"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." This is a quotation from the Spanish philosopher George Santayana. I take that quotation quite literally. I also use another quotation by Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Go where there is no path, and leave a trail". The Emerson quotation is below my signature and logo on my business email. I enjoy blazing trails...and then encourage others to follow. The thought is, "if Maggie could do it, so can you".
Ok, so here goes...and I know I'm blazing another trail here. I have several reasons for posting a blog, so far away from the other side of me (poetry and stories). This is just for myself, my family and especially, my children to read. I hope to store away quite a few memories in this place. Some are painful...some are joyous! Please forgive me when I ramble. I love to talk to an imaginary audience, so I may not use the grammatically correct (who is reading anyway?? LOL) . In my life I don't often get to freely state what I'm feeling. I tend to keep things bottled up inside until they explode. I want to put into words what I was feeling at a certain time or event. I need to grab that memory and hold it within my grasp, savor the thoughts and share them with you. This is my version of therapy I suppose. So wheeeeeeee....lets get started!!
I have always known about the history of my mother's family. (It was repeatedly mentioned throughout my life!!!). I am not a historian, nor do I plan to be. What I do have are some pictures to share, along with some vivid memories of my mother and maternal grandparents. These memories are up close and personal. This is a blueprint of my life, so its always best to start at the beginning.
My mother is Olivia (Miera) (Edwards) Kinsella, born to Juan Nepomuceno Manuel Miera and Elvira (Baca) Miera on August 16, 1925. My maternal grandfather, Juan was born to Mauricio Miera and Maria Placida Montoya on October 3, 1888. My maternal grandmother, Elvira was born to Solomon G. Baca and Margarita Montoya on March 4, 1894. The marriage was an alliance of two prominent Socorro and San Antonio families, the Baca's and the Miera's. Coincidentally, my grandparents were cousins, sharing a direct blood link through Solomon's mother, Maria Francisca (Miera) Baca (b.8/16/1851) who married Juan Jose Baca on March 14, 1866* at the ripe old age of 15!
It gets complicated as one tracks through the ancestral lines. What I have deduced from linking ancestor to ancestor on different web databases..(gotta love the internet..thank you Al Gore!)....is that my brothers, sister and I are direct descendants of Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco (b. 8/4/1713 in Valle de Carriedo, Espana) through my grandfather and direct descendants of Cristobal Baca (b. 1567, Ciudád de Mexico, Nueva España ) through my grandmother.
Well, its a beginning...*smiles*
*Note: I recently noticed several databases state the date of this marriage was February 14, not March 14. I went by the date my grandmother had written down in several notes she kept. Maggie
