My Great, Great, Great Grandfather, Francisco Salvador Béjar, born in 1772 in Tepic, Mexico, came to Alta California in 1790.  He was sent under contract with the Catholic Church, as an artisan and a Soldado de Cuero. In 1798 he married Maria Josefa Benita López in Mission San Gabriel. The marriage resulted in five daughters and eight sons. He and his wife were the founders of the Béjar/Véjar family in Southern California.  I am proudly one of over 1000 descendants of this union.   
William G.Taylor.   w5g5t@netscape.net

SHHAR Board Members:   Laura Arechabala Shane, Bea Armenta Dever, Diane Burton Godinez, Peter Carr, Gloria Cortinas Oliver, Mimi Lozano Holtzman, Carlos Olvera

Somos Primos Staff: 
Mimi Lozano, Editor
John Schmal, Historian
Johanna de Soto, Internet Surfer

Submitters:
Margarita Araiza
Carmen Boone de Aguilar
David Cano
Rosemarie Capodicci
Enrique Cardiel
Bill Carmeno

Peter Carr
Gloria Cordova
Ralph Echave
Maria R. Estorino
Anthony Garcia
James E. Garcia
Mary Garcia
Patricia Diane Godinez
Eddie Grijalva
George Gause
J.L. Hardy
Zeke Hernandez

Galal Kernahan 
Cindy LoBuglio
Cheri Mello
Gloria Oliver
Art Pedroza
Savannah
Howard J. Shorr
Robert E. Smith
Bill Taylor
J. Homer Thiel
Emily E. Vasquez
Doug Westfall

UNITED STATES

Mexican Identification Cards
Matricula Consular
Santa Ana, CA, No.1 of Spanish speakers
U.S. Politicians tour Mexico
September 11th Corridos 
Rudy Valadez
Limit on Spanish Spoken
Preserving a National Resource

Investigative Research
AmericanLatino.com
Boyle Heights Project: Linking Students
La Raza Unida
Freedman's Bank Savings
Indian Trust Fund 
Flags of Native Americans
Un of California Digital Library
Routes of Spanish Explorers

Mexican Identification Cards

Wells Fargo Bank with more than 3,000 branches in 23 states is accepting identification cards issued by the Mexican government, the largest institution to adopt their use, and the first bank to publicly promote them.  John Murillo, a Wells Fargo Bank vice president said at a news conference aimed at the Spanish-language media.  "We welcome you to come to one of our branches, where our Spanish-speaking staff will help you and where we won't question your legal status."  

L.A. Times, 11-08-01

Matricula Consula: San Francisco, CA Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval Urges Local Agencies to Recognize Identification Cards Issued by the Mexican Government. 

The Orange County Police Department. San Francisco will be the first county in the nation to implement the plan into law. The "matricula consular" is issued by the Mexican Consulate to applicants who have lived in the country for at least six months and who submit a birth certificate along with a photo identification card. The Mexican Consulate in San Francisco issues about 25,000 cards a year.

Wells Fargo Bank is now accepting the "matricula consular" as a valid form of identification for immigrants wishing to open bank accounts. If this program is successfully implemented in San Francisco, Supervisor Sandoval has pledged to work with the private sector and consulates to put into practice similar programs for nationals of other nations. 

CONTACT: Boris Delepine (415) 554-6978 Boris_Delepine@ci.sf.ca.us
 Sent by Zeke Hernandez

Santa Ana, California highest in the nation of city's residents who speak Spanish.Another Orange County city, Anaheim, ranks fourth. The percent who speaks Spanish at home is ranked by percentage within the city: 

Note:
Of the 11 cities, 5 are in California cities
 and 4 are in Texas cities.  
(Source: Census 2000 Supplementary Survey / Orange County Register, 11-20-01)

1 Santa Ana, CA 74.0
2 El Paso, Tx 69.5
3 Miami, Fl 66.0
4 Anaheim, CA 42.8
5 Los Angeles, CA 42.2
6 San Antonio, Tx 41.9
7 Houston, Tx 35.7
8 Riverside, CA 33.2
9 Dallas, Tx 32.7
10 (tie) Tucson, Az 28.6
10 Fresno, CA 28.6

For an excerpt of the report,  Beyond the Census: Hispanics and an American Agenda, visit the National Council of La Raza website:  http://www.nclr.org

U.S. Politicians tour Mexico

U.S. Senator Tom Daschle and U.S. Representative Dick Gephardt recently toured central Mexico.  "We want to ensure that those people who have come from Puebla to the Northeast and want to stay in the United States as citizens can do so," Daschle said to loud applause from the crowd.

"We are not trying to inadvertently encourage more people to migrate by talking about a regularization," Daschle said. "That is why we are also talking about ways to create jobs here [Mexico}.  People want to stay home.  They want to stay united with their families."

O.C. Register, 11-19-01

Editor's note:  In a recent article about Chinese students receiving college degrees from U.S. universities without ever having been in the U.S, these statements were made.  "The universities say it makes good sense to target young people in a rising power like China who are well placed to become political leaders and captains of industry, especially as the world grows more tightly interwoven through technology and trade." 

"When they finish, the Chinese students earn diplomas that "look exactly like the diplomas of our students in the United States," said Cindy Elliot.  "And hopefully they get interviews with multinational companies that want to hire students with English skills and an American degree."

Does anyone know if similar programs are in place in Mexico, or Spanish speaking countries?

Mexico is the 4th top exporter to the U.S.. and the 10th-largest oil producer in the world. 
L.A. Times, 11-15-01

September 11th Corridos 

The "musical-news casting" form of corridos is attracting the interest of both the U.S. public and scholars.  Derived from Spanish ballads and European storytelling traditions, corridos emerged during the Mexican Revolution as a way to spread the word  about local battles.
The corrido represents the common man's effort to write about, listen to and interpret the news in a simple, appealing form.   The stories told in corridos are "not the official history," said UCLA's Guillermo Hernandez, a Spanish literature professor who is curating an exhibit on corridos that will open Feb. 14 at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, then travel to nine cities.  "You tell what you think."

The September 11th horror has brought forth corridos written by many hobbyists, as well as professional groups.  "This is the way I express myself, bring my feelings, into check, allow others to think about what is going on," said Lino Expino, a 61-year old laid-off aerospace worker, who joins a growing band of corrido composers,  in the United States and Mexico, who are telling the story of September 11 en español.
El golpe pego cuando nadie lo sospecha.
Nos han herido de muerte.
Nos han clavado una flecha.  

L.A. Times, 11-5-01

Rudy Valadez, a Jefferson High School senior in south Los Angeles recently won top honors in the arts category at the national Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards. Valadez, 18, produced a film about his mother's journey from the Mexican town of Los Angeles to the American metropolis of the same name.  The film recreated the 3-day trek  that his mother took, but also shared tender stories and emotions about the family's migration to California and their current status. Valadez received the $5,000 prize national prize, and the $2,000 regional prize. He will be attending UCLA in the fall.. 

L.A. Times, 11-21-01

Limit on Spanish Spoken at Virginia School Sparks Clash 

Extract of article by Emily Wax, Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, November 12, 2001; Page B01 

Tensions between aides who are bilingual and supervisors who cannot understand Spanish have risen to such a level that the center's management [Arlington] sent a series of terse memos to the staff, telling employees they can no longer speak Spanish to parents or to each other without a supervisor and interpreter present.

"It has been brought to my attention through a co-worker that you are again speaking Spanish to parents," said an Oct. 15 memo addressed to an employee and signed by Jennifer Dalley, a supervisor. "You have been told that this is not appropriate."

One woman said she was fired for continuing to speak Spanish after the memos. And the county's Hispanic community, one of the largest in the Washington area, has become angry and frustrated by what it says is an unfair and surprising reaction from a school system that usually tries to hire Spanish speakers, not fire them.

The Arlington County school system is one of the most diverse in the Washington region; about a third of its students are Latino and speak Spanish. In addition, more than a dozen other languages, including Urdu, French and Arabic, are spoken. About 60 percent of students at Claremont's extended-day program speak Spanish. The center operates before and after school for children ages 4 to 11.

The issue is complicated. Complaints filed by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against companies that have English-only policies have nearly tripled in the past four years, according to the agency. In 1996, 32 complaints were filed nationwide; last year, there were 91.

Companies may have English-only policies as long as they can prove they are a business necessity -- say, in an air traffic control tower, where safety depends on pilots and controllers understanding one another. The trouble, legal experts say, is that some companies take the policies too far and institute them simply because they want to know what their employees are talking about.

"As the area grows more multilingual, there have been a number of cases of what we call linguistic insecurities," said Jaime Zapata, spokesman for the Washington-based National Association for Bilingual Education. "Sometimes this manifests itself when an employer tries to prohibit an employee from using a language they cannot understand."

At Claremont, the issue emerged this summer. Some of the Spanish-speaking employees at the 90-student center sent a letter to their supervisor listing improvements they thought were needed. The grievances included accusations about staff members not getting along, some staff members getting special privileges and some yelling at or making fun of the children.

"Half the people who come here are Spanish," said Sanchez, who had worked for the school system since 1999. "I have never been told not to speak Spanish, and then all of a sudden I am in meetings being asked, 'What part of "Don't speak Spanish" don't you understand?' Instead of solving the problems, they told us to stop talking."

[An administrator stated] "Everyone needs to be able to know what the employees are saying to the parents," Macie said. "If there is a problem, they should come to me and their supervisor and work it out."

Several parents who use the center said they were upset with the new policy. "Now they follow you around and make sure you are not speaking in Spanish with the aides," said a Spanish-speaking parent who spoke on condition that her name not be used because her child attends the center. "I just don't understand the policy."

© 2001 The Washington Post Company 
Sent by Art Pedroza

Heritage Languages in America: Preserving a National Resource

New book by Joy Kreeft Peyton  Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington, D.C.) and Donald A. Ranard speaking about immigrant children losing their native language.

"Their language loss is our collective loss. Immigrant children can speak other languages with a native speaker's fluency and an insider's grasp of the culture.  And many know languages that English speakers aren't inclined to study.

With support from their schools, parents and communities, immigrant children can maintain and deepen their knowledge of their home language at the same time they are learning English.

In light of our national needs let's rethink the ways that we educate immigrant students.  If we viewed the languages they know as resources to be developed rather than as obstacles to be overcome, the students would acquire a highly valued skill and the nation would gain badly needed expertise."

L.A. Times, 11-5-01  

Latino Enterprises, Professional Investigative Research Specialists 

We obtain comprehensive reports and informative solutions for any search services world-wide for Hispanic client's. Locate Searches of all types performed here.  Specialize in (Adoption Searches)(Address Searches)(People Locate Searches)(Social Security)(Unclaimed Property Searches)(Birthday Searches Used For Obtaining A Name). 

http://myweb.ecomplanet.com/ESPI2903

Sent by Savannah

PoliticoMagazine.com becomes AmericanLatino.net 

Dear Readers, 
In the coming days and weeks, the people who brought you PoliticoMagazine.com will be transforming this website to feature a wider variety of Latino news coverage. While we still intend to closely track the critically important developments in U.S. Latino politics, AmericanLatino.net will also become your source for news about trends in business, education, arts and entertainment, sports, culture, style and more. And in 2002 we will be developing a national, monthly magazine, also called American Latino. 

We have chosen the name American Latino because we believe it helps defines a milestone in the advancement and status of Latinos in the United States. The Latino communities in this nation are vibrant and diverse. Yet despite our diversity we also share a common cultural insight that has been shaped in large part by the blending of our Latin and indigenous origins and the influences on our lives as Americans. The flaws of our society notwithstanding, there is something uniquely venerable about being an American. Explaining the essence of our national spirit is not always easy, but few can deny that we have seen it in action in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Over the centuries, a vast array of people and cultures have helped shape the verve and resiliency of American society. And within that array have been our nation's Latino communities. 

What is new today is not only the growing sense of empowerment among the nation's Latinos, but a force of spirit that is uniting us -- Mexican Americans, Cuban Americans, Puerto Ricans, and a multitude of native and immigrant Latino communities -- into a distinctly American subculture. This publication will document this unifying spirit and help articulate the vision of the "American Latino" community. 

Respectfully, 
James E. Garcia 
Editor and Publisher 
AmericanLatino.net 
http://www.americanlatino.net
Please send all comments, letters and news tips to news@americanlatino.net

The Boyle Heights Project: Linking Students with Their Community
Howard J. Shorr, Theodore Roosevelt High School
The History Teacher, Volume 18, Number 4, August 1985

In my past six years of teaching at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Los Angeles, I have encountered an alarming sense of apathy among students.  This attitude is reflected in their approach to history and their feelings about the future.  Four years ago I decided to combat this problem by offering a one-semester elective course on the History of Boyle Heights, a community located in East Los Angeles.1

I have found that community history breaks down student indifference.  It helps students understand their neighborhood and themselves and gives new meaning to the term "roots."  Moreover, community history, unlike a project on presidential administrations, offers students the opportunity of using a variety of research methods as they investigate their subject.

When I devised this course, I did not want to teach version of "Boosterism History," which tells the reader how wonderful a community was and still is.  Such studies tend to praise the gentlemen of property and standing, describe women as appendages to well-to-do husbands, and ignore non-whites altogether.  Class, race, and gender biases have grossly distorted many community studies.

With this overall problem in mind, I chose instead a different conceptual frame work which still forms the cornerstone of the class.  The purpose was not to study Boyle Heights as an isolated community, but rather, to understand the area within the context  of Los Angeles, California, the United States and the world.  I believed students need to become aware that actions and events outside of Boyle Heights affected the community. 2  A good example was the relocation of the large Japanese and Japanese-American population of Boyle Heights during the Second World War.

Development of critical thinking skills, encouraging individual creativity, and learning how to function as a collective unite in developing and analyzing materials were the goals of the course.  Each student was to work as a detective in gaining a better grasp of the historical processes of the area.

Before the course began, I researched the availability of primary and secondary sources, most of which were in university libraries, and secured additional materials in talking to current and former Boyle Heights residents and to scholars.3 The library sources provided a good background, but the accounts from people of the community furnished a perspective that cannot be gleaned from a book or a journal.

Since the course was first introduced, each class has been taught in a different manner.  In 1981, we did the history of Boyle Heights up to World War Two, and the main project was slide show presentation. 4  The next year we focused on the World War Two era, and on events such as the relocation of Japanese and Japanese-Americans the Sleepy Lagoon Affair, and the Zoot Suit Riots [Look at editor's note below] on which there was a great deal of primary and secondary source material. The 1983 class covered the years from 1945 to 1962, a period somewhat neglected by historians.  In 1984, we studied the period from 1963 to 1968, a very explosive time in Boyle Heights.  Most recently, in 1985, we are covering the period 1968 to 1970.  The 1984 course met the goals of my conceptual framework, since the students had to understand the interrelationships of such topics as the War in Southeast Asia, the War on Poverty and the changing consciousness of the Community.  For this period, an abundance of materials was available to this class.  Since 1982, the classes' efforts have culminated in individual research papers, three of which will be published. 5

The assignments are very structured.  Before the students begin we do preliminary critiques and short papers to prepare them for writing a traditional research paper with a bibliography and footnotes.  Every student must utilize oral as well as written sources.  Accordingly, the following sources are stressed:  local and national newspapers, local, state, and national documents, popular magazines and interviews with community residents. 6 

The process of writing the paper is as important as the completed product.  Without a progressive procedure many students are left with an unclear picture of how to approach such a venture.  Thus students in the class must complete three outlines and three rough drafts.  I do this for two reasons.  First it instills confidence in a student who has never attempted this kind of project.  It also demonstrates that creating a research paper from original sources is a slow but rewarding process.  The second reason for the outlines and rough drafts is to to aid the student in focusing on his/her topic.  Students appreciate this process becaus4e if reduces a vast undertaking to assailable proportions.

