August  2002
Editor: Mimi Lozano, mimilozano@aol.com

          Dedicated to Hispanic Heritage and Diversity Issues
          Publication of the Society of Hispanic Historical and Ancestral Research © 2000-1
http://members.aol.com/shhar      714-894-8161

SUNNY GARCIA REPRESENTING HAWAII 
U.S. OPEN OF SURFING
Huntington Beach, California, July 27 to August 4, 2002 

"Private choices are not private; they all have public consequences. 
Our society is the sum total of what millions of individuals do in their private lives.  
That sum total of private behavior has worldwide public consequences of enormous magnitude.  
There are no completely private choices."    Elder James E. Faust, Ensign, May 1987
 

http://www.islander-magazine.com/spanish.html  

Abstract from How Spain Cast Its Spell On Hawai'i 
by Chris Cook

        The tale of Spanish immigration to Hawaii is one of mystery and legend. A flurry of research and talks on possible early contact between Hawai'i and Spain reached  its apex around 1900, led by Professor William Alexander, a missionary son and early member of the Hawaiian Historical Society. Alexander wrote: "There is little doubt that these islands were discovered by the Spanish navigator, Juan Gaetano or Gaytan, in the year 1555." 
        However, a chart existing long before the time of Cook, and which is referred to by all the national and foreign authors say the discovery took place in 1542, in the expedition commanded by General Rui Lopez de Villalobo, while the Spanish chronicles denote 1555.
        The next chapter of the Spanish in Hawai'i begins in 1793 with the arrival of Don Francisco de Paula Marin, a Spaniard from Jerez in Andalusia, aboard the Lady Washington. Marin stayed in Hawai'i and became an advisor and interpreter to King Kamehameha.providing wise council for Kamehameha in his dealings with western traders. He was probably the most influential European living in Hawai'i in the early 1800s before his own death in 1837.
        Perhaps the best known Spanish influence in Hawai'i is that of the introduction of paniolo (cowboys) who arrived about 1830 from Mexico, settling in Waimea on the Big Island. The paniolo taught horsemanship, cattle herding and ranching to Hawaiians at the famous Parker Ranch. Hawaiian paniolo of today trace their skills, and often an ancestor, back to these days. On Kaua'i, Miguel Castro, an early paniolo, became one of the first paniolo landowners on the island, living at Ko'olau, north of Anahola. 
        Spanish immigrants to Hawai'i who were solicited to work in the sugar industry, arrived in October 1898, numbering 7,735 men, women and children by 1913. Most of them came from Andalusia, home of Don Marin. However, unlike other plantation immigrant groups, the Spanish moved on, and by 1930 only 1,219 remained, including a scant eight children born in Hawai'i. Most Spanish left for the promising fields of California to make higher wages and live among relatives and friends who had settled in greater numbers there.
        However, two other immigrant groups with Spanish influence, the Filipinos and the Puerto Ricans supplanted workers from Spain, and continued to pour Spanish culture into Hawai'i. Filipino sugar plantation workers first arrived in large numbers in 1906, mostly from the Visayan and Ilocos Norte provinces of the Philippines. The Puerto Ricans followed. 
        With them came words from the Spanish language, music, dance, dress and foods, which melded into these islands. Gowns of Spanish lace for weddings, Filipino Terno Balls and the Puerto Rican Catchie Catchie Dances, became part of Hawaiian fashion. Traces of Spanish architecture in two-story villas with columned gates in Honolulu and other sections of Hawai'i show the Spanish style. Latin foods started blending with Hawaiian cuisine to create Hawaiian paella, tropical tacos, Hawaiian salsas and Hawaiian tortillas. A magazine for visitors in the Spanish language, further promotes the connection between Hawai'i and Spain. In the phone book, there are many Garcias, Peraltas, Fernandes and other names of Spanish descent, including the name of Hawai'i's chief of state, Governor Ben Cayetano.

Number of  registered Hispanic voters in the US has grown from 2.5 million in 1972 to 7.6 in 2000.  

        The high school dropout rate for Latino children is estimated by the U.S. Department of Education to be about 33.5 percent . 
        In 1998, only 56 percent of eligible Hispanics registered to vote, and of those, just 39 percent went to the polls, according to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. 
        Workplace fatalities among Hispanics rose by 53 percent between 1992 and 2000, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. At least 815 Hispanics died on the job in 2000. 
        Since 1994, Hispanic homeownership has lagged whites by 29 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Black homeownership lagged whites by 27.5 percent during the same period. 
        Hispanics, 12.5 percent of the U.S. population, account for 20 percent of new HIV infections and 17 percent of AIDS-related deaths, according to a recent Institute of Medicine report to Congress. 
        Between 1990 and 1996, Hispanic women saw their median real wage decline by 3 percent, from $330 to $320 per week, according to the National Council of La Raza. 
                                                                Sent by Zeke Hernandez  zekeher@juno.com

*** Politics of Identity: Latino Think Tanks Define a New Latino Generation ***

Eastern Group Publications, Raul Vasquez. "Latino Think Tanks" are at  the forefront of setting the agenda, and the debate about who Latinos really are and how non-Latino America will view them.   http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=565        Sent by zeke Hernandez

                                              THE WHITE HOUSE
                Office of the Press Secretary, for immediate release, July 16, 2002

        President George W. Bush today announced his nomination of Antonio O. Garza to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Mexico. "The U.S. and Mexico share not only a border, but a rich history of common economic and cultural interests. Tony Garza has an in depth understanding of the relationship between the United States and Mexico and its impact on the people of both nations. He has served the people of Texas with honor and distinction and will be an outstanding representative of the United States," said President Bush.
        Tony Garza was elected to serve as a Commissioner on the Texas Railroad Commission in 1998. He serves as the Vice Chairman of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, an organization representing governors of 37 oil and gas producing states, and is Texas' voting member on the Commission. In 1994, then Governor George W. Bush appointed Mr. Garza as Texas Secretary of State and Senior Advisor. During his three-year tenure, Garza was the State's Chief Election Officer as well as the lead liaison on border and Mexican affairs, working on a diverse range of issues including free trade, the environment and border affairs. Before his appointment, Garza served as Cameron County Judge after being elected in 1988.  Commissioner Garza is a graduate of the University of Texas and Southern Methodist University School of Law.

A 'Spanglish' World Flourishes Among Latino Youth

- New Study Reveals Latino Youth Market's Preferences for English-Language Media Consumption in L.A. -  Press Release, 7-8-02, SOURCE: Cultural Access Group, Inc.

        Hispanic marketers take note: a new study released today by Cultural Access Group and Sapo Communications finds that while Hispanic youth in L.A. may be watching both "The Simpsons" and telenovelas, they are far more likely to favor the former over the latter. For while most Latino youth are fully bilingual, they are far more likely to prefer communicating in English than Spanish according results of the study, "A Tale of Two Cultures: LA's Latino Youth".
       Based on a fifteen-minute random survey among 250 Hispanic respondents in L.A., ages 14 to 24, and a series of various, in-depth qualitative interviews, the study reveals that today's Latino youth market lives in a bicultural world-one that is likely to embrace good, old-fashioned American hip hop in addition to rock en espanol. More than their parents, Latino youth have a broader array of media choices -- both in English and Spanish -- available to them based on their bilingual background.
        According the study, 60 percent of respondents were born in the U.S., and over half of those born outside the U.S. have spent a majority of their lives in the country. Among the major findings identified by the study are:

--  The majority of Latino youth prefer English over Spanish. Fifty-seven 
        percent indicated a strong preference for English overall, 28 percent
        indicated a preference for Spanish, and 14 percent indicated a
        preference for both.  While both Spanish and English are spoken at
        home, a greater number pointed to English as the primary language
        spoken among friends.  Likewise, although most respondents indicate
        they are bilingual, they indicate less proficiency in reading and
        writing in Spanish than they do in English.
--  A considerable number of Latino youth speak "Spanglish."  Nearly
        three-quarters of respondents indicate they frequently speak in
        'Spanglish' -- primarily with friends, at home, and with other young
        people -- often blending both English with Spanish together in
        everyday conversation.
--  Latino youth overwhelmingly favor English-language media over
        Spanish-language media.  They spend nearly twice as many hours
        consuming television and radio programming in English than they do in
        Spanish per week and five times more for English-language print media
        compared to Spanish-language print sources.
--  Music plays a considerable role in the lives of Latino youth and
        defines their lifestyles.  The majority of respondents, 55 percent,
        indicate they primarily listen to music in English, while another
        26 percent indicate they listen to music in both English and Spanish.
        Music is a determining factor for lifestyle, attitudes, and consumer
        behavior.

        "This study bucks the myth that today's Latino youth are only consumers of Spanish-language media," states David Morse, President of Cultural Access Group, Inc. "Latino youth are an emerging consumer segment that prefers a wide range of media channels -- but they have been virtually untapped by advertisers and marketers who have yet to comprehend the hybrid nature of this young consumer and communicate to them in a way that makes sense."
        "These young consumers are clearly staking out an identity of their own," asserts Manny Gonzalez, President of Sapo Communications. "Marketers must recognize this evolving identity and be sophisticated enough to speak to the growing sensibilities that is a part of this new identity. This means targeting them in English-language, or possibly even 'Spanglish'-language, advertising campaigns. The key is cultural relevance."

