Nuestros Ranchos Site

Help:

Does anybody out there knows an easy way to find a member's E-mail address so he (she) can be contacted directly?

I sure miss the "who is who" members directory from the old site...

Thank you.

John Gonzalez
Wildomar, CA.

I've tried several times but I can't get connected to worldconnect.
What is the url? I've tried http://www.rootsweb.worldconnect.com but
it doesn't work.

Linda

I got my expanded 67 marker YDNA test results this week from Family Tree, over a month late. Apprentely, they are still fine tuning this latest test. The most expansive YDNA test on the market. When I signed on for it they only offered 59 markers, but they decided to extend it.

So far I don't have any matches at the 67 maker point.

Has anyone else here tested the same as me? Haplogroup R1B1 and haplotype 99?

My mtDNA tested Haplogroup B.

You can see my entire DNA sequence at either my Alderete, or Moctezuma DNA Projects listed below.

http://www.genealogy.com/users/a/l/d/Ernie-Alderete/

http://www.familytreedna.com/public/moctezuma

http://www.familytreedna.com/(hcojjivgekjvu155hef2gy55)/public/alderete

No se pueden adjuntar archivos a los mensajes de la lista ya que muchos
usuarios solamente reciben sumarios de mensajes. Si quieres compartir algun
archivo, por favor subelo a una carpeta de archivos.

Desde el menu, selecciona "Crear nuevo contenido" y luego selecciona carpeta
de archivos. Ya que le des un nombre a la carpeta puedes montar varios
archivos a esa misma carpeta. Luego puedes mandar un mensaje al grupo con el
vinculo a la carpeta.

=====================
From: Salvador Marquez Juarez
Date: Fri Jul 07 18:45:25 CDT 2006
To: research@nuestrosranchos.org
Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] Morisco Libre

A ver si ahora te llega, son un par de páginas. Saludos.

Esther Valencia escribió: Hola Salvador,

No encontre ningun documento. Creo que se tendra que
incluir el texto en el e-mail. Es un documento muy
largo? Gracias!

-Esther

I just found Worldconnect and discovered my files there! I didn't know I sent them.. Do the sites share information since I did sent these files to Ancestryfamily Tree. This was a surprise to me but I'm glad there is more than one place my files can be accessed.

a surprised Linda in B.C.

This is what I have found necessary to take to the FHC:

briefcase, with dividers, pockets;
three pens, two black, one red;
a turquoise Sharpie;
mini dry-line correction tapes (you will make boo-boos)
small post-it notes in two colors
an oblong magnifying glass (some FHCs don't have the 60x viewers that really blow images up);
a clip board with loose-leaf pre-printed forms for transcribing records (see form in Nuestros Ranchos files);
a folder to carry extra pre-printed forms;
a pale green sheet of paper (to place on the reader surface to cut the glare)
scratch paper;
individually wrapped anti-bacterial wipes to wipe down surfaces, handles, etc. on readers and keyboards
lists or pedigree charts of individuals known to you for each of your lines, with birthdates, places, etc.
(I now carry a small binder with printouts of the WorldConnect trees I have placed online).
warm sweater to ward off drafts (some places have the air-conditioning on full blast);
bottled water; thermos for hot drink; (do not place near keyboard, only near readers)
lunch bag with sandwich, salad, fruit and or snacks, etc.;
your cell phone;
checkbook and/or cash to pay for copies made and ordering, renewing films

Once you order films, you will be given a patron's copy of the order slip (usually pink). It lists the film number, the locality (title of record), your name and phone number, and it will indicate in a check box if it is a short term, first renewal or extended (permanent) loan. I keep the various slips clipped together in the aforementioned categories, with a piece of scratch paper clipped to the top of each batch to indicate what is in each batch. With the turquoise sharpie, I write in "done" when I complete viewing the entire film, and make a separate batch for those.

If I have to stop in the middle of a film, I place a strip of 1/2 inch by 1 1/2 inch paper folded over the place in the film where I have to pick up viewing again. Then I don't have to write down what page, etc I was on. I then carefully rewind the film making sure the slip of paper stays in place.

