TEST SITE - DO NOT USE - Development only

Under Genealogy.com Research guidelines, Deciphering Documents and 
Handwriting there are a few articles:

1) Reading Handwriting
http://www.genealogy.com/00000010.html

Towards the top of this document it says:
"Watch out for double S's. The first S in a pair was often written to 
look like a lower case F."

2) Guidelines for Reading Old Documents
http://www.genealogy.com/68_sperry.html

The material at Genealogy.com is a good read if you have a chance to 
browse over there:
http://www.genealogy.com/developing_research_skills.html

Good luck,
Angie

--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, Joseph Puentes <makas@n...> wrote:
> 
> I was watching a documentary about American Slave Narratives. In one 
of 
> the stories it was talking about slaves being sold at auction and 
they 
> showed a bill of sale. the time period was about 1850. In the bill of 
> sale at the bottom it spell "witness" like this:
> 
> "witnefs"
> 
> now this reminds me of the times I've seen Castañeda spelled Caftañeda
> 
> does anyone know about the use of the "F" for "S's" in early 
handwritting?
> 
> thanks,
> 
> joseph

Serros/Cerros

Is anyone researching these surnames?

joseph

Opps... I already took the discussion offline.  Here is a recap:
<START RECAP> HELLO!!! ...... </END RECAP> ;-)

Per the discussion of books, I have the second part of "Historia de 
Totatiche"  I am trying to get my hands on this book, the first 
part.  Here is a little write up on that book - 
http://www.totatichejalisco.com/Historia/HistoriaLibroEsteban.htm

Esteban Valdés Salazar is the Totatiche town historian.  He has also 
written some genealogy books.  Since I am distantly related to him, I 
generaly will purchase his books when I can.  Especially convienent 
to me when he writes on the ancestors we share.  His sister, 
Inocencia Valdés Salazar, is the town historin for Momax.  I have one 
of her books too.  Especially convienent to me that Momax and 
Totatiche are my target areas of research. ;-)

If you go to this library website - http://melvyl.cdlib.org/

Do a search by author last name of "Valdés Salazar".  And both his 
and her books will be shown.

Good Luck,
Angie

--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, Joseph Puentes <makas@n...> wrote:
> Donde va hacer la fiesta?. . .piñata, tamales, mariachis, tragitos 
y 
> bailando.
> 
> what a happy day it is! For more than a 100 years or maybe more 
than 200 
> years your families lost each other. People that loved and cared 
for 
> each other but through circumstances got lost and forgotten. Now 
they 
> are united and hopefully will never lose track of each other again.
> 
> arturoramos2 wrote:
> 
> >Angie:
> >
> >We are most definitely related.  Joseph Cayetano Grano's daughter 
> >Rita Margarita married Pedro Gonzalez.  I am their eighth 
generation 
> >descendant via my father's paternal line.  I will definitely take 
a 
> >look at your file.  I have Covarrubias and Jara interwoven 
throughout 
> >my genealogy so I am sure there is a connection there as well.
> >
> >Do you know how I would go about getting copies of the books you 
> >mention?  We can continue this discussion outside the group if you 
> >like... arturo.ramos2@v...
> >
> I wouldn't hear of it. . .maybe give us just a message or two 
more. . 
> .let us celebrate and wish you our happiness too. You all can take 
it 

Congratulations.  Blood relatives are forever, no
matter how many generations have past.

Alberto Duarte
Santa Maria, California

--- Joseph Puentes <makas@...> wrote:

> Donde va hacer la fiesta?. . .piñata, tamales,
> mariachis, tragitos y 
> bailando.
> 
> what a happy day it is! For more than a 100 years or
> maybe more than 200 
> years your families lost each other. People that
> loved and cared for 
> each other but through circumstances got lost and
> forgotten. Now they 
> are united and hopefully will never lose track of
> each other again.
> 
> arturoramos2 wrote:
> 
> >Angie:
> >
> >We are most definitely related.  Joseph Cayetano
> Grano's daughter 
> >Rita Margarita married Pedro Gonzalez.  I am their
> eighth generation 
> >descendant via my father's paternal line.  I will
> definitely take a 
> >look at your file.  I have Covarrubias and Jara
> interwoven throughout 
> >my genealogy so I am sure there is a connection
> there as well.
> >
> >Do you know how I would go about getting copies of
> the books you 
> >mention?  We can continue this discussion outside
> the group if you 
> >like... arturo.ramos2@...
> >
> I wouldn't hear of it. . .maybe give us just a
> message or two more. . 
> .let us celebrate and wish you our happiness too.
> You all can take it 
> private after we have had our fill of your happiness
> as well.
> 
> congratulations on this great find. . .its time for
> much rejoicing!
> 
> joseph
> 
> ps: no one ever accused me of  not being a
> sentimentalist.
> 
> pps: This is not the book Angie referred to but was
> given fyi. . .note 
> the library of congress owning a copy of the first:
> 
> CA 	UNIV OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY 
>

Wow!  Thanks.....the library thing sounds good.  I'll look around.  I live here in Southern California, San Gabriel Valley, so I'd have to check.

But thanks again!
> 
> From: "Natalie" <nc_coleman@...>
> Date: 2005/07/12 Tue PM 02:52:26 EDT
> To: ranchos@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [ranchos] Speaking Spanish
> 
> 

My Spanish is terribly rusty - It may have been my first language,

I'm not sure, but when I started school it was English all the time,

and pretty much lost my ability to communicate in Spanish, and as I

grew older there seemed to be fewer opportunities. Regretably, I

didn't raise my children bilingually, though I thought about it, and

I tried to infuse the Mexican culture when I could. I lived across

the country from family, so that didn't help either.

Anyway - the purpose of this message was really to pass on the

following bit of information: The University of Richmond (VA) is

offering a continuing(adult)education class of Spanish Immersion - it

will be held in August (so probably to late to enroll)at the U. of

Zacatecas. I don't know if this is an annual offering or a one shot

deal. For more info see: 

http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/scs/thinkagain/professional/imm

ersion.htm

Also, at my neighborhood branch library, a group gets together on a

regular basis to practice their Spanish. I have never taken the time

to attend this gathering, but maybe there is a similar offering in

your community - library, church, school, etc.

Y'all have a good day - hopefully filled with many blessing.

Take care,



Natalie Coleman, VA

My Spanish is terribly rusty - It may have been my first language, 
I'm not sure, but when I started school it was English all the time, 
and pretty much lost my ability to communicate in Spanish, and as I 
grew older there seemed to be fewer opportunities. Regretably, I 
didn't raise my children bilingually, though I thought about it, and 
I tried to infuse the Mexican culture when I could. I lived across 
the country from family, so that didn't help either.
Anyway - the purpose of this message was really to pass on the 
following bit of information: The University of Richmond (VA) is 
offering a continuing(adult)education class of Spanish Immersion - it 
will be held in August (so probably to late to enroll)at the U. of 
Zacatecas. I don't know if this is an annual offering or a one shot 
deal. For more info see:  
http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/scs/thinkagain/professional/imm
ersion.htm
Also, at my neighborhood branch library, a group gets together on a 
regular basis to practice their Spanish. I have never taken the time 
to attend this gathering, but maybe there is a similar offering in 
your community - library, church, school, etc.
Y'all have a good day - hopefully filled with many blessing.
Take care,

Natalie Coleman, VA

Thanks Alicia!
I actually have read that book as well, also, Victor Villasenor wrote another novel after that one called "Thirteen Senses" which is a continuation of Rain of Gold.  I've read that one a number of times, too.  
Thanks for the advice....I will buy my books in spanish and get to it.  I am, though, a little afraid that I won't pick it up.  When I've ordered microfilm from LDS, I was able to stumble through the translations.'

I'll be positive, though and say that, YES, I'LL LEARN!

Peggy
> 
> From: Alicia Carrillo <alliecar@...>
> Date: 2005/07/12 Tue PM 01:30:57 EDT
> To: ranchos@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: Re: [ranchos] Juan v. Juan Jose v. Jose Francisco
> 
> Peggy,
>  
> Another great book I had mentioned a few weeks ago is Rain of Gold in English or Lluvia de Oro in Spanish by Victor Villaseñor, I read both the Spanish and English versions and I have to say that they were both great. Not only will you learn the language but you will get a lot of history and cultural information which is essential to get a feel for what our ancestors lived and experienced.
>  
> If you just want to get comfortable with the Spanish language and don't necessarily want to delve into the Mexican culture and history you can go to either Barnes & Noble.com or Amazon.com and look for books written by most English language authors that have been translated into Spanish. See the reviews below of Rain of Gold, written not by professional book critics but by two passionate readers.
>  
> One family' s history, September 7, 2004
> Reviewer:Rogina Ruiz "Gina Ruiz" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
>    The first time I read Rain of Gold, I thought to myself, "My God this is my family!" Victor Villasenor has the ability to draw in the reader and make he or she feel that they are living the story. This is particularly true in Rain of Gold. 
> 
> The book follows two people and their families very different journeys through the hard times of the Mexican Revolution and into the U.S. and the very different life waiting for them there. They meet new challenges in and find each other as they adjust and learn to make a life in this new country. 
> 

Emilie,
Thanks so much for you message.  I think I will try your suggestion about reading books in Spanish. I've read, "Like Water for Chocolate" already, the english version and I have it.  So I'll be it in Spanish, as well as my other favorite, "Caramelo" which is also sold in Spanish.  

My mother told me that she learned by watching the novelas with her mother-in-law and that helped a lot.

I also do belong to a group where I get articles and posting from Zacatecas, but you're right.  Youngsters just post their pictures looking to "hook up" with one another *laugh*.
Thanks for your help....and your advice. 

Peggy
> From: "Emilie Garcia" <auntyemfaustus@...>
> Date: 2005/07/12 Tue AM 11:52:55 EDT
> To: <ranchos@yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: Re: Re: [ranchos] Juan v. Juan Jose v. Jose Francisco
> 
> Peggy,
> 
> I too was lucky enough (along with my husband) to have worked in civil service (in Silicon Valley) and retire with good defined benefits.  As for the Spanish, my experience is very much like yours, but I did improve my reading and understanding of Spanish by joining a Mexican Jerezano group on the internet where I was forced to read Spanish, and with the help of a Spanish dictionary I learned a lot by printing out what I wanted to read and then slowly, tediously translating it to English.  I still do that in order to thoroughly understand books and articles in Spanish.   
> 
> There are many groups like that on the internet for just about every region in Mexico and you might find one for the specific area of Mexico your ancestors were from.   I enjoyed the group I belonged to because I learned a lot from the people from there who traveled there (Jerez) at least once a year and kept us up on the goings on. I felt like I was beginning to know my father's people.  I don't follow that group too much now because its focus was not genealogy or history, and when many of the younger members filled the message board there with their provincial rivalry and discussions about fashion and music I lost interest and was glad to discover these groups of Joseph's that are more oriented towards genealogical research and history.  You might also check into the MexicoConnect group and find articles there in English about Tlaltenango.  It is a group for expatriate Americans living there or those who travel there frequently.
> 

Angie:

We are most definitely related.  Joseph Cayetano Grano's daughter 
Rita Margarita married Pedro Gonzalez.  I am their eighth generation 
descendant via my father's paternal line.  I will definitely take a 
look at your file.  I have Covarrubias and Jara interwoven throughout 
my genealogy so I am sure there is a connection there as well.

Do you know how I would go about getting copies of the books you 
mention?  We can continue this discussion outside the group if you 
like... arturo.ramos2@...

--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, "aajay1073" <aajay1073@y...> wrote:
> Hello!
> 
> Welcome to the group.  I noticed that you descend from Eusebia 
> Grano.  She was sister to my 5th Great-Grandmother Maria Josepha 
> Grano Covarrubias.  Take a look at my files in the file section.
> 
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ranchos/files/Angie%20Godina%20%
> 3Caajay1073%40yahoo.com%3E/
> 
> There is a book that contains the genealogy of the Grano family.  
It 
> is called the "El Sacerdoncio Ministerial, Singular Don a la 
> Parroquia de Totatiche, Jalisco" by Esteban Valdes Salazar.  It is 
a 
> small book less than 200 pages.  It starts with Joseph Cayetano 
Grano 
> and his wife Efigenia de la Rosa Covarrubias.  Then it goes on to 
> each of his seven daughters including their descendants.  Eusebia 
> Grano was one of his daughters.  There is about 50 pages on her 
> descendants.  There are a couple of other people in this group who 
> are related to the Grano family.
> 
> There is a another book on the Jara family of Totatiche.  
Descendants 
> of Joseph Fernandez De Jara and Catarina Covarrubias, who was 
sister 
> of Efigenia de la Rosa Covarrubias.  Do you descend from this 
family 
> of Jara?
> 
> Well hope to hear more about your research.  I too have Miramontes, 
> Campos, and Romero as well as other surnames.  They are all listed 
in 
> my file section.
> 
> Angie Godina
> 
> --- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, "arturoramos2" <arturo.ramos2@v...> 
> wrote:
> > I have just joined the Rancho group.  I am currently a resident 
of 
> > Washington, DC, originally from San Gabriel, California.  I am in 
> the 
> > process of compiling a family history.  Central to this task is a 

Angie:

We are most definitely related.  Joseph Cayetano Grano's daughter 
Rita Margarita married Pedro Gonzalez.  I am their eighth generation 
descendant via my father's paternal line.  I will definitely take a 
look at your file.  I have Covarrubias and Jara interwoven throughout 
my genealogy so I am sure there is a connection there as well.

Do you know how I would go about getting copies of the books you 
mention?  We can continue this discussion outside the group if you 
like... arturo.ramos2@...

--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, "aajay1073" <aajay1073@y...> wrote:
> Hello!
> 
> Welcome to the group.  I noticed that you descend from Eusebia 
> Grano.  She was sister to my 5th Great-Grandmother Maria Josepha 
> Grano Covarrubias.  Take a look at my files in the file section.
> 
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ranchos/files/Angie%20Godina%20%
> 3Caajay1073%40yahoo.com%3E/
> 
> There is a book that contains the genealogy of the Grano family.  
It 
> is called the "El Sacerdoncio Ministerial, Singular Don a la 
> Parroquia de Totatiche, Jalisco" by Esteban Valdes Salazar.  It is 
a 
> small book less than 200 pages.  It starts with Joseph Cayetano 
Grano 
> and his wife Efigenia de la Rosa Covarrubias.  Then it goes on to 
> each of his seven daughters including their descendants.  Eusebia 
> Grano was one of his daughters.  There is about 50 pages on her 
> descendants.  There are a couple of other people in this group who 
> are related to the Grano family.
> 
> There is a another book on the Jara family of Totatiche.  
Descendants 
> of Joseph Fernandez De Jara and Catarina Covarrubias, who was 
sister 
> of Efigenia de la Rosa Covarrubias.  Do you descend from this 
family 
> of Jara?
> 
> Well hope to hear more about your research.  I too have Miramontes, 
> Campos, and Romero as well as other surnames.  They are all listed 
in 
> my file section.
> 
> Angie Godina
> 
> --- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, "arturoramos2" <arturo.ramos2@v...> 
> wrote:
> > I have just joined the Rancho group.  I am currently a resident 
of 
> > Washington, DC, originally from San Gabriel, California.  I am in 
> the 
> > process of compiling a family history.  Central to this task is a 

Thanks for the info.  I guess I'm one of the babies of the group at 36??  I've also been lucky enough to have a civil service job with a great union who has cemented great benefits for the next five years.  I feel spoiled when I hear the stories about people's health care issues.  It's a total shame that all people don't have good insurance and benefits!!

I did want to say, though, that for the record I always enjoy reading everyone's post.  I've been so educated by each and everyone of your messages.  I feel like I lack the family experiences, though, since myself as well as my parents were born here.  I envy the members who have gotten to travel to their ancestral homelands.  I want to do the same but I don't have a lot of free time.  And I was never taught spanish and would like to take a class.  Is there any online programs, software (I feel like such a dork!) that teach spanish?  I understand the basics from high school spanish classes, but I want to learn more.  How does one go about doing that!!?

I do have one question for the gentlemen who made his trip to Tlaltenango.  If you can, email me and let me know how found it...was it your first trip there?  What's the city like?  Was it hard to get there?  What are the people like?

Thanks again,
Peggy Delgado

> 
> From: Yolanda Bobby Perez <windrocklili@...>
> Date: 2005/07/11 Mon PM 11:24:53 EDT
> To: ranchos@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [ranchos] Juan v. Juan Jose v. Jose Francisco
> 
> Alberto, Mil Gracias! You hit the nail on the head, sooner or 
> Alberto, thanks for sharing with the group.  You hit the nail right on the head, sooner or later we will need meds that are over priced and out of our price range.  I for one will share this info with my friends and family. I hope that your wife feels better very soon and remember prayer helps. 
> Again,  Gracias
> Yolanda Medina Perez
> El Paso, Tx 
> 
> Alberto Duarte <albertodua@...> wrote:
> Dear Members:
> I would like to share the following with our members
> since I believe most of us are about the same age
> range, like me, a youthful med 60s, and are probably
> purchasing expensive prescription drugs.  
> 
> My wife just got back from the doctor and was given a
> free prescription pill for her illness that would
> normally cost me $50.00 each.  She will eventually
> need to take the same pill, once a month, that will

Dear Members:
I would like to share the following with our members
since I believe most of us are about the same age
range, like me, a youthful med 60s, and are probably
purchasing expensive prescription drugs.  

My wife just got back from the doctor and was given a
free prescription pill for her illness that would
normally cost me $50.00 each.  She will eventually
need to take the same pill, once a month, that will
cost me $200.00 for 4 pills.  Yes, $200.00 for 4
pills.

Anyway, this morning I found a number of pharmacies in
Canada that sell the same pills, same weight, and I
believe from the same company that makes the pills. 
The same pill in Canada will now cost me $9.58 each,
or a total cost for 4 pills at $53.31, and that
includes shipping cost.  

You can log on www.pharmacychecker.com to see
comparative costs of drugs from the various pharmacies
throughout Canada.

Good luck.

Alberto Duarte
Santa Maria, Caifornia

--- Margarita Vallazza <TeaCozyGran@...> wrote:

> She's probably related to my great-grandfather's
> first wife, Eleuteria 
> Tovar.:)  Marge:)
> On Jul 9, 2005, at 12:17 AM, Alberto Duarte wrote:
> 
> > You think that is confusing? My great grandmother
> >  Maria Dolores Vasquez Tovar from Jerez had her
> name
> >  written sometimes as: Maria Dolores Tobar, Maria
> >  Dolores Tovar, or Maria Vasquez Tovar, or Maria
> >  Vasquez Tobar.
> >
> >  Alberto.
> >  Santa Maria, California
> >
> 



		
____________________________________________________
Sell on Yahoo! Auctions ? no fees. Bid on great items.  
http://auctions.yahoo.com/

Hello!

Welcome to the group.  I noticed that you descend from Eusebia 
Grano.  She was sister to my 5th Great-Grandmother Maria Josepha 
Grano Covarrubias.  Take a look at my files in the file section.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ranchos/files/Angie%20Godina%20%
3Caajay1073%40yahoo.com%3E/

There is a book that contains the genealogy of the Grano family.  It 
is called the "El Sacerdoncio Ministerial, Singular Don a la 
Parroquia de Totatiche, Jalisco" by Esteban Valdes Salazar.  It is a 
small book less than 200 pages.  It starts with Joseph Cayetano Grano 
and his wife Efigenia de la Rosa Covarrubias.  Then it goes on to 
each of his seven daughters including their descendants.  Eusebia 
Grano was one of his daughters.  There is about 50 pages on her 
descendants.  There are a couple of other people in this group who 
are related to the Grano family.

There is a another book on the Jara family of Totatiche.  Descendants 
of Joseph Fernandez De Jara and Catarina Covarrubias, who was sister 
of Efigenia de la Rosa Covarrubias.  Do you descend from this family 
of Jara?

Well hope to hear more about your research.  I too have Miramontes, 
Campos, and Romero as well as other surnames.  They are all listed in 
my file section.

Angie Godina

--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, "arturoramos2" <arturo.ramos2@v...> 
wrote:
> I have just joined the Rancho group.  I am currently a resident of 
> Washington, DC, originally from San Gabriel, California.  I am in 
the 
> process of compiling a family history.  Central to this task is a 
> genealogical database.  I have already compiled a genealogy going 
> back as far as the mid 1700s in Totatiche, Jalisco for some of my 
> lineages.
> 
> Thus far I have used oral histories and Church of Latter Day Saints 
> resources (based on church records in Totatiche) but I have now 
begun 
> collecting written histories of the region and plan to do some 
field 
> research in Guadalajara, Totatiche and Colotlan later this year.
> 
> I am particularly interested in history of the names RAMOS, 
ARANZAZU, 
> REZA, GONZALEZ, GARCIA, QUINTANILLA, PINEDO, LEMUS
> 
> The following is the full list of surnames in my GEDCOM database 
thus 
> far:
> 
> RAMOS, PINEDO, GARCIA, GUTIERREZ, REZA, RIOS, GONZALEZ, ARANZAZU, 

I just ran across this individual record in the LDS VRI-Mexico database... the 
fact that the wife has the same last name as the husband is not particularly 
interesting.... what is more interesting is that the wife's parents both have in 
effect the same name.

I remember reading somewhere that when indigenous people married into or 
were hired into a family they were "assigned" the name of the family they were 
associated with for lack of a better alternative.  Does anyone know anything 
more concrete on this that can shed any light?

Individual Record	FamilySearch? Vital Records Index
Mexico
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
	
Natividad GONSALEZ	      Age At Marriage: 18 
 	Sex: <F>	 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Event(s):	 	 
Birth: <1842>	Place: Urives
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parents:	 	 
 	Father: Crecencio GONSALEZ
 	Mother: Crecencia GONSALEZ
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marriage:	 	 
Spouse: Felipe GONSALEZ	Age At Marriage: 35
Marriage: 05 Feb 1860	

http://f2.pg.briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/makas_nc/lst?.dir=/Genealogies/Arturo+Ramos+(arturo.ramos2@...)&.order=&.view=l&.src=bc&.done=http%3a//f2.pg.briefcase.yahoo.com/

hmmm, this sure is a long URL. . .if it doesn't work maybe its because
part of the URL wrapped to the next line. In this case you'll need to
copy and paste the tail end of the URL onto the part that didn't wrap
and try again.

or you can go here and just follow the path to Arturo Ramos' work:

http://f2.pg.briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/makas_nc/lst?.dir=/Genealogies&.src=bc&.view=l&BCID=makas_nc

joseph

ps: this link and all new members' genealogies are found in the Links
area under "AAAAA-Genealogies"

Yes, I believe all the Tovars in Jerez were related,
just like the Duartes.  We'll have to meet in Jerez
and go to the old cemeteries so that we can research
our old family names.

Alberto Duarte
Santa Maria, California

--- Margarita Vallazza <TeaCozyGran@...> wrote:

> She's probably related to my great-grandfather's
> first wife, Eleuteria 
> Tovar.:)  Marge:)
> On Jul 9, 2005, at 12:17 AM, Alberto Duarte wrote:
> 
> > You think that is confusing? My great grandmother
> >  Maria Dolores Vasquez Tovar from Jerez had her
> name
> >  written sometimes as: Maria Dolores Tobar, Maria
> >  Dolores Tovar, or Maria Vasquez Tovar, or Maria
> >  Vasquez Tobar.
> >
> >  Alberto.
> >  Santa Maria, California
> >
> 



		
____________________________________________________
Sell on Yahoo! Auctions ? no fees. Bid on great items.  
http://auctions.yahoo.com/

An Observation and Sad Note:
I believe it was not unusual for a son not to have the
same last names of his mother and father.  He
sometimes would take a different last name altogether
(probably because he was baptized with a different
name). 

I found a Spanish soldier from Jerez de la Frontera,
in 1575, that may have been a relative, that took the
last name of Andres Duarte and his mother was a
Rodriguez and has father was a Gonzalez!  This soldier
came to Zacatecas in 1576.  After searching for him
for more than 10 years, I found a record where he had
drowned in the Philippines sea in 1603 during a storm
on his way back to new Spain (Mexico).

Alberto Duarte

Santa Maria, California
--- Erlinda Castanon-Long <longsjourney@...>
wrote:

> I was once told that many of the early scribes in
> Mexico were Portuquese and that they spelled things
> differently too. If many of the people did not read
> or write and didn't see what was being put into the
> record any chance for correction wasn't there.  I'm
> told the custume was for the mother to stay in bed
> for 40 days so she probably wasn't at the baptism,
> I'm assuming the godparents and father took the baby
> to the church.  I've had some records so mixed up
> it's almost as though they put bits of paper with
> information in the wrong order. I have a grandmother
> as mother and son as grandfather on one record.  My
> lines were not city people but farmers and laborer's
> living in Ranchos, the odds of them all reading and
> writing is very remote.  I was told it was not
> unusual to pay bribes to have a child listed as
> Espanol so  thier chances in life would be better. 
> And the fact that they had home births complicates
> things too.  I'm just grateful there are any records
> at all considering the
>  hard times of rural Mexico.
>  
> Linda in Everett Wa.
> 
> Edward Serros <ed@...> wrote:
> Joseph,
> 
> In all the previous posting, I think you get the
> idea of what went on in the past regarding 
> Spanish first names and surnames. I have reviewed
> thousands of documents from the 
> 18th, 19th and 20th century in Mexico.  It appears
> quite clear that there was a relatively 
> lax attitude toward names and even surnames in
> Spanish communities. In my Felguerez 
> line, one of the mates (depending on what document
> you were reading) went by Dolores