Epifanio Nepomuceno Jacques

Uncle Epi was born on April 7, 1911, the year William Howard Taft was president. That is a hell of a long time ago. He was born in Blanco, New Mexico and was the oldest child of Celestino and Tonita Jacques. His parents had been married in 1910 and were living with Celestino’s parents, Juan N. and Ana Maria Jacques. I have tried to give my own perspective on my aunts and uncle that I have written about thus far. However, with Uncle Epi, he was only a memory to my father and I, unfortunately, never met him. But, we are able to get to know him in a variety of ways. He is the oldest in this picture and so darn handsome. You can tell by the way he’s holding Aunt Jane what a good big brother he is and he’s wearing a suit. How adorable is that. By 1920, they are still living with Juan N. and Ana Maria and Celestino is working with his father as a farmer.

Here is that census. Uncle Epi is 9 years old, is in school, and can read and write. If we jump to 1930, the family is now living in Denver, Colorado.

By now, Grandpa Jacques owns a ranch and is raising stock. That makes sense as adult children were expected to stay at home and help their parents and families. Uncle Epi is 19, Aunt Della is 18, Uncle Ernest 16, Uncle Fred 15, Uncle Frank 14, Aunt Jane 13, Aunt Dorothy 10, my dad Timothy is only 2 and a half, and Aunt Angie was only four months old. That is a full house. We are fortunate to have my cousin Perpetua (Perpie) give us an accounting of how Uncle Epi and Aunt Nora met. Nora Garcia was selling cosmetics door to door and she wanted to see who lived in her old house. It was the Jacques family. Tonita told Aunt Nora to come back when her son was home, as he was the one who was working and had money. Aunt Nora became friends with Aunt Della. Uncle Epi and Aunt Nora started dating and got married on December 9, 1931. Such a cute couple. You can see how attractive they are and they look totally in love. Now, I can assume the idea of her son getting married sent Tonita straight over the edge. It would have been that way with any of her sons getting married. No woman would have been good enough for Tonita. I am certain it was as rough for Aunt Nora as it was for my own mother. Something tells me Tonita was not the most generous when it came to her son’s time or affection. I love this picture of Aunt Nora and her sister, Eloisa. She is so stylish and beautiful! I am certain this is what she looked like when she met Uncle Epi. Here is Della’s wedding picture and both Epi and Nora were attendants. You can tell how close Aunt Nora was with her new sister in law. Here is another of some of Aunt Nora’s family. This is a picture of Ben Garcia, Emma Garcia and an unknown person. For most of my life Aunt Emma lived with Aunt Nora and always came to family parties with her. Epi and Nora’s first child was Imelda. She was born on July 9, 1933 in Denver, Colorado. So this was during the Great Depression and Uncle Epi and Aunt Nora were still living with Grandma and Grandpa Jacques. Grandpa Jacques finally told Uncle Epi and Aunt Nora they should move out, since life with Tonita was unbearable. I don’t blame them one bit. It certainly would have been unbearable, no doubt. They had Joanne in 1935, Rosalie in 1937, Frank in 1939, Perpie in 1940, Richard (Dickie) in 1942 and Jimmy in 1943. Here he is, Uncle Joe Serna on the left, Uncle Epi on the right, holding one of his babies (I suspect it is Joanne, who would have been a bit older than Rosemary). Here he is again, this time with his sister Angie, Aunt Nora and his two oldest babies. On the far left is Angelina Garcia, Aunt Nora’s sister, then Aunt Dorothy, Aunt Nora, Imelda, Angie,Tim, Tonita, Aunt Jane, Celestino, then Uncle Epi holding Joanne and Viola in front of Grandma Jacques. Uncle Epi was a big tease and liked to tease his sisters about their weight. He was also an avid reader. Epi and Nora stuck it out in Denver for a bit longer but received many letters from the family saying how much better it was in California and so they moved in 1941. Dickie was born in Pittsburg, California and Jimmy was born in Stockton, California. There was another baby by the name of Ralph who was born after Imelda, but he died from pneumonia. Perpie says that Uncle Epi wanted another boy after Frank but she was born instead. She says her dad felt bad because she was a girl, but then started calling her his “Queenie” and that Epi took her everywhere with him, including to visit his mother.  Epi was devoted to his mother. Uncle Epi worked hard for his family. His jobs included working as a post man, part time work at a service station on Wilson Way in Stockton, just two houses away from their home, and working in the shipyards. Epi did all of the clothes and grocery shopping for his family. He was a hands on dad. In Colorado, he was a parishioner of St. Cajetan’s Parish in Denver. He was President and Secretary of the Holy Name and Christian Doctrine Society, a member of the Knights of Columbus, helped start a Credit Union, and was elected it’s first secretary. Here is a copy of the Stockton City Directory from 1942 when they lived at 1429 E. Channel in Stockton