 SOURCE: Cultural Access Group, Inc.                        Sent by Anthony Garcia,  amigos@latinoLA.com

NEW MORTGAGE COUNSELING PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS HISPANIC COMMUNITIES
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and National Council of La Raza Work
to Encourage Hispanic Home Ownership

        Des Moines, IA - The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc., announced today a partnership that will offer home ownership opportunities to Hispanics and Latinos in 19 metropolitan areas across the nation.
        "Together with NCLR, our goal is to increase home ownership opportunities for Hispanic and Latino families," said Jackson Cosey, senior vice president of Wells Fargo's Emerging Markets division, "and to continue our support of community initiatives. To help accomplish that, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage brings a full menu of mortgage products and services to the relationship. We'll also provide educational materials written in Spanish, access to bilingual mortgage consultants, home ownership seminars and our Sharing Advantage program." The Sharing Advantage program allows participating homeowners to direct Wells Fargo Home Mortgage to make a $300 contribution on their behalf to a faith-based or non-profit organization of choice.
        "Through this partnership, we gain support for our nationwide network of housing counselors, who assist thousands of Hispanic families in becoming homeowners," said Raul Yzaguirre, president of NCLR. "Only 45.7 percent of Latinos own their own home. Together, NCLR and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage can help raise that figure to a level comparable to the homeownership rate of 67 percent for all other Americans."
        According to Yzaguirre, NCLR home ownership counseling programs have proven effective because they encourage participants to work toward a goal, and information provided is directly linked to achieving that aim.        
        "A large percentage of Hispanic families are first-time home buyers, and we want to make the process easier for them," he said. "By working with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, the nation's leading mortgage lender, we take another step toward accomplishing that goal." In 2001, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage was responsible for lending over $19 billion dollars toward home ownership to minorities, more than 6 billion of which was disbursed to Hispanic homeowners.
        Communities participating in the program include Los Angeles, Dallas, Denver, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Yuma, Modesto, Stockton, Oakland, El Paso, and Houston.
        NCLR is the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights organization, representing over 270 affiliates, community-based organizations who together serve over four million Hispanics annually in 37 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
        Based in Des Moines, Iowa, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc., is a subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC). It is a leading originator and servicer of residential mortgages. With a presence in more than 1,400 mortgage and Wells Fargo bank stores serving all 50 states, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage operates the leading mortgage lending network in the country. Combined, its retail and wholesale lending operations provide funding for approximately one of every 11 homes financed annually in the United States.  For more information:
John Ferchen Wells Fargo Home Mortgage (515) 213 7372
Lisa Navarrete, NCLR  (202) 785-1670

Hispanic Local History & Genealogy in the United States, Titles at the Library of Congress
http://www.loc.gov/rr/genealogy/bib_guid/hispanic/index.html#contents

Compiled and Annotated by Lee V. Douglas, Local History and Genealogy Reading Room
Humanities and Social Sciences Division, Library of Congress Washington 2002
Research Guide No. 40  Introduction 

This bibliography lists titles for research on two primary topics: histories of American families of Hispanic origin, and histories of places in the United States settled by people of Hispanic origin. The nature of these topics requires research far beyond the borders of the United States, into countries of Spanish America, Spain, Portugal, and in some instances as far afield as Corsica and Sweden. The broad sweep of this research makes the titles here contained potential sources for secondary topics as well, their scope limited only by the needs of the researcher.

Part I lists handbooks for genealogical research in the United States and in some Spanish American countries. Part II deals with personal names and place names and will benefit equally the genealogist, the historian, and the linguist. Part III lists books on Hispanic history of the United States of America. Parts IV-X list materials for research on specific American states, most of them former Mexican or Spanish territories. Parts XI-XV list materials on Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Spain, many of which are relevant to emigration or immigration.

Part XV, "Emigration from Spain," merits a section of its own because it touches on the beginnings of the Spanish movement across the Atlantic, reasons for its continuation in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and because it helps to trace emigration routes; relatively few people emigrated directly from Spain to the United States, but hundreds of thousands traveled from Spain to Spanish colonies in the Americas, and thence to territories that now lie within U.S. borders.

Part XVI treats of Spanish Jewish emigration and the unique circumstances that shaped it. Part XVII lists catalogs and archives outside the Library of Congress that contain significant numbers of local histories, censuses, and land records. Parts XVIII and XIX list materials on Spanish American countries not covered in preceding sections and materials not easily categorized under the preceding headings.

It should be emphasized that the titles in this bibliography are those that the compiler hopes will be of most help to researchers, but the Library of Congress contains thousands of additional works on these subjects that may be found in the library's catalogs by using the subject headings that appear in the catalog displays of the works here listed.                                                                          Sent by Johanna de Soto

COVINA site TO HOST A FREE Hispanic Heritage Display & Reception     
        SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2002          

The reception is free and open to the public. 
Learn how to begin your personal family history
Learn what resources are available at the Covina Family History Center

COVINA STAKE CENTER
656 S. Grand Avenue
Covina, Calif. 91724

6-7  DISPLAYS and beginner WORKSHOP

7-8  MEET THE EXPERTS
        Peter Carr, President of the California State Genealogical Society
        Bill Doty, Archivist, National Archives and Records Administration
        Susan G. Novick, Paso al Norte Immigration History Museum & Research Center
        Mimi Lozano, President of the Society of Hispanic Historical and Ancestral Research
        Miguel Mathes, Ph.D. historian, author, Emeritus, University of San Francisco
        John Schmal, author, historian for www.Somos Primos.com
        Paul Smart, Family History Outreach, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
 Marian L. Smith, Historian, U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service, Washington, D.C.

8-9  ENJOY REFRESHMENTS and NETWORKING

Latino businesses in LA have increased by 96% in the last decade from 56,000 to 110,000.

"Expressiones sin Fronteras"   125 Paseo de la Raza, July 14th - Sept 5th. 2002
        An Art exhibition presented by the ARTINO Artist's Group of Los Angeles. ARTINO is a group of Visual Artists who have joined together to bring a greater appreciation of Latino Art to the world. The "Sin Fronteras" exhibit will be held at the EL PUEBLO ART GALLERY on L.A.'s historic Olvera Street. Members of the group work in a variety of styles, from  traditional to contemporary, but all have an emphasis on their  Latino heritage. Artists Agustin Bravo, Joe Bravo, Frank Martinez, Manny Paz, Lalo Garcia, Sergio Hernandez,  Ricardo Ortega, Xavier Montes,  Lix Mario Ramirez and Mark Vallen will  be showing works. 
        The ART FOR A CHANGE (AFC) is a Web site which serves as a resource center for Art Activism. It encourages and promotes the creation of Artworks that envision a just, peaceful world. Information, go to: Mark Vallen's Website for Art Activism & Social Change.  
http:// www.art-for-a-change.com   vallen@art-for-a-change.com
                                                                                  Sent by Serg Hernandez,  chiliverde@earthlink.net 

     Protest SB 1614, which would remove California Birth & Death Indices from the Public Domain
                                    http://www.caopen.org/events/SB1614-Rally.html
                                    http://www.petitiononline.com/intrepid/petition.html
                                                         OPPOSE SB 1614!
            7:30-8:30am, Tuesday August 6, 2002, California State Capitol Building, North Steps               
                                                 10th and L Streets, Sacramento                                                       

        Senator Jackie Speier, author of SB 1614, claims we need her protection from identity thieves and terrorists and that this bill will keep us safe. No evidence of misuse of the birth or death indices has been put forward. There is NO LINK of these indices to identity theft, cloning, fraud or terrorist acts. Absolutely NONE.
        In fact, many legitimate users of these indices include: genealogists, journalists, adult adoptees, California bankers, licensed investigators and insurance companies. Many California based businesses use the indices to validate identity and assure proper account access, in
essence a protection from identity fraud, terrorist actions, and government abuse.

CALIFORNIA  http://livgenmi.com/1895ca.htm
1895 State Map 1895 County Maps

STATE POPULATION 1,208,130

                                                                                                           Sent by Johanna de Soto

The USGenWeb Project is a loosely organized group of volunteers working to create a center for genealogical research for every county in the United States. USGenWeb is not a commercial enterprise and information found on these pages is freely available to the public. It is also not a part of the original GenWeb. As you browse the pages, you will find some consistent elements. All counties will have an area for you to post queries and links to the state page and USGenWeb Archives. You will also see considerable variation; each page or database is the creation, property and responsibility of an individual volunteer. We are very proud of this project and hope that you are too. If you would like to help, please contact the state or county coordinator for the area that  interests you.                                                                                                  Sent by Johanna de Soto

Grantor/Grantee Index Search
http://arcc.co.san-diego.ca.us/services/grantorgrantee/
Document Types and Definitions

The Grantor/Grantee index is provided as a public service for your convenience. Updates and corrections occur on a daily basis; however, neither the County nor the Assessor/Recorder Clerk shall incur any liability for errors or omissions with respect to the information provided in this index.
                                                                                                           Sent by Johanna de Soto

Example of some of the PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE

• CEMETERIES of South San Luis Obispo County, CA. (1877-1941) Compiled by Barbara Carlson, 77 pgs. publ. 1991. Lists names and dates for 3 cemeteries: Old Catholic (Price) Cemetery, Halcyon Cemetery, and Arroyo Grand District Cemetery; other information by surname in alphabetical order. $6.50
• CEMETERIES: Old Mission Catholic (SLO) and Santa Rosa Catholic (Cambria) 119 pgs., publ. 1992.  Maps and Pictures. $17.00
• ADELAIDA CEMETERY, 1878 - 2000. Over 250 burials, maps, and short history of the area and the cemetery. It is also Indexed by surname. This colorful cemetery is tucked in what was some of the back country of North San Luis Obispo County and is now dotted with vinyards and wine tasting rooms. The area is steeped with local history. $8.25
• TEMPLETON CEMETERY, 45 pgs., publ. 1995. $8.00
• SHANDON CEMETERY Burial Record, 1889-2000.  Information on over 450 burials including Surname, First Name,  and many Middle Names or Initials; Date of Death; Date of Burial; Age; Birthplace; some Birth dates and really interesting Remarks about a number of the burials. Information transcribed from original hand written entries in Burial Book. $8.25.
• ARROYO GRANDE DISTRICT CEMETERY, 1855-2000 - Nearly 13,000 names including birth & death dates; burial location; and other information. Price $31.75.
•   CAMBRIA CEMETERY DISTRICT, 1870-2001." Introductory pages have a large group of interesting facts about burials in the cemetery. Over 2,400 individual entries are listed including birth and death dates, burial location and individual notes - $10.50.
• HOMESTEAD DECLARATIONS in San Luis Obispo County, 1860-1884. Compiled by Louise Radcliffe, 17 pgs., publ. 1979. Abstracts from Book A showing homesteaders' family relationships and date of filing. $5.00                                      Sent by Johanna de Soto

         WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service is enlisting Mexican TV and movie stars for a new public service campaign aimed at reducing deaths along the U.S.-Mexico border. INS officials said they are renewing the effort because more immigrants are using the Sonoran Desert as an entry point to the United States in response to increased border patrols elsewhere.
        "Given the heat, this is like bringing people into the Valley of Death," INS spokesman Dan Kane said.According to the INS, 206 people have died while trying to cross into the United States this year through July 22. Of those, 40 percent died of heat-related causes. In 1999, 24 percent perished that way. A total of 336 immigrants died while trying to cross over last year. In 2000, heat exposure overtook drowning as the leading killer of immigrants.  Temperatures in the Arizona and California deserts can reach 120 F (49 C).
        The announcement is set to air in Mexico, the United States and Central America. The last time the INS turned to Mexican stars to deter would-be immigrants was in 1999 and 2000. http://www.//HispanicOnline.com, Tue Jul 23, 3:29 AM ET

        In addition, the UNM Library is a member of two national collection development and resource- sharing programs, the Latin American Microform Project (LAMP), which operates under the umbrella of the Center for Research Libraries, and the ARL/AAU Latin Americanist Research Resources Pilot Project. These two programs, with their provisions for expedited interlibrary loan and document delivery, add substantially to the common pool of of primary and secondary material available for research on Latin American topics.