Overall, the benefits in using this approach are that it gives students a sense of participation in living history and avoids the one-dimensional perspective afforded by textbooks.

In class evaluations, students write of a new understanding and appreciation for their historically rich and diverse community, as well as an increased confidence with their skills of research and wiring. 7

As teachers of history, we must cope, create, and teach the historical process effectively, and we must continue to inspire the interest in our students toward issues that affect either everyday lives.  The far-reaching influences of community history will never cease to be an issue affecting our students.

1. This area has only been predominantly Latino since the 1960 census.  Before then, Jewish-Americans and Japanese-Americans were the largest ethnic groups.  In the 1980 census, Latinos comprised 89.9 percent of the population.
2. See appendix for the Spring 1985 course outline. [not included in Somos Primos]
3. I would like to thank Richard Chabran, Librarian, Chicano Studies Research Center, U.C.L.A.; Evelyn Escatiola and Albert Tovar, Librarians, Chicano Research Center East Lost Angeles County Library, for helping my students.  Dr. Rodolfo Lacuna, Professor of Chicano studies, California State University, Northridge, has been an invaluable source in understanding the history of Boyle Heights and has spent many hours talking to my students about their community.
4. This was funded by the California Council for the Humanities.
5. Two of them have been published.  Victoria Valdez's (who now attends University of California, Berkeley) article, "The Battle of Chavez Ravine, 1949-1959" was published in Caminos (July-August, 1983).  Maria Peraza's (now at U.C.L.A.), "Recreational Park or Healing Institution: Hazard Park" will
also appear in Caminos.  Lillian Urrutia's (a student at Harvard), "An Offspring of Discontent: The Associátion Nacionál Mexico-Americana, 1949-1954" was published in Aztlan (Spring, 1984).
6. I also take my students to different libraries on Saturdays.  At the libraries I introduce them to primary and secondary sources.  Outside speakers are also an integral part of the course.  Respected scholars and residents of Boyle Heights talk about different aspects of the community.
7. This course has an excellent attendance record and over 95 percent of the students complete their research papers.

Editor's note: During the (so-called) Zoot Suit Riots  there were no loss of lives, looting, or property damage. 

LA RAZA UNIDA ONLINE

Are you tired of the destructive, negative stereotypes of Raza, women, and working people in the media? Are you tired of hearing about how dangerous people like yourself are supposed to be to the rich because of your color or attitude? Do you want to be a part of a movement to change these things? Raza Unida activists and supporters proudly choose to build a humane movement for freedom and self-determination. By choosing to counter pathetic stereotypes with empowerment, hard work, and confidence you will be actively building a movement you can be proud of. You can help by becoming a Raza Unida Media reporter or photographer. You will be published on the website at http://larazaunida.tripod.com and possibly in print. Join Partido Nacional La Raza Unida Today! Reply-to: amigos@latinola.com

From: Enrique Cardiel at nlrunm@yahoo.com
Sent by Anthony Garcia  LatinoLA Amigos - 11.13.2001

We the People, 

2001-11-05
By Sharon Burns, Special Correspondent

The Freedman's Bank Savings and Trust Co. was chartered March 3, 1865, with the primary objective to assist former slaves and black soldiers with their new financial responsibilities.

The bank was established to receive money by or on behalf of persons, or their descendants, held in slavery. An estimated 70,000 depositors placed more than $57 million in accounts. The funds were to be invested in the stock, bonds, treasury notes and other securities of the United States.

Branches of this bank were soon established throughout the South and in some Northern states. Local branches kept registers of depositors that frequently contained personal and family information.

Typical information included the date the account was opened, name, place of birth, residence, age, occupation, name of spouse, name of former master or mistress, names of family members such as spouse, children, parents, siblings and in-laws. The remark section often provided names of grandparents, aunts and uncles and assigned military units during the Civil War.

Mismanagement and fraud caused the bank to collapse in 1874, dashing the hopes and dreams of many blacks. It is ironic that the devastating failure of a financial institution designed to help former slaves is now the greatest repository of lineage-linked black records known to exist.

The National Archives microfilmed the surviving records of 29 of the 37 bank branches. "Registers of Signatures of Depositors in Branches of the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company, 1865-1874" is in Microfilm Publication M816, Record Group 101.

In addition to the microfilm, many local and regional genealogical societies have compiled and published the information from registers pertaining to their geographic area.

The Augusta-Richmond County Public Library in Augusta, Ga., published "Registers of Signatures of Depositors in the Augusta, Georgia Branch of Freedman's Savings and Trust Company, Volume I, November 1870-June 1872."

The 700-page hardbound volume is available for $37.50 from the library, 902 Greene St., Augusta, GA 30901-2294, or call (706) 821-2600.

Recently, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released the Freedman's Bank Records from 1864 to 1871 on CD-ROM. The project to extract and computerize the records from the National Archives microfilm into a searchable database began in 1989 and took 11 years to complete. It involved about 550 inmates at the Utah State Prison's South Point Family History Center.

The inmates extracted and automated about 480,000 pedigree-linked names of blacks contained in the Freedman's Bank records.

The Freeman's Bank Records CD is available for $6.50 and can be ordered by calling Church distribution centers at (800) 537-5971 and requesting item #50120. The church's Web site address is www.familysearch.org

http://www.newsok.com/cgi-bin/show_article?ID=777656&pic=none&TP=getlifestyle

Sent by Gloria Oliver

Indian Trust Fund

Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton stripped the Bureau of Indian Affairs of its oversight of billions of dollars of royalties from Native American land; a new division was created to fix more than a century of trust mismanagement. 

Ron Allen, vice president of the National Congress of American Indians, expressed concern that Native American tribes were not consulted before Norton announced the changes and that the new Bureau of Trust Assets Management will not be as responsive to tribes as the BIA was.

L.A. Times, 11-16-01

Ross Swimmer, the former chief of the Cherokee Nation and head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs will shape the new  Bureau of Indian Trust Assets Management.  

Flags of  Native Americans  Tribes

This is GREAT!  Look at it and enjoy the great number of identifiable tribes.  One file has 168 tribes with known flags. Some history is included. 
http://hometown.aol.com/Donh523/navapage/index.htm

Sent by Johanna de Soto

Editor's note:  The only sad thing for me is that only one of the 168 mentioned Texas - - the Comanche nation made reference to Texas, but was more associated with Oklahoma. This lack of inclusion of Tex-Mexican indigenous was also apparent in the program of the American Indian Dance Theatre. New Mexico's Navajo and Zuni dances were part of the "cultures represented - from across the U.S. and Canada." -  but neither California nor Texas were included. . .?.

Digital Library

Government agencies and librarians from the University of California have teamed up to create an expansive digital library providing public access to current as well as historical, social science and economic information. Searching can be done by topic, geography, title, and data provider. http://www.govtech.net/news/news.phtml?docid=2001.08.14-3030000000002618

Sent by Mary Garcia maryr_garcia@hotmail.com

Digital Library

Government agencies and librarians from the University of California have teamed up to create an expansive digital library providing public access to current as well as historical, social science and economic information. Searching can be done by topic, geography, title, and data provider. http://www.govtech.net/news/news.phtml?docid=2001.08.14-3030000000002618

Sent by Mary Garcia maryr_garcia@hotmail.com

Routes of Spanish Explorers

National map of the United States showing the routes of Spanish explorers and Spanish settlements before 1847.

http://www.ancestry.com/rd/map.asp?ImageID=347
Sent by Johanna de Soto

ORANGE COUNTY, CA

Confederate Flag

A Story of Success

Confederate Flag: A Newport Beach high school principal apologized for the use of the Confederate flag during a Civil war-themed halftime show at a football game against Westchester High, a school in Los Angeles with a predominately African American student body.  

The Newport Harbor marching band, which has no African American members, has performed the routine all season.  The show, called "A Nation Divided Stands United," portrays a Civil War battle and illustrates how the nation came together after the bloody conflict, said marching band director Rob Henthorn.  Large replicas of the Confederate and Union flags are used as props to illustrate each side.  "We try to show a balance and not glorify or vilify any side."

Because of the uproar, neither the Confederate nor Union flags will be displayed anymore.

L.A. Times Extract from article by Phil Willon, 11-16-01

A Story of Success by Patricia Diane Godinez 

At our last quarterly meeting on Sep 29th, I found a cousin of my husband Ramon, sitting two chairs away. After I had been introduced as the newest board member he sent me a note with the name of Godinez and La Barca. I nodded my head and we got together afterwards in the Family History Center to look at some of my records. 

This was my first introduction to Fausto Garcia de Alba, who had been researching for just 8 months.  I was able to give him a number of Pedigree charts and Family Group Sheets. 
Fausto mentioned at lunch later in the afternoon that there would be a lady who would also be
interested in my work and he was eager to get a hold of her by email. He knew that they were cousins with the Godinez connection and now Ramon was too.

Previous to the meeting at 10:00, I had stepped into a mini class on how to use the Internet to find connections. After typing in the search engine google, we were instructed to put in a surname, an area, and family history. Lo and behold, on Sunday when I tried it at home, I found numerous Godinez names and sent a few messages. 

I got my first look at information from the lady whom Fausto had mentioned. It came from GenForum.  She was indeed a GODINEZ cousin. From just a few of her names, I determined that Maria Rita Godinez was also related to another of Ramon's lines, that of TELLO de OROSCO.

A few days later, as I started to print up some sheets to send to Rita, I found that her Jose Trinidad GARCIA was married to our Maria Guadalupe SEPULVEDA.  He was the second husband and our Jose Doroteo FLORES was the first. With the new SEPULVEDA name to look at there were also other allied families. 

Interestingly enough, I am also in touch with a Hugo Moises OROZCO Barba in Capilla de Guadalupe, Jalisco. He is related to the TELLO de OROSCO line many times over. We only started working via email and snail mail during this summer but have already been able to help one another collect many additional names to add to our familiy trees.

I have always found the networking to be most helpful when we have our quarterly meetings but this day it was more than that. Not only did I get to meet a new primo but two of them have since said," Mi Casa Es Su Casa," and I am already dreaming of visiting Rita in Pueblo, Colorado and Hugo Moises en Jalisco. 

By the way, Cousin Rita is less than an hour away from my Army son stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado. It is so nice to know there is family just right around the corner. 

LOS ANGELES, CA

Portuguese Genealogy Workshop
Las Posadas
History of  California Wine Industry

Gods and Generals
El Poder de Humanidad

Portuguese Genealogy Workshops: Using U.S. sources to find your town overseas.

Saturday, Dec. 1, 2001 from 1-5pm  
Los Angeles Family History Center
Santa Monica Blvd. 

Presentor is Cheri Mello, the Portuguese Host, Genealogy Forum 
HOST GFS CheriM@aol.com
Materials fee is still $5 (covers booklet and handouts).

Las Posadas, Sunday-Monday, December 16-24, 2001, Evenings.  This presentation of the nine-day journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem is depicted with singing, a candle light precession.  And the breaking of a piñata at Olvera Street.  For additional information on the activities at el Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, Olvera Street, please call (213) 625-5045, all events are free to the public.

El Mensaje, July-September 2001

California Wine Industry Took Root on Olvera Street

Extract from an article written by Cecilia Rasmussen, Los Angeles Times, May 28, 2000, 
Source:  Los Pobladores, Edition 19, Vol. 3,  President, Robert E. Smith

By 1779, Los Angeles was producing one of the earliest wineries in California, with about 160,000 vines surrounding the Mission San Gabriel, by the early 1830s.  The region around Los Angeles, the Mission San Gabriel underwent a wine boom and an ambitious vintner laid out grape fields in the lands between the Old Pueblo de Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles River.  By the middle of the 19th Century, Los Angeles was producing more 60,000 gallons of table wine annually, and by 1869, there were about 43 wineries producing more than four million gallons each year.

In 1919 prohibition killed off most of the wineries, but Italian immigrant brothers Santo, Giuseppe and Giovanni Cambianica set up contracts with the Catholic Churches to produce altar wines for the now expanding population of Italian immigrants in the Los Angeles area. The San Antonio Winery expanded from about 2000 cases annually to about 25,000 cases by the time the Prohibition Act was repealed. 

The San Antonio Winery remains one of the oldest wineries in Los Angeles and in Southern California.  The winery is located near Olvera Street, the Union Train Station, El Pueblo de Los Angeles. More information: (313) 223-1401    http://www.sanantoniowinery.com

"Gods and Generals" 
Sen. Robert C. Byrd, often given to lecturing the Senate about history, is about to make his movie debut as a Civil War general in "Gods and Generals". His brief scene, in which aides said the white-haired West Virginia Democrat may not having  a speaking part will be filmed at the Antietam Civil War Battlefield in Maryland.  Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas) filmed a scene for the same movie several weeks ago in which he played a Virginia legislator.

L.A. Times, 11-16-01

El Poder de Humanidad, The Power of Humanity, December 14, 2001 to March 17, 2002

The exhibition, comprised of 40 works, includes painting, sculptures and works on paper, and provides a broad overview of Mexican contemporary art from the Nineties to the present.  The art was selected from two groups: one consisted of renowned master artists, and the other consisted of young established artists.

Museum of Latin American Art, 628 Alamitos Avenue, Long Beach, (562) 437-1689
http://www.molaa.com

CALIFORNIA

Judge Emily E. Vasquez
Shortage-Spanish speaking Doctors
Descendents of  Signers of California Constitution.
Don Jose Francisco de Ortega
California History Online
Spanish and Mexican Governors
Berkeley Homepage
City of San Francisco Museum
California Historical Society
California Mission Studies Assn
Mariposa Tulare County, 1850 
California Multicultural Archives

Library of Congress
California Multicultural Archives
Library of Congress
California Vital Records Online
Mexican Land Grants by County
California Tribes buying Land
Desert Indian Consortium
Tribal Gambling Rights
Native American Current Events
Mission Tour
A Mission Record
Catholic Church Records

Emily E.Vasquez,

Emily E.Vasquez, has been appointed to the Sacramento Superior Court. "I'm very excited, honored and humbled," said Vasquez, a native of Mexico who, according to court observers, will be the first Latina to serve on the county bench.

Vasquez, 50, is a partner in the Sacramento law firm of Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard, which she joined in 1993. Born in Ciudad Juarez, Vasquez immigrated to the United States with her parents as a young child. She grew up in the San Joaquin Valley, where her parents toiled as farm workers.

"Our country has given me great opportunity to journey from working in the fields alongside my parents to achieve high education and professional success," she said. "Serving as a judge is the highest achievement in my career."

By Edgar Sanchez, Sacramento Bee Staff Writer - Oct. 26, 2001 (edited)
Sent by Zeke Hernandez

Anticipated Shortage of Spanish Speaking Doctors 

In 1999, Dr. David Hayes-Bautista, Director for the Study of Latino Health at the University of California, Los Angeles led a study that found Hispanics are 4.8 percent of the physicians licensed in the state while the population is more than 30 percent Hispanic.  

That means a ratio of one Hispanic physician per 2,893 Hispanics in the state, compared with one non-Hispanic doctor per 335 non-Hispanic residents.  The disparity is expected to widen as the Hispanic population grows and the pool of Hispanics in medical  schools shrinks. 