The people in the FHC will show you how to load and unload the film from the readers, and how to make photocopies of records you want to keep. I have so many direct ancestors on each film (they lived in the same locality for hundreds of years), that I just transcribe the records, five to a sheet. (Today I filled five sheets). I only photocopy those records where I have had a brick wall, kind of like keeping an award to frame for a goal accomplished.

I am technically challenged and have not gone the advanced route that Arturo and Joseph and others have, such as taking tripods and digital cameras to photograph images from the readers, etc. None of the FHCs where I have gone have the kind of digital copiers either. I have to unload the film from the reader and load it onto another reader that can also photocopy the frames on the films. I have also seen advanced researchers take their laptops or other little gadgets to download things to, but I know nothing of that. I get along just fine anyway.

Good luck on your research,

Emilie Garcia
Port Orchard, WA ---

I just looked at the gedcom files section for the first time and found how interesting it is that I made so many mistakes! I don't think I'm alone but boy what a shocker to find the same families under so many different headings, no wonder our ancestors are so hard to find.. For example, it could read De La Cueva, Cueva or Cuevas. V's and B's are interchangable so are they Viramontes or Miramontes, Cortez or Cortes, De La Paz, Paz or Pas.. the same goes for cities or ranchos.. Just in one Rancho I've found it as Los Rodartes, Rodartes and Rodarte... Aros, Aro or Los Haro, Los Haros... so much for me to learn yet.. I don't think I'm the only one who's gotten confused more than once!

Linda in B.C.

---------------------------------
How low will we go? Check out Yahoo! Messenger’s low PC-to-Phone call rates.

Yolie,

I forgot to mention that when you fill out your transcription sheets, make sure that at the top of each you write in the film number, locality, type of records and dates, etc. You don't want to try to figure out the source later.

When I get home I file the sheets immediately in binders in chronological order and I highlight the surnames in yellow, and I post new information to the pedigree charts then to my online WorldConnect trees. I keep the sheets indexed in binders by Census, Births, Marriages, Deaths, LDS films, Messages, Other Resources. In the front of each binder I put the pedigree charts or printouts of the trees from the online Family Tree or World Connect.

Keep all your sheets organized from the beginning in binders, one for each line. If you don't, you will have sheets and notes all over and get confused.

Emilie

Dear list,
Ok, this is way toooo freaky! I posted 4 the 1st time last week with the encouragement of Alicia Carillo. My Post was in reference to my mother, Maria de Jesus Bravo & Gparents Ladislao Bravo & Maria Tinoco from La Ribera Jalisco. Separately & without mention in my post, I have also been searching (about 2 years) 4 info on my paternal gparents, Bernardino Lopez & Donaciana Gutierres from Guanajuato. Last evening I received an email from Erlinda (Linda in BC) providing me listings for them! Yes, that's excitement you detect in my e-voice! I just wanted to publicly thank Nuestros Ranchos, Alicia and of course, Linda in BC!

Michael

---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Get on board. You're invited to try the new Yahoo! Mail Beta.

Yoli,
Another member of Nuestros Ranchos, Olivia Jauregui Reyes has some of your same ancestors. Go to≥ FILE≥ MEMBERS GENEAOLOGY≥OLIVIA JAUREGUI REYES≥NICOLAS TRANQULINO JAUREGUI, and you will find in her ancestry, Rosalio Jauregui and Pomposa Gonzales of Nochistlan. I think If remember correctly you were also related to a few other people from this group, It may have been Pat Corbera's husband Tino but I could be mistaken, give it a look.
Sincerely, Alicia Avelar Olmos de Carrillo

Yoli,

I found your great grandparents marriage record today at my local family history center as this film is on permanent loan. LDS Film # 0226733. They were married 3 May 1871. Rosalio Jauregui, soltero de veinte un años, 21 years of age, originario y vecino de La Estancia, meaning Rosalio was from La Estancia, legitimate son of Salvador Jauregui who was living and Carina or Corina Vidaurre who was deceased. Pomposa Gonzales, celibate 16 years of age, also from La Estancia, legitimate daughter of Nicomedes Gonzales & Anastacia Saldivar both of whom were still living.

