandez.  Alférez, Cab Blandengues Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:31.
Felipe Hernandez.  Capt, Mil de Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:3.
Gabriel Hernandez.  Alférez, Cab Blandengues Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:27.
Juan Hernandez.  Capt, Cab de Blandengues de Buenos Aires, 1791, Leg 7257:XI:3.
Juan Antonio Hernandez.  Segundo Comandante Cab Blandengues de Buenos Aires, 1795, Leg 7257:I:4.
Martin Hernandez.  Sgt, Cab de Blandengues de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:34.
Pedro Hernandez.  Sgt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:143.
Roque Hernandez.  Sgt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:141.
Pedro Hernandez Lancho.  Sgt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1799:Leg 7258:IV:21 y 22.
José Hernandez Zermeño.  SubLt de Granaderos, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:94.
Juan Francisco Herrada.  Sgt, Mil de Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:69.
Agustín Herrera.  Sgt, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:V:81.
Manuel Herrera.  Cadet, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:188.
Juan Francisco Hidalgo.  Sgt, Cab Blandengues Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:45.
Antonio Luis de la Hite.  Lt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:75.
Tomás de Huemes.  Sgt, Cab Blandengues de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:53.
José María Hurtado y Sandoval.  Cadet, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:190.

Pedro Ibanez.  Adjutant Major, Asamblea Cab Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:X:11.
Pedro Ibarra.  Sgt, Cab Blandengues Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:51.
Jaime Illa.  SubLt, Mil de Inf de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:III:17.
Félix Iriate.  Capt de Granaderos, grad Lt Col, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1795, Leg 7257:VI:8.
Basilio Irigoyen.  SubLt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:102.
Miguel Irigoyen.  Alférez, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:V:58.
José Islas.  Sgt, Mil Cab Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:59.
Lucas Islas Valdes.  Lt, Mil Inf de Buenos Aires, 1799, Leg 7258:I:19.

Juan Jara.  Sgt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:131.
Alonzo Jimenez.  Sgt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:136.
Sebastian Jimenez.  Alférez, Mil de Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:28.
Vicente Jimenez.  Capt, grade of Lt Col, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1791, Leg 7257:XIV:152.
Pedro Jimenez Castellanos.  Cadet, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:180.
Pedro Jimenez Castellanos.  Capt, grade Lt Col, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:V:31.
Joaquin Jornell.  Sgt, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:V:67.
Juan Pedro Jovert. SubLt, Mil Inf de Buenos Aires, 1799, Leg 7258:I:22.
José Julves.  Sgt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1787, Leg 7257:XVIII:82.

Juan Antonio de La Iglesia.  Sgt, Mil Cab Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:54.
Apolinar José de La Llama.  Cadet, Cab Blandengues Montevideo, 1798, Leg 7258:VIII:54.
Vicente Lacunza.  Sgt, Cab Blandengues de Buenos Aires, 1791, Leg 7257:XI:25.
Luis de Lafinux.  Alférez, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:V:55.
Francisco Lafuente.  Sgt, Cab Blandengues de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:39.
Manuel Languenheim.  Lt, Cab Blandengues Montevideo, 1798, Leg 7258:VIII:17.
Juan Lapido.  Sgt, Mil de Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:65.
Matías de Larraya.  Cadet, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1791, Leg 7257:XIV:122.
Mariano Larrazabal.  Adjutant Major, Asamblea Cab Buenos Aires, 1800, Leg 7258:X:1.
José Larriera.  Alférez, Mil de Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:36.
Candido Lassala.  Cadet, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1787, Leg 7257:XVIII:86.
Narciso Lazcano.  Lt, Mil Cab Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:10.
Juan de Leon.  Lt, Mil Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:18.
Manuel de Lesica. Capt, Mil Inf de Buenos Aires, 1799, Leg 7258:I:4.
Agustín Leys.  Lt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:79.
Esteban Liñan.  Lt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:82.
Manuel Lisarazu.  Lt, Cab Blandengues de Buenos Aires, 1791, Leg 7257:XI:12.
Andrés Lista.  Lt, Mil Inf de Buenos Aires, 1799, Leg 7258:I:12.
Lorenzo de Lista.  Sgt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1795, Leg 7257:VI:96.
José Loaces de Parga.  Cadet, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:V:113.
Agustin Lopez.  Sgt, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:V:93.
Antonio Lopez.  Sgt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:130.
Antonio Lopez.  Sgt, Mil Inf de Buenos Aires, 1799, Leg 7258:II:22.
Antonio Lopez.  Lt, Mil de Cab de Montevideo, 1799, Leg 7258:II:22.
Francisco Lopez.  Sgt, Cab Blandengues de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:VI:46.
José Lopez.  Sgt, Cab Blandengues de Buenos Aires, 1792, Leg 7257:XI:30.
José Lopez.  Sgt, Cab Blandengues Montevideo, 1798, Leg 7258:VIII:32.
Juan Lopez.  Sgt, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:V:66.
Juan Lopez.  SubLt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:104.
Manuel Antonio Lopez.  Sgt, Mil Cab Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:35.
Melchor Lopez.  Capt, Mil Inf de Buenos Aires, 1799, Leg 7258:I:9.
Salvador José Lopez.  Lt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1791, Leg 7257:XIV:139.
Juan Lopez Fraga.  Capt, Cab Blandengues Montevideo, 1798, Leg 7258:VIII:2.
Bernardo Lorenzo.  Lt, Inf de Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IV:78.
Francisco Lucero.  Capt, Inf de Buenos Aires: 1798, Leg 7258:IV:64.
Antonio Luengo.  Lt, Cab Blandengues de Buenos Aires, 1795, Leg 7257:I:13.
Eusebio Lujan.  Sgt Cab Blandengues de Montevideo, 1798, Leg 7258:VIII:48.

José de Llano.  Lt, Mil Cab Buenos Aires, 1798, Leg 7258:IX:13.
José Llobregad.  Adjutant Major, Dragones de Buenos Aires, 1795, Leg 7257:IV:23.

Oliver Pollock was an American patriot living in New Orleans during the American Revolution and supplied General Washington’s Army with military goods and monetary assistance under the protection of the Spanish Governors of Louisiana at the most desperate of war times. The following is a reprint of a letter addressed to him by the President of the United States after the fighting had ended.

Please read the above letter to Oliver Pollock carefully. Notice anything unusual about it? Note who signed it under the "Seal of the United States of America" and the date. That’s right. PRESIDENT ELIAS BOUDINOT signed it in June 1783. Let’s see now, the U S Constitution wasn’t adopted until September 17, 1787 and George Washington wasn’t sworn in until April 30, 1789. Get the feeling your history teacher may have left out something very important?

The fact is, the term "United States of America" was established with the signing of the "Declaration of Independence" when it stated, "We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown,…".

This document was actually a ratification of an earlier document, "The articles of Association" established on October 20, 1774. And yes, there were presidents elected under that document. The first being Peyton Randolph, called the "Father of our Country", by George Washington. President Randolph served from September 5, 1774 to October 22, 1774 and May by 20 to May 24, 1775, followed by Henry Middleton from October 22, 1774 to October 26, 1774, followed by John Hancock from October 27, 1775 to July 1, 1776.

That’s when the "Declaration of Independence" was signed and more presidents were elected being, John Hancock July 2, 1776 to October 29, 1777, Henry Laurens November 1, 1777 to December 9, 1778, John Jay December 10, 1778 to September 28, 1779, and Samuel Huntington September 28, 1779 to February 28, 1781.

