Hello Everyone ~♦~ Let me first introduce myself. My name is Gloria (Tello) Jackson and I am brand new at this, having never been on Nuestros Ranchos before. However, as soon as I came across the Nuestros Ranchos Genealogy Group Website I saw that the research centered on Jalisco, Zacatecas and Aguascalientes. Oh my! I was instantly interested and filled with hope. What has been nagging me for about 30 years now is the fact I have wanted to know more about my grandfather’s lineage but didn’t know how to achieve the results I needed. My grandfather’s name was Luis Tello Martinez and he was born in San Pedro Ocampo in Zacatecas in 1883. Everything that lies beyond him is a total, complete mystery to us, his grandchildren, except knowing that his father’s name was Daniel Tello. That is as far as it goes because I still do not know when he was born nor do I know what his birthplace was. But I do know that he was a silver ore miner who died of pneumonia at Concepción del Oro, Zacatecas sometime before 1922. As a teenager young Luis Tello had worked in the mines with his father Daniel, but he found out that a miner’s work was not to his liking. Luis chose to finish school instead and did not become a miner like his father.

Now, I have observed that some families of Mexican descent openly share their roots, but ours simply did not. This is why it was necessary for me to join a group like this of like-minded people who are intent and serious about researching their roots in Mexico. And that’s where the hope comes in. I say that because there’s now a big chance for our family to know what’s back there past our paternal great-grandfather Daniel Tello. I might possibly even find the one Tello ancestor who was a pasajero (passenger) on one of Queen Isabella’s ships. Anything beyond that, of course, would be icing on the cake!

So, after receiving the Nuestros Ranchos Emails for some months now, I rest assured that you are a great group of people “en busca de sus antepasados” (in search of your ancestors) as well. I believe you will be able to assist me in my own family research for our Tello Great-Grandfathers. I strongly suspect that our complete Tello line in New Spain were all involved in mining silver, gold, and mineral ores. They do appear to have kept themselves working in the highlands and mountainous mining areas of central Mexico. At least that’s what I’ve noticed from all that I am finding from FamilySearch.org (the LDS) and also from what was told to me by my Father and by my Paternal Grandmother.

My question to you will greatly help me in my research. Can anyone tell me please what the oldest most ancient mines in and around the state of Zacatecas are and what their names are? My grandmother mentioned Mazapíl, Zacatecas, Mezquital del Oro, San Luis Potosí, Parral, Matehuala, San Pedro de Ocampo, Melchor Ocampo and Concepción del Oro. These are second-nature to me now because I heard both my grandmother and my father mention them as to but a few places in central Mexico where our great-grandfather spent his time working. But perhaps there are others that I can quickly recall if I once again hear their names.

I thank you all for taking the time to read my very first Posting on Nuestros Ranchos and I look forward with anticipation to reading your responses. ~♦~