Somos Primos

March 2007 
Editor: Mimi Lozano ©2000-7

Dedicated to Hispanic Heritage and Diversity Issues
 Society of Hispanic Historical and Ancestral Research

This is only one group of 8 full buses who traveled to the Texas State Capitol January 9th, to witness the swearing in of new Texas State Representative, 
Juan Garcia. 

Click for his support of a Dr. Hector P. Garcia Day.

Photo by Rick Avolio, International Pictures, FX

  Letters to the Editor : 

Hello Mimi - 
Thank you for the most recent issue of Somos Primos. Great reading, as always! It arrived before my new email address took effect. New email address: billandvirginia6@aol.com
Saludos, Virginia & Bill McEwan   

It seems as if "Somos Primos" gets better and better with every new edition.   Take care.  Tony Santiago a.k.a. Tony the Marine

MIMI: The February edition of Somos Primos is simply wonderful. Thanks to all your contributors and staff. Sometime this year I would like to add something to your page from the Puerto Rican past history.
Emilia Badillo Joy   belenjoy@att.net

Dear Mimi,
Thank you so much for your support. Each year I teach a summer course at the University of New Mexico called Social Justice & Education and I am realizing that Somos Primos would be a fabulous resource for my graduate students who are always looking for materials for their timelines about various groups in the US. Thanks for providing such a valuable resource to our community. I'll have to spread the work around about Somos Primos in New Mexico.
Once again, mil gracias.
Leila Flores-Duenas, Ph.D. 
floresduenas@yahoo.com  

     

Jack Cowan
Sal DelValle
Sara Duenas Flores
John Inclan
Felicia Escobar
Wade Falcon
Leila Flores-Duenas, Ph.D
Lorraine Frain
Bernard Frost
Antonio Garcia
Wanda Garcia
Lillian Glover
Ray Gonzalez
Deena J. González
Lila Guzman,Ph.D.
Elsa Herbeck
Santiago R. Hernandez
Granville Hough, Ph.D.
John Inclan
Larry Kirkpatrick
Juan Fidel Larrañaga
Rudoloph Lewis
Larry Luera
Alfredo Lugo
Donna Lynch
Virginia & Bill McEwan
Brian McGinn
Robert Morast
Jorge Mariscal 

We are what we repeatedly do. 
Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.
~Aristotle~
Sent by Ruben Alvarez

UNITED STATES

The War, 14-hour documentary on WWII with NO Latinos included

Curriel's excellent cartoon was sent by numerous readers. 
I am grateful for the opportunity of sharing it.

I am REALLY glad to read that a meeting has been scheduled for March 6th in Washington, D.C.  We need to act aggressively to this insult to our heritage.  It is a slap in the face of our fathers, uncles and brothers who fought in World War II.

I would like to know. . .
How much did the documentary cost to produce?
Was it 100% funded by the government?
If not, who were the corporate sponsors?  Were those funds tax-deductible?
In short, how much total finances came from tax-payer subsidized funds?

It appears that we are facing an on-going problem, the East coast interpreting U.S. history, excluding the Southwest. Burns was born in Brooklyn, NY and earned  his BA at Hampshire College, Amherst, Massachusetts.

Does Ken Burns past work show an anti-Hispanic bias or exclusion in other documentaries produced or directed by him?

"Some critics say Burns’ films are overly sentimental and reflect idealized Americana without challenging it. Others accuse him of serious omissions and dangerous revisions of history.  However, Burns does not claim that any of his films are the authoritative history of their subjects. "1

A Ken Burns' quote: "I subscribe to William Faulkner’s view that history is not just about what we were before, but who we are now. " 2
http://documentaries.about.com/od/directors/p/burns.htm  1 and 2

If Burns were attempting to explain who we are as a nation now, in leaving the growing Latino presence out of the 14-hour documentary, he missed making his point entirely.

Not only that, he squandered the funds which could have been used to clarify the presence of Mexican and Latin American citizens in the U.S. forces,  to strengthen and unify our nation.

Excluding us does the exact opposite . .  it weakens us as a cohesive nation.  The documentary, in its exclusion,  answers no questions to the rising social problems.

Inclusion of Latinos would have produced a atmosphere of positive problem solving concerning immigration.  It would be a media tool helping find solutions, instead of reinforcing the position of many uninformed who in their ignorance can honesty ask,
"What have the Latinos ever done for this country?"  Burns has willifully kept them in their ignorance.

My Suggestions in degrees of rejection of the documentary:

1. That the documentary be dumped, as dangerous to the welfare of our nation, and will remain unaired. PERIOD.

2.  That this costly mistake be aired only if  EACH of the 14 segments carry a DIFFERENT 15 minute-introduction with an apology, identifying the contributions of Hispanics/Latinos.  AND that the information be printed and included with the print materials that have been prepared. 

3. If those two positions are rejected, then demand that any PBS station that contracts to air the series, be required to also air during that same time period, either before or after,  a documentary on the contributions of Latinos. 

In addition, expect and ask that the National PBS headquarters help to identify and distribute appropriate documentaries for that purpose, assisting in the task of informing PBS station the means by which those documentaries can  be obtain.

4.  Further, it is only fair that PBS fund a documentary (Galvez to Gabaldon & Beyond )  of at least 4-hours concerning  the historical contributions of Hispanic/Latinos in the formation, building, and continuing support of the United States.  And . . that the documentary be produced with an oversight committee to include Hispanic/Latino historians with editing rights, before the final versions are aired to the public. 

This problem goes back to the funding and oversight at the inception of the project. Most of the documentarians rely on funds from the government and sponsors.  They will get approval on a concept, not the final script.  So the end result is the voice of the documentarian, slanted to their perspective, their prejudice. 

The pain is . .  that it is mostly public funds that are being used to tell stories that exclude us. I would say that most of those making funding decisions are not really aware of the continuing presence of Latinos throughout the history of the U.S. . . and sadly some choose not to see it, or present it. 

A few years ago, the documentary of the History of Mexico was produced.  I was excited for the effort.  However, it was very slanted against the Spanish. One of the professors said twice, "the Spanish were just not very nice people."  This on a PBS program.  

I ended up crying in anger and frustration and turned it off. I spoke to quite a few other Mexican-Americans that had reacted the same way.  We knew it was incorrect history, but uninformed viewers would not know that.  I can understand novels and dramas taking liberties. . .but this was a PBS documentary. 

The prejudice of the documentarian was expressed in the negative generalization in a documentary produced with public funds  (and corporations).  The program on the History of Mexico will remain as exceedingly damaging to any child of Mexican heritage who is subjected to viewing that program. And it will prejudice other children in their view of that child.   

The exclusion of Hispanic/Latinos from THE WAR, and the continuing negative generalizations at a time when very soon Hispanics/Latinos will be 50% of the population seems particularly callous and ill conceived. 

We should use this 14-hour documentary as a rally call to demand national changes in PBS programming.  This is a perfect opportunity to yell for major changes.  I suggest: 

1. That any US historical documentaries produced with PBS funding include our presence. . because, in fact,  we were there!!

2. That on a local level,  PBS programs reflect the demographics of their community.  National funding to be withheld if the station does not program according to the community profile.

I will continue putting stories, comments, information about this issue In Somos Primos . . Please send along what you want to be included.  We must make a change . . .  our kids need to see themselves in the picture of America!!

Mimi Lozano

Sent by Carolos Munoz, Ph.D.  cmjr@berkeley.edu

It is with dismay that I learn that Latinos are excluded from the Ken Burns documentary on World War II.

A rough half million served in the war and 17 won congressional medals for acts of special bravery.

Today, there are families and whole communities that are proud of the elders who fought for freedom in WW II, and who would have appreciated an acknowledgement, if not of their own personal hero, then at least of somebody from the Latino sector of society.

One town with strong memories of a hero in the United States Airforce during World War II is Coyuca de Benitez, Guerrero, Mexico. Arturo Mongoy, of a Mexican contingent in the airforce, won many medals and for a time held the record for Japanese airplanes shot down by U.S. pilots. In 1998 I went to Coyuca for history research on General Francisco Mongoy of the 1810 Mexican war for independence from Spain. When I asked townfolk about Francisco, the typical responses were, "You must mean Arturo. He is our hero." Said one, "Go see his grave. It is in the upper left corner' of the cemetery."

The Mongoy family is descended from Filipinos brought in slavery to Acapulco during Spanish colonial years. Now mixed with Indigenous, Spanish and African ancestors, the family is sizable in Coyuca and is honored on web sites devoted to Filipinio and African heritages in Mexico.

This is a photo of Martha Guadalupe and Norma Angelina Mongoy Maganda. Their brother lives in Chicago. I know they would like the series to include Latinos.

Ted Vincent Fsln@aol.com

U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member: Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging Committees

  2300 15^th Street, Suite 450 Denver , CO 80202  
| 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington , D.C. 20510

                  CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Comm. Director 303-350-0032  

Sen. Salazar Re-Introduces Latino Museum Commission Act

WASHINGTON , D.C. – United States Senator Ken Salazar, together with Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) and Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), re-introduced legislation that would establish a Commission to study the potential creation of a National Museum of the American Latino Community in Washington , D.C.  Senator Salazar previously introduced the bill during the 109th Congress as a companion bill to legislation introduced by Congressman Xavier Becerra’s (D-CA) in March 2006. Earlier this year, Congressman Becerra reintroduced the bill (H.R. 512) and today it was passed by the House.

 “I believe we must celebrate the diversity of our Nation and Latinos have been a significant part of American history. They have contributed to the arts, business, and served in our Nation's military with distinction,” said Senator Salazar. “This bill would take the first step in commemorating the rich contributions of the Latino community to American life.  The end result will be a more enhanced experience for the 20 million visitors that come to our Nation’s capitol to learn the full history of America .”

 If signed into law, the National Museum of the American Latino Community Commission Act will create a 23-member commission to lead the effort. The Commission will be charged with: convening within 18 months a national conference to bring stakeholders, experts, policymakers and other interested parties together to discuss the museum's viability; developing a fundraising plan to create an extensive public-private partnership; and submitting to Congress within 24 months of its national conference a detailed report recommending a plan of action for taking the museum from concept to reality.

 Other cosponsors of the Senate bill are Senators Hutchison (R-TX), Bayh (D-IN), Biden (D-DE), Bingaman (D-NM), Boxer (D-CA), Clinton (D-NY), Domenici (R-NM), Durbin (D-IL), Feinstein (D-CA), Kennedy (D-MA), Kerry (D-MA), Lautenberg (D-NJ), Lieberman (D-CT), Lugar (R-IN), McCain (R-AZ), Nelson (D-FL), Obama (D-IL), Reid (D-NV), Schumer (D-NY), Brown (D-OH) and Feingold (D-WI).

Sent by Felicia Escobar  Felicia_Escobar@salazar.senate.gov

If you want to sound off on an issue, pro or con, you can call the White House "comment line" at 202-456-1111 during the weekday business hours .

Sent by  samquito@hotmail.com

artist: Carlos Callejo

Mercy Bautista Olvera  scarlett_mbo@yahoo.com

U.S. Born Babies of Undocumented Face Challenges
La Prensa (Riverside), Posted: Feb 10, 2007
Sent by Howard Shorr  howardshorr@msn.com

Riverside, Calif.—Latinas give birth to more babies in the U.S. than other ethnic group, but many obstacles stand in the way of those who are undocumented, reports Southern California’s Spanish-language weekly La Prensa. Latinas working in the U.S. without papers are the least likely to take maternity leave compared to women of other ethnicities. One Latina said she had to quit her job in order to have a baby. Many undocumented Latinas are also afraid to go to the hospital. In 2005, of 550,000 babies that were born in California, 283,000 were Latino and more than half were of undocumented mothers, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. In 2013, six out of ten children born in the U.S. will be born from a Latina mother, according to the California Department of Finance.

March 31, 2003, 
Dorinda Moreno, Award Recipient, 
Cesar E, Chavez & Robert F. Kennedy: Lifetime Achievement Award
Celebrating a Legacy of Social Justice 

February 27, 2007
The New York Times
Demand for English Lessons Outstrips Supply
By FERNANDA SANTOS

MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. - Two weeks after she moved here from her native Brazil, Maria de Oliveira signed up for free English classes at a squat storefront in this working-class suburb, figuring that with an associate's degree and three years as an administrative assistant, she could find a good job in America so long as she spoke the language.

The woman who runs the classes at Mount Vernon's Workforce and Career Preparation Center added Ms. Oliveira's name to her pink binder, at the bottom of a 90-person waiting list that stretched across seven pages. That was in October. Ms. Oliveira, 26, finally got a seat in the class on Jan. 16.

"I keep wondering how much more I'd know if I hadn't had to wait so long," she said in Portuguese.

As immigrants increasingly settle away from large urban centers - New York's suburbs have had a net gain of 225,000 since 2000, compared with 44,000 in the city - many are waiting months or even years to get into government-financed English classes, which are often overcrowded and lack textbooks.

A survey last year by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials found that in 12 states, 60 percent of the free English programs had waiting lists, ranging from a few months in Colorado and Nevada to as long as two years in New Mexico and Massachusetts, where the statewide list has about 16,000 names.

The United States Department of Education counted 1.2 million adults enrolled in public English programs in 2005 - about 1 in 10 of the 10.3 million foreign-born residents 16 and older who speak English "less than very well," or not at all, according to census figures from the same year. Federal money for such classes is matched at varying rates from state to state, leaving an uneven patchwork of programs that advocates say nowhere meets the need.

"We have a lot of folks who need these services and who go unserved," said Claudia Merkel-Keller of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, noting that her state has waiting lists in every county, "from beginner all the way through proficient level." New Jersey, like New York and many other states, does not keep statewide figures on how many people are on waiting lists.

Luis Sanchez, 47, a Peruvian truck driver for a beer distributor in New Brunswick, has been in this country 10 years - and on the waiting list for English classes in Perth Amboy five months. "You live from day to day, waiting to get the call that you can come to class," Mr. Sanchez said in Spanish, explaining that he knew a little English but wanted to improve his writing skills so he could apply for better jobs. "I keep on waiting."

Mr. Sanchez is unlikely to get the call soon: Perth Amboy's Adult Education Center recently discovered that it was operating in the red and canceled 9 of its 11 evening classes in English as a second language, including all at beginner and intermediate levels. In Orange County, N.Y., where the immigrant population doubled in the past 16 years, the Board of Cooperative Education Services' adult education program has stopped advertising for fear its already overflowing beginner classes will be overwhelmed.

In Framingham, Mass., 20 miles west of Boston, hundreds of people used to spend the night in line to register for English as a second language, so the program now selects students by picking handwritten names from a big plastic box.

"With the lottery, everyone has the same chance," said Christine Taylor Tibor, director of Framingham's Adult E.S.L. Plus program. "Unfortunately, you might have to enter the lottery several times before you get in."

Census figures show that in the United States there were 32.6 million foreign-born residents 18 years or older in 2005, up about 18 percent from the 27.5 million counted in 2000 (and nearly twice the 17.1 million in 1990). Federal spending on adult education, about $580 million last year, has increased 23 percent since 2000 and more than tripled since 1990; some 45 percent of the money is devoted to English.

But financing varies widely across the states, which are required to allocate at least one quarter of what was provided by the federal government: Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas spent the minimum in 2003, according to the Education Department, while California and Connecticut each spent about seven times that.

In New York, the state Education Department added $76 million to the federal government's $43 million for the 2005 fiscal year. That year, according to a recent report by the Center for an Urban Future, a nonprofit research group based in Manhattan, there were about 86,500 people enrolled in government-sponsored adult programs for English as a second language, serving about 5 percent of the state's 1.6 million adults with limited English skills.

Last fall, Arizona voters approved an initiative banning illegal immigrants from benefiting from all state-financed programs, including English instruction; administrators of English-as-a-second-language classes in several other states said they do not check for documentation when registering students and thus do not know how many of them may be in the country illegally.

Advocates for more English classes say the state-federal financing split leaves an adult education system whose quality and reach vary widely from place to place - and is lacking most everywhere. Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, where the immigrant population has tripled since 1990, largely because of an influx of Mexicans, sponsored a bill last year that would have given legal immigrants $500 vouchers to pay for English classes since so many of the free ones were full.

"Most education policy is the prerogative of state and local governments, but I would argue that the prerogative to help people learn our common language is a federal responsibility," said Senator Alexander, aRepublican who was education secretary under the first President George Bush. "If we make it easier for people to learn English, they will learn it. I think that ought to be a priority of our government, and I don't think it has been."

The government-financed classes are most often run by school districts or worker training centers and generally require only a registration fee of perhaps $10. Libraries, churches and community centers often also provide free or inexpensive classes, like the English Language Institute at Westchester Community College in Valhalla, N.Y., which offers nine levels of instruction for $76 to $247 per three-month session. Then there are private programs like the one at Pace University in Pleasantville, N.Y., which costs $790 for two classes a week for 14 weeks.

With immigrants accounting for half of the growth in the nation's labor force from 1990 and 2000, and expected to make up all of the growth in the two decades to come, "the issue of English proficiency has become an issue of economic development," said Tara Colton, the author of the Center for an Urban Future report. Indeed, some business owners, frustrated at the lack of low-cost classes, have begun teaching immigrants English at work.

At Skyline Furniture Manufacturing Inc. in Thornton, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, about half of the company's 60 employees have learned English at the factory over the past five years, under a state program in which the government pays to bring teachers to work sites if companies pay workers for the hours in class.

"It makes sense to us because our workers can do their jobs better, and it makes sense to them because they can advance in their jobs," said Cinthia Nowakowski, the plant's manager, adding that three of the company's eight foremen were promoted after completing the program. "Besides, it's convenient. The guys don't have to worry about having to arrange transportation to get to school or getting there and finding that there's no room in the class."

In Newburgh, N.Y., an Orange County town where one in five of the 29,000 residents are immigrants, Blanca Saravia has amassed an impressive portfolio of odd jobs since arriving from Honduras in 2004: gas station attendant, office janitor, cook's helper, and, for the last 14 months, packager at a local nail-polish factory. Speaking in her native Spanish, Ms. Saravia said that she has been able to get by with co-workers' translating, but that "when the boss gives orders, I don't understand."

So earlier this month, Ms. Saravia joined 30 others in a cramped classroom learning to conjugate the verb "to be" as part of the adult English program in Orange County, where the immigrant population doubled in the last decade - and the number of free English classes has jumped to 26 from 2 in 1995.

"If I tell her, 'We're full, come back in a couple of months,' chances are she'll get discouraged and never come back," said Ramón Santos, who runs the Newburgh program.

Carl DeJura, director of adult basic education at Brookdale Community College in Long Branch, N.J., said he has lately crammed as many as 40 students into a class - "double what it should be."

"If you have to cut back on textbooks, supplies and materials to serve the people who need it," he said, "that's what you do."

In Mount Vernon, Haitian, Chinese, Somali, Arab, Mexican and Brazilian students flock to the beginner class each morning at 8:30 before heading out to work or to look for work. Ahmed Al Saidi, 49, who works at a gas station and moved from Yemen in 1994, said in halting English that he wants to learn the language "for better work and to talk to people when I go to the store."

Ms. Oliveira, the immigrant from Brazil, said she still knows too little English to venture into the marketplace; her husband, who is American born and supports the couple financially, encouraged her to enroll in the classes, held five mornings a week.

Sent by Carlos Munoz, Ph.D. cmjr@berkeley.edu

$171 per day. For information about becoming an interpreter, go to http://www.uscourts.gov/interpret-prog/infosheet.htm

Letter by Dr. Hector P. Garcia, October 30, 1947
South Texas War Dead Have Returned.
Sent by Daughter, Wanda Garcia 

Sixty Years later, the Problem is not solved.

Hence, most CHICANA students who pursue a postsecondary education will enter a community college. Unfortunately, of the 13 students who begin at the community college, only 1 will transfer
to a 4-year institution. Furthermore, of the 11 students who went directly to a 4-year college, 7 persist into 3rd year of college. Next, whether their college experience began by transferring from community college or at a 4-year university, only 6 CHICANA students will graduate with a
baccalaureate degree. Finally, 2 students will continue on to graduate from a graduate or professional school, and less than 1 (yes less than 1 !!!) will receive a doctorate degree.

Shocking isn't it? But that's not all!
In addition, at the postsecondary level, although there have been absolute or numerical increases in CHICANA/LATINA college enrollment in the last 20 years, there are three patterns that have been observed by Social Scientist that prove this increase to be no more then a simple disclaimer:
1. the increase is not proportionate to the overall growth of the CHICANA/LATINA population
2. the increase is located in 2 year community colleges from which the transfer rate to 4 year institutions is low 
3. and finally there is a disproportionate number of part-time college students These conditions only begin to explain the educational inequalities that lead dismal educational outcomes for CHICANA/LATINA students. Not to forget cultural and language barriers.

Though this particular document that I was reading only concerns CHICANA/LATINA students I hope that you share this with the entire Puente Class. In the bottom of my heart I know that Puente is doing the right thing by helping change these statistics. On the road to my personal research topic of undocumented community college students and their sense of belonging in institutional settings I have found some shocking information that I wish to share with Chicano educators like yourself.
This e-mail is not to discourage or degrade our community but to simply become aware of the problem that our community faces. I hope that by sharing this to the Puente Class, students will realize that there is a true need to young Chicanos and Chicanas in education. I just want to say
"SI SE PUEDE".

(the statistical information was based on Daniel G. Solorzano and Armida Ornelas' article "A Critical Race Analysis of Advanced Placement Classes: A Case of Educational Inequality")

- Arnold SJDC Puentista

DRUG LORD 
by Terrance Poppa  
http://www.druglord.com/home.html

About a billionaire Mexican drug lord who flew the skies with 727s loaded with cocaine, about Mexican presidential families with tens of millions of dollars of reputed payoffs stashed in Swiss bank accounts, about people routinely machine-gunned to death in border town turf battles, about a borderland seemingly turned into a safe haven for traffickers by government eager to cash in on the drug trade. 

Demand Publications of Seattle is proud to present to you the only book that has ever penetrated the secrets of the Mexican underworld and made sense of the growing volume of media reports about this disturbing reality. 

Drug Lord, by award winning journalist Terrence Poppa, a tale of drug dealing, murder and endemic corruption that reaches into the highest levels of the Mexican government. It is a first-hand account that focuses on Pablo Acosta, a border bandit and drug baron who smuggled a staggering sixty tons of cocaine per year into the United States.  
   
Using materials based on daring interviews with Acosta and other narcotics traffickers, the author traces the drug lord's rise and fall: from humble beginnings, his evolution in the border criminal underworld, the succession of drug lords who controlled the region's crime until Pablo Acosta was able to take over with the help of high-level protection within the government of Mexico. 

