Garcia Guittar Family History

A Historical view of the family names -Cavazos, Benavidez, Vela and Canales

A look into the lives of our ancestors, with stories about colonization, struggle and survival.

I will share and reveal the stories behind these ancestral portraits.

Native Raids and “La Mulatta”

Cavazos–>De la Garza–>Guerra–>Canales–>Garcia

Cavazos–>Garcia–>Hinojosa–>Pena–>Vela—>Alvarado

I am continuing my study of Spanish ancestors and their settlement into Mexico. I have been interested in the unions between Spanish, African and Indigenous ancestors and finally found a document that categorized an ancestor as Mulatta or biracial. The original document follows below and is quite interesting.

Captain Juan de Cavazos’s last will and testament which follows, captures a glimpse of his life and the actions taken in his everyday life.

Family connection:
Captain Juan de Cavazos married Elena Cavazos born de la Garza. They had a daughter named Maria de Cavazos de la Garza who married (#329 on 15th generation tree) Ignacio Guerra Canamar, their son is Antonio Guerra born in 1672 in Monterrey, both found on the family tree. This would be 6 generations back. Captain Juan was made a captain by Don Martin de Zavala, a remarkable man, whose father had been wealthy. I will take a brief regression to first describe Don Martin who was a big influence and participate in Captain Cavazos’s life and other ancestors.

Don Martin de Zavala (1597-1664)

Don Martin de Zavala grew up with Don Augustin and Ana Sepulveda. He arrived in Mexico in 1926 with his mother and her husband, Don Anton Garcia and 3 children, Augustin, Jacinto and Maria. Don Martin attended Salamanca University in Spain, and spoke Italian. At 25 years old he was summoned to Mexico to take over the life in the frontier.
When Martin died in 1610, Augustin left to Mexico City to ask the governor to name him as his successor. Don Deigo Montemayor, the younger, left Captain Deigo Rodriguez in charge as Lieutenant. Don Deigo de Montemayor was confirmed but died soon after his return in the later part of 1611. In Zacatecas, Governor Agustin Zavala accepted the new role of protector. He loaded a cart with food, equipment, arms, and necessities for the proper 300 miles across the desert to Zacatecas to Monterrey. He continued to subsidize the settlers of Nuevo Leon. He had made a vast fortune in silver mining and contributed a great part of the income to public good.

Juan’s background:

Back to the main character of this first story. In 1626, Captain Juan Cavazos came and furnished the great name of the region. Juan was son to Gabriel Cavazos and Simona Melchora del Campo. Gabriel was born and reared in Santa Maria in Old Castile, originally the name was Italian. Gabriel’s parents were Jesus Cavazzi and Porfiria Guerra Canamar (1560-1600), photo to the left.

Captain Juan Cavazos married Elena de la Garza Falcon, daughter of Pedro de la Garza and Maria Inez Rodriguez. The immigrant Marcos Alonso de la Garza y Arcon had 2 wives both had children and de la Garza proliferated.

Elena’s background:

I also found this family pedigree of the family of Elena Cavazos del Campo born de la Garza Falcon.

The Descendents of Captain Pedro de la Garza Falcon y Trevino Compiled by John D. Inclan

Notas

Generation No. 1. CAPTAIN PEDRO2 DE-LA-GARZA-FALCON-TREVINO (MARCOS-ALONSO1 DE-LA-GARZA-Y-ARCON) was born 1589 in Guadiana, Durangoh, Mexico, and on 08 Feb 1639 he was in murdered in Salinas Victoria, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. He met (1) SLAVE GIRL ?. He married (2) Dona MARIA-INES RODRIGUEZ-MARTINEZ-GUAJARDO Abt. 1610 in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, daughter of Don JUAN-FRANCISCO MARTINEZ-GUAJARDO and Dona URSULA-INES-CATARINA NAVARRO

RODRIGUEZ. She was born 1585 in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Notes for CAPTAIN PEDRO DE-LA-GARZA-FALCON-TREVINO: Founder of Apodaca, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Notes for SLAVE GIRL ?: Her name is unknown Notes for MARIA-INES RODRIGUEZ-MARTINEZ-GUAJARDO: In the book, Origin of the surnames Garza and Trevino in Nuevo Leon, by Tomas Mendirichaga Cueva, her Parents are listed as Lord Chief Justice Diego Rodriguez and Dona Sebastiana de Trevino. Page 13. Child of PEDRO DE-LA-GARZA-FALCON-TREVINO and SLAVE GIRL ? is: 2. i. ELENA3 DE-LA-GARZA. (Note: She is listed as a Mulatta} Children of PEDRO DE-LA-GARZA-FALCON-TREVINO and MARIA-INES RODRIGUEZ-MARTINEZ-GUAJARDO are: 3. ii. ELENA3 DE-LA-GARZA-RODRIGUEZ, b. 1607; d. Bet. 1636 – 1705, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. iii. MARIANA DE-LA-GARZA-RODRIGUEZ, b. 1610; d. Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; m. CAPTAIN FELIX DE MENDOZA, 1630; b. Cuencame, Durango, Mexico. 4. iv. CAPTAIN PEDRO DE-LA-GARZA-RODRIGUEZ, b. Abt. 1613, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; d. 20 Nov 1695, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. 5. v. CAPTAIN JOSEPH DE-LA-GARZA-RODRIGUEZ, b. 1616; d. 1671, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

Juan Cavazos’s wife was Elena de la Garza. Her parents included her dad, Pedro de la Garza and Maria Inez Rodriguez. She is identified as mulatta above.

Juan’s activities while settling Mexico:

Adapted from With All Arms by Carl Laurence Duaine.

Juan Cavazos is named in a list of names in Cerralvo in 1635, his name is in record of contracts, sales in mining interests and ranching in 1628 and before.

Juan Cavazos is listed with Lieutenant Bartolome Garcia, Vicente Guerra, Alonso de Torres, Diego Lopez and Juan de Fletes, Juan de Sosa and a mulatoo for successful revenge after an Indian raid. Governor Zavala managed to end the great guerilla wars by 1650 but small skirmishes and raids continued with cattle thefts. In 1632, Indians stuck a camp at the mines of the Perigrina. The raiding Tepehuanes carried off an Indian woman, killed a white young man Macile and took off into the mountains with numerous possessions. They climbed the mountains, abandoned the stolen goats. The men followed and charged the Indians they recovered the Tepahuana Indian woman.

Juan is listed as an official, principal and witness in public documents in Cerralvo and Monterrey between 1650-1663. But true to his nature, he joined another team when the mayor of Saltillo asked for help. Captain Juan with thirty men and the mayor headed an expedition with 300 Bobales Indians and their leader Nicolas de Corretero (cart operator). The party moved out, took up the trial of the Cacxtales (Lipan super tribe) faded north toward the Rio Grande, crossed and kept going. The war continued in the thicket of brush and cactus. The Bobales had a triumphant celebration when they barbecued a young Indian foe. The captives were taken back to train and instructed in Spanish ways.

Juan bought a mine from Vicente Guerra. He had been in Cerralvo in 1636. Vicente established a trust consisting of land and Indians. The Guerras were very much in evident in Nuevo Leon during the last half of the 1600. His son-in-law, Ignacio Guerra held numerous posts as soldier, city official, ranch and mine owner. Captain Juan Cavazos’s father is Gabriel Cavazos. He was born in 1590 in Villa de Santa Maria Castilla La Vega Spain. His parents and Juan’s grand parents are Jesus Salazar Cavazos and Porfiria Salazar Guerra Canamar (portrait). She was born in 1560 in Jaen Espana (Spain).

Here is more biography from wikitree.

He held the military rank of captain, according to the Book of the Origin of the Surnames Garza and Trevino in Nuevo Leon, 45 th 63rd and 71 st Mayor of Monterrey, four times. He was born in 1605 in the Villa of Santa Maria, Castilla La Vieja, Spain. He was the son of Gabriel Cavazzi of Italian origin and Simona Del Campo of Spanish origin. He arrived the the New Kingdom of Leon in 1628 and married Elena de la Garza Rodriguez in 1630, daughter of Pedro de la Garza Falcon Trevino and Maria Ines Rodriguez Guarjardo with whom he fathered 9 children: Juan, Margarita, Antonio, Clara, Maria (our ancestor, see below) Lucia, Jose, Gabriel and Pablo Cavazos de la Garza. The daughters were first registered with the maternal surname, “de la Garza Cavazos”. Captain Juan Cavazos gave rise to the surname Cavazos in northern Mexico. In the oldest available documents dating from April 5 and 13, 1681, concerning the will of Juan, he appears as resident of Real y Minas de San Gregorio (now Cerralvo, Nuevo Leon). In both documents he signed as Juan Cabasso. In the testimony signed by the notary public he wrote his name as Jhoan Cavacaos, altough in the same document cabasso is also written. In these document in back appears the legend ” Letter of dowry of my Juo Cavasos although other documents he signed Juan Cabassos.

