The Rafael Navarrete Family History
A Documented Research Report by Bob Wirt
Version 2, Revised February 17th, 2011
Version 2, Revised February 17th, 2011
Rafael Navarrete was born in Mexico circa 1850. His father was Concepcion Navarrete but his mother’s name is not available. He married Bruna Gutierrez circa 1874. She was born in Mexico circa 1855 and was the daughter of Jose Maria Gutierrez and Leogarda Valenzuela. Rafael and Bruna immigrated to the United States in 1901 and by 1910 had settled in the Terlingua area. According to the 1910 census, Rafael was working as a quicksilver miner. In 1920, still in the Terlingua area, he was a general laborer. Bruna died sometime between 1910 and 1920. Rafael and Bruna had eleven children.
1. Daughter Maria Salome Navarrete was baptized August 26, 1875 in San Gerónimo, Huejotitán, Chihuahua, Mexico (about 175 miles south of Chihuahua City).
2. Daughter Ezequia Navarrete was born circa 1878 in Mexico. She married Luis Chacon, who was deceased by 1910. Eziquia was still in the Terlingua area in 1910, but by 1918 had moved to Alpine. She died at her residence in Alpine May 29, 1958 and is buried in Holy Angels Cemetery. Eziquia and Luis had six children:
A. Daughter Luz Chacon was born April 6, 1890 in Mexico. Her married name was Almodova. She died of pulmonary tuberculosis in Alpine on November 22, 1918 and was buried there the following day.
B. Daughter Dolada Chacon was born circa 1895 in Mexico and was living with her mother in the Terlingua area in 1910.
C. Daughter Lucia Chacon was born circa 1897 in Mexico and was living with her mother in the Terlingua area in 1910.
D. Daughter Alma Chacon was born in Mexico circa 1899 and was living with her mother in the Terlingua area in 1910.
E. Daughter Rita Chacon was born in Texas circa 1901 and was living with her mother in the Terlingua area in 1910.
F. Son Luis Chacon was born May 10, 1905 and was baptized in Big Bend September 11, 1905 by Father Brocardus. His godparents were Eufracio and Francisca Enrique. Luis apparently died as a small child.
3. Son Miguel Navarrete was born circa 1879 in Mexico. He immigrated to the United States with his family in 1901 and by 1910 was in the Terlingua area working in the quicksilver mines. From November 1916 to March 1918 he worked intermittently (a) for the Study Butte Mining Company at $1.00 to $1.25 per shift. Miguel married Simona Sanchez circa 1906. She was born circa 1888 in Texas. They had seven children:
A. Daughter Josefina Navarrete was born March 19, 1908 in Mariposa, Texas. She was baptized in Terlingua May 4 1908 by Father Brocardus. Her godparents were Esteban Reyes and Faustina Valdez. In 1920 she was living in the Terlingua area with her parents. Circa 1927 she married Nicolas “Nick” Wright. He was born in Shafter, Texas January 11, 1904, the son of Sam Wright. He died in Alpine November 17, 1957. Josefina died in Alpine February 5. 1992. Both are buried in Holy Angels Cemetery. They had ten children:
(1) Daughter Josefina Wright was born June 25, 1928 in Brewster County
(2) Son Sam Wright was born September 16, 1929 in Stanton, Texas. He died June 28, 1930 in Alpine and is buried in Holy Angels Cemetery.
(3) Son Nick Wright was born in Brewster County July 13, 1931. He died in Alpine September 16, 1932 and was buried there the following day.
(4) An unnamed daughter was born and died November 21, 1933 in Brewster County.
(5) Son David Wright was born January 11, 1938 in Brewster County.
(6) Son Mike Sam Wright was born July 2, 1940 in Brewster County.
(7) Son Avel Wright was born September 28, 1941 in Brewster County.
(8) Son Adolfo Wright was born February 5, 1943 in Brewster County and died in Alpine March 11, 1943. He is buried in Alpine.
(9) Son Israel Wright was born in Brewster County June 7, 1945.
(10) Son Nicanor Wright was born in Brewster County September 1, 1946.
B. Daughter Francisca Navarrete was born April 1, 1910 in Texas. She was baptized in Chisos April 26, 1910 by Father Brocardus. Her godparents were Francisco and Pilar Nunez. She married Jose Mata. He was born September 18, 1901 and was baptized in Terlingua September 22, 1901 by Father Brocardus. His godfather was Marcos Pena. Jose’s parents were Dario Mata and Teresa Jimenez. Francisca and Jose had three children, all born in Brewster County:
(1) Daughter Rosa Mata was born May 26, 1945.
