If you don't mind talking about it, when did your family arrive in the United States? On my mother’s side, they arrived in the 1600s from England. They went to North Carolina. On my father’s side, they arrived from Germany in the 1880s. How does where you come from dictate who you are?
From my mothers side her family arrived in the 1900s from Tecolotlan, Jalisco; it is a small city about two hours away from Guadalajara. They came to California. They resided in Los Angeles for about a year and then moved to Arvin because they felt more connected to the people there. My mother arrived in the United States and lived in Arvin throughout her young adult life. She later married my father and moved to Bakersfield. Most of her sisters came to Bakersfield but her brother and older sister moved to Lamont. On my fathers side, his family did not arrive into the United States. They all reside in Tala, Jalisco. My father also arrived in the 1900s with a couple of his best friends. I believe he was eighteen when he arrived. He came to California and lived in Arvin for a couple of years. After he married my mother they moved to Bakersfield. Where I come from dictates who I am because I would probably not be who I am today if I wouldn't come from the place I do. I am from Bakersfield born and raised and I feel very connected to our growing city. Also having my parents come into the United States illegally and struggling to become US citizens opens my heart to those who are struggling today. Being a Mexican American has had a big impact on my life I am proud to say I am Mexican because of my parents background, but I am also proud to call myself an American. I feel that having my parents come from Mexico has made me the person I am today. I don't judge those who come into the States illegally and I can't stand to hear others judge. Being Mexican American dictates who I am because it influences my views about the world.
ReplyDeleteNancy,
DeleteI agree with you, I am very proud of being a Mexican and just like you it helps open our eyes to others struggles and how we want to work hard to improve our lives and the lives around us. Great job and I am happy to hear your proud of your background!
The way my family came to living in the United states is an interesting story. My entire life, I was raised in the little town of Earlimart so I have always been a U.S. Citizen and never lived anywhere else; but for my parents that is a whole other story. My mother has actually always lived in California but she grew up in a town called Hollister. My grandmother was from Texas and my grandfather was the one from Mexico. My mom's father came here around 1950's or so. He was very young and had his struggles but I do not know the exact details. My father's story, on the other hand, I know very well. My father's parents unfortunately split and my grandfather came to Los Angeles to begin a new life. My father wanted to come to live with his father just because he was now the man of the house with my grandmother. So he wanted to come to California to work and earn money to bring his siblings and mother over here. The good thing was my grandfather helped bring them over here because of course those were his children and he wanted a better life for them as well. My father's journey of crossing the border began when he was only 12 years old. He remembers that he had to make a long, tiring journey walking for a few days. Once he reached the border, he had to wait another three days in order to cross with some man my grandpa knew. The great thing was that my father, once he crossed, he was a citizen due to my grandfather fixing the paperwork for him. But my father did say the traveling and waiting was exhausting especially because for days he did not eat, shower, or sleep comfortably. This was in the 1970's. Forty years have passed now and my father and mother met, had four children, and now enjoying their grandchildren. Also, they started out small but with hard work and dedication they have gone up and never again struggled. I am proud of my parents and look up to them because they are the best example of living a good honest life.
ReplyDeleteWhere my family is from makes me a stronger and hard working person. This is because we value our lives and possessions. Also, family is the most important concept to Mexicans and for us it truly is. Being Mexican dictates that we are honest people who want to make better lives for our family and want to live successful lives.
Andrea it was great reading your post. Yes I am proud to be who I am and its great reading about others who are proud as well!
DeleteAndrea and Nancy, this is an inspiring start! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteFamily history has been in the making in our family since we lacked it growing up. I am not aware when my family originally came in the United States. I grew up with no father therefore; do not know anything from that side of my family. I never met my father or the family he came from. My mother gave birth to six daughters and two sons by this sperm donor as I like to call him, and then he left us when I was born. My mother side of the family is from San Luis, Mexico. I know very little about her background and there are many questionable things about the history. What I do know is that my mother spent some time with her grandmother in San Luis, Mexico when she was young. However, my mother was born in Upland, Ca. close to San Bernardino. When my mother was very young, her mother sent her to Mexico to help her grandmother work on her farm. My great grandmother farmed oranges in Mexico and needed the extra help. My mother’s presence in Mexico was during the 1950’s but she was there temporarily. My grandmother was also born in California hence am not sure how they came to be born in the United States since my great grandmother lived in Mexico. I do not know my family history and I lost my grandparents without knowing them. My great grandmother passed away when I was very young but I do know that she also was an American citizen but chose to live in Mexico. In the 1980’s my great grandmother passed away and the history of my family went with her. My mother has little memories of her past and does not share too much with us about it. Interesting to find out more but I grew up with just my immediate family and I am content with that. Growing up with five sisters and two brothers, we are all very close. Family has been a very important part of my life. I have learned that we live to be there for one another no matter how far apart we are. The lack of family history has made us all want to create a history among each other with our children. As far as how our family originated in the US, I will not ever know. Nevertheless, we all support each other and continuously work towards making a better life for ourselves.