This year, the number of minority applicants to U.S. medical schools declined by 4.5 percent, the sixth consecutive year of decline.

O.C. Register, 11-18-01

Reference to: Descendents of the Signers of The first California Constitution.

Friends: My Name is Jimmie LeRoy Hardy, I am a member of Los Californianos,#1715, and am responding to a notice that you printed in your Jan 2000 issue in regards to genealogical ties to Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo. Through a family inter-marriage ( 2nd cousins, described below ) I am related to Vallejo both Maternally and Paternally. 

I will explain as follows:
I the son of Martin Elmer Hardy and Laura Gracen Estrada, Laura my mother is the daughter of, Luis Rafael Estrada and Rosa Garcia ( Ceives), Luis my Grandfather is the son of Jose Guadalupe Rafael Papias Estrada and Maria Concepcion Malarin, Papias, my Great Grandfather is the son of Raymundo Estrada and Josefa Maria Vallejo. Josefa Vallejo is the sister of Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo one of the signers of the California Constitution. 
Maria Concepcion Malarin was the daughter of Juan Malarin and Maria Josefa Joaquina Estrada, Maria Josefa is the daughter of Jose Mariano Estrada ( brother of the above mentioned Raymundo Estrada ) and Maria Isabella Marcelia Arguello,Maria Isabella is the daughter of Jose Dario Arguello and Ygnacia Moraga.
Through the above I further extrapolate the fact that too I am related to a story which followed in the same issue mentioned above as pertaining to Concepcion Arguello: Too I am a distant cousin of the first California girl to take to the Catholic Nunnery as she is the daughter of Jose Daria Arguello who too is the father of the above mentioned Maria Arguello. Concepcion thus was the sister of my Great Great Great Grandmother. 

As you can plainly see things get a little confusing when you have inter-family marriages. If you need further information please feel free to contact me, by E Mail ( flyingrocks@mcsi.net) or phone, 541-679-5406 , or USPS 7122 upper Olalla Road , Winston Oregon 97496.
Too I have a rather large collection of Bancrofts Histories, and a 10-volume set of The Larkin Papers, I will gladly assist if possible in finding information to those who are like me interested in their family genealogy. 

Sincerely, J. L. Hardy,  flyingrocks@mcsi.net

 
Mimi: I have a discrepency with the article "Don Jose Francisco de Ortega" Therein it states that the "1st white child born in California was Jose Francisco Ortega, well according to what I just read in the book " Indians and Pioneers of Old Monterey",by James Culleton,on page 203 it says that the 1st white child born in Ca was a Juan Jose, Infant de razon: November 11, 1774. the Entirety of the section is as follows: 8

California's First White Child, Luz de Herdia was not the first white child born in the department of Monterey, for on or before November 11,1774, Juan Jose Garcia first saw the light of day at San Luis Obispo. Juan Jose, by the way, is another contender for the honor of the first white child born within the confines of modern California. This subject is most recently treated in "The California Historical Society Quarterly" where the claims of Jose Francisco Maria de Ortega are are up held, but his birth was in Februrary, 1775. Entry 86 in the San Luis Obispo Baptismal Register reads: " Juan Jose, Infant de razon: November 11, 1774, in the church of the glorius Saint Louis Bishop I supplied the ceremonies which the Ritual prescribes to a child baptized in a case of necessity and named Juan Jose, legitimate son of Felipe Garzia, soldier of this department, and Petra de lLugo, his wife, etc. (signed) Fr, Pablo de Mugartegui." paragraph 188 thanks for your consideration, I only refer to this as I am trying to tie myself to this child ! Sincerely Jimmie Hardy

California History Online 
A site of the California Historical Society with lots of information. 
Click on the pictorial icons.

http://www.californiahistory.net/

Spanish Governors 
Gaspar de Portola
Felipe de Barri
Felipe de Neve
Pedro Fages
Jose Romeu (Romero)
Jose Joaquin de Arrillaga
Diego de Borica
Jose Joaquin de Arrillaga
Jose Arguello
Pablo Vicente de Sola

--
1769-1771
1771-1774
1774-1782
1782-1790
1790-1792
1792-1794
1794-1800
1800-10814
1814-1815
1815-1822

Mexican Governors
Luis Arguello
Jose Maria Echeandia
Manuel Victoria
Pio de Jesus Pico (20 days)
Jose Figueroa
Jose de Castro
Nicolas Gutierrez  (Jan-May)
Mariano Chico (few months)
Nicolas Gutierrez (few mo) 
Juan Bautista Alvarado
Manuel Micheltorena
Pio de Jesus Pico (Feb-Aug)

--
1823-1825
1825-1831
1831-1832
1832-1833
1833-1835
1835-1836
1836
   "
   "
1836-1842
1842-1845
1846

University of California, Berkeley Homepage
Great resource: Lots of Links to archival collections   http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/

Sent by Johanna de Soto

Museum of the city of San Francisco

This is a wonderful site.  It also has lots of links, but they are to specific historical articles and essays.  If you have an interest in California history, look at this.

http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist1/index0.html

California Historical Society Finding Aids

Linking into this site will take you to an alphabetical listing of historical figures and sites.  You'll also find an extensive index of other libraries,  that also have an alphabetical listing of their resources.    

http://www.oac.cdlib.org/dynaweb/ead/chs/@Generic__CollectionView  Sent  by Johanna de Soto

California Mission Studies Association
To align yourself with others researching California Missions, contact the Studies Association at

http://www.ca-missions.org/about.html   Sent by Johanna de Soto

1850 Census of Mariposa County, California
Covering what today is: Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono and Tulare Counties. Although most of the individuals were Anglo surnames, a very brief search revealed Mexican miners.
  
50 A 32 7 7 Gorme, John 28 M Merchant 80 MEX 
50 A 33 7 7 Cabaro, Jesus 37 M M Miner MEX 
50 A 34 8 8 Basces, Pedro 20 M M Miner MEX 
50 A 35 8 8 Eboro, Jesus 15 M M Miner MEX 
50 A 36 8 8 Herara, Enatio 38 M M Miner MEX

The County of Tulare was created by the California State Legislature on April 20, 1852.  The original county extended from Mariposa county south to the Tehachapi Mountains and from the western Coast range to the Nevada Border.  It include parts of what are now Fresno, Kern, Kings, and Inyo counties.  The County seat was originally a small community known as Woodsville, but in 1853 was changed to Visalia.  

Publication available for sale from the Sequoia Genealogical Society, c/o Tulare Public Library
113 North F. St. Tulare  (559) 685-2342       Include $2.50 for postage and handling
1860                         Tulare County California Census     $5.60
1853-1892                 Tulare County Marriages                $5.60
1892-1908                 Tulare County Marriages                $7.50
1870                         Tulare County California Census      $7.50

The California Ethnic and Multicultural Archives (CEMA) in the Donald C. Davidson Library at the University of California, Santa Barbara is a permanent program offering collections of primary research materials that document the cultural and political experiences of the African American, Asian American, Chicano/Latino, and Native American ethnic groups in California. The broad-based collection of materials represents the cultural, ethnic, and racial diversity that characterizes the state's population. Since 1988, CEMA has been building a highly successful program by which a number of organizations and individuals have committed to depositing their personal papers and other holdings in the Davidson Library.

http://www.library.ucsb.edu/speccoll/cema/  Sent by Johanna de Soto

Library of Congress 
Examples of the kinds of information available. http://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/asp/castabrb.html

California Vital Records Online

California is in the process of putting all of it's vital records online.  So far ther are six counties that have Birth, Death, Public Marriages, and Fictitious Business Requests.  These Counties are:Contra Costa, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Stanislaus and Yolo.   Ventura, Fresno, and Amador have a page but no information yet.  The site also has connections with the web pages for these countries.  http://www.criis.com

Vol. XI, #3 Portuguese Ancestry Oct 2001

Mexican Land Grants by County

Alameda	Napa	Santa Clara
Contra Costa	San Francisco	Santa Cruz
Marin	San Mateo	Sonoma

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/EART/list.html
Another marvelous site. Hopefully eventually, all of the counties will be listed. The land grants for these counties have the grant number, name of the grant, patentee, patent date, and acres.

Sent by Johanna de Soto

UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER, October 1, 2001, article by Chet Barfield
 
"For whatever purposes, tribes throughout the county are trying to obtain more land."

(This article is shared in its completeness.  It is a very interesting trend and is being implemented in different ways by the different tribes.)

In northern San Diego County, between Ramona and Julian, the Mesa Grande Indian band is nearly doubling the size of its reservation with 883 acres for a buffalo ranch.

In the south, near the Mexican border, the Jamul Indians have purchased 101 acres they hope will expand their tiny reservation sixteen-fold. They want to build support facilities for the casino they're planning on their existing six-acre plot.

To the east, by Alpine, the Viejas band has bought 30 surrounding parcels for buffer zones and other reasons. Like other tribes, Viejas is trying to get its newly acquired land -- about 840 acres in all -- into federal trust. If approved, it would increase the 1,600-acre reservation more than 50 percent.

"When the tribes, especially the gaming tribes, started getting profits from their casinos, what's the first thing they wanted to do? They wanted to expand their land base," said Bobbie Jo Henry, realty officer for the Indian bureau's Southern California office in Riverside.

 As a member of the small Woodsford's Colony of Nevada Washoe Indians, Henry says she understands why tribes are seeking to stretch their boundaries.

"I always tell people every inch of Indian land counts," she said. "It all used to be Indian land."

Across San Diego County, eight tribes have so-called "fee to trust" applications pending before the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. It's a lengthy, expensive process to add property to Indian reservations.

The tribes' plans vary, but what they're all trying to do is increase their land bases -- the only domain over which they have control.

"They did it because they could," said Nikki Symington, a public relations consultant for Viejas, which has made more purchases than any other tribe in California. "They began buying land as soon as they began making a little bit of money, which was between 1994 and 1996.

"We took it away. At least they're buying it back."

Some reservations have grown another way. Barona, Ewiiaapaayp, Manzanita and Pala got a total of 1,525 acres from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in December. Transferred by an act of Congress, the tracts range from five acres for Barona to 1,360 for Ewiiaapaayp (pronounced WEE-ya-pie).

(For comparison, Qualcomm Stadium and its parking lot covers 287 acres.)

Tribes' federal trust applications are being opposed by the county of San Diego, which stands to lose nearly $174,400 in property taxes.

Lost revenue isn't the county's main concern; it's loss of control. Putting land into trust removes it from the county's zoning and land-use jurisdiction.

County supervisors voted in November to oppose tribes' efforts to expand. They were alarmed by surging casino construction, accompanied by what they considered inadequate mitigation of off-site impacts.

Even without conflict, trust applications take at least 12 to 18 months for the Indian bureau to decide. Environmental reports must be done, with public comment and response. Title encumberances must be cleared. Complicated cases can take years.

Tribes can buy real estate anywhere. Yet, unless it abuts their reservation, it's hard to get land into trust. The process becomes much more difficult, if not impossible, if the tribe wants property for a casino.

However, tribes can apply for land as "non-gaming" even if they intend to use it for a casino parking lot, personnel offices or other such things -- as long as slot machines and card tables aren't on the site.

That's what Jamul intends to do with the 101 acres it purchased last year. It wants to put its casino's ancillary facilities, including a hotel, on the adjacent land -- if it's taken into trust.

If not, the tribe says it'll just build up instead of out with a high-rise.

Jamul's plans are fiercely opposed by many area residents and East County Supervisor Dianne Jacob. They persuaded Gov. Gray Davis to write the Indian bureau a letter opposing the trust application, filed early this year. No decision has been made.

Other tribes have other reasons for acquiring land. Viejas has been buying surrounding parcels to bolster its future options and provide a buffer from development in Alpine. La Posta wants dominion over an access road to its sand-and-gravel plant, whose trucking traffic draws flak from neighbors. Pala is buying tracts within its borders that were allotted to individual members and sold off over the years.

One of the most interesting plans is Mesa Grande's. The tribe has had nothing to generate income -- too remote for a casino, too isolated for just about anything else. It didn't help that 800 of its 920 acres are landlocked and inaccessible.

Mesa Grande hit upon the idea of a buffalo ranch a few years ago and has been developing the project since 1999. It bought a nearby tract with $1.6 million in grant funds and brought in six buffalo in July. Two of the cows have had calves since then.

In mid-September, the Indian bureau tentatively approved Mesa Grande's trust application for the 883 acres. A final decision is expected in about two months.

Vice chairman Mike Linton said the tribe hopes to expand its herd to 25 or 30 and turn a profit in about five years.

It also also has another aim.

"Bringing the buffalo back is one of the ways of uniting all the tribes," Linton said. "We joined (a national bison cooperative) to introduce the buffalo to California. Hopefully, it will start something."

Desert Indian Consortium, Indian Groups Administering to Their Own Needs

Three Indian-led groups now administer welfare services on their tribal lands - and soon will in Los Angeles. The newly formed Torres Martinez Desert Indian Consortium in Riverside County is one of  the three tribes. Tribes gained the right to administer their own family assistance and welfare-to-work programs, using state and federal funds, under the sweeping welfare reforms passed by Congress in 1996, and were given the flexibility to design programs that meet particular needs of Native Americans.  

Tribes can use welfare dollars to help pay for traditional Native American wedding ceremonies, "marriage bonus" to encourage two-parent families, and even offer cash bonuses to school-children who earn good grades.  Unlike welfare programs off reservations, the Torres Martinez tribal welfare agency also requires drug testing for everyone applying for benefits.  

"It has to do with sovereignty - to show that we can take care of ourselves," said Mary Belardo, tribal chairwoman of the 700-member Torres Martinez tribe near Indio."  

In California, the federal welfare grants given to the tribes are matched 100% by the state - the only one in the nation to do so.  The Torres Martinez tribal agency will receive $32 million in federal and state money to offer welfare services to members of all federally recognized tribes.  "We know our people, and we know what education and training will work," said Wells, a Seneca Indian. 

L.A. Times, 11-6-01

Card Clubs Fight Tribal Gambling Rights

A federal judge has been asked to overturn the measure that lets Indians run Nevada-style casinos in California. Last year California voters, at a margin of 65% to 35%, amended the state Constitution, allowing tribes to operate Nevada-style casinos on their reservation.  This includes slot machines and specific card games such as a Nevada-style blackjack.  

Arguing on behalf of four card rooms and two bingo parlors, attorney James Hamilton said under federal law tribes can operate only those games permitted elsewhere in the state.  Since slot machines and card games such as Nevada-style blackjack are illegal under state law, tribes in California either cannot operate their casinos, or equivalent casinos must be permitted in the rest of the state, Hamiliton said. 

Since tribes are sovereign and cannot be sued, lawyers for the Indians contend that the card rooms' suit must be thrown out.  

L.A. Times, 11-17-01

For current events of issues pertinent to Native Americans, click to:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/I_P_I/messages

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/worlds-indigenous-people/messages

MissionTour Home

http://missiontour.org/index.htm

This is a wonderful site, a map of California with  links to each of the missions, the history and street directions to each mission   A listing of chronological historical  facts makes this site, easy, concise, and fun reading .   Sent by Johanna de Soto

A MISSION RECORD OF THE CALIFORNIA INDIANS
http://notfrisco.com/almanac/kroeber01/
From a Manuscript in the Bancroft Library

by Alfred. L. Kroeber
Published May 28, 1908 in
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PUBLICATIONS IN
AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND ETHNOLOGY

Newly Edited by Joel GAzis-SAx
Web Edition Copyright 1999 by Joel GAzis-SAx

Links to each of the following missions. is taken from the records.  The accounts reflect the attitudes of the times towards the Indians.  Fascinating little details about the life and times. 
If you want to round out your understanding of California Indians tribes, don't miss this.

