One Man's Musings

 I was born in Mexico. I was taught how to read and communicate in Spanish. I was, in my own estimation, an average student who was not particularly fond of reading. There was, however, an early interest in the English language. I loved movies, particularly the ones filmed in Hollywood. I remember asking my dad to take me to see West Side Story for the sixteenth birthdate. I hated having to read the sub-titles to understand the dialog. I remember thinking: I've got to learn English. I immigrated to United States when I was twenty-one years old. My first English teacher was Dr. Kaplan, who was an instructor with the Mott Adult HS. I graduated from Central HS, Flint, Michigan, then enrolled to college in the fall of 1969. There are three life events that aroused my interest in reading, particularly in the English language. The first was a college professor who encouraged me to read, Thank you Dr. Cyril Leeder, Flint Community Junior College. The second event was being promoted by Mr....

Bernardino Brambila Cueva was born on September 24, 1770 (http:/FamilyTree.com) He was born in Tecolotlan, Mexico. He is my third great grandfather. He married Maria Josefa Gomez Rosales, who was born on November 20, 1789. They had twelve children. The second born was my second-great grandfather Casildo Brambila Gomez, born April 2, 1802. Bernardino was the son of Jose Reyes de la Brambilla Ortega and Margarita de Jesus Cueva Benavidez. Bernardino's grandparents were Agustin de la Brambilla and Antonia Gonzalez de Leon. Agustin and Antonia were, in turn, the children of Jose de la Brambilla and Juana Guijarro. The above information comes from my grandfather's notes, and FamilyTree.Com.

  I arrived in Michigan It was a foggy summer afternoon when I arrived in Michigan fifty-two years ago. The year was 1968. I had an uneventful four-hour flight from Guadalajara, Mexico to Chicago. The 45-minute trip from Chicago to Flint was on an old prop engine commuter airplane. My brother in-law Robert Gatrell, my sister Connie and my niece Ana Lourdes picked me up from the airport, I had been admitted to the US as a foreign student. I was a high school drop-out in Mexico. I did not know what to expect regarding high school requirements to obtain a diploma in the US, but I had the most fervent desire to graduate. My English vocabulary was rudimentary at best; my slang vocabulary was non-existent. I had previously met Bob some years back when he married my sister. I knew little about Bob. He was previously married, and he worked as a general foreman. Bob’s kids from the previous marriage were all adults, except for Mark, a sixteen-year-old who was also a member of Bob’s fa...

 I have fond memories of Maria Josefina Mendoza Mendez de Leon. She was born in 1907. Josefina's parents were Guillermo Pablo Mendoza Ramos (1870-1907) and Ana Mendez de Leon (1876-1947.) Ana Maria was the second wife of my grandfather Felipe N.  Brambila. They married on August 8, 1921 in Ameca, Jalisco, Mexico. Grandpa was sixty-seven years old; Ana Mendez de Leon was forty-six years old. My mother lived with my grandfather since my grandmother had passed away on May 11, 1921. My mother Carmelita was seventeen years old when grandpa married the second time.My mother and Josefina became lifetime friends, considering each other sisters. Josefina had a heart of gold. She helped my parents in time of need. She was charitable  to others as well.  Tia Josefina (term of endearment in Spanish) died on April 6, 1993 in Mexico City. She wrote me a letter on June 16, 1990. She told me that she just returned from Russia, where she spent 22 days. The letter was a farewell note....

My  avatar is a picture of a person holding a child. The picture depicts my uncle Jose Miguel Brambila with my mother in his lap as a young lad. 

Maria Rita Naranjo Gomez was born on July 3, 1796. She was born in Tecolotlan, Jalisco, Mexico. Rita was my great-great grandmother. She was the daughter of Rafael Naranjo Castillo and Ursula Gomez. Rafael Naranjo was born in Tecolotrlan, Mexico on October 27, 1766. Rita's siblings were Felipe, Antonio, Jose Maria, Roberto and Pedro. Rita married Juan Jose Fregoso. Juan Jose Fregoso was the son of Juan Antonio Fregoso and Maria Antonia Toscano. Juan Antonio Fregoso was the son of Tadeo Gomez de Teran, member of the Justice Department in Tecolotlan in the XVIII century. Hme was the owner of the Santa Rita hacienda located to the north of Tecolotlan. He passed away on September 19, 1811. My source is FamilySearch.co  My grandpa does not know the date of Juan Jose Fregoso's passing; however, Rita passed away on August 5, 1871 in Tenamaxtlan.

According to my grandpa's notes, my uncle Felipe was born on December 17, 1888 in Mascota, Jalisco, Mexico at six o'clock in the evening. Grandpa was so meticulous in his documentation. The following day, uncle Felipe was presented to the civil authorities to be registered. He is registered under number 370, file 121, front. He was baptized by Msgr. Francisco de Davalos; his godparents were Maximiano Gil and Elvira Rosalez de LLaguno.  Grandpa further notes: Felipe de Jesus married Maria de Jesus Franco. My uncle and his wife had a son named Felipe. Felipe married a second time. His second wife was Domitila Ibarra. The offspring were Armando, Domitila, Yolanda, and Florencia. When I was approximately ten years old, my uncle Felipe visited us in Guadalajara. He was accompanied by my cousin Yolanda and two kids, one was Jacinto and I don't remember the name of the other kid. Jacinto Maldonado Reyes was my cousin's husband. I never met him. I w...