Opinion

Family Lines, Branching Out

Marriage, birth and death records play an important role in documenting our family history. However, everything concerning our families is not written down. For many communities, cultures and families the stories are handed down by word of mouth. Oral history can play a vital role in finding your families and answering those questions not covered in official documents.

The moment Francita Alavez heard the nightmarish news on the evening of Mar. 26, 1836, she sprang into swift but secret action. The brave wife of a Mexican officer would not stand idly by while her countrymen killed the defenseless detainees at Goliad. The Tampico prisoners served as guinea pigs for Santa Anna’s get-tough policy toward meddlesome foreigners. A number of Americans were among the 28 followers of Gen. Jose Antonio Mexia tried for piracy and put to death on Dec. 14, 1835. Encouraged by the ho-hum reaction from the United States, the tyrant issued his infamous noquarter decree that his puppet congress made the law of the land two weeks later.