My Family History: The Cruz’s

By: Karen Cruz

José Refugio Cruz Birth date unknown Year of death unknown He lived through the

Mexican Revolution in his later years.

Married Maria de la Luz Perales

My great-great-grandfather lived in a “hacienda” as a child, which at that time was a large estate in Spanish-speaking countries.

It was called the “Hacienda Los Saucillos.”

Eventually, it developed into a small town and was renamed as “Antonio Amaro.”

Antonio Amaro is located in the present state of Durango, Mexico.

Abraham Cruz Approximate date of birth is unknown Married Elvira Lozano Riviera Elvira Lozano was married to another man before meeting Abraham. He was just a child when the Mexican Revolution began in 1910. He also did not particulate in the war. They only had one child named Candelario. Died on February 6, 1993 His wife died on November 15, 2008 at age 97.

“La Fiebre Malta,”

When my great-grandfather was a young man, an epidemic disease spread through the states and towns of Mexico. It was called which is similar to the infectious disease, Brucellosis. This particular disease was acquired by ingesting cows’ milk and or goats’ cheese. A lot of people died after the following symptoms: fever, weakness, sweating, and vague pains. Supposedly, sp many people had died, that bodies were simply wrapped into blankets then thrown into holes in the ground. (Source: Maria Ines Gutierrez, wife of Candelario Cruz.)

Candelario Cruz Born on February 2, 1942 in Antonio Amaro (area of Durango, Mexico) He was the only child, but his mother was married to another man before meeting

his own biological father, so he has half sisters. As a child and a young man, he helped his father in fields by harvesting crops

and growing other products that were to be sold in the local market. He occasionally came to Houston, Texas to visit his half sister, Ester Valdez

starting in the year 1978. Jimmy Carter was president during that time. Married Maria Ines Guitterez He had his first child when he was 24 years old. Up to this date, he has had 12 children with 6 being girls and 6 being boys.

Juan Cruz Born on December 27, 1965 in Durango,

Mexico He is the oldest of twelve Came to Houston, Texas in 1984. He attended Jefferson Davis High

School. After graduating, he moved to Atlanta,

Georgia. He resided there for only two months,

and then he traveled up to Boston, Massachusetts.

(Ronald Regan was president during this time.)

He stayed in Boston for some time before returning to Mexico. Back at home, he met my mother and they married in 1991.

Then they moved to Boston, Massachusetts and lived there for 9 years.

My mom had my sister and me in Boston.

My dad says he doesn’t know much of our family history, because it was considered rude to get involved in family matters. He doesn’t even know how his parents meet, since he wasn’t allowed to ask questions like that when he was young.

Karen Cruz

I was born in Boston, Massachusetts in Brigham And Women’s Hospital.

My mom also had my older sister in Boston.

We lived in Boston for 4 years.

Then we moved down to Atlanta, Georgia.

We lived in the outskirts of Atlanta.

When I was 5 years old we moved to Dacula, Georgia.

My mom had my younger brother and baby sister in Lawrenceville.

At least four generations of my dad’s, as well as my mom’s, family have lived in this part of Mexico. I began going there almost every year since I was a little girl. The longest I have stayed there was for 6 months. That was before I went to school. It will be two years and half since I’ve lasted visited there.