His Recorded Will and Testament is as follows. Written in Spanish, so English translation is included:

Deestamento del Capitan Juan Cavazos, a natural of the town of Santa Maria, in Castilla la Vieja, the legitimate son of Gabriel Cavazos and Simona del Campo, “neighbors who were from that village”. He has to be buried in the convent of San Francisco, “next to the pile of holy water”. Let 20 masses be said in the convent and 20 in the parish, prayed. He leaves 200 pesos to Clara de la Garza, his granddaughter, daughter of Maria de la Garza, deceased, and to have them Agustin de la Vera, Clara’s uncle, until she takes state. He declares to be married to Elena de la Garza, “already deceased”. Children: Father preacher Fray Juan Cavazos, religious of the Order of San Francisco, Margarita, Antonio, Clara, Maria(my ancestor and story below)Lucia, Pablo, Gabriel and Jose. Gabriel, Paul and Maria are already deceased. When he married, he received his wife 1,000 pesos in dowry, and he gave her 500. Goods: the hacienda of Santo Domingo, “in which I live, which is far from the city little more than two leagues”, and which consists “of very fulfilled housing houses, because it has four high and low rooms. Iten, a canned era, that there is no better one in this kingdom… Iten, a chapel where mass is said, with two ornaments, two rings, missal and caliz, bell and bell, and four paintings of different sorceresses of saints, and an image of the lump of Our Lady, very fulfilled”. He cites beasts and tools and a cattle site and 4 earth cavalry in the pot, “like the one who goes from the Carrizal to the Camajan mine”. In addition, a part of land that was by Sebastian Garcia (the other part is of Maria Navarro, his widow). They owe him: the heirs of Diego de Villarreal, 700 pesos, of which he has donated half to the Brotherhood of the Santisimo Sacramento; Diego Gonzalez, 150 pesos; Captain Nicolas de Ochoa, 335; Diego Beltran, neighbor of Mexico City, 300 and an arcabuz; The Graduate Antonio Perez de la Oliva, of San Luis Potosi, 90; and Juan de las Casas, de las Salinas, 150. You owe: to the widow and heirs of Lucas de Orendain, neighbor of Mexico, 125 pesos; Guadalajara Cathedral, 90. Declara has in charge his son Fray Juan, 40 masses for him and his wife, and 60 for the animas of Bartolome Garcia, Diego de Velazco, Pedro Gonzalez, Luis Marin and Sebastian Garcia, and 15 more for those of the natural dead at his service. If they are said by other priests, it gives two years of time “because I know the impossibility of the earth”. It also leaves 12 masses arranged for its dead children, and 150 prayers at the altar of Perdon, of the Cathedral of Mexico, for the anima of Sebastian Garcia, and 5 duchy of alms hermitage of the Remedios, outside the walls of that City, and which has sent by the hand of Captain Pedro de la Rosa Salinas, of this neighborhood. It provides that Maria de Mendoza be paid 50 pesos, for some purchase of land in the company of Sebastian Garcia, because there were 6 and not four cavalry, “for unloading his anima and mine”. She declares that she gave 2,000 pesos in dowry to Margarita de la Garza, her daughter, when she married Pedro Garcia; and the same to Clara de la Garza, when I married to Agustin de la Vera, paid to this with the bread mill of the hacienda and a piece of land, imposing a chaplainy of prayed masses. He also gave 2,000 pesos to Maria de la Garza, when he married Captain Ignacio Guerra; and the same thing to Lucia, when he did it with Antonio de Estrada. As for the chaplainy that Sebastian Garcia founded, as Jose Cavazos was not ordered, he has to be chaplain Domingo Guerra, or the first of his grandchildren to be ordered. He declares to have two rancherias, one of erasures and one of alazapas, at the mercy of Zavala, and leaves them to Antonio, the eldest of his children by right of sucession. That Luis Marin, “resident in this kingdom, whom I had many years in my house”, left Paul his hier, but dead this one, his assets remain for Clara, Maria and Lucia. He appoints executors Antonio and Jose, their children, and Alferez Agustin de la Vera, their son-in-law. Before Captain Gregorio Fernandez, Ordinary Mayor and Lieutenant Governor. Witnesses the Graduate Francisco de la Cruz, Cura, Vicar and Ecclesiastical Judge of this Kingdom, Father Preacher Fray Pedro de Fortidueñas, guardian of the convent of San Francisco, the Graduate Jose Guajardo, the Father Preacher Fray Diego de Salazar, Vicente de Tremiño and Diego Saenz. Monterrey, June 26, 1680. In a note outside the text, he states that Pedro Garcia de Saldivar had gregorillo, an Indian erased, “that fray Juan de Salas is a witness”. Don’t let Antonio bother you.

In 1690, Capitan Juan Cavazos’s will also provided funds to the mens’ family who were killed under his command.

(Source: Genealogy and Heraldry of Nuevo León Education, Chronicle, Genealogy and Heraldry of Nuevo León-

Family connections: to both sides of the family!

Juan Cavazos —–>>Reynaldo Canales Garcia

Juan Cavazos—->>Tomasita Alvarado Garcia

Maria Cavazos de la Garza, daughter of Captain Juan Cavazos and Elena de la Garza marries Ignacio Guerra Canamar (3. On the family tree) Ignacio had 3 brothers Jose, Antonio, Vicente and sister Maria de Valencia. Ignacio and Maria de la Garza (daughter of Captain Juan Cavazos) had 8 children Elena, Jose Juan, Domingo, Clara, Ignacio, Andres and our relative Antonio Guerra.

Family connection:

Captain Juan Cavazos marries Elena Rodriguez—>Maria Cavazos de la Garza (marries Ignacio Guerra# 329)—>Antonio Guerra —> Francisco Antonio Guerra marries Ana Josefa de la Garza * —> Jose Juan Manuel (marries Maria Isabel Trevino Garcia)—> Maria Segurida or Segunda de Jesus Guerra (marries Jose Antonio Tiburcio Canales)—>Jose Gregorio Canales—> Juan Canales (marries Librada Perez)—>Juanita Canales (marries Francisco Garcia ) —>Reynaldo Canales Garcia —>Becky Garcia Guittar (born Rebecca Alvarado Garcia)

Captain Juan Cavazos and Elena–>Margarita Garcia de Avila (marries Captain Pedro de Avila)–> Alferez Juan Jose Garcia (marries Luisa Garcia de Avila)–>Captain Francisco Garcia Salinas #477 (marries Ana Maria Garcia Salinas–>Ana Maria Trevino (marries Jose Bartolome Trevino)–>Teresa Hinojosa de la Garza (marries Jose Antonio Gervasio Hinojosa)–>Maria Josepha Victoria (marries Jose Antonio Basilio Pena Gonzalez)–>Jose delos Santos Pena Hinojosa (marries Maria Antonia Saenz Gonzalez) –> Maria Ursula de la Pena Saenz (1821-1890) she marries Jose Cesario Vela Ramirez–>Dario Vela (1865-1895), he marries Tomasa Rangel (1871-1952) and they have my maternal grandmother Natalia Alvarado (born Natalia Vela Rangel)—>Tomasita Alvarado Garcia—>Becky Garcia Guittar(born Rebecca Alvarado Garcia)

New Era of Settlers with Blas

MORE on de la Garzas. De la Garza‘s connection to Canales

In the chapter entitled New Wave of Settlers, Duaine explains that the new settlers founded the name “de la Garza” which later became very prominent in the region. Others surnames only left traces. The family name was promoted with large families like that of the union between Blas and Beatriz.

Blas de la Garza (born 1589) married Beatriz Gonzales Hidalgo, (4a and 4 b on family tree). They had 17 children and lived to a very healthy old age. Blas had a brother named Francisco, but also a son Francisco who married Leonor Renteria. Leonor’s sister Petromil marred Lozaro, another son of Blas. His grandfather Marcos Alonso de la Garza was a mining official, in Guadiana (now Durango) in 1569. The family moved to Nueva Galicia with herds. Blas moved to Nuevo Leon in 1606, he died in 1669. There is a lengthy account taken from the original letter to the Viceroy from Blas de la Garza asking for remuneration from the Crown for a lifetime of work, it was apparently granted. The descendants prospered and had the most descendants. When porciones were granted along the Rio Grande, about 7 generations after Don Blas, there was more grantees in the name de la Garza than in any other name.

Family connections:

Blas de la Garza born 1589 —> Francisco (4c.on family tree)Falcon de la Garza born 1640—>Clemente de la Garza #330,(marries Maria Josepha de la Garza)—>Ana Josepha (marries Jose Francisco Antonio Guerra)#164 on 15th generation tree, 5 generations back—> Jose Juan Manuel Guerra (marries Maria Isabel or Ysabel Trevino Garcia)—> Maria Sugunda or Segurida de Jesus Guerra (marries Jose Antonio Tiburcio** Canales)—>Jose Gregorio Canales—>Juan Canales—>Juanita Canales Garcia—>Reynaldo Canales Garcia—>Becky Garcia Guittar (born Rebecca Alvarado Garcia-me).

Another de la Garza line to Guerra includes:

In the previous chapter, Estradas and Royalty, I wrote about Marcos Alonso de la Garza, so I will mention his family connection again.

Another de la Garza line to Guerra includes:

Marcos Alonso de la Garza (marries Juana Trevino) they have Francisco de la Garza, (marries Juana de la Garza Falcon Trevino)–>Nicolas de la Garza marries Maria Trevino, who had Antonia de la Garza Trevino # 328B, married Antonio Guerra #328 in the15th generation tree, in July 18, 1695.

They have Jose Francisco Antonio Guerra #164, 5 generations back (marries Ana Josefa de la Garza)—>Jose Juan Manuel Guerra (marries Maria Ysabel Trevino Garcia)—>Maria Segunda or Segurida de Jesus Guerra (marries Jose Antonio Tiburcio**—> Like above.

Out in the Monte with Capitan Francisco Vela (5. On Family Tree)

All the stories are adapted from “With All Arms” by Carl Laurence Duaine, except when other sources are noted.

Once Again this story represents ancestors from both the Garcia Canales side and the Alvarado Vela side.

Vela—–> Garcia

Vela—–>Alvarado

I wanted to include this story of Francisco Vela. My history book states that “ all and any Velas are descendants from Francisco Vela.” I recently discovered that both of my parents had Velas and are related to him or his two sons. The following stories are of the two brothers Francisco Jr. and Santiago Vela. Capitan Francisco Vela self describes as “poor”. He needed support for his sons, Francisco Jr., Santiago, Domingo and Lazaro.

Family connection:

Here is the connections with our family. Capitan Francisco Vela Rocha Robles born in 1625—>Francisco Vela #448, 6 generations back—>Jose Rafael Vela—>Pedro Martin Vela—>Jose Leandro Vela—>Jose Cesario Vela(or Jose Maria)—>Dario Vela—>Natalia VELA Alvarado—>Tomasita Alvarado Garcia (born Tomasita Vela Alvarado)—>Becky Garcia Guittar (born Rebecca Alvarado Garcia).

Don Francisco Vela was born in Cuencame, New Vizcaya in 1625, registered his brand in Cerralvo in May 9, 1665. He used his brand on herds he acquired while he served as soldier and later Captain. In May 25, 1685, he applied for a land grant. At his request for a land grant, he writes, “I have been in the realm for 40 years, I married in Saltillo and later settled in Cerralvo, the frontier of the enemy. I served in all action and expeditions. My sons have also served whenever necessary, and I need to support them”. His sons were Santiago, Francisco Jr and Lazaro, but not sure on the other two right now.