Use of Local Collections: The collections are available to students, faculty, and staff of the University of New Mexico and to outside researchers. Many materials require special handling and must be used in authorized areas. Finding aids, bibliographies, and in-house indices are available for a number of specialized Ibero-American holdings.                                 Sent by Johanna de Soto

Jesuitica Collection  http://www.slu.edu/libraries/vfl/jsuitca.htm  
Knights of Columbus, Vatican Film Library at Saint Louis University.  The central archives of the Jesuit Order, containing the records of the official business of the Jesuit Generalate in Rome.
                                                                                                         Sent by Johanna de Soto

http://archives.nmsu.edu/rghc/durango/abtproj.html

An important part of a research library's holdings is its collection of archival and ephemeral material. These unpublished source documents are the raw materials for researchers and writers who seek evidence for their work. Archival holdings located in Mexico are very important to the study of the cultural heritage of the border region because the southwestern portion of the United States was governed by Spain and Mexico until the mid 19th century.

The Durango Microfilming Project is a cooperative effort involving the Archdiocese of Durango, Mexico, the Universidad Juarez del Estado de Durango, the Instituto de Investigaciones Históricos de UJED, the Archivo Histórico del Estado de Durango and The Rio Grande Historical Collections at New Mexico State University. The purpose of the project is to microfilm the contents of the Historical Archives of the Archdiocese of Durango and important portions of the Historical Archive of the State of Durango. By doing so, the project will 1) preserve the records on archival quality microfilm which meets accepted standards, 2) make the information contained in the records available for research, especially to United States and other researchers who need access to more documentation which represents the Mexican point of view, and 3) allow the Archdiocese and the State Historical Archive to retire the original documents for security and long-term preservation.                                                  Sent by Johanna de Soto

This website provides a numbers of links to published web sites containing information about the families of Los Nuevo Mexicanos.

  Ancestors of Stanley Andres Lucero

"13 generations from Northern New Mexico concentrating on the Penasco Valley and surrounding areas in and around Taos County including Llano de San Juan, Trampas, Chamisal, Santa Barbara, Rodarte, Picuris, Chimayo, Santa Cruz de la Canada and Embudo."

 Ancestors of Maria Yolanda Lopez

  Antoinette Duran Silva's Genealogy Homepage

I began an extensive genealogy search in 1993 after visiting some ancestral homes in New Mexico; Socorro, Texas; and Morenci, Arizona. Information presented in this website is the result of that search. Some of my ancestral towns in New Mexico include Santa Fe, Santa Cruz de la Cañada, Bernalillo, Alburquerque (along the way, the first "r" was dropped), Tomé (also known in the 1700s as Fuenclara), San Gabriel de las Nutrias, Belen, La Joya de Sevilleta, Mesilla, Las Cruces, El Colorado (now called Rodey), and Hatch.

 Beyond Origins of New Mexican Families

       An extension of Fray Angelico's work with Origins of NM Families.

 Bernalillo County, New Mexico NMGENWEB Site

National Society: Daughter's of the American Revolution       Sent by Johanna de Soto

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NMDI PROJECT

The NMDI (New Mexico Death Index) Project was a private project started by Sam-Quito Padilla G. along with a number of generous volunteers and donors. With the California Birth and Death Index being on-line for researchers to use, Sam-Quito inquired about the New Mexico Indices at the Special Collection Library in Albuquerque. One of the librarians had the answer to that question: we have two microfilms of the death index.                                                                                       Sent by Johanna de Soto

Inquisicion and other early Hispanic Archives http://www.orthohelp.com/geneal/inquis.HTM

The valuable information on this page has been provided by Lawrence H. Feldman, Ph.D and MLS (Lawrenc846@aol.com) in an email responding to a question I asked him. I asked if I could share the information on this website and he graciously agreed. Dr Feldman is a very knowledgeable indexer, researcher and writer. His address is at the bottom of the page for those who might wish to ask him further questions.

To learn more about inquisicion records and the Inquisicion, I strongly recommend the work by Juan Blazquez Miguel, La Inquisicion,( Ediciones Penthalon, Bustos, 11. Telef 552 43 31, 28038 Madrid-- a cheap little paperback) as a very useful introduction to the subject.

Archivo Historico Nacional (AHN), Madrid.
There are published catalogues for the documents for the tribunals of Toledo and Murcia, but there is much that is not catalogued. The total holdings of Inquisicion records at the AHN consists of 5344 manuscript bundles and 1463 manuscript books. 

The Archivo Diocesano de Cuenca is an important source for that town (a guide to them is in preparation).

The Archivo General de Simancas (Valladolid) has material in several sections. These are not the records of the Inquisicion but government actions resulting from Inquisicion activities

The Archivo de La Real Audiencia de Zaragoza has important documents for the Kingdom of Aragon

The Archivo de Museo Canario, Las Palmas, has Inquisicion records for the Canary Islands.

From: arturo_ynclan@yahoo.com (maria antonieta ynclan)
To: mimilozano@aol.com
CC: canprin@yahoo.com

On May 1, 1746 my patriarch grandfather Ignacia Gonzalez Ynclan married Juana de Dieo de Urrutia. Ignacio died in 1736. She than married Pedro Mariano de Ocon y Trillo in 1737. The Ocon y Trillo families of San Antonio and Texas have in their family tree and history the Seguin Families of Texas. 
                                                                                      Sent by Arturo Ynclan  arturo_ynclan@yahoo.com

     Source:  Daniel [Danny] Villarreal  Daniel5822@aol.com     Sent by:  George Gause  ggause@panam.edu

Index Baptismal Registers, Revilla 1751-1803  http://members.aol.com/tejasjj/baptism.html

First paragraph:  When the fall of 1750 was struggling to overtake the brutal summer of heat and drought, Don Miguel Martínes, experienced soldier and leader, guided his and thirteen other families to a ford on the Salado river near its confluence with "el Río del Norte." A few weeks after, the newly commissioned captain without pay, Don Vicente Guerra, guided his and twenty-five other families along with eight families of servants that were not officially listed to this pre-arranged location. This land had belonged to Guerra’s father, Juan Guerra Cañamar. The elder Guerra had started his illustrious military career as a young soldier in the company of Alonso de León during the great entrada into Texas in 1689. His good leadership and exemplary service to the crown was rewarded by various promotions. His career was eventually capped by serving as the alcalde mayor and capitan a guerra of the Villa de San Gregorio de Cerralvo beginning in the fall of 1705. At the time of his death in the winter of 1718, Captain Guerra had owned this land for an agostadero. This land as well as his other possessions were passed on to his descendents.                      Sent by Johanna de Soto     

Census Records

Church Records

Cemetery Records

Court Records

Land Records

Maps

Tax Records

"Mexican-American Genealogical Research:
  Following the Paper Trail to  Mexico" 

        Mexican-American genealogical research has long been an under-appreciated pastime, practiced by a select few.  However, "Mexican-American Genealogical research: Following the Paper Trail to Mexico" brings a new resource into into the public eye and provides the everyday American with suggestions for locating Mexican ancestors.  The most important piece of information for the Mexican-American genealogist to obtain is the name of the place from which his or her Mexican ancestors came.  In this respect, the search for Mexican roots is exactly the same as that of every other ethnic group that came to America.  If you cannot locate your ancestral town, it will be very difficult for you to get past the border to learn more about your ancestors.
        Donna Morales and John Schmal have collaborated in the presentation of this resource guide, which illustrates many document from the family of Ms. Morales, both in Mexico and the United States.  The utilization of information from birth and death certificates, newspaper obituaries, naturalization records, alien registration forms, and funeral records are discussed.  All of these have the potential of helping the reader to determine the place of origin of his or her Mexican ancestor.
        The authors also illustrate church and civil records from Mexico and show the reader the amazing amount of detail that the research will find in such records.  The search for Indian roots in Mexico is also discussed in some detail.  And, in the last chapter, the authors present an outline to help the reader get started and to organize his or her data.  2002., c.175 pp., full name index, paper, $21.00 #S2139F      ISBN # 0-7884-2139-5
Please add $5. per order for shipping.  Maryland residents please add 5% sales tax.

Heritage Books, Inc.  http://www.heritagebooks.com
1540-E Pointer Ridge Place, Bowie, MD 20716
1-800-398-7709  VISA/MasterCard/Discover  Checks and money order accepted   
http://www.heritagebooks.com/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=HBI&Categ

Muslins in Chiapas
"Some foreign missionaries working for an Islamic group in Chiapas have been asked to leave Mexico because they lack proper residency documents, a Mexican immigration official said. The missionaries - who include Vasque converts to Islam from Spain - have converted a number of Chamula and Tzotzil Indians but have never applied for status as a religious organization, said Javier Moctezuma Barragan, assistant secretary of the National Immigration Institute. Its so obvious that the Moslems are not interested in true conversions but are using the Indians, who are a discontented people, for their own evil purpose."                                                  Sent by Zeke Hernandez

Mexican History Microforms, University of Arizona 

http://www.library.arizona.edu/users/dickstei/micro/mexico.htm Unless otherwise noted, microforms (both microfiche and microfilm) are located in the compact shelving on the first floor of the Main Library, and are shelved in numerical order.
La Antorcha Micro- film 3501
El Archivo de Hidalgo del Parral, 1631-1821 Micro- film 318
Archivo franciscano, a manuscript collection in the National Library of Mexico (Film reproductions of manuscripts relating to Spanish Sonora (now southern Arizona, Sonora, and Sinaloa) from the Archivo Franciscano, a manuscript collection in the National Library of Mexico) Micro- film 7147
                                                                                                       Sent by Johanna de Soto

Guide to the Franklin Madis Collection 1588-1910 1.7 linear ft.
http://libraries.uta.edu/SpecColl/findaids/AR339.htm by Maritza Arrigunaga

CITATION: Franklin Madis Collection, AR339, box number, Folder number, Special Collections Division, The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries.  Index with detailed and specific detail to what is stored in 4 boxes of  174 historical documents.