There are vivid descriptions of shoot outs, showdowns and OK Corral gunfights over control of the region's crime operations, most notably the drug smuggling up and down the border. There are action-packed profiles of the people surrounding the drug lord, and 
insights into the political system that allowed all of this to happen. Chapter after chapter, it is a unique voyage into the heart of a treacherous nether world. 

In this web site, we are offering you a rare glimpse of this world and an introduction to a book that is worthy of the attention of anyone concerned about the exploding drug problems of America today. You will find photos taken by the author of Pablo Acosta only six months before the drug lord's death in a muddy Rio Grande village. You will learn about the early career of Amado Carrillo Fuentes, Pablo Acosta's partner who later became one of the most powerful drug traffickers in the world - "The Lord of the Skies." 

You can hear selections of taped interviews with the Mexican drug lord, who, in broken English, between swigs of El Presidente brandy and tokes of crack laced Marlboro cigarettes, brags to the author about murders, smuggling, payoffs, charitable works, and much much more. 

Additionally, you will find selections from this book, one of them an analysis of the structure of crime protection in Mexico, and a sample chapter showing how this nefarious system used and used up a series of traffickers even before Pablo Acosta came on the scene. An insightful foreword to Drug Lord written by Peter Lupsha, an internationally recognized expert on drug trafficking and transnational organized crime, places the importance of this book in its context and explains the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the books origin. 

Finally, we are offering you the opportunity to order this fascinating book directly from the publisher. For your convenience, we have set up a toll-free line to take your order and have your copy sent the very same day! Or, you can opt to email an order form or send a check or money order.

Demand Publications
2608 Second Avenue, #2450, Seattle, WA 98121 Send check or money order 

Call toll free: 1 (888) 622-7311 or Call: (512) 288-5021 
Credit card: Visa, M/C, American Express, Discover

www.amazon.com (check other on-line bookstores too) All major credit cards 

Cost per single copy is $14.95 plus $3.95 for shipping and handling. Add $2.00 for shipping and handling for each additional copy. For information about institutional or retail discounts, please call our toll-free number.

Extract: Art Review of Martin Ramirez (1895-1963)
By Roberta Smith, New York Times,  January 26, 2007

Never-ending journey: A drawing by Martin Ramírez, who worked in the late 1920s on the railroad in Northern California.  Go to the article for the full text and site for more photos.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/26/arts/design/26rami.html?ex
=1170651600&en=261042b7c46b171e&ei=5070


Sent by Roberto Camp y Lewis  mexicomarketing@yahoo.com

The American Folk Art Museum’s transporting exhibition of the scroll-like drawings of the Mexican artist Martín Ramírez. Ramírez, who created the roughly 300 drawings that make up his known work between 1948 and 1963 while confined to a mental hospital in Northern California, is simply one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. He belongs to the group of accessible, irresistible genius draftsmen that includes Paul Klee, Saul Steinberg and Charles Schulz. Well selected and beautifully installed by Brooke Davis Anderson, a curator at the folk art museum, this show of 97 drawings, some mural-size, is the first museum exhibition of Ramírez’s work in New York and one of the best shows of the season.

He might orchestrate the curved lines into stepped, hivelike hills punctuated by dark tunnels where ornate trains and buglike cars or buses chug in or out along extravagantly banked roadways or railroad beds defined by further lines. The straight lines might form fluted, beautifully shaded proscenium stages that bring to mind old-time movie screens. Here we usually find the caballero aiming his pistol in one direction while pointing his reined-in steed in another, as if ready to wheel and dash to safety. 

Ramírez had an indelible style built on a supreme sense of economy and shot through with a mix of sly humor and sunny optimism that coats deeper, darker feelings. He had his own way with materials and color — buoyed by an unerring sensitivity to the power of blank paper — and a cast of unforgettable characters, including mounted caballeros, levitating Madonnas, and deer and dogs on high alert. But most of all Ramírez had his own brand of pictorial space, which he regulated with rhythmic systems of parallel lines, curved and straight. He played spatial illusion as if it were an accordion, expanding and contracting it in a mesmerizing play of stasis and movement.

He was thought to have migrated from Mexico around 1915, not 1925, to work on the railroads being built in Northern California, where he was hospitalized in the early 1930s and shortly thereafter found to have schizophrenia. He lived out his years in DeWitt State Hospital in Auburn, near Sacramento. (It was later discovered that the initial years of his confinement were at Stockton State Hospital.)

(1995) Google Video of Carlos Callejo briefly talks about his mural "Our History." The mural is located inside the atrium of the El Paso County Courthouse. The video includes a marvelous view of the whole mural.. . which is huge, covers both sides of the wall, the back, and the ceiling too.  Stunning . . . take the time. It is a 2 minute, 35 seconds video by Marisal video.  The figures are active, caught in motion, varying sizes, proud, respected. vibrant colors. Periods of times tripping over themselves. 

The sculpture on the left eventually ecame a realization.  The commission was given to a sculpturer.  Happily, he writes: " I was able to give  my input to the selection committee--- Being that I am a muralist not a sculpturer --I wanted to create a glass mosaic on the surface of the base that held the sculpture."

We implement this mission by championing an annual advocacy agenda, which in broad terms, sets forth the most important initiatives that the L.A. region needs addressed in our state and nation's capitol. Our top priorities for 2007 include:

+ Improve California’s business climate for existing companies and entrepreneurs, while enhancing our image as a state that welcomes and embraces companies that offer the promise of creating new and higher paying jobs. +Ensure that California businesses are not overly burdened by excessive taxation, government regulations, workplace standards and other employer costs that cause companies to select other locations. 
+Invest in the unique status of L.A. as one of the world’s leading international ports and airports. 
+Relieve congestion and gridlock to assure that the transportation infrastructure of our region meets the demands of citizens, businesses and the goods movement industry in the 21st century. Achieve full health care access and lower costs for all Californians.
+ Increase the availability of affordable housing and reform the state’s land use laws to assure adequate housing. 
+Reward and recognize public schools that dramatically improve their high school graduation rates and increase the number of students who pursue post-secondary education. 
+Implement environmental policy that, through incentives rather than penalties, balances and promotes public health and economic growth. 
⁺Develop a national immigration policy that addresses the economic realities of our future work force needs and recognizes the positive contributions that immigrants, both past and current, have had on the California economy.  

The Chamber cannot make progress in these important initiatives if we act alone. We will seek to build coalitions with other organizations with which we share common goals. When we visit Washington, D.C. in March and Sacramento in May, we will go in partnership with other business organizations and local government officials who share this common vision for the future of our region. 

Most importantly we need you. Learn more about our advocacy agenda and sign up now for Access Washington, D.C., March 26 - 29. There is no substitute for individuals and business owners who take the time to communicate with their legislators.  

There is no more important effort in which we must engage.  It was true 118 years ago and it is true today. 

And that’s The Business Perspective. 

Gary L. Toebben
President & CEO
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

The Business Perspective is a weekly opinion piece by Gary Toebben, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, produced with the input of Senior Policy Advisor Rusty Hammer.

Sent by Cecilia Mota ceciliamota@latino-stars.com

Extract: Immigrants boost most California workers' pay By Susan Ferriss - Bee Staff Writer, Sacramento Bee, SacBee.com  February 27, 2007

Anti-Spanish Legends

Dear friend of Carlos B. Vega,

We are proud to announce the upcoming release of Carlos B. Vega’s new book Our Hispanic Roots: What History Failed to Tell Us!

The Hispanic contribution to the making of the United States has been blatantly glossed over by most historians for the past three hundred years, despite the gallant effort of a handful of them who sought to do justice and set the record straight. This misrepresentation of the historical facts has rendered a whole nation to become oblivious to its true beginnings and formation, crippling its character and jeopardizing its future. This book, based on established and undisputed historical records, is a new attempt to bring out the whole truth, to make us realize how this nation really came into being. The making of present-day United States did not begin in 1607, nor was it confined to thirteen unsettled colonies barely occupying a minute portion of a vast continent. We need to set the historical clock back and then forward, from 1513 on through well past 1776, and give due credit to Spain and other Hispanic countries, such as Mexico, for laying down many of the foundations that made us what we are today. We need also to be proud of our Hispanic heritage, and trumpet it with equal fervor and appreciation as we do it with other less deserving ones. It is only then that we would be able to define our character both as a nation and as a people.

We are offering you an opportunity to secure your personal copy of Carlos B. Vega’s exceptional book, at the special pre-release discount price of $19.95. Please fill out the coupon below and mail it today, or order online using the direct link shown at the top of this letter!

Make your check payable to PublishAmerica, 
and mail to P.O. Box 151, Frederick, MD 21705.

Paperback, 6" x 9", ISBN 1-4241-6582-2, 339 pp., retail $24.95, ships upon coming off the press. 
For orders outside the U.S.A., credit card payments only. Please add the following for shipping: Canada (US)$3.50 for the first book, (US)$2.00 per each additional copy. For all other countries please add (US)$8.00 for the first book, (US)$5.00 per each additional copy.

I echo Mimi's thoughts that the "prisoner theory" is pretty far-fetched.  I never heard of it, although maybe it happened on some small level somewhere.  On the other hand, some Australians and New Zealanders do take pride in the fact that their ancestors came from England to Australia as prisoners and triumphed in their new land.  As a matter of fact, a couple of my German ancestors were wanted by the law when they came to the U.S.  (for dodging the draft and taking part in the 1848 revolution).
 
Every impression I have from my readings and research is that a lot of people from all over Spain were anxious to come to the Americas for new opportunities, and obviously they must have had a pretty adventurous spirit too.
 
Personally, I think that if we are going to be concerned about our genetic inheritance and the "bad genes" or "good genes," I would just look one or two generations back and go from there and remember that each of us makes choices. 

Each one of us has 2,048 great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandparents; that's a lot of DNA coming from a lot of different people. 

John (P. Schmal)

Dear Ms. Lozano and all those named who received the Cc's,

Un millon de gracias!  My students will benefit greatly from the wealth of information and resources you have provided me with.  I care about our locked up youth. I have to do my part to fulfill the educational condition of their probation.  I might as well make it worthwhile.   
R. Hernandez
                                      

U.S. Mexican, Latin American War Contributions 
article by Halie Pratt, 6/5/06
The Daily Texan and Texas Student Publications

PFC Guy "Gabby" Gabaldon distinguished himself by single-handely capturing 1,500 of the enemy in WWII, and to date has not received the Medal of Honor. 
 
U.S. Mexican, Latin American war contributions focus of new book by Halie Pratt
 
U.S. Latinos are being recognized for their World War II participation in a new book, "A Legacy Greater than Words." 

"An interview I did in 1992 for the Dallas Morning News was about Mexican-American civil rights. In the course of it, I realized that the people who had been most active in Mexican American civil rights were all World War II-era people," said Dr. Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez, associate professor of journalism at the University. "I felt, as a journalist, I could do something to document their history." 

 Dr. Rivas-Rodriquez is seated.  
Lindsey Fitzpatrick, Juliana Torres and Melissa Dipiero-D'sa,
Media Credit: Shaun Stewart | UT OPA 

 (Article among the archives of Dorinda Moreno. dorindamoreno@comcast.net
If you can identify any of the other individuals in the photos, please do send it along.)

Rodriguez launched the U.S. Latino and Latina WWII Oral History Project in 1999. The project blossomed when she realized the need for documentation of Latino World War II veterans' stories. The first book that stemmed from the project focused on Mexican Americans involved in World War II, and the current book expands the vision to all Latin Americans. 

"The contributions that Latin Americans made is one that has been historically marginalized," said journalism senior Lindsey Fitzpatrick, who helped assemble the book. "These people were integral to the fabric of modern American society." 

Fitzpatrick, Spanish and journalism senior Juliana Torres and Melissa Dipiero-D'sa, administrative assistant in the College of Communication, helped document, compile and edit the book. Torres and Fitzpatrick were hired to assist Rodriguez after completing a journalism class with her. Fitzpatrick became inspired after writing a story on a woman who participated in the New Mexico silver mine strike. Now that she has graduated, Fitzpatrick plans to teach English in the Rio Grande Valley and intends to contribute to the narratives project.

"One of my big goals is to do something like this with my students," Fitzpatrick said. "I hope they can interview their grandparents and start up a mini-project."

Torres is unsure whether she will continue working on the narrative project, as she is currently doing an internship in New York for "People en Espanol" magazine. 

"I didn't work on a particular story for the project," Torres said. "The way I became involved was pretty casual. Maggie asked me if I needed a job because she needed somebody to help edit the stories, and I needed a job." 

Sixty years ago, the United States faced an immigration battle similar to the ongoing situation today. Anti-immigration leaders wanted immigrants out of the country. Those in favor of immigration wanted equal opportunity and recognition for foreign-born Americans. 

During this time, Latin American immigrants played leading roles in World War II. They were sailors, infantrymen and nurses. They worked in the factories that produced artillery and loaded bomber planes. 

Pete Tijerina, founder of the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund, used the G.I. Bill to fund his education after serving in the war, Rodriguez said. Virgilio Roel of the League of United Latin American Citizens went on to become a reformer of civil rights after serving in the war. 

"When people returned, they realized the discrimination they were facing after World War II, and that many of the same issues they were fighting against existed in America," said Luis Figueroa, legislative staff attorney for MALDEF. "They're very aware of inequities that exist today."

At 80 years of age, Sam Dominguez is a prime example of an active veteran. After serving in World War II, he is now the executive secretary-treasurer of the American GI Forum. The forum is dedicated to addressing the discrimination faced by Hispanic veterans. Veterans of all ages are welcomed, including those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. 

"They joined the military to fight for this country, and they must be considered. Millions of Hispanic Americans have been in wars: WWII, Korea and Vietnam," Dominguez said. "Even now, non-U.S. citizens are fighting our war." 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the 2004 population included 40 million Hispanics. At least 11 million people in that population are undocumented migrants, according to a March estimate by the Pew Hispanic Center. [[Editor: Half of those numbers are over-stayed visas.]]

Despite facing a discriminating country upon return from war, Latin American veterans continued breaking ground as patriotic Americans. Some re-enlisted in the military while others started their own businesses or returned home to their families.

"The men and women we interviewed kept their heads up, promote getting education, worked hard and are good people," D'sa said. "They deserve recognition for their contribution to society."

http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2006/06/05/
LifeArts/U.s-Mexican.Latin.American.War.Contributions.Focus.Of.New.Book-2015873.shtml

Michael E. Lopez-Alegria 
breaks U.S. Spacewalk Record

By
Mercy Bautista-Olvera

Photo: NASA

Michael Eladio Lopez-Alegria was born on May 30, 1958 in Madrid, Spain, his parents Eladio Lopez-Alegria and Luisa Lopez-Alegria.

Michael Lopez-Alegria was raised in Mission Viejo, California and graduated from Mission Viejo High School in 1976. Michael received a Bachelor Science Degree in Systems Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1980.

After Michael Lopez-Alegria’s flight training, he was designated a Naval Aviator on September 4, 1981 and became a flight instructor in Pensacola Florida. After two years, he served as a pilot and Mission Commander of EP-3E aircraft in the United States Navy.

In 1986 he was assigned to a two-year cooperative a Test Pilot school in Patuxent River, Maryland. He then was assigned to NASA at the Naval Air Test Center as an engineering test pilot and program manager. Michael accumulated more than 4,500 test pilot hours in over 30 different aircraft types.

Michael Lopez-Alegria completed his training at the Johnson Space Center in August 1992 and he also served as NASA director of operations at the Yuri Gargarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Star City, Russia.

Michael Lopez-Alegria space flight experience:

STS-73 Columbia, October 20 to November 5, 1995 was launched and returned to land at the Kennedy space Center, Florida, Michael Lopez Alegria served as the flight engineer, this mission was completed in 15 days 21 hours and 52 minutes and traveled over 6 million miles in 256 Earth orbits.

STS-92 Discovery, October 11-24, 2000 Lopez-Alegria totaled 14 hours and 3 minutes of EVA time in two space walks, was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida and returned to land at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

STS-113 Endeavour, November 23-December 7, 2002 was the sixteenth Shuttle mission to visit the International Space Station. This mission was to bring home the Expedition 5 crew from their 6 month stay aboard the space station. Lopez-Alegria performed three Extra-vehicular activity missions totaling 19 hours and 55 minutes. The space shuttle orbited the Earth 216 times and traveled 5.7 million miles.

As of February 4, 2007, Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria has spent more time walking in space than any other American. He surpassed the previous U.S. record of 58 hours and 32 minutes through his chores with fellow astronaut Sunita Williams.

"They were all three extremely difficult (spacewalks), and you guys made them look not necessarily easy, but the way they should look," Mission Control said, "You did an excellent job."

The spacewalk is the first time three spacewalks have been done in such a short period without a space shuttle docked to it. Lopez-Alegria new U.S. record is 61 hours and 22 minutes. Williams who broke a record for female spacewalkers, now has 29 hours and 17 minutes of walking in space.

His father Eladio resides in Madrid and his mother Luisa, deceased. Michael married Daria Robinson of Geneva, Switzerland, they have one son.

Hispanic Medal of Honor recipients

Part 2

This is the second part of the Hispanic Medal of Honor series which consists of the short biography of David Bennes Barkley, the only Hispanic MoH recipient in World War I plus, the biographies of three World War II recipients: Lucian Adams, Rudolph B. Davila and Marcario (Macario) Garcia.

Barkley was the first and only Hispanic Medal of Honor recipient of World War I. His Hispanic background was discovered in 1989 and thus he became the first Hispanic-American member of the regular U.S. Armyto be awarded the medal. I must point out that Joseph H. De Castro was the first Hispanic-American to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the American Civil War. Unlike Barkley, De Castro was not a member of the regular Army, instead he belonged to the 19th Massachusetts Infantry which was an all volunteer unit assigned to the Army.

It is a shame that many soldiers who belonged to minority groups were denied their rightful recognition's because of prejudice and racial discrimination. Such was the case of First Lieutenant Rudolph B. Davila, of Hispanic and Filipino descent. Davila's wife, Harriet Davila, lobbied Army officials and Congress for years to award the Medal of Honor to her husband. Finally, in the year 2000, after 65 years, Davila and 21 Asian-Americans were awarded the Medal of Honor.

What is the correct first name of S/Sgt. Garcia? Is it Marcario or Macario Garcia? It is unfortunate but there seems to be some confusion in regard to S/Sgt. Garcia's first name. This may have been due to a typo error made in his citation or because of a change of name. The reason that I will referrer to Sgt. Garcia as Marcario is because the majority of the sources which I researched referrered to him as such. In one instance I found that the official website of the city of Houston cites a "S/Sgt. Marcario Garcia St." however, the name that appears on said street is "S/Sgt. Macario Garcia Dr." The important thing that we should all remember about Staff Sergeant Garcia is that he was the first Mexican immigrant whose heroic actions were recognized when he became a recipient of the Medal of Honor.

Note: An asterisk (*) after the name indicates that the award was given posthumously.

Private David Bennes Barkley (March 31, 1899 - November 9, 1918), often spelled Barkeley, was a United States Army private who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during World War I in France. After successfully completing a scouting mission behind enemy lines, he drowned as he swam back across the Meuse River.

Biography
Barkley was born in Laredo, Texas to Josef and Antonia (Cantú) Barkley, and grew up with his Mexican-American mother. He enlisted in the U.S. Army when the United States entered World War I, using his Anglo father's name to avoid being segregated into a non-combat unit.

As a part of Company A, 356th Infantry, 89th Division in France, he and Sgt. M. Waldo Hatler swam across the Meuse River near Pouilly-sur-Meuse to get behind German lines and gather information about troop strength and deployments. They were able to gather the needed information; however, returning across the river, Barkley succumbed to muscle cramps and drowned on November 9, 1918. Sgt. Hatler survived to bring the information back to their unit.

Barkley was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. He was one of three Texans to be awarded the Medal of Honor for action during World War I. Additionally, France awarded him the Croix de Guerre, and Italy the Croce al Merito di Guerra.

Private Barkley lay in state at the Alamo, the second person to ever receive this honor. He was then buried at the San Antonio National Cemetery.

Medal of Honor citation:
"When information was desired as to the enemy's position on the opposite side of the Meuse River, Pvt. Barkeley, with another soldier, volunteered without hesitation and swam the river to reconnoiter the exact location. He succeeded in reaching the opposite bank, despite the evident determination of the enemy to prevent a crossing. Having obtained his information, he again entered the water for his return, but before his goal was reached, he was seized with cramps and drowned."

In memory:
Barkley has received three notable posthumous recognitions. In 1921, an elementary school in San Antonio, Texas was named in his honor. On January 10, 1941, the U.S. Army installation, Camp Barkeley, was named in his honor. A clerical error resulted in the discrepancy in spelling. Finally, in 1989 when his Hispanic background was discovered, Barkley was recognized as the U.S. Army's first Hispanic Medal of Honor recipient.

Awards and decorations:
David Bennes Barkley's awards and decorations include the following:
Medal of Honor
Purple Heart
Croix de Guerre
Croce al Merito di Guerra (War Merit Cross)-Italy

References:
* D. López. Saving Private Aztlan: Preserving the History of Latino Service in Wartime. Diálogo Magazine. Retrieved on July 14, 2006.
* Texas Medal of Honor Recipients. HomeOfHeroes.com. .
^ Myers, James M. (2005). Camp Barkeley. Handbook of Texas Online.
^ David Barkley, Hispanic Heritage, Medal of Honor, World War I. Hispanic Americans USA..
^ Medal of Honor Recipients. Celebrating Hispanic Heritage. GoArmy.com, U.S. Army.
* David Barkley, World War I Medal of Honor, MedalOfHonor.com.
* Camp Barkeley.

Staff Sergeant Lucian Adams (October 22, 1922-March 31, 2003) was a U.S. Army soldier during World War II who was awarded the Medal of Honor for single-handedly destroying enemy machine gun emplacements to re-establish supply lines to U.S. Army companies. He was also awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his heroic actions in Italy.

Personal
Lucian Adams was born on October 22, 1922, in Port Arthur, Texas. He enlisted in the Army after his graduation from Port Arthur High School. After serving in the European Theatre during World War II, he returned to Texas where he worked for the Veterans Administration for over 40 years before retiring in 1986. He died on March 31, 2003, in San Antonio, Texas, and is buried in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.