Santiago and the fish

An amusing story told by Juan B Chapa, in which Santiago Vela, visits a Cadereyta household for breakfast. They serve a fish soup made with small catfish caught from the San Juan River. Evidently the fish was put in the soup, whole. In one of the served soup bowls, one of the fish was swimming about. The man served the live bait was startled and at a loss. Santiago saw the embarrassment and that of the host and laughed. He stated, “ I like them alive”, and proceeded to eat the fish. The fish had been dropped in the soup by the cook and not gutted by mistake.

Departures from home- Young Francisco in the Wild

There is also the story of his brother and our ancestor, Francisco Jr. and his need to establish himself. He wanted to see Governor Zavala and ask for a land grant or employment as a solder. He takes a trip to try to find work. In the morning of his departure from the Vela Ranch in Cuencame, a little town founded in 1600s, 30 miles or so south of Terreon in the State of Durango, then Vizcaya. Vela’s fatherly advice “ attach yourself to a party going your way, maybe slower, but secure.” His dad tells him to use the crossbow used to hunt with as a boy and used by your grandfather in wars. It is a good weapon and family possession. His dad thinking, “ If only I had secured more holdings, he might have been able to stay with me, rather than to ride off and make room for the brothers. I have taught him the necessities, armed and mounted. As a family we haven’t grown rich but never been in want nor tardy to perform our duties to Christ, King and family”.

Young Francisco rode along the valley leading north from Cuencame. The next 3 days he turned away from the last Spanish settlement and headed west toward Saltillo. He came across 3 Indians, Otomis from the San Luis Potosi region. He turned northeastern at the end of the mountain range, the herdsman turned south to Parras. Vela sees a herd of antelope, heading toward the water. He crept to the edge of the wash and peered from the clumps of bushes. An Indian had told him that antelope were cursed with a curiosity than exceeded a woman, must all be women. He made a flag with white piece of linen with a figure of Holy Mother worked in red. The herd move closer to the flag, he is waving about. Vela pulls out a cross bow, lets it fly, aiming just behind the shoulder of the antelope. The animal wheeled and staggered. He grabbed the horn and slit his throat. He built a fire to cook the liver, cuts off the sheets of meat as thin as possible to dry the meat. He lights a fire, takes out a couple of tortillas, places tortillas on a rock to heat on the fire. He takes the liver, shook salt and proceeds to roast the meat. He hears a deep howl of a lobo wolf. When finished eating, he takes remnants of the cooked meat then hangs it on a retmam tree, to dry the meat. He barely dozes off when a fight over the scrap began. Coyotes snarl, horse are restless, stomping listening to the sound of snarling animals, he dozed off for a short while. There was a wail like the shriek of a woman, scream of the horse. He sees eyes glowing, wider apart than coyotes a golden color, reddish shine… a big cat! He picks up the crossbow, pulls the trigger, the big cat shrieks, ½ snare and ½ wail. As daylight approaches, he remembers his dad advice. “ As I told you many times, there are countless ways a fool can kill himself on a lonely trail, in Indian country. One of the ways is not to wear an iron jacket. He lets his horse drink water, not knowing when the next water hole, takes time drinking. He reflects on his error. “ I will never sleep or attempt to sleep so close to a fresh kill”.

Four days later he reaches Saltillo, enjoys the glances of a lady in a green velvet at the promenade. A couple of days later he passes Monterrey, takes the trail to Cerralvo. At his destination he secures a place for his horses, wears his own velvet doublet that was his fathers had worn to meet Governor Don Martin de Zavala. He enters the palace, stood at attention as the Governor looks him over. Then he rose introduced himself. There is the usual small talk required by manners. Francisco states “ I would like to serve you as a soldier. I must have employment, I possess little beyond 3 horses, stallion, mare, gelding, all bearing my father’s brands and fitted with arms. I would also like to inquire if a young soldier could eventually get a grant when his herds are sufficient size. I was reared on a ranch owned by my father. Don Martin requests the presence of Don Jacinto Garcia de Sepulveda, first class soldier and rancher. Don Martin had grown up with Don Jacinto. Don Martin orders, “give him 2 mares from my herd brand them.” “ I will use my father’s brand”, states Francisco. Don Jacinto asks him to make his mark next to his name on a bill of sale or similar paperwork. Don Francisco states, “with your permission I will write my own name”. It was a surprise to them that he could write his name.

Don Jacinto states, “ An educated hidalgo no less!”. Don Martin tells Don Francisco, “Do not be offended”. The name Vela was entered into record in the kingdom.

Franciso Vela’s great grandmother was Mariana Lopez de Rocha Vela, born Botello de Avila from Spain. This is her portrait:

Another Vela was Jose Lazaro Vela Sr, born in 1670. Jose Lazaro Vela Sr.—> Jose Lazaro Botello Vela Jr, born 1721 in Cerralvo, Mexico. His mother is Petronilla Vela Ortiz (born Botello Barbosa in 1680) # 265 on family tree. This research is from my heritage.com. Jose Lazaro Botello Vela Jr was the original land grantee of portion 57 in Mier, Mexico. The family connection on the Garcia is as follows:

Jose Lazaro Vela Sr. (marries Petronilla Vela Ortiz born Botello Barbosa) #265 on family tree—>Jose Lazaro Botello Vela Jr. (marries Maria San Juana Sepulveda de la Garza) ->Jose Pedro Vela Sepulveda—>Jose Felipe de Jesus Vela—>Maria Juana VELA Benavides—>Jose Encarnacion Garcia—>Cecilio Garcia—>Francisco Reynaldo Garcia—>Reynaldo Garcia—Becky Garcia Guittar (me).

Family trees from My heritage here.

There is also a notation in “With all Arms” my history book that states that Francisco Vela Jr or his descendant is named in a document about soldiers from Presidio of San Gregorio de Cerralvo. With Francisco, Captain Deigo, Juan Garcia, Nicolas Garcia, Lt. Francisco Baez de Benavidez are named as soldiers that gave power to Don Gasper de Larriaga, Treasurer and Captain Francisco Perez to provide military pay. They ask for military pay in advance. So Francisco must have become a soldier for the Governor after all!

Settlers and families build a settlement and find mines

Benavidez/Montemayor families produce the Canales Family too.

There are two families who made history in the section of Northern Mexico, de la Garza and Benavidez.

I have written about de la Garza’s but also found a Benavidez connection.

Francisco’s background and activities:

A sketch of Franciso Baez de Benavidez gives a high point of this life in Nuevo Leon before 1619, he gave half his rights to a mine he discovered to his uncle Don Benardo de las Casas. They had both came from Canary Islands Orotoba and Island of Tenerife. Baez is generally regarded as Portuguese. In his mining venture the names of Francisco Baez de Benavidez came to the kingdom from a small town in Tenerife from which Don Bernado alsocame. They held the mine in common, the young Benavidez working it and Don Bernardo financing the venture. According to Don Bernado de Benavidez, his father, Don Francisco Baez de Benavidez Lopez arrived in Monterrey, from the Canary Islands. He settled there and married Isabel Martinez Guajardo. She was the daughter of an original Monterrey settler, Francisco Martinez Guajardo and Ursula Inez Nazarro Rodriguez. Francisco and Inez(s) were also the the parents of Maria Ynes (Ines) who married Pedro de la Garza and had Elena de la Garza, (La Mulatta), Captain Juan Cavazos’s wife, from the previous story. Isabel Martinez Guajardo and Maria Ines Martinez Guajardo were sisters. Their parents were Don Francisco Martinez Guajardo and Ursula Inez Navarro Rodriguez.

Here is more bio on Isabel and Capitan Francisco Baez de Benavidez Lopez:

ISABEL2 MARTINEZ-GUAJARDO-NAVARRO (JUAN-FRANCISCO1 MARTINEZ-GUAJARDO) was born 1606, and died July 25, 1693 in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. She married CAPTAIN FRANCISCO BAEZ-DE-BENAVIDES-LOPEZ Abt. September 1626, son of GONZALO BAEZ-DE-BENAVIDES and MARTHA LOPEZ. He was born 1594 in Orotaba, Isle of Tenerife, Canary Islands, and died 1666 in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

Notes for CAPTAIN FRANCISCO BAEZ-DE-BENAVIDES-LOPEZ:

In New Spain, he discovered the mines of Salinas and of San Nicolas de Tolentino.

In 1624, he held the post of Chief Constable of Monterrey. In 1626, he was alderman and a year later he held the position of councilman and procurator of Monterrey. In 1664, at 53 years of age, he was appointed mayor of Salinas Victoria by Governor Martin de Zavala.

Marriage Notes for ISABEL MARTINEZ-GUAJARDO-NAVARRO and FRANCISCO BAEZ-DE-BENAVIDES-LOPEZ:

Source:The Conquistadores and Crypto-Jews of Monterrey, by David T. Raphael.

Children of ISABEL MARTINEZ-GUAJARDO-NAVARRO and FRANCISCO BAEZ-DE-BENAVIDES-LOPEZ are:

23. i. LAZARO3 DE BENAVIDES-Y-MARTINEZ.

ii. ANTONIA DE BENAVIDES-Y-MARTINEZ, m. DIEGO SAENZ, September 09, 1676, Sagrario Metro, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

iii. JOSE BAEZ-DE-BENAVIDES, m. MARIA-DE-JESUS BENAVIDES.

24. iv. ANA-ISABEL MARTINEZ-GUAJARDO.

25. v. MARIA DE BENAVIDES-Y-MARTINEZ.

26. vi. ANA-MARIA BAEZ-DE-BENAVIDES-MARTINEZ, b. Abt. 1627; d. June 07, 1677, Agualeguas, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

27. vii. CAPTAIN FRANCISCO BAEZ-DE-BENAVIDES-Y-MARTINEZ, b. 1629, Cerralvo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; d. July 1705, Cerralvo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

28. viii. LUISA DE BENAVIDES-Y-MARTINEZ-GUAGARDO, b. 1640, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico; d. Bef. 1672, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

29. ix. JUAN BAEZ-DE-BENAVIDES-Y-MARTINEZ, b. 1645.

30. x. BERNARDO BAEZ-DE-BENAVIDES-Y-MARTINEZ, b. 1650. On family tree

31. xi. MARGARITA BAEZ-DE-BENAVIDES, b. 1653, Cerralvo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

32. xii. LUISA DE BENAVIDES, b. 1672.