ReplyDeleteClaudia, very interesting post! I get really excited when people let go of their past and move forward. I think it is a great idea to start making your own history with your siblings and children. Great post.
DeleteYeah she's right that you'll be able to have your own history with your extended family. But I understand that there's always that little urge to know your past.
DeleteClaudia,I really admire your post. I think that creating your own traditions and history with your immediate family is a beautiful way to turn things around and give to the future.
DeleteClaudia,
DeleteYour family's history is very special and your mom truly sounds like a wonderful women. The best part is having your siblings and yourself to work for a better life and make your own new traditions for the generations after to come.
Claudia I really admire how strong your mother is.
DeleteClaudia, I really admire how strong your mother is.
DeleteGreat story! Sounds like you didn't need a father figure in your life. I'm sure he is the one missing out!
DeleteMy siblings and I are the first generation American citizens, my parents were the citizens of Bangladesh and all of us were born in Dhaka, Bangladesh. My brothers migrated to the United States in late 70’s and we sisters came in late 80’s. I was a teenager when I moved here, and it was very difficult for me to adjust to this new culture and language; I was lost and felt very lonely during those years. I also had to leave my parents behind which made it more difficult for me to survive in this new land. I do have mixed feelings about migration because the first generation migrators suffers tremendous amount of hardship; they lose their extended family members, part of their cultures, friends many other important things becomes non priority issues because survival becomes the ultimate priority.When people migrate, I think the most hardship is endured by are young children. Because they have a hard time fitting in, and often times they end up making wrong choices. I was reading the article “could he be a good American?” I was feeling an emotional tie to him because I could understand the reasons for the choices he made during his teenage years, and now he is threatened to be sent to a country which is not his anymore, so where does he belong? I felt the same many years ago, but now that I have my own family and raising my children I love and am proud to call the United States my home; I am able to incorporate my culture with American culture and my children are growing up in a mixed culture; It is almost like I have the best of both worlds.
ReplyDeleteKazi,
DeleteGreat story! I agree with you about how the first generation migrators are the one's who suffer the most because they have to literally start from nothing. The benefit though is that it opens up a better and brighter life and future for the generations that follow.
i cant imagine having to leave everything behind, it would be really hard.i applaud you for having the courage to leave everything behind to be able to give you and your family a better chance.
DeleteI can't imagine how hard it would be to move to another country leaving all you know behind. I'm glad to hear you everything worked out in the end.
DeleteTouching story! I can't imagine being that young in such a strange place! In sure your parents missed your greatly, but knew it was the right thing to do. Since America is all I know I didn't feel the connection you did to the reading. But you explained your connection very well.
DeleteSuch an interesting story! I could never imagine moving somewhere and having to adapt to a new language and totally different culture. It must have been extremely difficult, especially having to leave your family, but it sounds like you have been successful so far.
DeleteKazi thank you for sharing your story with us. It sounds so difficult to leave friends, family, and other belongings to move to another country and in a way you give me a sense of what my parents had to endure and what many others have done and are still doing. I am glad to hear you came to love the United States in the end! Great post!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I am not sure of my family background. I know that my mothers side is largely Native American. My great grandmother was 100% Native American. As far as my father's side goes, I do not know at all. I believe that we could have possibly come over from England because my last night "Bingham" is English. I think that as Americans, we're fascinated that our family originated some where else in the world and we maybe let us dictate who we are. For example, people who have an Irish background gives me a free excuse as to why they can drink so much beer and the time and people who have an Italian background can eat so much pasta all time. At the same time, I find it funny when Americans say "I'm German! My great great grandfather was there" because really this person is not from Germany whatsoever. Traveling around Europe, this is one topic that always gets brought up when speaking with Europeans. They always ask me why we like to say "I'm German" when saying where we are from. They look at us funny because THEY are actually from Germany. So ultimately, I do not believe that it dictates our generation as much as it dictated the earlier generations coming to the United States.