Medal of Honor citation:
While serving with the 30th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division, in France, SSgt Adams' company was attempting to open supply lines; he single-handedly eliminated the enemy positions. His citation reads:

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on October 28, 1944, near St. Die, France. When his company was stopped in its effort to drive through the Mortagne Forest to reopen the supply line to the isolated third battalion, S/Sgt. Adams braved the concentrated fire of machineguns in a lone assault on a force of German troops. Although his company had progressed less than 10 yards and had lost 3 killed and 6 wounded, S/Sgt. Adams charged forward dodging from tree to tree firing a borrowed BAR from the hip. Despite intense machinegun fire which the enemy directed at him and rifle grenades which struck the trees over his head showering him with broken twigs and branches, S/Sgt. Adams made his way to within 10 yards of the closest machinegun and killed the gunner with a hand grenade. An enemy soldier threw hand grenades at him from a position only 10 yards distant; however, S/Sgt. Adams dispatched him with a single burst of BAR fire. Charging into the vortex of the enemy fire, he killed another machinegunner at 15 yards range with a hand grenade and forced the surrender of 2 supporting infantrymen. Although the remainder of the German group concentrated the full force of its automatic weapons fire in a desperate effort to knock him out, he proceeded through the woods to find and exterminate 5 more of the enemy. Finally, when the third German machinegun opened up on him at a range of 20 yards, S/Sgt. Adams killed the gunner with BAR fire. In the course of the action, he personally killed 9 Germans, eliminated 3 enemy machineguns, vanquished a specialized force which was armed with automatic weapons and grenade launchers, cleared the woods of hostile elements, and reopened the severed supply lines to the assault companies of his battalion."

He was awarded the Medal of Honor on March 29, 1945.

Awards and Recognitions:
Among Lucian Adam's decorations and medals were the following:
Medal of Honor
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal

References: 
* U.S. Army Hispanic Medal of Honor Recipients. U.S. Army Center of Military History, United States Army.
* World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient, U.S. Army S/Sgt. Lucian Adams. MedalofHonor.com.
* Lucian Adams (1922-1930). Find A Grave. Retrieved on November 21, 2006.
* La Medalla de Honora Recipientes: Adams, Lucian (Spanish). Hispanic Americans in the United States Army. U.S. Army.

First Lieutenant Rudolph B. Davila (April 27, 1916-January 26, 2002) born in El Paso, Texas, was a United States Army officer, of Hispanic-Filipino descent, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Italy during World War II. He was the only person of Filipino ancestry to receive the medal for his actions in the war in Europe. He was initially awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, however after an extensive review, in 1998, his medal was upgraded to the Medal of Honor.

Early years
Davila was born to a Spanish father and a Filipino mother in El Paso, Texas. His family moved to Watts, California when he was a child, there he was raised and received his primary and secondary education. Davila enlisted in the Army in Los Angeles.

World War II
Davila, was a US Army Staff Sergeant assigned to Company H of the 7th Infantry Division. On May 28, 1944, his company was involved in an offensive, near Artena, Italy, which broke through the German mountain strongholds surrounding the Anzio beachhead. His company was under a heavy enemy attack and for some unknown reason his machine gunners were reluctant to risk putting their guns into action. Realizing that his company was in danger, Davila crawled 50 yards to the nearest machine gun and fired over 750 rounds into the enemy strongeholds in the foothills.

His fellow machine gunners, reacted and Davila directed their firepower with hand and arm signals until the two enemy hostile machine guns were silenced. Despite being wounded by the enemy, he continued his assault by engaging the enemy from the turrent of a burnt tank.

Davila then spotted what he believed to be a rifle barrel in a farmhouse window. He grabbed a rifle and two grenades and went inside the farmhouse. He tossed the grenades at the attic and shot at the troops inside, destroying two more enemy machine gun nests. The enemy was forced to abandon their prepared positions.

Davila received a battlefield commission to Lieutenant and even though a Captain in the rifle company said he would recommend Davila for the Medal of Honor, the highest honor for battlefield valor, Davila was instead awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Army's second highest military honor.

Davila continued to serve with his company after he recovered from his leg wound. A few months after the Artena attack, Davila found himself in France's Vosges Mountains. He received a chest wound from a shell which ricoheted off a tree as he was ordering his men to storm a German tank. The tank shell caused injuries that left his right arm paralyzed.

Back home
Davila was treated for his wounds at a hospital in Modesto, California. There he met a nurse by the name of Harriet and three months later they were married. He continued his education and earned a bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Southern California], and became a high school history teacher in Los Angeles. He moved to Vista in 1977 with his wife after he retired from teaching.

His wife, Harriet Davila, lobbied Army officials to award the Medal of Honor to her husband based on the actions he performed during the Allied offensive in Italy, after she became aware of her husbands heroic actions. For years, she petitioned the government for her husband's medal. Harriet Davila made phone calls, wrote letters and researched military records to prove her husband deserved the Medal of Honor. No reply ever came.

In 1996, Hawaii Senator Daniel Akaka secured a Congressionally mandated review of records for Asian-Americans who had earned the Distinguished Service Cross in World War II. Congress reviewed the records to determine whether they were unfairly denied the military's highest award for valor.

On June 21, 2000, President Bill Clinton, bestowed the Medal of Honor on Davila and 21 other World War II servicemen of Asian descent at a White House ceremony. Only seven of 22 recipients were still alive when the medals were handed out. Previously only two of the 40,000-plus Asian-Americans who served in World War II had been awarded the Medal of Honor.

Army Secretary Louis Caldera inducted the soldiers into the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes on June 22. Harriet Davila, his wife had died six months before, on December 25, 1999.

Davila, Rudolph B.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company H, 7th Infantry.
Place and date:Artena, Italy, 28 May, 1944
Entered service at: Los Angeles, Calif.
Born:27 April 1916, El Paso, TX

Citation:
"Staff Sergeant Rudolph B. Davila distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action, on 28 May 1944, near Artena, Italy. During the offensive which broke through the German mountain strongholds surrounding the Anzio beachhead, Staff Sergeant Davila risked death to provide heavy weapons support for a beleaguered rifle company. Caught on an exposed hillside by heavy, grazing fire from a well-entrenched German force, his machine gunners were reluctant to risk putting their guns into action. Crawling fifty yards to the nearest machine gun, Staff Sergeant Davila set it up alone and opened fire on the enemy. In order to observe the effect of his fire, Sergeant Davila fired from the kneeling position, ignoring the enemy fire that struck the tripod and passed between his legs. Ordering a gunner to take over, he crawled forward to a vantage point and directed the firefight with hand and arm signals until both hostile machine guns were silenced. Bringing his three remaining machine guns into action, he drove the enemy to a reserve position two hundred yards to the rear. When he received a painful wound in the leg, he dashed to a burned tank and, despite the crash of bullets on the hull, engaged a second enemy force from the tank’s turret. Dismounting, he advanced 130 yards in short rushes, crawled 20 yards and charged into an enemy-held house to eliminate the defending force of five with a hand grenade and rifle fire. Climbing to the attic, he straddled a large shell hole in the wall and opened fire on the enemy. Although the walls of the house were crumbling, he continued to fire until he had destroyed two more machine guns. His intrepid actions brought desperately needed heavy weapons support to a hard-pressed rifle company and silenced four machine gunners, which forced the enemy to abandon their prepared positions. Staff Sergeant Davila's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army."

Later years:
Subsequently, Davila was honored by the city of Vista. He served as the guest speaker at the Veterans of Foreign Wars' Memorial Day ceremony in 2001.

Davila died of cancer on January 26, 2002, in Vista, California. He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. At the time of his death Davila was survived by his three sons, Roland, Jeffrey, Gregg and two daughters Jill and Tana, and nine grandchildren.

Awards and Recognitions:
Among Davila's decorations and medals were the following:
Medal of Honor
Distinguished Service Cross
Purple Heart Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal

References:
^ Hispanic Recipients of the Medal of Honor
^ Rudolph B. Davila, Second Lieutenant, profile
^ News releases
^ Defense News Articles
^ Davila's Medal of Honor citation
^ Arlington National Cemetery

Marcario Garcia

Staff Sergeant Marcario Garcia or Macario Garcia (January 20, 1920-December 24, 1972) born in Villa de Castano, Mexico, was the first Mexican immigrant whose heroic actions as a United States Army soldier near Grosshau, Germany during World War II lead to the United States President awarding him the Medal of Honor - the United States' highest military decoration.

Early years: 
Garcia immigrated to the United States from Mexico in search of a better way of life. He lived in Sugar Land, Texas where he worked as a cotton farmer.

Garcia joined the Army upon the outbreak of World War II at the recruiting station in his adopted hometown. He was assigned to Company B, 22d Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division.

World War II
On November 27, 1944, Garcia was the squad leader of his platoon which found itself engaged in combat against the German troops in the vicinity of Grosshau, Germany. Realizing that his company could not advance because it was pinned down by enemy machinegun fire, Garcia, his own initiative went alone and destroyed two enemy emplacements and captured four prisoners. Despite being wounded himself, he continued to fight on with his unit until the objective was taken.

On August 23, 1945, the President of the United States, Harry S. Truman presented Staff Sergeant Macario Garcia with the Medal of Honor at a ceremony in the White House.

President Truman bestows the Medal of Honor on Garcia

Medal of Honor citation: Marcario Garcia


Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, US Army B Company 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry, 4th Infantry Division.
Place and date: Near Grosshau, Germany---27 November 1944.
Entered service at: Sugarland, Texas
Born: 20 January 1920, Villa de Castano, Mexico
G.O. # 74 1 September 1945.

Citation:
:"Staff Sergeant Marcario Garcia, Company B, 22nd Infantry, in action involving actual conflict with the enemy in the vicinity of Grosshau, Germany, 27 November 1944. While an acting squad leader, he single-handedly assaulted two enemy machine gun emplacements. Attacking prepared positions on a wooded hill, which could be approached only through meager cover. His company was pinned down by intense machine-gun fire and subjected to a concentrated artillery and mortar barrage. Although painfully wounded, he refused to be evacuated and on his own initiative crawled forward alone until he reached a position near an enemy emplacement. Hurling grenades, he boldly assaulted the position, destroyed the gun, and with his rifle killed three of the enemy who attempted to escape. When he rejoined his company, a second machine-gun opened fire and again the intrepid soldier went forward, utterly disregarding his own safety. He stormed the position and destroyed the gun, killed three more Germans, and captured four prisoners. He fought on with his unit until the objective was taken and only then did he permit himself to be removed for medical care. S/Sgt. (then Pvt.) Garcia's conspicuous heroism, his inspiring, courageous conduct, and his complete disregard for his personal safety wiped out two enemy emplacements and enabled his company to advance and secure its objective."

Namesakes:
Staff Sergeant Marcario Garcia died on December 24, 1972 and was buried with full military honors in the Houston National Cemetery in Houston, Texas. The local government of Houston has honored his memory by naming a middle school after him and on June 27, 1981 the city renamed part of 69th Street- S/SGT Macario Garcia Drive.

Among Staff Sergeant Marcario Garcia's decorations and medals were the following:
Medal of Honor
Purple Heart Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal

Further reading:
The following books make references to Marcario Garcia's exploits:[4]
Medal of Honor: Historical Facts And Figures, page 167, by Ron Owens
The Battle of Hurtgen Forest (West Wall Series) (West Wall), page 133, by Charles Whiting
The Quest for Tejano Identity in San Antonio, Texas, 1913-2000 (Latino Communities: Emerging Voices--Political, Social, Cultural and Legal Issues), page 56, by Jr., Richard Buitron and Richard Buitron 
ÁRaza Sí! ÁGuerra No!: Chicano Protest and Patriotism during the Viet Nam War Era, page 36, by Lorena Oropeza
Moon Handbooks Charleston and Savannah (Moon Handbooks), page 115, by Mike Sigalas

From left to right, at Mi Terra restaurant in San Antonio. Rudi Rodriguez, President, Texas/Tejano.com, Jack Cowan, Texas Connection to the America Revolution, TCARA, Judy Perez, San Antonio Councilman, Richard Perez, Rick Leal, Yolanda and Richard Holgin.  Richard is on the City Commission on Veterans Affairs.

The discussion for the evening was correct and inclusive history. Happenstance historian 
Dr. Howard Peacock was viewing the historical painting on the wall behind the group. Dr. Peacock was introduced to the group and consented to a photo (on the left) with Rick Leal and A.G. Rodriquez, President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of San Antonio.

Cuentos

Good Old Days by Wanda Garcia
An Effort to Create a Dr. Hector P. Garcia Day in Texas
La Virgen de Guadalupe by Wanda Garcia
The Iceman Cometh to 2010 East 7^th St. Austin, Texas by Frank Sifuentes
The Day I went up to the Mountain: A "WOW" Moment
Recuerdos de Concepcion 'Chonito" Prieto

In 1918, a revolution was brewing in Mexico, So, Jose Antonio Garcia, Dr. Hector’s father and my grandfather, decided to move his family to Mercedes, Texas. Young Hector was about 4 and would tell me that he remembers revolutionaries patrolling the tops of buildings with rifles. When Jose Antonio attempted to cross the border, Texas Rangers pistol-whipped him.

Jose Antonio was a professor in Mexico and Faustina, my grandmother, was a teacher. When Jose Antonio sought employment in the Texas school system, no Texas school would allow him to teach. So, Jose Antonio became partners with his uncles and brothers in a mercantile store in Mercedes, TX. The store was successful and drew envy of the Anglos. In 1922, the Anglos torched the store. Eventually the Garcias rebuilt the store. Jose Antonio Garcia wrote several books and according to Dr. Hector built a camera and developed small pox vaccines. He inspired a strong work ethic in his children and valued education. The girls were held to the same standards as the boys and were expected to get an education. The family regarded the one Garcia daughter who eloped as the black sheep because she did not complete her education.

Jose had only enough money to pay for J.A. ‘s (the first born son) education. J.A. became a medical doctor and according to the plan, once J.A. would become established, he would pay for his brothers and sisters education. Jose Antonio inspired 4 males and 2 females to become physicians out of seven surviving Garcia siblings.

During the Good Old Days in Texas the message was clear for Hispanics --no matter how educated and smart you are you are never good enough! When I was growing up in the 1950’s the American dream was not a reality for Hispanic Americans. The average Hispanic could only aspire to be a menial in a rich person’s house or provide a service. Hispanics were not expected to complete grade school. They were perceived as "lazy", "dirty" and "dumb". I quickly learned some Anglos felt entitled to exercise their right of free speech by insulting Hispanics to their face because we were viewed as less than human.

Dr. Hector felt obligated to spend his entire life proving his worthiness because of this prejudice. When Dr. Hector enrolled in the public school system in Mercedes, Texas, one teacher told him that she would not give a Mexican an "A". So, Dr. Hector worked hard and the teacher relented and gave him an "A".

Dr. Hector graduated "summa cum laude" from the University of Texas Medical Branch, which put him at the top of his class. When it came time for Dr. Hector to intern in a Texas hospital, not one would take him because he was Mexican. So, he had to intern in a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska.

One of Dr. Hector’s favorite stories was when he enlisted in the army as an infantry officer. The military needed medics because this was during WWII in the European theatre. General Eisenhower learned that Dr. Hector had an M.D. Dr. Hector was standing at attention with the rest of the troops, and when General Eisenhower saw him, Eisenhower pulled the "castles" off his lapels and replaced it with the "caduceus." So this is how Dr. Hector became a medic in the U.S. Army in Italy where he met my mother, Wanda Fusillo.

The Europeans considered the American veterans heroes because the Americans liberated Europe from the Nazis. Europeans did not discriminate against Hispanics. So, when the Hispanic G.I.s returned home from the war, they were determined to make changes in their living conditions because they had a taste of a better life.

The prejudice extended to death as in life. Hispanics were buried in segregated graveyards and not allowed to use the Anglo funeral homes. Private Felix Longoria was killed on active duty at the battle of the Luzon and was returned to his family a decorated hero for reburial in Three Rivers, TX. The Longoria family wanted to use the Rice funeral home, but the T.W. Kennedy; the proprietor would not allow it because "the Anglo’s would not like it." I can remember my father making many phone calls and sending telegrams to Senator Lyndon Johnson and Representative Lloyd Bentsen to enlist their help to investigate the incident. As a result of Senator Lyndon Johnson’s intervention, Private Felix Longoria was buried in the Arlington, VA National cemetery. Dr. Hector and the Longoria family received many death threats because they challenged the status quo and Dr. Hector’s efforts earned him an investigation by The Good Old Boys in Texas Legislature. Eventually Dr. Hector was exonerated. There was no Hispanic elected officials in the Texas Legislature who would support Dr. Hector. The poll tax was effective in keeping Hispanics from voting because Hispanics were too poor to pay the tax. These were frightening times for the members of my family because of the intensity of the hatred generated towards us.

The Felix Longoria incident propelled the American G.I. Forum (AGIF) and Dr. Hector into the national spotlight. The national visibility from the Felix Longoria incident was the reason Edna Ferber, the author, contacted my father. Ms. Ferber was researching material for her novel "Giant." Dr. Hector drove her, my mother and me through the King Ranch. I remember her shocked reaction when she saw the living conditions of the Hispanic workers-the one room shacks with no sanitary facilities. While in Corpus Christi, TX, Ms. Ferber would visit us at our house, sit on the couch and talk to me as well as my parents. She was a beautiful intelligent lady with white hair and always wore pearls. Later, Edna Ferber sent Dr. Hector a check. He never cashed the check but would proudly display the check to anyone who asked. Several characters in "Giant" were based on my family members.

In 1949, when I was a child of 3, my mother and a couple went to a restaurant in Three Rivers, TX, a small Texas town to have lunch. The proprietor told us that he refused to serve us because "they would not serve Mexicans." The proprietor’s tone and the atmosphere in the restaurant were hostile. I had a hard time understanding what was happening because I wanted a burger and had no desire to eat "Mexicans".

In the good old days, pharmacies would not fill prescriptions written by Hispanic doctors. So, Dr. Hector bought a pharmacy in my mother’s name and hired a Hispanic pharmacist. I remember noticing in addition to medicines, the pharmacy carried many herbs which Hispanic families used daily such as sassafras, alum.

During the 1950s, Dr. Hector had an AGIF meeting in San Antonio, TX. The whole family went along. When we arrived in San Antonio, TX, Dr. Hector attempted to register in one hotel after another. They were all "filled". We drove around for what seemed hours and finally had to stay in a cheap, less than sanitary motel. As a result, my brother Hector became ill from an illness he caught from sleeping on an infected mattress in the motel.

I could go on with one story after another. What I learned from my father is not to be a victim. Dr. Garcia turned a bad situation around and through his efforts made the world a better place for his children and others. When my father was asked why he was involved, he would respond that he wanted to make Texas a better place for his children.

The effects of discrimination have long-range effects on the individual and are institutional in our society. Despite all my father’s accomplishments, including receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, I observed that Papa never felt good enough. He always had to prove himself. Even today in some circles, Hispanics will not ever be the equal of their Anglo counterparts.

What is the best way to honor our ancestors? By never forgetting their courage, bravery and sacrifices that made this a better world for us. Let us honor their memory and experiences by passing on their stories to each succeeding generation.

Effort to create a Texas Dr. Hector P. Garcia Day

As a very young child in the forties and early fifties, I can remember my father going to organize and speak to crowds in the small towns surrounding Corpus Christi, TX. Our destinations would be the Alice, Beeville, Bishop, Three Rivers and Agua Dulce. We would leave around 5:00 p.m. after Papa made his hospital rounds and treated his patients. Joining us were Willie Davila, Sonny Saavedra and sometimes my mother. Willie would drive Papa’s Frazier. The Frazier had a large rear window with an ample rear deck. I would crawl into this space and look at the stars or nap during the trip. I still remember the experience and the beauty of the stars in the darkness of the night. To a small child, the trips seemed to take forever.

Papa said when you want to find "La Gente"* you should look up the address of the local Our Lady of Guadalupe churches. So, when he would organize a chapter in a town or speak, he contacted the priest at La Virgen de Guadalupe Church who would in turn pass the time and location of the meetings to the interested locals. He would also open the telephone book and phone the Hispanics and invite them to the meeting. He had to carry a lot of loose change for this purpose.



[Photo by permission:: Dr. Hector P. Garcia Papers, Special Collections & Archives, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Bell Library.]

Upon arrival in the targeted small town, we drove to the church and got directions from the parish priest were the meeting would be. The parish priest always was supportive of the effort. They were first hand witnesses of the injustice towards and the poverty of the Hispanic people. They always attended the meetings and encouraged their parishioners to attend. "La Gente" had been hearing about the dynamic Hector P. Garcia and that he had words of hope and a possible solution. So, the meetings were always crowded.

The meetings would be held under the cover of darkness in the outskirts of the town because of the danger involved and the fear of reprisal from the Anglo community.

I remember on one occasion sitting on the front porch of a house and watching the fireflies. I had not been in the country, and did not know what fireflies were. Sonny Saavedra helped me catch the fireflies in a mason jar and would tell me about them. I would observe the silhouette of my father speaking to the crowds and his dynamic words in Spanish urging the men to unite and join his organization. After his speeches, there would be long lines of men signing up to join. The women had a big role too. They raised money for the cause by holding cakewalks or selling tamales. They could be more outspoken then the men because the men feared losing their job.

Sonny Saavedra is no longer with us. He passed into spirit about 2 years ago. I will always remember Sonny being a part of our lives. May God bless him and his family for their contribution and support. Willie Davila hid my father in the trunk of his car from the Texas Rangers and saved his life. Willie is the reason that I am not an orphan and that the civil rights movement for Hispanics was born. My father was deeply devoted to La Virgen de Guadalupe. On a spiritual level, I know that "La Virgen" was protecting my Papa from harm as well so he could accomplish his work.

My father may have been one of the most decorated individuals in the US, but he was just Papa to me. Though I always had a deep respect for him and his work and knew on a higher level, that he was doing God’s work on this earth. I miss him every day of my life.

*"La Gente" was an affectionate term Dr. Hector used in referring to the Mexican or later Hispanic people.

                       [Photo by permission:: Dr. Hector P. Garcia Papers, Special Collections & Archives,    
                                                           Texas,  A&M University-Corpus Christi, Bell Library.]

THE ICEMAN COMETH to 2010 East 7^th St. Austin, Texas
by 
Frank Sifuentes  conzafos@msn.com

The ‘hielera’ – icebox - we had during the early l940’s required a 25 pound piece of ice. And either was bought second hand or handed down by close family. It was early l900 model but it worked wonderfully during the long hot summers to prevent our beans and milk from spoiling. Better yet to allow us to make raspadas!

Today few can remember how critical it was to have ice delivered before the advent of electric refrigerators.. 

In East Austin the ice business thrived during the 30’s and clear through the late l940’s.. For this reason Richard Moya’s became well known. Little did we know he was destined to become our first successful politician After all, few Mexicanos in Austin voted since it required paying a poll tax.

In fact later when the community developed a larger social consciousness the League of United Latin American Citizens(LULAC) would organize dances where folks who were citizens could pay poll tax to enter.

Richard was a pleasant and animated teen-ager. My sister Carmen recently confessed that she had had a crush on Richard; She added that ‘all the girls did’ but she offered no details, I’m afraid. No offense to him but something like that never occurred to me.

What I remember was seeing Richard and his father’s truck arrive. And quickly running to the back end to watch them take a couple of well directed picks at a larger block to magically extract a 25 pounds piece of ice. And then swiftly carry it through our porch, hallway, and mama’s bedroom and to the kitchen. The only real risk factor was our front steps, which were not always in good repair.

