Eight Generations

"If you look deeply into the palm of your hand,

you will see your parents and all generations

of your ancestors.  All of them are alive in this

moment.  Each is present in your body.  You

are a combination of each of these people."

Thich Nhat Hanh

Vietnamese Monk

1980's begin my search!

I became interested in Genealogy around the 1980's.  I drove to Salt Lake City, Utah to do some investigating.  I found a few names and found out that in Arvada, Colorado I could find the same information as what is in Salt Lake City. I did not continue searching for ancestors until I spoke with a cousin who was working on genealogy.  Together we visited a cousin in 1993. She gave us a lot of information and we continued searching by traveling to New Mexico and speaking with our cousins. If she found anything she let me know and if I located a fact, I would let her know. I was now retired and had plenty of time to pursue genealogy.  For two years I delved into the lives of my ancestors. I visited the library, looked through files of the Church of the Latter Day Saints, visited many cousins, joined Ancestry.com, searched on the internet and looked at records on film and books. I could kick myself for not having paid more attention when my elders spoke about their childhoods and their past. I know I only have a small bit of what went on in the past, but much more than I knew before I began my search!

Beginning with my grandchildren, my children, me, my Mom, her father, his father, and so on there are eight generations.

I have traced my ancestry to about 1764 when my great-great-great grandfather,  Jose Manuel Aragon, was born. His ancestors came from Spain through New Spain (Mexico) and settled in New Mexico. Family members seem to think that the Aragon family originated in Barcelona or Madrid. It has also been mentioned that the family were Basques. Yet, I have no proof of any of these stories repeated from generation to generation.

Information I have been able to piece together with the help of cousins, I found out that Jose Manuel married Maria Barbara del Carmen Duran y Chaves on June 26, 1781. They had seven children and Eusebio Tomas Aragon was born on May 11, 1785 in New Mexico. When his first wife, Micaela Sanchez died, he married Maria Micaela Santillanes. One of their children was Nabor Aragon and he married Dorotea Lucero on October 13, 1862. Nabor and Dorotea had nine children and one, Sisto Aragon, was born on March 27, 1867.

Sisto married Valentina Ortiz on January 7, 1893. Ramona Aragon was one of the six children born to them and she was born on November 27, 1915. Ramona married Silvio Rodriguez on June 30, 1936 and had four children;  two brothers and me.  My sister was still born.

I married Americo Moscoso from Peru on May 19, 1962 and Andrew and Barbara were our two children. Andrew never married but had two children and Barbara also has two children.

From 1764 to 2013 there have been 249 years of the Aragon blood flowing through my family.

If I could find information as to who was Jose Manuel's father, then the line could continue.  It seems that
Jose Manuel's father might have been Manuel Aragon. Yet, I have been unable to find any records connecting father and son.

Beginning in 1587, an Agustin Geronimo de Aragon was born.  He married Francisca de Quintana on July 13, 1620.  They had seven children and one was Juan de Balcazar Aragon born around 1635. He married Mencia de la Ruelas Galindo. They had several children including Ignacio de Aragon who settled in New Mexico in 1694 along with his wife Sebastiana Baca.

Ignacio and Sebastiana had a Nicolas Aragon who married Margarita Gallegos.  Nicolas and Margarita had a Manuel Aragon who married Maria Vallejo in April 5, 1756.  Supposedly, Manuel is Jose Manuel's father but several cousins and myself,  searching through records have not been able to find a link.  I found information in a magazine regarding the Cebolleta Land Grant that stated that a Francisco and Jose Manuel were brothers and Manuel who married Maria Vallejo were their parents.  Yet, when I actually looked at the records on file, nothing was mentioned about any relationships.

2013 still searching for my Ancestors

My genealogy hangs in limbo until I can find more information.  Genealogy is fun, interesting and exciting but it is also frustrating and discouraging. If the connection could be made, then 426 years of Aragon blood would run through my family.  Starting from the top or starting from the bottom, the connection ends between Jose Manuel and his father.  At present I am taking a break, but before long I will begin my search again!

If I go along with the Russian Proverb of, "You live as long as you are remembered,"  I will soon have those ancestors living once again!