Hi Jonathan!

I wish I had started doing genealogy 30 years ago!!! 🙂 The reason
I do genealogy is probably a selfish one……I only have one
brother…..I come from a small family and always wanted a larger
family……my parents had other ideas!! 🙂

I have always had this “yearning” to find the rest of my
family…….although I knew very little about them. It gives me
great satisfaction when I discover a bit of information about them. I
am absolutely overjoyed when I finally meet one of my distant cousins
through genealogy! It is the very best feeling (for me) in this world!

My grandfather (Julian Trevino) was born when his father was age 71
and his mother was age 41! He was the last of 17 children from two
families of my great-grandfather!!! To me it is a great miracle that
I even exist!!! 🙂 When my grandfather was born he was given to his
padrinos (also his cousins) with the understanding that they never
change his Trevino surname. He was raised with cousins named Valdez
and Villarreal but his name was always Trevino.

I do my genealogy on the Valdez/Villarreal line as if it were my
primary line because they raised my grandfather. I do my Trevino/
Villarreal research because that is my paternal line. My mother’s
line is Soto/Barrios.

To me there is nothing more fascinating than doing my genealogy and
discovering my ancestors!

Josie Trevino Trevino
Houston, TX

On Feb 21, 2009, at 11:42 AM, mexicanfhr wrote:

>
> I just wanted to ask the group, why are we doing genealogy? I have
> been asked ti give a talk about why we do genealogy? It has made
> me think, about why I started my genealogy about 30 years ago. And
> I just wanted to get, some more ideas or thoughts from the group
> members.
>
> Jonathan

Hello Jonathan,

My father and I started genealogy back in 1987 when he was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. His doctors were curious to know if there was a family history of this. My father died in 1988 and his brother followed in death also from ALS. This fueled my desire to find out more about our family. Since beginning, I have now found 31 family members who died from some motor neuron disease such as ALS througout the years as far back as 1850’s when it was known as ‘creeping paralysis’ or ‘loco motor ataxia’. This information has allowed us to participate in studies of this disease in pursuit of a cure. Two more family members passed away last year, my dad’s aunt and a cousin.

Hope this helps.

Catherine Wood

For me genealogy is a way to connect to family. While I came from a relatively large family (6 kids) we were raised away from our extended family in Mexico. I really enjoyed the few visits we made as kids and relished in the feeling of being surrounded by family. This need to connect with family was intensified when my father died in 2006 and so I discovered genealogy …. I think of my father each time I make another connection, I can picture him sitting next to me sharing the joy of each and every new discovery.

Hi there Jonathan,

I always had a yearning for my beginings . When I was 10 yrs. old my dad picked me up from my friends house ( Ramon Palacios ) he lived in front of Roosevelt High School in East Los Angeles . Anyway , as we were driving I asked my dad where my name came from . My name is Welester G. Alvarado . You can only imagine how i took the blows for a name such as mine . All my friends were Henry , Richard , John etc. etc. and here I was with a name like Welester . The kids called me Chester , Dexter , Fester and the list goes on and on .

Well back to my dad and the big question ¨where did my name come from ¨ I was certain that he would tell me . So, I asked ¨hey pop ( that´s what I called my dad ¨ Where did my name come from . He quickly turned and in a very sharp tone said ¨WHY ! don´t you like it ! I slowly slid down the car seat and softly replied …..yes . That was that ! No more questions about my name .

That in short Jonathan made me start to question my aunt ( my dads sister ) about where we came from . She filled my head with all kinds of colorful stories of Cadereyta , Villa de Santiago in the state of Nuevo Leon and since then I´ve been on my quest .

Grant you , in the begining I had not the least clue in how to do research and about seven years ago I came to Monterrey , Mexico to stay for one year and do my search . Well , it´s been seven years now and I now know a little bit more on how to do research and have met some very wonderful people here and I have even found a long lost cousin who lives in Chicago .

I´ll stop here cuz I can go on indefinetely .

That´s the Readers Digest vesrion .

Take care,

Welester

P.S. A lot of my ancestors originated from Zacatecas and migrated up north to the states of Coahuila and Nuevo Leon .

>
> I just wanted to ask the group, why are we doing genealogy? I have been asked ti give a talk about why we do genealogy? It has made me think, about why I started my genealogy about 30 years ago. And I just wanted to get, some more ideas or thoughts from the group members.
>
> Jonathan

Hi Jonathan,

My experiences with family history is as follows. I became intensely curious about my ancestry as pre-teenager. I found myself doubting all the oral traditions passed on by my parents and grandparents and their siblings. Growing up is hard enough without adding the element of being treated by everyone else as unacceptably “different.” Just like old Sergeant Friday, I wanted just the facts.

Learning the “facts” continues to be a life-altering process for me. I’ll be 71 in less than three months. I have been researching off and on since the 1970’s. The “facts” continue to surprise me. Curiosity is no longer the force driving my research. I feel a compelling need to understand myself better. I also see the results of investigation as a very worthwhile legacy for my children and their children and so on.

