Migration: England and France

 What what?

That's right, we have a huge (the majority) of our ancestry is from Europe. Check out the generations and main families.

As if being descended from Portuguese Royalty is not enough, we also have French and English royal blood, according to the written records.  I did not put it together at first, but back in the day, royalty from one country married royalty from other countries for political reasons, land deals, financial reasons, appointments to nobility or other titles such as Dukes and Viscounts, as well as in exchange for future favors, reminding me of sports trades we do now. One situation I read about had a 5 year old marry a 3 year old because they needed the paperwork that the countries were now linked by marriage for a political issue!

Some of our English & French ancestors are somewhat famous as well, you will recognize many of the names: 

• Phillipa Plantagenet, of Leicester, Queen of Portugal (born from the English royal line of Plantagenet kinds). (1360-1415) wife of Joao I King of Portugal.
• John Plantagenet, of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (1340-1399) born Belgium. Father of Phillipa.
• Blanche Grosmont of Lancaster Plantagenet (1345-1369) wife of John of Gaunt.
• Henry Plantagenet, Duke of Grosmont and Lancaster. (1310-1361), father of Blanche
• Isabel of Beaumont (1320-1361), Brienne, France. Mother of Henry Grosmont
• Henry de Beaumont (1280-1340), France, 4th Earl of Buchan, father of Isabel.
• Louis de Brienne (1235-1263) Brienne, France. Father of Henry Beaumont.
• John de Brienne (1170-1237), Brienne, France. Father of  Louis "1235". Count of Brienne, King of Jerusalem, Regent of the Latin Empire,

Brick wall after John de Brienne, he is my 20th GGF. 

Although there are some royals in the woodpile, there are more nobility than anything. Earls, Counts, Dukes, Duchesses, Viscounts, and Countesses are plentiful. We even have saints in the family! Will talk about those in a later post. More England and France... this lasted about 700 years!

• Eleanor of England, Queen of Castile (Spain). (1161-1214). Wife of Alphonso VIII.
• Henry II Plantagenet, King of England (1133-1189). Father of Eleanor and my 25th GGF.
• Geoffrey Plantagenet (1113-1151) Count of Anjou (France), father of Henry II.
• Fulk V, King of Jerusalem (1089-1143) born in France, died in Isreal. Father of Geoffrey Anjou.
• Ermengarde, Countess of Maine (1096-1126), France. Wife of Fulk V.
• Fulk IV, Count of Anjou (France). Father of Fulk V.

• Hughes I de Perche (989-1046) French Nobleman. Father of Fulk IV.
• Beatrice de Macon Roucy (953-982) Mother of Fulk IV.
• Alberic/Aubry II de Macon (953-982), Viscount and Earl of Macon, Viscount of Narbonne, and Lord of Salins. Father of Beatrice. France.
• Lietaud I (895-965), from France, and father of Alberic. He was Count of Macon.
• Aubri/Albric de Narbonne (880-961) France, Father of Lietaud I.
• Mayeul I, Vicomte (Viscount) de Macon (845-911) of France. Father of Lietaud I.
• Lindoin, Vicomte de Narbonne ( 810-880) Viscount of Narbonne. Father of Mayuel I.
• Fracon I, Vicomte de Narbonne (785-875), father of Lindoin.  

Brickwall, Fracon I is my 34th GGF.

Crossing to the female branch, we have more from France:

• Liutaud (Female) De Narbonne (b. 802 France), wife of Francon I.
• Alberic de Narbonne (b. 776 France), father of Liutaud.
• Compte Milo de Narbonne (d. 782, France). Father of Alberic.

Germany & Belgium

For a brief (in geneaology terms) period of 120 years or so, we had some Belgian and German ancestors, many were also royalty or nobility:

• Hertug Guerin von Thursgau (735-772) Argenburd, Germany, Count of Thurgovie, father of Milo.
• Rutpert im Haspengau, Count of Haspengau (689-764) Germany. Father of Hertug.
• Lantbertus II, Neustrasia (670-741) born Belgium, Bishop of Metz (France). Father of Rutbert.
• Chrodobertus II, Neustrasia, Count of Hesbaye (620-678). Father of Lantbertus II.
• Lambert I de Haspengau (b. 620-651) Count of Hesbaye & Wormsgau, Duke of Germany. Father of Chrodobertus.
• Chodobertus V, (595-694) Mayor of the Palace of Neustria, Bishop of Tours, Bishop of Paris, Duke of Alemania (Germany). Father of Lambert I.
• Charibert de Narbonne (585-636) Count of Haspengau, Duke of Germany, Father of Chrodobertus I.
• Charibert I, King of Franks (517-567). France, father of Charibert de Narbonne.

Brick Wall, Charibert I is my 42 GGF.

Back to France...