At that time a new document was adopted. The ratification of the "Articles of Confederation", the first constitution of the United States, was delayed until March 1, 1781 by Maryland due to border disputes and fears of forming a powerful central government. On March 1, 1781, with this 13th state's ratification, the Continental Congress ceased to exist and "The United States in Congress Assembled" was placed at the head of each page of the Official Journal of Congress. The New United States in Congress Assembled Journal reported on March 2, 1781:

"The ratification of the Articles of Confederation being yesterday completed by the accession of the State of Maryland: The United States met in Congress, when the following members appeared: His Excellency Samuel Huntington, delegate for Connecticut, President..."

Now if you read history or surf the web, you will find many sites that dispute George Washing as being the first president and give John Hanson that honor. While this is closer to the truth, it is still two presidents away. Actually Samuel Huntington was the first, still being president under the "Articles of Association", and served from March 1, 1781 to July 6, 1781. Thomas McKean was elected 2nd President of the United States in Congress Assembled from July 10, 1781 to November 5, 1781, followed by John Hanson, the 3rd President of the United States from November 5, 1781 to November 4, 1782, followed by Elias Boudinot. You remember him from the letter to Pollock, above. He served from November 4, 1782 to November 3, 1783, followed by:

Thomas Mifflin, 5th President of the United States in Congress Assembled, November 3, 1783 to June 3, 1784

Richard Henry Lee, 6th President of the United States in Congress Assembled,

November 30, 1784 to November 23, 1785

John Hancock, 7th President of the United States in Congress Assembled, November 23, 1785 to June 6, 1786

Nathaniel Gorham, 8th President of the United States in Congress Assembled, June 1786 to November 13, 1786

Arthur St. Clair, 9th President of the United States in Congress Assembled, February 2, 1787 to October 29, 1787

Cyrus Griffin, 10th President of the United States in Congress Assembled, January 22, 1788 to March 4, 1789

And finally, President George Washington, the 11^th President of the United States of America.

But what about the "U S Constitution"? Wasn’t Washington the first president after it was adopted? That’s not exactly true. The "U S Constitution" was, "Done in convention by the unanimous consent of the states present the seventeenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven…". It was to take effect on March 4, 1789 but George Washington wasn’t sworn in until April 30, 1789. It appears there were two presidents before him after the Constitution was adopted and one after it went into effect.

"After New Hampshire ratified the Constitution on 21 June 1788, being the ninth requisite state to do so, the Confederation Congress passed the Election Ordinance on 13 September, which provided for the selection of presidential Electors in the states on 7 January 1789 and set 4 February as the date they would cast their ballots in their states.

The Constitution left it up to each state to choose the manner in which their Electors were chosen (Article II, section 1). North Carolina and Rhode Island had not yet ratified the Constitution and had no Electors in the election of 1789. The New York legislature was unable to pass an election act in time to choose its allotted 8 Electors, failed to appoint any by 7 January, and cast no electoral votes on 4 February. A total of 69 Electors voted in the first Presidential Election (2 Electors in Maryland and 1 in Virginia failed to cast ballots). Each elector had two votes, at least one of which had to be cast for a person outside their state. The votes were to be forwarded to Congress, where they would be counted in the presence of the Senators and Representatives. The person with the most votes would be President; the one finishing second in the balloting would be Vice President. Congress convened in New York on 4 March 1789; quorums were achieved in the House and Senate on 1 and 6 April 1789, respectively. Congress confirmed the results of the first presidential election when it officially counted the ballots on 6 April 1789. Vice President John Adams assumed his duties as president of the Senate on 21 April and George Washington was inaugurated as President of the United States on 30 April 1789."

So why were you taught that Washington was the First President? The answer is not a simple one, After the war had ended and its unifying effect began to wane the states began to compete with each other and adopted trade tariffs to supplement tax revenue. Washington and Madison called a conference to amend the "Articles of Confederation" so as to give the federal government the power over this new commerce and taxation. The outcome of this was a transformation of the "Articles of Confederation" into the "United States Constitution". In the process, the congress tried to placate objections to the new constitution by putting in restrictions of power.

Did this establish a new United States? Of course not, but it did usher in a new extension to its government. There was considerable opposition to the new constitution and its adoption was prompted by a strong fear that if it were not accepted, the union would dissolve. It is ironic, however, that a flaw in the new constitution would later cause that very event and a civil war claiming 500,000 American lives. George Mason, one of the objectors to the language of the new constitution predicted the pitfall that would result when he wrote:

"By requiring only a Majority to make all commercial and navigation Laws, the five Southern States (whose Produce and Circumstances are totally different from that of the eight Northern and Eastern States) will be ruined; for such a rigid and premature Regulations may be made, as will enable the Merchants of the Northern and Eastern States not only to demand an exorbitant Freight, but to monopolize the Purchase of the Commodities at their own Price, for many years: to the great Injury of the Landed Interest, and Impoverishment of the People: and the Danger is greater, as the Gain on one Side will be in Proportion to the Loss of the other. Whereas requiring two thirds of the members present in both Houses wou’d have produced mutual moderation, promoted the general Interest, and removed an insuperable Objection to the Adoption of the Government."

As we now know, the Northern and Eastern States did abuse their majority control and lay upon the Southern States 80% of the national tax without recourse except cession. When the North destroyed the South and a new United States was re-constructed, did we then have a new First President? Of course not, any more than the re-constructed constitution gave us a new First President in George Washington.

Actually, the real sin is that we have deleted these early presidents and great leaders from our history as well as their accomplishments. They dealt with civil and military revolts, signed treaties with Britain and other countries, and handled the Indian problems. It was these "lost presidents" that secured the Northwest Territories and sold land to help pay the monumental war debt. Some fought valiantly during the war, were wounded and one was even captured trying to secure war funds from Holland after serving as president. Laurens, the only U S President to be a POW, was held in the Tower of London until after Yorktown when he was exchanged for none other than General Cornwallis. These leaders managed to construct a political system so revolutionary that the nation, now the most powerful the world has ever borne, still stands 232 years later (October 20,2006).

Major Sources: 
The Origins of the American Constitution – A Documented History By Michael Kammen 
The Papers of George Washington University of Virginia
President Who? Forgotten Founders By Stanley L. Klos

There is a movement to recognize these Past Presidents.

To help us honor these Forgotten Presidents please take a moment and review the bi-partisan Presidential Request, led by Rep. Congressman Rob Simmons (R), US Senator Christopher Dodd (D), and supported by institutions like the James Monroe Memorial Foundation, Norwich Historical Society, and James Madison's Montpelier, to have the U.S. Military lay a wreath of thanks, each year, at the gravesites on the anniversary of their birth. Please take the time to duplicate the attached request, sign it and circulate it among your friends and family to aid us in this mission.

US Presidential Request

Whereas a Presidential Executive Order requires that a wreath-laying ceremony is conducted for all US President gravesites on the anniversary of their birthday.