ReplyDeleteI agree that family origin does not dictate our generation as profoundly as it once had. It is an interesting concept. I almost find it sad and unfortunate that our generation does not hold the same strength in culture that other generations had before. It will be interesting to see what future generations value and carry on.
DeleteHey Grant,
DeleteNice post. I would agree that where we are from or our nationality doesn't define us like it did for the generations before us. And, it's clearly visible all around us that we are far more blended together as a culture than we once were when people were divided by, almost, everything.
I agree with you. I don't think where we come from (especially families that have been here a long time) dictates who we are. I suppose we can choose to let it be a part of our life. But it is a choice. I also like what you said about someone's background being used as a type of 'excuse' or explanation for a type of behavior. Almost like a stereotype. I really enjoyed reading you post!
DeleteVery interesting, and sometimes I feel the same way with Americans fascination of being from some place else. What is wrong with just saying that I am a pure American because my last three or four generations were born and raised here. My kids are born here and people constantly ask them where are they from and my kids answer that they are Americans, and they go as far as asking what is your heritage? Yes, I understand your point of view,
DeleteMy father was born in Abadan, Iran. When my father was sixteen years old he came to the United States in August 1977. His parents wanted him to obtain a great education so they sent him to Denton, Texas where he attended high school. My grandparents, who live in Iran, visit from time to time. In September 1978 he attended California State University, Fresno where he met my mom. Both graduated from Fresno State and later married. In 1984, he moved to Bakersfield, CA for work. My mother, who was born and raised in Fresno, later moved to Bakersfield in April 1985. Three years later, I was born and raised in Bakersfield. My mother’s father, who was born in Delano, had relatives who were from Mexico. On my mother’s side, my great grandma and great grandpa married in Nicaragua. During the Mexican Revolution, both escaped with his cousins heading for U.S. soil. Although all of them were illegal immigrants, they wanted a better future for themselves. My great grandpa used a man’s passport under the name Salazar, which he later on adopted as his own, to come across to the U.S. They had my great aunt and great uncle in Nevada. They then proceeded to head west to California. My grandma says that they might have come from either Nicaragua or Guatemala. My grandma was born and raised in Fresno and later moved to Bakersfield in 2000. My grandma states that her mom had relatives in Spain. My grandpa, on my mother’s side, was born in Reedley, CA. Being born and raised in the U.S. has given me freedoms and rights that many people don’t get in other countries. It has given me the right to dissent, to vote and to create my own beliefs. I am very fortunate to be in a place where people can express their views, whatever they may be, and not be oppressed for them.
ReplyDeleteMy mother and father were both born in California. My mother grew up in Bell, Los Angeles, and my father grew up in Bakersfield, California. My mother’s parents were from Oklahoma, and they traveled to Los Angeles during the time of the Dust Bowl. My dad’s parents were also from Oklahoma, and they came to live here in hopes to find work. My parents grew up very poor, and with big families. My dad has 8 siblings which he is the youngest, and my mom grew up with 6 siblings with her being somewhere in the middle. My parents have always talked about how hard it was for them growing up, and how they did not have much. During the time my parents raised me, they always made me eat everything on my plate, and they did not like to waste anything. I have kept that with me as an adult. Till this day I like to take any left overs home if I cannot eat it all, instead of throwing it away. My parents have always wanted me to live a better life than what they have had. Their parents never talked about the value of college to them. They just instilled in them to get good jobs. My parents somewhat did the same when I lived with them. I will actually be the first one to graduate in my family. The rest of my family has been able to get decent jobs, but most of them would state that “they are not happy at their jobs.” I would definitely concur that where I come from is a reminder to me of the hardships there were before me, but it does not dictate who I am.
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa,
DeleteI can understand how it was for you growing up because I, too, experienced many of the same things your parents taught you. It is hard to do well in today's job market without a good education, but, back when our parents and grandparents were our age, they could do pretty well just by working hard for the right reasons. Nice post.