• Doda de Poitiers, French noblewoman, (659-678), wife of Chrodobertus V of Norbonne.
• Kunza Gunza of Treves, French nobility (630-677) of Metz. born France, died in Germany. Mother of Doda.
• Warinus de Pointiers, Saint. (d. 676 France) husband of Kunza.
• Saint Clodulphe Bishop of Metz (604-597) Metz, France. Father of Kunza.
• Saint Marie Clotilde Sigrade de Alsace (France, 615-677), Mother of Kunza.
• Bodilon de Treves, (595-643) France
• Saint Ansoau de Treves (545-627) France
• Geberge of the Burgundians (b. 565, France)
• Desederius , Bishop of Verdun (512-564) of France
• Gunobald of Lyon (490-590) France
• Latinus de Burgundy (465-565) France
• Afranius Syafrius, Governor of Gaul (Lyon, France, 345-?)

Next Chapter: Turks, Persians, and Greeks, Oh My!

Migration: How Did We Get to Mexico?

 I was curious about the family migration patterns, because I had heard a few snippets of information, such as our ancestors came from "deep, deep Mexico".  I know that my mother's family (Gloria Hernandez Rodriguez) might have as they had a lot of dark skinned relatives, but thought my father's side (Angelo Rodriguez) probably didn't as we had lighter skin on that side of the family.

Was I ever surprised!

Mexico to US (1912)

I started with Guillermo (Willie) Hernandez, my grandfather, because he was the first person in THIS BRANCH who was born in Mexico and died in Texas. To me, this means, his children were first generation US citizens.  He was born in 1914 in Guanajuato, Mx (which is very near Mexico City, in the middle of the country).  His father and grandfather Rafael (b. 1890) and Santiago (b. 1850) Hernandez were also born in Guanajuato. Before that, Santiago's father (Jesus Hernandez, b. 1821) and Jesus' father, Miguel Hernandez (b. 1800) were both born in Zacatecas, which is  a couple of states over in central Mexico. Miguel Hernandez from Zacatecas is my 4th great grandfather.

At the time, Guanajuato was known as a mining town, and many of the residents (the mine workers and their families) lived within communities near, if not on, the property of the mines (in Haciendas). In 250 yrs., Guanajuato was producing 30% of the world's silver, making the Spanish owners very rich. But, by 1810, the workers began a rebellion in a nearby town (look up "Grito de Dolores") to begin a war for Mexican Independence from their European occupiers.

By the late 1800's, Guanajuato had developed into a large city with other cultural and educational offerings. By the time Willie was born, they had their first college, newspaper, and had installed an electricity grid. They had added cattle , manufacturing, and beer production to their industries, and had begun large scale agriculture for trade.

Although a prosperous city, many still looked towards the United States as a place of opportunity and work for a better life. Willie migrated to the US in 1912.

In the meantime, his wife Petra Gonzalez (b. 1922 in Laredo, TX area) was already in Texas, a first generation American. Her father, Pedro was born in Nuevo Leon in 1877, and HIS father, Cayetano Gonzalez lived and died in Mexico (1868-1943) and Cayetano's father, Quirino (b.1838-?) did as well.  After these relatives, the trail hits a "Brick Wall", no further information can be found without additional clues. Quirino Gonzalez is my 3rd GGF in that line.

Backing up to Cayetano Gonzalez, my 2nd GGF, he married Petra Rivera around 1900, in or near Romero Rubio, Mexico City. According to the 1930 US Census, Cayetano and Petra immigrated to the US in 1914, and settled in the Hidalgo County area of Texas.  Prior to these ancestors, there were 5 generations which were settled in the Nuevo Leon, Mexico area. They descended from the first Europeans to show up in our tree, on that side of the family.  Their names were:

• Maria del Refugio Bernal (1862-1950) , Coahuila MX, mother of Petra Rivera
• Maria de los Santos de Anda (1841-1904), Nuevo Leon, MX, mother of Maria Bernal
• Jose Marcus de Anda (1820-1902), Nuevo Leon, MX, father of Maria de los Santos
• Jose Valentin de Anda (1775- ?death), Nuevo Leon, MX, father of Jose Marcus
• Pedro Luis de Anda (1722-1794) Nuevo Leon, MX, father of Jose Valentin

 The next, previous generations were settled in Jalisco, MX.  During this period, Jalisco was in its "Golden Age" of growth for New Spain, centering on the industry of cattle production as the main economic activity.  Many churches and Cathedrals were built, and convents as well. When the time for the War for Mexican Independence came, the Jaliscans were right in the fighting, with the other rebels of the time.

These families are:

• Pedro de Anda Altamirano (1697-??, )Jalisco, MX, father of Pedro Luis (above)
• Lorenzo de Anda Altamiano y Saenz ((1650-1721), Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, MX, father of Pedro de Anda "1697", colonial elite
• Pedro de Anda Gomes de Portugal (1610-??), father of Lorenzo, and born in Mexico.
• Isabel Altamirano Guiterres de Soto y Carbajal (1530-born in Spain, Unk date, died in Mexico). She was one of the first Spaniards to migrate to Mexico. She is the mother of Pedro Gomez
• Joan Lopez de Nava, Duke of Portugal (1536-born Lisbon Portugal, unk date died in Mexico), father of Isabel Carbajal. He is the first Portuguese ancestor to migrate to Mexico.