Example: Guide to the José Salazar Ilarregui Papers Maximilian's Imperial Commissioner for Yucatan 1823-1898  Prepared by Maritza Arrigunaga Coello May 1996  Number 91-4

CITATION: José Salazar Ilarregui Papers, Box number, Folder number, Special Collections Division, The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries.  Index with detailed and specific detail to what is stored in 4 boxes of  234 historical documents.                                            Sent by Johanna de Soto

Library of Congress: Hispanic Local History and Genealogy in the United States: Mexico
 http://www.loc.gov/rr/genealogy/bib_guid/hispanic/mexico.html          Sent by Johanna de Soto  

Table of Contents
Helps For Using This Research Outline
     References To The Family History Library Catalog
     References To Other Family History Library Publications
Internet
     Finding Resources On The Internet
     Map Of Mexico
Archives And Libraries
     Archives In Spain
     Mexican Archives
     National Government Archives And Libraries
     State Archives
     Local Civil Offices/municipio Records Offices
     Catholic Church Archives
     Inventories, Registers, Catalogs                                         Sent by Johanna de Soto

Age at Marriage and Female Employment in Colonial Mexico

by Claude Morin  http://www.fas.umontreal.ca/HST/U/morin/pub/CIDHInd97.htm
Paper read at the International Conference "Women's Employment, Marriage-Age and Population Change", University of Delhi, Developing Countries Research Center, March 3-5, 1997

This paper takes its lead from demographer John Hajnal who was so influential in the study of "marriage patterns" across time and space. For more than thirty years since his seminal contribution, Hajnal has been a major reference for historians and other social scientists who have endeavoured to untangle the connections between age at marriage and residential patterns in the past and in different societies. In his 1983 reappraisal, he made the "circulation of servants" an essential feature of the European households and thus added a socio-economic dimension to explain salient characteristics of the European marriage model, acknowledging that this system was regional and applied best to northwestern Europe. Three rules set this model apart: first, both women and men married several years after reaching sexual maturity (women at 22 or older, men at 26 and over) and a fair proportion never married; second, marriage usually coincided with the formation of a nuclear family conceived as a self-supporting economic unit; third, before marrying, young adults spent many years as domestic servants in urban or rural households.(1)

Well footnoted and three very interesting tables 
Table 1: Mean and median age at first marriage in colonial Mexico
Table 2: Sexual Division of Labour, Selected Occupations, Guadalajara 1821; Mexico City, 1811
Table 3:  Female Workers by Age and Marital Status, Mexico City, 1811 (in percent)
                                                                                                           Sent by Johanna de Soto

Pablo Macedo, Collection of Mexican notorial, mining and colonial documents
http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/testing/html/mss0035e.html

        The materials are written in Spanish and date from the 17th through the early 19th centuries. They relate largely to Mexican legal matters and mining interests, although other subjects are represented.
        The first item in the colllection is a letter from Pablo Macedo, dated January 29, 1908, which discusses some of the materials in the collection. According to Macedo, some of the papers concern the Hacienda of Nuestra Senora del Rosario (Our Lady of the Rosary), otherwise known as "Los Reyes" (the Kings), the estate of Macedo's father. According to this letter, the estate was taken from the elder Macedo by Governor Joaquin Martinez in 1867 "by evil means." It is likely that Pablo Macedo collected some of the materials as proof of his father's title to the property.
        Following the letter are MINING DOCUMENTS dating from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, which contain reports about the exploitation of mines in several regions of Mexico. This type of document normally includes accounts of expenses and records earnings from the sale of minerals. Folder 5 contains a title document to a mine called "Peregrina", dated 1788
                                                                                                   Sent by Johanna de Soto

THE HISTORY OF THE TLAXCALANS
By 
John P. Schmal

Texas State Hispanic Genealogy Conference 2002
September 27, 28, 29, 2002 

Las Porciones will host the 2002 State Hispanic Genealogy Conference  
McAllen, Texas, Holidome Holiday Inn Civic Center, located at 200 W. Expressway 83.  
Conference Activities on Friday: Tour 1- Camargo,  Mier,  Roma - Los Saenz
                                                       Tour 2- Brownsville, Port Isabel, Matamoros, 
Book sales review for those not on tours, Border Buttermilk reception.  
Saturday:  Speakers Luncheon and awards night social at Nuevo Santander Gallery.  Sunday: "Despedida" in the morning, Speakers, and General Session.  Hidalgo County Historical Museum, on your own in the afternoon (optional).  Las Porciones is the Hispanic Genealogical Society for The lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. 
 
Information, contact Adalberto Garza, President, P.O. Box 3488, Edinburg, Texas 78540 or Barzon1492@aol.com .  

EL BARRIO DE SAN SEBASTIÁN

Ricardo García López

Las villas o ayuntamientos formaban parte de la ciudad.  
En 1869 suprimieron sus ayuntamientos y los incorporaron a la ciudad, 
de la cual pasaron a ser barrios.  
Hoy estos barrios han perdido su dimensión humana.  
Rafael Montejano y A.

Al referirnos a fundación no queremos dar a entender que el pueblo se formó a raíz de una orden, como por arte de magia. No, nuestras tierras fueron en un principio, visitadas, que no habitadas, por indios chichimecas, principalmente guachichiles, éstos eran salvajes, no vivían en un lugar fijo, eran nómadas y sólo aparecían por estas tierras cuando había tunas, mezquites, pitayas, garambuyos o animales para cazar, en una palabra, se alimentaban de lo que la naturaleza les ofrecía. Cuando se agotaban estos satisfactores emigraban hacia el sur o a donde consideraban que podían encontrar con qué alimentarse.

Lo que conocemos hoy como República Mexicana, estaba dividida en dos zonas bien delimitadas: Mesoamérica y Áridoamérica. En Mesoamérica la conquista fue relativamente fácil para los españoles puesto que se trataba de pueblos con cultura, algunos de ellos muy avanzada como los mayas y los aztecas y con una organización política bien definida, de entre los pueblos sometidos por los aztecas, algunos hicieron alianza con los españoles para liberarse del yugo azteca principalmente.

Áridoamérica, sin embargo, estaba habitada por salvajes guerreros que formaban pequeños grupos y que hablaban lenguas muy diversas, por lo que entre ellos no había unidad. Las tierras eran áridas y por lo tanto no constituían un atractivo para los conquistadores, pero en 1546 Juan de Tolosa descubrió las minas en el cerro de la Bufa y a raíz de esto, más tarde, en 1548, fundó la ciudad de Zacatecas en compañía de Diego Martín de Ibarra y Baltazar Temiño Bañuelos. A partir de entonces se hicieron frecuentes las incursiones de los españoles en Áridoamérica en busca de minerales. Por el sureste Fernando de Tapia y Nicolás de San Luis Montañez con indios otomíes de la provincia de Jilotepec, apoyándose en Querétaro, incursionaban por San Luis de la Paz y San Felipe y aún llegaron al Valle de San Francisco (hoy Villa de Reyes).

Los nómadas se fueron acostumbrando a las caravanas que incursionaban en el territorio y hasta llegaron a juntarse en grupos pequeños para acercarse a dichas caravanas, éstas a su vez les regalaban comida y ropa. Fue en aumento el número de pedigüeños de tal suerte que enfadaron a los de las caravanas y éstos no sólo no les daban sino que, antes bien, los maltrataban y tanto los hostigaron que en 1550 estalló la "guerra chichimeca" que había de durar hasta muy entrado el siglo XVIII. No obstante esta guerra, los frailes franciscanos de la `provincia de los zacatecas, con peligro de sus vidas, y principalmente Fray Diego de la Magdalena, habían organizado una pequeña comunidad de guachichiles en lo que hoy es "Plaza de los Fundadores", para enseñarles la Doctrina Cristiana y la vida sedentaria.

Durante la "guerra chichimeca" se utilizaron todas las estrategias militares para someter a los aguerridos chichimecas pero todo fue inútil. El capitán mestizo Miguel Caldera dejó de lado la espada y utilizó la diplomacia y los regalos de paz y en esta forma redujo a algunos de aquellos hombres que parecían indomeñables y gracias también a Fr. Diego de la Magdalena que con su paciencia y amor exhortó a los indios a llevar una vida sedentaria, organizada en comunidades; a obtener el sustento, la ropa y demás, explotando técnica y constantemente los recursos naturales.Durante la "guerra chichimeca" se utilizaron todas las estrategias militares para someter a los aguerridos chichimecas pero todo fue inútil. El capitán mestizo Miguel Caldera dejó de lado la espada y utilizó la diplomacia y los regalos de paz y en esta forma redujo a algunos de aquellos hombres que parecían indomeñables y gracias también a Fr. Diego de la Magdalena que con su paciencia y amor exhortó a los indios a llevar una vida sedentaria, organizada en comunidades; a obtener el sustento, la ropa y demás, explotando técnica y constantemente los recursos naturales.

Esto se dice fácil, pero la realidad fue que los primeros asentamientos que se formaron no podían ser estables, pues aún cuando había indígenas que se aficionaban a los frailes y convivían con ellos, la mayor parte seguía prefiriendo la vida nómada. Por eso cuando se logró la pacificación y cesaron los asaltos, destrucciones de pueblos y matanzas de pobladores, se pensó en traer maestros labradores, e indios ya civilizados que hablaban o entendían el castellano, que practicaban la religión y que conocían la agricultura, la ganadería, las artesanías y el arte. Por ello se trajeron familias de tlaxcaltecas que se avecindaron en lo que hoy es el barrio de Tlaxcala.

Los frailes franciscanos fueron los primeros que enseñaron a los indios recién asentados la escritura, la lengua que estaba uniendo a los indios prehispánicos, las artes, las ciencias, la religión y sus manifestaciones sociales; había que enseñarles el estilo del vivir humano.

Al descubrirse las minas de San Pedro el 4 de marzo de 1592, se difundió la noticia con la celeridad que permitía la época, y acudieron muchos españoles de todas las ciudades y demás reales de minas. Acudieron oficiales de todos los oficios y mercaderes. Con los españoles vinieron negros y mulatos, y por su cuenta o contratados por los misioneros o autoridades civiles vinieron indios tarascos, aztecas, tlaxcaltecas, otomíes y otros indios sedentarios, fundándose oficialmente San Luis Potosí como pueblo el 3 de noviembre de 1592.

Con tan gran concurso de gentes, el cura de la ciudad y los frailes menores no se daban abasto para atender las necesidades espirituales de toda la población: Hacia 1599 vino el fraile agustino Pedro de Castroverde a fundar convento. La iglesia la construyeron en 1603, en este año establecieron el barrio de San Sebastián. Algunos historiadores aseguran que con familias otomíes, principalmente, y otras naciones indígenas, o como diríamos actualmente otras etnias, que, probablemente a la llegada de estos agustinos estaban un tanto desatendidos.