Lisa,
DeleteI too will be the first in my family to graduate. It is such a huge accomplishment, and it feels great. I feel like its a present to my parents that did not have the same opportunities. The fact that they struggled to get me here, makes me push harder for my future. Love this post!
Britt,
DeleteGood for you! It does feel like I am giving my family a present too. My family is so proud of me, and it really makes me feel good that they get to experience these opportunities through me. Thanks for your comment.
I should know the answer to this question. A few months ago my mother and I spent hours looking at the family tree my grandpa has been working on for the last few years. He was using ancestry.com as well as several hours collecting and sending for official documents to create a family tree dating back to, I believe, the 1600s. Unfortunately, I have forgotten the approximate dates of when we got here. I know one side of my family has been in the United States several 100 years (1700s about) and the other sides of my family come primarily from Poland, Germany, Czech, and other surrounding countries. This side of my family came to the US in the late 1800s/early 1900s. The bottom line is that my family has been here a long time. Since this is so, several of the traditional cultures that came from my originating countries have long dissolved. I don't even know of a relative that could speak Polish. So I wouldn't say these countries dictate who I am. More recently, my immediate family has moved all over the country and several times. I do not really associate a particular region of the US as part of who I am. I guess I would say where I come from does not dictate who I am. There is a song that I listen to that says "every day the choices you make say what you are and who your heart beats for." I like this particular lyric because there is truth behind it, at least in my own life.
ReplyDeleteHi Abby!
DeleteI wanted to use ancestry.com to look for my family members as well. I'm glad to hear that it actually works, unlike all of the other websites that makes false promises.
I have always been interested in trying that site, as well. It is fascinating to see how far back you can trace your family.
DeleteMy grandfather uses ancestry.com for majority of his family tree reseach. He loves it and sometimes we even have to tear his away from his computer!
DeleteI don’t know much about my mother’s side of my family because most of them died at a very young age. On my father’s side of my family, my grandparents came to the U.S. from China sometime around World War I because my grandfather was a U.S. military doctor during the war, so once the war was over, my grandparents moved here to Bakersfield because there were people they knew who lived here. Soon after moving to the U.S., my grandfather worked as a surgeon and doctor. In 1951, my grandmother gave birth to my father, and my aunt followed a few years later. There are many values I carry with me every day because of what my grandparents went through to get here and to stay here. I those days, Asians were not nearly as accepted as equals in the U.S. as they are today, so my grandparents endured many difficult things in the first few years of being here. I have a strong respect for employment and money much because of what my grandparents taught me. I strongly believe to respect those around me who deserve it because my grandfather respected the people around him, even if he didn’t get it in return. My grandfather and father taught me to always work harder and understand more than the person next to you because when it comes time for someone to be chosen for a job, it will be who works harder and better understands. I have great admiration for what my grandparents did because I can only imagine how hard it was for them, and I don’t know how I could’ve done the same.
ReplyDeleteI really like your post! You really explained what you learned from your grandparents and their hardships in order to live a better more fulfilling life. It takes incredibly strength to be around people that don't see you as an equal and still respect them if they deserve it. Thankfully, it is probably not as difficult and not as prominent as it is now. I can't imagine what life was like for generations before mine but I am thankful for their stories so that we can grow from them. Thank you for sharing. I enjoyed reading it.
DeleteI love your post as well! Too see that you have taken something so great away from your grandparents, to apply to your life is wonderful! I always admire those who had to go through such hardships to get to a stable life and they always manage to do so. It is really great that you can take your families hardships and see how the have played a role in your life.
DeleteMy family, like many other families, are immigrants in this country and have their roots established in their country of birth. My father came into this country at the age of 18, as an undocumented person coming into this country to work in the grape fields. My father was born in a small town of Puebla, Mexico and was raised in a small village in Oaxaca, Mexico. In this village of Oaxaca my father was raised to work and plow the fields, and herd the animals of the affluent of the village. Later, as his family became larger he had to immigrate into this country to help all his siblings in Oaxaca. My father crossed himself passed the border using the trains coming into Kern County from Arizona and arrived On Edison Highway in Bakersfield California in 1980’s. He became a U.S. Resident through the presidential amnesty. My mother born and raised in Puebla, arrived into this country at the age of 22 to Lamont California in 1988. She began working at the carrot packing sheds in order to help her family back home. Both my parents left their home country in search for a better economic standing for their families. This struggle and this sacrifice are what have made me who I am today. My parents and their desire to help their family are my motivation for continuing life and paying them back for their sacrifice. As both my parents demonstrated with sacrifice anything is possible and everything can be achieved.
