Family Legacies

My mother (on loan from my other siblings) has been regaling me with stories of her childhood. One of the stories I found fascinating was that she never knew her grandfather. He died in the early 1910s, before my mother was born.

Her grandfather had been killed by a real life guerrilla from Pancho Villa's regime. The motive, according to family lore, was robbery, which makes sense considering they owned property. Villa's forces were often known to demand tribute from wealthy landowners.

This, in turn was how I found out my sweet, soft-spoken grandmother always packed a big, old revolver near her person. I guess I would too if I had revolutionaries riding around my hacienda.

I always knew my grandmother was a practical woman and apparently, fearless too. I've heard other stories when she had actually threatened a bad guy with that same gun while she was home alone with her young children. I never heard conclusively whether she fired or not. Knowing her, she probably scared the crap out of that guy though. No one messed with my grandma. :-)

Another interesting factoid: My mother says she had a hard time understanding her grandmother, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman from Spain. Spanish dialects are remarkably unique to Mexico and Spain. It would take a keen ear to understand both dialects.

I have one small photo of my great-grandmother. She was very old by then, and tiny! She reminded me of a doll in her long flowered frock and ruffled collar, still as svelte as when she was young. 

My grandmother (a young woman at the time of the photo) stood a whole head taller. I guess I can thank my great-grandmother for my lack of height. Alas, I inherited no blonde hair or blue eyes, though occasionally it pops up in a descendant.

Do you have a favorite family story about one of your ancestors?

My mother's memories are beginning to fade, so I treasure the small gems she's able to remember.