Introduction
San Diego
San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
San Antonio de Padua
San Gabriel Arcángel
San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
San Francisco de Asís
San Juan Capistrano
Santa Clara de Asis

Santa Barbara
Santa Cruz
San José de Guadalupe
San Juan Bautista
San Miguel Arcángel
San Fernando Rey de España
San Luis Rey de Francia
Santa Inés

David Cano, David@calynet.com

California Catholic Church Records

The following is a listing of Catholic baptisms, marriages, and death records in some of the California Missions which are available on microfilms through a loaning system at Family History Centers.  This information was gleaned from the Salt Lake Family History Catalog, sent by Johanna de Soto to assist beginning researchers. For further information or for other locations, search the Salt Lake Family History Catalog which is available online at  http://www.familysearch.com/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp .

Once you find a film that interests you, visit a Family History Center and  borrow the film by paying a small rental fee.  It will be sent to the FHC of your choice. There are 3,500 Family History Centers located in 80 countries.  To find a center close to you, call 1-800-346-6044. You just need to give your zip code and you will be given the location of the closest  Family History Center to you. Borrowed microfilms can be put on permanent loan at FHC, so you may want to check the California microfilms at your local neighborhood FHC.

This listing is alphabetical by city.  Good luck. . . . . 

"Eventos"  New Spanish-language Magazine

Extracts of an article by Susan Skorupa 
Reno Gazette-Journal, Wednesday November 7th, 2001

 A new Truckee Meadows publication lists events and provides information for the area’s growing Spanish-speaking community.

Eventos is the brainchild of adman L.L. “Larry” Thompson of the A. Aaron Tripp agency, the magazine’s publisher. The first issue, which came out last week, lists events of interest to the Latino community at several local casinos and city and county agencies, listings for churches with Spanish-language services, informational columns on such issues as family law and health, and profiles of people in the local Latino community.

The content is all-Spanish with no side-by-side English translations.

“We want to be an information source,” Thompson said. “It’s really the family and the community that are interesting.” Eventos will carry no political news and espouse no political views, Thompson said.
“We get enough of that,” he said. “This would more properly be called something like ‘Happy News.’”
Thompson wants to expand the publication idea to other cities and use the proceeds from those ventures to some day publish a national magazine.   Although Thompson is not Hispanic, his small staff includes his editor, who is a Colombian, and a Bolivian production manager. Thompson said he’s establishing a 14-member advisory council to plan the magazine’s direction.

Sent by Cindy LoBuglio

Chinook Tribal Status Under Review

On January 3, the Chinook tribe was recognized the 562 tribe in the United. This gave them the right to seek land for a reservation, as well as get more federal money to run its government.  The problem is that the Quinault Indian Nation stands to lose both membership and land if the Chinook become a recognized tribe, so they are appealing the decision.  

The Chinook signed a treaty in 1851, but it was never ratified by congress.  An 1855 treaty would have moved the Chinook from their homeland to a coastal reservation shared with the Quinault, their historic enemies.  Chinook tribal leaders refused to sign the a1855 agreement.

L.A. Time, 11-08-01

SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES

Tucson's Cuentos 
Presidio of  Tucson, 1779
Genealogical Grants
Colorado Marriages

Nevada Marriages
Spanish Urban Landscapes
Documentary Relations of the Southwest
Spanish Urban Landscapes

Cuentos de Nuestros Padres: Tucson's Hispanic Community

The Hispanic Community has been instrumental in transforming Tucson from an isolated Spanish military outpost in the late 1700's, to the bustling. Southwestern city it is today. Hispanic Americans have been involved in all aspects of community affairs since the founding of the city by  Spanish-speaking settlers in 1775. Indeed, much of the cultural flavor of Tucson can be traced to our Hispanic roots. These exhibits trace the history of Hispanic Americans in Tucson, explaining the strong ties Tucson has with the Spanish and Mexican cultures.

This is a wonderful site.  There are six divisions: Historical Perspective, Looking Into the Westside, Mexican Food in Tucson, Soza Family History, The Descendents of Jose Ignacio Moraga, and Don Antonio Zepeda.  http://dizzy.library.arizona.edu/cuentos/
Sent by Johanna de Soto

Real Presidio of  Tucson, 1779 Service Records 

Pedro de Allande y Sabedra [Saavedra] was captain at the Tubac Presidio in December of1778. He was 38 years old, born of noble origin at the Villa de Pontezcoza, and had good health. He enlisted as a cadet on July 25th 1754 in the Infantry of Navarra regiment, where he served for 4 years, 10 months and 6 days. He transferred on June 10th 1759 to the Cavalry of Malta regiment where he served for 9 months and 17 days before being assigned on March 18th 1760 to the 
Spanish Company and promoted to officer. He served as officer for 4 years, 2 months and 12 days, during which he took part in the War of Portugal [so-called War of of the Two Oranges, during the reign of Charles IV]. He was promoted to lieutenant and transferred to the regiment of Dragoons of Mexico on May 31st 1764, where he served for 12years, 8 months and 18 days. He was finally promoted and assigned as captain to the Real Presidio de San Ignacio de Tubac on February 
19th 1777. At the time of the record he had served in that capacity for 1 year, 10 months and 11 days. Military actions and campaigns in which he took part include many sorties from Zeuta [Ceuta] into moorish territory, participation in the rescue [operations] of naval ships lost on enemy coast (in North Africa) in 1756, and the military expedition to Sonora, starting in 1767 and lasting until 
1777. In the latter he attacked the enemies several times, where he managed [in] some actions in which he killed several barbarians and took many of their families as prisoners. The report of the inspector [Roque de Medina] stated the captain to be of [strong? hard? difficult?] temper, which caused him to give his troop some cruel and improper punishments. He has [the troop] disciplined and well under control, by which he has strived to properly fulfill his obligations. The notes of the captain on the inspector s report rated him to be valiant and dedicated, having good capacity and conduct, and giving his [civil] state as widower. 

Don Miguel de Urrea was lieutenant at the Tucson Presidio in December of 1778. He was60 years old, born of noble origin at an undisclosed location [in Mexico], and had good health. He enlisted as a soldier on June 24th 1747 at the Presidio de Terrenate [Terrenates, Chihuahua], where he served for 7 years and 23 days. He was promoted to lieutenant and destined to the Presidio of Altar on July 17th 1754, where he remained for 22 years, 10 months and 22 days. He was finally transferred to the Presidio of San Agustin de Tucson on June 16th 1777, where at the time of the record he had served as lieutenant for 1 year, 6 months and 6 days. Among the military actions he participated, he states to have swept the enemies in twelve occasions, in which 82 of them died, 108 were taken prisoner , and 1222 heads, both cattle and (other) beasts, were taken. This was expressed by Mr. Miguel de Urrea [himself] under his signature, with no other record than a note by the Military Commander, Most Illustrious Mr. Pedro Tueros, of the following tenor: I have seen this account and I vouch for some part of the services reported in it; (quoted) Tueros. The report of the inspector states the official to be very useful for the war conducted in this frontier, of which he has great knowledge and experience. The notes of the captain on the inspectors report rated him to be valiant and dedicated, having regular capacity and conduct, and giving his [civil] state as married. 

Don Diego de Oya was an ensign in December 1778 at the Tucson Presidio. He was 51 years old, born of undisclosed origin in Salvatierra, in Europe, and had good health. He served as soldier and corporal for 14 years (the majority of them probably in Spain) and took part in the War of Portugal. He was promoted to sergeant on May 20th 1771 [sic] at the Provincial Cavalry Regiment of Queretaro by its lieutenant colonel Mr. Pedro Ruiz Dabalos [Davalos], where he served for 5 years, 3 months and 10 days [sic?]. He was promoted to ensign and destined to the Tucson Presidio on March 30th 1776. At the time of the record he had served for 2 years and 9 months in that capacity. He took part in the War of Portugal. The report of the inspector considered the officer to deserve (the normal) consideration for regular promotion. The notes of the captain on the inspector s 
report indicated not to have experience on his valor but rated him to be dedicated, having regular capacity and good conduct, and giving his [civil] state as single. 

Don Jose Francisco de Castro was second ensign at the Tucson Presidio in December 1778.He was 39 years old, born a Spaniard in Mexico, and was in good health. He enlisted in May 20th 1764 and as a soldier and corporal for 13 years, 10 months and 10 days. From the certifications he presented, and are on file at the secretary office of the Command for Inspections, he served for several years with the third battalion of the Infantry of America regiment, during which he took part in two military campaigns, two sorties and one further assignment to escort gunpowder. He later served with the regiment of Dragoons of Mexico, being assigned to a unit and taking part in two further military campaigns and other sorties. He was promoted to second ensign and destined to the Presidio of Tucson on March 30th 1778. At the time of the record he has served in that position for 
8 months and one day. Among the military actions and campaigns he took part, two campaigns are mentioned with the (military) post of the Barlobento [Barlovento] Islands. Further, he participated in two sorties against privateers along the coasts of Cartagena (Cartagena de Indias, Colombia?) and an escorting trip to supply gunpowder to Puerto Velo (Portobello, Brazil?). In 1773 he went 
out with a unit of the regiment of Dragoons of Mexico. He later continued his service in this province of the interior (Pimeria Alta), where he participated in two campaigns against the Indian enemies under the command of Brigadier Mr. Hugo Oconor [O Connor] and some other sorties, which were of notorious public knowledge but did not show up in his certifications, considering where these 
were located. The report of the inspector remarked the officer to be accorded (the normal) consideration for regular promotion. The notes of the captain on the inspector s report rated him to be valiant and dedicated, having regular capacity and good conduct, and giving his [civil] state as single. 

Jose de Tona was sergeant at the Tucson Presidio in December 1778. He was 41 years old, born in Rome of good (respectable) origin, and had good health. He was enlisted June 1st 1774 at the Presidio of Tubac, where he served for 1 year as sergeant until he was promoted to corporal by commander director (?) Mr. Jose Ruvio [Rubio] on January 1st 1778, having been discharged from service by Brigadier Mr. Hugo Oconor [O Connor] (possibly because he was married?). He 
served as corporal at the same location for 5 months and 10 days. He was finally promoted to first sargent by order of the commander general and destined to the Presidio of Tucson. At the time of the record he had served in this location for 5 months and 10 days. There are no reported military actions or campaigns he had taken part in. The report of the inspector indicates that he follows the orders given to him by his superiors. The notes of the captain on the inspectors report rated him to be valiant and dedicated, having regular capacity and good conduct, and giving his [civil] state as married. 

J. Homer Thiel, Desert Archaeology   http://www.cdarc.org/
3975 N. Tucson Blvd., Tucson AZ 85716-1037
homer@desert.com
Phone (520)881-2244  Fax (520) 881-0325
Sent by Eddie Grijalva

Genealogical Grants

What Do You Mean by "Genealogical Grants"?
Genealogical societies, local and specialized libraries, and avid genealogists are always short of the funds they need to buy appropriate books and CDs, acquire the necessary computers and peripherals, get collected information into print, and pursue other projects. I'd like to take a tiny step toward addressing this problem.

If you represent an organization which serves the genealogical community at large -- or if you serve a smaller community (perhaps you produce a family newsletter, host a website, organize reunions, or some such thing) -- and find yourself shy of necessary funds, please consider filling out the form below to apply for a small grant. I will review all submissions and periodically select one for a donation. My goal is one per month. Submissions will remain active candidates for six months from the date of receipt. Hint: I find myself drawn to innovative ideas that can serve as a model to others! Why not give it a go?

I'm just one person, so I can only give small amounts, but I'm operating on the optimistic principle that every little bit helps. For the few minutes it takes to complete this form, you may be able to buy that handful of books or that scanner that's been on your wish list for so long.

September 2001- - In a program Gloria Cordova calls "Finding and Honoring Our Spanish-Mexican Grandmothers," she uses her own family history and doctoral dissertation research as a means of discovering and giving visibility to Spanish-mestiza ancestral women. Gloria's intent is to inspire others to research and discover the women in their families, to learn who they were, and to love what they represent. The program also discusses New Mexico history and genealogical records as related to the early Hispano settlers of the area. Gloria will use her grant to cover expenses incurred in presenting her program.

http://www.honoringourancestors.com/grants.html   Sent  by Gloria Cordova

Colorado Marriages and Divorces Search
Search on all marriages (from 1975 through August 2001) and divorces 
(from 1968 through August 2001) in the state of Colorado

http://www.quickinfo.net/madi/comadi.html    Sent by Johanna de Soto

The Clark County, Nevada Marriages
The data displayed is for computer indexing only. Recorder's Office does not assume any liability as to the accuracy of the data produced and published. Marriages are recorded daily and the names are indexed (updated) by midnight. 

** Note ** Marriages are indexed on-line from 1984 through the present. For inquires about marriages prior to 1984 (from 1909 through 1983), you need to either visit our office to view the archived records, call, or mail us your request.

http://www.co.clark.nv.us/recorder/mar_srch.htm     Sent by Johanna de Soto

Documentary Relations of the Southwest

The DRSW provides the research tools and finding aids to the written record that began with the arrival of the Spanish explorers in the 1530's.  The 1500 microfilm reels of documents include the diaries of explorers and reports of the missionaries and soldiers, from the first written accounts of contact with indigenous peoples in the 16th Century to the Mexican Declaration of Independence from Spain in 1821. This site has a biofile listing  the colonizers and soldiers
http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/drsw/
http://saint-denis.library.arizona.edu:4000/cgi-bin/museumLogon.cgi

Sent by Johanna de Soto

Transformations of Spanish Urban Landscapes in the American Southwest, 1821-1900

http://digital.library.arizona.edu/jsw/3504/veregge/veregge.html

by Nina Veregge

(The first two paragraph from the Introduction of  an depth study of the development and specific layout of the town of: Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Socorro, Las Vegas, and Tucson.  However, the information includes general data comparing the difference between towns as established by Spanish colonists and Anglo-Americans.  Illustrations of structural differences are included.  A bibliography, photos, and footnotes are included - fascinating.)

This is a study of the changing form of five towns in what is now the southwestern United States as they reflected the cultural transformation initiated by Anglo American settlement of the region beginning in the 1820s. The physical environment that existed in places like Tucson and Santa Fe in 1821 was an expression of the institutions of Spanish imperial colonialism as embodied in the Laws of the Indies and the limitations imposed by a frontier culturally and economically impoverished by great distance from its center. The environment was changed, slowly at first, but at an accelerating pace, by the westward-moving Anglo American frontier. Nineteenth-century Anglo American urban form incorporated many eighteenth- and nineteenth-century European precedents but was dictated in large part by easily surveyed and titled rectangular plots within the larger grid established by the 1785 Land Ordinance.

By the turn of the century, Anglo culture and urban form had supplanted the Hispanic through a combination of three basic transformation processes: addition, reconfiguration, and subtraction or demolition. These processes were operable and are observable at various "levels" in the environment from large-scale urban structures down to architectural details. In order to analyze the physical changes resulting from cultural change, I have used these scale levels and transformation processes as a matrix "overlaid" on the data provided by historic maps, plans, photographs, and written descriptions of the settlements. For each city and/or time period, the matrix should look somewhat different.