ReplyDeleteMy dad had been to the United States a few times but then he got deported and sent back to El Salvador. I have no idea when those times were. Later on in 1990 my dad came back with my mom because she was already pregnant with me. When people find out we’re from certain countries they have certain expectations of how we would act. Being from El Salvador people expect me to be bad like the gangsters from El Salvador, or they expect me to talk a certain way. Usually people also expect me to have a great work ethic and to be hard working person. In a way it is true, my dad is a very hard working person who should be resting right now because he owns his own company, but he always oversees his workers and even does some work himself. My mom is stays at home, but she is always cleaning, and always busy doing errands. My husband was born but was raised in El Salvador and also has a great work ethic. He’s been working since he was 12 years old and when he came here all he ever did was work. It’s hard to find a person from El Salvador who is lazy and doesn’t like to do anything. I am Salvadoran-American and that dictates that I am hard-working and have a great work ethic.
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting that just because you are from El Salvador people expect that you would act or talk a certain way. I agree with you that it is a mixture of where you are from and where you are now that dictate who you are.
DeleteBefore this blog this question has passed through my mind many times. In search to find the answer I gave my mom a call and started to ask questions. I learned so much from one call. My great great grandmother was born a slave here in the United States. I learned that she was one of the slaves that ran through the underground rail road to be free. My mother and her siblings were born in Staten Island, and moved in their adult lives to North Carolina. Sometime after that my family resided in Durham, High Point, and Hillsboro areas. This explains so much of who I am today. This shows where my strong character comes from. The women in my family have been through so much and have survived each one of their challenges. I have a strong moral values, a great respect for my elders, and a touch of southern hospitality to top it off. I see a lot of similarities through the generations. I feel extremely grateful to have been passed these strong characteristics. I look at what I learned, and it’s amazing and surprising all at once. To look back a couple of generations to see a slave survivor is amazing to me. So little time has really passed since that time period, but it feels like more than that. We have come so far as a society, but it explains how much further as a society we have to go. This is how far back my knowledge of my family goes, but my search does not stop here.
ReplyDeleteThats really interesting that your great great grandmother ran through the underground rail roads.
DeleteI love your post and find that the struggle your family has had to experience is admirable. I hope that you can find more about your roots on your search that is always cool too see where you really came from!
DeleteWOW!!! underground railroads, that is really interesting. That's amazing how your grandmother was one of the few people that has contributed to history.
DeleteThanks everyone for the great feedback! Im still trying to soak it all in. My rip back home for spring break will surely teach me a lot.
DeleteHello Britt, I thought your blog was so interesting. You are the first person I have heard of who have had a family member who was a slave. Your Grandma seems as if she was a very brave woman.
Delete
ReplyDeleteMy father was the first person to arrive in the United States. He first arrived in 1973 at the age of 18. He arrived in San Diego and made his way to McFarland California where he still lives. His first job was as a fieldwork in the almond harvest. When he received a $62 check for his first time he could not believe his eyes. Coming from a poor family of five brothers and five sisters a $62 check that was all for him seemed like a fortune. From my mother’s side my mom was also the first person to arrive here. She arrived in 1986 after meeting my father in Mexico. They decided to get married and move to the United States on order to give their kids a better chance to succeed. Where I come from dictates who I am in a big way. I am very proud of my Mexican heritage and I’m not ashamed of my background. Knowing the sacrifice that my parents made to give me a better opportunity motivates me to be successful at all cost. I look at them and see that they were able to make something out of themselves after having to start over in a new unfamiliar country. I think to myself that there is no way that I cannot succeed if they gave me all the tools to do it. This is why I attend college, to make my parents proud and to show them that the sacrifice that they made was worth it.
I am happy that you are proud of your background because your parents worked so hard to get where they are at today. I look up to people that start off with nothing because I honestly would be terrified.