Por nuestra parte creemos que los primeros pobladores del barrio de San Sebastián, en su mayoría eran indios tarascos de Michoacán. Esta hipótesis se basa en las razones que tuvo Felipe II para autorizar que los frailes agustinos establecieran iglesia y convento en San Luis Potosí, razones que encontramos en el escrito o provisión real de fecha 22 de septiembre de 1603 firmada por el virrey Conde de Monterrey, provisión real que transcribe don Primo Feliciano Velázquez en el tomo II páginas 64 y 65 de su Colección de Documentos para la Historia de San Luis Potosí. Y que en la parte relativa dice de la manera siguiente: …porque los clérigos que allí ha habido no bastan para ella, y los religiosos del convento de San Francisco que dice haber acudido a la administración de los Sacramentos en que ahora no se les ha dado orden por el gobierno, no tienen lenguas [esto significa que los franciscanos de la Provincia de Zacatecas, establecidos en el pueblo de San Luis, no hablaban, en este caso, la lengua tarasca], porque como es la principal la tarasca, que allí se habla por los dichos indios, y el dicho convento es de la Custodia de Zacatecas, no tiene ministros que la sepan, …" Mas adelante dice: "…se ha verificado la urgente y precisa necesidad de la dicha doctrina y para ocurrir a ella (el Virrey) antes de ahora ha ido deteniendo en el dicho pueblo de San Luis a los religiosos de la orden de San Agustín y entre ellos a Fray Pedro de Castroverde su superior por ser todos ministros de la lengua tarasca como más necesaria y así como huespedes han administrado a los naturales, que todos los demás son de la provincia de Michoacán…" "…que los dichos religiosos de la dicha orden de San Agustín de la dicha provincia de Michoacán erijan y tengan monasterio, asentándolo libremente con iglesia, campana y ministros aptos y suficientes para doctrinar y sacramentar y enseñar a los dichos naturales y tarascos y los demás que habitan en las dichas minas, y porque por estar tan distantes los indios de las carboneras y los del cerro y los laboríos de las haciendas, no ha sido posible hacer división en el distrito y cantidad de gente para aplicarla a cada uno de los dichos clérigos y conventos, les encargo y mando…"

Si la principal razón que tuvo el rey Felipe II para permitir a los frailes agustinos que se establecieran en San Luis Potosí fue que hablaban lengua tarasca y la primera doctrina que se les señaló fue el pueblo o barrio de San Sebastián, es lógico pensar que la gran mayoría de sus habitantes eran tarascos.

Los frailes agustinos señalaron a los indios que quedaron bajo su jurisdicción, unos terrenos detrás de su convento a unos dos o tres tiros de piedra de la barda que circundaba la huerta, para que se establecieran, de esta manera los tendrían ceca para adoctrinarlos; allí establecieron sus jacales porque además había tierra fértil y agua. Poco tiempo duraron en este lugar porque, según ellos, los padres agustinos los importunaban con sus reprensiones y que ellos querían vivir con más libertad. Se mudaron, pues, más hacia el sur, donde ahora está el barrio, aunque las tierras no eran fértiles por ser todo puro tepetate. El barrio de San Sebastián y el de San Miguelito estaban retirados de las Casas Reales la misma distancia y a uno y otro los separaban unos montes de palmas y mezquites que, al parecer, ocupaban el lugar donde se extiende hoy la calzada de Guadalupe.

En su totalidad los habitantes de San Sebastián eran indios y ya para 1633 Andrés Martín se titulaba fundador del pueblo (es decir, del barrio) y declaraba que era originario de Xilotepec (lugar cerca del Estado de México) y daba por medio de su personero (apoderado) información de utilidad para vender las fincas de su propiedad.

El 20 de agosto de 1633, el Alcalde Mayor de San Luis don Fernando Torres Ávila informaba que el Señor Licenciado don Carlos Romero, Relator de la Real Audiencia de México le había escrito una carta al Licenciado Pedro Pardo de Quezada, Abogado de la Real Audiencia de México con residencia aquí en San Luis, diciéndole que venía a la visita de esta Real Caja y le encargaba le buscara una casa para su habitación y la de sus ministros y que con tal motivo el Lic. Pardo de Quezada acudió a él como Alcalde Mayor para que le prestara su ayuda y con su auxilio encontrar la casa solicitada por el Señor Relator. Que el Alcalde Mayor tratando de satisfacer esta petición se trasladó personalmente a una casa que tenía Simón Díaz (Este fue hijo de Simón Días uno de los primeros pobladores de San Luis) en esta ciudad, en la calle que va del hospital de San Juan de Dios al Colegio de la Compañía de Jesús (actualmente calle de Alvaro Obregón), que llamó a la puerta de esa casa y salió el propio Simón Díaz. El Alcalde le dijo que sabía que esa buena casa era de su propiedad y que le pedía la facilitara para recibir en ella a los señores de la Real Audiencia de la Nueva España, a esto respondió Simón Díaz que en efecto la casa era buena y de su propiedad, pero que no podía desocuparla porque sus cuartos estaban muy embarazados. El Alcalde entonces solicitó a Simón Díaz que le mostrara la casa, éste, a regañadientes lo dejó pasar por tratarse de la máxima autoridad del pueblo de San Luis. El Alcalde registró la casa con los que lo acompañaban que eran : el Alguacil Mayor de la ciudad, Juan de Torres Villasana, el Alcalde Ordinario y el ya citado Pedro Pardo de Quezada y constataron que en la sala principal no había embarazo de cosa que la ocupase y que estaba libre y escueta y que en otro aposento había una muy corta cantidad de sebo en hojas sin otros trastes ningunos y habiendo visto el Alcalde y los de su compañía que eran muy pocas las cosas que contenía la casa, citó a Simón Díaz para el domingo siguiente a las cinco de la tarde en la misma casa. Pero Simón Díaz no se presentó, entonces el Señor Alcalde ordenó levantar una acta en la que se asentó que Simón Díaz no se presentó y que con toda seguridad era con el fin de excusar la dicha casa, no obstante que no sirve de otra cosa más que de venirse a apear a ella porque su continua habitación es en una huerta que tiene a una legua al sur de esta ciudad y que el mayor embarazo que en dicha casa se puede hallar, fue que en uno de sus corrales ha tenido rastro y que sólo de unos días a esta parte.

Y que considerando la buena disposición de la casa, el Alcalde, mandaba y mandó que desembarazasen la casa luego, dentro de dos horas sin excusa ni dilación. 

Por lo que se acaba de narrar, vemos como Simón Díaz ya en el año de 1663 era dueño de la huerta que hasta hace poco todavía conocíamos como "La huerta de Simón Díaz " posiblemente ya en vida de su padre dicha huerta era propiedad de la familia Díaz (actualmente se conoce como colonia, o fraccionamiento o conjunto habitacional "Simón Díaz").

La actividad principal de Simón Díaz y que fue también la de su padre, era la cría, engorda y matanza de ganado y como una actividad conexa la fabricación de candelas o velas de sebo, por esta última razón, al realizar el inventario, de los trastes, ordenado por el señor Alcalde, se consignó "un arco que estaba en la sala en donde están haciendo candelas".

Para el año de 1671 todavía tenía su matanza en la huerta y su fábrica ce candelas en el centro de la ciudad, esto lo sabemos porque en este año el teniente del Alcalde Mayor, José de Assiayn publicó un bando en el que se ordenaba que cada uno de los vecinos del pueblo de San Luis Potosí exhibiera el sebo y manteca que tuviera en su poder. El 13 de febrero de ese mismo año se presentó Simón Díaz con el sebo que tenía y que fueron 250 arrobas (cada arroba son, aproximadamente 12 kilos y medio o sea que presentó 3 toneladas 125 kilogramos). En octubre de ese mismo año don Manuel Fernández de Quiróz pidió permiso al Alcalde Mayor para matar siete mil cabezas de machos cabríos castrados en la huertas de Simón Díaz.

Simón Díaz falleció hacia 1708 ó 1709. Dejó fundada en su huerta una obra piadosa a favor del Santuario de Guadalupe.

Trece años después de muerto Simón Díaz se puso en venta su huerta en pública almoneda y se les adjudicó a los naturales de San Sebastián en 2,200.00 pesos, de los cuales sólo entregaron 200 pesos en el momento de la adjudicación y el resto, o sea los 2,000.00 restantes los reconocieron a Censo redimible con hipoteca de la misma huerta (actualmente diríamos que la adquirieron mediante un crédito hipotecario) por este crédito se pagaría un interés del 5% anual a favor del Santuario de Guadalupe. Los de San Sebastián pagaron esta adeudo hasta el año de 1850, el 15 de julio de este año los Síndicos Municipales Mariano Vildósola y Guadalupe Serna expidieron un recibo por los 2,000.00 pesos a nombre del Ayuntamiento. Esto quiere decir que el crédito fue liquidado 128 años después de que fue otorgado.

El 3 de agosto de 1678 el Alcalde del pueblo de San Sebastián pedía, mediante un escrito, al Alcalde Mayor de San Luis Potosí que impidiera que fueran molestados los indios de la jurisdicción de San Sebastián por parte de los frailes agustinos, puesto que éstos les imponían servicios personales gratuitos y como fundamento legal de esta petición apelaba a una real provisión que habían ganado los indios de Rioverde.

El 6 de mayo de 1727 el cura párroco de San Sebastián Fr. Joaquín de Zavala de la orden de San Agustín rindió un informe sobre la visita que les hizo el Alcalde Mayor de San Luis, Antonio Ruiz Huidobro y Saravia y decía lo siguiente: que aquellos naturales eran buenos cristianos, muy trabajadores en albañilería, zapatería y en las haciendas de beneficio de sacar plata; que hacían sus sembrados y tenían una huerta nombrada "Simón Díaz" que cultivaban con todo esmero y se mantenían de sus frutos y de lo que cultivaban en otras tierras, que vendían zacate (forrajes de plantas gramíneas: maíz, frijol, trigo), además, tunas y palmas; también crían sus gallinas, tienen sus casitas y duermen en tapextles.

Entre las recomendaciones que les hizo el señor Alcalde Mayor fue que continuaran con la escuela que tienen en que los niños continúen aprendiendo a leer el castellano. A estas recomendaciones, los naturales respondieron gozosamente que así lo harían.

Todavía para 1798 existía la misma escuela y el pago del maestro se repartía entre los vecinos del pueblo (barrio de San Sebastián). Esto lo sabemos porque el 20 de enero de 1798 Juan Antonio Méndez se quejaba ante el Comisario del pueblo Jacinto Guadiano, quien seguramente intentaba quitar la escuela, por lo que Juan Antonio Méndez le decía: "muy particularmente se nos tiene encargado que haya escuela en el barrio".

La primitiva iglesia del barrio debió ser una capilla que los naturales procuraban tener arreglada con todo decoro y ya para el año de 1695 pretendían construir un templo de mayores proporciones porque para el día 7 de abril de ese mismo año celebraron un contrato por medio del mayordomo y demás oficiales de las cofradías de San Sebastián y San Nicolás Tolentino, cofradías que tenían su asiento en San Sebastián, con Luis de Santiago, maestro carpintero y ensamblador y firmaba como fiador de los de San Sebastián Nicolás López. En este documento el carpintero se obligaba a construir un altar colateral y un retablo para el altar mayor. Creemos que este contrato se celebró pensando en la edificación de un templo más grande y amplio porque una simple capilla no cuenta con altares colaterales y además un altar mayor. La construcción del actual templo se empezó hasta el año de 1709, trece años después de la firma del convenio al cual nos hemos referido. Por estas fechas el Alcalde de San Sebastián Benito Rodríguez decía que había dispuesto que la iglesia se hiciera nueva ya que con ese objeto había prestado algunos materiales. La torre como hasta la fecha nunca se llegó a levantar.