Epi was well loved. I know this for a fact because my father loved him greatly. When my dad was getting ready to take off for the army during World War II (The Big One), he went to tell his brother good bye. Uncle Epi said they should go and get their picture taken together, since Daddy was leaving. They went down to the photographer’s studio and arrived to find that it was closed. They were never able to get their picture taken together and this was the last time my father saw his brother.

Here he is in approximately 1941 or 1942 with Frankie along with Uncle Ernest, Ernie, Grandpa Celestino, and Grandpa Juan N. Here is another adorable picture of Frankie. Uncle Epi’s story is a sad one. He was working at the shipyard and had volunteered to take someone else’s shift. He was working down in a ditch when he was hit on the head with the bucket of a backhoe and was killed. What wasn’t known at the time was that the backhoe operator was drunk and the company covered it up, saying that he had fallen. So painful to think about that and it left a huge hole in his family that was impossible to fill. Perpie remembers the funeral. “I remember the funeral and all the crying and darkness and Grandma fainting and all the drama around me but we were not allowed to grieve. My mom was a pillar or at least I thought so because I never saw her cry until I was much older.” They tried to get my dad home from overseas for the funeral but that was not to be. Instead, they took a picture of Uncle Epi in his casket. My father put together a memory page for Uncle Epi. I could always tell my dad felt terrible for the way he lost him and how it affected his family. Grandma Jacques immediately blamed Aunt Nora. Obviously, Aunt Nora had no blame in his death so Tonita wasn’t being rational, but she had lost her precious son and I can’t imagine the horror of that situation. After Uncle Epi was gone, my dad said Aunt Nora would go to the cemetery and talk to Uncle Epi’s headstone, asking him what she should do when she would have a problem with one of her kids. Talk about a strong woman. Aunt Nora went on to raise her family on her own. She had her Garcia family to rely on and Aunt Emma lived with Aunt Nora and helped her in numerous ways. We continued to see our cousins intermittently, but I know my father always grieved for his brother and that loss, just as his wife and children did. My dad attended Perpie’s daughter’s weddings, as his representative. I love that. My dad stepped in for his brother. Joanne, Jimmy, Imelda, Aunt Nora and Perpie at Aunt Della’s funeral.

I spoke to Dickie recently who said, “The time your Dad and Mom spent with us was very special. I took your Dad around the State Capitol where I worked and I remember as he was leaving he took me aside by myself and told me how proud my Dad would have been of me and the tears just started flowing.” That trip to New York meant a lot to my dad and I was pleased that it meant a lot to Dickie as well. We lost Uncle Epi well before we should have and his loss was a gigantic hole in the entire family. Epifanio Nepomuceno Jacques died on January 17, 1945 in Stockton, CA, leaving behind his loving wife Nora and seven children, Imelda, Joanne, Rosalie, Frank, Perpetua, Richard and Jimmy. He is, indeed, sorely missed. We took flowers out to Uncle Epi’s grave today and it still looks great, 70 years later!

Remijio Jaquez 52 Weeks/52 Ancestors

Remijio Jaquez

About a year ago, I took a DNA test via a company by the name of FTDNA. I did this for someone who needed help with someone on her tree and wanted to see if we (she and I) had the same DNA. When the report came back, I had over 360 matches with people I’d never heard of and didn’t know anything about.

What they came up with was about 295 people on my dad’s side of the tree, the rest on my mom’s side. I’ve made contact with several people on the list. Still, I wasn’t sure about their results. Since I was searching for my mother’s relatives, I had concentrated on that side of the list, but I was really curious about the match that was listed as my closest relation on the DNA list. They had listed her as closely related as a second cousin. I thought that was odd because I thought I would have known someone that closely related. Oh yes, I was wrong.

Her name was Sherry Jaquez Rossi and I sent her an email asking about her connection. This was her reply:

My father Manuel spelled his last name as Jaquez but I have found two different spellings for my paternal grandfather Jose Remijio Jaquez (or Jacquez).  They both resided in San Acacio, Colorado as did some of my dad’s 1st cousins (Henry, Felix, Delfino, and their two sisters whose names I can’t remember right now).  The only thing I know about the New Mexico connection for my dad was that he had a 1st (?)  cousin in Aztec, New Mexico — I think his name was Buster Jaquez.  My paternal grandmother Clotilde Naranjo, was from Los Sauces, Colorado but I don’t know much about her.  Does this help?