Source:

http://www.somosprimos.com/inclan/guajardo.htm

Family connection:

Captain Francisco Baez de Benavidez with Isabel Martinez Guajardo—> Bernardo Baez Benavidez (marries Francisca Martinez)—> 10.Maria Canales de Montemayor born Baez de Benavidez, #320 B on family tree,(marries Captain Blas Canales) —>11. Jose Salvador Benavidez Canales #160—>Juan Jose Antonio—>Jose Antonio Tiburcio #40—>Jose Gregorio Canales—>Juan Canales—>Juanita Canales (marries Francisco Reynaldo Garcia)—>Reynaldo Garcia—>Becky Garcia Guittar (me).

Jose Juan Antonio Canales also has Maria Leonor #43 on family tree, she is Juan Canales’s grandmother.

Here is also a story of another descendent of Jose Salvador Benavidez CANALES—>Alferez Real Jose Joaquin—>Jose Antonio Nepomuseno—>General Antonio Mariano Canales Rosillo. He would be my grandmother Juanita’s great great grand uncle.

CANALES ROSILLO, ANTONIO (1802–1852). General Antonio Canales Rosillo, military leader and politician, son of Josefa Rosillo Canales and José Antonio Canales Treviño, was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, in 1802. He studied law, earned his license in 1829, and with his wife, María del Refugio Molano, reared five children. Canales served as a militia officer in fights against Comanche and Lipan raiders. He served a term in the Tamaulipas Chamber of Deputies and in 1834 joined in liberal opposition to Antonio López de Santa Anna‘s Centralist move against the Constitution of 1824. As commander of Federalist forces in Tamaulipas, Canales sent envoys to appraise Anglo-Texan, Tejano, and Indian sentiments. When he discovered that the Texans’ intentions were to secede from Mexico, he practiced neutrality while he fostered the idea of an independent border republic. The geographical and ideological boundaries of this republic fluctuated, but Canales easily raised armed forces from both sides of the Rio Grande. In 1839 he visited San Antonio, Austin, and Lipantitlán on the lower Nueces to enlist men. During these visits he offered substantial bounties to those Texans who joined his cause. The Texian Auxiliary Corps, an irregular militia composed of 270 officers and men under separate command of colonels Richard Roman, Reuben Ross, and Samuel W. Jordan, allied with Canales and participated in various campaigns.

His portrait below:

During this period of revolts and counterrevolts, Canales, Antonio Zapata, and others met at Guerrero in January 1840 and proclaimed a separate Republic of the Rio Grande, drafted a constitution, and selected Laredo as their capital. The republic would have included Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Coahuila, and the sub-Nueces portion of Texas. Jesús Cárdenas was selected president, and Canales was appointed secretary of war and commander in chief of the army. Although Texas did not recognize it politically, the republic existed in the minds of many border people.

As the Centralist state continued to transform Mexico, Canales continued resistance against it, but he was defeated at Monterrey by Centralist forces and retreated to the Rio Grande. At Santa Rita de Morelos, Coahuila, he lost Zapata. Along with several Texan volunteers, Zapata was captured, court-martialed, and executed on March 29, 1840. Canales eventually capitulated to Centralist forces and forsook his Texan allies, a move for which he received a commission as brigadier general in Santa Anna’s army. He later led campaigns against Anglo-Texans at Corpus Christi and Lipantitlán and in 1842 was instrumental in stopping a Texan filibuster at Mier. He was dismissed in 1844 for abandonment of his post but was later reinstated.

During the Mexican War Canales harassed United States troops stationed between Corpus Christi and Matamoros. He fought at Palo Alto and at Resaca de Guerrero. He served under Gen. Pedro de Ampudia at Cerralvo and under Santa Anna at Buena Vista. Between 1848 and 1851 Canales served Tamaulipas as surveyor general, legislative envoy, and interim governor. On July 22, 1852, he received a gold award for exemplary conduct. His sons Servando and Antonio served several terms as governors of Tamaulipas. Canales apparently died in 1852, after leading government forces that suppressed the Tamaulipas Rebelión de la Loba at El Paso de Azúcar, Camargo.

Source: The Handbook of Texas Online, Photo by hhtp:juancrouset.blogspot.com

Could General Antonio Canales Rosillo’s be a character in current novel?

In the book “A Ballad of Love and Glory” by Reyna Grande, the author includes a character named General Antonio Canales. The story takes place around the time of the Texas revolt between the years of 1846-184. There is a disagreement about the southernmost border and Texas desires independence from Mexico. Texas is backed by the United States that wants to secure those Mexican territories, north of the Rio Grande River.

There is also a few stories, where the author briefly accounts how General Antonio Canales assists the Texicans (Texan residents with Mexican heritage) to escape brutality from the US Soldiers or the Texas Rangers. There really was a General Antonio Canales Rosillo. He was a military leader with interests to make a Texas independent and he later assisted Mexico to fight against the US claims to Mexico and its territories. In the book, the United States military first takes possession of Matamoros, then and Mexico City.

Family connection:

With the last name of Canales, I knew there needed to be a connection. My grandmother’s name is Juanita Canales. I dug into the connection with the sources which included, “The Descendants of Don Juan Canales” by John D. Inclan (www.somosprimos.com/inclan/canales) and “Canales” by Moises Garza. General Antonio Canales Rosillo (born 1802) and my great great grandfather, Jose Gregorio Canales (born in 1804) share the same great grandfather Jose Salvador Canales born in 1702. He is my 5th great grandfather, 8 generations back. He has 2 children, they include:

1. Jose Joaquin (1730) -> Jose Antonio Nepomuseno in 1774->General Antonio Canales Rosillo in 1802

2. Jose Juan (1742) -> Jose Antonio Tiburcio in 1773-> Jose Gregorio Canales in 1804, my great great grandfather.

To continue the connection to present day, Jose Gregorio -> Juan Canales in 1844, he has my grandmother Juanita Canales in 1886. Juanita has Reynaldo in 1921 and he has me Becky Garcia Guittar in 1955.

The Way it was for Don Diego and Maria Hinojosa

The last name Hinojosa was also prevalent in Northern Mexico. Lieutenant Don Deigo de Hinojosa Montana and his wife, Maria Cantu, daughter of Geronimo Cantu and Dona Juliana Trevino lived in the Rio Blanco, a region 150 miles southeast of Monterrey along the border of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon in around 1673. Don Diego Hinojosa is related to my mother’s family. Read about the family connection below after for their story for survival.

An Indian tribe Janambres struck the settlement with raids and killing, taking the sheep. Don Fernando sent a rider to alert the Lieutenant Don Diego de Hinojosa. Don Fernando asked him to pursue the Indians along with Mariman, his Indian trusted foreman. Another party of Indians and Deigo’s group prepared to “hunt them down”. Deigo tells his wife, “ see that the aquabuses are charged and by the window. Keep the doors barred and stay inside” as he prepared to leave. She prepares him sweets and chocolate to eat before his departure.

The group came upon vultures circling where the initial sheep killings had taken place. They resumed the trail and tracks of the stolen sheep. The Indians not accustomed to handling the animals lost time. The Indians were trailing breaking off to their own settlements. They had been united for the raids but now tribes broke off peeling away and heading home. Don Deigo followed the main flock who sped for the mountains. The lead Indians, now in a few hundred feet away running for his life, naked except for a G string. Don Deigo is set to get closer and is able to thrust his lance into the back of the Indians where a club misses Deigo, but falls backward. Back home Maria could not sleep. Don Diego returns in the middle of the night, four days after leaving. He goes to bed. Dona Maria hears a knock at the back door, she is warned by a Indian women and friend, who says, “ the wild ones are planning trouble”. Mariman sons believe Don Diego suspects him of the trouble. Deigo is killed outside the home, unsure if the attack came from the Indians they followed or from Mariman and his tribe. Did the attackers follow them back to the ranch? The front door opens to flying arrows. Maria is wounded in the neck by the arrows. She bandaged the wound and remained still all night long. Maria survives and the next day asks the oldest daughter to go for help. She warns the girl to “watch like an eagle.” Their horses are still in the corrals and sheep in the pens. In the pasture, she sees an ox and some milk cows. The Indians had taken everything portable like all the grain, dried meat, and mesquite beans. A priest returns to help with the burial of Don Diego. She leaves the ranch goes to Cadereyta, where her family has property. She takes the horses, mules, and the cattle. She travels north and takes protection under Don Diego de Villarreal, near the modern village of Cienegas de las Flores. In 1695, she asks for more land from the Crown. She asked for a land grant and it was awarded to her. She included in her petition the story of her survival and that for fourteen years she has irrigated lands and had an extensive herds. She states that her sons and grandsons have guarded the lands as soon as they were able to “bear arms”.

Family connection:

Maria and Deigo Hinojosa (#465) Deigo born in 1670—>Deigo Hinojosa (1697)—>Jose Gervacio ( marries Teresa Trevino) #234—> Maria de Jesus Pena (marries Jose Antonio de los Santos Pena)—>Jose de los Santos Pena—>Maria Ursula Pena (marries Jose Cesario Vela)—>Dario Vela (marries Tomasa Rangel)—>Natalia Rangel Vela—>Tomasita Alvarado Garcia (born Tomasita Vela Alvarado)—> Becky Garcia Guittar (born Rebecca Alvarado Garcia (me).

Mier – a new Mission

The Spaniards claimed the land, which the Indigenous tribe didn’t recognize as a possession. The Catholic Church and Spanish crown wanted to convert the Indigenous groups and so most of the energy and minimal resources went to that mission. The only way for the indigenous tribes to survive was to prey on the domestic herds. This model could have lead to the extinction of the some of the tribes from starvation. Was there a better way?

The more resourceful Indigenous people began to take steady work, submitting to the world of the Church and the Crown. If they worked on the hacienda they found shelter and food for their families. It was better than wandering off the land and at the mercy of native plants, weather and wild herds.

Captain Cristoval Ramirez and Don Manuel Hinojosa submitted a proposal for a new settlement. He stated “the thieving Indians who now live under the protection of the Church need a new order”. They believed the new settlement did not need a church. The church- sponsored Indians, wild or tame, were killing the cattle and refused to do any work. The new settlement of Cuidad Mier(Mar) was approved in 1753. Originally named La Villa de Mier.

Soon after the groups arrived in Mier, another band of Indians approached them for work. They were hired on the spot and no problems were ever recorded. The Indians became part of the community with no handouts, just solid work and seen as equal, more or less by some. A church was eventually built but not a mission. By 1767, church records were started about the same time of George Washington’s presidency.

