One Man's Musings

My grandfather Felipe N. Brambila included the following epigram in his memoirs. I am not sure weather my grandfather wrote it. He simply might have included the epigram as one of his favorite literary pieces. The epigram is dated May 4, 1877. He must have been a law student at the time, as he graduated two years later. My intention is to translate this epigram to modern English. The prose in the Spanish version flows seamlessly, while my translation does not. Without much adieu, here it is: What do you know, Luciano? You are a "know it all" You seem insignificant, you live forgotten and alone. While I, with frankness have limited knowledge my name is known have published three tomes. If you were a stone in water said Luciano, you would sink to the bottom it is much brighter in the surface if you throw a cork in the water the same can be said of humans and objects the shallow people float while the solid ones plunge to the bottom while I rapidly sink to t...

My second great-grandfather was Casildo Brambila. My mother told me that he was a Spaniard. Casildo's profession was a wine tester (Spanish catador). According to family lore Casildo had blond hair and blue eyes. He had three kids; Maria Rafaela de Jesus, Maria Ysadora and Jose Luis de Jesus. Casildo was born in Tecolotlan, Jalisco, Mexico, on April 3, 1803. He was baptized six days later. Casildo's parents were Bernardino de la Brambilla and Josefa Gomez. Bernardino was the son of Jose Reyes de la Brambila and Margarita de Jesus Cueva Benavides. Casildo was married to Maria Rita Gomez de la Paz, who is the daughter of Antonio Gomez de la Paz - captain of the loyalist Spanish forces during the Mexican war of independence. Antonio Gomez de la Paz was married to Josefa Garfia de Alba. According to my mother, Josefa was a decedent of the duke of Alba (Spanish royalty). My grandfather's sister Josefa was named after Antonio's wife. I wonder if I am named after my great ...

My mother was born in 1904 in the city of Monterrey, Mexico. Her dad was a circuit judge. As I review my mother's birth certificate, the document notes my grandfathers position as an agent of the public ministry, which I believe is the equivalent of a prosecutor attorney.  According to my grandfather's unpublished book, he was a judge in the town of Mascota from 1887 to 1892. He also notes that he was a judge in the following towns during the period of 1908 to 1924: Sayula, Autlan, Ameca, Cocula, Tecolotlan, San Juan de los Lagos, La Barca, Guadalajara, and Chapala. These towns are located in the Mexican state of Jalisco. During this time period, there were at least two warring factions: Carrancistas (followers of Venustiano Carranza) and Maderistas (followers of Fransisco Madero). A third group were the Villistas (followers of Pancho Villa) These groups invaded the towns where my grandfather was a judge. I am not sure whether Grandma Florencia accompanied my grandfather and mo...

My mother was nine years old when her brother Gabriel Brambila died tragically. Gabriel was born March 17, 1883 in Ameca, Jal, Mexico at 8:30 p.m. Gabriel's father Felipe Neri Brambila was a circuit judge. His mother was Florencia Contreras de Brambila. Gabriel was the second child after Jose Miguel. My mother never talked about his childhood because Gabriel was twenty one years old when my mother was born. Nevertheless, his tragic death must have left a yearning for keeping in contact with Gabriel's widow and his children. Gabriel became a locomotive engineer during the turbulent years of the Mexican revolution. My mother tells me that it was not unusual for trains to operate without lights as to avoid robberies and sabotage. On the night on September 23, 1913, Gabriel was ordered to operate a train with the head light turned off. According to my grandfather's unpublished book, Gabriel's train collided with another train in a place called Los Ranchos, located between...

My grandfather Felipe Neri de la Brambila was a Mexican historian. The following excerpt is from his unpublished book: According to the Nueva Galicia historian Sebastian de la Costa Padilla (attorney at law), the following events took place in the year 1527 during the conquest of the state of Jalisco, Mexico by Spanish forces. the state of Jalisco was known as Nueva Galicia during the Spanish occupation of Mexico. Fransisco Cortez de la Buenaventura, first infante (royal prince of Spain; not heir to the throne), nephew of the Marquis Del Valle, was given the order to conquer this area: i.e., Nueva Galicia. Fransisco was accompanied by one hundred Spanish soldiers, especially selected for this task by Fr. Juan Padilla, bishop of Bologna, Italy. The following soldiers accompanied Fransisco: Captain Fransico de la Brambila Lt. Nicolas Corona Sgt. Antonio Pantaleon Gomes Rafael Garcia de Alba Juan de la Cueva Diego Benavides Jose Hernandez Second lt. (alferes) Fransisco...