\ CASTRO (Continued)
The grandaugther of AURORA CASTRO, a direct descendant ofJOAQUIN, BEVERLY HENDRICKSON WAID summed up the magnitude of the move. "They were both in their mid 40's. They knew they were coming to no home, mission, pubelo or preside, but they came to build. There was danger of wild animals, hostile Indians, starvation, drowning, heat stokes and of freezing in the mountains." The Anza trail was 1,200 miles long, starting in Horcasitas, Mexico, ending in San Francisco. The Castro family, with three of their 8 children under 7 years old, left Mexico traveling up to through Tucson and Yuma Arizona, across to San Gabriel, California through Los Angeles, to San Francisco, then San Jose.
JOAQUIN ISIDRO CASTRO with his son-in-law, Jose Maria Soberanes received a Spanish grant in 1795 called Rancho Buena Vista located in the Monterey area in California. The Castro family ranched in the area through three different governments, Spanish, Mexican, and American. Finally in 1870, Rafael Castro, grandson ofJoaquin and a successful businessman, sold his last parcel to Claus Spreckels.
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"Mrs. Waid, an Orange Country resident, is intensely proud of her early roots. "If I had not spent 25 years doing research, my grandchildren would never know their heritage." Mrs. Waid's direct line is through JOSE JOAQUIN CASTRO, son ofJOAQUIN ISIDRO CASTRO. Jose was a 6 year old child when the Anza trek was made. As colonizing family clans tended to form strong unions with other family clans, Mrs. Waid research reveals that she also descends from 8 other great-great-great-great grandparents who came with the Anza Expedition. Her dedication and concern is expressed, "I want to preserve history and keep alive the names of those first colonists." I

Author of five historical books, three specifically on early California families, lecturer, article writer, member and officer of several historical and genealogical societies, Mrs. Waid is also the newletter editor for two organizations dedicated to preserving the history of the early California families, Los Pobladores 200 and Los Califomianos.
Other surnames on her lines are PICO, BERNAL, COTA, LUGO, ESPINOZA, BASTIDA, MARTINEZ, NORIEGA, ROMERO, SALGADA, SOTO, VIANAZUL, AVILA.
Compiled by Mimi Lozano Holtzman, member of the Society of Hispanic Historical and Ancestral Research.
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