Whereas the Presidential Executive Order does not include the Presidents of the United States in Congress Assembled under the Articles of Confederation whose office holders were:

Samuel Huntington, 1st President of the United States in Congress Assembled, March 1, 1781 to July 6, 1781

Thomas McKean, 2nd President of the United States in Congress Assembled July 10, 1781 to November 5, 1781

John Hanson, 3rd President of the United States in Congress Assembled, November 5, 1781 to November 4, 1782

Elias Boudinot, 4th President of the United States in Congress Assembled, November 4, 1782 to November 3, 1783

Thomas Mifflin, 5th President of the United States in Congress Assembled, November 3, 1783 to June 3, 1784

Richard Henry Lee, 6th President of the United States in Congress Assembled,

November 30, 1784 to November 23, 1785

John Hancock, 7th President of the United States in Congress Assembled, November 23, 1785 to June 6, 1786

Nathaniel Gorham, 8th President of the United States in Congress Assembled, June 1786 - November 13, 1786

Arthur St. Clair, 9th President of the United States in Congress Assembled, February 2, 1787 to October 29, 1787

Cyrus Griffin, 10th President of the United States in Congress Assembled, January 22, 1788 to March 4, 1789

Whereas the Presidential Executive Order does not include the Presidents of Congress under the Declaration of Independence’s Continental Congress whose office holders were:

John Hancock, July 2, 1776 to October 29, 1777;

Henry Laurens, November 1, 1777 to December 9, 1778

John Jay, December 10, 1778 to September 28, 1779

Samuel Huntington, September 28, 1779 to February 28, 1781

Whereas the Presidential Executive Order does not include the Presidents of Congress under the United Colonies of America’s Continental Congress whose office holders were:

Peyton Randolph, September 5, 1774 to October 22, 1774 and May 20 to May 24, 1775

Henry Middleton, October 22, 1774 to October 26, 1774

John Hancock, October 27, 1775 to July 1, 1776

Whereas these Presidents presided over the United Colonies/States of America’s unicameral government executing congressional laws, treaties, and military orders; called for Congressional assembly and adjournment; signed military commissions including George Washington’s commander-in-chief appointment; received foreign dignitaries; received, read, answered, and at their own discretion held or disseminated the official mail addressed to them as the President of the United States and President of Congress.

Whereas These Presidents on numerous occasions used their office to exercise much influence on United States military, public affairs and legislation.

Whereas The United States in Congress Assembled provided for the President’s expenses, servants, clerks, housing, and transportation recognizing that they were the only elected official representing all the states.

Therefore, the undersign respectfully request that the President of the United States, George W. Bush, amend the Presidential wreath-laying Order to honor the following Presidents of Congress and Presidents of the United States in Congress Assembled:

President Peyton Randolph of Virginia, President Henry Middleton of South Carolina, President John Hancock of Massachusetts, President Henry Laurens of South Carolina, President John Jay of New York, President Samuel Huntington of Connecticut, President Thomas McKean of Pennsylvania, President John Hanson of Maryland, President Elias Boudinot of New Jersey, President Thomas Mifflin of Pennsylvania, President Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, President Nathaniel Gorham of Massachusetts, President Arthur St. Clair of Pennsylvania, and President Cyrus Griffin of Virginia.

______________________ ___________________________ ____________________

Name Address Comment or Affiliation

______________________ ___________________________ ____________________

Name Address Comment or Affiliation

______________________ ___________________________ ____________________

Name Address Comment or Affiliation

______________________ ___________________________ ____________________

Name Address Comment or Affiliation

______________________ ___________________________ ____________________

Name Address Comment or Affiliation

Mail to: 
President Who? Forgotten Founders
PO Box 441, Bridgeville, PA 15017

The study by Jack Cowan concerning U.S. Presidents who served briefly before George Washington points out that many aspects of U.S. have been left out, minimized or deleted.  This project of obtaining an Honorary U.S. Citizenship for Bernardo de Galvez will be a small step in acknowledging Hispanic historical contributions, even before there was a United States of America.

Respectfully, Mimi

ORANGE COUNTY, CA

Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely, Sara Guerrero
School & Community Liaison 
Fringe Benefits: Setting the stage for social justice!
www.cootieshots.org 714-785-0764 saritaguera@yahoo.com

Memorial Ceremony in Honor of Guy Gabaldon

HOSTED BY THE HISPANIC-AMERICAN VETERANS ASSOCIATION, INC. 

THE CITY OF MONTEBELLO
MONTEBELLO CITY PARK
Corner of 115 S. Taylor St. at Whittier
DECEMBER 9, 2006, 10 a.m.
The Public is Invited 

Margaret Velez stands between U. S. Marine Reserves, from left to right:
She holds the El Paso County Resolution, recognizing Guy Gabaldon as 
"A True American Hero"  
GySgt Jose Martinez, Retired U. S. Marine Robert Wray, 
Retired U. S. Marine Wally Gonzalez, 
Capt. John Litton, 1st Sgt. James Porter 

One of the El Paso County Commissioner, Daniel R. Haggerty, 4th Precinct paid to frame  
4 lithographs of Pied Piper of Saipan, Guy Gabaldon for display in different location of El Paso. One lithograph already hangs in the County Commissioner Building.  Although no data thus far, places Guy in El Paso, the Commissioners decided Guy's story was so amazing that it should be shared, especially for benefit of the youth.

However, if anyone knows of a historical or family connection that Guy might have to El Paso, Margarita Velez asks to be contacted . .  mbvelez@elp.rr.com

Cathedral of Our Lady of Los Angeles, 555 W. Temple Street downtown

Our part in this theatrical work is when the Virgen appears you'll hear playing the "Heavenly Cosmic sounds" all on ancient Mexican instruments; ....but read on....this is what my friends at the Latino Theatre Company say: This beautiful play, performed in Spanish with music and dance, re-tells the story of the apparition of the Virgin Mary to the Indian peasant Juan Diego in the hills of Tepeyac. Because of its universal message of faith, love and perseverance, the pageant appeals to many people, regardless of race, language or religion. Renowned Mezzo Sorprano Suzanna Guzman plays the title role of Our Lady of Guadalupe and LTC Member Sal Lopez plays Juan Diego. LTC members, professional actors and musicians, Aztec dancers and a large community ensemble of children, youth, adults and seniors complete the cast.

La Virgen de Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin is presented free to the public. Many of the working families that attend experience a live theatrical performance for the first time. 2006 marks the Latino Theater Company and the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels have joined together to make this event a holiday tradition and a gift to the people of Los Angeles.

Sent by Martin Espino martinprehispanic@yahoo.com

CALIFORNIA

Robin Collins, President and Founder of the Heritage Discovery Center

The Heritage Discovery Center is pleased to announce the collaboration of 
Mrs. Mimi Lozano-Holtzman as their newest Advisor/Consultant.

In recent months, the HDC leadership has been pursuing an opportunity to locate the Heritage Discovery Center in Santa Barbara County next to La Purisima Mission State Historic Park. Although very much in preliminary discussion stages, the HDC is enthusiastically pursuing acquisition of approximately 200 acres along Cebada Canyon Road. Owners and developers of a unique property in this location adjoining La Purisima State Historic Park have approached both the HDC and the California Department of Parks with initial discussions about working together to establish a permanent home for the HDC and its unique and special herd of Wilbur-Cruce Spanish Mission horses. Most recently, the HDC’s Executive Director and Founder met with leaders in Sacramento with California State Parks, and are continuing to closely monitor the land acquisition possibilities near Lompoc.

Ms. Robin Collins, President and Founder of the Heritage Discovery Center, had long been associated with horsemanship, breeding and preservation of rare breeds before accepting and assuming the responsibility of assuring the continuation of the Wilbur-Cruce Spanish Mission horses.. 