(2) Daughter Julia Mata was born February 6, 1947.
(3) Son Manuel Mata was born March 4, 1949.
C. Son Patricio Navarrete was born March 17, 1913 in Terlingua. He married Carmen Rojo, daughter of Concepcion Rojo and Angelita Salcido. She was born July 14, 1911 in Texas. Patricio died December 27, 2006 in Fort Stockton Nursing Center. Carmen died August 22, 1975 of Uremia and kidney failure in Big Bend Memorial Hospital in Alpine. Both are buried in Holy Angels Cemetery, Alpine. Patricio and Carmen had five children:
(1) Daughter Irma Navarrete was born July 3, 1940 in Brewster County. In December 2006 she was living in Marfa, Texas. Her married name is Lara.
(2) Son Adolfo Navarrete was born February 1, 1942 in Alpine and died there June 7, 1942. He is buried in Alpine.
(3) Son Patricio Navarrete was born February 4, 1945 in Brewster County. In December 2006 he was living in Fort Davis, Texas.
(4) Son David Navarrete was born November 8, 1946 in Brewster County.
(5) Daughter Linda Navarrete was born May 27, 1948 in Brewster County.
D. Son Rafael Navarrete was born in Terlingua February 22, 1915. He died in Thomason Hospital in El Paso, Texas September 10, 2004. He married Francisca Martinez September 16, 1939 in Alpine. She was born October 6, 1922 in Marfa and died in Alpine March 12, 2002. Both are buried in Holy Angels Cemetery. Rafael and Francisca had nine children:
(1) Daughter Jesusita “Susie” Navarrete was born July 2, 1940 in Brewster County. She was deceased by December 1998. Her married name was Portillo.
(2) Daughter Maria “Mary Lou” Navarrete was born in Alpine October 24, 1943. She lived in Alpine and attended schools there until 1962, when she moved to El Paso. In El Paso she worked as a health care provider. She died in an El Paso hospital December 23, 1998 and is buried in Holy Angels Cemetery in Alpine. Maria had three children:
a. Son Gabriel James Navarrete was deceased by December 1998.
b. Son Billy Navarrete was living in El Paso in December 1998.
c. Daughter Nicole Navarrete was living in Sacramento, California in December 1998.
(3) Son Rafael Navarrete, Jr. was born May 17, 1945 in Brewster County. His wife’s name is Mary Lou. In September 2004 they were living in San Diego.
(4) Daughter Zenaida Navarrete was born March 6, 1947 in Brewster County. In September 2004 she was living in Marfa, Texas. Her married name is Nunez.
(5) Son Miguel Navarrete was born in Alpine August 4, 1949. He died in Epperson Clinic Hospital August 7, 1951 of an acute pulmonary infection. He is buried in Holy Angels Cemetery.
(6) Son Eduardo Navarrete was living in Alpine in September 2004. His wife’s name is Grace.
(7) Daughter Gloria Navarrete married Fernie Navarro. In September 2004 they were living in El Paso.
(8) Daughter Juanita Navarrete married Louie Alarco. In September 2004 they were living in El Paso.
(9) Daughter Yolanda Navarrete married David Solis. In September 2004 they were living in El Paso.
E. Daughter Santos Navarrete was living in Alpine in September 2004. Her married name is Milan.
F. Son Agapito Navarrete was deceased by September 2004.
G. Daughter Dominga Navarrete was born in Alpine March 22, 1922. She married Agustin Herrera in 1938. They had seven children:
(1) Son Agustin Herrera, Jr. twin of Jesusita, was born April 5, 1939 in Alpine. He died December 16, 1939 in Alpine and is buried there.
(2) Daughter Jesusita Herrera, twin of Agustin, Jr., was born April 5, 1939. She died July 25, 1939 in Alpine and is buried there.
(3) Son Rafael Herrera was born April 19, 1940 in Brewster County. His wife’s name is Leogarda. In January 1996 they were living in Alpine.
(4) Daughter Ramona Herrera was born in Brewster County August 14, 1941. She died in Alpine June 1, 1942 and is buried there.
(5) Son Miguel Herrera was born September 2, 1942 in Alpine. He died July 18, 1944 in Alpine and is buried there.
(6) Son Agapito Herrera was born July 21, 1943 in Brewster County. He died in a motor vehicle accident six miles north of Shafter, Texas August 25, 1969. He was a resident of Alpine at the time of his death. His wife’s name was Felicita.
(7) Daughter Adela Herrera was born March 26, 1945 in Brewster County. She married Cayetano Flores. In January 1996 they were living in Alpine.