Desde la existencia de la capilla, había frente a ella un hospital y en medio de ambos, en la plaza, se edificó una gran cruz que estaba en pie todavía en el año de 1739.

El 28 de abril de 1758, desde San Ángel, el Marqués de las Amarillas, ordenaba al Alcalde Mayor de San Luis Potosí que concurriera a la secularización del curato de San Sebastián que con fecha 27 de abril del mismo año se había decretado porla muerte del señor cura Fray Cayetano Arias Maldonado, fraile agustino. Esto quiere decir que a partir de esa fecha San Sebastián dejó de pertenecer a la doctrina de los agustinos para pasar al clero secular. El primer párroco perteneciente al clero secular fue el Br. Antonio Domingo Maldonado Zapata y la parroquia la primera de San Luis Potosí que salió de la administración del clero regular pues Tlaxcala, San Miguelito y Santiago siguieron bajo la jurisdicción de los franciscanos.

El 15 de octubre de 1798 los indios del barrio se quejaban no ante el Alcalde Mayor de San Luis, sino ante el propio Virrey, Miguel José de Azanza, de la conducta de Jacinto Guadiana (el mismo que había querido quitar la escuela). Se expresaban de la siguiente manera: "...conducido Guadiano sólo por el orgullo ya tiene mucho tiempo de ser Justicia Mayor de San Sebastián, pueblo extramuros de la ciudad de San Luis Potosí, y con la autoridad que tiene no hace otra cosa que embarazar nuestras resoluciones aún en orden al adorno de nuestro templo que como quiera, en la más parte de los hijos de nuestro pueblo está el primor del arte de labrar la piedra de cantera, construimos nuestro templo tanto que no desmerezca algún aprecio y atención y pensando nuestros anhelos mucho más allá de lo que podemos, fuimos de parecer que contribuyendo cada uno con la corta proporción semanaria, podríamos beneficiar el altar mayor de piedra tallada de cantería de modo que lo hicieran los Reverendos Padres Carmelitas de esta ciudad en su sagrado convento, que quedaron de demasiada idea y hermosura, lo que amamos todos unánimes y conformes; y juntos que tuvimos algunos reales, pusimos por obra dicho altar como consta de su base fundamental.

Para demostrar que el tal Guadiano procedía sin justicia ni razón, los quejosos se valieron del argumento siguiente: "...consta que el año de 1767 por no echarse, Guadiano, a la bancarrota se fue a alistar en la compañía del capitán Baca con filiación de mulato y así que se nos permitió el pelo (esta expresión significa que ya cuando se levantó el castigo, a los naturales, de no poder llevar el pelo largo a la usanza española, en forma de coleta que actualmente traen de moda algunos jóvenes. Castigo que se les impuso por haber participado en los tumultos de 1767) se volvió a introducir a nuestro pueblo."

El santo patrono del barrio ha sido siempre San Sebastián, éste fue un oficial romano que se convirtió al cristianismo, había nacido en Narbona en el año de 250, fue acusado del terrible delito de ser cristiano y por ello fue sentenciado y condenado a muerte el año 288. Fue asaeteado y cuando cayó al suelo sus verdugos lo dieron por muerto y abandonaron su cuerpo, al recogerlo una piadosa mujer se dio cuenta de que estaba vivo, lo llevó a su casa y curó sus heridas, sanó de ellas pero al poco tiempo volvió a ser tomado preso, esta vez, fue apaleado y decapitado.

¿Cómo nace la devoción a San Sebastián? La explicación parece ser la siguiente: en Europa con el renacimiento resurge el interés por representar en la pintura y escultura a los dioses clásicos. Los europeos toman nuevamente interés por la belleza corporal del ser humano. El cristianismo también siente la necesidad de representar esa belleza, entonces se comienzan a representar a diversos santos y ángeles desnudos pero el que alcanzó mayor aceptación fue San Sebastián,. Tal vez por ser un santo joven, por esta razón encontramos en Europa varias iglesias dedicadas a su culto pero aún en las que no le están dedicadas, aparece su imagen en el momento del martirio con las saetas.

En México no solamente influyó el motivo estético sino que fue un recurso de que se valieron los frailes misioneros, así lo dice Fray Bernardino de Sahagún, pues para hacer menos violento el cambio de los dioses con los santos se recurrió a lo siguiente: Si en un lugar se veneraba a Tochi, la abuela, se sustituía con Sana Ana, si el venerado era Tescatlipoca Topochtli, es decir Tescatlipoca joven, se ponía San Sebastián.

Como ya hemos dicho era un barrio de tarascos y otras naciones (etnias) que aceptaron tal vez con mucho gusto la veneración de un joven soldado romano del cual, evidentemente no sabían nada.

La obra material:

El templo es de estilo barroco. La fachada está formada por dos cuerpos y al extremo de cada uno de ellos hay dos pares de columnas salomónicas y entre cada par de columnas un nicho ocupado por bellas esculturas de santos de la orden de San Agustín. En su talla ingenua y sencilla se adivina la mano del artífice indígena que les confirió su sello peculiar.

Al centro está la puerta con su arco octagonal (como el de la puerta principal del templo de San Francisco en esta ciudad) adornado en los cuatro ángulos con los mismos motivos que en San Francisco. La clave es pequeña y lleva un medallón ovalado con el apocope de San Sebastián SSBAT. Las columnas salomónicas tienen vueltas festonadas. El friso se adorna de hojas y flores no interrumpidas. Sobre la puerta está la ventana del coro con un hermoso marco rehundido adornado en los ángulos y en los medios de conchas y flores. Las columnas de este segundo cuerpo tienen vueltas festonadas más gruesas que las del primer cuerpo y el primer tercio de las mismas está adornado con flores y conchas haciendo simetría con el marco de la ventana.

El remate de la fachada es parecido al de San Francisco, dos columnas chaparras flanquean un nicho vacío que debió ser el escudo de España. Remata toda la fachada una hermosa cornisa ondulada.

La torre izquierda es también del siglo XVIII aunque muy posterior a la fachada.

El único paño de la torre que pensó hacerse al lado derecho es del siglo XIX.

El interior de la iglesia es de cruz latina con una cúpula ochavada.

En la nave los arcos y frisos son de cantera rosa tallada. Los frisos están rematados por un pelícano que representa a Cristo, porque los antiguos creían que este animal se desgarraba el pecho para dar de comer a sus polluelos.

El altar mayor es de estilo neoclásico, en el centro la magnífica escultura que representa a San Sebastián es de manufactura europea como las dos que también se encuentran en la Catedral. Son dignos de mención dos arcos lobulados o angrelados que hay en la sacristía de estilo árabe o mudéjar.

También en la sacristía se encuentra un tesoro artístico que consiste en la colección de pinturas que representan a los doce apóstoles.

El templo de San Sebastián ha sido marco de importantes acontecimientos como es el caso del matrimonio de los padres del héroe insurgente don Mariano Jiménez, acontecimiento que narra el historiador don Alejandro Espinosa Pitman en su artículo titulado "La cuna del Teniente General de los Ejércitos Americanos y General del Ejército del Norte José Mariano Jiménez", aparecido en el No. 243 de la revista "Letras Potosinas" julio – septiembre de 1987 narra el acontecimiento de la manera siguiente: "…El padre de José Mariano, José Ramón Jiménez, era hijo natural de María Juliana Jiménez y de padre no conocido, viudo de María de la Trinidad Chacón, enterrada en Zamora, Michoacán; comerciante y radicado en San Luis, cinco años atrás, o sea desde 1769. En cuanto a su madre María Josefa Maldonado Zapata, era hija de la Iglesia, según la delicadísima expresión, empleada en tiempos más remotos, para designar a las criaturas abandonadas. El matrimonio se verificó el día 9 de abril de 1774 en la sacristía de la Iglesia Parroquial del Barrio de San Sebastián, y la velación, las bendiciones nupciales, el 11, en el templo…" y el 26 de enero de 1807 nuestro hermoso templo fue marco de la elegante ceremonia de los esponsales del coronel Felix María Calleja del Rey con doña María Francisca de la Gándara que poco después había de convertirse en la primera, única y ultima virreina mexicana. Otro acontecimiento igualmente importante fue la boda del poeta potosino Manuel José Othón con doña Josefa Jiménez y Muro.

The three major parties are: The ruling party, the Democratic Popular Party (PPD), the pro-statehood Progressive New Party (PNP) and the Puerto Rican pro-Independence Party (PIP).

The government headed by Sila Maria Calderon, the first female governor in Puerto Rican history, will spend around $500,000 on the festivities. Both the PIP and pro-statehood PNP have criticized the state spending on the celebrations.

Extract from information By MANUEL ERNESTO RIVERA, Associated Press Writer

        The constitution that established Puerto Rico as a "Free Associated State" or commonwealth, was signed July 25, 1952.  But the commonwealth arrangement, established to give the island some autonomy after a half-century of heavy-handed U.S. rule that began with an American invasion in 1898, is widely acknowledged to be imperfect.
        Islanders are U.S. citizens but can't vote for president and have no vote in Congress. They pay no U.S. income taxes but receive more than $13 billion in federal funds annually, including veterans' and other benefits.
        "We must concentrate on clarifying the relationship," said Nestor Duprey, secretary of the island's House of Representatives. He said Washington should give Puerto Rico authority to negotiate trade agreements with Latin American countries.
        A small independence movement planed a counter-rally in the southern coastal town of Guanica, where U.S. troops landed on July 25, 1898, to seize Puerto Rico from Spain.  Other independence activists demonstrated outside a U.S. Army recruiting station on Wednesday in suburban San Juan, forcing it to close.  "This act was meant to express our disdain of the 104th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Puerto Rico, the 50th anniversary of commonwealth status, and the Navy presence in Vieques," one said.

Juan Mari Bras, a longtime separatist leader, said U.S. citizenship is worthless. "If Puerto Ricans don't have a vote and equality with Americans, it's a stamp of slavery."

Still, many Puerto Ricans say they are glad to be U.S. citizens. About 4 million live on the island while 3.4 million more reside in the mainland United States.  With the help of U.S. assistance and tax breaks, Puerto Rico has become one of the wealthiest places in Latin America, though poverty remains more severe than in mainland states.

Luis Munoz Marin, who became Puerto Rico's first elected governor in 1948 and ushered in the commonwealth, said it was an autonomous status that would evolve under a permanent union with the United States.  "The original plan was for the development of complete self-government and recognition of sovereignty of the people of Puerto Rico. That hasn't happened yet," law professor Antonio Fernos Lopez-Cepero said. "We have less power of self-government than we had 50 years ago."