Immaculad Concepcion Church Built 1780, restored in 1795 in Mier.

I found 2 heads of family listed in the original settlers of Mier on my family tree and 2 more families are listed as coming a few years later.

Family connection:

Don Cristoval Ramirez and Maria Matiana Hinojosa (#252A from family tree and from the Vela- Alvarado side. They are married and have Jose Santiago Ramirez(marries Maria Gertrudis Serna)#253—>Juan Manuel Martin Ramirez(marries Maria Petra Flores)—>Maria Magdelena Ramirez(marries Jose Maria Hinojosa)—>Maria Felipa Ramirez marries Ursino Rangel—>Tomasa Rangel marries Dario Vela—>Natalia Vela marries Ramon Alvarado—>Tomasita Vela Alvarado—>Becky Garcia Guittar.

See page 4 Family Tree – Vela and Alvarado

Family connection:

20. Francisco Guerra (or Jose Francisco Guerra de la Garza Canamar) (#164 and #165)marries

Ana Josefa de la Garza Falcon—>Jose Juan Manuel Guerra—>Maria Segunda(Segurida) Guerra—>Jose Gregorio Canales—>Juan Canales—>Juanita Canales—>Reynaldo Canales Garcia—>Becky Garcia Guittar

Family connection:

Later another branch of Hinojosa family moved to Mier in 1757, they were lead by Marcelino and Gervacio. Jose Gervacio Hinojosa is on my family tree on the Vela-Alvarado side.

Gervacio marries Teresa Trevino (#234 and #235) on 2-18-1765 in Mier. They have Maria de Jesus Pena Hinojosa(marries Jose Antonio de los Santos)—>Jose de los Santos—>Maria Ursula Vela—>Dario Vela—> Natalia Vela—>Tomasita Vela Alvarado—Becky Garcia Guittar

There was also prominent surnames like 11 Garcia, 6 Hinojosa, 5 Ramirez, 5 Pena, 7 of each Gonzalez, Chapa, Vela and Salinas.

In 1779, a racial census of Mier showed: (page 304, With all Arms)

Mestizo is a person of mixed race, especially one of Indigenous and Spanish or Portuguese descent. Certainly an indicator that some ancestors were mestizo but more importantly had found a coexistent relationship much improved from the heart-breaking stories of survival.

Family connection:

I discovered another Mier connection. Juan Jose Canales married Maria Gertrudis De la Barrera Garcia (#80 and 81) in September 18, 1771 in Mier. Maria’s parents, Jose Gasper Garcia and Maria Gertrudis de la Barrera, are listed as one of the original settlers in Mier in 1753.

Jose Juan Canales —> Jose Antonio Tuburcio Canales—>Jose Gregorio Canales—>Juan Canales—>Juanita Canales Garcia—>Becky Garcia Guittar

South Texas Roots

Ramon and Natalia Alvarado

My grandfather, Ramon Alvarado (photo on left) was born August 24, 1888 in Cuidad Mier. He married Natalia Vela in March 3, 1914. There photo is on the left above. He is listed as a home owner the Duval County Census. His home is valued at $600. On the census, he self-describes as a well driller. So called, modern watering systems were necessary for crops and cattle needs. Early ranchers needed to find ground water in dry pastures. With iron pikes, rock saws and chisels, they dug shaft wells (norias in Spanish) to the water table depths of forty feet or greater. Sillar-lined wells captured ground water in the late 1880s. Later on windmills were introduced to help the ranches furnish water for the cattle. This would allow the cattle to graze the land and not be so dependent on watering holes.

Ramon and Natalia had 3 daughters, Clementina, Elvira, Tomasita (my mother) and one son, Martin. The photo on the right side is Tomasita and Ramon Alvarado, taken at her high school graduation about 1940. My grandmother, Natalia Alvarado, is seen in the following photo taken around 1960s.

Francisco and Juanita Garcia

Photo below:

Juanita and Reynaldo at their home in Cotulla, Texas

Juanita and Reynaldo at home in Cotulla, Texas

My grandfather, Francisco Reynaldo Garcia born in March 9, 1883 in Guerrero, Mexico. He married my grandmother in about 1909 also in Guerrero. He is listed as a “livery” in the census, which is like a delivery driver. He was also a sharecropper in South Texas. He got paid with livestock and later oped a meat market. My grandmother Juanita had been a school teacher in Mexico but immigrated to Laredo Texas in 1909. They lived in a ranch outside Cotulla, Texas until she purchased a home in town and after that opened a grocery store on the Mexican side of town. Francisco and Juanita Garcia and their family settled in LaSalle County in the 1920s. Her biography follows in the next chapter.

Cotulla was founded in 1881 by a Polish Immigrant named Joseph Cotulla. When it started it was just a small town of about 120 acres and about 20 families. Cow trails were wide enough for wagons. People of Cotulla bought produce from “Old Caleb” who had a one-horse wagon and brought water by the barrels from the Mexican men who drove the water wagons to the town. I think this may have been a job my grandfather would have done. An interview from a resident in 1934, Jesusita Ayala Tellez, states “there were no jobs in Cotulla. There were only stock farmers and a lot of ranches. People would work in the fields and were labeled as migrant workers. Many would work in different states for nine months and then return to Cotulla.” She goes on to say, “ Mexicans stayed with the Mexicans. We stayed on our side of the town and only went to the white side for the post office to mail letters. We didn’t feel welcome there. The other stores were the “White store”, the Mercantile and IGA.”

Francisco soon opened up a small meat market located on Thorton Street. In 1937 he built a new store one block east of the original location. This store was named La Tienda Colorado because of its red color. Photo inserted. I am sure my grandparents saw a need for a Mexican grocery store. The business thrived and he added on to the building. At some point the new business was named in English, the Red Store located on 407 Thorton St. In 1939. All the sons were in the family business, Armando, Reynaldo, Daniel and Manuel. The sons later enlisted in the Navy and Air Force during World War II. Armando was giving an exception, since he was the oldest and needed to run the family store. In returning to Cotulla, the sons founded Red Store #1, #2, #3 and Dan’s Furniture Store. Francisco died in July 1946. Juanita was involved in community and had a strong desire to have the family educated. She sent my dad, Reynaldo to business school in Laredo, Texas for an associate degree. This proved to be extremely helpful for his Navy career. He was originally assigned to the kitchen “peeling potatoes”because he had Mexican heritage. Later he was reassigned to a petty officer status which used his shorthand and typing skills. The biographies of Daniel, Ernestina and Armando follow in the next chapter. Francisco and Juanita in front of their home on Stewart St. Cotulla Texas.

Reynaldo and Tomasita Garcia

My parents, Reynaldo and Tomasita have 7 children and 14 grandchildren. In 1947, Reynaldo and his mom Juanita took over the family business after Armando and Daniel had started their own businesses. In 1955, Reynaldo (Nayo) was able to buy the Rancho Blanco which is located 4.5 miles west of Cotulla. At first he promoted rodeos and several 4th of July celebrations. Later he added a Dance Hall and held many receptions and weddings. In 1967, he was able to buy the Atilano Gonzalez Ranch west of Cotulla. In 1977, Reynaldo and his sons built the second store, Garcia’s Cash and Carry and a Laundromat. Reynaldo remembers his mother as being an educator, she had been a school teacher. She believed in the children getting a good education. With hard work and determination all of their 7 children completed high school and college. He remembers at 9 and 10 years old, he shined shoes near the hotel that was the CPS building. He used to earn $1.50 – $2.00 that he would give to his mom to buy groceries. He also swept the Red Store every morning before going to school. He could not play football or other sports because he had to work at the store after school.

Read the complete biographies of Reynaldo, Juanita Garcia and their siblings-Armando, Daniel and Ernestina in the fourth chapter/posting. To Follow.

This is the third chapter or posting. First chapter/posting was entitled- “The First Mexican Novela” (with Montemayor and Canales).

Second chapter/posting was entitled-“Royalty Connection or not?” (With Alonso Estrada, Marcos Alonso de la Garza and descendants).

Internet sources from Family search:

Dario and Ursula Perez

This is the source page for the marriage of Dario and Ursula Perez. I guess there is microfilm you can go over. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/MQS4-3YP

Jose Maria Vela

https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-40001-1418534606/jose-maria-vela-in-familysearch-family-tree?s=368217081

Sources:

With All Arms, by Carl Laurence Duaine, second edition Nortex Press, Austin, Texas 2004.

Early Settlers of Mier, Tamaulipas and thier Descendans by Moises Garza, first edition, Moises Garza, Mission, Texas 2018

Canales, the last names of Nuevo Leon by Moises Garza, Moises Garza, Mission, Texas 2022.

Wiki tree

Juan Canales

The Decendants of Juan Canales by Juan Inclan – (www.somosprimos.com/inclan/canales)

General Antonio Canales:

The Handbook of Texas Online

” A Ballad of Life and Glory” by Reyna Grande

Juan Cavazos:

Genealogy and Heraldry of Nuevo León Education, Chronicle, Genealogy and Heraldry of Nuevo León-

The Royal Connection or Not?

Once I learned about the possible connection with Spanish royalty, I began reading about King Fernando and Queen Isabella. We maybe related to King Fernando but not Queen Isabella. Carl Duaine’s Book “With all arms”, has a good account of the illegitimate children of King Fernando. Duaine translated the work of Manuel Morales Munoz from Los Altamiramos – Historical Archives.

Las Estradas

“The founder of the line in New Spain was Don Alonso de Estrada, who was a native of Ciudad Real, in the kingdom of Castile, where he was born at the end of the fifteenth century. He was the natural son of Fernando, the Catholic, King of Aragon, by the account of several historians and so recorded in the Holy Inquisition (Historical Archives of the Nation in Madrid Testimony 1501. No. 17) and Dona (Maria) Luisa de Estrada, daughter of Fernan, Duke of Estrada, head of the House of Estrada, ambassador of the Catholic Kings to England, sent especially to negotiate the second marriage of Dona Catherine of Aragon to Henry the VIII of England. Dona Catherine of Aragon is King Fernando and Queen Isabellas’s daughter. She has a fascinating story as well, capture part of her story on Starz in “The Spanish Princess” or in the book by Philippa Gregory, ” The Constant Princess”.