Well, obviously, the only name that sounded familiar was Buster Jaquez (truly, who doesn’t know Buster?) and that was it. I hadn’t heard of anyone else’s name on the list and I knew nothing of people who were raised in Colorado. I didn’t really make any connections with the names at all and so I let it go.

One of the perks of being given over 450 photographs from my cousin Tommy with only about two hundred names on those photographs, is that I have studied them copiously. I have been trying to relate the photographs to who they might belong to, and to each other.

Yesterday, I was going through the photographs once again, searching for a different photograph and something caught my eye.

Jose Remijio Jaquez

Remijio was born on August 1, 1887 in Culebra, Colorado. His parents are Jose Eusequio Jaquez and Antonia De La Luz Ortega. Remijio and Juan Nepomuceno were half-brothers (same father, different mother).

He was married to Cleotilde Naranjo and their children were Antonia Jaquez, born in 1921, Annita Jaquez, born in 1923, and Manuel Edward Jaquez born in 1925.

This is the second photograph that was in the group.

As you can see, it is not as clear of a  view of this group of people, but their names were listed. On the left is Remijio, next to him is his wife Cleotilde, holding their daughter Antonia. What I missed when I looked at this picture originally, was that the two ladies on the end, Antonia and Maggie were in fact Remijio’s sisters. I didn’t understand that originally, because I was trying to make them into perhaps his parents, etc (a mother and an aunt, etc.). But now that I know they are his sisters, then the people in this picture that I already shared at one point:

are the same two women, again Antonia and Margaret Jaquez. So, they are both Juan N.’s sisters as well.

So we have a lot of photographs of the siblings of Juan Nepomuceno Jaquez, both full siblings and half siblings.

It appears Remijio was living with and supporting his mother (Antonia De La Luz Ortega-Jaquez) when he signed up for a waiver for the draft in World War 1 in 1918. It says that he was single and supporting his mother.

The 1930 Census shows they lived in Old San Acacio, Costilla, Colorado and that Remijio was 33 when he married Cleotilde who was 16. Since their daughter Antonia was under 1 year, I think this photograph dates to 1922-1923.

So their son, Manuel Edward Jaquez is the father of Sherry Jaquez-Rossi, and Sherry Jaquez Rossi is my second cousin, 1 x removed.

The “cousins” that she spoke of were the children of Enrique Jaquez and Maria Benigna Quitana. Their children are Delfino, Felix, Henry, Edicia, Rosa, Aurelia, and Silviana. They, too, were from San Acacio, Costilla County, Colorado.

Here is a map of that area

It is a 185 miles from Blanco, NM to Costilla, Colorado. Must have been well-traveled roads for our family.

Jose Longino Jaquez 52 Weeks/52 Ancestors

I was recently contacted by a young lady by the name of Lisa Barrett. She said that she was a descendent of Maria Rosa Villalpando. Apparently three-fourths of New Mexico is related to our clan. She had also said that she had spoken to Tom Martinez (Tommy) and that she would like to talk. I was excited. Of course, with my schedule (and I’m sure her schedule is just as busy) a few days had passed. But I kept thinking about her. So, as soon as I could, I went back to the blog to send her a note asking her to contact me by email. On the blog, I had a message from her asking me to contact her. I laughed and thought we were on the same wavelength.

I had a quick email conversation with her and then she asked me if we could have a phone conversation. We set a time for the following Sunday. I was sitting at a baseball game, naturally, and pulled out my phone thinking I would write to her and find out a good time and she had already written to me. We really were moving in harmony.

She said her ancestor was Ramon Jaquez. Now that name meant something to me. I knew Ramon Jaquez was a full brother to Juan N. Jaquez.

Here we find Juan N. on the 1910 census, living next door to Ramon Jaquez and his family.

Juan N. as you will recall, is my dad’s grandfather. Now, I can tell you how Lisa Barrett fits in and what she was researching. Jose Ramon Jaquez, Lisa Barrett’s direct ancestor, was born on November 8, 1960 in San Luis, Co. The Jaquez clan traveled back and forth between New Mexico and Colorado regularly. I found them on the 1860 census here:

As you can see, Jose Eusequio is listed as age 31, wife Francisca Vigil is age 28 and their children are Victoria, age 5, Juan N. age 3, and Josefa, age 9 months old. I would suspect Francisca is pregnant with Jose Ramon since he was born in November of this same year.  This census was taken in the Taos Valley, NM.

