Thank-you for the many responses. The surname Gonzalez has been both a
blessing, because my family tree has sure grown since I began researching
this line, but it is also a time consuming challenge to stick with it,
because there are so many Gonzalez in microfilms. The microfilm I am
currently viewing is LDS Film Number 1667417 for Huejuquilla El Alto,
Jalisco, the San Diego Parish Records of Baptisms 1833-1875. It is in the
Diocese of Zacatecas.
This particular film has taken me many months to view and I am still going,
because there are so many Gonzalez in it. I asked if anyone had this
surname in their tree, because you would know how voluminous the information
can become with such a surname. The exciting prospect is, that I think I
may have found the area of my first "Rancho," somewhere in this parish.
There is the mission San Diego in Huejuquilla in the Huichol homelands and
the many pueblos, haciendas, and ranchos of this parish. But, only one or
two contain those families I know are my ancestors. The main area
they lived was in Huejuquilla, but some lived on the Rancho de la Muraya and
Rancho de los Limones.
The names I have found in this film have created a whole branch of my family
tree stemming from my great-grandmother Francisca Cabral. Her siblings
were: Virginia, Jesus Maria, Felis, all born in Huejuquilla; Juana, born in
Aguascalientes; Luz, Miguel, Isabel, and Daniel, who, along with Francisca
were born in Guadalajara.
Their parents were Pioquinta Gonzalez and Benigno Cabral. On this film I am
viewing, 1667417, I found Pioquinta's siblings. Pioquinta was born 1834,
then Maximo, Eufemia, and Pasqual. Benigno was from Huejucar.
Pioquinta's mother was Maria Antonia Gonzalez, whom I believe was a Huichol
or, as I think they call themselves, Masrara? Her father was said to be
Ygnacio Figueroa, but he did not claim her at her baptism, so she is merely
an indio, hija natural de Antonia Gonzalez. (And, I have not found any
record of him on this film, so I ask myself if I should even pursuit his
supposed line.)
Maria Antonia Gonzalez' siblings were Santos de la Cruz, Felis, Maria Juana,
and Esteban. Santos de la Cruz Gonzalez married Maria Rosalia Delgado,
daughter of Andres Delgado and Anastacia Gregoria Correa. Their children
were: Catarina, Trancita, Lazara, and Eduarda, born on Rancho de la Muraya
and whose children were born on Rancho de los Limones. Felis married Maria
Josefa Garcia, daughter of Anselmo Garcia and Maria Macedonia Castaneda.
Their children were: Juliana and Damazo. Maria Juana did not marry. Her
children were Donaciano and Jose Maria, whose father was Alejo Orosco.
Esteban married Maria Encarnacion Escalante, daughter of Baleria Escalante.
Their child was Antonia.
Maria Antonia Gonzalez and her sibling's parents were Justo Rufino Gonzalez
and Maria Juana Antonia Vasquez. I believe they were born in the 1700's,
but I do not know where yet.
So, it appears that this line is Gonzalez/Vasquez, but I don't know how far
I will be able to carry this back. I have read that names like Gonzalez are
so prevalent, because the priests gave those surnames to the Indians, like
Josefa Valenzuela and Jose Gonzalez, rather than recording their Indian
name. So, how many of these surnames are for people who were not related,
but the priest's gave these to them all over the map, within every mission
territory? All the Gonzalez in one area may appear to be related by their
surname, but are not at all. The workers of a hacienda may have taken the
surname of the hacienda owner, all the workers becoming Gonzalez or
Rodriguez, or whatever. I can follow this line of my direct ancestors, but
it would be difficult to connect all the Gonzalez in this region to each
other as being related to one another. In contrast, my Frias ancestors from
Chihuahua were indeed "de una mata," from one root, as my great-grandmother
"used to say" (oops! There's another story for the record books! Should
I change that to "alleged" or "purported" or "said" or "claimed?")
Well, many possibilities, one vast journey. Gonzalez/Vasquez is where I am
at, the search continues in that direction from the tiny little Pueblo de
Huejuquillo El Alto en la Sierra de los Huicholes de Jalisco, Mexico!
Thanks, again,
Corrine Ardoin