This spring five new foals were born and are now part of this growing herd of Colonial Spanish Mission/Rancher horses.  

YOU CAN HELP! It costs considerable to feed and care for each horse in our herd of rare Spanish horses. Please contribute what you can to help us keep this living heritage alive and healthy!

The Heritage Discovery Center is a 501(c )3 non-profit, educational organization. Please print and fill out the following form and send in it with your tax deductible year-end gift toady!  

Gifts of any size are welcomed. Children are encouraged to adopt a foal, follow its growth and activities.  A Family Christmas Donation will live on in the lineage of these unique horses.  By helping the Heritage Discovery Center care for the living heritage of the Wilbur-Cruce Colonial Spanish mission horse, the early presence of our Hispanic ancestors  will eventually receive the respect, deserved.  

Please deposit my special contribution to the Heritage Discovery Center’s fund for the care, feeding, and veterinary care for the Wilbur-Cruce herd.

Barry R. Starr, Director
HERITAGE DISCOVERY CENTER Inc., 
A "Living History Museum", Of The California Colonial Spanish Period
(Circa: Mid-Seventeen Hundreds to Mid-Eighteen Hundreds)
40222 Millstream Lane
Madera, Ca 93636; e-mail: HDCINC@NETPTC.NET
(559)868-8681, FAX (559) 868-8682

Event: Councilmember Chuck Reed, Alida Bray of History San Jose, and Jose Pantoja hosted a ceremonial unveiling of the Alcaldes photos that have recently been displayed at City Hall. The event was held November 28, 1-2 pm in the San Jose City Hall. It was organized by Councilmember Chuck Reed, Alida Bray of History San Jose, and Jose Pantoja.

Background: For many years the City of San Jose has displayed the photos and names of men and women who have served as mayors and council members. Previously, these photos were prominently displayed at the rear of the Council Chambers. In 2002, we added the names and photos of the Alcaldes that served San Jose before the City was chartered, showing our respect for the City's Spanish and Mexican heritage. These plaques and photos were not carried over to the new City hall. They are an important part of San Jose 's history.

A Guide to the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail 
by 
Greg Bernal-Mendoza Smestad, Ph.D. 

Antepasados, 
Volume X!, 2005
Los Californianos

As I traveled up and down California and Arizona on the path taken by Juan Bautista de Anza in 177'5-177'6,1 took note of its many sights and sounds. Some of these sounds, some natural and some man-made, were those that Anza and the members of his expeditions could have heard. This delighted me, as I am a descendant of several of the expedition's members (including Josef Apolinario Bemal y Soto, Luis Maria Peralta, and Juan Salvio Pacheco). I attended performances along the trail by groups such as the New World Baroque Orchestra and the Mission Santa Barbara choir group. I sat with my Califomio cousin, Ryusona, and listened to her play the music of our ancestors on her violin. The music seemed to have the ability take people back to a time when California was but a lonely outpost on the northern-most frontier of what was then called New Spain. Slowly, an idea took shape. What if we could re-capture some of the sounds that were heard in those days gone by? We could give this to people with enough information so that they could go to the places where the sounds were heard. This was the beginning of the idea for the Anza Trail Guide CD.

So you might ask, "Why is this important?", or even, "Why is the Juan Bautista de Anza trail important?" My answer to this question is this: It allows one to realize that California was settled long before the Gold Rush (1849), and even before the United States was an independent country. First of all, there were the American Indians who settled the area starting some ten thousand years ago. Long after that, there was the Spanish Empire that sought to extend her settled possessions beyond her northern-most frontier. This was the reason for the expeditions of Juan Bautista de Anza, who was serving his king, Carlos HI of Spain. Many races were represented by the people Anza brought to California in 1775-1776: Spanish bom in Spain, Spanish bom in the New World, Indian, Indian-Hispanic mixtures and African-Hispanic mixtures. These people obviously believed that the new land in California would bring them new and better opportunities. This, in my opinion, is an example of the "American Dream" expressed even before California was a possession of the United States. My motivation in bringing people to understand the trail, its story and the story of the people of the Anza expeditions is therefore to inspire immigrants, Hispanic and non-Hispanic alike. I would like to convey to them that the issues that they face are not so unlike those of previous generations.

Another motivation stems from the fact that as California and Arizona develop, the Anza trail could serve as a means to preserve natural areas for the enjoyment and enlightenment of future generations. This centers on the public learning to appreciate the areas on and around the trail, and to become active in their preservation and restoration. The diaries of Anza and his chaplain, Franciscan Father Pedro Font, paint a vivid picture of the natural and political environment of their time. For the former, this can serve as a guide for restoration of areas along the trail, and from the latter, one can gain insights as to how history often repeats itself.

I have worked to combine text, images, and sounds that offer users a sense of what members of Anza's expeditions experienced. My research has led to the recording of historically accurate musical arrangements from both the Spanish and the American Indian groups along the trail. I've sought to record these in authentic settings, and to include many of the sounds the expedition may have heard. This guide is not intended as the ultimate guidebook for the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. It is merely a start, a beginning. "A journey begins with a single step."
                                                                          Greg Smestad, Ph.D.

About the Author                                                                         Author with daughter Maya
Greg Bemal-Mendoza Smestad is an eighth generation descendant of several members of the 1775-1776 Anza expedition. Like many descendants of the expedition (Calif omios), he also has several American Indian ancestors. Like many Americans, his ancestry also reflects a mixture of immigrants from many lands. A chemist and materials scientist by training, his vocation involves research in solar energy. He has taught both science and policy classes related to these fields, has written a book on the "Optoelectronics of Solar Cells," and has created educational products to teach basic science. 
While these topics are far from those of Early California History, he has  never forgotten what his maternal grandmother said about the importance of the Anza expeditions and the role they played in his ancestors' lives. Through Challenge Cost Share Program funds from the U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service, he developed the Anza Trail Guide and CD to inspire the stewardship of this land and the preservation of our cultural heritage.

Pre1850 Genealogical Research for Alta California

Ancestors

by Pamela Meeds Williams

I am an 8th generation native Californian. Like Manual Valencia' great great grandparents, my great great great great great great grandparents came to California with the 1776 de Anza Expedition. Jose Manuel Gonzales and his wife, Maria Michaela Ruiz and five children, Maria Anna, Juan, Joseph. Ramon Maria Gregoria, and Jose Francisco, were recruited April 17, 1775. the same day as Jose Manuel Valencia.

I am a member of Los Califomianos. Members can trace their family in California to pre 1850 Alta California. Through Los Califomianos I learned about sources of information for our early ancestors.

The primary source of genealogy information for pre-statehood California are the historic Mission registers. Within the baptism, marriage, and burial records of each of the California Missions is an extraordinary wealth of unique information on the Indians, soldiers, and settlers of Alta California from 1769 to 1850. The original registers are scattered across California and too old and too brittle to handle. Microfilm copies of the registers exist in archives, but are of poor quality and often hard to locate. Understanding the registers-written as they are in 18th Century Spanish script—demands rare skills and enormous effort.

The creation of data bases from the Mission Records has been extremely time-consuming and challenging. There are several primary databases.   

Gene 2

Before the Missions restricted access to the original records, Thomas Workman Temple II, was one of the first professional genealogists to have access to the Mission records (baptism, marriage, death, and some confirmations). He created 52 volumes of abstracts of the records. He did not do all of the Missions, or all of the entries, only those that interested him. He copied by hand the records in the original Spanish. He then created a dictionary for translations. These abstracts were donated to Los Californianos in 1989. They have since created an index, and made a copy on CD of the abstracts.

