HOGAR de Dallas

[AGarza0972@...]

Hello, my name is Arturo Garza and I belong to a Hispanic organization based in Dallas, Texas.  The name of the organization is HOGAR de Dallas.  HOGAR stand for Hispanic Organization for Genealogy And Research, and as the name indicates, our organization caters mainly to Hispanic research.  We are a young organization -- came into existance in 1998.  

Every year we publish a journal which includes articles, stories, family charts, queries, and anything else that pertains to genealogy.  Some of the family stories may not pertain specifically to genealogy, but the stories contain information about individuals, how they grew up, who they grew up with, where they grew up, etc.  These stories have helped readers of our journals with some of their research because of names and places mentioned in the family stories.  

Membership and sale of the journals is how HOGAR de Dallas remains in existance and we're able to provide genealogy research workshops in local libraries.  

This year we are providing a scholarship to a Dallas ISD Senior, who is going to college in the Fall.  The scholarship isn't much money, but nowadays, any amount of money helps.  This is our year to provide a scholarship.  The entries submitted by the Senior was a 3 or 4 generation family chart, with accompaning history.  In the process of doing the research for the scholarship, some of the individuals mentioned that they enjoyed the research because they got to learn about their family.  In one instance, a closer family relationship resulted because the family worked on the project together.  That was nice to hear.

The reason I am writing is that there is a lot of information, and family charts, being distributed among the members of this group, and I'd like to ask if any of you would like to contribute articles, family charts, or research "hints and tips" to our journals.  You don't have to be a member to contribute articles to our journals.  Any information that is submitted for publishing in our journal is published as it is received, we do not modify it in anyway whatsoever.  And, of course, credit is given to the submitter.

For those of you who may not be aware, there is a state Hispanic convention held every year in Texas.  The convention is held in several cities, and sponsored by the Hispanic organization that resides in that city.  This year, the convention will be held in San Antonio.  Last year, it was held in McAllen.  Other cities that host conventions are Corpus Christi, Houston, Laredo, Austin, and Victoria.  Maybe we will eventually be able to host a convention in Dallas one of these years.

I have been trying to find information on my Dad, but can't seem to find anything.  He was born in Mexico, but doesn't know where or when.  He "guessed" he was born around 1887 and remembers growing up in San Fernando, Mexico.  I have a cousin that is 93 years old, with a sharp mind, so I've been asking her for info, but her Mom didn't tell her where her brothers and sisters were born.  My father's name was Antonio Garza Robles (in Mexico).  When he came to the states, he dropped the Robles.  He became a U.S. citizen in October 1956, and passed away in November 1956.  For his birthday, he used the same day as my Mom's (June 12).

If you would like to contribute anything to our journal, please let me know and we can arrange getting the information to me.

I hadn't realized how long this "short note" has become.  Thank you for taking time to read it, and I will continue to read the articles distributed in this group.  Maybe I'll come across information that will help me.


A. Garza