My family Tree

I grew up in a Spanish heritage near the Mexican border in Texas. We did a lot of the Spanish customs in my family. My father was a jack of all trades, Rancher, Builder, Farmer,  in the Navy as most of my family served in the military as well. One of my uncles while in Spain traced our heritage all the way to Spain. Since I was taller then most Hispanic girls around me and lighter skin I thought it was because of my Spanish links.I can understand the Spanish language just a bit. I can keep up with my tias (aunts) in conversation but answer them back in English. The language was something I did not pick up I think it was due to the fact I was raised in Calif as a child and in school we were not allowed to speak Spanish in school or we would get spanked. My parents encouraged us to speak English even at home. I think it was a mistake but it was a choice they made, and we as we got older never embraced the language again.  Pity. My two older sisters picked it up a lot better my second eldest was even able to speak it a lot, but she was not raised in Calif which I think was the reason.

On my mother side she was a good at cooking, she had the magic skill of cooking when there was no food in the house she kept us well fed. When someone was feeling bad she fed us, any trouble going on with our life she fed us. There was always something in her foods that made us feel better. Anyone that tasted her food wanted to be her friend, their was something magical about her food. My mother used to tell me story's of how the women of my home town would go to her mother my grandmothers house for advice she would read their cards, offer them herbal remedies. Although she did say it I am pretty sure my grandmother and her mother before her were la curandera which is healers in Spanish. There was always a special energy when me and my sisters got together. Some special skill that each of us possessed I like to think it came from my grand mothers side.

A few years ago I did my DNA testing with ancestry. It came back 60 percent Native American and 30 percent Spanish. The rest large part of Portugal, some Jewish, African, and even Ireland and England Wales. I was shocked that I had more Native American then Spanish. Intrigued with the Native American part I wanted to see if we actually had any Newer Indian in us. I say newer cuz if your native American dna from these tests most likely you came from Aztecs and Mayans at a certain point. There is no dna results that will verify this only certain Indian tribes. My daughter had some Andean in her which means close to Mayans. Its fascinating to see how far my family has migrated. I am still researching my family tree to see if there was any Apache in us. There was a last Apache chief who was here in Texas that migrated to New Mexico area he had our last name so I am trying to see if I can link him to us.

Ancestry is also always updating as they get more areas more accurate and as more of my family joins. I am hoping the Indian tribes will share their dna with us some day but I doubt it. There is too much at stake with the Casino revenues.

I have found many new cousins while doing ancestry and with these cousins come photos from long ago. Great Grand parents pictures I had no idea existed still. I cried every time I got a pic of a new ancestry. Its like finding a lost family member. I have helped cousins who were adopted find their real parents, I have embraced the ones who havent found their parents but they are happy to have found us. Family. I have heard new stories about our family that was fascinating. Like how an uncle and cousin were extras on the set of the movie with John Wayne The Alamo. They were Mexican soldiers. I heard another story of how an aunts husband was best friend with Cortez, there is a story/legend about the famous chase.

I am still researching. Its been a lot of fun. I hope to find more information as I continue to dig and hope that new cousins reach out to me to see how they were raised. I am a proud Texan, even though I was born and raised as a child in Calif middle school I was raised mostly here along with my family and cousins in a very small town sw of San Antonio.  Where everyone knew your name, where you lived, who were your siblings. LOL yah that sort of town but I wouldnt have had it any other way.I lived many years on a ranch. My father first worked out in the hill country along with my cousin and uncles on ranches before a lot of them joined the service. They were cowboys, they were Vaquero. https://www.thestoryoftexas.com/discover/campfire-stories/vaqueros 

My Tio Juan Musquiz above

This was my dad Eddie Musquez he was a rancher for many years as well, also a truck driver and was a Seabee in the Navy. This pic was in Concan Texas. L.O. Carter ranch. He was foreman there and I was raised many years here as well. I also helped when I can bring in the animals they had, angora goats and cattle.

This picture was taken filming The Alamo with John Wayne this is my cousins Roque and Oscar Ortiz. Roque is the one with the hat. I got this pic from my cousin Ophelia Ortiz Joes daughter. 

 

Another neat story was from my Ortiz side was the husband of my great aunt Enriqueta Ortiz she was married to Juan Mosqueda he was friends and neighbors with in the picture the famous Gregorio Cotez. he was also the God father of their child Frances Mosqueda. Cortez was a Mexican folk legend.
Cortez History Click Here they even made a short video of him as well. Short movie of him. More history of him. More history of him click here.

Above very proud of my nephew Justin who is an Train Engineer, he also served in the Marines. 

My nephew AJ is very blessed with musical skills he can play many instruments. My father also played the guitar as well as AJ father as well.

More to come...