Obviously Richard or any other person who delivered ice was agile and true professionals. We’d often took the ice out and put it on the table to make raspadas and no doubt lost a lot it via meltdown.

And though it could not have been expensive, I do recall there were times we went without ice because mama was embarrassed over not having paid the ice bill. And as soon as she could she’d let the Moya’s know.

There were times when the bill was forgiven to give us a new start. I’d be curious to know what may have been the sum total of the bills that were never paid to the Moya’s. Probably enough to send Richard to U.T. or Notre Dame.

I am going to do a little research by asking my sister Carmen and brother Ben about this. And surely Richard knows that for many East Austin families the depression didn’t end at the same time as it did for others.

Richard became a real persona because as skinny as he was he had to have been powerful to spend so many days from early a.m. to afternoon delivering precious blocks of ice.

My fascination with ice began at an early age when we lived on Red River around l935 close to the Ice House.  I remember standing around just starring at the place and hearing the noise of the ice being manufactured. And how there seemed to always be a nice little pile of snow we could from time to time enjoy eating.

I wonder how many hundreds of times I walked by there on my way to Uncle Tony’s and Tia Rebecca’s to enjoy the company of my primos and primas. Their home was really neat. As I recalled it was kind of underground; and that they had a long table with room for a bunch of children, including me from time to time. That surely was a time of pure happiness. My cousin were lovely and gracious. And Tia Rebecca was a sweetheart.

They undoubtedly were able to ‘fetch’ their ice from the nearby Ice House on a red wagon.

THE DAY I WENT UP THE MOUNTAIN: A “WOW” MOMENT
By 
Dr. Francisco J. Zamarripa
franciscozamarripa@sbcglobal.net

(This story took place in Villa de La Paz, San Luis Potosi. I was born when my mom was old; she was ashamed to have me born in our house. Across the dry river bed lived an Indian midwife who lived in a cave. That is where I was born. I am a real cave man.)
 
Have you ever had a “wow!” moment?  I’ll tell you about mine.  It will live with me the rest of my life.  It was the time I was about 15 years old and my father took me FROM Texas to see my godfather, Cipriano Galicia.  He was a butcher who had his own store for many years in La Paz.  He packed an Indian bag with three Bimbo soft drinks, a can of sardines, and a loaf of fresh French bread.   We started up the mountain and passed by the house that used to be ours.  My father did not even bother to visit those who lived there.  He had given that house to those relatives of my godfather.  We passed by the Nopalera full of tuna fruits the size of a big pear. 

Since we got to the city, he had been looking and asking for a man named Serapio.  Since he asked wherever we went, I thought he must have been a very important friend, the way he asked for him.  Not finding him, we went with my “padrino” up the mountain.  The city looked smaller and smaller as we hiked up.  Sometimes we passed patches of clouds and it looked like rain.  My father found a special bush which gave a small pear-like fruit.  He wanted me to taste it.  It was a special and wonderful taste.  I have not tasted a fruit like it since.  We were quite high now and the object of the trip was to show me the water spring which was up on top of El Fraile (mountain).  We went past a huge mine shaft about 50 feet high.  It was a dry strontium mine that he said he had discovered when he worked for the ASARCO mining company.  There was a red fox in the entrance that looked at us with curiosity, but did not run.  We continued up and had to take refuge in the cavity of a mountain side that resembled an entrance to a cave, but it was only a cavity which we used to escape from the rain.  There my padrino took out the sardines and we shared everything.  It was the best picnic that I remember having as long as I live.  God bless my padrino and my father. 

It was decided to return as the rain made further climbing dangerous.  On the way down, I could see the city as if it were a miniature town in a strange but beautiful land.  My father asked me if I was thirsty and showed me the cavities in the rocks which once housed precious stones.  There was water like if God was giving us to drink of his best.  It was refreshing and pure. 

Suddenly, I saw what looked like an old man, only that he moved like an athlete, running and jumping up the mountain like a goat.  That was the Serapio that my father had been looking for, an old man that looked like he was in his seventies, burned by the sun, with thick skin from being outside all his life.  He was a shepherd who had lived all his life in the mountain taking care of the goat herds.  He knew the mountains up and down like the palm of his hand.  In the old days, he had been a miner who worked with my father in the mines.  He was a very humble man.  My father had been looking for him, as if he was the most important man in the world, yet he was a humble shepherd.  My father never distinguished between people or his friends.  He treated everybody as if they were his brothers.  That day, my father taught me the most important lesson in my life.  Everybody is important!  He did not tell me this.  He showed me the way to love one’s fellowman, but his intention had not been to teach me, that was the way he was.  That is why I always believe “that you know the tree for its fruit,” not but what a man preaches, as God also punished the Jews because they made a religion of his Love.  God wanted men to be real not hypocrites.  And Jesus said the same thing the Pharisees.

RECUERDOS DE CONCEPCION 'Chonito' PRIETO 
by 
Frank Sifuentes

Sarah's tio Chon that I first met at our wedding engagement gathering at his place with her Tia Jesus 'Chuey', her mom's sister. They had four children, Frank, Mamie 'Dora', Mary Lou and Bobby and they were truly like real brothers and sisters.

I knew that and when Sarah told me a few days ago, that her Tio Chonito who was he strongest father, and gave her unconditional love and respect. Sarah in turn was the older sister and role model.

For me  Tio Chonito became a wonderful friend and role model too! Chonito was 68 years old, thin, all bones and  muscles. He was strong from doing hard labor, starting when he was about 13 years old. His hands were hard and powerful. Knowing him and instantly connecting as close kin was amazing.

This was the summer of l954 before my wedding on August 7th. It was that very evening he started telling me stories from his life. He was being raised in his grandfather's hacienda in Rio Ondo cerca de Rio Arriba, Jalisco.

Apparently Papagrande Prieto treated his family, servants and peones as the ruler of his domain alike and was something of a miser by hoarding gold and silver coins and hid his treasures under a corn bin.

Chonito told the story of how his apagrande Don Prieto heard that the French were 'conquering' Mexico and lusting after Jalisco and its beautiful women, but not without the taking it's precious gold and silver, first.

His grandfather took quick action. He and his trusted servant Panfilo extracted the precious coins they had hidden. But not before sending everyone to the river to not be able to learn
what they were doing.

Don Prieto and his servant Panfilo sacked and loaded a big strong donkey them. They were seen but quickly disappeared as the evening sun fell. Finally his grandfather sights a place to bury his assets; but he told Panfilo that he had to wait for him, because he didn't want him to know where he buried it.

With so much time having passed Panfilo was sound asleep when Prieto came back. 
Life went on with Don Prieto and decided to leave his wealth hidden until an appropriate time.

Chonito then told of how his grandfather remained fit clear up to the time he was 101 and wasn't about to contemplate on his mortality. Especially when he went around riding like the younger men his on a white horse. However as hard luck would have it, his horse started running towards a small rock wall and was unable to stop it before hitting the fence, throwing his papagrande over and falling on his head.

He lived though he was paralyzed and speechless. And was never able to tell anyone where he buried his treasure. Not even Panfilo had the slightest idea where it was still buried.

Chonito's mother had died when he and his sister were toddlers; and shortly after his father remarried.  Chonito did not like the new 'mother' at all. He mostly stayed close to his sister and maintain an independence from both their dad and step-mother.

They were enterprising and at an earliest age started becoming useful via work assignments and chores, and still sought and maintain a freedom from parent rule.

Their grandmother most unfortunately did not pay a bit attention to their needs or guidance. Chonito described her at big and fat, sitting on the floor drinking hot chocolate
and dunking pan dulce in it, to feed her cats.

Chonito and his sister had stared at her intently to give her a hint it would be nice if she gave
them pan dulce dipped in chocolate.

Finally at the ripe age of 13, fortunate to have grown tall real fast, he felt the time for his independence had come. He had been gathering resources for the occasion; and planned it well, with a new trunk full with things needed for a magic act he had that could earn him coins, along the  way towards Juarez to cross to El Paso.

He said he paid two cents to cross over the El Paso for this was 190l and the call for work crews, from El Paso to Arizona and on to California. He made his way to the mines in Globe, Arizona, or was it Miami?

When he worked their the had to work everyday except Christmas and New Year's Day. Sunrise to the evening twilight.

Finally a leader among them emerged (Munoz?) and he organized them to go on strike on a certain day. The night before they heard the sounds of trains constantly. As they came out of their homes they look up to the mountain around them and saw they were filled with Federal Troops.

They prevailed and sent Munoz packing, as persona non- grata. And the rest of them went to work, having to hustle a bit harder.    

Later  Chonito settled in Dominguez and worked at farm labor for Japanese landowners during the 20's and 30's, and through the 60's. At one point -during the 20's the farm workers in the area went of strike to prevent the owners from lowering their wages from 12 cents to 10 cents an hour.  They called our the Federal Troops and arrested the organizers. Chonita had been one of them. They had to go before the court in the Westside LA.

Chonita said that he had been accused of being a communist. And when the Judge asked him if he was one. He asked the Judge to give a definition of Communism and that he would tell him if he was one or not.

The Judge explain how everything belong to everyone to assure a distribution of resources with equity.  In that case Chonito told him, he was a communist.  The Socialists from the Westside defended him and paid the bail. They ended up winning the strike and got the same wages.

Chonito had been an organizers for Associacion Mutualista de Obreros in which people were able to have a small policy for funerals. The raised funds independently and raised enough to build a worker's hall in Wilmington. He said they had chapters all over from Santa Monica to Chino and South to San Pedro. The workers of the area were ready when the Dock Workers
needed to be organized.

Concepcion "Chonito' Prieto died February 14th l980. He had been born in 1888 in Rio Hondo, Jalisco. He spend 75 years in the United States; most of it in California.

Literature

Catalina de Erazu by Vicente Riva Palacio

Doña Catalina Erazu (La Monja Alférez)
As depicted in Vicente Riva Palacio "Mexico a traves de los Siglos"



CATALINA DE ERAZU
By 
Vicente Riva Palacio

SURNAME:  GÁLVEZ 

General Bernardo de Gálvez Hero of Baton Rouge, Mobile,and Pensacola

The text above is from a book which is still not out on the market.  Dr. Vela Múzquiz sent the 260 page book, as Proof copy.  I am including it here to emphasize the great interest in  General Bernardo de Gálvez by historians across the nation.  

Informacion: Diccionario Heraldico y Nobiliario por Fernando Gonzalez_Doria, 

Patriots of the American Revolution

Laredo Parade, Feb 17, '07 Photo by Corinne Staacke

In front wearing blue musician's uniforms are three Granaderos Fife & Drum Corps members: Jesse Benavidez (drummer) and Julie Villa-Soto (middle) and Crystal Benavidez (right side). The horseman on the white horse is Mark Collins (portraying George Washington) and Joel Escamilla (portraying Bernardo de Galvez).  Mark Collins played the role of George Washington on the PBS documentary of the American Revolution. It was a wonderful experience.

By
Virginia Sanchez
virginia.sanchez@comcast.net
© 2004

The soldiers of the Santa Fe Presidio were located in Spain’s most northern area and therefore could not participate in active duty on behalf of the American Revolution. However, they honored the request of the King of Spain and gave money to the cause, even though they were sometimes not paid in full or paid in pesos de la tierra (e.g., crops) as opposed to pesos firma (cash).

On January 9, 1765, a soldier lay ill at the Royal Presidio in the Villa Capital of Santa Fe and asks his teniente (lieutenant) to document his last will and testimony. In this will, Cristobál Madríd affirmed his faith in God, his guardian angel, and the saints. He requested of his named executors, his wife Francisca Herrera and son Juan Antonio Madríd, to be buried in the San Miguel parish church in Santa Fe and that his body be shrouded in the habit of Saint Francis. Most notably, he listed among his possessions six horses and his complete military equipment with which he "served the King."

On January 4, 1768, Cristobal’s son, Antonio Xavier Madríd, enlisted in the Spanish military "in place of his father," and in all probability, used his father’s military equipment. This recruit signed by the mark of a cross to signify his understanding of his responsibilities as a soldier. Antonio Xavier, age 25 and described as having a swarthy complexion with black hair, eyebrows, and eyes, was assigned to the Tropa de Cuera, the Leather Jacket troop, at the Presidio of Santa Fe.

Spanish Archives of New Mexico, SANM II, Roll 11, Frame 124-127, Document #6, Troop Report and Inspection, Santa Fe Presidio, Soldier #11, Cuera Troop - Antonio Madrid, present.

When the American colonies waged a war for independence against England, King Carlos III of Spain sought opportunity to regain land Spain lost to England in 1773. Spain agreed to join France as an ally and covertly shipped arms, munitions, cattle, uniforms, medicine, blankets, and money to the American colonies using France as the go between. Visitor-General José de Gálvez, Spanish secretary of the Indies and his nephew, Count Bernardo de Gálvez, provided secret aid to the American cause by allowing guns, ammunition, and tons of supplies to be shipped up the Mississippi to patriot forces in the north. By 1777, Spain had sent a large shipment of the following from a French port by way of Bermuda to Boston: 215 bronze canons, 4,000 field tents, 12,826 grenades, 30,000 muskets, 30,000 bayonets, 30,000 uniforms, 51,314 musket balls, and 300,000 pounds of gunpowder. Money and supplies were funneled through the French and handled by a third party—appearing as open business transactions.

Spain’s support for the American colonists remained secret until June 21, 1779, when Spain officially entered into war with England. Thomas Jefferson wrote to Bernardo de Gálvez on November 8, 1779 and expressed his thanks for Spain’s assistance to the revolutionary cause. History books in United States schools relate the aid France gave to the American Colonists and mention very little about the aid given by Spain.

As stated by Thomas E. Chavez, "…United States history is a story of a country born out of English colonies, the role of Spain has not been genuinely recognized. Nor…have the sacrifices of Spain’s colonies been acknowledged. Eighteenth-century Spanish subjects, who lived in areas that make up the present states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, answered Carlos III’s call for a special [donation] to help with the war and, in the end, secure American independence." In March of 1780, Carlos III decreed that to sustain the war "his vassals in America" were to contribute a one-time donativo (donation) of one peso (approximately $30 by today’s standard) per Indian and other castes and two pesos per Spaniard and noble. Collectors went to towns and pueblos in the New World and collected one peso per Indian over 18 years old and other castes, and two pesos from each Spaniard. Donativos were collected from soldiers and citizens throughout Cuba and Spain’s hard-pressed North American colonies, including the provinces of California, New Mexico, and Texas.

New Mexico Governor Juan Bautista de Anza was officially notified of the decree in a letter dated August 17, 1780 from Teodoro de Croix. With regard to donativos made by the Indians of the Province, Anza obtained permission to exempt the Indians of the Zuni and Hopi pueblos. (In the Province of California, Fray Junípero Serra used church funds to pay the [donations] for mission Indians.)

By 1783 a total of 3,677 pesos (approximately $110,300) had been collected from soldiers and citizens in the Province of New Mexico; 247 pesos came from soldiers of the Santa Fe Presidio. The donativos were shipped to "Mexico then shipped to Havana and transferred to the American colonies, sometimes via French carriers."

Supplies and aid to the American cause came from almost every part of the Spanish empire and currently, historians and genealogists throughout Spain, Mexico, and the United States are reviewing historical documents in an effort to rightfully give Spain and its Colonial Patriots credit for their aid.

The Sons of the American Revolution and the Daughters of the American Revolution are two national lineage societies that are interested in Spain’s involvement in the American Revolution and they are reaching out to descendants of all Spanish soldiers to research their lineage and apply for society membership. By submitting their genealogy, these Colonial Patriots can be catalogued in the SAR and DAR national repositories of genealogical and historical information, and thereby become a part of America’s history.

Some activities recognized by the SAR and the DAR include service in the Spanish military, service in the militia, service as Indian auxiliaries, making voluntary contributions to defray expenses of the War, Spanish cowboys (in Texas) who drove cattle to feed the American colonial troops, and mission priests who lead public prayers on behalf of Spain’s support of the American Revolution. Because many priests did not leave descendants, the SAR’s interest is in locating and marking their graves as patriots. For example, California’s Franciscan mission priest, Fray Junípero Serra, led a prayer for the success of the American colonists "because we believe their cause is just and that the Great Redeemer is on their side."

Antonio Xavier Madríd’s military possessions listed in his will dated January 3, 1813 include two rifles (muskets); a Spanish military uniform consisting of a hat, an old blue wool cape, and a heavy woolen waistcoat; an ardaga (shield); a pair of boots and spurs; and miscellaneous garments. Also listed among his possessions are a mule, a horse, a donkey, and an additional musket. According to the Reglamento of 1729, a presidial soldier’s uniform should conform in some measure or common standard and each soldier was required to have six horses and a mule. Even though maintaining any uniformity in military dress was difficult in New Mexico due to short supply and minimal replacements, Antonio Xavier’s uniform and arms on the most part met the day’s requirements.

To his son, Juan Nepomuceno Madríd, he left a musket from the armament; a cartridge belt without cartridges; and his hat, old blue cape, aged waistcoat, and miscellaneous garments. To another son, José Antonio Madríd, he left a musket, a pair of boots and spurs, and his blue uniform, and shield. His daughter, María Josefa, was married to Josef Manuel Sena, armorer of the Presidio and one of the executors named in his will. In addition, Antonio Xavier entrusted his son-in-law to "guard" 22 pesos. Josef Manuel Sena and two other named executors, brothers-in-law Juan Nepomuceno Madríd and Miguel Rodriguez, were asked to "collect the horse owed" Antonio Xavier by his brother, Juan Antonio Madríd. (For detailed information on the Madríd family genealogy, refer to the following article by Henrietta Christmas.)

Based on the time Spain was at war with England and the Spanish military service records of New Mexico Colonial Patriot Antonio Xavier Madríd, we know he donated two pesos ($60) toward the cause of the American colonies. At this time, the Province of New Mexico was rather poor and sparsely populated. His sacrifice to the cause of the American Revolution came at a time when cash was hard to come by and soldiers were sometimes not paid in full or paid in pesos de la tierra (e.g., crops) as opposed to pesos firma (cash).

Antonio Xavier Madríd’s father, Cristobal Madríd, listed as possessions in his will dated 1765 six horses and his complete military equipment with which he ‘served the King’. In Antonio Xavier’s will dated 48 years later, all that remained as symbols of honor and service were some muskets, a cartridge belt; a shield, various articles of military attire, a mule, and two horses. Like his father, Antonio Xavier affirmed his belief in God and the saints and asked that his body be shrouded in the habit of Saint Francis.

From their wills and from research, we can piece together only a portion of their lives. From their contributions we can document an important part of history that recognizes significant contributions to the American cause by the eastern as well as the southwestern parts of these United States. Only years later would many learn of the significant roles Spain and its colonies played in the American Revolution.

For a Patriot to be recognized by the SAR and the DAR, descendants of Patriots must research and document their lineage and apply for membership. One source of vital information is the Spanish enlistment papers, which provide service dates, physical descriptions, and occasionally name of a soldier’s parents. The list of Spanish enlistments for the Province of New Mexico, as excerpted from Hough and Hough, Spain's New Mexico Patriots During Its 1779-1783 War with England, is available on NMHS Vice President José Esquibel’s website at http://pages.prodigy.net/bluemountain1/patriota.htm; and in Virginia Langham Olmsted’s, "Spanish Enlistment Papers of New Mexico, 1732-1820," published in the December 1979 issue of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. The SAR accepts male applicants, 18 years or older, who can prove lineage back to a Patriot ancestor who contributed to the American cause between the 1779-1783 timeframe, the time Spain officially was at war with England.

The DAR’s criterion for descendants of New Mexico Colonial Patriots is slightly different. Female applicants, who are descendants of New Mexico Colonial Patriots, must be able to prove that the Patriot soldier was at the Presidio of Santa Fe between April 3, 1782 and November 18, 1782, and that he was discharged after November 1782. April 3, 1782 is the date Governor Anza authorized collection of the donativos within the Province of New Mexico. November 18, 1782 represents the date of Anza’s letter to Croix informing him that all but three donativos were collected. The list of New Mexico Patriots and Alcalde Mayores who qualify for DAR patriot status is available on the New Mexico Genealogical Society’s website at http://www.nmgs.org/artPatrDAR.htm and from the author’s website at http://home.comcast.net/~virginia.sanchez/

As stated by Robert H. Thonhoff, "An important door of recognition has been opened for many thousands of Hispanics if they but do their genealogical homework." Consider the number of descendants of Spanish Colonial Patriots who served under the Spanish flag (including Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico) who, as a result of Spain’s aid, can say their ancestors aided in the American Revolution and can now be officially recognized through societies such as the SAR and the DAR. Thomas Chavez adds, "Hispanic families in the United States range from recent arrivals to people whose ancestors settled in what is today the United States before Jamestown or the Puritans and Pilgrims." Members of these families can now be included in stating that their ancestors aided the American cause. There is no better way to "open that door of recognition" than to document the contributions of our Colonial Patriots and get their information officially recognized, microfilmed, and catalogued in historical documents.

Antonio Xavier Madríd was but one of many Spanish soldiers and citizens who contributed to the American cause. For generations, descendants of New Mexico Colonial Patriots have made significant contributions by proudly serving in defense of their countries. During the period when New Mexico was under Mexican rule, José Antonio Sena, Antonio Xavier Madríd’s grandson, was recognized for valor in recognition of his service against the aventureros tejanos (adventurous Texans) in 1841. Manuel Armijo, commanding officer and Governor of New Mexico, recommended Sena for an escudo de honor, the Mexican equivalent of the Medal of Honor. This honor was granted to Sena by the President of the Republic of Mexico, along with a promotion to Captain.

Continuing in this tradition, descendants of New Mexico Colonial Patriots as United States citizens have continued to proudly serve their country. As stated by the Eugene A. Obregon / Congressional Medal of Honor Campaign, "unquestioned service to the country is part of the ethos of the Latino community…. Out of a total of 3,427 medals granted by the U.S. Congress, 38 have been given to citizens of Latino ancestry, making Latinos the largest single ethnic group, in proportion to the number who served, to earn this prestigious award."

To date, only about ten New Mexico Colonial Patriots have been recognized by the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Sons of the American Revolution; and joining these types of societies isn’t everyone’s "cup of tea." However, there is no better way to honor our Patriot ancestors than by working to ensure that future generations will be aware of the contributions of Spanish Colonial Patriots to the American cause. If you take the number of New Mexico Colonial Patriots, add to that number all their descendants, we would have an impressive number of newly found daughters and sons who can impact and change what traditionally was taught about American colonial history. Through the actions and support of our Spanish Colonial Patriot ancestors, we, as their descendant daughters and sons, solidify our right and privilege to be called Americans.