I also read the Queen’s Vow by CW Gortner, on page 232-234, the story is told in a dramatic depiction of the details. Fernando has been away to Aragon and delayed returning to Queen Isabella in Castile, where royal decisions needed to be made. Her informant and advisor tells Queen Isabella, “His majesty has been lying to you for months. He has a mistress in Aragon with child, the mistress has begged him to stay.” The informant continues, “I thought he (the King) would have told you about his bastard son by another woman before your marriage? It’s not a secret, all of Zaragoza knows about him, even King Juan has the child in court and give him gifts.” Queen Isabella angrily removes the informant from count as her advisor. When the king finally arrives, she confronts King Fernando. He replies, “ I was going to tell you about the boy. He is 2 years old. It was a moment of weakness of madness… I needed comfort. I do regret it.” He believed the boy was his. Queen Isabella orders him to see to his “upkeep”. HIs name is Alfonso (Alonso). He continues to say about this new affair, “It meant nothing to me.”

She reminds him that while he needed comfort, she was navigating her mom’s health care, their daughter and the crisis of Enrique’s death, her half brother and King of Castle,

They do have a rough patch, but are forced to work together to declare war and protect their holdings from a new threat. They do eventually reconcile, and Queen Isabella knows she must have a male heir for the kingdom. Aragon may not authenticate her daughter as the Queen, only males could be kings. In Castille, women could rule, but not in Aragon.

There is also memory of the affair, in CW Gortner’s book, The Last Queen. Juana, Isabella’s daughter states, “ My father adored my mother but he had a mistresses, one bore a son and another a daughter named Joanna. The queen had both children brought to court to be reared as royalty. QueenJuana is also dealing with the newly discovered affair between her husband, King Philip and his court lady. Juana is devastated and is trying to get over it, wondering how her own mom might have felt and reconciled. Juana is told about her sister, Princess Isabella, who was next in line to the throne, has died. King Philip, (Juana’s husband) desperately wants her to petition the courts that he should be the next in line to the throne. Another story to follow and learn about.

Don Alonso de Estrada gave outstanding service to Charles V, who named him treasurer of the New Spain and in October 1524, charged him with governing New Spain. He as born in 1470. Ana Estrada, his daughter was born in 1498 and marries Juan in 1525 in Spain, another record stated 1511 in Mexico City. More to research here. Cortez, Ponce de Leon and Marcos Aguilar also governed in New Spain, but eventually the office returned to Alonso. Here is the possible family lines:

I also found a disturbing on the history of Marcos Alonso de Arcon de Sosa y Estrada. There is some notes that 4. Marcos Alonso de Arcon y Estrada and Constanza were accused of practicing Judaism and Constanza may have been burned during the Inquisition. Some biographies were not sure of his ancestry and notes that they must have tried to keep it secret. Is this why he came to Mexico?https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/68169479?cid=mem_copy

There is MUCH discussions about the parents of 4. Marcos Alonso de Arcon de Sosa. Some claim that his parents were already in Mexico, when he was born in Spain. Don Alonso Estrada was named treasurer of New Spain at the end of 1524, Marcos Alonso de Arcon de Sosa was born in 1525, in Spain. I could speculate he is Don Alonso’s son and not Ana Estrada’s son. There is not a baptism record in Mexico, but he was born in Spain. I see many family trees that do include him as the son of Juan Alonso and Ana’s son, but no proof. Maybe he was actually a nephew or illegitimate son (left in Spain), while Don Alonso traveled to the New World, but much more genealogy research is needed to confirm. See interesting websites. I have a few sources that state that Marcos and Juana were Sephardic Jews, their story follows.

https://gw.geneanet.org/fedegrifo?lang=en&pz=federico&nz=taboada+cardoso&p=ana&n=de+estrada+de+la+caballeria

https://www.geni.com/discussions/197136

The primogenitor of the de la Garza Falcón family was Captain Marcos Alonso Garza y del Arcon, a Spanish nobleman, native of Lepe, province of Huelva, Spain. He arrived in Mexico City about 1550 becoming very active in Spanish court social circles and marrying into the prominent Trevino family. He married Dona Juana de Trevino Quintanilla, daughter to Capitan Diego de Trevino and Dona Beatriz de Quintanilla. Her brother was General Jose de Trevino. In 1569, he and his wife arrived in Durango City in the province on Nueva Viscaya, present day state of Durango. Two sons were born Don Alonso de Trevino and Don Josef de Trevino. Notice that the children took their mother’s family name Trevino, since it was much more prominent. Could it also have been the family name tied to their past in Spain? Pedro was also known as Pedro de la Garza Falcon Trevino. Falcon is assumed to be the same as Arcon/Argon from the Royalty connection perhaps? He also drops the Sosa name which another relative also dropped the Sosa name because it could have been a Jewish reference.

Capitan Marcos Alonso Garza y Arcon was a miner by trade and he arrived with family to settle, Real de Mapimi, a mining town in the province of Nueva Viscaya (Durango). His three children included Don Pedro de la Garza, Dona Juana Trevino and Do Blas de la Garza Falcon. In 1603, Don Marcos Alonso and his family moved to La Hacienda de San Francisco in the jurisdiction of Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. His two sons, Alonso and Blas bought the hacienda. After his wife’s death, Don Marcos remarried Dona Catalina Martinez Guajardo and had 2 daughters, Dona Juana de la Garza and Dona Isabel Martinez. She took her mother’s name because it was very prominent in Nuevo Leon. Their families contributed to the settlement of Nuevo Santander and the pacification of the Indians. I see another account that the marriage to Catalina was first and then Juana. Will have to confirm this.

5. Capitan Marcos Alonso and Juana Trevino started 7 family lines in the Garcia Family tree. I have shared 4 lines. There is 3 others that start with Joseph Trevino (349), Francisco de la Garza (347) and Capitan Alonso de la Garza. So even if some of the connections are not correct there is 6 other lines that start with Marcos and Juana with a possible connection to Ana ->Alonso Estrada and King Fernando.

https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/123124538?cid=mem_copy

Another theory, as to why the last name Alons(z)o was totally abandoned by the family is a mystery, but it may have to do with the fact that the Alonzo last name of Lepe, Huelva, Spain was associated with the Jews. Hernando Alonzo financed and aided Hernan Cortez in his actions. After the conquest of Mexico City, Hernando Alonzo, a well known Jew in the New World, was becoming too wealthy and powerful, and thus a threat. Hernando Alonzo was burned alive under orders of the Inquisition. While no link has been established between Hernando Alonzo and Marcos Alonzo, the name may have been changed for protection. Source: Geni.com

6. A Pedro de la Garza marries Maria Inez Guajardo (also known as Inez Rodriguez) have a son, Pedro de la Garza marries Maria Luisa de la Rocha Robles-> Pedro de la Garza de la Rocha marries Ana Diaz Botello->Maria Josepha de la Garza (353)marries Diego de Hinojosa Cantu->Jose Manuel Hinojosa de la Garza->Manuel Angel Hinojosa Chapa->

Maria Anastasia Lucia Hinojosa->Maria Leonor Gonzalez Hinojosa->Maria Concepcion Canales->Juan Canales-> Juanita Canales, my paternal grandmother.

Pedro and Inez also have a daughter named Elena de la Garza.

6. D Elena de La Garza marries Capitan Juan Cavazos->Pedro Garcia Avila marries Margarita Cavazos->Joseph Garcia de Avila D Cavazos->Capitan Francisco Garcia Salinas (477)->->Ana Maria de Garcia->Maria Teresa Trevino Garcia (235)->Maria Josepha Victoria de Jesus Hinojosa** (117)Trevino ->Jose de los Santos->Maria Ursula Vela->Dario Vela->Natalia Vela, my maternal grandmother.

Maria Josepha** Hinojosa also has->Maria Feliciana Hinojosa(105)->Jose Rafael Pena->Jose Marcelo Pena->Maria de los Santos Pena->Ramon Alvarado, my maternal grandfather.

6. D Elena de la Garza also has Maria Cavazos de la Garza (341) ->Antonio Guerra Canamar de la Garza-> Francisco A Guerra-> Jose Juan Manuel Guerra->Maria Segunda de Jesus Guerra->—>Jose Gregorio Canales->Juan Canales->Juanita Canales

There is also 6. E Capitan Blas de la Garza, he also contributed to a the Garcia family line. Blas and Beatriz had Lazaro de la Garza->Lucas de la Garza 270->Maria Lucia Gertrudis de la Garza->Jose Francisco Angel Garcia->Pedro Ignacio Garcia->Jose Encarnacion Garcia->Cecilio Garcia->Francisco -> Reynaldo Garcia.

Lazaro also had Maria de la Garza 260, who married Tomas Garcia ->Cristobal Garcia->Nicolas Antonio Garcia->Juan Francisco Angel Garcia->Pedro Ignacio Garcia->Jose Encarnacion Garcia->Cecilio Garcia->Francisco Garcia, my paternal grandfather. Blas and Beatriz had about 17 children.

The photo below is of another son, Capitan Blas Maria de la Garza Falcon Villarreal. His monument in Corpus Christi is a symbol of friendship and the first successful Spanish colonizer with a land grant. King Felipe of Spain appointed a Governor to help keep the French out of the region. The Governor founded 23 settlements, but only Capitan Blas was successful in establishing the first and famous South Texas ranch industry . To the region, he brought his family, longhorn cattle, horses, farming tools and other domestic animals and taught the region about cattle drives, branding and corrals.

I would like to encourage all of you to send me stories about our family, maybe its about Tia Neta, Mama Juanita, Papa Ramon. I would like to include a more recent family story with the genealogy.

Armando’s Daughters – Gertrudis (Tula) Teresa(Tere), Berta, Lucila (Chila) and Beatriz Garcia

Trinidad Mendez Garcia and daughter, Gertrudis or “Tula”

This next story was told to me by Chila Covington and Tere Weber, my cousins. Chila was 3 years old when she went to live with Mama Juanita, “Mama Grande”, after her 38 year old mother passed away. Her friends were Frankie and Luis (my brothers), but she recalls that Mama Juanita wasn’t happy with them playing together, she thought the boys would be too rough. Her other four sisters, Tere, Beatriz, Berta and Tula went to live with Tia Neta (Ernestina), about 3 blocks away. Their dad, Armando Garcia provided financial support and their house. Janie Mendez, a cousin lived with Tia Neta. Since Janie was older, she was able to help with meals and cleaning. Janie took good care of the girls, naming her own daughter Berta. in the photo below, I am with my twin brother on Janie’s special wedding day.

