 |
| Photo by Patrick Jones. Gogol Bordello, 9:30 Club, DC, Dec 2013 |
 |
| Photo by Patrick Jones. Gogol Bordello, 28 Dec 2013. |
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Wordless Wednesday - Evening at the 9:30 Club
Monday, May 5, 2014
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo is a date that means different things to different people. For some a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, for others a chance to enjoy margaritas, Coronas and tacos, or to commemorate the Mexican army's victory of French troops at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Today I reflect back on my own Mexican heritage, and the journey of my great-grandfather Plutarco Campuzano from Sonora to Arizona.
In January I wrote about the letter from Citizenship and Immigration Services on Plutarco's Alien Case file. I was beginning to think the file would never arrive, but a package from USCIS arrived in the mail this Saturday. Now I understand the delay. Because the file contained documents after the USCIS cut-off-date of 1 May 1951, those records had to be released by a Freedom of Information Act request. Thankfully USCIS submitted the FOIA request on my behalf. The file contained 12 pages, including color photocopies of his Alien Registration Card.
In May 2012, I wrote about Plutarco, and included copies of border crossing records which referenced his permanent resident alien status received on 10 January 1929. The photo above shows the actual document granting him an Immigration Visa at Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. Other pages in the file confirm what I already knew, that Plutarco had been living in Tucson (he claimed 1923 to 9 January 1929, returned to Mexico on 9 January and then went back to Arizona after receiving his immigrant visa. He was listed as 5 feet 6 inches with an occupation as painter. This visa was renewed on 9 September 1942.
A separate alien registration form dated 19 November 1940 in Tucson states that Plutarco first arrived on foot in the US at Sasabe, Arizona on 28 January 1915. It notes that Plutarco was a member of the Painters Union in 1938, and his current employer at the time was general contractor W. S. Conelly.
Plutarco signed a Declaration of Intention, which was endorsed by Evelyn Fields, Deputy Clerk of the US District Court for the District of Arizona on 3 June 1944 in Tucson. His name was signed on the form Plutarco Vasquez Campuzano. Plutarco's case files were consolidated on 14 July 1944. There were separate files on his original immigration visa and his reentry permit.
An updated address card was signed on 5 January 1951, which shows him as a national of Mexico, residing at 453 South Main Street, Tucson, Arizona.
The town of Altar in Sonora where Plutarco was from is located approximately 60 miles from the US border crossing at Sasabe. This is desert terrain. In January 1915 perhaps it would not be as hot, but likely Plutarco walked at night. It is another 71 miles or more from Sasabe to Tucson. It is a strong reminder of what we have today thanks to the efforts of those before us. I am glad the file arrived and that I have this information on the family's journey to the US.
In January I wrote about the letter from Citizenship and Immigration Services on Plutarco's Alien Case file. I was beginning to think the file would never arrive, but a package from USCIS arrived in the mail this Saturday. Now I understand the delay. Because the file contained documents after the USCIS cut-off-date of 1 May 1951, those records had to be released by a Freedom of Information Act request. Thankfully USCIS submitted the FOIA request on my behalf. The file contained 12 pages, including color photocopies of his Alien Registration Card.
 |
| Source: US Citizenship & Immigration Services |
A separate alien registration form dated 19 November 1940 in Tucson states that Plutarco first arrived on foot in the US at Sasabe, Arizona on 28 January 1915. It notes that Plutarco was a member of the Painters Union in 1938, and his current employer at the time was general contractor W. S. Conelly.
Plutarco signed a Declaration of Intention, which was endorsed by Evelyn Fields, Deputy Clerk of the US District Court for the District of Arizona on 3 June 1944 in Tucson. His name was signed on the form Plutarco Vasquez Campuzano. Plutarco's case files were consolidated on 14 July 1944. There were separate files on his original immigration visa and his reentry permit.
An updated address card was signed on 5 January 1951, which shows him as a national of Mexico, residing at 453 South Main Street, Tucson, Arizona.