About the Author:

Virginia Sanchez is an author, historian and genealogist.  She has published articles in cultural and genealogical journals, and family histories she has written are cataloged in libraries in Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming.  She worked for a Fortune 500 telecommunications
company for 20 years as a senior writer and has been researching her family genealogy for 15 years.  She received her Bachelor's degree in Music from the University of Wyoming and received a Master's degree in Technical Communication from the University of Colorado at Denver. She is a member of several genealogical and historical societies and she regularly presents her findings at their annual conferences. She serves as webmaster for the Colorado Society of Hispanic Genealogy. Her application to the DAR, which honors her eighth great-grandfather, New Mexico Colonial Patriot, Soldado de Cuera Antonio Xavier Madríd, was approved July 3, 2002.

Additional Information:

Any interested male descendant of a New Mexico Patriot can contact any of the following for additional information about the SAR: Charles Martinez y Vigil at granbelador@hotmail.com, the New Mexico Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, Box 525, Placitas, NM 87043; your local SAR chapter; or visit http://www.sar.org. Any interested female descendant of a New Mexico Patriot can contact Virginia Sánchez at virginia.sanchez@comcast.net; New Mexico DAR State Regent Mary Ann Thornton at mathornton@comcast.net; your local DAR chapter; or visit http://www.dar.org . Application and membership fees apply. Chapter membership is optional.

ORANGE COUNTY, CA

No membership dues. All are welcomed!

March SCHEDULE at Orange Family History Center

Tuesday – Thursday 9:00 a.m.- 9:00 p.m.
(Second Thursday) 9:00 a.m. -7:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday 9:00 a.m .- 5:00 p.m.

Wed.

14

7:00–8:30 p.m.

Those Other Records: Land and Probate Research

Caroline Rober

Thurs

15

7:00–8:30 p.m.

Powerful & Friendly Research-Organizing with PAF Insight

Wynn Christensen

Sat.

17

2:00–4:00 p.m.

Hispanic Research Group (Relief Society Room)

Group Meeting

Wed.

21

1:00–2:30 p.m.

Legacy tips and Techniques for all Users

Joe Leavitt

Thurs

22

7:00–8:00 p.m.

Beginning Your Genealogical Research

Wynn Christensen

Fri.

23

11:00–Noon

Beginning Your Genealogical Research

Celia Christensen

Sat.

24

10:00–2:00 p.m.

African American Genealogy Group (Room 22)

Group Meeting

Tue.

27

7:00–8:30 p.m.

Family Search.Org - Treasures Beyond "Search"

Alan Jones

A Biographical Tribute by Sal Osio, JD
http://www.HispanicVista.com

Conceived in Mexico. Born in the United States. Providence bestowed on him two cultures, a fusion of which he has embraced throughout his life. A bi-cultural heritage which he has shared with family and friends, always enhancing and promoting the respect among the American communities. His cause is well illustrated by his auto biography: "A Life in Two Cultures."

'Don Dionicio' - as he is respectfully addressed by his many friends and colleagues - is a man of destiny and a legend in his life time. In the Hispanic American urban communities he has become an inspirational leader and a beacon of hope.

A descendant of the proud Tarascan culture that inhabited the States of Guanajuato and Michoacan, and the adjacent territories in the El Bajio (lowlands) of central Mexico, seeking refuge from the ravages of the Mexican Revolution of 1910, the Morales family embarked for the promised land to the North - not unlike all immigrants, past and present, who make up the diversified citizenry of the United states. Don Dionicio's father, Severo Morales, reminiscent of pioneers before him who crossed the Great Plains to reach California, crossed the Chihuahua desert to establish a beachhead in Moorpark for his family. Subsequently, he was followed by Dionicio's mother, Narcisa Arenas, and accompanying relatives, who crossed the Sonora desert, primarily riding the rail box cars, encountering every conceivable ordeal, made their way after crossing the border, on foot, to Yuma, Arizona. Broke and starving, with Narcisa in advanced pregnancy, they were given shelter in an Indian reservation by the Quechan tribe of 1st Nation Americans.

The Quechan community embraced Narcisa and provided all the necessary comforts, shelter and nutrition, enabling her to give light to a healthy first born - born in the new country of their quest for a better life. He was named 'Dionicio' in honor of the patron saint of the community on whose name day he was born. This event was embedded in Dionicio's psyche by his mother who was eternally grateful to the Quechan and who forever remembered the community in her prayers. The moral he always has lived by since his birth - the brotherhood of man eclipses political boundaries and national agendas - was learned by the example of this selfless, loving and caring community.

Once in Moorpark, an agricultural community in Ventura County, California, Dionicio experienced the hatefulness of white supremacy - a prejudice based on pigmentation of skin and ethnicity. His setbacks were also offset by the just and equitable treatment he and his family experienced from their patrons and neighbors. In this polarized society of love and hate, Dionicio chose love and determined at a young age to defeat the forces of hate. He mused, if America is to survive based on its ideology of justice and equality for all, it must eradicate the cancer of prejudice that is a social epidemic. The cure, he concluded was enlightenment, the defeat of ignorance. Education was the equalizer.

An episode in his teenage years as a student of his local high school, defined his lifelong pursuit of justice and equality for all and to champion the rights of the less privileged members of society, particularly his brethren who were discriminated against by virtue of the color or their skin. Dionico became an accomplished trumpet player and became the 1st trumpet of the Moorpark High School band. As a reward he was invited with the school dance band to attend a performance by Henry Busey, the famous trumpet player, who was his idol, at Ocean Park Dance Pavilion in Santa Monica, a landmark venue at the time. Upon arrival he was refused entrance because "Mexicans" were not allowed. Nonchalantly his instructor and fellow students gained entrance and he was made to wait for them at the entrance for their return. Humiliated and freezing in the cold, his anger provided him with a new strength. And he resolved, right there and then, to champion the rights of his people, and other persons of color, to prevent a similar assault and degradation to their human dignity. He did not know it at the time, but this was the birth of the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation ("MAOF") which he subsequently founded in his adulthood.

Dionicio received the formal education that his undergraduate school teachers had discouraged, because he was Mexican, and prepared himself for his life long task. However, before he completed his college education, in the 1930's, before launching his crusade, he had to overcome a life threatening illness, tuberculosis, which was a widespread disease at the time. Several of his friends and relatives had already succumbed to T.B. and his medical providers had given him a grim prognosis, a slim chance of survival. He was advised that T.B. was the disease predominantly afflicting Mexicans. He reached deep into his spiritual arsenal bestowed upon him by his mother and sought the guidance of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the brown skin virgin Mary that had appeared to a Mexican Indian in the 1500's and who had become the symbol of respect and appreciation for their ethnicity - a pride of being Mexican. He prayed to the Blessed Mother and his prayers were answered. Within two years of convalescence, following lung surgery, Dionicio conquered the disease, to which he and his mother attributed as a miracle of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

An event which provoked a young Dionicio into action took place in Moorpark at the local theatre. He was forcibly evicted, by a former class mate, no less, who was the attending usher, for daring to sit in the Anglo section. This public humiliation, reminiscent of his degradation at the Ocean Park ballroom, finally forced him into an activist strategy. Enlisting the participation of a sage man in the community, together they sought the protection of the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles. Together they ascertained that discrimination on the basis of race or national origin was prohibited in California and each offense was punishable by a substantial fine. Armed with this knowledge and institutional support they organized a protest and before it became necessary to manifest their complaint, the theatre management, advised of the movement, capitulated. From that moment on there was no discrimination in seating arrangements. Dionicio experienced the taste of victory for the first time. And the lesson learned: Strategic alliances, legal research, plan of action and collective leverage.

Armed with a post graduate education, Dionicio engaged in several causes designed to protect his fellow Mexican Americans. Among these was the protection of immigrant contract workers from Mexico, known as Braceros, who were grossly abused and existed in deplorable conditions, in violation of the bracero program rules and regulations. As an enforcement officer working for the government's compliance unit, Dionicio would infiltrate bracero camps and communities and report violations. He accepted a post in San Antonio, Texas, effectively as a barrio ombudsman. Nothing had prepared him for the extreme degradation of human dignity, rampant prejudice and discrimination, and reckless disregard for the basic safety and well being of the Mexican American residents. The barrios may as well have been located in the impoverished areas of India, he concluded. "And, if you think San Antonio is bad, you should go to the rural areas. There they have been victims of undesirable and subhuman treatment," a close confidant advised him. Dionicio learned to organize the neighborhoods, like action cells, in order to counter the violation of human rights. The Catholic Church became a strategic ally. This was a long range program which eventually succeeded.

Upon his return to California Dionicio honed his skills in protecting the rights of workers. He was employed as an organizer and recruiter of Mexican workers by labor unions. These organization skills and collective bargaining strategies set the stage for his lifetime legacy: The organization in 1963 of a non-profit community based service organization - The Mexican American Opportunity Foundation ("MAOF").

In its early years MAOF survived through the efforts and subsistence of Dionicio and his wife, Maria. Ever the partner and inspiration at his side, always sharing his ideals and altruism, were it not for her, MAOF would have remained nothing more than a dream ... far from a reality. Dionicio sought the help of other community service organizations, such as the Urban League and the Jewish Federation conglomerate of human service agencies. Several close friends and community leaders joined Dionicio in the early days of survival. And finally, through perseverance and sacrifice, the big brake came through, in the person of Vice President Lyndon Johnson, the author of the Great Society.

As a direct result of the White House meeting with Lyndon Johnson, MAOF was funded by the government to pursue equal opportunity employment opportunities. As significant, at Dionicio's invitation, the Vice President attended a conference in Los Angeles, wherein he addressed over one thousand of the Mexican American leaders and opened the door to the recognition of affirmative action programs to elevate the opportunities for the Mexican American community to climb up the corporate ladder. Corporate America took notice and found in Americans of Mexican heritage equal partners in the quest for economic growth and global competitiveness.

Thereafter, MAOF became the vanguard in social programs to improve the quality of education of its young, the civic education of its community, the participation of its senior citizenry, in the continued contribution to its welfare, in the reformation of its imprisoned population, in the enhancement of women's rights and, in general, in the active participation and contribution of Americans of Mexican heritage in the general welfare of their country, the United States of America. Last, but not least, Dionicio became the ambassador of goodwill, de facto, between the two of the great nations of the North American Hemisphere - Mexico and the Unites States.

In recognition of his many achievements, Don Dionicio has been accorded numerous well deserved accolades: The County of Los Angeles renamed Belvedere Park in East Los Angeles after him; he was accorded honorary citizen status by the two Mexican states that host the Tarascan cultural heritage, Guanajuato and Michoacan; he was awarded the Life Achievement award by Hispanic Business, 
                      Photo source: County of Los Angles Public Library

the leading media in the Hispanic business community; and, in addition to the previous, he has received 121 tributes, including three Life-Time Achievement Awards from the University of California at Santa Barbara (his alma mater) and his own MAOF Board of Directors - all in the year 2006. He is a legend in his own time. But, the accolades never get to his head. His wife, Maria, always makes sure of that by reminding him that his duty is to take out the trash weekly on pick up day.

Today, MAOF is the largest American Hispanic community service organization with a budget of $60 +/- million. The preschool program is nationally recognized by preparing bicultural children with self esteem and a pride of their heritage in the awareness of their privileged status as Americans. MAOF educates its preschool children to enter the school system as English language participants with a significant advantage over their predecessors to graduate from high school and enter post graduate education institutions of learning. In Southern California, where Mexican Americans comprise over 50% of the population, his contribution is the hallmark of America's future well being.

And yet, his biggest reward, is the offspring and successors who carry his baton forward. His daughter, Margarita, an educator, is an eloquent and philosophical messenger of his legacy. His son, Tim, is a community activist. His other daughter, Magdalena, is the safe keeper and oversight of his legacy. Her twin brother, the light of his life, Dionicio, Jr., was born with Down's syndrome and lives at home. His wife, Maria, continues as his inspiration and lifetime partner in the quest for a better society. His extended family, includes Martin Castro, his protégé, who is the competent administrator who, after Dionicio's retirement, took over the reigns as the President of MAOF, supported by a loyal cadre of board members who unselfishly dedicate their time and resources to the well being of the organization.

His legend is the pursuit for man's quest for dignity. When I good naturedly asked him how he was able to 'play' conservatives and liberals, Democrats and Republicans, Mexican and American politicians: "Don Dionicio, how do you mange to influence so many diverse interests and mold them into your agenda?" He replied, "My dear friend, I have only one political party - The Brotherhood of Man - and one agenda - Equality and Justice for all." In essence he has been able to fuse two cultures best immortalized by two of their greatest statesmen: America's Abraham Lincoln "With malice toward none - with liberty and justice for all" and Mexico's Benito Juarez "Respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz - "Peace lies in the respect for your neighbor's rights."

The Founding of El Pueblo de Los Angeles -4 September 1781

Lorraine Frain lorrilocks@earthlink.net January 27, 2007 
Below are stories about the pueblos where my ancestors lived.

The Founding of El Pueblo de Los Angeles

On a beautiful sunny day, Sept 4, 1781, the 44 pobladores (settlers) from 11 families, and two Padres set out from Mission San Gabriel and accompanied by an escort of soldiers, walked nine miles down the river to found El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles del Rio Porciuncula. Some of the pobladores walked, others rode on horses or mules through
cactus and sage brush
    
   Photo source: County of Los Angles Public Library

over the dusty trail of El Camino Real. Later in the afternoon they came to a clearing in the brush and decided that this would be where the first plaza was to be laid out. A religious ritual was held there that afternoon. The Padres and the settlers walked around the plaza with the flag of Spain and the flag of our Lady. After celebrating the Mass, the Padres blessed the Pueblo and the pobladores, and it was declared: "Here in the name of God and our Sovereign King, Don Carlos III, we will found the Pueblo of our Lady the Queen of Angeles". Thus, began the great City of Los Angeles, California.

La Iglesia de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles
Photo Creator: County of Los Angeles Public Library, Our Lady Queen of Los Angeles Catholic Church (aka 'Old Plaza Church'), 2000. The Church was built in 1818. 

Earlier in the Year of 1836, Soledad Vasquez y Briones was born. Her parents are Benedicta Briones and Pablo Vasquez, and grandparents are Jose Antonio Briones and Demetria Ramirez, all residents of El Pueblo de Los Angeles. Soledad was baptized in Los Angeles when she was only a few days old. The entry in the Los Angeles Plaza Book of Baptisms begins: "Las Partidas de la gente de razon que se asientan en el primer libro de Bautismos: En la Eglesia de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles, Maria Santissima de Porciuncula, comenzados el dia 4 del mes de marzo del Ano 1826." The baptismal entry for the Year 1836 reads: "April 23 - Maria Marcelina Soledad Vasquez, 4 days old, of Pablo Vasquez, natural de Jalisco, y Maria Benedicta Briones, de Los Angeles, Antonio Palacios, natural de estado de Valladolid casado con Maria Paula Lara, y Maria Antonia de las Nieves Moreno casada con Francisco Lisalde as pads. Cabot." On February 12, 1838, and still living in Los Angeles, Benedicta Briones and Pablo Vasquez become the parents of another daughter, Maria Dolores Vasquez, who was baptized at the Plaza Church, with Jose Sepulveda y Cesaria Urives as padrinos.


As time goes on, Benedicta Briones and Pablo Vasquez and their children return to live in Santa Barbara. Soledad Vasquez married Mariano Garcia at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Santa Barbara in the Year 1852. Soledad Vasquez and Mariano Garcia were blessed with a large family. Their fourth child, a daughter named Tomasa Garcia, is my great grandmother. 


     Over the years, members of the Briones and Vasquez families leave Los Angeles and returned to live in the City of Santa Barbara. Jose Antonio Briones was in the City of San Francisco when he died on July 20, 1847 and was buried at Mission Dolores.

Mosaic Los Angeles March 2007 Presented by the Los Angeles Conservancy and the J. Paul Getty Museum
What do ancient Tunisian mosaics have to do with Watts Towers? Find out at a series of exciting events presented by the Los Angeles Conservancy and the J. Paul Getty Museum to celebrate L.A.'s mosaic legacy. Inspired by the current exhibition at the Getty Villa in Malibu, "Stories in Stone: Conserving Mosaics of Roman Africa; Masterpieces from the National Museums of Tunisia," these events will illustrate how this ancient art form, integrally linked with architecture, has evolved over time and adapted our our modern metropolis. Order soon, tickets sell out fast! If you have questions about Mosaic Los Angeles, please contact the Los Angeles Conservancy at 213.623.2489 or info@laconservancy.org. www.laconservancy.org www.getty.edu

Mosaic Conservation Lecture
Thursday, March 8,  8 p.m. Getty Villa, Malibu
Expert panel discussion on mosaic conservation. Free; ticket required; limited availability.

Conservancy Day at the Getty Villa
Wednesday, March 21  10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. - Gallery Course
From Tunisia to L.A.: Mosaics through History, Explore traditions of mosaic-making with art historians, curators, and artists as they discuss mosaic imagery and techniques. Course fee $20. Open to 40 participants. Call (310) 440-7300 to sign up.

12:30 - 2:30 pm - Open House
Spend lunchtime at the Getty Villa in Malibu and see the remarkable exhibition, "Stories in Stone: Conserving Mosaics of Roman Africa; Masterpieces from the National Museums of Tunisia." Free; advance timed ticket required; limited availability. (Sign up online with other Mosaic Los Angeles events; see "Info and Tickets" above and below)  For more information about the Getty, visit www.getty.edu.

• The Towers of Simon Rodia (Watts Towers), an L.A. icon and folk mosaic built by one man over thirty years using everyday objects
• St. John's Episcopal Church, site of a Byzantine-inspired ecclesiastical mosaic designed by the artisans of historic Judson Studios
• Murals in downtown L.A. by Joseph Young, including a 36-foot panel depicting L.A.'s architectural history
• One of the extraordinary mosaic facades by Millard Sheets on a former Home Savings and Loan building (now Washington Mutual)
• The Birth of Liberty mosaic at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, the largest historical mosaic in the United States (162' x 28')

CALIFORNIA

MY CALIFORNIO FAMILY
By 
Lorraine Frain 

El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe -

Founded November 29, 1777 - Landmark No. 433

The first pueblo in Alta California, El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe, was founded on November 29, 1777, by 14 families. The Santa Clara Valley was heavily populated by the Ohlone Native Americans when the colonists first arrived there. The pueblo was developed as a farming community which would provide food and livestock for the Presidios of San Francisco and Monterey. The colonists were paid ten dollars a month to do their jobs, plus they received rations, livestock, tools, and seeds for planting. El Pueblo de San Jose prospered and flourished in the years to come and became a mega metropolis city due to the efforts of these ambitious and creative colonists. Never have so many of us benefitted so much from so little as we have from the hard work of a small number of people, namely, the incomparable Founders of El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe.

The new pueblo, El Pueblo de San Jose, was located within a few miles of Mission Santa Clara de Asis, which had been founded several months earlier on January 18, 1777. The padres at Mission Santa Clara de Asis agreed to serve the spiritual needs of the settlers of El Pueblo de San Jose, in addition to administering to their Ohlone Christian converts.

The Founding Families of El Pueblo de San Jose

The colonists who were selected to go to found El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe were originally from Nueva Espana (Mexico). The majority of these colonists came to Alta California with the Juan Bautista de Anza Expedition of 1775-1776 to found the Presidio and the Mission at San Francisco. However, about a year-and-a-half later, nine soldiers and their families were selected from the San Francisco and Monterey Presidios to accompany Lt. Jose Joaquin Moraga to escort the colonists to found El Pueblo de San Jose which was located along the Guadalupe River, approximately fifty miles to the south of San Francisco.

The soldiers and their wives were: Valerio de Mesa, wife Maria Leonar Borboa and seven children; Manuel Ramirez de Arrellano, wife Maria Agueda Lopez de Haro and son; Xavier Beltran, wife Maria Gertrudes Lugo, and two adopted orphan girls and a servant; Joaquin de Castro, wife Maria Martina Botiller and five children; Jose Manuel Higuera, wife Maria Ignacia Antonia Limon Redondo, four children and an Indian boy; Zeferino Lugo, wife Gertrudes Pacheco; Gabriel Antonio Peralta, wife Francisca Xaviera Valenzuela, three children; Felipe Santiago Tapia, wife Juana Cardenas and eight children; and Jose Manuel Villela, a bachelor.

The five Pobladores were Manuel Amezquita, widower (Maria Rosalina Zamora) with a one-year old son, (married (2) Maria Barbara Graciana Hernandez); Joseph Ignacio Archuleta, wife Maria Ignacia Gertrudis Pacheco; Joseph Manuel Gonzales, wife Maria Micaela Ruiz Bojorquez, five children; Jose Antonio Romero, wife Maria Petra Aceves, and a baby; Jose Tiburcio Vasquez, wife Maria Antonia Bojorquez. The Herdsman was Jose Sinova, wife Maria Gertrudis Bojorquez.

The Tapia Family of El Pueblo de San Jose

Felipe Santiago Tapia and his second wife, Juana Cardenas, and his eight children from his first wife, Filomena Hernandez, are listed in the First Census of El Pueblo de San Jose, for the year 1777. They are: Phelipe Tapia, 42; Juana Cardenas, 30; Joseph Bartolome, 12; Juan Joseph, 11; Juan Cristobal, 10; Joseph Francisco, 8; Joseph Bictor, 3; Maria Rosa, 16; Maria Manuela, 9; Maria Ygnacia (Ysidora), 7. Also listed in this first census are the livestock and animals which the family owned. They had several horses, a mule, two oxen, cows, and calves, a burro, two ewes, two goats, and six head of swine. The family had moved from San Francisco to San Jose, bag and baggage, following the trail which is now named El Camino Real. They passed through some wild territory, such as what was to become La Pastoria de Las Borregas, now the Cities of Mountain View and Sunnyvale. Today, the El Camino Real, Highway 82, is dotted with the tall, elegant El Camino Real Bells. El Camino Real Bells have also been placed along Highway 101.

Felipe Santiago Tapia, wife Juana Maria Cardenas, and his eight children were now happy and living in San Jose. Within the next nine years, Felipe and Juana Cardenas became the parents of five children, all born in San Jose. Their children were Maria Anacleta Tapia; Jose de Los Santos Tapia; Maria Francisca Xaviera Tapia; Maria Theresa Tapia; and Jose Casiano (Ursino) Tapia. Felipe Santiago Tapia was now the proud father of 14 children in all. The Tapia family members were active parishioners at Mission Santa Clara and the children were baptized, confirmed, and married at that mission. Felipe Santiago Tapia’s daughter, Maria Antonia Tapia, had already left the family when she married Jose Antonio Buelna, soldado de cuera, at Mission San Carlos in Monterey on May 26, 1776. Felipe Santiago’s daughter, Maria Ysidora Tapia, at age 7, made her Confirmation, and was anointed by Father Junipero Serra at Mission Santa Clara on November 11, 1779. By age 14, Ysidora Tapia was eligible for marriage and she would soon relocate to Monterey where she would prepare herself to become the bride of Marcos Briones, a soldado de cuera.