Spain-Portugal to Mexico (1530)

According to my favorite McSource, Wikipedia, these Spaniards and Portuguese were coming to Mexico to colonize, along with the Conquistadors. There was a lot of gold and other resources to be exploited in this new land, and Portugal was on a huge expansion and seizing campaign all over the world, including West to the Americas and as far east as India. The Kings of Spain and Portugal were behind the expansion, and the colonists went where they were sent, as they were either nobility of these countries or actual royalty from the King's family.  There was also a group of Spanish Jews (Sephardic) who were fleeing the Inquisition, so they converted to Catholicism and volunteered to colonize.

The Spanish and Portuguese were not always nice once they arrived here.  The landing of the Conquistadors is considered to be around 1519 in the Central Mexico region. Between this date and the end of their campaign in the 1800's, they conquered the native peoples (Aztecs, and other civilizations) through invasion, taking of slaves, genocide, and passing along smallpox from the Europeans, effectively decimating the population (between 50-90%) between 1520 and 1576. 

The colonists and conquistadors also became rich, from silver mines, cattle industry, agriculture and improved trade with Europe. They even established a new name for the territory, Nuevo Galicia or New Spain.  They continued to dominate the indigenous people until the War of Independence gave most of the self governance back by the 1860's. There would be many times that power changed hands before that, however.

The Portuguese Period (1357-1521)

The Portuguese branch of the tree lasts about 164 years. There are many royals in this family line, lucky I guess. This is, remember, Willie Hernandez and Petra Gonzalez, family lineage. Those siblings of Petra and Willie will have some of the same ancestry, but not all. I will eventually get to everyone. Volunteers will be energetically accepted!

Starting with the father of Joan, Duke of Portugal , the ancestors are:

• Luis Avis Juan Gomez III, Duke of Portugal (1506-1555)
• Manuel I, King of Portugal (1469-2532), father of Luis
• Ferdinand Visieu, Duke of Portugal (1433-1470), father of Manuel I
• Duarte I, King of Portugal (1391-1438), father of Ferdinand
• Joao I, King of Portugal and Algarves (1357-1433), father of Duarte I

At this point, we hit another brick wall, and Joao is my 16th Great Grandfather on that branch.

The next Chapter will be: England and France, What What?

Merovingian Kings

I followed a thread down the rabbit hole.  And how long did it take? 2 days and I ended up with the 48th great grandfather, Marcian of Thrace (Byzantium now Turkey).  There is so much history here, but I wanted to get these names recorded in case any of you wanted to look them up.  

This line starts with me and covers 48 generations back to the year 392 AD (CE). We have Spanish (SPN), French (FRE), Portuguese (PRT), Belgium (BEL), Greek (GRE), Turkish (TUR) and Roman (ROME) in our blood. We have Kings and Queens, Counts, Dukes, Dutchess, and even a couple of Saints in our bloodline. It is more powerful that I ever imagined, and that is just one line through Petra.  It is very similar for her siblings, but I have not traced anyone else's back just yet.

Just think, Kings of Portugal! Charlemagne the Holy Roman Emporer! Merovingian Kings (remember Da Vinci Code?)  By the way, "infante" in this list means "Prince or Princess". These are important distinctions of nobility and royalty also.  