Keith Ponsford also had access to the original records. He made 3x5 cards on individual entries. He then organized them alphabetically by family name. Photo copies of 4 cards to a page made 8 volumes, from Abrego to Zuniga.

In 1975 J. Vincent Gallagher (I don't know the source of his information) compiled family group sheets, entitled Early Spanish California Families fit. Their Descendants, with little vignettes on their lives, i.e., died from snakebite. His work is in 50 volumes from Abbey to Zurita.

Another collection was done by Marie Northrup. Her work was based on Thomas Temple's work, and her own research. It covers most of the early families, giving not only vital statistics, but also information of the life of the original head of the family in Mexico and Baja. Her work, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California 1769-1850, is published in 3 volumes by the Southern California Genealogical Society.

Gene 3

All of these resources can be accessed through the Los Californianos traveling library, at their quarterly meeting around California. But what is considered to be the most accurate collection is the work of Dorothy Gittinger Mutnick.

Dorothy grew up in the Midwest, but came to Berkeley for several summers with her historian father, who was working on his PhD with renowned California historian, Herbert Bolton. When Dorothy married she and her husband settled in Lafayette. In the 1960's she became a member of the Friends of the Lafayette Public Library. Dorothy felt that the town's residents would be able to identify with Lafayette if they knew its past. She decided to gather local history for the files of the new Lafayette library, but discovered a great dearth of source materials, so she set about searching for it. She determined that her research would be based solely on primary documents and records. To that end, she taught herself Spanish. She read the records at Mission Dolores and Mission San Jose. She went to the Bancroft and Huntington libraries to read the original works of the explorers, and Pedro Font's diaries. She recorded her information on 3x5 sheets of paper from little scratch pads we used to buy at Woolworths for 100. She used the cardboard backings as dividers. The Moraga History Center is the owner of all of these pieces of paper, rumored to be more than 100,000. We have 36 card catalog drawers filled with her notes. I am trying to work my way through them to insert alphabetic dividers.

She then compiled these sheets of paper into family groups, organized by family name across two pages of 8.5x11 binder paper. The left page is the fathers information, the right side is the mothers information. If they were members of the de Anza Expedition, their name had a (*) and then each family member was identified by how many generations they were away from the de Anza member. This work is in 3 volumes at the Moraga History Center. The first 2 volumes contain 1,735 family entries. I have created an index to the first 2 volumes, and working on an index for the 3rd volume. 

Gene 4                                                                                                            

The Valencia Family entries are from #1562, Valencia & Aguilar, to #1589, Valencia & Varela. for a total of 27 separate families. I have included here these pages, along with her original notes on Jose Manuel Valencia. We are working to get the index on the internet through the Moraga Historical Society website.

Dorothy also self-published a 5 volume set entitled, Some Alta California Pioneers and Descendents. All together she self published 13 books on early California history. Dorothy Mutnick was one of the 12 original founding members of the Moraga Historical Society. She died in 1989, and left her works to the Moraga History Center and the Contra Costa County Historical Society.

Gene 5 

Another source of information are the Census. The first census I know of is the 1790 Census of new Spain, or the Revillagigedo Census of 1793. It is organized by the Missions. In 1790 San Jose had 18 families listed, including my great great great great great grandparents, Claudio Alvirez and Ana Maria Gonzales. San Francisco had 33 families listed. Entry #24 is Francisco Valencia and Maria Victoria Higuera. This information was compiled in 1957 by William Marvin Mason* when he discovered the documents in the California Archives collection at the Bancroft Library. He has included other information, like a complete list of the members of the de Anza and Portola expeditions. There is a copy of this book at the Moraga History Center.

Another census is the Soldiers 81. Census of Early Alta California 1779-1850, compiled by the Monterey County Genealogical Society. It starts with a list of the soldiers at the Presidios from 1779 to 1783, and goes through to an index of the 1850 United States census of Monterey County.  

California became a state and participated in the 1850 United States Census. This census was the first to list every individual living in the United States. (This was 15 years before the Civil War, so Native Americans and slaves were not counted.) The census recorded name, sex, race, age, birthplace, and location of the census. The original records are in the National Archives in Washington D.C. In 1972 Alan Bowman compiled an index to the California 1850 Census. The index is arranged alphabetically by county. Twenty four of the twenty seven counties in 1850 are indexed. Ironically, the records for Contra Costa, San Francisco, and Santa Clara counties have been lost. Possibly destroyed in the '06 quake and fire. A copy of the index is located at the Pleasant Hill branch library in the genealogy collection.

While doing the research on the Valencia family, I went to the Ancestry website to access the 1860 Census. The information in the early census is very dependent on the literacy of the person providing the information and the census taker recording it. When I searched Manuel Valencia, I got it in San Mateo County. But the entry made no sense. The names were Waloop Valencia/Pamoona Valencia/&Cassoos Maria Valencia. I went to the Mutnick files looking for Valencias in San Mateo in 1860. I discoverd Waloop was Guadalupe, Pamoona was Ramona, and my favorite Cassoos Maria was Jesus Maria. The handwriting of the census taker is very clear & readable on the original census page. This illustrates the importance of trying to find more than one source . for this old information.

Lastly, and now the most important source of information is the brand new Huntington Library Early California Population Project website. This website just came online August 1st. The project began June 2006. It contains information from 101,000 baptisms, 27,000 marriages, and 71,000 burials performed in Alta California between 1769 and 1850. No other region of colonial America that became a part of the United States has a database of such an extensive set of vital records. This website is free. It is not easy to use, but has a users guide, and with practice becomes user friendly. The website is http://www.huntington.org/Information/ECPPmain.htm.

Gene 6

One other source of original family information is the Spanish *and Mexican Land Grants. These are located in Sacramento at the State Archives. In 1833, my great great great great grandfather, Jose Manuel Armenia received a Mexican land grant of 2 leagues known as Punta de Pinos Rancho. Today, it is known as Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach.

If you want to find Alta California ancestors, please visit us at the Moraga History Center, and we will be happy to help you with your research.

On researching the Portuguese side of his family, Schneegas discovered that his great-grandfather's name was really Joao Pimentel, bom in 1817 on Sao Miguel Island in the Azores. He Anglicized his name after arriving in California, married Rita Marshall (born Machado), became a U.S. Citizen in 1873, and died in 1897 at age 82. Rita was the daughter of Lt. Francisco de Souza Machado and Anna d'Azevedo, of Sao Jorge.

Alvernaz was born in Sao Roque, Pico, in 1866, son of Manuel and Nancy Vieira. Antone, a fanner in the Azores like his father, married Mary Vieira, also of Sao Roque. He came to California in 1893, first to Sacramento, then to Rocklin as a hay-baler for five years, sometimes mining. He then bought a 400-acre ranch at Oregon House, raising cattle, and leased land at Hallwood where he raised vegetables, which he sold to the stores in towns, and at mining and construction camps. Subsequently he ranched and settled in Sutler County.

Brown (usually Anglicized from Brum) spent his entire life at Dobbins, born on a ranch there in 1883, the only son of Joseph and Mary (Freitas) Brown, both natives of the Azores, he from Pico and she from Flores.