Felipe Santiago Tapia’s name appears in the Presidio at San Francisco in the Lista de la Compania, dated 31 Agosto de 1782, even though by this point in time he had been dispatched to El Pueblo de San Jose and he was living there with his family.

Several years later, Felipe Santiago Tapia left San Jose and relocated to El Pueblo de Los Angeles. Felipe died at the age of 75 at Mission San Gabriel on January 24, 1811.

El Parque de Los Pobladores

In 1997, the City of San Jose dedicated a park in downtown San Jose, California, named "El Parque de Los Pobladores" in commemoration of the founding of the Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe in 1777. In the center of the small park stand several 14-foot tall columns, exquisitely colorful works of art, depicting a narrative about the original group of 68 people, consisting of 15 men and their wives and 38 children, who founded the Pueblo, "the importance of family to the success of the settlement, the beauty of our valley as it existed prior to the founding of the Pueblo and the industriousness of the Pobladores".

California’s State Capitol

California’s first Legislature assembled in San Jose in December of 1849. San Jose was the site of California’s first State Capitol and was the seat of government from 1849 to 1851. This site is Landmark No. 461.

Birthday Celebration of El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe

Years ago, the City of San Jose sponsored a fiesta at the Peralta House in San Jose to commemorate the founding and birthday of El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe, Alta California’s oldest city. The Mayor of the City and many dignitaries, as well as TV personalties, attended the event. There were Mariachi musicians playing really great music and the children, dressed in authentic Spanish and Mexican costumes, sang and danced. A great time was had by everyone. My daughter, Maria, and I attended this particular event during our noontime hour away from the office. Years later, much to my surprise, I discovered that my family history is deeply rooted in this magnificent city.

Original Settlers of the Pueblo of San Jose, By Rudecinda Lo Buglio, Source: AGI, Audiencia de Guadalajara, 275 (103-4-17) Chapman Guide #3792.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Presidio at Monterey, Alta California

The families of the military establishment often socialize together, so it was no different in the early days of California. The families from the Monterey Presidio and the Pueblo de San Jose supported each other and maintained a close, friendly relationship.

By the Year 1782, Marcos Briones, soldado de cuera, is still an eligible bachelor. He is listed on a military list for the Year 1782 of the company of the Presidio at Monterey. He served as a mission guard garrisoned at various locations, such as the Presidio at Monterey, Mission San Luis Obispo, Mission San Carlos Borromeo, and Mission San Antonio de Padua.

Marcos Briones and Maria Ysidora Tapia had been introduced to each other by their parents in 1776 in Monterey. Eight years later, Marcos asked Ysidora’s father, Felipe Santiago Tapia, for her hand in marriage. Maria Ysidora Tapia was one of the youngest members of the Anza Expedition of 1776. She was from Culiacan, Sinaloa, Villa Calisan. After her mother, Filomena Hernandez passed on, Ysidora was cared for by her older brothers and sisters until the time that she was married to Marcos Briones. Ysidora, now age 14, was still living at home in San Jose with her parents. Now that she was betrothed to Marcos Briones, she moved to Monterey. Marcos Briones took Ysidora Tapia as his bride on September 27, 1784, at Mission San Carlos.

The entry in the Matrimonios for Mission San Carlos, Monterey, reads: "Septembre 27, 1784, con la venia y beneplacito delos RR.PP, Ministros, de esta Misn, Y despues de haber obtenido licencia in scriptu del Sr. Governador Don Pedro Fages, Case Marcos Briones, 27, soldado de cuera, h.l. de Vicente Briones y de Maria Antonia de Padron, ya difunta, originarios de San Luis Potosi, with Maria Isidora Tapia, h.l. de Phelipe Santiago Tapia y Ma. Philomena Hernandez, ya difta. Originarios de Culiacan, su padre vecino del Pueblo de San Jose. Tts. Juan Franco Reyes, s.c. y Jose Anto. Buelna, s.c. Fr. Antonio Paterna."

Marcos Briones and his wife, Ysidora, and their children are listed in the 1790 Padron (Census) of Monterey. Marcos is listed as age 29, from San Luis Potosi, married to Ysidora Tapia, age 19, with three sons, ages 5, 3, and 1. Marcos and Ysidora ultimately became the parents of thirteen children-–all baptized in the church. Their children are: Josef Antonio Ma. Briones (my family’s ancestor); Jose Briones; Ygnacio Vicente Briones; Felipe Santiago Briones; Maria Aguada (Agatha) Briones; Maria de la Luz Briones (twin); Juana Gertrudes Briones (twin); Diego Maria Briones; Maria Raymunda de la Soledad Briones; Gregorio Briones; Maria Guadalupe Briones; Juana Briones; and Maria Epiciaca Briones.

During the course of their marriage and as members of the military, Marcos and Ysidora and their children were sent on tours of duty to various missions and pueblos within the jurisdiction of their main Presidio at Monterey. While they were on assignment at Mission San Antonio de Padua, three of their sons, Jose Antonio Briones, Jose Vicente Briones, and Phelipe Santiago Briones were baptized there on July 19, 1790; Padrino was Gabriel Antonio Moraga.

Marcos Briones’ sister, Guadalupe Briones, had married Juan Maria Olivera, a Soldado de Cuera from the San Diego Presidio, on September 12, 1781 at Mission San Gabriel. This couple was blessed with many children and were godparents to numerous babies. For special occasions, Guadalupe and her family traveled north to Monterey to visit her father, Vicente Briones, and her brother, Marcos, and his family. Guadalupe Briones died May 19, 1848, and is buried at the Santa Barbara Mission.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

The Villa de Branciforte - Santa Cruz
by Lorraine Frain

The Mission at Santa Cruz in Alta California had been founded on August 28, 1791. A few years later, another pueblo, the Villa de Branciforte, was founded on July 24, 1797, by Governor Diego de Borica of California on orders of Viceroy the Marques de Branciforte. This was the third pueblo established by the Spanish, and was named to honor Miguel de la Grua Talamanca, the Marques de Branciforte, then Viceroy of Nueva Espana (Mexico). The Villa de Branciforte was located just across the San Lorenzo River from Mission Santa Cruz. The Villa was established to colonize and defend Alta California against England, France, and Russia, and was eventually populated by retired soldiers and nine families from Guadalajara, Nueva Espana. By the Year 1798, Marcos Briones was an invalido (retired soldier from the Presidio at Monterey), and his wife, Ysidora Tapia, and their children were vecinos (residents) of the Villa de Branciforte. Several of the Briones children were born there between 1800 and 1806, many years after the older children had been born at the Presidio at Monterey and possibly at Mission San Luis Obispo.

Marcos Briones was Branciforte comisionado in 1811-1812. Life at the Villa was exciting, but everyone had to work very hard to grow the crops and the food. The men were out in the fields and on the open range caring for the livestock and cattle. Quite often, the cattle were slaughtered, their hides tanned and meat cured. The women at the Villa were expected to do much of the work in the home and in the community. They cared for the children, maintained the house and yard, as well as the gardens, orchards, and sometimes the wheat and oat crops. Native American servants were kept to assist the Dona (the lady of the house). Ysidora Tapia de Briones empowered her children and encouraged them to be the best that they could be and to assume their responsibility in the family and in the community. Without a doubt, Ysidora Tapia de Briones was the Mother of the Briones Clan in Alta California. She was always there for her children and her husband, nurturing and caring for them. Several of her children became prominent citizens in Alta California. Ysidora Tapia de Briones died in Branciforte in the Year 1812. According to some recently discovered data, Marcos Briones most likely resided at El Polin Springs in San Francisco in 1813 with his daughters Luz, Juana, and Guadalupe Briones de Miramontes.

Marcos Briones, now a widower, frequently traveled up and down the Coast of Alta California, stopping at El Pueblo de San Jose, Mission San Juan Bautista, San Gabriel Mission, and El Pueblo de Los Angeles, where he was involved as a witness to baptisms and weddings. Marcos Briones died in 1841, and is buried at Mission San Carlos de Monterey, California.

In spite of the fact that the Villa de Branciforte was colonized to keep out foreigners from settling in the area, it was reported that in 1815, Jose Bolcoff, a Russian from Kamchatka, had left his whaling ship in Monterey Bay and had never returned to it. Don Jose Bolcoff settled in Branciforte and married Candida Castro and became a naturalized Mexican citizen. He was well liked by everyone who knew him and he was elected Alcade of Branciforte in 1833.

The Villa de Branciforte was annexed to the City of Santa Cruz in 1905, and is known today as East Santa Cruz. At the present time, concerned citizens are proceeding with plans to secure and preserve the Villa as an historic site. Evidence exists that prove that the Spanish and Native Americans did indeed inhabit and co-exist in this location.

Several of Marcos Briones’ and Ysidora Tapia’s thirteen children became successful land owners and pillars of the community who played an important role in the colonization and development of Alta California. There was Jose Antonio Briones who married Demetria Ramirez y Quijada in Santa Barbara in 1817 and there began my mother’s maternal lineage; Juana Briones; Gregorio Briones; Felipe Santiago Briones; and Maria Guadalupe Briones.

Juana Briones, one of the younger daughters of Ysidora Tapia and Marcos Briones, was born at the Villa de Branciforte, Santa Cruz County, in about 1802. After her mother, Ysidora, died in 1812, Juana went to live with her sisters in San Francisco. Juana married Apolinario Miranda on May 14, 1820, at Mission Dolores in San Francisco. Juana and Apolinario lived in Yerba Buena, now San Francisco, and were the parents of eleven children; however, three of their little daughters died in the Year 1828. On October 5, 1997, the Women’s Heritage Museum, and the Bay Area Network of Latinas dedicated a plaque in honor of Juana Briones for her many contributions as a humanitarian, a healer, and as a business woman. The plaque is located at Washington Square Park, North Beach, San Francisco, and is California Registered Historical Landmark No. 1024. In the 1840s, with proceeds from her own money, Juana Briones purchased the Rancho La Purisima Concepcion in an area encompassing Los Altos Hills and Palo Alto in the Santa Clara Valley. Juana’s adobe home was built on that land in about 1844 and she and her children lived there until Juana became too aged to continue ranching. In those days, prior to statehood, who would have ever envisioned that these pastoral lands would one day become the beehive of the Silicon Valley that it has become. Today, 162 years later, part of Juana’s adobe home is still standing there, high on a knoll, bordered by Arastadero Road and Foothill Express Way, overlooking San Francisco Bay. This precious treasure of a house is in jeopardy of being demolished within the next couple of years due to lack of funds to buy the house from its current owners. A group of concerned citizens in the Santa Clara Valley are working with the community and the Office of Historic Preservation in Sacramento to keep the house as an historic site. No doubt, this old house could be converted into a park-like setting to house a museum and an educational center which would be a very popular tourist attraction, as it represents an era of early California, so rich in history and of life prior to the 21^st Century in the San Francisco Bay Area. Juana’s adobe house was designated State Registered Landmark #524 in 1954. That year, the Daughters of the American Colonists commemorated that honor by placing a plaque on the house. The City of Palo Alto placed the house on its historic inventory in 1986.

Gregorio Briones, vecino from Branciforte, the youngest son of Ysidora Tapia and Marcos Briones, married Ramona Garcia Romero on February 11, 1822, at Mission Dolores in San Francisco. Gregorio Briones became the grantee of 8,911.34 acres of land, named Rancho Las Baulenes in 1846. Gregorio’s son, Pablo Briones became a successful doctor and practiced in Bolinas in the East Bay. In 1977, Pablo’s daughter, Rose Briones was 94 years of age when she gave an interesting interview about her family who had lived in the Bolinas area in the early 1900s. Rose lived to the age of 100 years (1883-1983). Many of this family’s documents have been preserved and can be seen at the Bolinas Museum.

Felipe Santiago Briones was baptized in 1790 at Mission San Antonio de Padua, and in 1810 he married young Maria Manuela Valencia at the Mission in Santa Clara. The Briones Regional Park came about as the result of Felipe Briones’ land grant. Felipe had been a soldier at the Presidio in San Francisco and in 1829, he and his family settled on the Contra Costa County lands. There he built a home for his wife, Dona Maria Manuela Valencia and their many children. Felipe applied for a land grant from the Mexican government. In the Year 1839, Felipe joined a posse that chased and overtook some local inhabitants who were accused of stealing horses somewhere in the neighborhood of Clayton. There was a fierce battle and Felipe was hit by an arrow and was fatally wounded. Don Felipe’s widow, Dona Maria Manuela Valencia de Briones, pursued the matter of the land grant. In 1842, she won title to 13,353 acres of land, named Rancho Boca de la Canada del Pinole, popularly known as Rancho San Felipe.

Maria Guadalupe Briones married Juan Jose Candelario Miramontes in about 1808. Juan Jose Candelario Miramontes was born about 1789 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Nueva Espana (Mexico)and was the son of Jose Antonio Miramontes and Victoria de Luna. Maria Guadalupe Briones was born about 1793 at Monterey, Alta California. Candelario Miramontes and Guadalupe made their home in San Francisco and were the parents of eighteen children. Candelario and Guadalupe and their children left San Francisco in the mid-1840s and relocated to Half Moon Bay where they became successful land owners. Maria Guadalupe Briones de Miramontes died about 1901 at the age of 108 years at Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County, California. As a result of my membership in the Los Californianos Organization, over the years I have had the distinct honor and pleasure of meeting some of the descendants of this fine Miramontes family–they are truly beautiful people.

LOS CALIFORNIANOS HERITAGE CALENDAR

Please send info on upcoming events to: Mike Ford, 2123 Brutus St, Salinas, CA 93906 or phone (831) 262-7393 or Email mjfjr@netzero.net 

Through MARCH:
Exhibition of paintings, "Manuel Valencia: California's Native Son" 
Hearst Gallery, St Mary's College, 1928 St Mary's Rd, Moraga
He was a direct descendant of Anza Expedition members Jose Manuel Valencia & Maria de la Luz Munoz. More info? (925) 631-4379
(Next stop, San Jose. McKay Gallery, Pasetta House, History Park.
www.historysanjose.org)

Through APRIL 22:
Exhibition of paintings & etchings, "Romance of the Bells", 
depicting the California Missions (courtesy The Irvine Museum), 
at Hudson Museum, Ukiah. www.gracehudsonmuseum.org 
To arrange group tour, (707) 467-2836 or gracehudson@pacific.net 

MARCH
4th Los Fundadores genealogy room and museum open
1:00 - 4:00 at Headen-Inman Historic House,
1509 Warburton Ave, Santa Clara www.losfundadores.org 

10th Golden Gate National Park programs:
Presidio of San Francisco
10 am - at Crissy Field Center (Mason & Halleck)
(415) 561-7752 www.crissyfield.org 
"History Comes Alive With Juana Briones"
a walk with Ranger Fatima Colindres
Fee: $8/family of 3 ($4 each additional); includes 
tortilla making. (Similar program in Spanish 3/4.)
1 pm - at Presidio Officer's Club (Moraga at Arguello)
(415) 561-4323 www.nps.gov/prsf 
"El Presidio de San Francisco" by Ranger Marcus Combs
Designed for children learning about California history.

25th Society for California Archaeology's Public Day
2 pm at Doubletree Hotel, San Jose
Hands-on activity booths, costumed interpreters, videos etc. to
educate the public about California's past and its people.
For all ages.
Liz Clevenger lclevenger@presidiotrust.gov 
or David Cohen dcohen@berkeley.edu 

28th Alliance of Monterey Area Preservationists
Annual Meeting, 7 pm, All Saints Church, Carmel
"Monterey Peninsula's Mysterious Past" by Gary Breschini

29th Hayward Area Historical Society, Downtown Museum
Panel discussion on Native/Spanish contact, 
featuring Margaret Styles, National Park Service.
Gina Diaz, Ed Dir, (510) 581-0223 or gina@haywardareahistory.org 

31st Mission San Buenaventura Founding Day
225th Anniversary - 10 am, Re-enactment of the founding, 
with Franciscans, Spanish soldiers and Chumash villagers.
Procession begins at the mission common and ends at the church.

31st Dedication of Duarte statue, 1 pm in Duarte,
600 Huntington Dr (across from City Hall). 12 ft tall bronze:
Andres Duarte (1805-1863) Spanish soldier & ranchero.
His land grant encompassed what is now Duarte, Bradbury,
Monrovia, Arcadia, Azusa, Baldwin Park and Irwindale.
Glendora sculptor Richard Myer depicted Duarte astride a horse; it was cast in China. Viva, Andres! (626) 578-6300 x4475 or emanual.parker@sgvn.com

SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES

Mujeres Valientes

A Musical Journey in History

Saturday, March 10th 8 pm
Sunday, March 11th 2 pm

National Hispanic 
Cultural Center

ABQ Journal theater

Leila Flores-Dueñas, Ph. D.
University of New Mexico
College of Education
Associate Professor
Hokona Hall 211
Albuquerque, NM 87131
(505) 254-8317
lflores@unm.edu

Albuquerque named the National Register-listed El Vado a city landmark last year. (Frederick F. Porter, AIA)

After years of debate, a Route 66 motel in Albuquerque can't be torn down for townhouses, the city ruled last month.

The city's landmarks and urban conservation commission voted 4-2 to deny a certificate of appropriateness for demolition to the owner of the El Vado Motel, built in 1937. Owner Richard Gonzales wants to build townhouses on the site and told the Albuquerque Journal he will appeal the commission's Jan. 10 decision.

The El Vado Motel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 and was named a city landmark last year, at the request of Mayor Marty Chavez.

"I want the building preserved," Chavez says. "It's a really prominent architectural feature for Albuquerque."

Gonzales listed the El Vado for sale last year for $3.4 million and later lowered the asking price to $2.4 million. According to a city-commissioned appraisal, the property is worth $574,000.

Under city law, a demolition rejection invokes a one-year demolition delay. In a year, the city council will rule on the El Vado Motel's future. According to the city's ordinance, the council can approve demolition only if the owner will suffer economically.

Some of the El Vado's neighbors have been torn down: The 1959 Western Skies Motel fell in 1988, and condos replaced the 1958 Zia Motor Lodge five years ago. City council also approved the demolition of several other Route 66 motels, including the Horn Oil Company gas station and motel, which a developer replaced with townhouses.

"We've been preserving some, tearing some down," Chavez says of the city's Route 66 motels.

Chavez says city officials have been brainstorming about a new use for the Pueblo-style motel. "One of the ideas we're throwing around is a neon museum," he says. The museum could display some of Route 66's salvaged neon signs, Chavez says. "It would be almost like a drive-through museum."

Last month the National Trust urged the landmarks commission to deny Gonzales' request, pointing out that he could use tax credits to rehabilitate the El Vado. "To allow demolition of this historic resource would not only destroy a local landmark and remove a contributing building in a National Register district," wrote Daniel Carey, director of the Trust's Southwest Office, in a letter dated Dec. 20, 2006, "it would lessen the integrity of the tout ensemble of the entire length of Route 66."

African-American

In celebration of African-American Month, Dorinda Moreno shared these wedding family photos. Below Dorinda stands with daughter-in-law, Yanina  Ibarguen Gladden, and son Andre Moreno Gladden   

Projects to help people locate their African homelands:
Compiled by Aaron L. Day   ADAYDEC@aol.com
Information distributed at 5th Annual African American Family History Conference, 2/24/07

The African American DNA Project-The University of Mississippi Lowell
http://www.uml.edu/dept/biology/rootsproject

African Ancestry DNA Project
http://www.africanancestry.com

Relative Genetics, Y-Line-Surname Project
http://www.relativegenetics.com

Family Tree DNA Project
http://www.familytreedna.com

DNA Consultants Project
http://dnaconsultants.com

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson 
about a battle that goes on inside people.  He said, 
"My son, The battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all.

One is Evil.  
It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, 
resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

The other is Good.   
It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence,
empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute
and then asked his grandfather,

"Which wolf wins?"  

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Sent by Gerald Frost  Telger6@aol.com

Protein Linked To Elevated BMI In People Of American Indian And Mexican Ancestry Discovered By U Of M

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/
medicalnews.php?newsid=63627
University of Minnesota researchers have discovered a variant of a common blood protein, apolipoprotein C1, in people of American Indian and Mexican ancestry that is linked to elevated body mass index (BMI), obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

The finding were published in the International Journal of Obesity.

Lead investigator Gary Nelsestuen, a professor in the College of Biological Sciences' department of biochemistry, said the abnormal protein may promote metabolic efficiency and storage of body fat when food is abundant. This could have provided a survival advantage to American Indians in the past when food was scarce. The discovery can be used to identify those who are at risk for diabetes and to guide diet and lifestyle choices to prevent diabetes.

Apolipoprotein C1 is a component of high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL). HDL cholesterol is often referred to as good cholesterol, while LDL is called bad cholesterol. The common form of C1 tends to be found in the high-density protein complexes (HDL) that ferry cholesterol to storage depots in the body and are linked to lower cardiovascular disease risk. But the variant form of C1 tends to become part of low density protein complexes (LDL), which transport cholesterol to arterial walls and are associated with higher cardiovascular disease risk. Thus, having the variant could tip the balance of cholesterol carriers and lead toward depletion of HDL-also a risk factor for heart disease. The variant differs from the normal protein by a single change in one of its 57 amino acids.

Among 1500 subjects from widely divergent genetic backgrounds, the variant was found in 35 of 228 persons with American Indian ancestry and in 10 of 84 persons with Mexican ancestry. The average body mass index (BMI) of persons with the variant protein was 9 percent higher and the diabetes rate 50 percent higher among study subjects and their parents. Parents were included because type 2 diabetes often doesn't appear until later in life.

Nelsestuen's next steps will be to expand the study to the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in North Dakota and the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in South Dakota. "I hope that this discovery will ultimately lead to a Minnesota center for research on minority health issues that can deliver actual health benefits to these communities," Nelsestuen said.

Sent by Dorinda Moreno

SEPHARDIC

THE AMERICAN FOUNDING FATHERS AND THE JEWS
from the book above

Thomas Jefferson is deservedly a hero to American Jewry. He fervently championed equal political rights for Jews. In 1820, Jefferson wrote to the Charleston Jewish physician, Dr. Jacob De La Motto, "Religious freedom is the most effectual anodyne against religious dissension." Jefferson told De La Mono that he was delighted to see American Jews assuming full social rights and hoped "they will be seen taking their seats on the benches of science as preparatory to their doing the same at the board of government".

Jefferson's most notable achievement in establishing religious and civic toleration for American Jewry was his 1779 Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom in Virginia. Adopted in 1785, the Bill proclaimed: "No man sW/oe compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced- restrained, molested or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer, on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess ...their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise... affect their civil capacities."