I give you... 48th GGF, Marcian of Thrace

• Marcian, 392-457, 48th great-grandfather (GRE)
• Aelia Marcia Euphemia 453-472, Daughter of Marcian (TUR)
• Alypia de Rome 435-467, Daughter of Aelia Marcia Euphemia (TUR)
• Caratene Agrippina Queen of Burgundy de Narbonne, de Bourgogne 448-486, Daughter of Alypia de Rome (FRA)
• Queen Ingoberge of Paris 520-589, Daughter of Caratene Agrippina Queen of Burgundy de Narbonne, de Bourgogne  (FRA)
• Clothilde (Saint) De Metz of Heristal 564-611, Daughter of Queen Ingoberge of Paris  (FRA)
• Doda Oda Lady of Heristal (Doda of Metz) Merovingian 584-615, Daughter of Clothilde (Saint) De Metz of Heristal(BEL)
• Saint Clodulphe Bishop Metz 604-697, Son of Doda Oda Lady of Heristal (Doda of Metz) Merovingian  (FRA)
• Kunza Gunza of Treves Poiters van Metz 630-677, Daughter of Saint Clodulphe Bishop Metz (FRA)
• Lambert, Count of Hesbaye 669-742, Son of Kunza Gunza of Treves Poiters van Metz (FRA)
• Rotrude of Hesbaye -724, Daughter of Lambert, Count of Hesbaye(BEL)
• Pippin III (The Short, King of the Franks) 714-768, Son of Rotrude of Hesbaye(BEL)
• Charlemagne (Holy Roman Emperor) Carolingien 742-813, Son of Pippin III (The Short, King of the Franks)(GER)
• Berthe Carolingien 775-825, Daughter of Charlemagne (Holy Roman Emperor) Carolingien (GER)
• Arsinde of Ponthieu 798-814, Daughter of Berthe Carolingien (FRA)
• Berthe Comtesse consort de Toulouse Reims 814-887, Daughter of Arsinde of Ponthieu(FRA)
• Fraquiline de Toulouse 845-887, Daughter of Berthe Comtesse consort de Toulouse Reims(FRA)
• Dadalis de Pallars, Daughter of Fraquiline de Toulouse (FRA)
• Sancho I de Pamplona Garces 860-925, Son of Dadalis de Pallars(SPN)
• Sancha , reina consorte de León, de Navarra Sánchez 897-959, Daughter of Sancho I de Pamplona Garces(SPN)
• Sancho I, Conde de Castilla, el de Buenos Fueros 965-1017, Son of Sancha , reina consorte de León, de Navarra Sánchez(SPN)
• Ximena de Castilla 959-994, Daughter of Sancho I, Conde de Castilla, el de Buenos Fueros(SPN)
• Munio Fernandez de Toro 959-994, Son of Ximena de Castilla(SPN)
• Gontrode , Infanta de Castilla Moniz 1060-1128, Daughter of Munio Fernandez de Toro(SPN)
• María Soares da Maia 1120-, Daughter of Gontrode , Infanta de Castilla Moniz (SPN)
• Tello Perez de Meneses -1200, Son of María Soares da Maia (SPN)
• Alfonso Tellez (El Viejo) de Meneses 1161-1230, Son of Tello Perez de Meneses (SPN)
• Mayor Alfonso de Meneses 1234-1264, Daughter of Alfonso Tellez (El Viejo) de Meneses (SPN)
• Maria de Molina 1265-1321, Daughter of Mayor Alfonso de Meneses (SPN)
• Beatrice of Castille 1293-1359, Daughter of Maria de Molina (SPN)
• Peter I of Portugal 1320-1367, Son of Beatrice of Castille (SPN)
• John I of Portugal of Aviz 1385-1433, Son of Peter I of Portugal(PRT)
• John Infante Aviz, Constable of Portugal 1400-1442, Son of John I of Portugal of Aviz(PRT)
• Beatrice, Duchess of Viseu of Portugal 1430-1506, Daughter of John Infante Aviz, Constable of Portugal(PRT)
• Ferdinand, Duke of Visieu van Portugal 1433-1470, Son of Beatrice, Duchess of Viseu of Portugal (PRT)
• Manuel I, King of Portugal & The Algarves 1469-1521, Son of Ferdinand, Duke of Visieu van Portugal(PRT)
• Louis Avis Duke of Beja de Portugal Juan Gomez III 1506-1555, Son of Manuel I, King of Portugal & The Algarves, (PRT)
• Juan or Joanes (Captain, Duke of Portugal) Gomez De Portugal y Lopez De Nava, mmx 1536-1610, Son of Louis Avis Duke of Beja de Portugal Juan Gomez III(PRT)
• Isabel Altamirano Gutierrez de Soto y Carbajal 1530-, Daughter of Juan or Joanes (Captain, Duke of Portugal) Gomez De Portugal y Lopez De Nava, mmx(PRT)
• Pedro de Anda Altamirano y Gomes Portugal 1610-, Son of Isabel Altamirano Gutierrez de Soto y Carbajal (MX)
• Lorenzo de Anda Altamirano y Saenz de Vidaurri 1655-1721, Son of Pedro de Anda Altamirano y Gomes Portugal (PRT)
• Pedro De Anda Altamirano 1697-, Son of Lorenzo de Anda Altamirano y Saenz de Vidaurri (MX)
• Pedro Luis De Anda 1722-1794, Son of Pedro De Anda Altamirano (MX)
• Jose Valentin De Anda 1775-, Son of Pedro Luis De Anda (MX)
• Jose Marcos De Anda 1820-1902, Son of Jose Valentin De Anda(MX)
• Maria de los Santos De Anda 1841-1904, Daughter of Jose Marcos De Anda(MX)
• Maria Refugio or del Refugio Bernal 1862-1950, Daughter of Maria de los Santos De Anda(MX)
• Petra Rivera Gonzales 1882-1925, Daughter of Maria Refugio or del Refugio Bernal (MX)
• Petra Gonzales 1922-2012, Daughter of Petra Rivera Gonzales  (TX)
• Gloria Rodriguez 1942-, Daughter of Petra Gonzales  (TX)
• Li'l Old Me

Wow. More to come on these, eventually.

Rafael & Antonia Estrada (my Great Grandparents), and Ed Palomares

We know Guillermo Sr. "Willie" Hernandez (my grandfather) was born on 1 JUN 1914 • Jaral de Berrios, Guanajuato, México, and died 6 NOV 1946 • Harris, Texas.  He is buried at Houston's historic Hollywood Cemetery, but does not have a grave marker. If you wanted to visit, they could look up the location for you, approximately. It would be so cool to take up a donation and put a marker there for him.