I have come to believe that well-done family history research helps us to include others in our lives. It does not drive wedges between and among us. I could go on and on but perhaps this is good idea of why I continue to investigate my family history.

David, in Albany, CA

—–Original Message—–
>From: mexicanfhr
>Sent: Feb 21, 2009 9:42 AM
>To: general@lists.nuestrosranchos.org
>Subject: [Nuestros Ranchos] Why are we doing genealogy?
>
>
>I just wanted to ask the group, why are we doing genealogy? I have been asked ti give a talk about why we do genealogy? It has made me think, about why I started my genealogy about 30 years ago. And I just wanted to get, some more ideas or thoughts from the group members.
>
>Jonathan

For me genealogy began about 10 years ago at my father’s funeral. I asked some of my nephews and nieces if they knew my father’s father’s name. None of them knew. I vowed then not to let my father’s ancestors die with him, too.

Jose Carlos de Leon

EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD
Join me

> To: general@lists.nuestrosranchos.org
> From: jonathan@mexicanfhr.com
> Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2009 09:42:21 -0800
> Subject: [Nuestros Ranchos] Why are we doing genealogy?
>
>
> I just wanted to ask the group, why are we doing genealogy? I have been asked ti give a talk about why we do genealogy? It has made me think, about why I started my genealogy about 30 years ago. And I just wanted to get, some more ideas or thoughts from the group members.
>
> Jonathan

For me its trying to find out anything about my fathers family. He came to this country as a young man in the late 50’s. His father died when he was 7 killed after he was thrown from a horse on their Rancho. His mother dies when I was a baby in 1964. So, anything he can tell me is fading since he is now in his 70’s. He has not been close with his family brothers and sisters, although we are now seeing at least some of them. It’s been a huge disadvantage to not speak spanish. We have one picture of my Grandmother and none of my Grandfather. So, it’s just trying to find out about my Gutierrez/DeLaTorre’s. I am very proud of my heritage on my fathers side and all the things he has done in his life. He taught us more than he will ever know, so I would like to answer some questions he has about his family. I have really hit a dead end, hopefully when my Tia is in Acatic she will get some records for us, but who knows.

Cindy Gutierrez

________________________________
From: Angelina Markle
To: general@lists.nuestrosranchos.org
Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2009 11:28:43 AM
Subject: [Nuestros Ranchos] Why are we doing Genealogy?

For me genealogy is a way to connect to family. While I came from a relatively large family (6 kids) we were raised away from our extended family in Mexico. I really enjoyed the few visits we made as kids and relished in the feeling of being surrounded by family. This need to connect with family was intensified when my father died in 2006 and so I discovered genealogy …. I think of my father each time I make another connection, I can picture him sitting next to me sharing the joy of each and every new discovery.

Jonathan,

When I was a little girl we moved to U.S. I didn’t like the move because I loved my grandparents so very much and I hated to leave them. Both paternal and maternal. That’s when the seed was planted and I wanted to know more about my ancestors. I had a ggg-mother named Maria Dolores Diaz who lived to a ripe old age of 103 – so I am told – I have not verified that. What I do know is that she made my clothes when I was a baby. She used to make beautiful knit and crochet clothing for a living and always made extra for me. She would work very hard for 3-4 months straight; would buy more material to make more projects, and would spend the rest of the money on her drinking binges until all the money was gone. Then she would start all over again. 🙂

Another ggg-father named Jose Rafael Lopez Aguilar lived to 102 and I did take a picture of the little cemetery house where he was buried. I come from families that were big in numbers. One of my ggg-aunts had 17 children. My grandfather had 13 and he was 98 when he passed away. Sandly, my father was one year short of retirement when he died of ALS in 1985. I want to know all there is to know about my family and have been working on this on and off for 25 years. I have a way to go but I won’t quit! I have done extractions and Census Indexing and been a family history consultant so that I can be more knowledgeable about my native country and its people. I have many family members spread out all over Jalisco and Distrito Federal and a few other states. This is a lifetime commitment and I love all that has to do with genealogy.

I have many stories but they do take time. Hope this helps.
Esther Jordan (Lopez)

I just wanted to ask the group, why are we doing genealogy? I have been asked
ti give a talk about why we do genealogy? It has made me think, about why I
started my genealogy about 30 years ago. And I just wanted to get, some more
ideas or thoughts from the group members.

Jonathan

Jonathan

For me there are two reasons:

(1) Knowing where we came from tells us something about who we are.
(2) It is a gift to my children.

George

**************
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hmpgID%3D62%26bcd%3DfebemailfooterNO62)

My genealogy search began about 15 years ago when my kids were babies. It
started out as a search for any of my father’s living relatives. His
parents died when he was young and as a teen he lost track of his uncle, who
raised him. As a child, I watched my father search for his brother, sister,
or uncles. They were migrant workers so it was hard to know where any of
them ended up. He never found them.