Two years later, in 1787, the citizens of the United States adopted the Constitution. Article VI contains the following, Jefferson-inspired, phrase: "No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."

Thomas Jefferson was greatly admired by the Jews and his home, Monticello, which was in great disrepair at his death, was acquired by the Levy family. It was restored thanks to Jewish fundraising and ultimately donated to the American people. Together with Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson, Mr. and Mrs. Levy are also buried there.

The Franklin "Prophecy", a classic anti-Semitic canard that falsely claims that American statesman Benjamin Franklin made anti-Jewish statements during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, has found widening acceptance in the Muslim and Arab media, where it has been used to criticize Israel and Jews in news articles and statements. It has long been dismissed by American historians as the creation of on American Nazi sympathizer in the early 1930s. The fact that anti-Semitism was foreign to Franklin's behavior has been substantially documented by eminent historians and there is "positive evidence" that Franklin held Jews in high regard, citing the instance when the Hebrew Society of Philadelphia sought to raise money for a synagogue in Philadelphia. Franklin signed he petition of appeal for contributions to "citizens of every religious denomination"' and gave 5 pounds himself to the fund.

What life was like for the early Jews in Florida. Stories of real people who settled there as they struggled to adapt and make this new place their home. And a separate section comprised of 12 vignettes in the singular voice of Yankel, one of those early pioneers, who bears witness to the goings on that astound and enchant him in his new country.

TO ORDER: SPECIAL EDITION, FIRST PRINTING, $12.50 -- PLEASE EMAIL JULIENEBERK@AOL.COM OR CALL 212-876-2510   http://www.julieneberk.com/

Sent by Janete Vargas   magnaguagno@gmail.com 

TEXAS 

110th Annual George Washington Parade, February 17, 2007, Laredo, Texas
Texas Connection to the American Revolution

What impressed me was the youthfulness of the majority of the participants, dance studios, drill teams, bands, Boy Scouts, Schools, ROTC, and a variety of organizations.
The photo on the right is an Indian princess who participated in a Pocohantas annual event.  She is surrounded by girls from a school in Mexico.  Numerous Mexican bands participate annually.

Rosemarie La Penta waits on the float.
We were number 142 of 150 groups.

 
TCARA float below, you can't see me, I was in the back enjoying waving to everyone.

Historians tout Spanish in Revolution

Web Posted: 02/18/2007 10:23 PM CST
Published in the San Antonio Express-News: 02/19/2007
Laura E. Jesse ljesse@express-news.net

The 
José L. Castillo Photo Collection 
Donated to the University of North Texas

Amigos, quería aprovechar la oportunidad para invitarlos este viernes 2 de
marzo a una ceremonia en donde entregaré formalmente a la Universidad del
Norte de Texas (UNT) una colección de más de 2,800 fotografías de eventos
que se suscitaron entre julio del 2004 y julio del 2006.

Al parecer, la colección que será denominada The José L. Castillo
Collection, es la más grande jamás donada a una insttución pública o
académica en la historia del norte de Texas. Además, es la primera colección
donada en formato digital. Y, lo más gracioso de todo, es que seré la
primera persona en vida que done una colección de esa magnitud en esta parte
del estado.

Adjunto un comunicado de prensa de la Oficina de Comunicaciones de la UNT
(En formato WORD) y un link de un artículo que se publicó hoy en el Denton
Record Chronicle. OJO, en el artículo del Denton se afirma que yo soy el
único que va a esos eventos, y en realidad lo que dije fue que muchas veces
yo cubro eventos o escribo situaciones que nadie más hace. Por supuesto, me
pierdo muchos eventos que otros sí cubren. Una aclaración al respecto era
necesaria.

http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/localnews/stories/DRC_NACCS_-_
rights_0216.540c9d.html

Saludos,
José L. Castillo
Correspondent
2805 Bainbridge Trail
Mansfield, TX 76063
PH: 817.453.3078
jcastillo@efeamerica.com

Learn more about EFE  www.efe.com
http://www.efe.com/quesefe/principal.asp?opcion=1&idioma=INGLES

Viva Tejano Texas!  Eric Moreno  Publications, (210) 673-3584

You have been invited to view the FamilyTree web site:
 "Genealogy of Dionicio & Concepcion De La Garza". 

The link below will take you to the web site:
http://www.tribalpages.com/tribes/dionicio

If you have any questions or concerns please send an email 
to Pat Trevino  tipwebroots@yahoo.com

“The Tejano Battle of Medina, August 18, 1813"

Tejano Battle of Medina Memorial Service
April 14, 2007

The public is invited to attend the first ever “Tejano Battle of Medina Memorial Service,” the largest battle for freedom ever fought in the State of Texas . The ceremony will start 2pm Saturday, April 14, 2007. The Tejano Descendents of the “Battle of Medina,” will participate in the Poteet Strawberry Festival Parade, in Poteet Texas . The parade kicks off at 9AM, Saturday April 14 in Poteet, with the Memorial Service at 2pm.

Many Mexican-Americans have given their lives defending freedom and democracy. A thousand Tejanos were killed in one battle alone in defense of these causes. But this conflict was not on foreign soil. Not on the beaches at Normandy, not in Korea, Viet Nam or Desert Storm although Tejanos were there, but much closer to home in south Texas, less than twenty miles south of San Antonio. The “ Battle of Medina ”…the forgotten history of the Tejanos, these first sons and daughters of the State of Texas ….unknown and unrecognized for their ultimate sacrifice.

 This battle was between the evenly matched forces of The Republican Army of The North consisting of four hundred American volunteers, nine hundred to a thousand Tejanos and two to three hundred Lipan, Coushatta and Karankawa Indians and a Spanish army led by General Joaquin de Arredondo.

A little known fact is that the Tejano leader Colonel Miguel Menchaca, in the heat of the battle, had been ordered to withdraw his men, whereas it is said that Menchaca responded “Tejanos do not withdraw,” and plunged back into the foray. Out of the 1500 that set out to fight on that hot August day only 100 would escape, making it the bloodiest battle ever fought on Texas soil. Another three hundred twenty-seven Tejanos would be executed in San Antonio after the battle and  a hundred more would be executed as they fled towards Louisiana .

And now it is time to honor those who fought and died 194 years ago. Directions: Poteet is located on Hi 16 approximately 20 miles south of San Antonio.   

Dan Arellano Author/Historian 
www.tejanoroots.org  512-826-7569   
darellano@austin.rr.com

EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI

Sent by  Donna Lynch  DonnaLynch@comcast.net
and Wade Falcon falcanary@yahoo.com

Hace doscientos veintiocho años, a finales del siglo XVIII, salieron del Archipiélago Canario varios miles de isleños formando parte del Regimiento de Luisiana, acompañados de muchos familiares. Francisco González Corvo, nacido el año 1731 en San Juan de la Rambla (Tenerife), formó parte de este contingente.

 Hace doscientos veintiocho años, a finales del siglo XVIII, salieron del Archipiélago Canario varios miles de isleños formando parte del Regimiento de Luisiana, acompañados de muchos familiares. Francisco González Corvo, nacido el año 1731 en San Juan de la Rambla (Tenerife), formó parte de este contingente.

Irvan J. Pérez es descendiente del citado D. Francisco González Corvo y, hoy por hoy, el más genuino y reconocido representante de la comunidad de isleños descendientes de aquellos valientes canarios que entre 1777 y 1803 se trasladaron al sur de Luisiana, con la finalidad de defender la entonces posesión española, que había sido cedida por Francia en el año 1763.

Irvan nació el 19 de diciembre de 1922 en la llamada Isla de Delacroix, situada a orillas del río Mississippi y perteneciente a la Parroquia de San Bernardo, próxima a la ciudad de Nueva Orleans. Es hijo del fallecido Serafín Pérez, del que aprendió el castellano que se hablaba en las Islas Canarias en el siglo XVIII. Desde muy joven vivió con su padre los arriesgados oficios de pescador y cazador (trampero), que le proporcionaron el poder mantener a su familia en años posteriores. También pudo conocer de su mano y de otros ancianos de la Isla, la artesanía de la madera y los múltiples aspectos de la cultura isleña que ellos aún mantenían viva, particularmente, el tradicional canto de las llamadas décimas, sucesión de cuartetas muy peculiares de los isleños de San Bernardo, que narran con gracia, ironía, dramatismo y en algunos casos exageración, hechos históricos y de la vida de este lugar, así como los referidos a sus personajes más significativos.


Irvan nació el 19 de diciembre de 1922 en la llamada Isla de Delacroix, situada a orillas del río Mississippi y perteneciente a la Parroquia de San Bernardo, próxima a la ciudad de Nueva Orleans. Es hijo del fallecido Serafín Pérez, del que aprendió el castellano que se hablaba en las Islas Canarias en el siglo XVIII. Desde muy joven vivió con su padre los arriesgados oficios de pescador y cazador (trampero), que le proporcionaron el poder mantener a su familia en años posteriores. También pudo conocer de su mano y de otros ancianos de la Isla, la artesanía de la madera y los múltiples aspectos de la cultura isleña que ellos aún mantenían viva, particularmente, el tradicional canto de las llamadas décimas, sucesión de cuartetas muy peculiares de los isleños de San Bernardo, que narran con gracia, ironía, dramatismo y en algunos casos exageración, hechos históricos y de la vida de este lugar, así como los referidos a sus personajes más significativos.

En 1976 se constituyó la primera asociación de descendientes de los isleños de San Bernardo, que se denominó Spanish Heritage and Cultural Society, en la que Irvan J. Pérez colaboró, como directivo fundador, en todas aquellas tareas de tipo sociocultural emprendidas para la comunidad isleña. Este mismo año, como miembro de la asociación e invitado por el Gobierno de Canarias, Irvan visitó por primera vez las Islas. Concretamente viaja en esta ocasión a Gran Canaria acompañado por Donald Díaz y Luisa Molero -cantadores de décimas-, Frank Fernández -maestro de escuela de la parroquia y nombrado en 1967 Historiador Emérito de San Bernardo por su labor investigadora-, Manuel Afonso y J. Rodríguez.

En 1978, junto a su esposa Louise y otros familiares, volvió a las Islas, acercándose en esta ocasión a Lanzarote, para continuar la búsqueda de sus antepasados, así como la de sus raíces culturales.

EAST COAST

MEXICO

This is a 405 page filled with the lives and family information on writers, poets, artists, political figures, educator, Zacatecan leaders in all fields.  Written by Jose Leon Robles de la Torre. We will be sharing information throughout the year.  If you are doing research in Zacatecas, please let me know and I can pull out information from the book and publish in Somos Primos for everyone to enjoy.

Personajes de la historia / JEREZANOS EN TORREÓN

Por: José León Robles De La Torre

 

Sent by Mercy Bautista-Olvera
scarlett_mbo@yahoo.com

QUINTA GAMEROS
por 
Guillermo Padilla Origel

La Quinta Gameros es unos de los edificios mas bellos de la ciudad de Chihuahua, esta obra fue proyectada y construida por el arquitecto Don Julio Corredor Latorre, por encargo de Don Manuel Gameros, ingeniero militar y minero, quine participó como cadete en la batalla de Puebla del 5 de mayo de 1862.

El 18 de febrero de 1907 el Sr. Gustavo Zork, vende la propiedad al Ing. Manuel Gameros Ronquillo, por la cantidad de $4,000 pesos plata del cuño Mexicano.

La construcción se inició en octubre de 1907 y se terminó en noviembre de 1910, estilo art noveau, en ese tiempo la ciudad de Chihuahua contaba con 20,000 habitantes.

Pero luego vino la revolución Mexicana y Don Manuel fue nombrado senador de la república y en diciembre de 1913 el General Villa, ocupa la ciudad e interviene la quinta y en ella, tuvo su residencia oficial Don Venustiano Carranza en abril y mayo de 1914, por lo tanto la quinta Gameros, fue testigo de sucesos que tuvieron un profundo impacto entre los líderes revolucionarios.

Ya una vez concluida la revolución, la hermosa mansión fue habitada por el matrimonio Russek Gameros de 1921 hasta 1926.

El 9 de noviembre de 1926 fue vendida al gobierno del estado, la cual tuvo varios usos :

Sede el palacio de justicia y educación pública y la oficina central del registro civil, posteriormente fue destinada para : estación de radio, junta central de aguas y junta local de caminos. La señora Martha Russek Gameros, menciona en su obra "historia de la quinta Gameros" que funcionó como hospital de sangre.

En 1954 se instala la rectoría de la Universidad de Chihuahua y las escuelas de ingeniería civil, derecho y música.

El 9 de mayo de 1958, el gobernador Teófilo Borunda, celebró un contrato de comodato por 25 años como universidad de Chihuahua-Instituto nacional de antropología e historia e instalar el museo regional del estado de Chihuahua y exposición minera, inaugurado por el lic. Adolfo López Mateos.

El 19 de octubre de 1968, el lic. Oscar Flores Gobernador del Estado, otorgó la autonomía a la universidad de Chihuahua y la quinta pasó a formar parte del patrimonio de la universidad; en 1991 se cambia el nombre de museo regional Quinta Gameros por el actual de "Centro Cultural Universitario Quinta Gameros"

I.-Don Miguel Gameros, originario de España, se casa el 19 de marzo de 1728 en el sagrario de Chihuahua, con Doña María Teresa de Sepúlveda, y fue su hijo entre otros:

II.-Don Joseph Gameros Sepúlveda, se casa en primeras nupcias con Doña Rosalía Vascones, el 25 de septiembre de 1762 en el sagrario de Chih., sin sucesión, y en segundas nupcias con Doña Josefa de Villalba, el 21 de noviembre de 1775 en el sagrario de Chih., y fueron sus hijos entre otros:

III.-José Andrés Gameros Villalba, casado con María de la Luz Delgado, el 10 de marzo de 1791 en el sagrario de Chih. Y fue su hijo José de la Luz, bautizado el 28 de marzo de 1792 en el sagrario de Chih.

III.-José Antonio Gameros Villalba, bautizado en 1783

III.-José Francisco Gameros Villalba, bautizado el 2 de febrero de 1781 en el sagrario de Chih. Y casado por 1819 con Doña Josefa Carrasco, en Tapacines, Chih. , y fueron sus hijos entre otros:

a.-Jesús Maria Gameros Carrasco, bautizado el 13 de enero de 1820 con María del Rayo Parra, y a su vez fueron sus hijos: Carlota, baut. en 1840, José Francisco, baut. 1857, José Siberiano, baut. en 1858, José Francisco Mauricio, baut. en 1867, Maria de Jesús, baut. en 1852, María Fernanda, baut. en 1865 y Juana , baut. en 1847. y

b.-Francisco Gameros Carrasco, bautizado el 10 de noviembre de 1825 en Rosales, Chih., casado con Juliana Licón, y fueron sus hijos entre otros:

Néstor, baut. el 29 de febrero de 1860 en Rosales, Chih. Y

III.-Don José Félix Gameros Villalba, bautizado el 26 de noviembre de 1778, en el sagrario de Chih., y sse casa con doña María Francisca Hernández y fue su hijo:

IV.-Don José Rafael Gameros Hernández, bautizado el 3 de diciembre de 1808, en Rosales Chih., y casado con Doña Paz Ronquillo, y fueron sus hijos:

V.-Maria Juana Francisca, baut. en 1855 en Aldama, Chih.; María de la Luz, bautizada en 1838 en Aldama, Chih.; Maria Guadalupe, baut. el 17 de agosto de 1853, María Avelina, baut. el 16 de febrero de 1842, María Paula, baut. el 5 de marzo de 1843, María Nemesia, baut. el 3 de octubre de 1847, María Concepción, baut. el 10 de diciembre de 1840, todos de apellido Gameros y Ronquillo y

V.-Ing. Don Manuel Gameros y Ronquillo, nace por 1847 en Aldama, Chih., (inicia la quinta Gameros) , muere en 1920 en el Paso , Texas y se casa por 1892 con Doña Maria Elisa Muller Acosta, baut. el 11 de octubre de 1869 en el sagrario de Chih., h.l. de Don Enrique Muller y Doña Francisca Acosta y muerta en 1904, y fue su hija entre otros:

VI.-Doña Maria Elisa Gameros Muller, casada con un señor de apellido Russek y asu vez fue su hija:

VII.-Doña Martha Russek Gameros, autora del libro"Historia de la Quinta Gameros"

28 Jan 1696
Juan de Arena morisco soltero con María Magdalena india soltera. Padrinos Manuel de Salazar y Maríana de Salazar mulata libre y hermana y sirviente del párroco beneficiado. Testigo Alberto Gaspar, Don Joseph de Salazar y Francisco de ???.

29 Jan 1696
Joseph de Rentaría soltero con Juana de Dios ??? españoles y vecinos de la Hacienda de San Andrés Astillero de esta jurisdicción. Padrinos Luis de Rentaría y María de Rentaría ambos hermanos del desposado. Testigos Francisco Xavier y Francisco del ¿?? vecinos del pueblo.

15 Jan 1696
Juan de la Torre morisco con Catalina de Cabrera hija de Juan de Escobedo y de Melchora Cabrera mestizos. Padrinos Pablo de Casas y su mujer españoles. Testigos Nicolás Sánchez y Matías López todos de la Hacienda de San Andrés Astillero.

30 Jan 1696
Juan de Arellano mulato libre con Luisa de la Cruz, india. Padrinos Nicolás de Chávez y Juan de Santiago vecinos de la Hacienda de San Andrés Astillero. Testigos Juan de la Cruz y Nicolás Sánchez.

22 Feb 1696
Anonio de Ayara hijo de Gerónimo de Ayara y Isabel de Arteaga mulatos libres con Catalina de Avila, hija de Diego García y de María Magdalena naturales del pueblo de ¿?? Testigos Francisco de Soto y Francisco Xavier españoles vecinos de la jurisdicción.

28 Feb 1696
Francisco Madrigal, viudo de Theresa Sánchez mulato esclavo del Capitán Cristóbal de Zesati vecino de esta jurisdicción y a María de ??? india natural de la Villa de Xeres. Padrinos Francisco Lozano y Luisa de Rueda su madre. Testigos Francisco de Soto y Son Joseph de Salazar.

28 Feb 1696
Lorenzo de Resqueda hijo de Joseph de Resqueda y de María de Aguirre con Juana de Mesa soltera españoles todos de esta jurisdicción. Padrinos Nicolás Rodríguez y Magdalena Flores de Raygoza españoles vecinos de esta jurisdicción. Testigos Francisco de Soto y Don Joseph de Salazar, vecinos de este pueblo.

4 Mar 1696
Domingo de Ramos hijo de Martín Vásquez y de Ana ??? con Catalina Luna hija de Alejandro Miguel y Francisca Vela todo naturales de este pueblo de Tlaltenango.

7 Mar 1696
Francisco Carrillo de Ávila con Micaela García de la Cadena españoles. Padrinos Antonio de Serna??? y Nicolasa de Luna su tía. Testigos Francisco de Soto y Francisco Xavier todos vecinos de esta jurisdicción.

11 Mar 1696
Joseph Marques de los Olivos hijo de Juan Marques de los Olivos y de Josepha Bautista con hija de Nicolás Sánchez Castellanos y Thomasina de Aro, hija de Nicolás Sánchez Castellanos y de María Bañuelos todos españoles y vecinos de esta jurisdicción. Padrinos el Capitán Salvador de López y Melchora de Campos españoles. Testigos Fernando de Escobedo y Jacinto de Llamas vecinos de esta jurisdicción.

16 May 1696
Juan Francisco hijo de Pedro Simón y de Ana Cecilia con María de Luna hija de Diego de Luna y de María Yáñez naturales del pueblo de Cicacalco . Padrinos Francisco Gerónimo y Juana Catalina. Testigos Francisco de Soto y Andrés Muñoz.

16 May 1696
Bernabe de Aro soltero y Juana de Saucedo viuda de Gaspar Melchor ya difunto. Padrinos Thomas Robledo y María Francisca todos del pueblo de Tocatique. Testigos Francisco de Soto y Andrés de Muñoz españoles vecinos de este pueblo de Tlaltenango.

30 May 1696
Cristóbal de Zesati soltero con Agustina Ysabel hija de Francisco Martín y de Juana Petrona. Padrinos Matheo Juárez y María Lucia todos naturales de este pueblo de Tlaltenango. Testigos Francisco de Soto y Francisco Talamantes españoles vecinos de este pueblo.

3 Jun 1696
Juan de Ávila viudo de Francisca de Lerma ya difunta con Magdalena de la Cruz mulata libre viuda de Francisco Simón ya difunto. Padrinos Antonio de León y Antonia de Saldaña. Testigos Thomas Sánchez y Francisco de Soto españoles y vecinos de este pueblo de Tlaltenango.

11 Jul 1696
Francisco hijo de Diego Ramírez y de María Gerónima ya difunta con Fabiana Sebastiana hija de Miguel Melchor y a difunto y Juana Ysabel todos naturales del pueblo de Teocaltiche. Padrinos Nicolás Méndez y Antonia Juana su cuñada del pueblo de Teocaltiche. Testigos Francisco de Soto y Don Simón Gálvez de Olivera españoles y vecinos de este pueblo.

11 Jun 1696
Cristóbal de Escobedo viudo con Petrona González soltera ambos mulatos libres vecinos de la jurisdicción. Padrinos María Rodríguez y Catalina de Escalante indios mis sirvientes. Testigos Francisco de Soto y Don Joseph de Salazar españoles y vecinos de este pueblo de Tlaltenango.

25 Jun 1696
Francisco Ramírez soltero con María López hija de Francisco López y Ana María. Padrinos Juan ¿?? y Juana de Dios, sirvientes del Capitán Salvador López. Testigos Don Francisco Xavier y Francisco de Soto españoles vecinos de este pueblo.

11 Aug 1696
Felipe de Salazar español viudo de María Ynes india difunta con Juana Ponce española quien fue criada en la casa de Catalina Ponce española vecina de esta jurisdicción. Padrinos Juan de Talamantes y María de Talamantes españoles y vecinos de esta jurisdicción. Testigos Francisco Xavier y Francisco de Soto vecinos de este pueblo de Tlaltenango.

16 Aug 1696
Pedro Vela mulato libre y a Antonia Saldaña coyota. Padrinos Antonio Pérez y Andrea de Maya??? Testigos Francisco de Soto y Miguel de Luna todos vecinos de este pueblo de Tlaltenango.

12 Feb 1697
Juan Vela coyote soltero con Juana Bernarda viuda de Nicolás Flores así mismo coyota. Padrinos Bartolomé Vela y Catalina de la Cruz, coyotes vecinos del pueblo de Tlaltenango. Testigos Francisco Xavier y Francisco de Soto vecinos de este pueblo.

8 Feb 1697
Vele a Manuel de Herrera y a Catalina de Miramontes a quien case el dia diez de marzo del ano pasado. Padrinos Francisco Carrillo y Micaela García. Testigos Francisco Xavier Zesati y Francisco de Soto vecinos de esta jurisdicción.

