Silvan Mysteries

Today I received a packet of information loaded with facts, names, stories, documents and excitement from my newly-found cousins in California. Thanks to Patte and Linda, I now have before me MORE QUESTIONS!


Was Aunt Christina truly the only child to Augustina Hernandez and Celestino Silvan? Was Augustina Hernandez the mother or stepmother to Victorino, Juan Francisco, Geronimo, and Agustin? Was there another brother name Asencion? Or was Agustin's first or middle name Asencion? Was a brother's nickname really MUNDO? And was he really 7 feet plus 7 inches tall when his brothers were so much less tall? (I hesitate to use "shorter" since it's been the bane to my existence all my life and being short isn't always fun or a word I like to use).


Was my great grandmother really jealous and wicked against Uncle Eusebio ---? The story is she did not like him but played cards with him as her partner....when everyone got together all those years ago... but? It makes our heads swim wondering.

I know that over the years people change from their youth to their mid-life years and often again when they become senior citizens. I've found it throughout our Silvan history and we may never know if and/or why Grandma Rita would have torn up a letter from the King of Spain offering her brother in law, Eusebio Gonzales, a "Marquis" honor. The story makes my brow crease. Grandma Rita could not read or write. Uncle Eusebio could not either. Why would she be asked to translate a letter as fine as this for him, I wonder? Victorino could read and write...why wasn't he given the letter to translate instead?

As in most family history, there are often facts that lead to more questions. We may never know but it is quite intriguing to think Uncle Eusebio Gonzales was offered such a wonderful honor from the King of Spain. Orphaned young, he ran away from an abusive Catholic orphanage to join the King's Cavalry when he was about 14 years old and apparently served very well. Why else would Spain offer him such a valuable honor as this? He must have been quite a wonderful man and I wish I'd known him. For now, my questions linger and maybe, just maybe some of these questions will find answers in Fuentesauco come June when I hit the soil running.