He had three kids while here and married to Petra, they lived in Houston at the time. Gloria is the oldest, then Bill, then Gilbert.  Petra was still pregnant with Gilbert when Willie died.  They lived at a house in Houston on McKee St. I am not sure if it was a boarding house or a one family house where several families lived, but there were multiple families there according to the death certificates of Willie and his half sister, Euphenia, who died of tuberculosis three years after Willie died. Her and her parents' address is the same as his, and his parents, 814 McKee St. I have even driven by there. There are houses and businesses, but I am sure they are not the original house they lived in.

Of note, Willie and Petra also had a daughter in 1945, Cecelia, who died at 18mos from meningitis.

Willie's father was Rafael Hernandez (my first great grandfather), born 1890 in Mexico, and dying in 1914, two years after Willie left for the US. He died in Jaral de Berrios, Guanajuato, México, where Willie was born, of what looks like "hemorrhagia" or hemorrhage. There is no other information on cause of death.  

Records show he married Antonia Estrada (my Great Grandmother) in Jarral de Berrios also, which at the time was a Hacienda. This was like an estate, or small, self-contained town. This one was known for its Mescal production, and still is!  

Antonia was born in 1894 in Mexico, but we do not yet know a city.  Rafael and Antonia married in 1913, and had only one child together who we could find records for, Guillermo (Willie), who was born about a month after Rafael died, in 1914.  All these events took place in Jaral de Berrios, Guanajuato, México.  Antonia also came to the US in 1914. 

By 1920, Antonia (and presumably, Willie) were in Colorado County Texas, where they were on the 1920 census and lived in Fayette, TX with her uncle and cousins. The same year, she married again, a 25 year old Eduardo Palomares. She was 19.  By family stories he was a native American, but he was born in Chihuahua, MX by his records. Together, they had 6 children between 1921 and 1934. This photo is of Ed, Antonia, and 3 of their kids. 

Ed died at age 50 due to suspected malarial fever. Antonia lived until 1992 when she died in Houston at age 98 of unknown causes. (No death certificate yet).  

Antonia's oldest daughter, Rafaela, lived to the age of 70, and had 8 children with her husband Dave Andrado. They also spent their lives in the Harris County area. They probably lived in the same house as Willie Hernandez, her son by Rafael, and his wife as of 1946, because her daughter Euphenia (Willie's half-sister) would die at age 21 of tuberculosis, the same illness that killed her brother Willie, 3 years earlier.

Antonia also had a daughter or son (Trena or Irena) who died at 18mos of age from pneumonia. They lived in Weimar at the time. Her son Eulalio "Lalo" was in the military, although there are some records that state he was a Marine and one that states he was in the Army. He married and had 3 kids, and lived in the Houston area. He died at age 61.  Her youngest son, Quirino, lived to age 79, and raised 9 children in the Houston/Harris county area.

As well as having 7 children, Antonia had a number of siblings, and half siblings (17 total! ). Most of them were born in central Mexico (Guanajuato and Zacatecas areas), but ended up in the US. I was able to find a photo of one brother, Asencion Estrada, who was a farmer in the Dimmit County area of Texas where he married twice and raised 8 children. 

The Mystery of Susano Palomares

Antonia also had a son named Susano, who died (family stories say) as he attempted to walk home (to Texas) from California. The story was that he had been sent money to come home but spent it. So he tried to walk. 

Death Index records list his place of death is listed as Riverside, CA in 1959. I am trying to get a death certificate to confirm, but that takes weeks.  Even the burial records do not list a cause of death.

What we do know about Susano, is that he was a WWII vet, PFC Battery B, 390th Coast Artillery Batallion.  He had a Bronze Star (for Valor), American Theater Medal, Good Conduct, and European-American-Middle Eastern Campaign medals. Coastal artillery is the branch of the armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications.

If anyone knows more information about Susano, or anyone for that matter. Please contact me and let me know so we can get the story straight. Photos and other documents are also appreciated.

How Does This Work?

 I have been way into the research for the last week, trying to see how far back I can go, in each branch of the family, before I fill in the details.  But the details are so interesting, I get distracted and off down a rabbit hole before I get back on track.  I will try to provide a general summary of what I have found, then post the details later on.

I am starting from my particular grandparents, but if you have the same family line, for example, Petra and Willie Hernandez' kids (Gloria, Guillermo, and Gabriel),  will have the same relatives (branches) until the point they marry and have children. As long as that person has a direct line to Willie, by blood, they will have the same ancestors as I do. So all of their kids are related to my relatives on Willie's family tree.

 If they have a different grandparent than I do, they will also have that grandparent's ancestry, as far back as they have a direct blood line. So my cousin Joe Blow, who comes from Tony Blow and Mary Smith, and Tony Blow's (parents Petra Hernandez and Jebediah Blow) will have Petra's ancestry, but not Willie's, because he is not Willie's blood grandson. Even though I am cousins with Joe Blow, we have only SOME of the same ancestry, through Petra Hernandez.

Petra Hernandez had three sets of children from different spouses: Willie Hernandez, Martin Perez, and Lucas Lerma.  These will be three separate branches of the family, with shared ancestry of the kids produced from Petra and that husband.  For right now, I am following Willie Hernandez' branch.

