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.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, November 26, 2005 1:59
PM
Subject: [ranchos] 1550: Suave!!!
John Gonzalez wrote:
Br. Pbro. Diego Gonzalez de Hermosillo was in charge
of the Church ( Templo San Jose) in Teocaltiche, Jal. But my
guess is that he was either a son or a brother of my ggggg
granfather. I'll probably find out later. I am related to Santo
Toribio Romo. Third cousin, once removed. Have you ever heard of this
Saint? Santo Toribio Romo was from Santa Ana, Jalisco, just
outside of Jalos. They have just placed some of his relics in the new
(remodeled) Cathedral in Sacramento! He is the patron saint of the
immigrants.
By the way...Last week I was able to trace my
ancestry all the way back to about 1550 !!!
Suave! 1550. . .wow. give us the details. You
don't have to tell every little detail but some of them would be great. Maybe
some could pick up some points in doing their own genealogy research.
. . .and just a thought. I don't believe that you can say you have hit
a wall until you have thoroughly examined all those records you discovered
this past week leading you back to 1550. After you do that and then examine
collateral lines related to this research you might could say you hit the
wall. but even if you did its a wall built 400+ years ago!
Cool!
joseph
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free
Edition.
Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.8/183 - Release Date:
11/25/2005
by Date 
-