DeleteFrom my last name (Collier) I know I am Irish, according to my great grandmothers on my mother and father's side we also have family that came from England. On my mother's side we came from Britain in 1677 and settled in James Town, PA; and on my father's side they came from Ireland and England in 1813. Along with this mostly British and Irish decent I also have American Indian mixed in as well, as I think most Americans do. I am not sure where everyone spread too, but I know that before coming to California both sides of my family lived in Oklahoma for a period of time. I still have family there to this day! I have had the pleasure of knowing three sets of my great grandparents, as well as most of my great aunt and uncles along with a large amount of 1st, 2nd and 3rd cousins. I come from a long line of God loving people and that is strong in my roots as well, from all my extended family. My mother's grandmother actually lived out of a box car at one point and my father's grandmother made huge pots of soup with her mother to feed their neighborhood. I feel like I have been very blessed too, know where I came from and a huge part of my extended family. I feel mostly in touch with my Irish blood, because my ears happen to be pointy like a leprechaun! I feel like knowing where I came from and the struggles my family has encountered has made me the person I am today. Although I know my family struggles my mother has worked hard to make a better life for me and my brothers. I really appreciate her and believe the person I am, the values I hold and strength I have came from her. I see daily how I have been blessed from God through the lessons my mother has taught me, and as I continue to make it through college, to my graduation I can see how proud she really is.
ReplyDeleteYou're family history seems really interesting! It sounds like you have ancestors from a few different places which is pretty neat. I have family from Ireland as well, so we have something in common!
DeleteMy grandfather on my fathers side arrived to the United States in the 1950’s. He would come to work seasonal jobs and then go back to Mexico. Where my grandmother, father and his siblings were. My grandfather never wanted his family to move to the United States. He felt that the United States was a better life only economically. However, when it came to lifestyle that Americans lived, he wasnt to fond about it. He felt it would be best if his children were raised in Mexico. My grandmother on the other hand did not agree with him. After years nagging, my grandmother was finally able to convince my grandfather that the United States is a better place to raise children. My grandfather and my grandmother then finally made the decision to move to the United States in the 1960’s. They decided that they could both come and work here as field workers and give their children a better life. And on my mothers side, my grandfather, not married yet, arrived to the United States in the 1960’s also to work. My grandmother was working in Georgia, GA working as a house keeper. My grandmother and father are both from the same town in Mexico. One year around christmas time, while they were both visiting their hometown they fell in love and wasted no time in getting married. My grandmother then followed my grandfather to Delano, CA, where they would live, work, and form a family.
ReplyDeleteI really do not know my families ancestry. I called my mother to find out if she knew anything. She told me that she had no idea about that, except that some of our ancestors were native american. The most that I know of is that my mothers father was a resident in Arizona from birth to age 25. He then moved to California and met my mothers mom and had children. My Grandfather on my fathers side is from Missouri. His father before him was also from Missouri. They were very poor at that time and lived out in a forest . My grandfather worked all of his life and moved to California when he was 45 years old. He started a drilling company when he arrived here in California and things for him went from there. I can only imagine the roots of where i come from. I have heard from other family members that we are irish, english, and Native American. This is a mixture that I am sure i will be investigating because this post has got me curious about my ancestry.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know much about my family history. My grandmother was born in Texas in 1929 where she later met my grandfather who was born in 1911 in Mexico and died at the age of 73. My grandmother died young at only 53 years old. She had 13 children with my grandfather. My father’s parents both died before I was born. My dad’s mother died of breast cancer in Mexico when my dad was a teenager and his father was killed in Mexico when my dad was 6 years old. I’ve never known any grandparents, which is kind of different for me, but I get stories from my parents and they are usually ones of poverty and hard work to make a living. All my aunts and uncles are great people and I can only imagine how wonderful my grandparents were. However, I can tell you that my father migrated to the United States from Mexico in the 1970’s. My grandfather on my mother’s side migrated to the United States in the first half of the 20th century and my maternal grandmother was born in Texas and her parents migrated from Mexico. This dictates who I am by kind of feeling marginal to the traditional family structure, especially here in Kern County where family is a big part of the community.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I do not know much about my family history. I know my dad’s side of the family moved to Hawaii from China; they lived there during the attack on Pearl Harbor. My grandma was young girl at the time and she remembers feeling the ground shake as the bombs were dropped. They all thought it was an earthquake until they looked outside. It is always fascinating to listen to her retell the story. My grandma and grandpa later moved to San Francisco where they had three children, my dad being the oldest. While he was in college he met my mom. My mom was born in Eureka, California. My grandma on her side was a nurse and my grandpa was a construction worker; they also had three children. I know my mom’s side of the family descends from various European countries as well as a little bit of Native American. She knows for sure that there is English and Irish in the European side of her family, which may explain my love of British television. I wish I knew more about my mom’s side of the family but sadly both my grandparents have passed away. As a kid I did not think much about my family’s history but as I get older I find myself wanting to know more.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure when my family arrived to the United States. After reading this week’s topic I realized I knew very little about my family’s history in general. I decided to take this opportunity and get in touch with my grandparents to find out more information. On my Mother’s side of the family my grandmother Bonnie Paulette heart was born in Cardwell, Missouri where she worked on the farm with her family. My grandfather James Arnold Hall was born in Atmore, Alabama. He also worked on a farm going up picking cotton. My great grandparents on my mother’s side were Glenda and Floyd Heart. I don’t know very much about their life, but I did meet them when I was very young. On my father’s side of the family my grandmother Maria Fierro was born in Anapra, New Mexica, and my grandfather Andres Sarabia was born in Buena Vista, Texas. My great grandparents on my father’s side are Maria and Fernando Fierro. My great-grandfather was a brick layer, because most homes in Anapra were built from brick. It was interesting gathering this information, and I wish that I knew a lot more about the people they were. I am going to continue to try and find out more information, so I can share and carry on our family history with future members of our family.