Digest Etiquette

Hello,

If you are subscribed to the email lists via the Digest mode there are
two important things you must do EVERY TIME:

1) change the subject to reflect the message you are sending. . .do not
send a message to the whole list with the subject being "Digest"

2) do not click reply and send BECAUSE you will include the whole DIGEST
message in with your message. You should find the very specific part of
the DIGEST message you are replying to and cut out the rest of the
DIGEST or cut and paste the appropriate part into another email. That
way you will send a message with only that very specific part so we'll
know the context of your reply but WON'T have the whole DIGEST which
isn't related to your reply.

[Some are not leaving a snip of the message they are replying to. Please
do leave a snip so we'll know exactly what your answer was in reference to]

thanks,

joseph

i was told by alicia avelar, that you had ancestors from jalpa zacatecas, with the surname viramontes. i am also searching for ancestors from jalpa,my grandfather benjamin viramontes and his brother ramerio. is there any possible link. jovana viramontes

Will "Ranchos" set up a place in its files for us to upload and
compare our DNA results? It may be helpful for us to be able to
compare our DNA with one another. It's another dimension of research
that compliments the gedcoms already in the files.

Linda

ROMERO Y-DNA Surname Group Co-Administrator
http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/r/romero/
http://www.familytreedna.com/public/romero

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Somos Primos JULY 2006 Table of Contents lq1
Date: Sun, 02 Jul 2006 20:26:07 -0400 (EDT)
From: MIMILOZANO@aol.com
To: MIMILOZANO@aol.com

Click here: Somos Primos: Dedicated to Hispanic Heritage and Diversity
Issues
http://www.somosprimos.com/sp2006/spjul06/spjul06.htm

Hi all . . . Hope you all enjoy a safe July 4th celebration.

If you happen to watch the Washington, D.C. parade July 4th, be sure and
look for the float of the Texas Connection to the American Revolution.
Jack Cowan and the TCARA members from Texas are being joined by Joseph
Puentes from North Carolina who will be pulling the float and
reenactors, Micheal Lozano and Hector Diaz from Maryland.

Thank all of you for the wonderful materials, fresh research, and
forwarded current events. If anyone has submitted an article for Somos
Primos and it has not been published within two months of when it was
sent, please send it along again. Sometimes in sorting mail and
submissions, articles get lost in the shuffle.

Thank you for your encouraging letters . . . you are all making a
difference in the general perception of who we are . . . we are more
than a stereotype, and that is coming out . . . little by little.

God bless, Mimi

UNITED STATES
NATIONAL ISSUES
Hispanic One Hundred hosts John McCain
Bishop Jaime Soto Invocation
Theodore Roosevelt's ideas on Immigrants & being an American in 1907
Mission of the Society of Hispanic Historical and Ancestral Research
Sons Live Out a Dream, Passing the Torch to a New Generation
Study of Latino Professionals Shatters Stereotypes
Newsweeklies Rarely Cover Hispanics
A Look at History - Repatriation / Bickering Delays Illegal-Immigrant Deal
Educator brings attention to historic period and its affect on her family
ACTION ITEM:
Commission to investigate removal of Mex-Americans during depression
A message from an appalled observer at World War II Memorial in D.C.
EDUCATION
Ana Maria Armano, a month short of 80th birthday receives B.A.
Course helps Latinos understand kids' schools
Website for Diversity Education
French in Maine
Most states fall short in teaching the culture of Latin America and Mexico
A Guide to the Tool Kit for Hispanic Families
The 7 Secrets of Big Picture Thinkers by Nancy Marmolejo
CULTURE
Race and Latino!
Tejano Texian
Our Lives are better left to chance
In Search of Fatherhood
Latino Rhythms and their influence on Classic Soul Music:
BUSINESS
Would you believe? . . Meet the Fakers
Multi-ethnic business a piece of cake