Manuel F. Gomes was the manager of the Marysville Creamery, which he owned in partnership with two others. He was bom in Galveston, Texas, in 1868, but was raised in Flores, the Azores, where his parents took him when he was two-and-a-half- years old. At age 16, in 1884, he returned to the U.S., to San Francisco, where he attended school for two years, and then moved to Marysville in 1883, buying and selling several ranches where he raised sheep and cattle. In 1924 he owned 1400 acres in Yuba and Sutter Counties, and several dairies, with 700 milk cows. He married Ida Erich, and they had two children, Manuel C. and Cecilia Gomes. Manuel Leal had purchased 120 acres of timberland in 1866, and started a lumber and mill at Brownsville. In 1917 he built a box factory, and kept expanding the business until by 1924 it processed 20,000 board feet of lumber per day, employing 35 men. By that time he owned 360 acres of timberland. He was a native of Pico, bom in 1868 to Jose and Barbara Leal. The senior Leal was a carpenter in the Azores, and in 1850 came with two brothers to California via Panama, spending four years in the mines of Mariposa County before returning to Pico, where he died at age 96.

He first bought a ranch at French Flat, and then in 1911 sold his property, now the site of Lake Mildred, and bought a 15-acre ranch near Marysville in 1913, raising peaches and grapes. In 1887 he married Theresa Williams, which brings us back to the aforementioned Edward Schneegas.

Theresa was the daughter of John and Rita (Marshall) Williams, who owned a ranch on French Flat, where she was bom. Thirteen children were bom to the Williams couple, some of them also identified in the 1924 Delay history with Yuba County: August, Daniel, and Henry ranching in District 10, Joseph with the Leal Lumber Company in Brownsville, and Louis mining at Rackerby.

Speaking of Rackerby (originally known as Hansonville), it was named for William and Ruth Rackerby who operated a general store, Rackerby's Camp. One of their children, Nina, was married to Emanuel "Babe" Seamas, son of a Sacramento pioneer Portuguese, whose Granger's Dairy ranch was in the Pocket area of the city.  L.R.H.

SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES

Mexican Americans have been part of the American landscape for more than a century and a half. During this time, millions of Mexican nationals have crossed the border to work and live in the United States. For many Americans living today, the immigrants who came to the U.S. between 1860 and 1950 represent a distant link to their Mexican heritage.

However many Mexican-Americans today know little or nothing about their ancestors who arrived in the United States anywhere between 1848 and 1940. In some cases, these are the great-grandparents or great-great-grandparents of young people living at the present time. Some people may only know that their ancestors simply came from Mexico. Others may know the name of the state that their ancestors came from but do not know the name of the ciudad, municipio, villa or hacienda.

John P. Schmal has just published three volumes of "Naturalizations of Mexican Americans: Extracts," Volumes 1, 2 and 3. The extracts, taken from a wide range of naturalization documents may offer the missing link to help you explore your Mexican roots. And those of us who have done Mexican research know that once you get a foothold in the "Mother Country," the beautiful Mexican records will take you places you never dreamed of, with the generous assistance of the resources of the Family History Library. Each volume contains records that may assist you in your research:

If you want to consider purchasing any of these books or reading the descriptions, you can go to http://heritagebooks.com/ and enter the name Schmal in the Heritage Books web search. The code numbers of the three volumes are: S3800, S3803 and S4113.

"Naturalizations of Mexican Americans: Extracts – Volume I" is a unique collection of 311 naturalization extracts, compiled from a period of several decades and across several states. Mexico is a big country and, as a result, Mexican nationals seeking citizenship in the U.S. have traditionally hailed from many states. But, the three states from which most of the citizenship candidates in this book came from are: Sonora (49 persons), Guanajuato (30), and Jalisco (25). Significant numbers of petitioners also came from the states of Chihuahua, Zacatecas, Sinaloa, Durango, Nuevo Leon, and from Mexico City.

The cities of birth seen most frequently in the Volume I extracts are: Leon (Guanajuato), Cananea (Sonora), Magdalena (Sonora), Hermosillo (Sonora), and Guaymas (Sonora). But several dozen individuals also came from the cities of Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Mazatlan (Sinaloa), and Mexico City.

The naturalization extracts have been compiled from independent research undertaken by the author and from public records of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). One hundred and thirty-seven of the naturalizations took place in California, 46 in Arizona, 45 in Kansas, and 37 in Colorado. Early records from Bexar and Webb counties in Texas have also been included because many of them also contain valuable information relating to a place of birth for Mexican Americans.

The citizen candidates were also born across a wide range of years. Seventy-eight of these individuals were born between 1840 and 1879. Another 115 were born between 1880 and 1899, and the rest were born between 1900 and 1925.

"Naturalizations of Mexican Americans: Extracts – Volume II" is a collection of 371 naturalization extracts, compiled from a period of several decades and across several American states. One hundred and thirty-three of the people profiled in these extracts were born before 1900, while 238 were born between 1900 and 1925. Eighty-three of the petitioners testified in their declarations or petitions that they had crossed the border before 1900, at a time when no border crossing records were being kept. Another forty-five individuals crossed the border between 1900 and 1910, while the rest crossed the border between 1911 and 1940.

The states from which most of the citizenship candidates in Volume II came from are: Sonora (95 persons), Chihuahua (40), Guanajuato (28), Jalisco (28) and Zacatecas (16). A significant number of persons also arrived from the states of Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Durango, Sinaloa, and from Mexico City.

One hundred and twenty-six of the naturalizations in this volume took place in Arizona, while 45 took place in Kansas and Colorado. Fifty-nine records from Bexar and Webb County courts in Texas have also been included because many of them contain valuable information relating to a place of birth for Mexican Americans. Most of the rest of the petitions and declarations were filed in California courts.

Although Mexican Americans may have crossed the border in at least two dozen locations in the last century, El Paso was, by far, the port of entry most used. One hundred and seven individuals in these extracts stated that they came to the United States through the El Paso Port of Entry. Eighty-seven people came through Nogales and another 47 through Laredo, while significant numbers also used the Naco, Douglas and Sasabe ports of entry in Arizona. In Texas, Brownsville, Del Rio and Eagle Pass were used by some petitioners. Of those petitioners who crossed in California, San Ysidro and Calexico were the two most utilized border crossings.

"Naturalizations of Mexican Americans: Extracts – Volume III" is a collection of 313 naturalization extracts. Two hundred and twenty-six of the people profiled in these extracts were born between 1840 and 1900, while the remaining 87 were born between 1901 and 1920. One hundred and thirty-one of the declarants and petitioners testified in their declarations or petitions that they had crossed the border before 1900, at a time when no border crossing records were being kept. Another sixty-five individuals crossed the border between 1900 and 1910, while the rest crossed the border between 1911 and 1945.

The states from which most of the citizenship candidates in Volume III came from are: Chihuahua (38), Nuevo Leon (35), Sonora (23), Coahuila (22), Tamaulipas (22), Jalisco (18) and Guanajuato (17). A significant number of persons also arrived from the states of Zacatecas, Durango, Aguascalientes, San Luis Potosi, Veracruz, Nayarit and Mexico City. Sixty-one of these naturalizations took place in Arizona, Kansas or Colorado. One hundred and seventeen records come from the Bexar, Webb and Cameron County courts in Texas have also been included because many of them contain valuable information relating to a place of birth for Mexican Americans. The rest of the petitions and declarations were filed in California courts.