This is from the 1870 census and now we see Juan N. age 14 and brother Jose Ramon age 10 living together.

To continue, Jose Ramon Jaquez marries Trinidad Maria Munoz on October 18, 1882 in El Rito, Rio Arriba, NM. The census shows they had 15 children. That is a big number in my book. It makes Celestino Jacques and T.S. Archuleta’s families of 12 children look paltry.

I am going to concentrate on their son Longino Jacques, but before we get to him, let’s look at something else.

On the left side of this photograph is Ramon and Trinidad Jaquez. The couple in the middle is Tobias and Luisa Jaquez. Tobias is the son of Ramon and Trinidad, a brother to Longino. The couple on the right, they are Benina and Maclovio Archuleta. Of course, we’ve already met Maclovio and Benina Archuleta in my blog post entitled “Ricardo de Jesus Archuleta” as Maclovio is the brother of Ricardo Archuleta. Round and round we go, Jaquez to Archuleta and Jaquez again. Tough to follow, I know, and a little dizzying.

Anyway, I thought it was a great picture and a fun sidetrack but now back to Jose Longino Jacques.

Jose Longino was born on May 15, 1891 in Blanco, NM. He married Francesca Jaquez on September 2, 1914 in El Rito, NM.

This picture shows it was taken in the 1920’s and it is Longino along with his brother Tomas Jaquez.

Their children include

John Glen Eldon, Ramon Arturo, Longino, Ramon, Triny, Eugenio Matthew, Severino, Ernesto and Nieves Jaquez.

A second picture of Longino Jaquez.

So looking at the list, Eugenio Matthew Jacques is Lisa Barrett’s grandfather. I switched the spelling of his name as Lisa sent me a copy of a list she had made of her aunts, uncles, mother and her own children. That is how she spells her grandfather’s name. Funny, my own birth certificate is spelled Jacquez and my parents changed the spelling when I was in elementary school to Jacques. That is how I spelled my son’s name.

So Eugenio Jacques was born on February 15, 1918. He married Eginia Valdez and their daughter is Mary Louise Jacques. If you look at my Facebook friend list, Mary is listed as Mary Hill Schimmels and she is my (or if you are in my generation…lol) 3rd cousin, in case you want to say hi to her.

So, back to my conversation with Lisa Barrett. She lives in Elko, NV and is my 3rd cousin, 1x removed.  She is very interested in ancestry and was researching Maria Rosa Villalpando and our collective history. Her family had a small party and she had Tom Martinez speak to her relatives about research. She said they had a lot of questions. We all do.

I think you get the most benefit from doing the research yourself. When you find a document that pertains to your ancestor, pull it out and really read the entire document. Write down all of the pertinent information and contemplate what it means to you. The help of other researchers such as Tommy Martinez are invaluable. You may have questions about where researchers get their information. Ask questions. Question everything. Look for the proof.  There will be always be debate about proof, even if you believe information that others have found. Happens to me all the time .

Lisa Barrett would like to meet up at one of the Jaquez family reunions. Since our phone conversation lasted for an hour and a half, I think we would have a very good time together. I see New Mexico in our future.

Jose Eusequio Jaquez – 52 Weeks/52 Ancestors

Jose Eusequio Jaquez

I know that I am not the only person to have to face ancestor stories that aren’t very pretty, and in fact, some are quite messy. To say Jose Eusequio Jaquez’ story is a bit of a mess would be appropriate.  His family could have had the 19 Kids and Counting show (I think!) Ha, well, dive in.  Let’s see if we can untangle this a bit. Now he is the father of Juan Nepomuceno Jaquez, my dad’s grandfather. My father had only warm feelings and great respect for Juan N.

Juan N’s father,  Jose Eusequio Jaquez

To say he was a prolific progenitor would be putting it lightly. But we’ll get to that later. Jose Eusequio was born in approximately 1831 in Ojo Caliente, Taos, NM to Felipe De Jesus Jaquez and Maria Del Carmen Lujan. We don’t have a lot information in regards to his early life but on January 22, 1954, he married Maria Francisca Vigil. They were married at the Our Sorrows Parish in Taos, NM. I don’t think that is the best place for the beginnings of a marriage. #justsaying

Anyway, in 1860 Eusequio, age 31 and Francisca, age 28, live in the precinct of Culebra in the Taos Territory of NM. This census was taken on July 18, 1860. Their children listed at this time are Victoria, age 5, Juan Nepi, age 3 and daughter Josefa, 9 months old.