ReplyDeleteLondon,
DeleteIt's really cool that you tried getting in touch with some of your family members to find out your history. I thought about doing that too. Good luck to you and your endeavor to find out! Nice post.
Due to the fact that one of my uncles created a family tree tracing his mother’s, my grandmother’s, lineage, I could type pages about when various ancestors made it to North America. I do not actually wish to do go hunting and find that massive project of his, but I do seem to recall that most of my maternal grandmother’s family came to North America during the colonization era. So, that’s about the 1600-1700s. I don’t spend a lot of time trying to find out when my family got here, I just feel grateful that they did. My ancestry can only be described as being white Anglo-Saxon Protestant for a great many generations. I can trace ancestry back to Germany, England, Ireland, and Scotland. While this does matter to me, it is nowhere near as important as the fact that I am an American. I have lived here my entire life, so I don’t feel the need to try to figure out when each branch of my family came to America. It’s just not something I really think about.
ReplyDeleteI find it very interesting that you are able to look up your ancestors whenever you are interested in learning about your roots. I wish that I could look that up too but unfortunately no one is my family has done that. As well as you, I am also grateful that my family managed to come to the United States.
DeleteMy maternal grandmother’s side of the family has been living in Chimayo, New Mexico for about 450 years. In the early 1600's they came over from Spain to North America and settled around the area that is known as Chimayo, New Mexico. My maternal grandfather’s family came from Germany and Ireland in the mid 1800's. My paternal grandfather’s family has been traced back to Canones, New Mexico since the 1600's. My paternal grandmother’s family has been traced back to Coyote, NM since the early 1600's as well. There is much more detail that I can go into my ancestry thanks to my paternal grandfather who picked it up as a new hobby a few years ago. For the most part my family is Hispanic, they have lived in New Mexico long before it was even belonged to the United States. To this day all of my family still lives in New Mexico, I am the only one who is living out of state. Where I am from does dictate who I am because without such strong family roots in New Mexico I would not be the person that I am today. I have realized that New Mexico has a very unique and rich culture. It is a combination of Mexican, Spanish and Native American cultures that I have yet to see anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteHello Monica, I think it is nice that you know where your family is from. I really like the fact that you can actually say that in 1600's you knew what your family was doing. I can only go as far back as my grandparents. I have been to New Mexico once, and it is very different then any other place I have been to.
DeleteI'm not sure how where my family came from dictates who I am. On my mom's side, they couldn't tell me when their family came to America or who it was that made the move. The only response I got was, "We're German and Irish." However, on my dad's side, it was my grandparents who came from Juarez to El Paso, where they had their children. My grandparents are citizens now, but for a long time, they weren't.
ReplyDeleteI look like a "white girl" so I've never been asked where my family is from or had any racial discrimination. Perhaps that's why I never asked about when my family came to America.
If I had to say that where my family dictates how I am today, I wouldn't know what to say. I guess I have a better understanding of why people would want to be in America and work hard, rather than staying in Mexico and being poor. I can say that much has affected me because it makes me feel more fortunate to live here rather than in Mexico or anywhere else in the world.