Sent by Johanna de Soto 

TEXAS

Canary Islanders
Borderland in Transition
Historical Texas Cemeteries
Historic Laredo
Raul Longoria

San Antonio Newspapers
Tony Sanchez
Alberto del Canto
Hank Aguirre

Canary Islanders:  http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~brasscannon/

Brass Cannon (located at Goliad, Texas)
The Canary Islands Monument at Donaldsonville, Louisiana (photos)
A Canary Islands Bibliography -- genealogical and historical
Canary Islands Families in Louisiana (a finding aid)
Some Societies Celebrating Canary Islands Culture  Other projects... eventually

Sent by Bill Carmeno    Also  . . . .CanaryIslanders@aol.com

Borderlands In Transition
Texas A&M International University Hosts Borderlands History Conference: 

BY PAUL S. MARTINEZ, Times staff writer, 11-15-01

A group of intellectuals and academics from South Texas and Northern Mexico gathered at the local university Friday and Saturday to discuss the history of the borderlands. The conference, sponsored by the Texas State Historical Association, featured discussion about borderland history, colonial history, curanderismo (Mexican folk medicine) and folk culture.  Texas A&M International University Carlos Valle said. "It was a different  topic every 20 minutes; six speakers in the morning, six speakers in the  afternoon, on Friday and on Saturday." One speaker, a professor from a
Coahuila university, spoke of improving U.S.-Mexico relations and increasing diversity in Mexico. Valle said other speakers talked about all sorts of expeditions, Indians, the Spanish origins in South Texas and the discrimination Mexican-Americans have had to endure over the years. The
constituency at the conference was primarily composed of professors,  professional historians and writers, but there were also engineers, map  collectors and history enthusiasts. The constituency hailed from Texas and Mexico and speakers addressed the conference in both Spanish and English.  Headphones and a translator were provided for the non-bilingual audience  members. 
TAMIU professors Jerry Tompson and Beto Juarez organized the conference.

Staff writer Paul S. Martinez can be reached at 728-2565 or by e-mail at: paulm@lmtonline.com
Sent by George Gause

Historic Texas Cemeteries

The book "How To Inventory a Cemetery and Write Its Book"  can now be downloaded free at the following address: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~txcemeteries/

SOURCE: Dennis Carter TexMexGenealogy@aol.co
Sent by  George Gause  ggause@panam.edu

Historic Laredo: An Illustrated History of Laredo and Webb County

The Webb County Heritage Foundation is the sole vendor for Historic Laredo: An Illustrated History of Laredo and Webb County, a publication sponsored by them. The retail price of the book is $36.00 [out of state]; $38.00 with Texas sales tax [if you live in 
Texas] with an additional $4 shipping charge should you want this book mailed to you.

Make checks payable to the: Webb County Heritage Foundation

Margarita Araiza, Executive Director, Webb County Heritage Foundation
P.O. Box 446, Laredo, Texas 78042-0446,  tel. (956) 727-0977  heritage@surfus.net

Sent by George Gause   ggause@panam.edu

Raul Longoria's Website
Surnames: Longoria, Alcala, Villarreal, Garza, Tervino, Solis, Vidaurri 
http://www.geocities.com/raullongoria

SOURCE: Dennis V. Carter TexMexGenealogy@aol.com
Sent by ggause@panam.edu  George Gause

San Antonio Newspapers
Abstractions, November 17, 1848 to November 11, 1865

154 pages, soft cover.  Abstractions from seven San Antonio newspapers: The Western Texian/Texas, The San Antonio Ledger, The Daily Ledger and Texan, The San Antonio Ledger and Texan, The Daily Herald and San Antonio Public Advertiser, Semi-Weekly News, The San Antonio Tri-Weekly Herald.

Published by the San Antonio Genealogical and Historical Society, For more information:
(210) 342-5242  saghs@texas.net     http://saghs.home.texas.net

Tony Sanchez, Historical Article by Gilberto Hinojosa published in the San Antonio Express-News 
Web Posted : 09/07/2001 12:00 AM 

Editor's note: Interesting tie-in to his personal heritage by "Tony Sanchez" who is the Democratic nomination for governor - - reflecting a public interest in understanding the historical presence of Hispanics. It is a concise, clearly written piece.  Must read! 
: 
A.R. "Tony" Sánchez Jr. alluded to his sturdy frontier stock when he announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for governor, hoping to convey the determination with which he will pursue his goals for Texas. Sánchez cited his ancestor, Don Tomás Sánchez, who founded Laredo in 1755. Don Tomás came to the Rio Grande frontier with the experience of managing a hacienda (a farm-and-ranch estate) in Coahuila. Don Tomás Sánchez was a middle manager under José de Escandón, an empresario of national stature in Central Mexico. Escandón was charged with the settlement of Nuevo Santander, New Spain's northeastern corridor. 

Regional entrepreneurs like Don Tomás Sánchez took advantage of the Escandón initiative and recruited pioneers from settled areas in northern New Spain and brought them and their families to the frontier, where they would find new grazing lands. On the vanguard of settlement, Don Tomás Sánchez could make Laredo prosper only by linking it to the economy of regions to the south. Accordingly, Laredoans drove their cattle and hauled the wool to annual fairs in Monterrey and Saltillo. 

Leadership in the establishment of Laredo initially gave Don Tomás Sánchez and his family some advantages, but these proved tenuous. The Laredo settlement quickly attracted newcomers from other riverside towns and the interior. Don Tomás Sánchez became the mediator between the old and new families. But when the settlers on the east bank moved the Casas Reales (City Hall) to their side of the river, he used his political power to keep the town center on the east bank bluff, Laredo's original and present site. 

Other, wider forces also threatened Laredo's orderly development. Periods of prosperity attracted new residents who did not have the family ties that assured law and order. Town leaders struggled to maintain the public order. 

Prosperity also dispersed the original founding families, who moved to ranches distant from the town center. But such ventures encroached on Indian hunting and gathering lands, and the Indians retaliated not just by raiding the ranches but at times by threatening the town. 
Laredo's militia, led by Don Tomás Sánchez, struggled with this growing threat until the 1770s, when a presidio, or soldier-settler town, was established. The soldiers' presence brought security but also disrupted the town's social order. 

Other, bigger challenges were in store. The 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War, declared the Rio Grande the international boundary and split the town in two. In the following decades, Laredo's founding families reached new social, political and economic accommodations with European and American
newcomers, who arrived with capital and business connections to U.S. markets.

Eastward and northward cattle drives signaled the new direction of the economy, as did the connection with San Antonio businesses and banks. Yet the U.S. economy reached Laredo relatively slowly, allowing the original families to mix with the newcomers and blend their landed interests with new capital-intensive enterprises. 

In the mid-1800s, Brownsville assumed the role of bridging the U.S. and Mexican economies. Brownsville had a port, and steamboats hauled goods 60 miles upriver on the Rio Grande. But things changed in 1881, when railroads from Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Mexico City met at Laredo. The city then became the hub for U.S.-Mexico trade. 
Recently, the North American Free Trade Alliance has turned Laredo into one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation. Amid all these transitions, the town's leaders continually focused on basic economic enterprises and displayed a tenacity for survival, permanence and success that goes back to the founders. 

Tony Sánchez takes pride in having inherited these virtues. He has vowed to bring the same focus and tenacity to the governor's race and has encouraged all Texans to adopt them as they grapple with the challenges facing our state. 

To message Gilberto Hinojosa, e-mail GHinojosaEN@aol.com
Sent by   epherbeck@juno.com

Draft  Chapter 1: El Canto del Canto, Mi Canto (Continuation)

Hoyo postulates in his book, " Historia del Nueveo Reino de Leon: Las Tres Fundaciones de Monterrey, that Alberto del Canto entered Coahuila and Nuevo Leon as a soldier. He believes Alberto was recruited at Zacatecas in 1562 by Francisco Ibarra who brought 170 soldiers into the region. Moreover, it is believed Alberto joined up with another group made up principally of Vizcainos (from Nueva Vizcaya) and Portuguese. These were brave men who enjoyed the heat of battle. Like Alberto, many of these men left their mark in history.

Other evidence points to the fact that Alberto entered alone into the Region. Most of the men under his command have unique names. When Alberto first assigned land to the first settlers of Saltillo, none of the men under his command shared his name. In Carvajal's group, about thirty persons in his party were his relatives, but in the case of Alberto, he does not appear to have brought any relatives with him to the region. Perhaps, there were none to bring. Vito Alessio Robles lists the following persons as the first settlers of Santiago de Saltillo: Juan Alsonso, Julian Gutierrez, Rodrigo Perez, Cristobal de Sagastiberri, Agustin de Villa Sur, Santos Rojo, Miguel de Zitua, Juan de Erbaez, Manuel de Mederos, Juan Navarro, Mateo de Barraza, Juan Perez Chocallo (killed by the Indians) and Antonio Hernandez Grimon.

http://home.att.net/~ptrodriguez.ptrinform/paternallegacy2.htm

Fascinating research, dramatically told by Pedro T. Rodriguez about his ancestor Alberto del Canto.  Pedro T. Rodriguez has included a 12-generation descendancy. chart.  If you are a del Canto or Rodriguez in Grulla, Texas. . . Don't miss this site. 

The Tall Mexican, the Life of Hank Aguirre, All-Star Pitcher, Businessman, Humanitarian 
by Bob Copley, 1998, 200 pages, 11 year and up. $9.95 paperback Clothbound, $16.95

Baseball star Hank Aguirre (1931-1994) pitched for the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs in a vibrant major-league career that ran from 1955-1971.  Upon retiring from the game, he founded Mexican Industries, a multimillion -dollar auto-accessories company, employing well over a thousand people.

Arte Público Press, University of Houston, 452 Cullen Performance Hall, Houston, TX 77204-2004 or FAX: 713-743-2847      http://www.arte.hu.edu
  

EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI

Georgia Working To Include Latinos in Juries

By Mitch Stacy, The Associated Press / San Diego Union-Tribune
November 17, 2001

GAINESVILLE, Ga. (AP) -- Thousands of Latinos have flocked to north Georgia over the past decade, drawn by work in the chicken plants and carpet mills and the promise of a better life in the Appalachian foothills.

They have become a presence in nearly every part of the community, from the churches and schools to restaurants and shops. Everywhere, it seems, except in the jury boxes.

Reasons for this disparity vary, but in Georgia and other places where Latino populations have boomed, attorneys are challenging trials on the ground that the jury doesn't reflect the community.
Judges are starting to listen.

"Unfortunately, it's the last place they've been assimilated into, and it's been a real tear on the community not to have them there," said Dan Summer, an attorney who raised the issue on behalf of a client accused of murder in Hall County, where the Latino population has grown 500 percent
in the past decade.

Superior Court Judge Kathlene Gosselin, noting "significant and unconstitutional under representation" of Latinos in the jury pool, postponed the trial of Summer's client and criticized the county for not doing enough to fix the problem.

She noted that Latinos make up about 17 percent of the county's over-18 population, according to the 2000 census, but they make up less than 3 percent of the jury pool. She said Latinos should be classified and tracked as a separate group for jury duty in the same way that blacks are.

In Gwinnett County in suburban Atlanta, judges halted five death-penalty cases last summer until the county adjusted its jury pool list to include more Latinos, whose local numbers have risen 650 percent in a decade.

None of the defendants whose cases have been delayed is Latino. Nevertheless, more Latino defendants are inevitable as the population grows, and attorneys say they should be tried before juries of their peers.

If Gosselin's decision is affirmed by higher courts, it could set a precedent for jury trials in other places with large concentrations of Latinos. She said judges in numerous states, including Texas, Colorado and Nebraska, have made similar findings about jury makeup.

"This is a problem in multiple areas of the country where the Hispanic populations have seemingly come out of nowhere," said Scott Gunderson Rosa, a spokesman for the Washington-based League of United Latin American Citizens, an advocacy group for Latinos.

In Georgia, jury rolls are compiled from lists of registered voters and licensed drivers, as well as other sources deemed appropriate by each county's volunteer jury commission. In addition, any U.S. citizen 18 and over can sign up.

Hall County, as part of a regular two-year review, has sent jury commissioners to poultry plants, ballparks, churches and other places to sign up Latinos for jury duty.

Court officials, however, say they have had difficulty finding enough prospective panelists who are U.S. citizens. And even Latino immigrants who are here legally and might have citizenship may try to stay off the rolls because they feel they don't have command of the language and are
distrustful of the government, some residents say.

"It's hard because a lot of Hispanic people don't speak English," said Sonia Romero, 19, who came to Gainesville from Mexico with her family seven years ago.

Sent by Zeke Hernandez

EAST COAST

Sephardic Film Festival

Poblanos on the East Coast

Sixth International Sephardic Film Festival, December 1-9, 2001
With a Tribute to the Sephardic Experience in Israel, 
sponsored by Sephardic House and Yeshiva University Museum

Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th St., New York

Featured in this year's International Sephardic Film Festival is a special tribute to the Sephardic experience in Israel.  Sephardin have played a major role in the establishment and growth of the State Of Israel.  Many came to Palestine prior to 1948 with a Zionist dream to see Israel flourish; their faith and desire to be in Jerusalem was very strong and the prayers they recited three times a day to regain the Holy City were deeply felt. Today, Sephardin represent the majority of the Israeli population and have gained prominence in Israeli politics, universities, the major industries and professions.  Immigrant stories of Sephardim's absorption in Israel have been retold on film.  Some films are person documentaries, others are stories of historical events that shaped the nation and/or its religious and cultural traditions.  Since the early 1950s, the Israeli film and television industries have presented the rich histories of the Sepharidc communities, documented their waves of immigration and addressed the contemporary issues facing them.   

The Festival present 23 fiction and documentary films on a variety of topics-both serious and with humor - from the past  and the present - from Israel, India, Rhodes, the former Belgian Congo, Greece, Poland, Bulgaria, Holland, Mexico, Spain and France.
(212) 294-6170:  www.sephardichouse.org   Email: mkiplok@yum.cjh.org

Poblanos Migrate to the East Coast

Nearly one million people from Puebla, Mexico have left  the state since the 1970s and settled from Buffalo, N.Y. to Raleigh, N.C.  Some 300,000 Poblanos live in the New York metropolitan area.  The immigrants who typically earn more in an hour than Mexican workers earn in a day, send and estimated $800 million a year back to the state of Puebla.
O.C. Register, 11-19-01
 

MEXICO

Mexican Pueblo Websites
Baja California and Nayarit
Harry Crosby, Baja California
Baltazar Echave Orio

Mexican Newspapers
Yale Western Collection 
The Mexica: From Obscurity to Dominance
JOHN- second article.

Mexican Pueblo Websites

Jose Herrera , a student in Chicago created a web site to show photos he had taken of his home town.  Although he intended it for family and friends,  it has been visited by hundreds of immigrants in the United States leaving messages greeting friend and family in their hometowns in Durango. His message boards now include 51 towns and villages in Durango. The site averages about 3,000 hits a month.  

He is not alone.  Dozens of Web sites for Mexican pueblos have popped up in the last two years serving as forums for their immigrants scattered across the continent.
www.iit.edu/~herrjos/index.html

Here are some others:
www.jerez.com.mx    About Jerez, Zacatecas
www.atolinga.com      Atolinga, Zacatecas
www.jalpazac.com   Jalpa, Zacatecas
www.Tlaltenango.com    Tlaltenango, Zacatecas
www.zacapumich.com.mx    Zacapu, Michoacan

Virtual Villages link Immigrants to Home by Sam Quinones, published in Chronicle Foreign Service, sent by Galal Kernahan 


Sociedad Genealogica del Norte de México

Readers, the President of the Genealogical Society of Northern Mexico, Benicio Samuel Sánchez, has invited readers to contact them for free assistance in their family research in northern Mexico.