If you have questions, feel free to ask them in the comments and I will try to explain. I am still learning also, and the ancestors are all over the place, but luckily, there are many resources, most online, that save tons of footwork, of going to the library and the state and the church and county for the records, especially in other countries, like Mexico.

The closest relatives are from Mexico.

Willie, the Grandfather I never met

I started researching Willie (Guillermo Hernandez, Sr.) as the father of my mom Gloria, Uncle Bill (Guillermo Jr.), and Uncle Gilbert Hernandez. I remember when Grandma was being moved from her house into the nursing home, we went to her house to help with the packing up. We were talking to Uncle Gilbert, and my mom mentioned she did not remember her birth father as he died when she was 4 years old. Gilbert had a portrait of Willie that my mom had never seen before. She did not remember him. 

He died in Houston at age 32 from pulmonary tuberculosis. My mom was the oldest, then Uncle Bill, then a daughter was born named Cecilia, who died at 2 years of age from meningitis. Uncle Gilbert was their youngest child, as Petra was pregnant with him when Willie died. 

 Another interesting thing at that time, was that there was someone else living at that address, who also died of pulmonary TB. I found out it was Willie's cousin, Euphenia Palomares, who died 3 years later at age 20. It must have been so sad to have multiple people getting sick from each other in the family, and some of them passing away. It seems a lot like now, with COVID 19 affecting households like that in many circumstances. 

 Willie married Grandma Petra in 1944. He was from Guanajuato, Mexico, which is smack in the middle of the country. If Mexico was a leg, Guanajuato would be the knee. His parents were also from Guanajuato, and it seems that his line of relatives came from there for a couple of generations. His father, Rafael and grandfather Santiago Hernandez, were both from the area. His mother, Antonia Estrada was born in the Columbus, TX area. His grandmother, Severiana Garcia, comes from la Noria, Zacatecas, MX. (more like the thigh of the leg that is Mexico). 

Only one, so far, is from the southern area, Oaxaca MX. One thing to remember, there are now a lot more people on Ancestry.com with family trees, and the bulk of the information I am getting, well at least 1/2, is from other family trees. We have lots of relatives out there, and I continue to be amazed at how many kids these people had! The record is 15 so far, but there were a lot of kids born in most of the families. Part of that, I am guessing, is from the Catholic church forbidding birth control, but also, they just did not really have birth control. Many had lots of kids to have help on the farm. That is not scientific, but just my guess. So far, I have traced Willie back to his 5th generation on his father's branch, back to about 1800. The mother's branch looks to go back further, so that will be another story, in time.

Matrilineal Family Tree

Petra Gonzalez De Leon (or DeLeon Gonzalez) born Feb 18, 1922- Died April 16, 2012. She had 9 children: Gloria Hernandez, Guillermo Hernandez Jr., Cecilia Hernandez (who died as an infant), and Gilbert Hernandez with Guillermo Hernandez Sr. She has a son Antonio Lerma (with Lucas Lerma), and with Martin Perez Sr., she had Martin Perez, Jr., Mathilda Perez, John Perez, and Linda Perez.This was my grandmother. Her parents are Petra Rivera Gonzalez (1882-1935) of Laredo, TX and Pedro De Leon Sr.(1877-1931) of Nuevo Leon, Mexico. In addition to Petra, they had 9 other children (Refugio, Victoria, Severa, Pedro, Pascual, Elvira, Juan, Juana, Merced). You can find their stories in this blog eventually. The family lived in the Laredo area. This was my great-grandmother. Petra's mother was Maria Refugio Bernal (1862-1950) and her father was Francisco Rivera (1862-??). Besides Petra, they had a daughter named Fortunata Rivera (1886-??). Petra Rivera (the daughter) moved to the US in 1901 where her kids were all born. Her parents remained in Mexico, in the Coahuila, Mexico area. This was my 2nd great grandmother. My 3rd great grandmother was Maria de los Santos De Anda (1841-1904) born in San Miguel de Aguayo, Bustamante NL Mexico. She married Ramon Bernal on Feb 3, 1859 in San Miguel, and together they had 6 children besides Maria Refugio; Rafael (1862-??), Jose Santiago (1866-??), Rosa (1869-??), Jose Nicanor (1872-??), Felix (1874-??), and Agapito (1880-??). They were all born in the Nuevo Leon area of Mexico. Maria and Ramon lived their entire lives in Mexico. My 4th great grandmother was Maria Damiana Crespin Mireles born in 1826 (d. 1869) in San Miguel, MX as above. She married Jose Marcos de Anda in 1841 and they had a total of 5 children in the Bustamante, Nuevo Leon area and one in Coahuila, Candela, MX. The children were: Maria de los Santos (1841-1904), Jose Antonio (1846-??), Jose Ramon (1848-??), Jose Cresencio (1851-??), Teodoro (1857-??), and Agapito (1858-??). They all lived in Bustamante, Nuevo Leon MX. Maria died in 1869 in Aguascalientes, MX. My 5th great-grandmother was Maria Petra Tixerina (Unk birth, death dates). She married Jose Guadalupe Mireles on Jan 8, 1925 in San Miguel, Bustamante, NL, Mex. They had two daughters, Maria Damiana Crespin (1826-1869) and Maria Alvina (or Albina) born 25 Dec 1830 both in Bustamante, NL, Mex. My 6th great grandmother was Maria Teodora Saldivar Flores born 1 Dec 1768 in San Miguel, MX. she married Jose Marcelo Tixerina in 1785 in San Miguel. They had two children Joseph Nicolas Tixerina Saldivar (1787-??) and Maria Petra Tixerina. They lived in the San Miguel area for thier entire lives. My 7th great grandmother was Maria Guadalupe Flores de Orosco (1740-??). Born in San Miguel, Bustamante, Nuevo Leon, MX. She had 3 siblings. She married Pedro Jose Saldivar Flores (1735-??) on 28 Apr 1760 in San Miguel. They had 7 children together: Maria de El Rosario (1761-1846), Pedro Nolasco (1763-??), Maria (1768-??), Maria Francisca(b. 1771), Jose Apolonio (b. 1773), Maria Josefa Patricia (b. 1776), and Jose Marcelo de los Santos (b. 1777).All of their children were born in San Miguel. Finally, my 8th great grandmother was Manuela Mathiana de Orosco, born in 1720 in San Miguel, Bustamante, Nuevo Leon, MX. She was married to Faustino Flores (b. 1715) on 22 Sep 1731 in the same city. She and Faustino had four children: Maria Tomasa Flores Orozco (1753-??), Jose Piloto Flores Orosco (1763-1764), Miguel Flores Orosco (1765-1767)and Maria Guadalupe Flores de Orosco (1740-??). They all lived and died in the San Miguel area. As I get updates I will add to this story. I am grateful that Ancestry has done so much work and that other relatives who have ancestry accounts have done so much work. I will try to post photos and other items of interest as I find them.

