1550: Suave!!!

Hello John:

Congratulation!

Your experience about researching your ancestral line of "González de Hermosillo" has knick me in a hard way, is very impacting to any that has spent much time in our research, many times we seek where there are noting of information, in Spanish we say: "damos palos de ciego".

You say:

"I feel that being able to go back about 455 years was mostly luck...".

You are very "modesto", you did your work to obtain that you now have. The "luck" is where the preparation and opportunity join to benefit our, if there is not "preparation", there is not "luck", and if there is not "opportunity", then there is not "luck". Your minds proceed to run in the accurate way, because you were thinking about of your ancestors, and this is the best preparation to do the research. After, you were work hard to found your genealogical tree:

"I was surfing the internet one day and...

"I went to visit a cousin, who...

"I went to the Census records and...

"Information about my family for the period, 1917 to the present, was collected from living relatives at family reunions and family visits...

"Now, anytime I see a relative, I bug them to tell me as much as they know...

"Some of the records were a tough challange to read...

And so... Your account is filled with a great work, after that your "luck", you needy had was to work hardly to finish with your precious data.

You are a great lesson for the rest of the "ranchos group". Thanks for share your experience with others.

My González are "González Morçillo (or Morzillo)". I'm stopped at "Cuencamé, Durango" with an ancestor named "Andrés González Morçillo", that was captain. I know that there is "Morçillo" family in "Durango", and in "Michoacán", but I don't found the relation between the "González Morçillo", and "Morçillo" family. Can be that could there is a little possibility that "González Morçillo" is related with "González Hermorsillo"... I think. Also I think that the Andres González Morçillo's ancestors are from Jalisco, but any evidence I has found.

I hope that if your need more information of my "González", you feel fine to stay in touch, and if I find any of my González that you can have to your research, I share with you it.

Thanks.

Best regards

JRGL.

Mexico City.

John Gonzalez wrote:

I can give a very brief account of what I've been doing, but I feel that being able to go back about 455 years was mostly luck and the fact that my ancestors stayed in the same town (Jalostotitlan, Jal.) for that whole period. From about 1550 to 1917 , when my Grandfather brought his family to California.

I got started with the family tree about 5 months ago, not knowing anything at all about findings roots and doing research. I was surfing the internet one day and just happened to run into the Ranchos web site. I noticed that the area of research being done by the group was mainly in Los Altos and sorrounding areas. I only had one piece of information when I started, and that was that my grandfather was from Jalisco and that he had been born in 1875.

I went to visit a cousin, who is 80 plus years old, to see if I could get him to tell me something about the family. I found out that the family was from Jalostotitlan, and that they had come to California around 1917. I also have a picture of my grandfather standing next to his truck. I noticed the license plate: California-1928.

I went to the Census records and found the family living in Fullerton, California.  Information about my family for the period, 1917 to the present, was collected from living relatives at family reunions and family visits. Now, anytime I see a relative, I bug them to tell me as much as they know about our family.

I started by searching the LDS files. I found out that they have a mountain of information on Jalostotitlan. My next step was to visit the local LDS Family Research Center to order films to locate my grandfather. Once I found him, it was just a matter of trying to follow the thread as far back in time as possible.  Some of the records were a tough challange to read, not only because of the handwriting, but on some of them, the writing from the back side was also visible, reversed, and mixed with the writing on the front side. I guess the ink had "bled" through the paper . Many times I felt like giving it all up. I am sure I am not the only one that has come across this type of problem.

My wife is from Teocaltiche, Jalisco. Last June, we went to visit her family and spent two weeks in the area. I had visited Teocaltiche quite a few times before, but I never bother to look anything up, until this last trip. My interest had not been stimulated until I joined the Ranchos group a few months ago. We went to Jalostotitlan and found the "Rancho Los Portales" where my family originated. It is just about 3 miles out of town. I found and talked to some of the descendants of other original settlers who rememberd their grandfather talking about my grandfather. They pointed out the house where my granfather was born.  I don't have the words to describe the thrill and excitement that I felt when I stood there, in the same place where my grandfather and great -grandfather lived . Needless to say, I was overwhelmed with emotion...

Upon our return, I was determined to keep on searching as far as I could. I've spent a lot of hours searching through the LDS records and now, I don't regret any minute of it. It has been a very exciting everytime I found a new grandfather, 11 generations so far...

My last grandfather (my first grandfather?) was married in 1570 to a lady from Mexico City, from there on down, all of the descendants were married in Jalostotitlan. It looks like my search from now on will have to be from Mexico City.

Great items that I have found out so far:

1.-My family has beeen in Jalostotitlan since 1550.

2.-I am third cousin, once removed to a saint. Santo Toribio Romo.

3.-I am also , possibly, related to Jose Maria Gonzalez de Hermosillo. He was one of the "Insurgentes" who fought for Mexican independence from spain in 1810-1819. The capital of Sonora, Hermosillo , was named in his honor. He fought in Jalisco, Nayarit, Sinaloa and Sonora. I said, possibly related , because the records are not very clear. Teocaltiche claims him, but so does Jalostotitlan, where he lived with his family.

4.-My wife's last name is Vallejo. There might be a connection there to General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo. He was the last Mexican Governor of Northern California. There is a lot of information about him and the founding of Sonoma Mission, just North of San Francisco, and the Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino wine country. There is hardly any information about his father and mother. So far, I have found some contradicting reports in the LDS films...some have him getting married in San Diego, and some in Monterrey In one, they list it as Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico! The Montrerrey where he was born is just south of San Francisco!. In one film they got him getting married in San Diego and Monterey on the same day!

That is an entire different story that I'll try to tackle after I get a little further back in time with my side of the family.

In conclusion...I can't thank enough: The Ranchos Group members, the LDS for providing such valuable records and service. Irma Gomez Lucero, and of course, Joseph, who makes the Ranchos Group what it is.

GRACIAS A TODOS POR LA GRAN EXPERIENCIA.

Did I say I was going to be brief? sorry if I over extended the invitation, Joseph.