ANTI-SPANISH LEGENDS
Comments about Racism against Latinos, Ladera Ranch location
Raza isn't racist, changed perspective on the Latino student club MEChA

MILITARY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT HEROES
It is the VETERAN,who gives us freedom
Link to Muslim cartoons that caused riots and deaths
Special DEA agent, Enrique "Kiko" S. Camarena
Medal of Honor Winner Jose M. Lopez Dies at 94
Staff Sergeant Roy Benavidez
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month websites
Red Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
Pray for our Military. . . They believe in Prayer
Lakota Tribe in North Dakota Funeral Activities and Observance
Hero Military Search

CUENTOS
Book: Scarred by Scandal, Redeemed by Love, Gloria DeLaTorre-Wycoff
Boxed Memories, Richard Sanchez
The Day Roosevelt Died, Summer l944, Frank Sifuentes
Who is Frank Sifuentes?
Nuestra Familia Unida Podcasts
Traveling to Ancestral Locations in Search of True History by Mary Allen
Inspirational Stories
Micheal Lozano Embarks on a Journey of Self-Discovery, Part 3

SURNAME: De La Garza

SPANISH SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
US researchers find 18th-century British warships
Spanish Covert Aid
Spanish Patriots of Chile
Patriots of Cuba, Query on Patriots of Cuba
Patriots and Near-Patriots of Chile by Granville W. Hough, Ph.D.

ORANGE COUNTY, CA
July 22: Genetics, DNA and Genealogy by Norma Keating, R.N.
Comments on DNA from Yolanda Ochoa
Kaiser to request DNA samples from 2 Million adults
DNA diet plan, Kit tests for genetic cues to aid in healthier eating
Scientists Find A DNA Change That Accounts For White Skin
Welsh and Irish Celts genetic blood-brothers of Basques
DNA forces El Salvador to face past
DNA reunites Salvadoran families
Canales, Garcia and Salinas Family Trees
Santa Ana planners to present downtown recommendations
July 20: First shovel celebration for Grijalva Gymnsium/Sports Center
July 20: Hispanic Business World Inaugural Reception
National Archive Center may go to Great Park
The LATINO OC 100 2005-2006 Yearbook being Produced

LOS ANGELES, CA
July 4th: Descendants of Los Pobladores at Olvera St.
July 7-11: National Council of La Raza National Conference, Premier of
East L.A. Marine, the Untold True Story of Guy Gabaldon
July 7-9: Cesar E. Chavez y Bernardo de Galvez
July 10th: Book signing by Dr. Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez
New Book: Images of American Series: Los Angeles's Olvera Street
Database of all the missions and Los Angeles Plaza Church
Naturalization Index Published for Los Angeles County
Reginaldo Francisco del Valle: UCLA's Forgotten Forefather
Health Net is open for business in East Los Angeles!
July 27th: Where the Leaders Meet National Latina Business Women Assn
August 4: Promoting a Positive Image
Nov 10-12: 2nd Annual Los Angeles International Tamale Festival
My Hot Tamale website

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_%C3%81vila_Camacho

The above link is for a brief bio on the winner of Mexico's 1940 election along with a history of his administration.

I Googled "List of Mexican Presidents" and when on the site, I just clicked on the name of the president for the years 1940-1946. I am going to click on each name after his administration to get the story of what happened in Mexico politically since then.

Emilie Garcia
Port Orchard, WA ----

Since we are celebrating our American democracy today and in view of the recent Mexican presidential election, I found the following article very interesting as I am one not familiar with Mexican history. The outgoing Presidente Fox seems to be part of an ongoing disappointing struggle to bring true democracy to the land of our forebears. I found this article in an old magazine that was part of my husband's stepfather's effects left in an old trunk. Maybe someone in the group can tell us briefly what has occurred since this article was written.