My father died when I was 13 but I was left with that same feeling of
wanting to know my father’s family. Except I had a deeper feeling of
wanting to know the past. As I said, I did start out looking for his
brother and sister but soon ended up looking back. I had never met anyone
from my father’s family and I want to be able to at least leave some answers
to my family as to where we came from and who we are. Nothing can ever
replace family stories and actual face to face contact, something I lack
with this side of my family, but I have had some wonderful finds that my
father would be proud of.

Ann Rubio Valdez
Sugar Land, Texas

Hi Jonathan –

I grew up hearing “stories” from aunts and uncles – unbelievable stories,
such as we were French, Spanish and Indian heritage on my mother’s side and
derived from royal blood on my father’s side. I wanted to verify these stories.

I grew up in the US – my mother’s grandparents died before I was born – they
had come during the time of Revolution, and no aunt or uncle kept in touch
with that side of the family in Mexico (Zacatecas). On my father’s side, he
had died when I was a baby – and all of his family lived in Mexico (Coahuila)-
I would hear the aunts and uncles tell us many stories when I visited.

Today, I feel it is as if the ancestors want me to whisper their name and
write it down so they are not forgotten. By the way, I am still looking for
verification of our French blood and trying to verify the royal blood story.
In the meantime, I did discover that I came from a long legacy of educators –
and I am one today – seems like some things are indeed in our blood.

Esperanza
chicagoland area
**************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy
steps!
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%3D62%26bcd%3DfebemailfooterNO62)

Hello to Everyone,my reason was kinda of a wierd . I grew up in a mexican neighborhood and constantly being told I didn’t look mexican ,what happened to me.. I too wondered why looked the way I did ,light complexion, hazel eyes. I began to notices my extended family on my dads side 98 % light,my grandmother with a green eye and blue eye.My maternal grandfather was very dark but it was frustrating I allowed people to make me feel odd.I began to ask questions ,study history of mexico and tracing my ancestors ,to find my answer.

Chinese Proverb:What is a tree without roots,What is a stream without its source ?

Now I know why I look the way I do,and I have met cool new primos in my search.

Ronnie Reynoso, pariente acasi todos de Los Altos de Jalisco

> To: general@lists.nuestrosranchos.org
> From: jonathan@mexicanfhr.com
> Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2009 09:42:21 -0800
> Subject: [Nuestros Ranchos] Why are we doing genealogy?
>
>
> I just wanted to ask the group, why are we doing genealogy? I have been asked ti give a talk about why we do genealogy? It has made me think, about why I started my genealogy about 30 years ago. And I just wanted to get, some more ideas or thoughts from the group members.
>
> Jonathan

Jonathan,

Funny.

I’ve been asking myself why I WOULD want to seek my ancestry. I haven’t done much but, what little history I know of the “conquest” is that these invaders didn’t really bring their women and families to settle Nueva Espana in the way the English did. Especially in the beginning, they mostly raped the indigenous women and killed the ones that would try to fight them off. Much like the slave owners in the united states, many were raped by their European slavemasters, impregnated and left for dead. It’s been said that “the Child is what the Mother is.” I suspect it would be much more difficult to trace the lineage of our mother’s mother’s mother… How many Mestizos are the result of rape whether married or not? Sure science says a father is a father but, I don’t know if I would consider a man who raped my mother and left her for dead to be my father.

I’m not putting genealogy down, these are just questions I’ve asked myself and because of Jonathan’s question, am wondering if others have.

Sincerely,

Victorx

> To: general@lists.nuestrosranchos.org
> From: jonathan@mexicanfhr.com
> Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2009 09:42:21 -0800
> Subject: [Nuestros Ranchos] Why are we doing genealogy?
>
>
> I just wanted to ask the group, why are we doing genealogy? I have been asked ti give a talk about why we do genealogy? It has made me think, about why I started my genealogy about 30 years ago. And I just wanted to get, some more ideas or thoughts from the group members.
>
> Jonathan

I got the genealogy bug 20 years ago when my kids were little and we got our
first video camera. I started interviewing my parents, aunts, uncles,
grandmother, and grandaunts, and eventually graduated to researching
ancestors when I learned about familysearch.org. Like Angelina, it was a
way for me to stay connected to my large, extended family, since they are in
California and I’ve been on the East Coast for 31 years now. Many of my
relatives are on my group email list. I’m able to share my small successes
with them and invariably at least one responds. But there is a real
spiritual component to this quest. I feel like I really honor each one of
my ancestors and past family members by finding them, saying their names
again, fitting them into our family tree. I like to think that somewhere in
the spirit world they are smiling, happy to be remembered, relieved to be
included.

On Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 12:42 PM, mexicanfhr wrote:

>
> I just wanted to ask the group, why are we doing genealogy? I have been
> asked ti give a talk about why we do genealogy? It has made me think,
> about why I started my genealogy about 30 years ago. And I just wanted to
> get, some more ideas or thoughts from the group members.
>
> Jonathan