Both sets of my dad's grandparents came to America from Finland around 1910. My father's great grandparents only spoke Finish and struggled to develop the English language. His grandparents had an easier time learning English because they were much younger when they arrived in America. My great grandma always told me stories of her childhood and how she would have to translate things for her mother, and how things were a little different for them because their culture was a little bit different. One of my great-grandmothers passed away and left me with some of her old trinkets as a little girl that were from Finland. My other great-grandmother passed away this summer at the age of 95, so she was able to tell me tons of stories about her childhood. She left me with a whole tea-set with hand-painted cups and saucers from Finland. My great-grandparents's move from Finland dictates who my family is because their arrival is what established our lives here is America. It made us who we are today and affected how my grandparents, my dad, and how I was raised. Things would be completely different if they had never come over to the U.S. On my mother's side, her great-great-grandparents came from Ireland. Similar scenario, without their move to the U.S., my life would be totally different. Both sides of my family had to work from the bottom up to become successful and to ensure that they were creating a new life in America.
ReplyDeleteI am not too sure where my grandparents from my Father's side originated from; however, I know my grandparents on my Mother's side came from Mexico. My Mom has told me that my Grandpa came to the United States to help build the railroad.I could not talk with my grandparents because they only spoke Spanish, and at the time I was very young. I wish I was able to ask them firsthand about their roots because it has a lot to do with who they really are. This is because my grandparents worked really hard to come to the United States, and they knew exactly how hard it was to live in Mexico. They continued to work hard when they came to the America, so they could start their family and raise them here without having to pack up and go back to Mexico. As far as my parents, My mom grew up in Delano and my dad is from Orange County. When I was a little girl, I used to ask my mom over and over how they met each other because I used to love to hear the story. My mom was working at the Fair in Bakersfield at this booth for fun with her friend, and my Dad was there with his coworkers setting up a stand to sell gold fish. My dad went to her stand to buy lunch and he ended up taking my mom on dates and they soon fell in love.
ReplyDeleteI think it is very interesting that your grandfather came to the United States to build the railroad and my grandfather also came to the United States as part of a program. My mother was also raised in Delano like yours. We have that in common.
DeleteI do not know exact dates or years of when my family came to the United States, but I do know where they came from and how they came to be here. Starting with my mom’s side, for the most part, my grandmother and her children lived in Mexico in a state called Michoacan. My mother was born there and only lived there until she was about 4 years old. My grandfather came to the United States before my mother was born. He was part of the bracero program. Slowly but surely he managed to bring me grandma and his children over to the United States. My mom came here when she was about 4 or 5 and studied in school and graduated from high school. As for my father’s side of the family, my grandparents and his siblings still live in the state of Nayarit in Mexico. I am not really sure why but at some point in his life my dad decided to come to the United States to stay with his uncles. He managed to get here and was deported at some time but he is now a resident of the United States and works in Alaska. My mother and father met in a church youth group and then got married and had me. Even though they were not from the same state in Mexico, and even though my mom was raised in the US, my parents still taught me about my culture as a Mexican. Besides teaching me my culture, they were still making sure to teach me about American culture as well. I got the best of both worlds.
ReplyDeleteFROM TAREN:
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to figure this one out. The sad thing is many of my grandparents are no longer alive and it seems that the rest of the family has no clue. I do know that my grandpa migrated to California during the Dust Bowl. He was very young and doesn’t remember most of the journey over. He has told me many stories over the years about his coming to California. The came in search of work, like most Oakies. It was just him and his father on the first trip. His mother and sister stayed behind until they could settle in. My grandpa said that they stayed in labor camps and slept in a tent for many months. Him and his father would wake up with the sun and search for work. He said he ate very little during that time and showered even less. Although he was only 7 he said he wanted to be a man and help his family out as much as possible. He got jobs collecting firewood, picking fruit and construction type work. He would plea to employers that he and his father would work for the wage of one man. He picked up many trades during this time. He later became a successful carpenter. Although he started from nothing, he has lived the American dream. The woman my grandpa married (my paternal grandma) was ½ Cherokee. I am not sure when her side of the family came to the United States but it would be really interesting to find out. I have been told my whole life that I am German, Polish and Cherokee. This post has convinced me to discover my heritage. I am looking into Ancestry.com right now!