Emilie - Port Orchard, WA --

>From Newsweek, July 8, 1940

Mexican Tension - Officials Seize Guns in Move to Balk Election-Day Fights

On July 7, 1911, Francisco Madero, Mexico's first "democratic" President after the 35-year dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz, entered Mexico City while the capital resounded with the cries: "Viva Madero! Viva la democracia!" In the midst of the tumult, two white-garbed peons were discussing the new order of things:
"And what, amigo," one asked, "is this democracia that we are all cheering for?"
"Why," answered the other, pointing to Madero's wife, "it must be that Senora who accompanies him."

Land and Water

In the period following Madero's taking office Mexico learned about democracy at a hard school. Madero himself was shot two years later. His successor, the dictator Victoriano Huerta, was ousted after a bloody revolt. Then followed Venustiano Carranza, the vacillating "constitutionalist," who in the end was put to flight by Gen. Alvaro Obregon and treacherously killed by an aide. The north was plundered by Pancho Villa. In the south Emiliano Zapata and his agrarian army, under the slogan "Land and Water," burned the manor houses, hanged the landlords, and redistributed the land among the peons.
By 1920, when Obregon emerged from the fracas and began to restore peace, it had become proverbial in Mexico that Presidents were only changed by revolutions or miracles. He and his political henchman, Plutarco E. Calles, went a small way to change this. They set up a government party machine which would feed out "official" candidates at the proper intervals for the people to elect. Thus Obregon was succeeded by Calles and Calles by a series of puppets. The last of them, Lazaro Cardenas, was elected in 1934. This time the supposed puppet proved the machine could run in reverse, and Calles suddenly found himself exiled to the United States.
Cardenas then went to work to restore and further the promised reforms of the revolution which had grown moldy under Calles. Remembering Zapata's plea for "land and water," he split the big haciendas into irrigated communal farm projects. Labor gained enormous new power and with agrariansim was permitted representation in the expanded government party---now called the PRM (Party of the Mexican Revolution). In March 1938, the oil properties controlled by British and American interests were taken over by the government. And this year, as July 7, election day, approached, Cardenas made repeated promises that the election would be free and democratic. In preparation for that innovation, police for almost the first time in Mexican history have taken arms away from those not authorized to have them.
Cardenas is barred by tradition from running for a second six-year term. His close personal friend, Rafael Sanchez Tapia, is running for the office but has few followers. Cardenas' chosen candidate is former War Minister Manuel Avila Camacho, a genial, sporty cavalryman. Generally regarded as more conservative than Cardenas, Avila Camacho nevertheless has publicly backed all his President's policies and if elected would probably be closely tied down by Cardenas and his advisers.

Candidates

Far more spectacular is the conservative opponent Juan Andreu Almazan, a former soldier and military governor and a wealthy businessman. Almazan outspokenly citicizes the Cardenas administration as wasteful, impractical, and bureaucratic. In particular he deplores what he calls its "anti-United States" attitude. (This latter charge has been offset lately by pro-American declaration of the present government.) He plans, if elected, to stimulate "private initiative" by turning the communal farms into small private holdings.
Almazan draws most of his support from the Catholic upper and middle classes, although he has some backing in the army and in the official party and also from dissident labor and agrarian groups. In the aggregate he has garnered enough votes to worry the government lest he win---or possible worse, lose by a narrow margin which might open the way for a real or staged revolution.

I had mentioned to the group that my local FHC here in Port Orchard, WA would be closed at the end of May, and I was afraid that the 35 films I have on loan would be sent back to Salt Lake, but since then everything that was in the local FHC was moved to the nearby Bremerton, WA FHC lock, stock and barrel. Myself and a few other regular patrons have been helping the director of the new combined library relocate both Port Orchard and Bremerton libraries to their new location on the third floor of the building where the former Bremerton FHC was located. We moved everything from the basement there to the third floor, and I just recently helped to combine the permanent loan films from both libraries and was pleased to see all my films there. We were pleased to see that we now have many more films, etc. available to us although since I am the only Hispanic doing research, the only films from Mexico are mine.