4. Son Rafael Navarrete was born in Mexico and was baptized December 26, 1880 in Hidalgo del Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico.
5. Son Juan Navarrete was born circa 1881 in Mexico. He immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1901 and was still living with them in 1910. He was working as a quicksilver miner in 1910.
6. Daughter Jesus Navarrete was born February 5, 1886 in Mexico. She married Valentin Rodriguez circa 1901. He was the son of Toribio and Francisca Rodriguez. He was an early settler and land owner in the Terlingua area. He died in Big Bend, Texas March 6, 1925 and is buried in the Big Bend Cemetery (also known as El Camposanto del Arroyo and the 248 cemetery). He was married earlier to Brigida Alaviz and they had one child:
A. Son Atanacio Rodriguez was born in Texas May 2, 1891. He was a resident of Alpine from 1945 until his death in 1962. He was a ranch laborer. He died at his residence in Alpine September 27, 1962 of congestive heart failure and is buried in Holy Angels Cemetery. Atanacio never married.
Jesus and Valentin had six children:
A. Daughter Leonarda Rodriguez was born November 1902. She was baptized in Terlingua May 22, 1903 by Father Brocardus. Her godparents were Federico Villalba and Maria Cortez. She died in Alpine July 7, 1954 and is buried there. She married Gilberto Marufo circa 1935. He had been married previously to Rodriga Gamboa. For details see http://www.lifebeforetheruins.com/gilberto-marufo.html Gilberto and Leonarda had one child:
(1) Daughter Angelita Marufo was born May 18, 1936. She died of pneumonia in Alpine March 6, 1937. She was buried in the Terlingua Cemetery the following day.
B. Jose Leon Rodriguez was born July 28, 1904 and was baptized in Terlingua October 11, 1904 by Father Brocardus. His godparents were Federico Villalba and Maria Cortez. He died July 14, 1932 in an automobile accident on the highway between Terlingua and Alpine. Jose Leon married Agustina Catano, daughter of Donaciano Catano and Josefa Ramos. She was born June 8, 1910. She died in Terlingua August 19, 1932. Prior to her death she was treated by Chisos Mining Company physician Dr. E.L. Byrd. Both Jose Leon and Agustina are buried in El Camposanto del Arroyo (also known as the Big Bend Cemetery and the 248 Cemetery). They had one child:
(1) Son Maximo Rodriguez was born prematurely May 5, 1931 and died two days later.
C. Son Benito Rodriguez was born in Terlingua July 7, 1906 and was baptized September 24, 1906 in Big Bend by Father Brocardus. His godparents were Felipe Ramos and Ramona Catano. He died February 27, 1994 in Big Bend Regional Medical Center, Alpine and is buried in Holy Angels Cemetery. He was a ranch hand.
D. Son Tomas Rodriguez (#1) was born December 29, 1907 and was baptized by Father Brocardus April 30, 1908. His godparents were Paz Molinar and Maria Burges. He apparently died as a young child.
E. Son Tomas Rodriguez (#2) was born August 2, 1909 and was baptized November 3, 1909 by Father Brocardus in Chisos. His godparents were Santos Valles and Amalia Navarrete. He married Manuela Marufo March 25, 1933 in Terlingua. They were married by Justice of the Peace Robert L. Cartledge. Manuela was the daughter of Gilberto Marufo and Rodriga Gamboa. Tomas and Manuela had seven children. For details, see http://www.lifebeforetheruins.com/gilberto-marufo.html
F. Daughter Leonor Rodriguez was born June 26, 1919 in Terlingua. She died in Carlsbad, New Mexico in October 1985 and is buried in Santa Catarina Cemetery. She married Guadalupe “Lupe” Garcia and they had one child:
(1) Son Lorenzo Garcia was born August 10, 1937 in Terlingua. In October 1985 he was living in Alpine.
Later Leonor had a child with Domingo Hernandez:
(2) Daughter Delia Rodriguez was born December 2, 1944 in Brewster County. She married Paul Salisberry and in October 1985 they were living in Artesia, New Mexico.
Leonor later moved to New Mexico, where she met and married Daniel O. Matta, a widower. They had no children.
7. Daughter Amalia Navarrete was born circa 1887 in Mexico. She Married Santos Valles circa 1906. He was born circa 1878 in Texas and in 1910 was working in the quicksilver mines in the Terlingua area. Amalia and Santos had three children:
A. Daughter Herlinda Valles was born March 16, 1906 in Texas. She was baptized May 4, 1908 in Terlingua by Father Brocardus. Her godparents were Dolores Duran and Guadalupe Luna.