Janie and spouse,Alonso Martinez with Becky (me) and by twin brother Reynaldo or Ronny
Wedding Cotulla Texas, circa 1963

My paternal grandmother, Mama Juanita loved theater. She would put on annual productions that would be fund raisers for the church. Mama Juanita learned the choreography from the different regions of Mexico during her annual visits to Mexico accompanied with Tia Neta. The production included regional dances and poems with children participation. One of the young girls would be crowned the queen after raising the most money for the church. Janie was crowned queen during the “fiesta patrias” and later she recalls when Tere was 13 years old, she won the award and crown. Berta, Beatriz and Chila were the maidens following behind holding up her train. Chila wore a fluffy yellow dress sewn by a Olivia, Tia Petra’s daughter, She was a seamstress from Mexico and Mama Juanita’s niece and Armando’s cousin. She always came to help during these events as she was a seamstress for theatrical productions and movies in Monterey. Tere wore a beautiful white dress, Beatriz a blue dress, Chila a yellow dress, and Berta a pink dress. Tula was dressed as La Virgen de Guadalupe.

One of the other theater stories, involved her dad, Tia Armando. He was portraying a character that got shot. The girls were upset, they thought the killing than been real and not just a play. Mama Grande, as Mama Juanita was called, would assist in recitals of patriotic poems, dances, and songs, such as “El Grito”. The theater production profile was a melodrama. Armando was dressed as the bride. It was an all male ensemble. The groom was Tom Mendez, who was in high school and a nephew of Trinidad or Trine. People enjoyed the hilarious production until the girls started crying.

Queen Tere with sisters at Welhausen School, Cotulla, Texas

Their dad, Armando was most handsome in a white coat as Master of Ceremonies. He loved theater, drama and especially comedic situations. Well, come to think about it, ALL the Garcia sons were happy, comedic individuals!

Another yearly event that Mama Grande produced was on Mother’s Day also at the Welhausen School Auditorium. She would have community involvement with participation of patriotic songs, and especially poems about mothers. Tere recalls how she recited a long poem about the death of a mother. Of course the audience cried with the obvious connection and empathy knowing Tere’s family history and her 4 sisters. Tere was very dramatic and loved the drama, emotionally moving the audience since they knew the history of the girls being …motherless. These events also had Spanish dances in the evening.

Tia Neta and Mama Grande would travel all over Mexico during the summers and take 2 or 3 of the girls including Janie along on the trips. Mama Grande would visit theater productions, many churches, and museums. etc. She loved art, culture and history. She was a teacher before she married. She was teaching in the ranch where she met Papa Francisco. Of course all her daughters, (Ofelia, Ernestina, and Consuelo) taught children and adults in the community.

The photo above included: (circa 1940) Back row: Olivia-grandmother’s niece and seamstress from Mexico, Ruben Mendez – Ernestina’s husband and their uncle being their mom’s brother. Consuelo or Tia Chelo.

Front row: Roberto-Olivia’s son, Ernestina or Tia Neta, Petra – Mama Juanita’s sister. She also had another sister named Faustina who was a natural healer or by the town called her a “bruja”.

Corina- Tia Chelo’s daughter.

Virginia-grandmother’s and Tia Neta’s good friend and best baker of empanadas.

My mother is Tomasita Alvarado, 1923-2018, (on left) in Queen’s attire, from a very similar church event from her home town in San Deigo, Texas, circa 1940. I also included a photo of my cousin’s Mother, Trinidad Mendez, 1910-1948 (on right). Beautiful mothers from the inside out!

More family lines to Don Deigo Montemayor

As I have continued my work and research on Don Deigo’s family line, I did discover 7 more family lines that start with Don Deigo. I will share 4 more family lines that demonstrate how we are related to Don Deigo. This first line starts with Montemayor’s daughter, Estefania and her witty spouse, Alberto Del Canto, from the story in the first post.

Mama Juanita Canales Garcia and Reynaldo C. Garcia abt 1945

Deigo Montemayor ->Estefania del Canto->Francisco Garcia

Deigo Montemayor -> Tomas Garcia->Francisco Garcia

In this family line above, you also see in group, 5. Maria de la Garza marries Tomas Garcia. Tomas was Diego and Ines’s great grandson. His father was Lucas Garcia, see group 3 above. Duaine reports in his book, that Lucas was born in Nueva Galicia or the Tampico region about 1570. He married Juliana de Quintanilla, probably a Sephardic Jew. Lucas was familiar with the local Indian languages, which he spoke fluently. His brothers and him chose their maternal surname Garcia-Quintanilla and NOT use “de Sosa” from their Jewish father, Balthazar de Sosa. My 23 and me report does show I am, 1.7% Ashkenazi Jew and for my daughter, shows .9% Ashkenazi Jew. I am 64% Spanish and Portuguese. I big surprise to be both a fragment of Jewish and Portuguese decent. There is some sharing of genetic code between the Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews. I am not an expert in this field and plan to study and learn more. Duaine shares that Queen Isabella resented the Jews and Moors and didn’t think they would be loyal to her so the plan was to “drive them out of Spain” and send to the New World. These New Christians, as they were called settled in the Tampico area and the De Sosa family was important. I will also share that in the book, ” The Queen’s Vow” by Gortner, Queen Isabella of Spain, used the Jewish banks to finance her Moorish war to regain the region of Granada. In this book, she hesitantly agrees to the Inquisition which began to remove and eliminate the new Christians that still practiced Jewish beliefs or converts. I am sure religion, belief and practices played a big role in shaping the New World. Not using De Sosa as a last name is just an example of the discrimination or injustices that could have been displayed.

The two family lines that follow, start with Don Deigo, one ends with Natalia Vela, my maternal grandmother and the other ends with Juanita Canales, my paternal grandmother. Margarita (7a) and Maria (7b) are sisters having the same parents, see grouping 6. Margarita is seen with Natalia’s family line and Maria is seen with Juanita’s family line. So if you go back several generations, they had the same 5th or 10th great grandparents. Elena de la Garza and Capitan Juan Cavazos del Campo. I will share some of their stories in the next posts.

Papa Ramon Alvarado and Tomasita Alvarado Garcia abt 1941

Deigo and Inez->Margarita de la Garza->Vela->Natalia Vela Alvarado

Deigo and Inez->Maria de la Garza->Juanita Canales Garcia

National Grandparents Day Worksheet completed by Tomasita.

Tomasita A. Garcia completed a middle school worksheet for Sara, my daughter in about 1994.

She told the story of her father, Ramon Alvarado. She wrote, “my dad worked in a cotton gin. I would walk across town to take lunch to him. One day my hat got caught in the giant blower and blew away. I was so embarrassed, but I never got close to the blower again. I also remember young boys and men leaving home to go to the work corp established by FDR to give people jobs. I also remember, I got typhoid fever and almost died. The first medication didn’t work. I got some new medicine maybe penicillin and after 4 months, I was well.”

Welcome to the Garcia Guittar History Blog

I wanted a place to share photos, videos and stories from our ancestors.

I have been interested in genealogy for a few years now, but the topic was triggered by the birth of my daughter, Renee. She was born with blue eyes like her dad, but there needed to be a recessive gene for this to happen. I started asking my grand parents, aunts and uncles about my ancestors. All by siblings and parents had brown eyes. After some questioning, I found my maternal grandmother had family with blue/hazel eyes. I found my answer, but still wanted to know more.

I have been using my heritage, which has an annual fee, to build my tree, but the search engine also finds discoveries with birth records, census, records, marriage records and other documents. My cousin’s spouse had used family search and shared his records almost 20 years ago. He had taken my one paternal ancestors line, (Garcia, Canales, Guerra) to early 1600s. I shared my interest with my cousin, Chila Covington and she (and her friend) recommended a few books. She suggested I get a copy of the book, “With All Arms-A study of the a Kindred Group by Carl Laurence Duaine. As I started reading the book I discovered, he was writing about Don Deigo Montemayor. There was a Gertrudis Montemayor Fernandez born in 1645 on my family tree, could she be a descendant of Deigo Montemayor. I started by search on my heritage, there were 5 or more Diego Montemayors! I wrote down birth dates, spouses names, sibling names, marriage and death dates to verify the right Deigo Montemayor.

My first story and connection is about Deigo and his family.

My intent is to make connections between the writings in the book and our family tree. The book is about the early genealogy and history of the Spanish explorers and the subsequent journey of life and “taming” of New Spain or Mexico.

The First Mexican Novela with Montemayor and Canales

The first connection is about page 111-112 Don Diego Montemayor, son of Juan de Montemayor and Mayor Hernandez. He was born in 1528. He first married Inez Rodriguez, second wife is Maria de Esquivel. His third wife was Dona Juana Porcallo (European spelling)(Porcayo in Mexico)de la Cerda, their daughter is Estefania de Montemayor. Juana’s father was Lord (Don) Vasco Porcayo de Figueroa nobleman and Conquistador. He died when she was young, they were living in Mazapil. Don Vasco had previously traveled with Cortes to Cuba (1512) and California (1528). He was a very prominent man. Juana, his daughter is described as an aristocrat, daughter of the Conqueror of Huasteca and young woman of Tampico when she married her husband, Don Deigo. She descended from a noble family called “Casa de las Condes”, in English translate to the House of the Counts and later the “Duques the Feria” translates to The Dukes of Feria.

Don Deigo Montemayor arrived the new world in 1547-1548, in the lifetime with Don Vasco Porcayo de Figueroa, photo above. He was an explorer and officer. Don Deigo was made Captain probably under the service of Don Vasco who placed him in charge of Leon later named Cerralvo. There is one account that he was in charge of an exploring party and discovered the springs of Saltillo and future Monterrey on the first day of September 1555. Deigo had three marriages. His first wife was Inez Rodriguez, who he married in 1548. His first and second wife is on our family tree. Her name is Maria Esquivel, married in 1555. Their son is Diego Montemayor Esquivel. Their granddaughter Gertrudis marries Juan Canales Villa Señor in 1674, from our family tree. Their son is Captain Blas Canales de Montemayor, born 1676, from the family tree. His family genealogy can be found at www.somorprimos.com/Inclan/canales.htm

Deigo and Ines are also the 10th great grandparents of Natalia Vela. Montemayor->Rodriguez->Hidalgo (Benavidez)->Trevino->Ramirez (Saenz)->Rangel->Vela->Alvarado. And yet another connection, is the Montemayor->Rodriguez->Navarro->De la Garza->Guerra->Canales->Garcia. This would be the 10th great grandparents of Juan Canales, Mama Juanita’s father.