Nothing much has happened in the past 2 years. Now I am sitting down during the Covid pandemic, over the Thanksgiving holiday, because, well there is not much else to do. I go into my ancestry account and BAM, they have done a lot to help carry my ancestry back several generations! I also have a 23 and me account, which has put me on notice of 1500+ DNA relatives out there in the world. Where to start? So the first thing I want to relay to you all is that I am now able to trace my matrilineal (from the mothers' side) tree back to my 8th Great Grandmother!!! That's right, great x 8! She was born in Mexico in 1720, and her name is Manuela Mathiana de Orosco Flores. She was born in Bustamante, Nuevo Leon Mexico, and had only 4 children. I am also working back to my 8th Great Grandfather (her husband) Faustino Flores, from the same area. I will start posting information as I get time so I can share it all with you, but in case you want to see the tree itself, you can use this link: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/pt/RSVP.aspx?dat=MTY5MDE5ODc7OzAxNjc5ZjQ2LTAwMDItMDAwMC0wMDAwLTAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDsyMDIwMTEyODE1MTE0ODsx&mac=nol1+oaNhYnnCWAr28qAug== Enjoy!

Pascual DeLeon, PFC

Pascual Deleon was born in Pescadito,TX on May 17, 1918 to Pedro De Leon, Sr (of Mexico, Candela NL) and Petra Rivera, also of Candela. He enlisted in the army 15 Jan 1941, and was killed in action during WW2 on Jan 22, 1944 in Italy. The next of kin was listed as Severa Flores, of Laredo, TX and he is buried in the Catholic cemetery in Laredo, TX. There is an article in the San Antonio Light from April 29, 1944 which listed him as missing in action, however, his remains were eventually returned to the family and he was buried in Laredo. The following documents are available on his ancestry page on ancestry.com:

-1920 census -1930 census -San Antonia Light article 4/29/1944 -US Rosters of War Dead 1939-1945 -Enlistment Records -Death Certificate

Juan De Leon

Juan De Leon was the eldest son of Pedro De Leon and Petra Rivera. He was born 28 Jan 1904 in Mexico (if the records are right, in Guadalajara) and died in Texas in 1 Aug 1971 in Laredo Texas at age 67.

The 1920 census shows Juan at age 16 living in Webb Texas with his father, Pedro, and five of his siblings, Juanita 12, Severa 9, Victoria 8, Pedro 6, and Pascual 2. It lists his mother's name as Refugio, but his mother's name was Petra Rivera. This was some kind of error which happened often in census' taken especially by anglo census takers. By 1920, she would have been age 19. I do not find her in the census for 1920 anywhere else, but the chances are this is Petra Rivera, as she is listed as age 36.

The 1930 Census for Webb County, TX has Juan living with his wife Lilia 22, son Rodolfo 5, Olivia 2, and Edwardo age 1. It lists his occupation as truck driver for an oil company. His age is 24. It also states he and both of his parents were born in Texas. They had another family living with them at that time, listed as boarders: Simon Perez (age 25), Victoria Perez age 16, and Roberto Perez aged 6 mos.