U.S. Rep. Jose Serrano, a New York Democrat who was born in Puerto Rico, said he believes commonwealth "is a colonial status."  The governor, meanwhile, is setting up a Unity and Consensus Commission to discuss the island's status.  In non-binding referendums in 1993 and 1998, commonwealth status narrowly beat out U.S. statehood. But the latter has seen a rise in support and the pro-statehood New Progressive Party is proposing another referendum next year.

ristre@grupomedusa.com                                    Sent by Carmen Boone de Aguilar  raguilar@internet.com.mx 

The Latin American Resource Center, housed in Stone Center for Latin American Studies, provides specialized services to schools and colleges across the nation.  It is one of the largest and most comprehensive centers of its kind in the United States, and is dedicated to continuing and improving educational outreach programs.  Its goal is to promote the study of all subject matter relating to Latin America at both the K-12 and university levels.  LARC offers a variety of opportunities for students to become involved in outreach activities in addition to providing services and teaching materials for instructors.  Regular services include a Lending Library of over 3,000 curricular materials for teachers, a documentary film series each semester, regular workshops and conferences for educators, a variety of curricular publications, and a Visitor Speakers Bureau.      Sent by Johanna de Soto

Spanish-American Diplomacy 1795-1898, Avalon Diplomacy Yale Law Project
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/diplomacy/spain/sptreaty.htm
The following are examples.  Complete text is included.
Treaty of Friendship, Limits, and Navigation; October 27, 1795

Treaty of 1795 - List of Documents

Text of the Treaty

Convention for Indemnification; August 11, 1802

Text of the Treaty

Hunter Miller's Notes

Treaty of Amity, Settlement, and Limits; February 22, 1819  

Text of the Treaty                                                                         Sent by Johanna de Soto

        Los domínico-haitianos-personas de descendencia haitiana nacidas en la República Dominicana-se enfrentan a graves dificultades para demostrar sus derechos a quedarse en su propio país. A pesar de que la constitución otorga la nacionalidad a las personas nacidas en territorio dominicano, se niega sistemáticamente a los domínico-haitianos la certificación de su nacionalidad dominicana. La negación suele empezar por el hospital donde nacen, cuando el personal hospitalario se niega a dar a los padres los papeles de maternidad. Posteriormente, los obstáculos para obtener un certificado de nacionalidad se hacen aún más difíciles de superar. El resultado es que muchos dominicanos de origen haitiano viven una existencia precaria y se enfrentan constantemente al riesgo de que los deporten. Se ha negado el reconocimiento de la nacionalidad de generaciones de descendientes de haitianos, lo que los pone en una situación descrita por la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos como de "permanente ilegalidad." Su falta de estatuto legal tiene una repercusión claramente negativa 

sus oportunidades económicas, así como en otros aspectos fundamentales de sus vidas.    
                                                                                                                                                 Sent by Johanna de Soto

Dr. George Ryskamp, an assistant professor of history at Brigham Young University, accredited genealogist and probate lawyer, introduced Texas librarians and genealogists to the abundant resources available for Hispanic family research during a series of workshops held across Texas this summer. Sponsored by the Library Development Division of the Texas State Library, the workshops were held in Corpus Christi, Richmond, San Antonio, and Dallas.

If the workshop had a theme it would be "Sí, se puede—Yes, You Can," Ryskamp said. This theme reflects the ability for researchers to conduct Hispanic family research in the U.S. and abroad using sources dating back to the 1500s. Ryskamp said that Hispanic records are some of the best records in the world and stressed the quality and quantity of Hispanic records available, including parish, notarial, military, and governmental records. Not only are records available from such early dates in history, but the records contain an abundance of information. Many church and government records contain parents’ and grandparents’ names, addresses, and, in some records, even detailed descriptions of family belongings and style of living.

In addition to discussing the resources available, Ryskamp outlined the library’s role in genealogical research, differences between an archive and a library, the different types of archives in Latin American countries, rules of genealogical research, the steps of the research process, and the genealogical databases available from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS).

Libraries can play a major role in researching all types of genealogy, including Hispanic family history. Ryskamp described the two types of libraries that exist for the Hispanic genealogist. The first is the reference center library. This type of library contains basic research materials—indexes, maps, gazetteers, and archival guides—which are all classified as secondary research materials. These items are good starting points for researchers. Materials for reference center library collections can be purchased for as little as $200. Because the collections will be small, much of the actual research will be accomplished using records retrieved through interlibrary loan or through the LDS Family History Centers (FHC). Most Texas public libraries with genealogy collections focusing on Hispanic research are considered reference center libraries. Ryskamp divided these libraries into three types:

1. Libraries that contain the basic guidebooks and books on how to get started (mostly small libraries with very small collections).

2. Libraries with the basic guidebooks as well as guidebooks focused on northern Mexico and some of Spain.

3. Libraries that have many of the archival guides as well as inventories and catalogs from archival collections in Spain and Mexico. These libraries—usually large public and academic libraries—have sufficient materials to prepare the genealogist for the more advanced stages of research.

The second type of library is the research center library, which typically contains not only an extensive collection of secondary level guidebooks and indexes, but also many original sources, the key to the research center library collection. Many of these original sources are available on microfilm or microfiche and can cost thousands of dollars to maintain. Most collections of this size are located in larger institutions. Some popular research centers for Hispanic genealogy in Texas are UT- Pan American, the Benson Latin American Collection at The University of Texas at Austin, San Antonio Public Library, and the Family History Center (FHC) collections at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which are located all over the state.

In explaining the differences between a library and an archive, Ryskamp reminded the audience that libraries generally contain secondary sources written to teach or expand knowledge. These are cataloged and accessible by searching the library catalog by an author’s name, title, subject, or other more advanced searches. Archives contain original records, documents, and items generated by an institution, either government or church, as part of its normal functions. These usually have different methods of arrangement and access. For an archive there are three different levels of access materials. The first is the guidebook or a guide to the archive. These guides provide a general road map or a walk through the collection and explain what is available. The second level is the inventory. The inventory is a list and general description of each box or file available in the archives or a section of it. The third level is the index, giving name-by-name access to documents found in the inventory.

There are many archives in the U.S. and abroad. For Hispanic family research, genealogists will want to take advantage of the many archives in Spain and Latin America. Ryskamp stated that there are two types of archives in Latin American countries, governmental and ecclesiastical. In Spain and Latin America there will be three levels of governmental archives: national archives, state or provincial archives, and local or municipal archives. The governmental archives contain original records of births, deaths, deeds, land purchases, notarial records, and military records. Guides are available for many of the archives in Spain and Latin America.

Most ecclesiastical archives in Spain and Latin America are the Catholic Church archives. Since a majority of Hispanics are Catholic, the ecclesiastical archives will play a major role in family research. The Catholic Church archives are made up of bishop or diocesan archives and parish archives. Most researchers will start their work in the parish archives where each Catholic church maintains records of baptisms, marriages, deaths, and other religious records of the parishioners. The diocesan archives contain records of marriage dispensations, clergy ordinations, and other Catholic records for a community made up of many local parishes that are presided over by a bishop.

Regardless of whether the researcher goes to a library or archive, there are basic rules of research and steps in the research process that should be followed to facilitate the accurate collection of historical records and data. Ryskamp has four rules of research for any type of genealogist:

1. Start with the known, not the unknown.

2. Prefer primary, original sources over secondary sources.

3. Prefer written over oral sources. Do not discount the oral sources, simply prefer the written. There may be a kernel of truth in the oral source that will lead you to written records.

4. Search broadly for entire families. Family research is not a race to the finish; take the time needed, and keep detailed notes which include records of all sources that have been searched.

Ryskamp follows a particular research process when conducting family history research. He first conducts a preliminary survey by attempting to find out what others know. This preliminary survey involves four major steps: searching home and family sources, interviewing family members, searching the LDS indexes and databases, and searching for family histories, biographies, and other printed and published materials. Once the preliminary survey is complete, Ryskamp suggests examining, organizing, and evaluating the data obtained. Now the genealogist can determine the research objectives and develop a work plan. These first three steps can be completed in a reference center library as much of the research is done at home or through guidebooks and databases available at reference center libraries.

The next two steps of the research process involve searching for data in original sources and analyzing the data found. These two steps require primary or original sources and will therefore need to be completed in a larger research center library or archival collections.

The preliminary survey is a very important part of the research process. Searching the home and family sources is a vital first step and can involve sources such as old photographs, vital records, passports, legal papers, old letters, newspaper clippings, naturalization papers, family Bibles, school records, and more. One unique feature for Hispanics who lived in Spain, Mexico, and other Latin American countries is the national identity record. This document was required of all citizens of most Hispanic countries back to the early 20th century. Hispanics did not leave home without this document as they had to produce it for any governmental official who asked for it. Some of the workshop participants stated that they still have their national identity records.

Interviewing family members can lead to a gold mine of information. This is a vital part of research as the stories from family members are generally not written down. Ryskamp suggests video or audio taping interviews with family members in order to maintain a more permanent record. Remember to verify all information received orally with written sources.

The LDS Church maintains many databases for all types of genealogical research. The databases can be accessed at any local Family History Center, the Church of Latter Day Saints in Utah, and some public libraries. The databases are maintained for church needs but are open to all faiths and people. Thirteen percent of the records found in the LDS databases are from Hispanic families. FamilySearch is a computerized system of genealogical information which can be accessed through the LDS Family History Centers and other locations around the world. This system contains the Ancestral File, which is one of the first sources that genealogists should check. This file will enable a researcher to check for information on one’s ancestry, family group records, pedigree charts, or find information on an individual. The Family History Library Catalog (FHLC), another LDS database, lists and describes the records, books, microfiche, and nearly 2 million rolls of microfilm, available in the Family History Library. The FHLC gives users an identification number for each item in the collection and enables users to request microfiche copies of the items from the Church of Latter Day Saints in Utah. The last LDS database is the International Genealogical Index (IGI) which lists over 240 million names of deceased persons around the world (about 12 percent from Latin America). Many of the names come from vital records as far back as the 1500s. Librarians and genealogists should consult these databases as the next step of the preliminary survey in the research process.

Searching the Internet, library online catalogs, the Family History Library Catalog, and OCLC’s WorldCat are ways to locate family biographies, histories, or other printed materials on family names. Ryskamp also suggests looking in published guidebooks for indexes to family histories. One example is Lyman Platt’s book, Latin American Family Histories.

Librarians and genealogists researching Hispanic family history will want to order this book or borrow it through interlibrary loan.

When searching for family histories, it is important to keep in mind some basic facts regarding the Hispanic surname. Most Hispanic women continue to use their given surname throughout life and therefore may not be listed under a husband’s name. Many Hispanic people have a double surname, the first being the father’s and the second being the mother’s. Many families that immigrated to the United States switched the two surnames upon arriving, thereby making the first surname the mother’s and the second surname the father’s. This can lead to difficulties in searching through family records. When searching for family names with a double surname, always search under the first part of the surname.