Three short years later, in 1863, Maria Francisca Vigil Jaquez died in Conejos County, Colorado.

His children with wife Francisca are:

Ysidora Maria Victoria Jaquez – 1855
Juan Nepomuceno Jaquez – 1856
Joe Eusequio Jaquez 1857
Maria Josefa Jaquez 1859
Jose Ramon Jaquez 1860

Now, since Joe Eusequio isn’t listed on the 1860 census, I am thinking this one died as an infant. Also, Jose Ramon isn’t listed on this census because it appears that Francisca  was only three months pregnant with him at the time the census was taken, as he was born in November of 1860.

The last child I believe to have been born to this couple was Gertrudis Jaquez. Her date of birth is 7 May, 1863 in Conejos Co., Colorado.

It sounds like Maria Francisca either died during Gertrudis’ birth or shortly thereafter.

By the 1870 census Jose Eusequio has remarried.

In 1864, (only one year after his wife’s death, but with six small children, I can understand that he needed help) he married Antonia De La Luz Ortega. She was born in 1841 so she was near his age and it appears she was married before she married Eusequio in 1864. She was 23 years old and by the 1870 census, they lived in Costilla in the Colorado Territory. Living with them were

Victoria, age 14
Juan N. age 14
Josefa, age 12
Jose Ramon, age 10
Eusequio, age 9

and now

Jose, age 3
Teofilo, age 6 months old.

Looks like Eusequio is age 9 now, so maybe he survived after all. Not sure why he wasn’t on the 1860 census. Could be a mistake on the census taker’s part. It happens. Anyway, Antonia De La Luz Ortega took up where Francisca left off: having babies.

These are the children I have found listed to Maria Antonia De La Luz Ortega and Jose Eusequio

Pedro – born in 1857
Entero – born in 1861
Teofilo – born in 1867
Brigido – born in 1868
Maria Francisca – born in 1874 (Okay, wow, that surprised me. Same name as first wife?)
Jose Emmanuel – born in 1876
Patricio – born in 1877
Antonia – born in 1880
Enrique – born in 1882
Leonardo – born in 1884
Margarita – born in 1885
Remigio – born in 1887
Alfredo – born in 1889

The first two children could have been from the first spouse, so my guess is that his natural children start at Teofilo, but I am not positive. So, Antonia would have been 48 years old when she had her last child. Not unheard of but sheesh! That is a hell of a lot of kids. Made my head hurt trying to keep everyone straight. So Juan N. was one of six children between his father and mother, then he was a half brother to 13 more siblings, 19 all together.

This is Antonia De La Luz Ortega in the middle of this picture.  Also in this picture is Patricio Jose Jaquez. He does look a great deal like Juan N. to me (I believe them to be half brothers).

Also in the picture are his wife, Delfina Cordova and their adopted daughter Juanita. The last person in the photograph is Bernadino Valdez. The bottom of the picture says that he is called as Patricio’s father. Not sure who he is or why it says this. Could she have had an affair? I guess so. Could he really be a Valdez and not a Jaquez? Yikes, no way to be certain.

I found the 1910 Census and found them living in Costilla, Colorado. He is listed as age 32, she is 26 and Juanita is age 7. It appears that this is when this photograph was taken as well. This would make Antonia De La Luz Ortega Jaquez age 69. Wow, she’s really aged from having all those children.

This is a picture of Ysidora Maria Victoria Jaquez and her husband Jose Victor Trujillo. She is a full sibling to Juan N.

This is David Trujillo and his wife Maria Senobia Jaquez

David is the son of Victoria Jaquez Trujillo and Victor Trujillo.

Maria Senobia Jaquez  is the daughter of Juan Augustin Jaquez and Maria Silveria Vasquez of Blanco, NM.

Oh yes, of course, not only are we related to David Trujillo, his wife is related to us by blood as the daughter of Juan Augustin Jaquez.

*** Correction*** This photograph was mislabeled. The information below stays the same and is still correct. However, this photograph was labeled incorrectly. This is Maclovio Archuleta ans Benina Martinez. Thanks to Cordie Jacquez for the additional information.

***I had an incorrect image for Juan Augustin Jacques. Here is the correct image

This is Juan Augustin Jaquez and his wife, Maria Silveria Vasquez.