In 1923, there is a record of a border crossing from Mexico to Texas by Juan De Leon aged 19. States he was born in Guadalajara. But this may be a different person because because Juan was born in the states.

Juan and Lilia had 9 children altogether; Rodolfo DeLeon (1925-1990), Amada DeLeon Webb, Olivia DeLeon (Deceased), Eduardo DeLeon (Deseased), Juan DeLeon (Deceased), Mario DeLeon, Elva DeLeon Bivings, Lauro DeLeon, Elsa DeLeon Garza.

More information is needed about Juan's family and more photos.

Refugio "Cuca" De Leon Pena

"Cuca" De Leon Pena was the eldest daughter of Pedro De Leon and Petra Rivera. She was so much older, she served as a second mother the the younger kids, and Cousin Mary Margaret Garcia says she learned a lot about life from tia Cuca.

She was born 23 Oct 1901 in Webb County, TX (which is where Laredo is, and where most of the other kids say they were from, Mirando City). There is one record of a Refugia Pena crossing the border from Mexico in 1913, at age 12, but it is unclear if this is she, because this person she was alone at the time and Cuca was born in the US, so why would she be crossing the border from Mexico into the US alone?

There is a 1910 census which shows a Refugio Pena, age 9, living in Guadalupe, TX with her mother listed as Anna Pena, and little brother Pedro, 4. Cuca has a brother Pedro, but her mother was Petra Rivera, so that may not be the right person.

In 1930 census, however, there is an entry in Harris County, TX for Refugio, age 26, Pedro Pena (spouse age 25), son Juan age 5, Gonzalo age 2, and Maria age 4 mos.

I cannot so far find records of her marriage to Pedro Pena.

Cuca had 5 children, her son Juan "Johnny" Pena was born in 1925, Gonzalo "Chango" b. 1927, Mary Pena b. 1929, and Jose "Joe" Pena year of birth unknown. Pedro "Pete" Pena, birth date unknown.

Cuca passed away in Harris County, in 1982 at age 81.

Petra Gonzales Hernandez Perez

Petra Gonzales was born 18 Feb 1922 in Laredo, TX. She was one of 10 children born to Pedro Gonzales De Leon, and Petra Rivera. The siblings are as follows: Refugio "Cuca" born 1901, Juan born 1904, Juana born 1907, Severa born 1909, Victoria "Vica" born 1912, Pedro "Chacho" born 1914, Pascual born 1918, Elvira born 1920, and Merced born 1923.

Petra and Guillermo Hernandez and had four children; Gloria, Guillermo Jr, Cecilia, and Gilberto. With Martin Perez, she had a son, Baby Boy Perez born 1941, Mathilda born 1948, Martin Jr. born 1950, John born 1957, and Linda born 1961. Baby Boy Perez died shortly after birth, having never received a name.

Petra had two other children, son Antonio Lerma, with Lucas Lerma of Las Jaras, TX. And a stepson, Vincent Trevino Perez, who was a son of Martin Perez Perez.

Petra lived most of her life in the Brookshire area, raising her children and working at various restaurants. She is still living at age 88 years.
























L to R
Refugio, Juana, Severa, Victoria, Elvira, Petra













L to R
Juan, Victoria, Pedro, Severa, Merced, Petra

Cecilia Hernandez

Cecilia was born 20 Nov 1945, in Houston TX, to Petra Gonzales and Guillermo Hernandez, Sr. She died 26 Feb 1947 at age 15 months from meningitis.

There are no known photographs of Cecilia at this time. She is buried at Hollywood Cemetary in Houston. Her grave is unmarked.

Guillermo Hernandez

We will start with Guillermo Hernandez Sr., both because he is the father of my mother, and because his story was very interesting, once we found out what it was.

Guillermo was born 21 Jun 1914, in Mexico. He married Petra Gonzales (date unknown) and they had four children; Gloria born 1942, Guillermo Jr. born 1943, Cecilia born in 1945, and Gilberto born in 1947. Cecilia died in 1946, at age 15 months from meningitis in Harris County.

One story was that Guillermo worked at a construction site, and died from a fall at work at a young age. Another story said he was killed in a fall at a chemical plant, where he worked as a tank cleaner. One also said he died from alcoholism. The real cause of death of Guillermo Sr., though was pulmonary tuberculosis. He died in Houston on 6 Nov 1946 at age 32. We found this out from his death certificate, and from the funeral home log from 1946 at Hollywood Cemetery in Houston, where he is buried.

Of interest is that when Guillermo died, Petra was pregnant with Gilbert. And 3 months later, she lost her daughter, Cecilia. She had it really hard at that time.

Guillermo's parents were Rafael Hernandez, born 1884 in Mexico, and Antonia Estrada, born 1895. She and Rafael had two other children, Quirino and Rafaela (birth unknown at this time). Antonia then married Edwardo Palomares, and had more children with his name. These children are step uncles and aunts to my mother, Gloria Hernandez Rodriguez. The photo of Guillermo above was never seen by my mother until 2010, when her brother Gilbert showed it to her. Neither she nor any of Guillermo's kids had seen photos of their father, he died so young.