We have been feverishly working (in an unusual for this area heat wave) to set everything up--sorting films, fische, books and other materials, etc. I have been getting home the past three days hot, sweaty, dirty and pooped. I even volunteered to help finish up on Monday and Tuesday the 4th (I have no family obligations for the holiday) so that we can be back in business on Wednesday the 5th. I also thought that I would have much farther to travel, but it only takes me about seven more minutes to get to the Bremerton FHC than it did to get to my former FHC.

Happy day when I can get back to my research.

Emilie Garcia
Port Orchard, WA ---

Here is my maternal lineage that I discussed in my post “No Tengo Verguenza.” I’ve posted an asterik * by my great grandfather, the one who his grandchildren believed had been born in Spain. As you can see, he and all of his ancestors were born in Chihuahua.

I had hoped to solve a family riddle. The Rodriguez’s all share a distinct look, and personality. They are all very attractive, and warm, personable people. They seem to be born charismatic!

Now that I know grandpa was in all likelihood mestizo, the puzzle is even more complicated. How is it possible that the men in the family always married Indian, or mesitzo wives, yet the children are always born white? There must have been some powerful genes coming from somewhere that have survived against the odds. I will probably never find the answer I seek.

I’ve listed the same descent two ways. Firstly, from the Rodriguez’ point of view. I am a Rodriguez on my maternal side from a genealogical point of view. But genetically, I am just as much a Montoya. So both heritages are presented from past to present, from top down, in a direct line.

FIRST MATERNAL LINEAGE:

Ygnacio Rodriguez, who was born about 1780, married Maria del Rayo Caballero, who was born around 1782, and died on January 30, 1842 in Huejotitan, Chihuahua.

Their son, Ygnacio Rodrigues, who was born in 1803 and died on June 17, 1838 in Huejotitan, Chihuahua, married Soledad Villalobos, who was born in 1807.

Their son, Rafael Rodrigues, who was born in the 1830s, married Mariana Montoya, who was also born in the mid, to late 1830s.

*Their son, Jose Estevan Vidal Rodrigues Montoya, who was born on March 17, 1867 in Hidalgo del Parral, Chihuahua, married Maria Leonor Anizeta Contreras, who was born on April 11, 1872 in Santa Barbara, Chihuahua.

Their son, Nicolas Rodrigues Contreras, who was born around 1890, married Maria de las Nieves Porras, who was born on May 21, 1894.

Their daughter, Alicia Rodrigues Porras, who was born on July 10, 1918, is my mamacita querida, married my dad, Ernest Alderete Ramirez, who was born on February 28, 1923.

SECOND MATERNAL LINEAGE:

Salvador Montoya, who was born in Huejotitan, Chihuahua in the 1760s, and died before 1813, married Maria del Carmen Gutierrez, who died on December 14, 1836 in Huejotitan.

Their son, Ricardo Montoya, who was born in the 1790s in Huejotitan, married Maria Aniceta Juliana Olguin, who was born on April 16, 1799 in Huejotitan, Chihuahua.

Their daughter, Mariana Montoya, who was born in the 1830s in Huejotitan, married Rafael Rodrigues, who was also born at the same time and place.

*Their son, Jose Estevan Vidal Rodrigues Montoya, who was born on March 17, 1867, married Maria Anizeta Leonor Contreras, who was born on April 11, 1872.

Hello!

I am interested in the haciendas in Zacatecas, Particularly in hacienda del
Mezquite,(Fresnillo) and Hacienda de San Juan de Ahorcados, jurisdiccion de
Mazapil. I would appreciate any historical information such as living
conditions, life in general, social divisions, etc. you could share.

I want find out why my ancestors decided to bring colonos to Coahuila and
Durango from that area back in the heyday of both haciendas. Also anything
on Ssanta Maria de las Nieves and la Gruñidora (also in Nieves).