Don Diego was a very effective leader and trusted with expeditions. He was Castilian from Northern Spain, serving under a Basque and commanding mostly Basques. In 1580, he was appointed mayor of Saltillo. He was a law and order man, in all issues of government and slaves. He never recorded slaves and missed out on mining claims. In this book, you learn about Don Deigo, and his family scandal. The story has painted the annuals of Spanish history in the New World for generations. Don Diego had to travel quite a bit to the wilderness, protecting mines and ranches from the Indians. He was gone much of the time. Juana, his third wife had became lonely and needed companionship.

When Deigo returns home after a long absence and becomes aware of a hasty departure of Captain Don Alberto Del Canto. Loose tongues began to tell stories. Don Diego learned what everyone else seemed to know that Dona Juana, his third wife, had been intimate with Don Alberto, the Portugal Captain. He had entered her life during Deigo’s absence. The book states that in a fit of rage Don Diego drew his sword and killed his wife, Juana. He was in a panic. With Spanish custom a wrong husband had the right to kill his unfaithful wife but the right was practically never exercised. He swore not to cut his hair or beard until Don Alberto Del Canto was killed. He fled to the wilds of Nuevo Leon. He was never able to kill Del Canto, who was a great leader and liked by many. Later his own daughter, Estefania would wed Del Canto. It was Estefania who testified that her mother, Juana, had been in bed with Del Canto.

Don Deigo fled north to Cerralvo past the springs of Saltillo and of Monterrey to remote springs flowing northward to Rio Grande. Much later he made himself Governor of Nuevo Leon, occupation of Monterrey. He persuaded 15 settlers to follow him. His son, Diego de Montemayor Jr, procurator and wife Elvirada Renteria followed so did his married daughter, Estefania de Montemayor, now 18 years old. Incredible that the girl married the man who caused the family so much trouble, but Del Canto was a very attractive man. Don Montemayor appointed himself as governor of the new resurrected kingdom, more of this story below.

The handsome, humorous, colorful nobleman, Alberto Del Canto Viera married Estefania Montemayor in 1585 and in 1586 had Miguel del Canto de Montemayor (Don Diego’s grandson). Miguel would be the youngest conqueror at the age of 8! He wed Monica Rodriguez Castano Sosa Trevino in 1613 and had another Deigo Rodriguez Montemayor in 1610. He married Beatriz Gonzalez and had the third Deigo Montemayor born 1643. Finding the correct branch has been difficult because there was a total of 5 Deigo Montemayors and several Gertrudis Montemayors. Deigo’s Rodrigues Montemayor’s wife and daughter were both named Maria Gertrudis Montemayor. The only distinguishing characteristics are the year of birth and maiden names. Maria Gertrudis de Falcon Benavidez (born 1633) and Maria Gertrudis Montemayor Canales born 1654. Several family trees on my heritage listed Mozo Montemayor as Gertrudis Canales’ father. The problem is that he was dead before she was born. So I went with the family search reference, Geni World Family tree and Lopez family tree from my heritage.com. More on Don “old” Montemayor and Del Canto’s twisted history

Duaine writes that:

Royal mandate in hand Luis de Carvajal y de la Cueva controlled the region and holdings of the men in Zacatecas and Durango, also known as Nueva Vizcaya. He called Montemayor out of hiding and convened a meeting with all the captains, including Alberto Del Canto. Bitter enemies were at the same table. They were both experienced captains who knew the country. Don Luis left Del Canto as now commander of Saltillo and took Montemayor, together with his right hand man, Captain Gasper Castano de Sosa to re-enter the region on the northeast of Saltillo, now named the New Kingdom of Leon. Notice also on the family tree the name Monica Castano De Sosa who married (in 1613), married Miguel De Montemayor. It seems to be a pattern that the captain’s comrades marry the captain’s daughter or close relative.

Carvajal traveled to Saint Lucia (future Monterey) and to Del Canto’s old stomping ground San Gregoria (later named Cerralvo) and later the capital Leon. He put Montemayor in charge. At this post Montemayor was given grants and seemed on his way to fortune. He tried to clear his name of killing Don Juana. His young daughter, Estefania, testified as a girl of nine that she had only seen Captain Alberto in bed with his mother and said no more of the sword or fight. The courts cleared Don Deigo. His ambition to kill Del Canto proved to be difficult. He was younger, fearless and more powerful. He was also a great leader, practical joker and loved by his men.

Don Deigo was not successful at this post, his men melted away for lack of pay and the laws he tried to enforce. He was driven out of Cerralvo and forced back to Saltillo after 1590. He now had to witness his daughter Estefania in an unhappy marriage to Del Canto. He persuaded 12 men and families to go up the valley with everything they owned to the region dominated by El Cerro de la Silla, the resurrected Kingdom of Nuevo Leon previously held by Carbajal that had not been deserted by settlers. He now made himself Governor in 1610. Carbajal and Castano were accused of practicing Judaism. Castano left to explore New Mexico without the Crown. He returned later and was then banished to the Philippines by the Crown for his actions. He died when Japanese pirates attacked his ship.

Del Canto’s story as a boy starts in “ with all Arms”at page 114. The name Del Canto is Castillian however his legitimate 2 sons (Deigo and Miguel) took the last name of his estranged wife, Estefania Montemayor. He was born January 1, 1547 at the Praia da Victoria, on the Isle of Terceira, Arquipelago dos Azores, Portugal. His geneology records extend back to the late 1200s to the Englishman Lord John of Kent. Prince Edward of England and his side kick Lord John of Kent took an army to the Iberian Peninsula to help King Pedro of Spain to dive out the Moors. During this quest, Lord John of Kent married a Sephardic Jew of Portugal. The children changed the last name from Kent to Canto the Portuguese translation. Later Alberto do Canto changed his name to the Castillian form, Del Canto while serving under Spanish rule in New Spain or Mexico. The name Del Canto means of song or poem and must have described him.

Sometime in 1562, the boy Del Canto arrived in Zacatecas and went north to obtain work with Governor Francisco de Ibarra (Ybarra). With him he learned soldering, exploring and surviving in the rough primitive area. His willingness to work, boldness and humor quickly impressed Ibarra. He was also equipped to find Indians to work in the mines in the region. By 1576, Del Canto had explored Northeast Mexico and South Texas as far as the towns of Utopia and Bandera. In 1577, he had established the mining communities of Saltillo, San Gregorio (Cerralvo) and Santa Lucia (present day Monterrey). He assumed governorship, recruited and enslaved the indigenous people to work his mines. For the first time, the Indians had a stable food supply, shelter, clothing and protection from enemies. The ordinary Spaniard would take a common law Indian wife or a collection, but it was forbidden by the Church to have informal unions. The present day Mexican was in the making. The wealthy Spaniards brought their women from Spain or went back to get them. A new generation of white women was being born so it was possible for the upper class to start families without Indian blood. The mestizo, or mixed race, improved themselves and married other mestizo families. If a white women had a baby unusually dark they would explain it as from the Moorish blood, but probably Indian instead. The Spanish had always held a Puritan belief.

Don Montemayor explored the valley where Saltillo was founded with twenty five men and continued to explore northeast toward the modern Monterrey. Another twenty years went by and Del Canto became a captain and under the orders of Governor Ibarra re-explored Saltillo and founded the city. The settlement was on the modern site of Monterrey in December 1577 calling it Springs of Santa Lucia. Del Canto gathered Indians and would sell them against the law. He was arrested and made an example by the President of the Inquisition and Royal Council at Guadalajara. The did not last long, as Del Canto escaped and hid in the wilderness amongst the Indians. He was able to live with the Chichimeca Indians of which he was accused of enslaving to work the mines. He took parts in their hunts and wars, telling stories around the campfires and sleeping with the Indian women. While he was “playing Indian”, Don Diego de Montemayor became Captain and Mayor of Saltillo. The Grand Inquisitor died and Del Canto returned. Governor Ibarra (his friend and comrade) reinstated Del Canto as the Mayor. He quickly forgot about his arrest and went out to hunt Indians again to make into slaves defying orders from Don Luis Carvajal. Deigo de Montemayor discovered the expedition and during the night entered Del Campo’s camp and took him prisoner to the Governor’s house. Montemayor did things by the book, and would not have killed him without a court hearing. Del Canto’s band of men rode up to the Governor’s house demanding their leader, shots were fired and many were wounded on both sides. Some of Montemayor’s men tried to convince him to release the prisoner. An old man stepped up and placed a cloak around Del Canto and walked him out! His comrades refused to fire for fear of killing the old man.

Del Canto returned to gathering Indians once again only to be stopped once again by Montemayor’s men at a breakfast meeting. He did free a few Indians, but still had a good amount for a profit. Shortly after, Don Luis de Carvajal was arrested by the Inquisition. Del Canto now 39 years old married 18 year old Estefania, daughter of Juana and Deigo de Montemayor, his arch enemy. Del Canto was very attractive and seductive. The priesthood thought differently. He made the Indians work on Sundays and refused them time off to go to mass. He had secret relations with Indian women. But still between 1586-1596 fathered three children with Estefania, Miguel (1588), Diego (1590) and Elvira. In 1596, Estefania left Del Canto when Don Diego de Montemayor left Saltillo to settle Monterey in 1596. As described before, Estefania’s sons took the Montemayor name. Her son, Don Miguel became a wealthy landowner and his will in 1643 disposes of significant amount of property. Miguel does not mention his father during the will or instruction for church masses only for himself, his grandfather Deigo Montemayor and his father-in-law, Deigo Rodriguez. He lists nine legitimate children, 2 illegitimate daughters and his wife Monica Rodrigues and Inez at the end. Del Canto died in 1611 at his Hacienda de Buena Vista, Saltillo Coahuila. Many of the grandchildren of Alberto del Canto married the grandchildren of Marcos Alonso de la Garza. See the family tree ancestors of Juan Cavazos, Pedro, and Blas de la Garza.

I will post the Montemayor>Del Canto>de la Garza>Guerra>Canales line later.