In Volume III, El Paso was, by far, the port of entry most used by the persons profiled in this volume. One hundred individuals in these extracts stated that they came to the United States through the El Paso Port of Entry. Another eighty-two individuals crossed at the Laredo Port of Entry in Texas. Thirty-one petitioners also came through Nogales, Arizona. Significant numbers also used the Naco and Douglas ports of entry in Arizona. In Texas, Brownsville, Roma and Eagle Pass were used by some petitioners. Some petitioners also crossed the California border in the San Ysidro / San Diego area.

Genealogical Society
Midwest Historical and Genealogical Society
Wichita, Kansas
Sent by Janete Vargas  magnaguagno@gmail.com

BLACK

Congressman Tom Lantos (D-San Mateo) has introduced H.R. 5216, the Preservation of Records of Servitude, Emancipation, and Post-Civil War Reconstruction Act, legislation that would ensure that many of the records important to genealogists tracing lineages involving slave families will be preserved, digitized and catalogued.

While most Americans can research their genealogical history simply by searching through municipal birth, death, and marriage records almost all of which have been properly archived as public historical documents, many African Americans face a unique challenge wher conducting genealogical research due to our nation's history of slavery and discrimination, Lantos said. Instead of using traditional genealogical research documents, African Americans often need to identify tl name of former slave owners. Compounding this difficulty is the fact that most records of servitude, emancipation, and post-Civil War reconstruction are frequently inaccessible, poorly catalogued, and inadequately preserved from decay. My legislation preserves these pieces of public and personal history to make them readily and easily accessible to all Americans.

H.R. 5216, builds on the Freedman's Bureau Preservation Act of 2000 (P.L. Number: 106-444), which passed both the House and the Senate unanimously in 2000 and was signed into law in November 2000. That law required the Archivist of the United States to create a searchable indexing system to catalogue the geological records from the post-Civil W Reconstruction period. Lantos legislation builds on the success of the Freedman Bureau Preservation Act by requiring the National Archives to properly preserve additional post - Civil War Reconstruction records as well as establishing a grant program for the Archivist to work with various States, Universities, Colleges, and genealogical institutions to establish digitized databases so that anyone in this country will have access to these treasure troves of information.

H.R. 5216, was introduced with over 40 bi-partisan cosponsors and was referred to the Government Reform Committee. They look forward to working with

Chairman Tom Davis to move this legislation very •u.

Suquamish 

The Suquamish are descendents of peoples who lived in the Puget Sound area for thousands of years. They were expert basketmakers, fishers, and canoe builders. There was a transition period from the 1880's to the 1920's during which the Suquamish went from a traditional way of life to that of modern America. During this period all of the children between the ages of 4 and 18 were taken away from the tribe and placed in boarding schools. Gone from the tribe during the winter months when all the storytelling, basketmaking, and songs were taught, these children lost an important link to tribal life. While at school they were not allowed to speak their native language (Lushootseed) nor could they practice any of their traditions. The children were punished corporeally for any transgression with respect to these policies.

The cost of eradicating the Suquamish way of life was borne by the children. There were no child labor laws then, and the schools operated utilizing student labor. The purpose of the schools was to make "good citizens" of the children as quickly as possible. These institutions also served as infirmaries during disease outbreaks, and many children lost their lives to measles and whooping cough, for which they had no natural immunity. Until this dark period the Suquamish thrived. What follows is a description of the activities they engaged in to sustain themselves.

Glass Bridge Construction of the Skywalk, Colorado
Sent by Sal Del Valle sgdelvalle@msn.com

SEPHARDIC

TEXAS 

Perfect as porcelain dolls, debutantes and their escorts are formally presented to 1,500 paying guests at the Laredo Civic Center, in a ritual designed to preserve the established social order.

Alyssa Cigarroa, accompanied by her escort, Christopher Kimmel, bows before the crowd during her center-stage moment at the Society of Martha Washington pageant. "When I was very young, in second grade, my grandmother took me to my first pageant," says Alyssa. "Since then I wanted to be a part of it."

Debutante Sara De Leon Ferrara grabs a quick dinner backstage during a final rehearsal, her dress protected by a queen-sized bed sheet. Wearing the jewel-encrusted dresses, which typically cost $30,000 and weigh 85 pounds (40 kilograms), is no picnic. "It takes at least three people to help you get into it—first the corset, then cage, then petticoat, then dress," says Sara. "Three or four people have to carry it all. 

Judge Vela taped more than 200 radio programs stressing the value of an education, encouraging children to stay in school, and promoting literacy programs." He was a mentor to many in the legal profession. He was honored as a TSC Distinguished Alumnus in 1998 and by having a middle school in Brownsville named in his honor. His character was once best described as "a bear—a grizzly on the bench, but of the teddy bear variety in everyday life."

On April 13, 2004 at age 68, he died from stomach cancer in Harlingen. He was survived by his wife, Blanca Sanchez Vela who for a period served as mayor of Brownsville, three children, and three grandchildren.

On June 29, 2005 President George W. Bush signed a bill designating the United States Courthouse and Federal Building constructed in 2001 at Sixth and Harrison Streets, Brownsville as the Reynaldo G. Garza and Filemon B. Vela United States Courthouse.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: United States House of Representatives Bill H.R. 483, April 13, 2005, Reynaldo G. Garza and Filemon B. Vela United States Courthouse. Eduardo R. Rodriguez, Texas Bar Journal, June 2005. UTB/TSC News Press Release, April 14, 2004.

by Norman Rozeff 
nrozeff@sbcglobal.net
 

In December 2004 an envelope of golfing photos connected with the Harlingen Municipal Golf Course ended up at the Harlingen Public Library. They had been sent by Crystella Liston Holloway of Gilmer, Texas. The library asked if I could supply some background on the various individuals, some of whom were identified on the reverse side of photos.

I took the photos next door to my neighbor, Dan Palmer, who was a long time avid golfer. One of the people he could readily tell me something about was Al Escalante. He appeared in a photo with Harlingen Mayor (1928-36) Sam Botts and a tall, unidentified, young Anglo golfer. Each had been presented a trophy. Upon going to Google I located a reference to an Alfonso Escalante. I e-mailed the webmaster of this B-29 World War II subject site and learned that this was indeed the Al Escalante of Brownsville.

Here is what I compiled for the library: Alphonso (Al) Escalante shown in these photos ( taken between 1928 and 1936) appears to be in his late teens. He was born in Brownsville in 1916. He along with an unidentified individual appears to have been a tournament winner. The photos of him are likely from the mid to late 1930s. His parents had been born in Mexico. His father was a pro at the Brownsville Country Club and the family lived adjacent to the course. Upon his dad's death in 1935 Al, at age 18, took up the golf pro-manager reins at this club.

He participated in World War II and likely had attended college previously because he had a rank of captain. He was a member of the 330th Bombardment Group (VH) which flew B 29s from Iwo Jima and Guam and bombed Japan in 1945. Al was a bombardier who possessed amazing 20-10 vision. He flew under LtCol. R. B. Smisek in the K-29, "City of San Francisco". The window nose of the plane had Al's wife's name, Ozelle painted on it. Escalante earned the nickname '88 Keys' after he mistakenly bombed a piano factory in Tokyo.