Baja California and Nayarit
Mandeville Special Collections Library 
Geisel Library University of California, San Diego
Register of Howard E. Gulick Papers, 1948 -- 1980, MSS 0091

Papers of Howard E. Gulick, author, cartographer and traveler in the Mexican states of Baja California Norte, Baja California Sur and Nayarit. Gulick coauthored one of the first guidebooks on Baja California, the Lower California Guidebook (1956), which combined history and culture with field maps and mileage tabulation. His guidebook to Nayarit entitled Nayarit, Mexico; A Traveler's Guidebook to this Historica and Scenic state of Mexico's West Coast and its Capital, the City of Tepic (1965) was the first English-language guide to that state. The Baja California materials date between 1948 and 1973 and the Nayarit materials date between 1964 and 1965.

Included are letters from botanist Annetta Carter and geographer Homer Aschmann, manuscripts and typescripts of Gulick's unpublished research papers, manuscript maps, published maps, journals and diaries from trips, and a large collection of color slide images of places and people in Baja California and Nayarit.

Sent by Johanna de Soto

Baja California

Antigua California: Mission and Colony on the Peninsula Frontier, 1697-1768 
Tijuana 1964: A Photographic and Historic View 
Cave Paintings of Baja California: Discovering the Great Murals of an Unknown People 
Harry Crosby  www.harrywcrosby.com  "Bookshelf" information:
Carmen Boone de Aguilar  raguilar@mail.internet.com.mx
 

Baltazar Echave Orio,  the Father of Mexican Art

by Ralph Echave  r_echave@msn.com

Editor's Note:  Ralph's history of his famous artist ancestors points out the tradition of learning the skills of one's father.

Here is a brief history on my ancestor, Baltazar Echave Orio. Baltazar went to the University of Salamanca and studied law.  He finished his studies in Sevilla where he lived with Echave family members who some two hundred years or so moved there from Oikia.

In 1573 Baltazar went to the Indies (Nueva Espana) as the regal magistrate.  In 1582, he made a very successful marriage.  He married Isabel Ibia. 

Isabel's father, Francisco Ibia was the second son of one of the most powerful families in Guipuzkoa, the Gamboa family.  At that time, it was not unusual for the second son when he reached majority, to take a different name and try to make it on his own account, only the first son inherited. . . everything.

Francisco Ibia  migrated in the 1550s and was soon recognized as a talented artist throughout Nueva España. Francisco taught his daughter, Isabel, and his son, Manuel, painting skills. Both his children ultimately had their paintings hung in the Cathedral of Mexico City and at the National Museum. 

Isabel known as the Zumiyana (born in Zumaya)  married and taught my ancestor Baltazar  how to paint.  It was not long before Baltazar out-distanced Isabel and his father-in-law in talent.  After a few years, Baltazar had students studying painting under his care. A couple of his student became well-known. 

Baltazar and Isabel had three children, son named Baltazar,, Manuel and a daughter, n Ana.  All the children took to painting.  Baltazar Echave Ibia became a painter of great value.  Baltazar (Orio) was prolific painter with several works in private hands in the United States, and others hanging in various Cathedrals, Mexico City, Puebla and others.  They also hand in the Palacio of Bellas Artes, Palacio de Chapultepec, the National Museum, and at a variety of churches and houses of religious orders.

Baltazar (Ibia),  his son,  also became a painter of note with his paintings hanging in many major cultural locations in Mexico City. The father was called Echave, El Viejo and the son Echave El Joven, (Ibia) had a son also called Baltazar Echave Rioja.  He too befcame a painter of note, but not of the quality of the grandfather, or father.  He was known as Echave of the Azules (Blues). Orio and Ibia always used Isabel as a model for the face of the Virgin or some other saint.  They all painted only religious subjects.

Some comments about the Echave name:
In the Basque country, the children are always named with their father's family name and the second name is that of their mothers.  This goes for male and female.  This name never changes even when married. 

Baltazar Echave Orio was born at the "Palacio Etxabe" in Oikia, a suburb of Zumaia, a province of Gipuzkoa, in Euzkadi (the Basque county).  Please note that there are three spellings to my last name, it is Etxabe, partial Latinized, it is Echabe, and totally Latinized, it is Echave.

His father, and all his ancestral grandfathers were the "Mayorasco" or head of the family. The Echave family has its origin in Oikia and all, repeat, all families with the name Etxabe, Echabe or Echave are descendants of my family.  There is also a family in Portugal and in Sevilla with the spelling of Chaves who through the mispelling of the name ended with Chaves.

By the way, there are only 285 families with the name of Echave in the world.  There might be some 100 families with the spelling Echave and using the Basque spelling, maybe some 250 families. . . numerically a small family.

Mexican Newspapers Online  at:  http://utminers.utep.edu/panihm/oralhist.htm
Newspapers examples below, but information on all state available at this site.

Campeche,Capital:Campeche

• Sur de Campeche, El

• Tribuna de Campeche, La

Coahuila, Capital: Saltillo

• Diario de Coahuila, El

• Siglo de Torreón, El
  "Periódico Regional. 
  Defensor de la Communidad"
  With 7 day archive

• Palabra Saltillo

• Vanguardia Saltillo
  "El periódico libre"

Sent by Johanna de Soto

Colima, Capital: Colima

• Diario de Colima
  Selected news stories and 
  one week archive

Chiapas, Capital: Tuxtla Gutiérrez

• Cuarto Poder

• Estesur
  "Semanario de Chiapas"

• Noticias de Chiapas

• Orbe, El Tapachula

• República en Chiapas, La
  "El pensamiento del hombre 
  de hoy" Selected stories from
    the past four months

YALE COLLECTION OF WESTERN AMERICANA
JESUIT MISSIONARY COLLECTION, WA MSS S-1143
http://webtext.library.yale.edu/sgml2html/beinecke.jesuits.sgm.html
BEINECKE RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY
by
 Beinecke Staff, New Haven, Connecticut, Last Updated: June 1993     DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION: Sonora, Sinaloa, and Arizona

This collection of 154 documents spans the dates November 8, 1671 through December 18, 1749. The documents were created in various sites throughout Sonora and Sinaloa, Mexico, and in Arizona. They comprise 289 pages and fall into three related groups. The first group (entries 1 through 16 on the list) consists of 16 letters by various Jesuit missionaries, by the Visitador Alvaro Flores de Sierra, and by military leaders. They were written between November 8, 1671 and December 22, 1672 and are arranged chronologically. The letters concern recent attacks by the Seri Indians on Jesuit missions and villages and discuss the need for improved military protection.

The second group of manuscripts consists of 119 letters and documents addressed to Juan de Yturberoaga, Procurador of the Province of New Spain, concerning the distribution of supplies to the Jesuit missions as well as other administrative matters. The letters, which were written between December 5, 1707 and September 30, 1710 are arranged in alphabetical order by author. They are described in entries 17 through 49.

The third group of manuscripts consists of 19 letters written between October 23 and December 18, 1749. In the letters, various authors describe the problem of Seri attacks on the missions and settlements. The first document in the group (entry 50) describes in detail the many obstacles to transporting cattle in the region. The letters are arranged in alphabetical order by  the author and consist of entries 50 through 65.         Sent by Johanna de Soto

Individuals in Collection:
Abendano, Juan de
Albarado, Ygnacio de
See: Alvarado, Ignacio de
Aldrete, Florencio de
Almanza, Miguel Xavier de, 1676-1725
Almonacir, Juan de
Almonazir, Juan de
See: Almonacir, Juan de
Alvarado, Ignacio de
Alvares, Esteban
Alvares, Juan
Anaya, Juan de
Aragon, Juan Antonio de
Arias, Antonio
Astina, Antonio de
Baduinari, Lorenzo
Balthasar, Juan Antonio, 1697-1763
Bartyromo, Melchor de, 1663-
Bayerca, Fernando, 1663-1730
Bazaldua, Juan de
Benavides, Martin de
See: Venavides Martin de
Bentura Ferrer, Juan
See: Ventura Ferrer, Juan
Betancur, Juan de
Boltor, Juan
Brabo, Cristobal [?]
Buelna, Andres de
Campos, Augustin de 
Canto, Luis del, 1634-1687 
Castellanos, Juan de 
Cortez, Jacinto 
Cruz, Manuel de la
Cuellas, Quiler de
Diserino, Francisco
Egidiano, Andres
Encinas, Juan de
Estrada, Geronimo de
Estrada, Ignacio Xavier de
Estrada y Bocanegra, Antonio de
Eymer, Wenceslau, d. 1709
Fernandez Bello, Antonio
Fernandez Cabero, Juan
Fernandez Zalema, Joseph
Flores de Sierra, Alvaro, d. 1673
Garcia, Andres Xavier
Garcia, Nicolas
Garcia Ramon, Alonso
Garfias, Bernardo de
Genusque, Daniel
See: Januske, Daniel
Gilg, Adamo, 1653- 
Gonzalez, Manuel, d. 1730? 
Goyeneche, Juan Francisco de
Guerrero, Joseph
Guillercagh, Cornelio
Gutierrez, Bernabe Fernando
Gutierrez, Francisco
Haller, Juan Baptista
Herrera, Antonio de
Huter, Juan de
Januske, Daniel
Kappus, Marcos Antonio, 1657-1717
Kino, Eusebio Francisco, 1644- 1711
Landa, Juan Antonio
Leal, Antonio
Lizardi, Andres de

Loaysa, Baltasar Xavier de
Lopez Rendon, 
Joseph  Maldonado, Augustin
Mancuso, Luis
Marin, Antonio 
Marino, Ignacio Maria
Marras, Daniel Angelo, 1629-1689
Mesa, Joseph de, d. 1749 
Minutuli, Geronimo, 1669-ca. 1710
Miranda, Thomas 
Molina, Basilio Xavier de
Montane, Juan Joseph
Montt Vio, Ambrosio Juan 
Mora, Francisco Xavier de, 1662-1720
Morantes, Pedro
Moya, Sebastian de
Mungia Villela, Juan de
Nava, Diego Manuel de
Nayduri, Lorenzo
Neumann, Joseph, 1648-1732
Noriega, Francisco Xavier de
Ordaz, Manuel de
Oro, Nicolas de 
Otermin, Antonio de
Palazuelos, Panta Leon de
Pallares, Joseph de 
Peraza, Joseph, d. 1709
Perera, Nicolas de
Perez Arroyo, Francisco
Pistoya, Geronimo 
Protho, Pedro, d. 1730
Proto, Pedro
Ramirez de Castro, Matheo 
Ramirez Fenorca, Atanasio 
Reynaldos, Pedro 
Rioja, Martin de 
Rivera, Joseph Joaquin de
Rivera, Juan Honorado de
Rodriguez Gallardo, Jose Raphael
Rojas, Carlos de, 1702-1773 
Romo de Vivar, Joseph
Ruiz, Gabriel
Salas y Cortez, Pedro
San Martin, Juan de
Sanches, Thomas
Sandoval, Felipe de
Segesser, Felipe, 1689-1762
Solchaga, Thomas de
Soto, Francisco Xavier de
Soto Mayor, Andres de 
Tagle de Bustamante, Francisco A. 
Toral, Joseph, d. ca. 1763 
Tovar, Manuel de 
Valdes, Gregorio
Valencia Betancur, Manuel de
Vega, Bernardo de la
Venavides, Martin de
Ventura Ferrer, Juan
Villafana, Nicolas de, 1638-
Villafane, Nicolas de
See: Villafana, Nicolas de
Vitoria, Alonso de
Yling, Guillermo
Yragorri, Roque de
Yrazoqui, Juan de
Yturberoaga, Juan de Zanuba, 
Aguerra [?] Geronimo
Zavala, Pedro Joseph de                

 THE MEXICA: FROM OBSCURITY TO DOMINANCE 

                                                            by 

                                       John P. Schmal


The Aztec Empire of 1519 was the most powerful Mesoamerican kingdom of all time. The multi-ethnic, multi-lingual realm stretched for more than 80,000 square miles through many parts of what is now central and southern Mexico. This enormous empire reached from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf coast and from central Mexico to the present-day Republic of Guatemala. Fifteen million people, living in thirty-eight provinces and residing in 489 communities, paid tribute to the Emperor Moctezuma II in Tenochtitlán, the capital city of the great empire.

The Mexica (pronounced "me-shee-ka") Indians, the dominant ethnic group ruling over the Aztec Empire from their capital city at Tenochtitlán in the Valley of Mexico, had very obscure and humble roots that made their rise to power even more remarkable. The Valley of Mexico, which became the heartland of the Aztec civilization, is a large internally-drained basin which is surrounded by volcanic mountains, some of which reach more than 3,000 meters in elevation.

My understanding of the Mexica Indians and the Aztec Empire has been greatly augmented by the works of the anthropologist Professor Michael E. Smith of the University of New York. Professor Smith has written several books about the central Mexican Indians, including The Aztecs and Aztec Imperial Strategies, which I have used as primary sources for this article. 

The growth of the Mexica Indians from newcomers and outcasts in the Valley of Mexico to the guardians of an extensive empire is the stuff that legends are made of. Many people, however, are confused by the wide array of terms designating the various indigenous groups that lived in the Valley of Mexico. The popular term, Aztec, has been used as an all-inclusive term to describe both the people and the empire. 

Professor Smith uses the term Aztec Empire to describe "the empire of the Triple Alliance, in which Tenochtitlán played the dominant role." Quoting the author Charles Gibson, Professor Smith observes that the Aztecs "were the inhabitants of the Valley of Mexico at the time of the Spanish Conquest. Most of these were Náhuatl speakers belonging to diverse polities and ethnic groups (e.g., Mexica of Tenochtitlán, Acolhua of Texcoco, Chalca of Chalco)." In short, the reader should recognize that the Aztec Indians were not one ethnic group, but a collection of many ethnicities, all sharing a common cultural and historical background. 

On the other hand, the Mexica, according to Professor Smith, are "the inhabitants of the cities of Tenochtitlán and Tlatelolco who occupied adjacent islands and claimed the same heritage." And it is the Mexica who eventually became the dominant people within the Aztec Empire. Legend states that the Mexica Indians originally came to the Valley of Mexico from a region in the northwest, popularly known as Atzlan-Chicomoztoc. The name Aztec, in fact, is believed to have been derived from this ancestral homeland, Aztlan (The Place of Herons). 

In A.D. 1111, the Mexica left their native Aztlan to settle in Chicomoztoc (Seven Caves). According to legend, they had offended their patron god Huitzilopochtli by cutting down a forbidden tree. As a result, the Mexica were condemned to leave Aztlan and forced to wander until they received a sign from their gods, directing them to settle down permanently.

The land of Atzlan was said to have been a marshy island situated in the middle of a lake. Some historians actually consider the names "Chicomoztoc" and "Aztlan" to be two terms for the same place, and believe that the island and the seven caves are simply two features of the same region. For nearly five centuries, popular imagination has speculated about the location of the legendary Aztlan. Some people refer to Aztlan as a concept, not an actual place that ever existed. 

However, many historians believe that Aztlan did exist. The historian Paul Kirchhoff suggested that Aztlan lay along a tributary of the Lerna River, to the west of the Valley of Mexico. Other experts have suggested the Aztlan might be the island of Janitzio in the center of Lake Pátzcuaro, also to the west, with its physical correspondence to the description of Aztlan. Many people have speculated that the ancestral home of the Aztecs lay in California, New Mexico or in the Mexican states of Sonora and Sinaloa.