B. Son Santos Valles (#1) was born January 3, 1907 and was baptized January 16, 1907 in Big Bend by Father Brocardus. His godparents were Antioclo Carrasco and Tomasa Baiza. He apparently died as a small child.
C. Son Santos Valles (#2) was born September 16, 1909 in Texas. He was baptized November 3, 1909 by Father Brocardus. His godparents were Juan Postas and Francisca Olivas.
8. Daughter Concepcion Navarrete was born circa 1890 in Mexico and in 1910 she was living with her parents in the Terlingua area. She married Inez Ramirez circa 1914. They had two children. Soon after the first child was born they moved to Santa Rosalia de Camargo, Chihuahua, Mexico. The first child, Alonzo, died there and Inez was killed there. Concepcion, pregnant with their second child, returned to Terlingua. In 1920 she was living with her father and working as a servant in a hotel.
A. Son Alonzo Ramirez, born circa 1915. He died in Santa Rosalia de Camargo, Chihuahua, Mexico.
B. Daughter Juana de la Cruz Ramirez was born November 24, 1916 in Chisos and was baptized there by Father Antonio Alonso January 17, 1917. Her godmother was Angela Martinez. After her mother’s second marriage she assumed her step-father’s name Garcia. She died in Alpine February 20, 1932 of pneumonia and was buried there the same day.
Concepcion married Ignacio Garcia circa 1921. They had five children:
(1) Son Lino Garcia
(2) Son Guadalupe Garcia
(3) Son Ramon Garcia
(4) Son Sabino Garcia
(5) Daughter Juanita Garcia. She married Evaristo Navarrete.
9. Son Livorio Navarrete was born circa 1894 in Mexico and in 1910 was living with his parents in the Terlingua area.
10. Son Ricardo Navarrete was born circa 1899 in Mexico. In 1920 he was living with his father in the Terlingua area and was working as a mine laborer. He was working for the Chisos Mining Company October 21, 1921 when he exchanged coupons for $10.00 in cash at the company store.
11. Daughter Leogarda Navarrete was born September 11, 1900 in Terlingua and was baptized there September 14, 1902 by Father Brocardus. Her godparents were Tiburcio de la Rosa and Eufracia Rios. She married Crespin Ortega September 21, 1923 in Alpine and they made their home there through at least December 1940. Crespin worked as a mason and a laborer. They eventually moved to Seminole where Leogarda died February 4, 1972 and Crespin died December 14, 1978. Both are buried in Seminole Cemetery. They had six children:
A. Son Jose Ortega was born in Alpine July 15, 1926.
B. Son Jesus Ortega was born July 27, 1927 in Alpine.
C. Son Ruben Ortega was born in Alpine April 21, 1931.
D. Daughter Maria Ortega was born April 8, 1932, probably in Alpine.
E. Daughter Reyes Ortega was born January 6, 1936 in Alpine.
F. Daughter Margarita Ortega was born February 18, 1938, probably in Alpine.
Note:
(a) September 1916, 15.5 shifts at $1.00 per shift; December 1916, 4 shifts at $1.00 and 6 at $1.25; January 1917, 3 shifts at $1.00 and 20.5 shifts at $1.25; February 1917, 21 shifts at $1.25; March 1917, 16 shifts at $1.25; March 1918, 3.5 shifts at $1.25.
Sources
· 1910, 1920 Census
· Baptism record from San Gerónimo Church, Huejotitán, Chihuahua, Mexico accessed via the FamilySearch web site.
· Brewster and Gaines County death records
· Brewster County birth and marriage records
· Baptism records from St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Fort Davis, copies held by the Archives of the Big Bend, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas
· Rafael Navarrete, Sr. obituary, Alpine Avalanche, September 23, 2004
· Patricio Sanchez Navarrete obituary, Alpine Avalanche, January 4, 2007
· Dominga Herrera obituary, Alpine Avalanche, January 11, 1996, Archives of the Big Bend, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas
· Benito Rodriguez obituary, Big Bend Sentinel, March 3, 1994, Archives of the Big Bend, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas
· Louisa Madrid family research
· Chisos Mining Company Ledger, Wayne Cartledge Collection, Archives of the Big Bend, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas.
- · Study Butte Mining Company records, W. Keesey Collection, Archives of the Big Bend, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas
Copyright ã 2010 by Bob Wirt; all rights reserved.
This work may not be copied or used in whole or part for publication without the written consent of the author.
Individuals may use this information freely to develop and maintain family histories for their personal use.
This work may not be copied or used in whole or part for publication without the written consent of the author.
Individuals may use this information freely to develop and maintain family histories for their personal use.