The town of Altar in Sonora where Plutarco was from is located approximately 60 miles from the US border crossing at Sasabe. This is desert terrain. In January 1915 perhaps it would not be as hot, but likely Plutarco walked at night. It is another 71 miles or more from Sasabe to Tucson. It is a strong reminder of what we have today thanks to the efforts of those before us. I am glad the file arrived and that I have this information on the family's journey to the US.
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Sterling Brewery
This post provides more detail on the Sterling Brewery of Evansville, Indiana, employer of Stanley Read from 1944-1958. Stanley was my great-grand-uncle, son of Charlie Read and Mary Alice Cain.
Sterling Brewery was not Stanley's first involvement with breweries in Evansville. In the US City Directories, Stanley was a driver for Southern Indiana Beverage Company for several years before joining Sterling.
HistoricEvansville.com contains a number of photos for the famous brewery (see Sterling Brewery photos at http://www.historicevansville.com/tag.php?id=sterling).
The brewery dates back to the 1860s, but the brewery where Stanley worked was completed in 1914. After changing hands in the 1970s and 1980s, Sterling was sold to Pittsburgh Brewing. The building was razed in 1998. When Pittsburgh Brewing went bankrupt, the Sterling brand was bought and the beer was relaunched in 2013. More information on new Sterling is available at SterlingBeer.com.
Sterling Brewery was not Stanley's first involvement with breweries in Evansville. In the US City Directories, Stanley was a driver for Southern Indiana Beverage Company for several years before joining Sterling.
HistoricEvansville.com contains a number of photos for the famous brewery (see Sterling Brewery photos at http://www.historicevansville.com/tag.php?id=sterling).
 |
Friday, May 2, 2014
New Leads on the Cain/Kane Family
After returning from meetings this week, I have some tantalizing new leads in the research on my 2nd-great-grandmother Mary Alice Cain/Kane's family. Helpful researcher Linda sent me text from the Barren County school census of 1895. In District 83 for Glasgow, Barren County, the household of Bland Read (Charlie Read's brother) shows son Eddie Read (age 6) and Alice Cane (age 17) attending school. We already know Mary Alice and Charlie were married in February 1895, but where were her parents? I looked through the Kentucky Probate files for guardian records but could not find any references to a Cain/Kane/Cane family in the county.
The State of Kentucky sent me copies of the birth certificates for Pearl Read and Carl Read, children of Charlie and Mary Alice. Both documents show that Mary Alice was born in or near Glasgow, Barren County.
The biggest lead of the week came from a distant cousin who is also researching this family. She recalled her mother remembered that Mary Alice had a brother named Harl Cain. It took some digging, but I found Harl Cain's World War II draft registration card, showing him living in Chico, Butte County, California. His date of birth, 16 June 1879, and place of birth Glasgow, Kentucky.
Harl Cain enlisted in the US Army in 1901. His service took him to California, and he was discharged in 1904. There's a long paper trail on Harl, so perhaps this information will lead to the parents of Harl and Mary Alice Cain. I will have more on his story soon.
The State of Kentucky sent me copies of the birth certificates for Pearl Read and Carl Read, children of Charlie and Mary Alice. Both documents show that Mary Alice was born in or near Glasgow, Barren County.
The biggest lead of the week came from a distant cousin who is also researching this family. She recalled her mother remembered that Mary Alice had a brother named Harl Cain. It took some digging, but I found Harl Cain's World War II draft registration card, showing him living in Chico, Butte County, California. His date of birth, 16 June 1879, and place of birth Glasgow, Kentucky.
Friday Photo - Historic Radio Equipment at the UN
The photos below are of an old set of radio and communications equipment at the side entrance of the Secretariat building at the UN Headquarters in New York.
 |
| Photo by Patrick Jones, UN HQ, April 2014 |
 |
| Photo by Patrick Jones, UN HQ, April 2014 |
 |
| Photo by Patrick Jones |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)