The idea that Sinaloa, Sonora, California, and New Mexico might be the site of Aztlan is a very plausible explanation when historical linguistics have been considered. "The north-to-south movement of the Aztlan groups is supported by research in historical linguistics, " writes Professor Smith in The Aztecs, "The Náhuatl language, classified in the Nahuan group of the Uto-Aztecan family of languages, is unrelated to most Mesoamerican native languages." As a matter of fact, "Náhuatl was a relatively recent intrusion" into central Mexico.

On the other hand, if one observes the locations of the indigenous people who spoke the Uto-Aztecan languages, all of their lands lay to the northwest of the Valley of Mexico. The northern Uto-Aztecans occupied a large section of the American Southwest. Among them were the Hopi and Zuni Indians of New Mexico and the Gabrielino Indians of the Los Angeles Basin. The Central Uto-Aztecans - occupying large parts of Chihuahua, Sinaloa and Sonora in northwestern Mexico - included the Papago, Opata, Yaqui, Mayo, Concho, Huichol and Tepehuán. It is reasonable to assume that where there is a linguistic relationship there is most likely also a genetic relationship. Thus, it is highly likely that the legendary Aztlan was located in northwestern Mexico or the Southwestern United States.

It is important to note, however, that the Aztlan migrations were not one simple movement of a single group of people. Instead, as Professor Smith has noted, "when all of the native histories are compared, no fewer than seventeen ethnic groups are listed among the original tribes migrating from Aztlan and Chicomoztoc." It is believed that the migrations southward probably took place over several generations. "Led by priests," continues Professor Smith, "the migrants… stopped periodically to build houses and temples, to gather and cultivate food, and to carry out rituals."

The first group of migrants probably included the Acolhua, Tepaneca, Culhua, Chalca, Xochimilca, all of whom settled in the Valley of Mexico. The second group, including the Tlahuica of Morelos, the Matlatzinca of Toluca Valley, the Tlaxcalans of Tlaxcala, the Huexotzinca of Puebla, and the Malinalca of Malinalco, migrated to the surrounding valleys. The last to arrive, around A.D. 1248, were the Mexica who found all the good land occupied and were forced to settle in more undesirable locations of the Valley.

As the late arrivals in the Valley of Mexico, the Mexica were forced by other groups in the valley to take refuge on two islands near the western shore of Lake Texcoco (one of the five lakes in the area). Their first home was an island in the middle of Lake Chapultepec (Place of the Grasshopper), which is now in Downtown Mexico City. The Mexica were welcomed to Chapultepec by the Tepanec leader of city-state of Azcapotzalco on the understanding that they would work as both mercenaries and laborers. However, around 1315, the Mexica were ejected from Chapultepec by the Tepanecs. 

When the Mexicas first arrived in the Valley of Mexico, the whole region was occupied by some forty city-states (altepetl is the Nahua term). These city-states - which included the Tepanecs, Coatlinchans, Cholcos, Xochimilcos, Cholulas, Tlaxcalans and Huexotzincas - were engaged in a constant and continuing battle for ascendancy in the Valley. In describing this political situation, Professor Smith observed that "ethnically similar and/or geographically close city-states allied to form regional political confederations." By 1300, eight confederations of various sizes occupied the entire Valley of the Mexico and adjacent areas. 

In A.D. 1325, the Mexica, once again on the run, wandered through the wilderness of swamps that surrounded the salty lakes of the Valley of Mexico. On a small island, the Mexica finally found their promised omen when they saw a cactus growing out of a rock with an eagle perched atop the cactus. The Mexica high priests thereupon proclaimed that they had reached their promised land. As it turns out, the site turned out to be a strategic location, with abundant food supplies and waterways for transportation.

The Mexica settled down to found their new home, Tenochtitlán (Place of the Cactus Fruit). The Mexica became highly efficient in their ability to develop a system of dikes and canals to control the water levels and salinity of the lakes. Using canoes and boats, they were able to carry on commerce with other cities along the valley lakes. And, comments Professor Smith, "the limited access to the city provided protection against military attack."

Huitzilihuitl, who ruled the Mexica from 1391 to 1415, writes Professor Smith, "presided over one of the most important periods in Mexica history… The Mexica became highly skilled as soldiers and diplomats in their dealing with neighbors. One of Huitzilihuitl's major accomplishments was the establishment of successful marriage alliances with a number of powerful dynasties." Over time, the Mexica, as the latecomers and underdogs of the Valley region, sought to increase their political power and prestige through intermarriage. 

"Marriage alliances," writes Professor Smith, "were an important component of diplomacy among Mesoamerican states. Lower ranking kings would endeavor to marry the daughters of more powerful and important kings. A marriage established at least an informal alliance between the polities and was a public acknowledgement of the dominant status of the more powerful king."

Sometime around 1428, the Mexica monarch, Itzcoatl, ruling from Tenochtitlán, formed a triple alliance with the city-states of Texcoco and Tlacopan (now Tacuba) as a means of confronting the then-dominant Tepanecs of the city-state of Azcapotzalco. Soon after, the combined force of the Triple Alliance was able to defeat Azcapotzalco. Later that year, Culhuacan and Huitzilopochco were defeated by the Alliance. A string of victories continued in quick succession, with the defeat of Xochimilco in 1429-30, Ixtapalapan in 1430, and Mixquic in 1432. "The only area of the valley to resist conquest for any length of time," comments the anthropologist Mary G. Hodge, "was the southeastern portion occupied by the Chalca confederation. The hostilities with the Chalca city-states were resolved only through conquering this area piecemeal, between 1456 and 1465." 

Professor Smith writes that "the three Triple Alliance states were originally conceived as equivalent powers, with the spoils of joint conquests to be divided evenly among them. However, Tenochtitlán steadily grew in power at the expense of Texcoco and particularly Tlacopan." In time the conquests of the alliance began to take the shape of an empire, with the Triple Alliance levying tribute upon their subject towns. Professor Smith, quoting the words of the anthropologist Robert McCormick Adams, writes that "A defining activity of empires is that they are 'preoccupied with channeling resources from diverse subject polities and peoples to an ethnically defined ruling stratum." 

With each conquest, the Aztec domain became more and more ethnically diverse, eventually controlling thirty-eight provinces. The Aztec tributary provinces, according to Professor Frances F. Berdan, were "scattered throughout central and southern Mexico, in highly diverse environmental and cultural settings." Professor Berdan points out that "these provinces provided the imperial powers with a regular and predictable flow of tribute goods."

Of utmost importance became the tribute that made its way back to Tenochtitlán from the various city-states and provinces. Such tribute may have taken many forms, including textiles, warriors' costumes, foodstuffs, maize, beans, chiles, cacao, bee honey, salt and human beings (for sacrificial rituals).

Aztec society was highly structured, based on agriculture, and guided by a religion that pervaded every aspect of life. The Aztecs worshipped gods that represented natural forces that were vital to their agricultural economy. All of the Aztec cities were dominated by giant stone pyramids topped by temples where human sacrifices provided the gods with the human sustenance that the priests believed their supernatural deities required.

For hundreds of years, human sacrifice is believed to have played an important role of many of the indigenous tribes inhabiting the Valley of Mexico. However, the Mexica brought human sacrifice to levels that had never been practiced before. The Mexica Indians and their neighbors had developed a belief that it was necessary to constantly appease the gods through human sacrifice. By spilling the blood of human beings onto the ground, the high priests were, in a sense, paying their debt to the gods. If the blood would flow, then the sun would rise each morning, the crops would grow, the gods would provide favorable weather for good crops, and life would continue. 

Over time, the Mexica, in particular, developed a feeling that the needs of their gods were insatiable. The period from 1446 to 1453 was a period of devastating natural disasters: locusts, drought, floods, early frosts, starvation, etc. The Mexica, during this period, resorted to massive human sacrifice in an attempt to remedy these problems. When abundant rain and a healthy crop followed in 1455, the Mexica believed that their efforts had been successful. In 1487, according to legend, Aztec priests sacrificed more than 80,000 prisoners of war at the dedication of the reconstructed temple of the sun god in Tenochtitlán.

The Mexica's sacrificial rituals were elaborate in form, calculated by the high priests to appease specific gods at certain times. During the ceremony, a victim would ascend the steps of the pyramid. At the top, a Mexica priest would stretch the victim across a stone altar and cut out the victim's heart. The priest would hold the heart aloft to the god being honored and then fling it into a sacred fire while it was still beating. 


The function of Aztec priests was one of the most important in Aztec society. It was the priests who determined which days would be lucky for engaging in activities such as war and religious ceremonies. They were guided in their decisions by a religious calendar of 260 days, that was combined with a solar calendar of 365 days. The meshing of the two calendars produced a 52-year cycle that played an integral role in Mexica society and religion.

The basic unit of Aztec society was the calpulli, which was the Aztec equivalent of a clan, or group of families who claimed descent from a common ancestor." Each calpulli regulated its own affairs, electing a council which would keep order, declare war, dispense justice. Calpulli ran the schools where young Mexica boys were taught about citizenship, warfare, history, crafts, and religion. Each calpulli also had a temple, an armory to hold weapons, and a storehouse for goods and tribute that were distributed among its members. 

In the Tenochtitlán of later years, during the ascendancy of the Aztec Empire, the function of the calpulli, took on a different form. As the city grew large and complex, the Mexica calpulli were no longer based on familial relationships.  Instead,the capulli became like wards, or political divisions, of the city. Each calpulli cstill governed and provided education to its members, but the members of a calpulli were not necessarily related. It is believed that there were 15 calpulli in Tenochtitlán when the city was founded in 1325. By the time that the Spaniards arrived in the early Sixteenth Century, there were as many as eighty calpulli throughout the city.

In Tenochtitlán and the other Aztec city-states, the leaders of each calpulli were joined together in a tribal council which was given the responsibility of electing four chief officials, one of whom would be selected as the Tlatoani (Great Lord). After Tenochtitlán became the center of Aztec civilization, its ruler became the supreme leader of the empire, to whom lesser rulers paid tribute. This ruler was considered to be a descendant of the Aztec gods and served as both military leader and high priest.

By the beginning of the Sixteenth Century, the Aztec Empire had become a formidable power, its southern reaches extending into the present-day Mexican states of Oaxaca and Chiapas. The Mexica had also moved the boundaries of the Aztec Empire to a large stretch of the Gulf Coast on the eastern side of the continent. But, as Professor Smith states, "rebellions were a common occurrence in the Aztec empire because of the indirect nature of imperial rule." The Aztecs had allowed local rulers to stay in place "as long as they cooperated with the Triple Alliance and paid their tribute." When a provincial monarch decided to withhold tribute payments from the Triple Alliance, the Aztec forces would respond by dispatching an army to threaten that king. 

Professor Smith wrote that the Aztec Empire "followed two deliberate strategies in planning and implementing their conquests." The first strategy was "economically motivated." The Triple Alliance sought to "generate tribute payments and promote trade and marketing throughout the empire." Their second strategy deal with their frontier regions, in which they established client states and outposts along imperial borders to help contain their enemies."

However, Professor Smith, in his essay on "The Strategic Provinces" commented on the existence of "major unconquered enemy states surrounded by imperial territory." The fact that these enclaves remained free of Aztec dominance is some indication that these "enemy states" may have been recognized as "serious and powerful adversaries." The most powerful enclave, Tlaxcalla, located to the east of the Valley of Mexico, was a "confederation of four republics." Tlaxcalla, writes Professor Smith, "was a Nahuatl-speaking area whose population shared a common cultural and ethnic heritage with the rest of the peoples of central Mexico." 

Aztlan migrants had arrived in the Puebla-Tlaxcalla Valley between the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries and, Professor Smith explains, "populations grew and city-states developed in a fashion that paralleled the Valley of Mexico." Thus, by the beginning of the Fifteenth Century, writes Professor Smith, "three polities stood out as the most powerful and influential - Tlaxcalla itself, Huexotzinco, and Cholula." 

Emperor Moctezuma I, who ruled the Aztecs from 1440 to 1469, conquered the states north and east of Tlaxcalla and, according to Professor Smith, began "a process of encirclement that continued under the following emperors and was largely complete by the time Moctezuma I took power in 1502." This encirclement cut the Tlaxcallans off from external trade. As a result elite goods (gold, feathers, and cacao) and utilitarian items (cotton and salt) became rare in the state.

In seeking to conquer Tlaxcalla, the Aztecs maintained an almost perpetual state of war with Tlaxcalla. The many wars between the two nations also provided a source of victims of human sacrifices. However, after the arrival of the Spaniards, the Tlaxcalan confederation offered a fertile ground of opposition and defiance against the Aztec Empire. In 1519, the Spaniards initiated an alliance with the Tlaxcallans that played a major role in the fall of Tenochtitlán and continued for many centuries.

Metztitlan. A powerful Otomí conquest state located in the rugged mountainous region of what is now northern Hidalgo, Metztitlan remained an unconquered enclave within the Aztec Empire up until the arrival of the Spaniards in 1519. The independence of this small kingdom was easily maintained because of the nature of the terrain in the Metztitlan Valley, where, writes Professor Smith, "a small but well-placed force could hold off a larger and more powerful army." Emperors Ahuítzotl and Moctezuma were able to complete the isolation of Metztitlan. Professor Smith believes that the state remained unconquered because "there were few resources of interest to the empire in this area, and the final emperors may have decided that Metztitlan was not worth the effort." 

Yopitzinco. Located in the isolated mountain area along the Coast Chica region of Guerrero, just southeast of present-day Acapulco, Yopitzinco was occupied by the Yope Indians, who had a reputation as fierce warriors. The Pacific coastal regions to the north and south of Yopitzinco were conquered by Ahuitzotl and Moctezuma II but, it appears that Yope territory had little to offer the Aztec Empire.

Tututepec. As a "large and powerful Mixtec conquest state in the mountains of southwestern Oaxaca," write Professor Smith, "Tututepec controlled a long stretch of the Pacific coast and was in the process of expanding to the north and east in the decades prior to 1519."

The Tarascan Empire of present-day Michoacán was not an enclave located within the Aztec Empire but stood on the periphery of the Mexica domain. The Tarascans (Purhépechas) were a constant source of problems for the Mexica. Like the Aztecs, the Tarascans had engaged in militaristic expansion and conquered adjacent states. Located some 150 kilometers west of the Valley of Mexico in the Lake Pátzcuaro Basin, the Purhépecha Kingdom controlled an area of at least 45,000 square miles (72,500 square kilometers), including parts of the present-day states of Guanajuato, Guerrero, Querétaro, Colima, and Jalisco. 

In A.D. 1478, when the Aztec armies met in battle with the Tarascans, it is believed that as many as 20,000 Triple Alliance warriors may have perished. Against a Tarascan force of about 50,000, the Aztec force of 32,200 warriors was nearly annihilated and the independence of present-day Michoacán preserved for another half-century.

In 1502, Moctezuma II Xocoyotl (the Younger) ascended to the throne of Tenochtitlán as the newly elected tlatoani. It was about this time when the Mexica of Tenochtitlán began to suffer various disasters. While tribute peoples in several parts of the empire started to rebel against Aztecs, troubling omens took place which led the Mexica to believe that their days were numbered. Seventeen years after Moctezuma's rise to power, the Aztec Empire would be faced with its greatest challenge and a huge coalition of indigenous and alien forces which would bring an end to the Triple Alliance.

An article describing Cortés' coalition against the Aztecs and the conquest of Tenochtitlán will be presented in a future edition of Somosprimos.com.

Copyright © 2001, by John P. Schmal. All rights under applicable law are hereby reserved. Reproduction of this article in whole or in part without the express permission of John P. Schmal is strictly prohibited. 