He went on after the war to instruct golf, supervise the upkeep of the golf course, and operated a pro shop at Fort Davis, Texas, then moved on to Cristobal, Canal Zone, and then back to the Brownsville Country Club. In June of 1951 at age 34 he moved to the 800 member Mexico City Country Club. After 3 ½ years there, he returned in November 1954 to Brownsville as pro and was given a hearty welcome-back reception. However, in 1957, he was to leave the Valley for good when he moved to Monterrey to take on the job at a newly expanded course at Valley Alto. Around 1963 he accepted a position with the Club de Golf Chapultepec, a large country club near Mexico City. He was a pro there for more than 35 years. Escalante died in 2002 at age 85, having given a golf lesson a few hours before. His wife Ozelle died in 2004.

The webmaster had given me the e-mail address of Al's oldest child, daughter Cynthia, living near Mexico City. She was able to furnish information on her father. Her brother Jimmy, who currently resides in the upper mid-west, also contacted me. A third sibling was middle child Craig. Cynthia related to me "Al was proud of being born a Texan", and I add "an accomplished one at that."

EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI

Update Hurricane Damage to Archival Collections 
by Judy Riffel
California African American Genealogical Society 
Heritage Newsletter, September 2006, Volume 18, Number 7 

New Orleans Public Library - The week after Thanksgiving, the Louisiana Division of the New Orleans Public Library reopened two days a week. Then in January, it expanded its hours to Monday through Friday, 12 to 4 p.m. The City Archives remains in the basement for the time being, however, the library is working with their foundation on a solution to this problem. Diana Williams, a graduate student at Harvard University, is also urging an effort to microfilm and remove records from the basement. For more information, see her website, www.people.fas.harvard.edu/..... dwilliamlsavethehistory.htm.

Tulane University - As previously reported, Jones Hall, which housed the library's Special Collections, had about four feet of water in the basement. According to the library's website, http:/library.tulane.edu/news/archive/02032006 collections katrina.php, an effort was made to retrieve everything of value, more than 4,000 boxes of material. Manuscripts including the personal papers of several local figures and the records of a local bank were damaged. All salvaged material is now frozen for transfer to Belfor's restoration facility in Fort Worth.

Cameron Parish Clerk of Court - According to the Clerk of Court, some of the probate and succession records were damaged from Hurricane Rita and have been sent to Fort Worth for restoration. The Clerk's office is working out of a trailer in front of the courthouse. Welham Plantation - According to a Le Comite member, records from Welham Plantation (St. James Parish) which were in the possession of a former owner who lived in Metairie were completely destroyed.

EAST COAST

MEXICO

This book makes it clear that Mexicans kept very good records, and outlines where to find such resource and how to use them.  In addition, it provides a basic introduction the Spanish vocabulary researchers are likely to encounter in their research and includes useful Mexican historical and geographical context as well.

George R. Ryskamp, JD, AG, teaches Latin American and southern European family history and the use of American legal documents and concepts in family history at Brigham Young University, where he also serves as director of the Center for Family History and Genealogy and the immigrant Ancestor Project.  He is a fellow the Utah Genealogical Association, a Miembro Académico of the Academia Americana de Genealogía and a corresponding member of the Academia Real Martritense de Genealogía y Heráldica.

Peggy Hill Ryskamp has done Hispanic family history in the United States and on numerous trips to Spain and Mexico for more than twenty years.  Coauthor of a Student's Guide to Mexican-American Genealogy, a speaker at local and national conferences, and former coeditor of the Genealogical Journal, she juggles client work and writing.

[[Editor: I can't say enough about the Ryskamp's dedication to researching Spanish records. The first Hispanic family history conference that I attended was organized by the Ryskamps. The first book on the subject that I purchased was authored by George. They are recognized internationally for their work among Spanish language documents. In spite of their scholarly work, Peggy shared that this book was written in a friendly manner.  She said it is both a primer, but also includes hints for intermediate and advanced research.  
It would make a good Christmas present for those primos that you want to get involved.]]

For information on getting a copy       http://www.ancestrystore.com        

Research information for Nuevo Leon, Mexico
compiled by 
Michael A. Carrillo

Volume 1: With Complete Baptismal Extractions for 1806-1815
This study includes 1,869 baptismal records for the given period. Most Baptismal records include the Baptismal date, race, age in days, child's name, parents' names, town of origin, grandparents' names and padrino name(s).  Copyright 1998, pgs 193.
 
Volume 2: With Complete Baptismal Extractions for 1816-1825
This study includes 2,866 baptismal records for the given period. Most Baptismal records include the Baptismal date, race, age in days, child's name, parents' names, town of origin, grandparents' names and padrino name(s).   Copyright 2000, pgs 289.
 
Volume 3: 1827 Census
Description: This study includes 5,032 listed individuals from 1,411 households from Cadereyta and the municipal area. This area includes 32 surrounding Haciendas, Ranchos and communities.   Copyright 2003, pgs 198.

For more information, go to http://www.EagleKinight.com
or email macarrillo@eagleknight.com

True Tales From Another Mexico by Sam Quinones

HAVE PHOTO

"True Tales From Another Mexico" takes us to the Bronx - the rude boys of Mexico's Congress. It immerses us in the world of Oaxacan farmworkers in Baja California. We see how a bunch of illiterate rancheros invented the Michoacana ice cream stores and turned it into the most successful small-business in Mexico. We visit the cult of Nueva Jerusalen, a theocratic village run by a charismatic excommunicated Catholic priest, where residents receive voting instructions from the Virgin of Guadalupe. 

These are the stories of people whose stories never get told. "This is a scrappy, lively, solid work of reportage about the real modern Mexico. It's insightful, crammed with information and a terrific read."  _Alma Guillermoprieto, Latin American writer, the New Yorker_ "This book expands our knowledge of modern Mexico many times over. Quinones unearths a wealth of material that has in fact gone unnoticed or been hidden." _Prof. Francisco Lomeli, University of California, Santa Barbara._ 

Are you researching your ancestors that at sometime lived in or were 
from Jalisco, Zacatecas, and/or Aguascalientes? If you are a 
"Serious" researcher the http://NuestrosRanchos.com group might be 
an environment helpful to you. We are a group of about 150 individuals 
researching this area and would welcome you if you are willing to abide 
by the two simple requirements for membership:

1) State that you are willing to do your own work. There are many groups 
on the internet for the "Casual" genealogist, but Nuestros Ranchos 
is not such a group. By "Casual" I mean those that do very little or 
nothing to advance their genealogy and are only looking for others to do 
the work and then claim it as their own. The "Casual" genealogist is 
not welcome in the http://NuestrosRanchos.com group.

2) Demonstrate your willingness to do your own work by sending in a 
small "representative" branch of your genealogy tree that shows your 
connection to our area of research. [Note: no we are not wanting you to 
send it every document you ever discovered or your gedcom or your years 
and years of research findings, just a "representative" tree. The 
group is open to all levels of researchers so if you are just beginning 
and really have nothing to submit then we'll accept a short account from 
your family's "Oral History" that gives you the understanding that 
Jalisco, Zacatecas, and Aguascalientes are the states of your genealogy 
research].

If you need time to think about membership I would encourage you to go 
to the http://NuestrosRanchos.com site and read through the extensive 
"Public" archives. [Note: Submitted genealogies are considered the 
copyright protected property of the submitter and are kept in a 
"private to group members only" area of the group].

any questions or comments? Ask one of the moderators: Arturo Ramos, 
Rosalinda Ruiz, Joseph Puentes at Moderator@NuestrosRanchos.com

Submitted by MariaCortez on 10 November, 2006 to Nuestros Ranchos
Posted on: http://www.nuestrosranchos.com/node/