Searching for Hispanic family history research is likely to be more fruitful than searching for Anglo-American family histories. Ryskamp demonstrated and discussed many ways to find quality historical records and information in libraries, archives, and religious organizations in the U.S. and abroad. The available records are not only quality records, containing detailed family information, but are also available in the quantities needed to support family history research. In fact, many governmental records in colonial Spain and Mexico are available in triplicate. No matter what the Hispanic family roots are, it is important to follow the rules of research recommended by Ryskamp to insure the best possible results.

For more information on this workshop, or for copies of the handouts, please contact Sue Polanka at the Texas State Library at 512/463-6623 or by email at sue.polanka@tsl. state.tx.us. If you have detailed research questions on Hispanic family history research, please direct them to Dr. George Ryskamp, Brigham Young University, 334 KMB, Provo, Utah 84602, ryskamp@byu.edu.

Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints Family History Centers in Texas
Abilene: 3325 North 12th Street, 915/673-8836
Amarillo: 5401 Bell Street, 806/353-4796
Austin: 1000 East Rutherford, 512/837-3626
Bryan: 1200 Barak Lane, 409/846-7929
Corpus Christi: 6750 Woodridge Road, 512/993-2970
Dallas: 10701 Lake Highlands Drive, 214/349-0730
Denton: 1801 Malone, 940/387-3065
Duncanville: 1019 Big Stone Gap, 214/709-0066
El Paso: 3651 Douglas Avenue, 915/565-9711
Fort Worth: 5001 Altamesa Blvd., 817/292-8393
Friendswood: 505 Deseret, 281/996-9346
Harlingen: 2320 Haine Drive (no phone listed)
Houston: 10555 Mills Road, 281/890-7434; 1101 Bering Drive, 713/785-2105; 4202 Yellowstone, 713/487-1409; 16331 Hafer Road, 281/893-5381
Killeen: 1410 South 2nd Street, 254/526-2918
Kingwood: 4021 Deerbrook, 281/360-1263
Longview: 1700 Blueridge Parkway, 903/759-7911
Lubbock: 3211 58th Street, 806/792-5040
McAllen: 2nd Street La Vista, 956/682-0051
Odessa: 2011 North Washington, 915/332-9221
Orange: 6108 Hazelwood, (no phone listed)
Plano: 2700 Roundrock, 972/867-6479
Port Arthur: 3939 Turtle Creek Drive, 409/722-4997
Richland Hills: 4401 NE Loop 820, 817/284-4472
San Antonio: 2103 St. Cloud, 512/736-2940
Sugarland: 602 Eldridge Road, 281/240-1524

Bookstores in the U.S., Mexico, and Spain specializing in materials helpful to Hispanic genealogy research

Librería Archivo General de La Nación
Eduardo Molina y Albaniles
Col. Penitenciaria Ampliación
15350 Mexico, D.F.
(for Mexican Archival books)

Borderlands Bookstore
P.O. Box 28497
San Antonio, Texas 78228
210/432-6043
(Mail order only; George Farias, owner)

Biblio Librería
Biblioteca Nacional
Paseo de Recoletos, 20l
28010 Madrid, Spain
(for Spanish Archives books)

Marcial Pons Librería
Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales
Pl. Conde del Valle de Suchil, 8
28015 Madrid, Spain
(Source for out-of-print and harder-to-find titles. They have a monthly newsletter with new and used titles about history and law.)

Resistencia Bookstore
2210-B S. 1st Street
Austin, Texas 78704
512/416-8885

Hidalguia Editorial
Aniceto Marinas 114
Madrid, Spain

Hispanic Genealogical Resources for Public Libraries Recommended by George R. Ryskamp

Barnes, Thomas C., Thomas H. Naylor, and Charles W. Polzer. Northern New Spain: A Research Guide. Tucson: Univ. of Arizona Press, 1981.

Beers, Henry Putney. Spanish and Mexican Records of the American Southwest. Tucson: Univ. of Arizona Press, 1979.

Fuentes principales genealógicos (Series H), Salt Lake City: Genealogical Department, 1973.

García de Miranda, Enriqueta, and Zaida Falcón de Gyves. Nuevo atlas Porrúa de la República Mexicana. Mexico City: Porrúa, 1989.

Gerhard, Peter. Geografía histórica de la Nueva España, 1519–1821. Mexico City: Univ. Nacional Autónoma de México, 1986.

Gerhard, Peter. The North Frontier of New Spain. Norman: Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 1982.

Gerhard, Peter. The Southeast Frontier of New Spain. Norman: Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 1993.

A Guide to the Historical Geography of New Spain. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1972.

"Latin American and Iberian Family and Local History." World Conference on Records, Volume 9. Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1980.

Nuevo atlas de España. Madrid: Aguilar, 1961.

Oficina General de Información y Estadística de la Iglesia en España. Guía de la Iglesia en España. Madrid, 1954.

Platt, Lyman De. A Genealogical Historical Guide to Latin America. Detroit: Gale Publishing Co., 1978.

Platt, Lyman De. Guide to Mexican Ecclesiastical Divisions. Salt Lake City: Instituto Genealógico e Histórico Latino-americano, 1991.

Platt, Lyman De. Hispanic Surnames and Family History. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1996.

Platt, Lyman De. Latin American Census Records. Salt Lake City: Instituto Genealógico e Histórico Latinoamericano, 1987.

Platt, Lyman De. México: guía general: divisiones ecle-siásticas. Salt Lake City: Instituto Genealógico e Histórico Latinoamericano, 1989.

Robinson, D. J. Research Inventory of the Mexican Collection of Colonial Parish Registers. Salt Lake City: Univ. of Utah Press, 1980.

Ryskamp, George R. Finding Your Hispanic Roots. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1997.

Spanish Records Extraction. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1981.

Szucs, Loreto, and Sandra Luebking, eds. The Source. 2nd edition. Salt Lake City: Ancestry Publishing Co., 1995.

Cultural Renditions 

http://www.culturalrenditions.com/HispanicHeritage.htm
http://www.culturalrenditions.com/

This multicultural website has a collection of culture themed posters  on African-American, Asian Influences, Hispanic Heritage  and Religion. The posters for Hispanics are divided into Familia, Leisure, Inspiration, and Search.                                                   Jessica Dixon  noxidj2002@yahoo.com 

The answers to these and many more questions can be found in this essential guide to Hispanic holidays and celebrations.  Learn how Latinos traditionally celebrate their national holidays, religious festivals, weddings, birthdays, and coming-of-age celebrations.  The major feats, festivals, and family-oriented events are featured with a particular emphasis on Mexican, Cuban, and Puerto 
Rican celebrations.

This book describes each celebration within its historical context and discusses the popular traditions that have been established over time.  Most importantly, Celebremos! shows how these events are currently celebrated in the United States, to help preserve family unity, cultural identity, and Hispanic heritage.

Valerie Menard has been an editorial director of Hispanic magazine since 1994.

                                                                                                                                  Elsa Herbeck  epherbeck@juno.com

Doctors office, Rome: Specialist in women and other diseases. 

Hotel, Acapulco: The manager has personally passed all the water served here. 

Information booklet about using a hotel air conditioner, Japan: Cooles and heates: If you want condition of warm air in your room, please control yourself.

Car rental brochure, Tokyo: When passenger of foot heave in sight, tootle the horn.  Trumpet him melodiously at first, but if he stall obstances your passen then tootle him with vigour.

In a Nairobi restaurant: Customers who find our waitresses rude ought to see the manager.

On the grounds of a private school: No trespassing without permission.  

On an Athi River highway: Take notice: When this sign is under water, this road is impassable.

On a poster at Kencom: Are you an adult that cannot read:  If so, we can help.

In a City restaurant: Open seven days a week, and weekends too.

One of the Mathare buildings: Mental health prevention centre.  

A sign seen on an automatic restroom hand dryer: Do not activate with wet hands.  

In a Pumwani maternity ward: No children allowed.  

In a cemetery: Persons are prohibited from picking flowers from any but their own graves.

Tokyo hotel's rules and regulations: Guests are requested not to smoke or do other disgusting behaviors in bed.

On the menu of a Swiss restaurant: Our wines leave you nothing to hope for.  

In a Tokyo bar: Special cocktails for the ladies with nuts. 

In a Bangkok temple: It is forbidden to enter a woman even a foreigner if dressed as a man. . 

Hotel room notice, Chiang-Mai, Thailand: Please do not bring solicitors into your room.

Hotel brochure, Italy: This hotel is renowned for its peace and solitude.  In fact, crowds from all over the world flock here to enjoy its solitude.

Hotel lobby, Bucharest: The lift is being fixed for the next day during that time we regret that you will be unbearable.

Hotel elevator, Paris: Please leave your values at the first desk.

Hotel, Yugoslavia: The flattening of underwear with pleasure is the job of the chambermaid.

Hotel, Japan: You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid. 

In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian Orthodox monastery: You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian and Soviet composers, artist, and writers are buried daily except Thursday.

Hotel catering to skiers, Austria: Not to perambulate the corridors in the hours of repose in the boots of ascension.

Taken from a menu, Poland: Salad a firm's own make; limpid red beet soup with cheesy dumplings in the form of a finger; roasted duck let loose; beef rashers beaten in the country people's fashion.

Supermarket, Hong Kong: For your convenience, we recommend courteous, efficient self-service.

From the "Soviet Weekly": There will be a Moscow exhibition of arts by 15,000 Soviet Republic painters and sculptors.  These were executed over the past two years.

In an East African newspaper: A new swimming pool is rapidly taking shape since the contractors have thrown in the bulk of their workers.

Hotel, Vienna: In case of fire, do your utmost to alarm the hotel porter.

A sign posted in Germany's Black Forest: 
It is strictly forbidden on our Black Forest camping site that people of different sex, for instance, men and women, live together in one tent unless they are married with each other for this purpose.

Hotel, Zurich: Because of the impropriety of entertaining guests of the opposite sex in the bedroom, it is suggested that the lobby be used for this purpose.

An advertisement by a Hong Kong dentist: Teeth extracted by the latest methodists.  

A laundry in Rome: Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time.

Tourist agency, Czechoslovakia: Take on of our horse-driven city tours. We guarantee no miscarriages. 

Advertisement for donkey rides, Thailand: Would you like to ride on your own ass?

The box of a clockwork toy made in Hong Kong: Guaranteed to work throughout its useful life.

In a Swiss mountain inn: Special today - no ice-cream.  

Airline ticket office, Copenhagen: We take your bags and send them in all directions.  

On the door of a Moscow hotel room: If this is your first visit to the USSR, you are welcome to it.

                                                                                    Sent by Maxine Lucas maxinelucas@juno.com