Elvira

That's about what I anticipated. I consider those very small numbers of European soldiers. There for a very brief period. Probably gringo tourists have had a greater genetic impact on Mexico.

Way more Mexicans volunteered for the left leaning Republicans during the Spanish Civil War against conserative Generalisimo Francisco Franco and his fascist Falange Party.

Did you know there are still Mexicans serving in the Spanish Foreigh Legion? I visited their museum in Ceuta, the tiny Spanish enclave on the north coast of Morocco, directly adjacent to Gibraltar and Algeciras.

I believe Mexicans are the largest single nationality to serve in the Spanish Foreign Legion. They saw duty in Ceuta, Melilla, Spanish Sahara, Spanish Equatorial Guinea... Quite a few died in the line of duty.

So. there has been a two way transatlantic exchange of genes between Iberia and the Amricas for five hundred years. Someone named it the Columbian exchange.

Yet, I think we would be hard pressed to isolate a visible Mexican genetic presence in Spain.

Again, how "sweet it is," another linking with "familia." Though distant in "kinship," it's still a linking through common ancestors, and to quote Deena, "about two dozen ways."

Thank you Deena, Charles and NuestrosRanchos.,
Pat and Tino Corbera

I should be ashamed to say so after the escandalo I made about misspellings. But I have no shame. No tengo verguenza. Nunca tuve.

I’ve been researching my maternal side for many years with little luck.
I now know why. My great grandfather Jose Estevan Rodriguez Montoya who died a few years before I was born told his many grandchildren he was born in the mid 1870s in Spain. He told them he came to Chihuahua during the gold rush of the late 19th century. He claimed Seville was his birthplace, and that he still had a brother living just outside the U.S. naval base at Cadiz.

So, for years I looked for a birth record for him in Spain. And for a record of his trans-Atlantic crossing.
Last year I found his actual birth record. He lied! He was born in Hidalgo del Parral in 1867. When I waved his birth document at the last Rodriguez family reunion every jaw in the room dropped!

They asked me why would he lie about his age. They assumed only women lied about their age.I suggested it was because he never wanted his wife to know how much older he was than her.

Today, the other shoe dropped. Not only wasn’t he himself Spanish, neither was his father, grandfather, nor great grandfather! They were all born in Chihuahua. It was a complete fabrication. A family myth. One we accepted without question.

Grandpa Jose was snow-white, all his children were white con ojos de color, ditto his grandchildren, great grandchildren and so forth. So it was plausible that he was European.

I could not find the records before because Rodrigues had been mis-spelt Rodriges!

So the lesson is don’t accept family lore on face value. Examine, corroborate, investigate, explore…

And things are not always what they appear to be. Grandpa looked rubio, guerro, blanco, gabacho, for all the world to see. But he was really mezclado, a mestizo, a typical Mexican. Un hijo de La Malinche. A son of Dona Marina.

And sometimes misspellings are just that!

Have a great 4th of July weekend.

A wonderful way to honor family members that served in WWII is to place their name at the WWII War Memorial in Washington D.C. The website address is http://www.wwiimemorial.com...
Pat

Jose Aguayo has probably been there before...sounds like it.

Joseph, perhaps things have now changed from the time I went. I hope my
research takes me to Spain next year also....I am always ready to travel.

Mickey

About the mistaken listings in the "Caribbean" -

Some years ago while researching the CABI & CADI (California Birth/Death Records) I kept finding very Spanish surnames of people supposedly born or dying in Maine, including one of my relatives that I knew had never left California. Then I realized that the old abbreviation for Mexico was ME, and when the records were switched over to a supposedly more modern system, all these Mexico-born Californians "became" residents of Maine!

About the same time I was trying to research the military record of one of my cousins who was MIA in Korea. I knew he was Puerto Rican, born in Hawaii, but couldn't find him anywhere. It turns out the US govt had mislisted all the vets from Puerto Rico as being Southeast Asian, and besides, had listed them all under their maternal surnames instead of their paternal surnames. This error is in the process of being corrected.

Gloria D.