T.S. and Josephine Archuleta – 52 Weeks/52 Ancestors

True confession: If I know you, even just a little bit, I’ve probably stalked your ancestors. I know, I know, my daughter Taylor tells me I can’t just stalk other people’s ancestors but it is really fun to find a wealth of information from just knowing someone’s name, where they came from and where they might have lived. Now, at times, I’ve asked people if I can (Chris Perez and Tammy Lender) but others, I’ve stalked first then asked permission. I feel every ancestor has a story to tell, and I like to practice finding information on others because I may learn something from searching your ancestors that will help me with mine.

My research on my dad’s side of the family has been limited and I have not spent a great deal of time doing the research. But, I do like/dislike how every side of my dad’s family is related to everyone on the other side. Confused? Here’s why:

 

Tonita Archuleta               Sibling of                 Telesforo Simon Archuleta

Married to                                                                   Married to

CF Jacques                     Sibling of                     Josephine Jacques

 

We were at lunch the other day with my brother Tim, we ran into my cousin Wendy and her husband.  As soon as we left, my daughter Hailey asked the always dreaded question, “How are we related to them?”

I had to resist the urge to say “We just are” so I tried to explain.

“So, you know how it goes me, Papa Tim, Grandpa Celestino? On Wendy’s side it goes Wendy, her mom Linda, Linda’s mom Effie, Effie’s mom Aunt Celia…” Well, at that point her eyes were glazed over and I lost the battle,  finishing lamely with “We just are.”

Part of the problem stems from the Jacques/Archuleta-ness of where our ancestors came from: Blanco, New Mexico. On a trip to Blanco in the 1990’s, as my dad drove down the street, we saw the mailboxes that lined the road and it would be like this, “Oh, there’s a Jacques.” Two houses down, “Oh, there’s an Archuleta.”

So, now we have TS Archuleta, (brother of Tonita, my grandmother) married to Josephine Jacques, (sister of my grandfather Celestino). Telesforo Simon Archuleta was born on January 5, 1887 in Los Ojos, Parkview, Rio Arriba, New Mexico to Ricardo DeJesus Archuleta and Maria Adriana Valdez.

This is a beautiful area.

Most of the pictures that I have are of Uncle Simon as a young man. This is him and his father, Ricardo. They must have been very close because most of the pictures are of the two of them.

I love this shot of his wedding to Josephine Jacques. She was born on January 8, 1884  in Canon, Largo, New Mexico, and was the child of Juan N. Jacques and Anna Maria Lujan.

Most of the pictures that depict T.S. and Josephine show them surrounded by family.

Uncle Simon was a sheep rancher. This picture is one given to me by Tommy Martinez, depicting a Jacquez ranch in Coyote Canyon, NM, north of Gallup, NM.

 

Josephine Jacques looks like she was a girl who was full of fun.  She has wide expressive eyes and a quick grin (I can tell a lot by photographs, lol)

In 1910, Josephine is living with her parents, Juan N. and Ana Maria and her siblings Bert, Sarah, Celestino, Alex, Onofre, Lucy, Celia, and her sister-in-law Tonita. Josephine is 24 years old. The census shows she marries Uncle Simon in 1910. Her occupation is listed as a teacher in a public school. I think that is so great. I always get a vision of the prim and proper single school teacher (a la Little House on the Prairie).  They live on the same street as the Ramon Jacques family, the Filiberto Jacques family and the Grigorio Jacques family. A lot of Jacques kids on that block. I found the 1880 Census (prior to her 1884 birth) of her parents, but that missing 1890 census could have been really helpful! The loss of the 1890 Census is so maddening.

Anyway, by 1920 she and Uncle Simon are living in Blanco, Josephine is 35 years old, and she has 7 children under the age of 8. They live one house away from Juan N. and Ana Maria (her parents). Also ensconced in Blanco are Celestino, Tonita, and their six children.  They are listed as farmers but I think it was more ranching than farming.

Here is a copy of his draft registration card for World War I. Everyone had to file a card, regardless of whether or not they would be joining the fray.

 

In 1929, Josephine Jaquez-Archuleta dies at the age of 45, leaving behind her husband who loved her greatly and 12 children, the youngest, Donald, being just 2 ½ years old. I consulted with Karen Valdez whose mother was Esther Archuleta, because I wasn’t sure how Josephine had died. She said she wasn’t sure either but would check with her brother. She called Uncle Milton who said he didn’t really know but that she had a lot of stomach problems but nothing really definitive. So, I am ordering a copy of her death certificate and will do a follow up once we receive it.

By the 1930 census, Uncle Simon is still living in Blanco, but now only six of his children are living with him.  I thought it was odd that I didn’t find Esther on any census with her parents but Karen said her mother was raised by Aunt Sarah, Josephine’s older sister and lived with them in Durango, Colorado during the school year then returned to her father and siblings during the summer. Once she told me that, I was also able to find Donald living with Aunt Sarah at the age of three. That was comforting to think his aunt had taken Donald home with her, so young to be without a mother.

By the 1950’s Uncle Simon is still working and living on the ranch. In 1953, a lawsuit was brought about by Standard Oil Company against just about every ancestor on our tree, including Uncle Simon.  Uncle Simon did benefit from this law suit. My research continues in this area so I will report more in another post. My cousin DeeJo (Deirdre Josephine), Donald’s daughter, said Uncle Simon was able to live on these funds for the balance of his life.

He stayed close to his family his whole life.

My cousin Joey Telena had a copy of his rosary card along with the pictures of Grandma Tonita and Uncle Simon.

I know most of the Archuleta children that live in California. We attended their weddings, their funerals, and family picnics.  I can’t wait until the 1950 census is released, so that we can see where the children were, where they lived and who they married. Of course, the census is released 72 years after it was recorded, which will be in 2022. Aaack, I don’t think I can wait that long.