Many facts are bought out
in researching, but there is always a chance
that errors may be found as genealogy is
always open to change when better facts
are found. Research into the
Petra Vela
family was brought about because of the
book,
If You Love Me, You Will Do
My Will by Hugh Aynesworth (Contributor),
Stephen G. Michaud. In reading this book
and its exciting court battles for
Sarita
Kenedy East’s vast ranching estate (
400, 000+ acres) before and after her death,
that interest was heightened with her Hispanic
ancestors. Never did the author believe
that connections to Sarita would be encountered
from reading the book. A pedigree chart
on Petra Vela is included with this article
and the connection to her Vela and Resendez
ancestors. After attending a conference
in Houston, Texas, a speaker,
Ana Carolina
Crimm, mentioned that her research on
Petra Vela shows that her first husband
was never married legally to her. Crimm
also mentioned that
Luis Vidal might
not have been killed by Mifflin Kenedy’s
orders, a popular legend. These last facts
are subject to great speculation and hopefully
when her books are published it will be
made clear.
The article includes a Family Group Sheet
chart on
Jose Gregorio Vela. It shows his two wives,
Maria Josefa Moreno and
Maria
Josefa Resendez. The interesting fact
here is that his second wife,
Maria Josefa
Resendez is the sister of his son in
law,
JoseGregorio Resendez who is
married to
Maria Gertrudis Vela.
Jose Gregorio Vela marries
Maria
Josefa Resendez on 30 Jan 1812 and
Jose
Gregorio Resendez marries
Maria Gertrudis
Vela 26 May 1818. Both of these marriages
are recorded in Mier, Tamaulipas. The second
marriage of
Jose Gregorio Vela to
Maria Josefa Resendez is the union
that produces
Petra Vela. Information
presented to the author that Jose Gregorio
Vela’s original ranch house is still standing
in southern Jim Hogg County. There has been
remodeling to the structure but it has stood
ravages of time.
The results of research into these three
families, Resendez, Vela and Pena have proven
that members of families relocated and established
their own Ranchos to better themselves and
to raise families. Movement from the town
of Ciudad Mier to Mendez seems maybe not
so far in today’s times by fast auto but
in the early 1800’s it took days to make
the journeys with more primitive modes of
transportation. Research also proves that
intermarrying between Mexican landowner’s
daughters and arriving Anglo settlers was
also happening. Fewer families in these
early Mexican and Texas times produced kinship
that are now being discovered which were
known to these families in those early days.
References:
Family Tree Book, Seabury Papers,
Transcribed by Jose Rene Escobar.
Spanish American Genealogical Association,
Mier Church Marriage Records,
Book
of Brides.
S.A.G.A.,
Mier, Church Baptism Records
Book 1, 2, 3.
S.A.G.A.,
Mier Church Death Records.
The Book of Mier Marriages, 1767-1805,
Israel Cavazos Garza, Martha Migali Gonzalez.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,
Mier Marriages, Baptisms, Deaths, copied
from Records of Israel Cavazos Garza. Microfilms:
#1162855,1162854,1511691
If You Love Me You Will Do My Will,
by Stephen G. Michaud, Hugh Aynesworth.
Family History of Capt. Miguel Sanchez
Saenz and his Descendants, Joel Rene
Escobar y Saenz.
Corrido of Mariano Resendez, El Dueto
Los Alegres de Teran.
Discussions with Homero Vera, Premont, Texas,
on the Resendez – Vera Family.
Discussions with Xavier Sendejo, Lake Jackson,
Texas on the Pena Family.
Mendez Records of Rodrigo Resendez Guerra
Microfilm # 1708822 , submitted to the Church
of Jesus Christi of Latter Day Saints.
Discussion with R. LaPerriere de. Gutierrez
on Felix B. del Barrio Family and collection
of photographs.
Discussions with Fernando Resendez (Grandson
of Mariano Resendez, El Contrabandista)
Discussions with Baldomero Vela, Jr. on
the Resendez Family.
Author:
Jose O. Guerra, Jr.
Houston, TX 77090
E Mail:
joguerra@hispanicgs.com