Sources:
Frances F. Berdan, "The Tributary Provinces," in Frances F. Berdan et al., Aztec Imperial Strategies. Washington, D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, 1996, pp. 115-135.

Ron Hassig, Aztec Warfare: Imperial Expansion and Political Control. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1988.

Mary G. Hodge, "Political Organization of the Central Provinces," in Frances F. Berdan et al., Aztec Imperial Strategies. Washington, D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, 1996, pp. 17-45.

Michael E. Smith, "The Strategic Provinces," in Frances F. Berdan et al., Aztec Imperial Strategies. Washington, D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, 1996, pp. 137-150.

Michael E. Smith, The Aztecs. Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers, Inc., 1996.

Susan Spitler, "Homelands: Aztlan and Aztlán," Online: http://www.tulane.edu/~anthro/other/humos/sample.htm  November 20, 2001.

CARIBBEAN AND CUBA

The Cuban Heritage Collection
Index to the US Citizen's Register of Havana 

Cuban Genealogical Research
Hispanic Reading Room

The Cuban Heritage Collection

Coral Gables, FL, October 16, 2001 - The Cuban Heritage Collection (CHC) of   the University of Miami Libraries today makes available on the World Wide  Web the Tomás Estrada Palma Collection. Funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Cuban Heritage Collection has digitized this collection and is providing access to it online at http://www.library.miami.edu/chcdigital/chc0460_main.html

For more information contact Maria R. Estorino
Project Director/Archivist, Cuban Heritage Digital Collection
University of Miami, PO Box 248214
Coral Gables, FL 33124-0320
305-284-5854  and Fax 305-284-4027 
mestorino@miami.edu
http://www.library.miami.edu/chcdigital/chcdigital.html

Index to United States Citizens' Register of Havana, Cuba
1871-1872 

http://www.rootsweb.com/~caribgw/cgw_archive/cuba/havana.htm

On this site you will find a sample of records compiled by Peter Carr. They were taken from the records of the US Consulate at Havana, Cuba (RG84). The listing is chronological from the year 1871 and begins with the letter "A". The listing also includes the registration number which can be used to find the record of "Registration of American Citizen, 24 January 1869 - 31 Dec 1935".

These records contain notarized certificates of registration of American Citizens at the Consulate General showing the name, date and place of birth, date and place of residence in foreign country, purpose of stay, wife's name and place of birth,  children, how citizenship was obtained and passport number. The period of 1868-1878 was an era of a great deal of emigration from Cuba to the US due to the Cuban 10 Years War.

The register can be obtained from "Caribbean Historical & Genealogical Journal" at TCI genealogical Resources, PO Box 15839, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406 USA, and is part of a quarterly journal issued four times yearly. 

Sent by Johanna de Soto

Guide to Cuban Genealogical Research.  Records and Sources  
by Peter E. Carr

This book touches on virtually every facet of its subject.  The author has prepared informative chapters on "getting started," Spanish surnames and a history of Cuba to set the stage for his discussion of Cuban  genealogical records.  The meat of the book consists of separate chapters devoted to each of these pertinent record categories: notarial, land, census, passenger, slave, newspaper, commercial, military, consular, and cemetery.

Although Cuban public Church records by writing directly to the parishes. Mr. Carr reports that his success rate at obtaining church records has ranged from 60 to 70%.success.  Although public records are not available to Americans,  may be possible to acquire Cuban Catholic by writing directly to the church parish, and Mr. Carr gives specific directions on how to go about requesting them yourself. $14.95 plus postage.

Contact: Peter Carr directly, tcigen@worldnet.att.ne

Hispanic Reading Room

The Hispanic Reading Room, Library of Congress     http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/
The Hispanic Reading Room serves as the primary access point for research relating to those parts of the world encompassing the geographical areas of the Caribbean, Latin America, and Iberia; the indigenous cultures of those areas; and peoples throughout the world historically influenced by Luso-Hispanic heritage, including Latinos in the U.S., and peoples of Portuguese or Spanish heritage in Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
 
Collections and Services for Researchers, Libraries and the Public, http://lcweb.loc.gov/
The Hispanic World, 1492-1898     http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/asp/preface.html#top

Sent by Johanna de Soto

INTERNATIONAL

Center for Basque Studies
Canary Islands
NedGen

PALCUS, Portuguese
Documents from Western Europe
Genealogy Tips

Center for Basque Studies at the University of Nevada in Reno is offering three Online Courses: Elementary Basque, Basque Culture, and Bilbao Guggenheim Museum.  You can enroll anytime, earn graduate credit, and take up a year to complete a course.   http://www.dce.unr.edu/istudy 

For a catalog of their publications http://www.nevada.edu/press
To receive a free newsletter, call toll-free phone: 1-877-NVBOOKS

Canary Islands

Official government site for the Canary Islands with links to all aspects of governmental concerns.  http://www.gobcan.es/mapa.html  Sent by Bill Carmeno

NedGen is a full featured search engine dedicated to indexing genealogy websites in Europe.  http://www.nedgen.nl/pop.html Sent by Johanna de Soto

PALCUS,  Portuguese

This website has tons of information on Portuguese events.  It also has many links to other sites of Portuguese interest in Politics, Sports, the arts, jobs and magazines.  According to Rosemarie Capodicci is is "truly worth check out.  It seems to be a nation-wide Portuguese site."  You may also contact Jason Moreira, Executive Assistant of PALCUS at 202-466-4664, or email at:  palcus@palcut.org    Vol. XI, #3 Portuguese Ancestry Oct 2001, rcapodc@redshift

BYU. . . Primary Historical Documents From Western Europe: 
Selected Transcriptions, Facsimiles and Translations

This is an incredible site. These links connect to Western European (mainly primary) historical documents that are transcribed, reproduced in facsimile, or translated. They shed light on key historical happenings within the respective countries (and within the broadest sense of political, economic, social and cultural history). No guarantee of accuracy is implied or assumed, particularly for remote links over which the webmaster has no control.

Note: The order of documents is chronological wherever possible. Document collections not limited to an identifiable era are found at the end of a national list.

When you cite documents from this website http://www.lib.byu.edu/estu/eurodocs

Sent by Johanna de Soto, Gloria Oliver, and Loraine Hernandez

Genealogy Tips of the Day: Paying For Records Ordered From Other Countries
http://www.emazing.com/genealogy.jsp   
Sent by Bill Carmeno   JCarm1724@aol.com

HISTORY

Columbus Ship Discovered

Columbus Voyages 

Colombus Ship' Discovered Near Panama

The Guardian Unlimited - November 5, 2001

Divers searching in shallow Caribbean waters have discovered the wreck of a Spanish galleon which archaeologists believe is part of the fleet used by Christopher Columbus on his final voyage to the Americas.

The vessel, found last week by national culture institute divers in six metres of water off the coast of Panama's Colon province, is thought to be La Vizcaina, one of the four ships that sailed on Columbus's fourth voyage in 1501.

If it is confirmed to be La Vizcaina, it would be the first ship to be found from the early part of the Spanish Conquest.

The culture institute was alerted to the wreck when officials confiscated several stone cannonballs dating from the early 1500s from local divers in the nearby town of Portobelo in late October.

Officials of the institute, based in Panama City, said artefacts brought up from the site, including five cannon and a haul of pottery fragments, helped archaeologists date the wreck to the first wave of the Spanish Conquest.

"The recovered items place the find in a very narrow historical timeframe, which is the first part of the 16th century," Carlos Fitzgerald said.

"There is strong circumstantial evidence to suggest that it is Columbus' ship, La Vizcaina."

"It's the first time that a caravel from the early conquest has been found anywhere in continental America," he added.

The twin-masted Vizcaina, thought to be oak or cedar hulled and with a displacement of around 100 tons, took part in a failed expedition to settle the mouth of the nearby Belen river in 1503.

According to contemporary accounts, the small flotilla had weighed anchor and set sail for Spain, when La Vizcaina began leaking. On Columbus's orders, the vessel was deliberately scuppered a short way from the coast.

"The wreck we found had not been salvaged of its weapons, as was common practice among seafarers at the time," Professor Fitzgerald said. "This concurs with Columbus's own account of the sinking."

Using a salvage boat, divers attached cables to five cannon found on the sunken vessel. The cannon were later identified by archaeologists as Lombards and Versos, the two types of weapon used to arm Columbus's vessels.

As the weapons were covered with a heavy encrustation of coral, researchers have been unable to tell whether they were cast in bronze or iron.

The institute director, Rafael Ruiloba, said researchers had identified recovered pottery shards as the shattered necks of amphorae, used during the conquest period to store olive oil in ships bound for the New World.

"Regardless of whether the vessel was La Vizcaina, it is a very important discovery," Professor Ruiloba said, spreading the brittle fragments out on his office desk.

"This is the first public find of a ship from the early conquest."

The institute, which is keeping a 24-hour watch over the dive site to safeguard it from treasure- hunters, called for help from abroad. "Right now we need to continue with the careful excavation of the vessel where it lies," Prof Ruiloba said. "We need help, as our institute does not have a specialized team able to deal it."

To see more of the Guardian Unlimited network of sites go to http://www.guardian.co.uk

Columbus voyages 
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/searchbin/searchs.pl?exhibit=it3404z&axis

=978287347&flash=true&dev=no
Sent by Mira Smithwick

MISCELLANEOUS

Free Translations
Family Search
Herencia, Part II
Getty Thesaurus

U.S.A. Newspapers
Flipping Album
U.S. History Lesson

Free translations - - wonderful for contacting Spanish-speaking cousins. 
http://ets.freetranslation.com:5081/

FamilySearch. com 
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/WebSites/frameset_websites.asp
?PAGE=browseland.asp
Within this website are  links for any of the categories listed below:

Cultural and Religious Groups
Family Histories and Genealogies
Key Genealogical Sites
Land and Property
Libraries
Migration

Record Keepers
Research Support
Royalty and Nobility
Services and Tools
Surname and Family Organization
Vital Records

Herencia Part II, by Doug Westfall

HOOSEGOW A Mexican term Jusgado meaning to confine.

INDIAN Columbus always believed he had travled to ‘Cipangu’, or Japan - not the ‘Indies’. When first arriving in the new world, he praised the naïve inhabitants and called them "People in God." In Spanish this translates to Gente en Dios, and the En Dios part stuck.

JALOPY Many years ago, Mexican auto mechanics repaired old cars from all over America -- in the town of Xalapa (also spelled Jalapa.) Located about 70 miles north of Veracruz, Xalapa gave us the word jalopy.

JAMAICA The name of the flower early Spaniards discovered on the island and the name of the drink and Hispanic holiday named for the same.

MUCHAS GRACIAS: Many thanks how muchas graciasis perceived -but the literal translations is Much grace,as in the Grace of God.

MARGARITA Carlos Herrera, a Mexican bar owner, is credited with mixing the world’s first margarita to quench the thirst of a beautiful show girl. Herrera, who moved to San Diego from Tijuana about 1985, died at age 90 on May 11, in 1991 or ’92.

It was in the1940s at his Tijuana roadside bar that Herrera first mixed a jigger of tequila with lemon juice andCointreau as Herrera told it, it started as an  experiment.  He was trying to satisfy showgirl and sometimes- actress Marjorie King.  He later bragged that King lowed the drink from the first time it touched her lips, and he named it after the woman who inspired it. Margarita is the Spanish version of Marjorie.

NACHOS Nachos were invented in 1942 at the La Victoria Supper Club in Piedras Negras, across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas. Norma Wilson Margot of Mountain View, CA is apparently the only person still alive who was at the table with her family, when nachos first were served to the public.

Norma's mother, the late Mary Wilson, named the chip dish in honor of the local in charge, Ignacio. 
He had told Mary it had no name and actually had needr brought the dish out of the kitchen before the moment.  The cheese & chip ensemble is now famous world wide.  Nacho is a nick-name for Ignacio.

OLÉ ¡Olé! - the cry of joy and bravado in most Hispanic regions, comes from Spain’s Castellano. Prior to the taking of Castile from the Moors however, the term was Arabic: ¡Allah! - a praise to God. Interesting the sound is the only one like it found in the Arabic language, even today.

POOCH In Mexico, a colloquial term for a mongrel dog is poche or poçe, usually meaning one of a mixed breed. In English, poche became pooch - a common term for any dog.

SARGASSO SEA Columbus’ sailors thought they saw Salgazo grapes floating in the Atlantic. Today that seaweed bed is called the Sargasso Sea.

10 GALLON HAT The Texas 10 Gallon Hat doesn’t really hold ten gallons. The term is Texan, however Spanish Texan. Hats in the early days of Nuevo España in what is now called Texas were measured by the circumference, not the diameter as today. Rather than an arbitrary size, the measurement was taken by a braided hat band - the largest being a 10. Galón is an old Spanish word for braid and this created the name of the 10 Galón Hat.

TAPIOCA An unidentified early Spanish explorer, lost in the Amazon jungle, knew the raw sap of the cassava root was poisonous. Driven by hunger - and knowing the danger - he dug up, boiled the roots and ate them anyway. The heat removed the toxins such that he discovered Tapioca.

TORTILLA In Spain’s Castellano, tortilla means omelet where omelet in Mexico is called tortilla de huevos. The corn fried bread of the Aztecs was as unknown to the Spanish Explorers as the fried hens eggs were to the natives of New Spain. Each adopted the others - Spanish the food, Aztec the name: Tortilla.

YO-YO Whether sailors carved them for themselves or their children, in not known, but the yo-yo was first introduced in the Philippines by Spanish sailors and eventually brought into the United States. Yo-yo, me-me in Spanish, came from the desired action of the toy, come to me, to me.

Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names

This is a great site.  Just type in any city or town.  

The TGN is a structured vocabulary containing around 1,000,000 names and other information about places. The TGN includes all continents and nations of the modern political world, as well as historical places. It includes physical features and administrative entities, such as cities and nations. The emphasis in TGN is on places important for art and architecture.

The focus of each TGN record is a place, represented by a unique numeric ID in the database. Linked to the record for the place are names, a "parent" or position in the hierarchy, other relationships, geographic coordinates, notes, sources for the data, and "place types," which are terms describing the role of the place (e.g., "inhabited place" and "state capital"). Names for any place can include the vernacular, English, other languages, historical names, natural order, and inverted order. Among these names, one is flagged as the preferred name, or "descriptor."

http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/tgn/index.html

Sent by Johanna de Soto

U.S.A.  Newspapers

Web site that connects you to newspapers across the USA.  http://www.newspaperlinks.com
All you have to do is input the name of the city and all of the newspapers that have a website will come up.  You then click on the newspaper and it will make the link.  Most newspapers have at least the last months worth of obits online and many are in the process of putting all of their obits online.

Vol. XI, #3 Portuguese Ancestry Oct 2001, rcapodc@redshift

3-D Page Flipping Album  

http://www.flipalbum.com/c21/?x=AEMG10GY   This is great. . . do look at it!

Sent by Bill Carmeno

HISTORY LESSON - 
What happens when a president gets elected in a year with a "0" at the end?   
1840: William Henry Harrison (Died in Office)
1860: Abraham Lincoln (Assassinated)
1880: James A. Garfield (Assassinated)
1900: William McKinley (Assassinated)
  

1920: Warren G. Harding (Died in Office)
1940: Franklin D. Roosevelt (Died in Office)
1960: John F. Kennedy (Assassinated)
1980: Ronald Reagan (Survived Assassination Attempt)

Sent by David Cano david@calynet.com