Juan Augustin Jaquez is the son of Jose Salome Jaquez. Jose Salome is the brother to Jose Eusequio Jaquez. Hey look at that, we’ve arrived back where we started with Jose Eusequio.

Alright, people, move along, nothing to see here. I am certain your family twigs look just like this. Well, fairly certain. Fine, there’s lots to see, much to understand.

Juan Nepomuceno Jacquez – 52 Ancestors/52 Weeks

 

Juan Nepomuceno Jaquez was born on April 6th, 1856 in San Pedro County, Colorado to Jose Eusequio Jacquez and Maria Francisca Vigil.

This is a great picture of my daddy, sitting in front of Juan Nepo’s headstone.  My dad made a special trip to the cemetery to see his grandfather’s grave, and I love that dad’s cigars are firmly in his pocket, a fresh cigar in his hand. I think my dad’s strong sense of family pride came from his grandfather.

Ha, I’ve digressed.

Juan N (Dad called him Juan N) was born in Colorado but by 1880 was living in Blumfield, New Mexico, in the Rio Arriba area. He was 26, his bride Ana Maria Lujan was 19, and they had a one year old daughter, Sara.

 

This is such a great picture of the Jaquez family. Here is Ana Marie Lujan, Juan N. (young lady between them is labeled as a servant) then the baby in her lap is my Great Aunt Celia, the little boy in the middle is Great Uncle Onofre and the little girl on Juan N’s lap is Great Aunt Lucy.  The notes at the bottom show this photograph was taken in approximately 1899.

This is his ancestry: His father is Jose Eusequio Jaquez, Grandfather Felipe de Jesus Jaquez, Great Grandfather Jose Julian Jaquez (son of  Maria Rosa Villalpando in my previous post).

While Juan was born in Colorado, on the 1860 Census we find him in Culebra, Taos, New Mexico Territory. His father is listed as Jose Eusequio Jaques, age 31, mother Francisca Vigil 28, and siblings Victoria Jaques, age 5, Juan Nepi Jaques, age 4, and Josefa Jaques, 9 months old.  His father is listed as a farmer.

In 1875 he married Ana Maria Lujan in San Pedro de Culebra, Costilla Parish, Colorado, USA. There seemed to be a lot of travel between New Mexico and Colorado and that was a tradition that continued for many years.

According to the Territory of New Mexico Report of the Secretary of New Mexico, the State Representatives for Rio Arriba County in 1907 were Diego Archuleta and Juan N. Jaques. Not the first time you will see those two names, Archuleta and Jaques, linked.

This picture hung in my dad’s home for years and is now hung in my living room.

In 1925 Juan N. and Ana Maria celebrated 50 years of marriage.

I think I love this picture the best. He looks so proud, so proper, and so pleased with themselves, as if we have been let in on a secret. His occupation is always listed as farmer and yet in these pictures they are dressed in their Sunday best, ready for their close ups. What a great looking family.

 

 

Look at this big bunch of grand kids he has, too. Everyone wanting to get in the picture.

Names are written around this picture, by I assume my cousin Tommy, looks like Juan N. is seated on the tail end of a pick up, surrounded by more grandchildren.

This is one of the most recent photographs I have featuring Juan N. I love this picture. It looks like it is from Aunt Dorothy’s wedding. They were married January 14, 1939. In the center, wearing a flower corsage, is Aunt Dorothy, holding her hand is Uncle Sam. Just behind him is my dad, behind my dad is Uncle Ernest (look at Aunt Elsie’s face directly between Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Sam). Next to Aunt Dorothy is Grandpa (Celestino) Jacques, then next is Grandma (Tonita) Jacques and next to her is Juan N. He came to California a lot, spending time with all of his children and grandchildren. Aunt Angie is at the top of the porch, Aunt Celia at the end of the porch, Aunt Della and Uncle Joe on the step above. Just behind Aunt Della is Uncle Eppie holding Perpie. Here is a different shot of the same day, more kids in the background.

This is another great picture of Juan N. here with his son Celestino, Grandsons Ernest and Eppie and Great Grandsons Ernie and Frank.

 

Juan Nepomuceno died on May 29, 1943 in Denver, Colorado. This is what he left behind:

This is only part of it, of course. This was taken at a Jacques-Jaquez-Jacquez family reunion in New Mexico.

I implore each of you, if you can, to ask your parents what they know of their history, where their parents came from, where they lived, who they loved and how they died. I promise you there are great stories buried in their history. Okay, I’m off my soapbox now.