I have, for many years, wondered my mother's reluctance to acknowledge her Spanish roots. However, it is understandable. It has been the effort of the Mexican educational facilities, such as the ones that my mother and I attended, where Spaniards were not recognized for their cultural contributions to Latin America. Although she was entitled to her bias, I fully recognize that in any conflict, such as the Mexican war of independence, bad feelings remain in the participants of a conflict. Many Spaniard civilians were murdered by Mexican insurgents.
Recently, I read a book in Spanish which title translates: The Independence of the Region of Autlan and the coast of Jalisco. (http://www.gacetamichoacana.com/.../libro-autlan-en-la-independencia....indd_.pdf) The Book is written by Carlos Martin Boyzo Nolasco, a noted historian. The book provides a historical narrative of the Mexican war of independence as it applies to this region. It provides the names of many protagonists, both Spaniards loyal to the Spanish crown and people who were fighting for the independence of Mexico. Many persons mentioned by Boyzo Nolasco were my ancestors. Perhaps my mother's reluctance, as noted above, is based on a common held view that Mexicans should be proud of their heroes of their independence; e.g., Miguel Hidalgo, and not necessarily as having Spanish ancestry.
As I read this book, and compared the names of the ancestors noted by my grandfather, I realized that many of the Spanish loyalists were our ancestors. He notes that his ancestors were pillaged by the insurgents, creating chaos and social unrest.
According to Martin Boyzo Nolasco, on September 18, 1811, Ignacio Sandoval, a general in charge of Mexican insurgents entered Autlan killing all loyalist Spaniards (innocent civilians). Among those killed was Tomas Fregoso and his brother Antonio Fregoso, as witnessed by Jose Diego Gomez, the local priest (pp. 53). According to my grandfather Felipe Neri Brambila (whose mother's maiden name was Fregoso), the Fregoso brothers were the owners of the Achali farm, which was in his family for many years. Tomas Fregoso was married to Juana Inocencia Velazco. They were married on December, 1779. The couple had a daughter named Maria Josefa Fregoso who was my grandfather's grandmother.
Another loyalist Spaniard was Antonio G. de la Paz, who was married to Josefa Garcia de Alba. They had ten children, one being Rita Naranjo who was my great grandmother. According to my grandfather, Antonio was a captain of the loyalist forces in the sate of Zacatecas. When the war of indepedence was over, don Antonio established residence in Tenamaxtlan. He built a house and harvested pears for a living. Their children were Jorge, Josefa-renca, Irineo, Victor, Rita, Justo, Petra, Maria Guadalupe and Bonifacio.
Grandpa notes that Bonifacio was a scoundrel by selling the house and apple orchard Los Perones to Nicolas Gomez. Jorge Paz was disillusioned about his brother selling the house without being compensated. He left for Atengo, where he became a government official charged with distributing land to the Indians (1856). He died tragically. He was dragged by a mare he was riding. A marker was placed to the right of the old road that connects Atengo and Soyatlan. It is unknown if he had any descendents.
There was another horse accident involving a Paz relative. Fidencio Paz died in similar manner as Bonifacio. He died in the north hill of Tecolotlan. Bonifacio was the local sheriff. He surprised several robbers attempting to rob a bank and he gave chase in his horse. The bandits somehow were able to rope him and proceeded to drag him until he died. Bonifacio had a reputation of temerity.
According to Martin Boyzo Nolasco, Juan Jose Agraz was a parish priest in Tecolotlan. Juan Jose was the son of Don Fransisco Maria de Agraz and Fransisca Brambila. The godparents were Fransisco de la Brambila, who commanded a company of Spanish militia loyal to the King of Spain, and two additional companies comprised of criollos and mestizos. The godmother was Lugarda Teresa Garcia de Alba. According to my grandfather's notes, Fransisco de la Brambila and Lugarda were his ancestors.
Recently, I read a book in Spanish which title translates: The Independence of the Region of Autlan and the coast of Jalisco. (http://www.gacetamichoacana.com/.../libro-autlan-en-la-independencia....indd_.pdf) The Book is written by Carlos Martin Boyzo Nolasco, a noted historian. The book provides a historical narrative of the Mexican war of independence as it applies to this region. It provides the names of many protagonists, both Spaniards loyal to the Spanish crown and people who were fighting for the independence of Mexico. Many persons mentioned by Boyzo Nolasco were my ancestors. Perhaps my mother's reluctance, as noted above, is based on a common held view that Mexicans should be proud of their heroes of their independence; e.g., Miguel Hidalgo, and not necessarily as having Spanish ancestry.
As I read this book, and compared the names of the ancestors noted by my grandfather, I realized that many of the Spanish loyalists were our ancestors. He notes that his ancestors were pillaged by the insurgents, creating chaos and social unrest.
According to Martin Boyzo Nolasco, on September 18, 1811, Ignacio Sandoval, a general in charge of Mexican insurgents entered Autlan killing all loyalist Spaniards (innocent civilians). Among those killed was Tomas Fregoso and his brother Antonio Fregoso, as witnessed by Jose Diego Gomez, the local priest (pp. 53). According to my grandfather Felipe Neri Brambila (whose mother's maiden name was Fregoso), the Fregoso brothers were the owners of the Achali farm, which was in his family for many years. Tomas Fregoso was married to Juana Inocencia Velazco. They were married on December, 1779. The couple had a daughter named Maria Josefa Fregoso who was my grandfather's grandmother.
Another loyalist Spaniard was Antonio G. de la Paz, who was married to Josefa Garcia de Alba. They had ten children, one being Rita Naranjo who was my great grandmother. According to my grandfather, Antonio was a captain of the loyalist forces in the sate of Zacatecas. When the war of indepedence was over, don Antonio established residence in Tenamaxtlan. He built a house and harvested pears for a living. Their children were Jorge, Josefa-renca, Irineo, Victor, Rita, Justo, Petra, Maria Guadalupe and Bonifacio.
Grandpa notes that Bonifacio was a scoundrel by selling the house and apple orchard Los Perones to Nicolas Gomez. Jorge Paz was disillusioned about his brother selling the house without being compensated. He left for Atengo, where he became a government official charged with distributing land to the Indians (1856). He died tragically. He was dragged by a mare he was riding. A marker was placed to the right of the old road that connects Atengo and Soyatlan. It is unknown if he had any descendents.
There was another horse accident involving a Paz relative. Fidencio Paz died in similar manner as Bonifacio. He died in the north hill of Tecolotlan. Bonifacio was the local sheriff. He surprised several robbers attempting to rob a bank and he gave chase in his horse. The bandits somehow were able to rope him and proceeded to drag him until he died. Bonifacio had a reputation of temerity.
According to Martin Boyzo Nolasco, Juan Jose Agraz was a parish priest in Tecolotlan. Juan Jose was the son of Don Fransisco Maria de Agraz and Fransisca Brambila. The godparents were Fransisco de la Brambila, who commanded a company of Spanish militia loyal to the King of Spain, and two additional companies comprised of criollos and mestizos. The godmother was Lugarda Teresa Garcia de Alba. According to my grandfather's notes, Fransisco de la Brambila and Lugarda were his ancestors.
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