6 May 1697
Juan de la Cruz y Juana María de la Cruz negro y mulata esclavos ambos del Capitán Don Felipe Otaduy y Abendaño Alcalde Mayor de esta jurisdicción. Testigos Son Manuel Hurtado de Mendoza y Don Juan Antonio de Mendoza españoles del pueblo de Tlaltenango. Padrinos Don Francisco Lozano y Luisa de Rueda su mujer coyotes de este pueblo.

10 Jul 1697
Pascual de Albertis hijo de Thomas Hernández y de Ana Catalina con Ana Agustina de la Rosa hija de Melchor y Catalina Marta. Padrinos Miguel Melchor y Catarina Agustina. Testigos Don Alonzo Cosio de este lugar y Don Cristóbal Zesati del Castelú todos vecinos de este pueblo de Tlaltenango.

16 Aug 1697
Nicolás Villegas soltero y Petrona de Villegas soltera ambos mestizos vecinos de este partido de Tlaltenango. Habiendo procedido las diligencias dispuestas por el Santo Concilio de Trento y en virtud de despacho de su Santísima Madre Iglesia para impedimento de consanguinidad en que se hayaban de segundo grado. Fueron padrinos Francisco Placido de Salazar y Mariana de Salazar su hermana mulatos libres mis sirvientes y fueron testigos a verlos casar Manuel López de Oliva y Francisco de Soto españoles y vecinos de este pueblo de Tlaltenango.

22 Oct 1697
Gaspar Duarte hijo legitimo de Tomas Núñez y de Nicolasa de Aguilar ya difunta y sirviente el la Hacienda del partido en el Monte Escobedo con Francisca Xaviera hija legitima de Nicolás Rodríguez difunto y Juana de la Cruz, vecinos de las Minillas. Fueron sus Padrinos Juan de Villalobos y Juana de la Cruz vecinos de este dicho pueblo y fueron testigos Alonso de Ferrera, Felipe del Rincón vecinos de este pueblo.

Source: Ernesto Uribe Euribe000@aol.com and Jose M. Pena JMPENA@aol.com 

Miguel Martines and his son-in-law presented José de Escandon this list of proposed settlers for the yet unnamed villa that became Revilla. They had traveled from Nuevo León to Reynosa where the Colonizer was visiting during one of his inspection tours. This list of fourteen families contains the names of the settlers as well as the number of livestock that they owned. As one can see, these people were a pastoral folk who, in turn, were descendents of earlier frontier people from what became known as the Interior Provinces. 

This list was extracted from Volume 180 of Provincias Internas from a copy obtained at the Bancroft Library.

Memoria de las familias que ban en mi compania ala poblacion de entre los dos Rios de el Norte, y el Salado = 

Primeramente 

Don Miguel Martines, su esposa Doña Clara de Treviño. Familia - Nicolas Martines de veinte y dos años, Bartholo Martines de veinte y un años, Xavier Martines con sus armas, Josepha Martines de nuebe años. Vienes - tres mil y ochosientas cabezas de lana, dos mil y quatrocientas de pelo; yeguas, quatro manadas con dos oficiales; veinte y cinco caballos; rezes, ciento y veinte. 

2. Don Joseph Miguel Martines, y su esposa Maria Gertrudis Peña, españoles. Familia -Joseph Cayetano de un año y siete meses, Francisco Xavier de ocho meses; todas armas. Vienes - una manada de veinte yeguas; dies caballos; tres mulas manzas; trecientas cabezas de ganado menor. 

3. Don Xavier Benavides, español, con todas armas, su esposa Doña Maria Nicolasa de Villarreal, una hija de dies y siete años Antonia de Benavides. sus Vienes - quinientas cabezas de ganado menor, una manada de veinte y dos yeguas; doze bacas; y dos yuntas de bueyes; seis caballos. 

4. Don Xavier Peña, español y su esposa Doña Maria Antonia Nagas, con todas armas. Familia -Joseph de Jesus de doce años, Joseph Antonio siete años, Maria Theresa nueve años, Maria Dominga de cinco años. Vienes - tresientas cabezas de ganado menor; una manada de veinte y cinco yeguas; doce caballos. 

5. Don Santiago Joseph Martines, su esposa Doña Maria Agustina de Treviño, españoles, todas armas, una niña de quatro meses. Vienes - quatrocientas cabezas de ganado menor; dos manadas de yeguas; dies caballos. 

6. Don Joseph Ygnacio Martines, su esposa Doña Anna Maria de Montemayor, españoles, con todas armas. y su Familia - Pedro Joseph Martines. Vienes - cinquenta cabezas de ganado menor, una manada de veinte y sinco yeguas y su caballo y un ofizial. 

7. Don Nicolas de Campos, su compañera, Doña Maria Luiza Martines, españoles, todas armas. Familia - Anna Francisca de dies años, Joseph Ramon de dose, Joseph Christoval de ocho años, Joseph Nicolas de siete años, Joseph Ygnacio de cinco años, Joseph Antonio de tres. quatrocientas cabezas de ganado menor; una manada de yeguas de dies y seis, y su caballo; quatro caballos. 

8. El Alferes Don Joseph Felix Martines, su esposa Doña Gregoria Bermudes, españoles, y Don Domingo Guerra su yerno, su esposa Doña Thomasa Martines. Familia una hija de seis meses, los dos con todas armas. Vienes - una manada de veinte y una yeguas con su caballo y su ofisial; y ocho caballos; y ganado menor, quatrocientas. 

9. El Alferes Don Joseph de la Garza, su esposa Doña Josepha de Sosa, españoles, con todas armas. Familia - Luis Antonio de la Garza de dies y ocho años, Anna Josepha de la Garza de quinse años, Maria de Jesus de la Garza de onse años, Pedro de la Garza de nueve años. Vienes - setezientas cabezas de ganado menor; y veinte bacas; y ocho caballos. 

10. Don Lorenzo Gutierres, su esposa Doña Maria Rosa de Treviño, españoles, con todas armas. Familia Maria Josepha Gutierres de quinse años, Antonia Margarita Gutierres de trese años, Francisco Antonio de onze años, Joseph Francisco de nueve años, Joseph de siete años, Juan Joseph de cinco años, Juana Margarita de tres años. Vienes - setesientas cabezas de ganado menor; treinta yeguas con su caballo; dies caballos. 

11. Don Thomas de Cuellar, su esposa Doña Maria Ynes Martines, españoles. Familia - Anna Maria de catorze años, Clara Maria de doze años, Joseph Thomas de dies años, Joseph Salvador de ocho años, Rosalia de seis años, Joseph Gregorio de quatro años, Esmeregilda de dos años. Vienes - doscientas cabezas de ganado menor; veinte y sinco yeguas con su caballo; quatro caballos y un macho. 

12. Don Bartholo de Cuellar, su esposa Doña Gregoria Martines, españoles, con todas armas. Familia - Joseph Francisco de quinze años, Jasinto de treze años, Maria Rita de onze años, Jose Antonio de nueve años, Juachin de siete años, Joseph Miguel de quatro años, Santiago de dos años. Vienes - quinientas cabezas de ganado menor, dos yeguas con su caballo; y quatro caballos. 

13. Don Joseph Gonzales, su esposa Doña Theodora Villarreal, españoles, con todas armas. Familia - Joseph Gonzales de dos años. Vienes - quinientas cabras de ganado menor y cinco caballos. 

14. Don Joseph Leonardo Treviño, su esposa Doña Maria Moreno, españoles. Familia - quatro hijas y dos hijos. Vienes - seisientas cabezas de ganado menor de pelo y lana; una manada de yeguas de veinte de fierro arriva, seis caballos.

Estas catorce familias son las que tengo liztadas, y se hallan promptas â pasar a poblar con sus familias y vienes, entre los Rios de el Norte, y el Salado, serca de donde se juntan, me confirieron poder y facultad verval para que por mi y en su nombre, me presentase ante el Señor Don Joseph de Escandon, y para que conste ser asi lo firmê en esta Villa de Reynosa, en quinze dias de el mes de Junio de mil setesientos y cinquenta años -- Thomas de Cuellar, Miguel Martines

A NEW RELEASE OF A DEFINITIVE WORK

Chantal Cramaussel, Poblar la frontera. La provincial de Santa Bárbara en Nueva Vizcaya durante los siglos XVI y XVII. Poblar la frontera, provides us with the most comprehensive study of this important region as of yet and it may never be surpassed. Chantal gives us a detailed history of the settling of this province, touching both the native population as well as the European settlers, the economic forces at work, the church, the families and the government. Her identification of the people in those groups and institutions and their role in the history of the area is invaluable for not only the academic scholars, but family history researchers. El Colegio de Michoacán, 2006, 280 pp. soft cover. $46.00

José Luis Mirafuentes Galván, Movimientos de resistencia y rebeliones indígenas en el norte de México 1680-1821. Guía documental II. This volume provides a chronology of the indigenous resistance movements in Northern Mexico between 1680 and 1821, with the objective of pointing out the social-political and cultural conflicts in each of the political entities in Northern New Spain. Mexico, UNAM, 1993, 158 pp., soft cover. $14.00

José Luis Mirafuentes Galván, Movimientos de resistencia y rebeliones indígenas en el norte de México 1680-1821. Guía documental III. This Guía documental continues the aim of the previous volumes, while attempting to diversify the registration of materials, in order to facilitate their location and knowledge. Mexico, UNAM, 2004, 326 pp., soft cover. $72.00

Woodrow Borah (coordinador), El gobierno provincial en la Nueva España 1570-1787. This work seeks to contribute to the study of the different forms assumed by the provincial government during the Colonial period. The works compiled in this volume are the result of a seminar conducted by Dr. Woodrow Borah from September 1981 to June 1982, when he held the Extraordinary Alfonso Caso Chair. 2^nd edition, Mexico, UNAM-IIH, 2002, 272 pp., soft cover. $27.00

Roberto Baca, Tiempos de Revoluciones de la expulsion de los jesuitas a la consumación de la Independencia. Catálogo de protocolos del Archivo Histórico Municipal de Parral, Período 1766-1821. This catalog is an index of the protocolos found in the Parral Archive in the years 1766-1821. It provides the reader with a detailed description of the document and the people involved. It is a tremendous aid to academic and family history researchers. Mexico, VSB. 2006, 200 pp., spiral binding. $24.50

CARIBBEAN/CUBA

SPAIN

This message has been sent by "Sociedad Estatal de Gestión de la Información Turística, S. A." (State Tourism Information Management Company) (SEGITUR) (calle José Lázaro Galdiano nº 4, 3º, 28036, Madrid) from newsletter@spain.info.

Calendar of upcoming Events, as well as mini-articles featuring special sites.  
Sent by Bill Carmena  JCarm1724@aol.com

CASA DE LIBRO
I found this great website for ordering books from Spain. There's even information there about ordering books offline. When I was in Spain some years ago I asked an employee at  that bookstore if I could order books through the mail. She didn't seem to know. Perhaps back then one couldn't, but you can now. Check out the website:  http://www.casadellibro.com/

Jaime Cader jmcader@yahoo.com

October 1 – 14, 2007 is the scheduled dates for a tour to the Basque Country of Spain. The tour will be led by Don Garate, Chief of Interpretation and Historian at Tumacacori National Historical Park in Tumacacori, Arizona. Author of several books on both Juan Bautista de Anza, Sr. and Jr., Don will be bringing his expertise to this tour. In addition, we will be having local guides to explain the areas to which we will be traveling. Cities to be visited include Barcelona, Pamplona, San Sebastian, Bilbao with a visit to the Guggenheim Museum, Santander, Burgos and Logrono. Our tour will include many of the small villages in the Basque Country where many of the Spanish Military men originated. If you can trace your family heritage to the Basque Country and wish to learn more about your ancestors and the area, come join us on the tour.

Terra Travel of Phoenix, Arizona is handling the arrangements. It will take 25 people to make the trip a go. A $500 deposit will hold your seat and we should know by May 21 if the tour will take place. A full refund will be made at that time if you have made a deposit and we are unable to secure the number of people needed. The tour price of $3,599 per person/double occupancy includes airfare from Phoenix*, 12 nights hotel accommodations, 12 breakfasts, 2 dinners, gratuities for tour director and 2 local guides. Add $608 for single accommodations. Be sure to consider travel insurance. You may contact Jill McCarthy at Terra Travel at 800-835-8646 for details and to make your deposit arrangements.

*Special arrangements can be made if you wish to depart from another city.
E-mail to get a package or call at 602-993-1162.  Linda Rushton touraz4fun@msn.com

NOTE: This is resurrected information with regards to  historians, genealogists and other authors. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion with all respect of research.

Don Diego Colón, native of Lisbon, the capital of the Kingdom of Portugal, during the time of King Joáo II of Portugal. He first had a relationship with Doña Isabel de Samba, native of Valladolid, Spain in 1507. Second relationship was to Constanca de Rozas. Other relationships where in Santo Domingo between 1509-1523.

The illegitimate son of Don Diego Colón, the 2^nd Admiral and Viceroy of the Indies and his mistress, Doña Isabel de Samba.

1. i. Don Cristóbal Colón de Samba, born in 1508, in Valldoild, Spain and living in 1523, according to the will, he was still alive.

---

The illegitimate son of Don Diego Colón, the 2^nd Admiral and Viceroy of the Indies and his mistress, Constanca de Rozas or de Rosa.

2. i. Don Francisco Colón y de Rozas, died as a infant in Seville, Spain.

The legitimate children of Diego Colón, the 2^nd Admiral and Viceroy of the Indies and Doña María de Toledo y de Rojas

3. i. Doña Felipa Colón de Toledo, born in 1510 and died in 1546, in Santo Domingo.

+2. ii. Doña María Colón de Toledo, born in 1511, Santo Domingo. She married to

Don Sancho Folch de Córdona y Ruíz de Lihori, Admiral of Aragón.

+3. iii. Doña Juana Colón de Toledo, born in 1512, Santo Domingo. She married to

Don Carlos Luís de la Cueva y de Toledo, Marqouis of Villamejor.

+4. iv. Doña Isabel Colón de Toledo, born in 1514, Santo Domingo. She married to

Dom Jorge de Braganza e de Mello, the primer Count of Gelves. She died in

September 26^th of 1551, in Seville, Spain.

+5. v. Don Luís Colón de Toledo, born in Feb, 22, 1522, Santo Domingo. He fathered a daughter named after his sister, Juana. His first marriage was to María de Orozco, a maiden to Don Pedro de Alvarado. His second marriage was to Doña María de Mosquera, the daughter to Don Juan de Mosquera and Doña Efrasina Pasamonte. This begot two daughters, María and Felipa. He next married while being married, to Doña Ana de Castro y de Osorio, begot a stillborn daughter.

He then was jailed being a polygamist in Oran, Africa. He married by secret to a 14 years old girl named, Luísa de Caravjal, the daughter to Francisco de Caravjal and Luísa de Guevara. Two children where born, Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal, recognized as an illegitimate son and Petrolina Colón de Toledo. Don Luís’s titles was passed to his second letimate daughter and his nephew/son in-law.

+6. vi. Don Cristóbal Colón de Toledo, born in 1523, Santo Domingo. He first married Doña María Leonor de Zuazo. She died and he become a widow. His second marriage was to Ana de Prava, the 2 children where: Doña Francisca and Don Diego Colón de Prava, heir to his uncle as Duke of Veragua. The 3^rd marriage was to Doña María Magdalena de Guzmán de Anna, this produced a daughter,

Doña María Colón de Toledo y de Guzmán. He died in 1579 off the coast of Peru, on route to see his daughter and son in-law.

+7. vii. Don Diego Colón de Toledo, born in 1524, Santo Domingo. Never seeing his father. He was raised in Spain. Brought up as the page to Prince Felipe of Spain later King Felipe II of Spain. Where in 1535 he was accepted by the push of his eldest brother as a Knight in the Order of Santiago. He married Doña Isabel Justinian. In his will of June, 3^rd of 1544, he declared in Seville, that his wife was pregnant. The daughter to Juan Bautista Justiniano native of the Republic of Genoa and Brdíga Sánchez y Maldonado, native of Seville.

He was brought back from Spain to Santo Domingo by his irate mother, due that his wife was not of noble birth. Where she sent him to Veragua (Panama), where he died of wounds by the Indian raids in Nobmre de Dios, Veragua. A nurse by the name of Catalina Enríquez took care of Diego, according to his mother’s will of September, 23^rd of 1548.

With in the same will, Doña María de Toledo y de Rojas, declared in the San Francisco Monetary they knew who was his heir.

According to the Archives of the Indies, the siblings of Isabel Justinian where Living in Santo Domingo and perhaps raised their nephew to adult hood.

The illegitimate son of Diego Colón, the 2^nd Admiral and Viceroy of the Indies and Señorita Rodríguez

1. Don Francisco Colón y Rodríguez, born out of wedlock in Santo Domingo, perished in Veragua with his half brother, Don Diego Colón de Toledo

The illegitimate son of Diego Colón, the 2^nd Admiral and Viceroy of the Indies and Señorita Oliveras.

1. Don Francisco Colón y Oliveras, born out of wedlock in Santo Domingo, was given 100,000 marvadas by his father’s widow, Doña María de Toledo y Rojas, where she declared that Don Francisco Colón, my son to the Admiral shall have this 100, 000 marvadillas of gold and if God shall call him that his wife, Doña Violante shall receive it.

Diego Colón de Toledo, native of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, Hispinola. The last child to Diego Colón, second admiral and viceroy of the Indies and María de Toledo, a member of the noble house of Alba and niece to Duke of Alba. Never seeing his father but, being raised by his mother and brought up in Spain in the courts of King Ferdinand of Aragón his daughter Queen Juana de Loca. Diego was appointed as a page to Prince Felipe II Von Hapsburg y Aragón [King Felipe II]. At age 9 he was knighted in the military order of Santiago in 1535.

He had a promising career and could of followed suit as his elder sisters did with their splendid marriages to the aristocratic nobles of Spain and Portugal, but he followed the path of his elder brother, Luís Colón de Toledo, third admiral of the Inides and the primer Duke of Veragua and primer marques of Jamaica. His elder brother, fathered a daughter named Juana Colón de Toledo at age 19 and four marriages over he was jailed for polygamy. Young Diego Colón de Toledo had a testimony declared in the 3^rd day of June of 1544, Seville, Spain. He declared that his legitimate wife, Doña Isabel Justiniano was pregnant. For which in the will he declared all of his positions would go to his unborn son or daughter. In 1538, Fernándo Colón, the illegitimate son of Christopher Columbus, and the uncle to Diego, testified that he know of Battista Justiniano, being the father of Isabel Justiniano. This was not welcomed by María de Toledo, where she took her son back to Santo Domingo. Where in 1546, Diego Colón de Toledo, Francisco Colón y Oliveras, a natural son to Diego Colón the and half brother Diego the younger, led by Capitan Cristóbal de Peña, a noble man landed in Veragua [Panama] in a landing point named Nombre de Dios [Name of God], where they were massacred by the local Indians. This was reported by Juan de Mosquera, the father in-law to Luís Colón de Toledo who was the Duke of the providence, learned his brothers’ fate.

Understanding the death of Diego Colón de Toledo, his mother María de Toledo, declared in her last will and testament in September 27, 1548, item number #121.

English
"In the San Francisco Monastery they knew who was his heir"

Español
"En el monsterio de San Francisco sobrán quién fue su heredro y dicho que por qual tiene dos mulas para mucho mas de los que valvin se casas ó se muierse, mando que las dichas mula se paguen lo que pudieren valer y no mas."

This heir/son to Diego Colón de Toledo and Isabel Justiniano was forgotten by his family and history. Quite ironic that historians in the past put the four natural sons of Diego Colón, to his son, Diego Colón de Toledo or at least his two natural sons of Diego the elder as sons too Diego the younger.

Isabel Justiniano, a native of Seville, Spain and the daughter to Battista or Bautista Justiniano and Bridga Sánchez Maldonado also a native of Seville. Other children of Bautista Justiniano and his wife lived in Santo Domingo are mentioned:

1. Tomás Justiniano y Sánchez, born in 1520 and native of Seville, Spain. Married to Doña Isabel de Osorio Ledesma in 1606. The daughter of don Jácome de Osorio and doña Inés de Ledsma. Maternal granddaughter of Capitan Cristóbal de Lesdsma, a conquistador with Rodrigo I de Bastídas, first Lord of the house of Bastídas and conquistador and governor of Santa Marta [Columbia]. Tomás and

Isabel had succession, Inés married to Baltazár Esteves de Figueroa, a military general , with suc., the other child is Jácome married to Isabel de la Gama in Cuba, and Luís Justiniano o de Osorio Ledsma without suscesscion.

2. Luís Justiniano y Sánchez, native of Seville and passed through Santo Domingo in 1570. His where about are unknown after 1570.
3. Francisca Justiniano y Sánchez, married to don Pedro de Bardecí, a adelantado and a family member of Aragonese noble house. Son of Lt. Governor don Lope de Bardecrí of the Admiral, Luís Colon de Toledo and his wife, doña Isabel de Nuñez de Agüero, a lady in the court of María de Toledo, the widow to Diego Colón, second admiral and viceroy of the Indies. Succession, don Pedro de Bardecí Justiniano, a regidor of Santo Domingo, married to Elivra Pacheco.

In Henry Harrisse’s book, Christope Colomb writes that Diego Colón y Toledo and his wife was known to go to the cathedral in Santo Domingo to hear the friars sing in course. Knowing this Diego Colón y Toledo’s wife Isabel Justiniano must of given birth to a son in Santo Domingo de Guzmán. This child was legitimate and was probably was at least 2 years of age when María de Toledo had this her grandson mentioned.

Diego Colón y Toledo is not the father to Cristóbal Colón y Samba or Francisco Colón y Rozas both natives of Spain and the natural sons to Diego Colón. This also includes both Francisco Colón y Rodríguez whom married Violante and the other Francisco Colón y Oliveras whom died in Veragua in 1546.

In Jérez de los Frontera, Spain the surname Colón was found in the early 16^th century. Knowing that Isabel Justiniano y Sánchez was in Seville while pregnant, perhaps Felipe Sánchez Colón is a possible son or grandson to Diego Colón de Toledo and Isabel Justiniano.

Felipe Sánchez Colón married to Leonor Sánchez Navarro parents of:

Pedro Colón y Salmerón, born and baptized in Chipinoa of the 19^th of February in 1576. He married María González de Medina: both are the parents of:

Alonso Colón y González de Medina Gatián, born and baptized in the year of 1627 in Chipinoa and where he died in 1691. Married to María Josefa Medina Corbalán, established in Jerez de la Frontera parents of: Pedro; Baltasár, Manuel, Luís Isadoro and Paula Colón González de Mendoza y Medina, where the eldest son is mentioned: