Where We Come From: Rosales/Villa Union, Coahuila, Mexico

In continuing with the "Where we come from" series, and after taking a look at some of our German origins, I thought I'd cross to the other side of the tree and find out a bit about where a part of my husband's family comes from:

 

Rosales and Villa Union, Coahuila, Mexico

     Rosales, or Villa Union as it is called today is in the Mexican state of Coahuila, near the border of the United States.

State of Coahuila in which Rosales resided.

 It is our Lopez name that comes out of Rosales, so I was interested in finding out a little more of its history. I am sure there is so much more than what I have here, but it's a start!

       The first settlement of the area was in the mid 1600's and was a Mission. According to Wiki, the Mission of The Holy Name of Jesus Peyotes to be exact.This mission was small and soon after abandoned. An interesting write up by Julieta Arreola on the Holy Child of Peyotes can be read here in Spanish, but easily translated with google. (Thank you, Google!)

Iglesia Santo Niño de Peyotes

      The area was left alone until 1737 when another misson (San Francisco de Vizarrón) was formed and inhabited by mostly indigenous people. 2 tribes, the Pausana tribes and Tampajuaya came together to form the Mission of San Francisco de Vizarrón as a more permanent settlement.
      Later, on Valentine's Day, 1868, the town was named Rosales, for a Mexican Field Marshal who fought the Spanish Royals in the Mexican War of Independence, Victor Rosales.   

Victor Rosales

             In 1927, the town of Rosales joined the town of Gigedo, creating what we know now as Villa Union.

 The oldest relatives of Rosales I can locate from my husband's tree (So far) were found on a tree given to me that was previously worked up by I believe a professional. They are the 5th great grandparents of my husband: Francisco Barrera (b 1760) and his wife, Maria Josefa Maña (b 1757), both said to be born in Rosales.  Their daughter, Paula Barrera Maña (b 1784 in Rosales) married Domingo López (b 1780, from unknown place), from whom our Lopez name comes from, and who was of fighting age during the Mexican War for Independence from Spain; down the line to their son Jacinto López Barrera (b. 1802 in Rosales) who came of age during the war; to his son, Domingo López Peña (b. 1830 in Rosales); on to his son Antonio López Ortíz (b. 1873 in Rosales and pictured below on the left) who would have been 37- 47 years old during the next armed struggle Mexico was to participate in, the Mexican Revolution; to his son, Antonio López Antú, (b. 1917 in Rosales), my husband's grandfather, born in the midst of the Revolution. 

Antonio Lopez Ortiz on the left, and his brother Jesus on the right

         I am not aware of who, if anyone, was engaged in any of these historical events, Although I was told by my father in law that the family's purpose for coming to America was to escape Pancho Villa's rise in the north, as their family had sided with the Federal Government. According to him, they lost all of their land and all they had because they had to either flee or face death. And that, my friends, is about as much as I know about the Lopez family and the Mexican Revolution. But I look forward to learning more!

Part of Mexican history and history of Villa Union includes Cabalgatas, or Cavalcades, in which a famous event is honored by a "parade" of people following an historic trail on horseback, or as part of a pilgrimage. I watched one on Youtube coming through Villa Union and it was fascinating! The people and their horses in these Cabalgatas aren't on parade, on show in costume, but rather, participating in something for themselves. Whether it is commemorating an event, or following a pilgrimage, it is about the person and the ride, not something necessarily on show for display. It is simply what it says it is.... a cavalcade. And it would be awesome to be a part of one! Some are small, only passing through town with a few hundred riders while some ride through several towns. Some Cabalgatas can stretch over 100 miles, and can even have over 10,000 riders and horses!

   

 To the left is a map of Coahuila. I have circled present day Villa Union in blue, and also circled the two most common ports of entrance to the U.S. used by the family based on the border crossing documents I've found. These are Eagle Pass, TX and Laredo, TX.










 I hope to learn much more! So of course, Lopez Family, if you have any information, please leave what you know or what's been passed down to you in oral history in the comments below! It's a great way to communicate with each other over family history!

Want to take a drive through Rosales/VillaUnion today? Why the heck not.... 

Just turn that radio down. ;)

Lost in Translation

    Not as, say, being misunderstood. More like lost in joy. Or something close. Let me explain....

         My husband's father is Mexican, with a rich family history. Not in pesos, but in stories. I was graciously given a pedigree from the family and continued working from there, adding everything I found. But I was missing out. Big time.

         I secretly yearned to meet with his grandmother, who lived far from us, down along the US/Mexico border. But I was scared. Mexican woman can be intimidating in their element. And a big part of that was they spoke a language around me that I didn't understand. So I would talk with my father in law about whatever family history he could remember. But like I said. I was missing out.

     There was a generation of information sitting inside my husband's guela, and she did not speak English. And I was chicken. Anytime she came north to Chicago to visit her kids, the opportunity just never came up. Or, you could say, I skated around it and never even tried to make it happen.

        We went down to Chicago for a Labor Day picnic with my husband's family. My FIL had previously asked me to put something together of everything I had compiled of his family, so, I packed it with us before we left. I had generated very detailed reports, and brought a disc with all the documents I had found in my searching. He was happy. I was happy he was happy. I was so happy, I bit the bullet.

    "Do you think I could bring this with to the picnic, and maybe your mom could go over some of this with me, or share some stories?"

     The request was received well from my FIL, but I waited until it was nearly time to leave to approach his mother about it.  And, well, I didn't really approach her. I asked one of her daughters. ....baby steps!

     And she said sure! We went inside and I laid all the reports on the table, opened my laptop and got out my notebook. My husband's Tia sat next to his grandma, and went piece by piece over every document I gave them, but in spanish. Making confirmations and filling in the blanks by translating her responses back to me in English. It was a great experience. I could see on her face when something was missing, or spelled wrong, and would listen very closely to the two of them, trying to understand what was going on. And there were moments when she could not understand me, and i could not understand her, and there would be three people talking two different languages all at the same time, but then suddenly her head would nod, and she'd smile, and I'd smile, feeling like we had accomplished something, even if it was just the correct spelling of someone's name. Before I knew it, I had three pages of notes.

Our family and my husband's Guela, Aug. 2013

     More than anything (and I think this is something that is built into the typical genealogist, one of the very things that wells up from within us and drives us) I relished the time spent at that table with her. I took to heart every memory that was brought up, and every piece of information I was given. I may not have been able to tell what she was saying without the help of her daughter,  but she had that sparkle in her eye that everyone gets when they begin to answer the questions from the unlikely person so interested in their life, in their parent's lives. There was a lightness about her that I enjoyed watching as she conversed back and forth with her daughter over the papers I had laid before them. Those moments to me are the treasure. They are the prize.

    All of us have older generations that are leaving us daily. The wealth of knowledge they carry passes away along with them unless we take the time to tap into that. When we don't we are left guessing. We are left just wishing we could ask them this, or that. And to miss out on the happiness or emotion one exudes while telling their family history is to miss out on one of the great joys of living. Of knowing our roots. This, I feel strongly about.

   I feel blessed to have had the opportunity. Time ran short, and I wasn't able to get into details of the actual lives of her family members, but I hope to maybe next time.

   My advice to you, who may be beginning in genealogy... don't miss out on the opportunity to simply sit and listen with your older generations. They lived the sort of lives that we could not have imagined, and lives that will never be duplicated through history. Learn about them. Learn FROM them. Document it all. And when you are finished, be thankful that you did. Granted, I did this with my own grandparents, but don't neglect your inlaws. The generations that came before your spouse are now also a part of your own history that you will pass on to your children. Take the time to do it while you can. You will not regret it.