Jesús de la Paz Rodríguez
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Jesús de la Paz Rodríguez
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Encarnación Ornelas Rodríguez
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Jesús married Encarnación
Celestina Rodriguez Peña,
daughter born April 5, 1899 in San Esteban, Texas
baptized October 11, 1899 by Fr. Maug in Shafter, Texas
Godparents: Felipe Aguilar and Susana Luján
daughter born April 5, 1899 in San Esteban, Texas
baptized October 11, 1899 by Fr. Maug in Shafter, Texas
Godparents: Felipe Aguilar and Susana Luján
From: Juan-Paz Peña [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 4:58 PM
To: Antonio Franco
Cc: Ida Peña
Subject: Celestina Rodríguez Peña: Big Bend and Rio Grande Border Teacher During1916-1929
Hola! Tony, I am replying to your e-mail query, forwarded to me by cousin Ida Peña, regarding a Jesús de la Paz Rodríguez whose name was found in the Familia de Terlingua web site.
My name is Juan-Paz Peña and I am the son of Celestina Rodríguez Peña and the maternal grandson of Jesús de la Paz Rodríguez. I exchanged e-mails with you on several occasions regarding the Terlingua web site. In these e-mails I mentioned that Celestina had been born and reared in the Shafter area and that, Paz, my grandfather was a mill hand in the Shafter/Terlingua mines as well as a bronc buster in several Shafter area ranches.
A short summary, of the top of my head without notes, of Celestina Rodríguez Peña and her family is as follows:
Celestina was born circa 1898 in San Esteban, Texas, which was destroyed when the Alamito Dam was built circa 1908. She was a Rio Grande Border Teacher from circa 1916-1929. She taught in many ranch schools along the Rio Grande, i.e., Light of the Desert Schoot on the Madrid Ranch near Redford, Candelaria, El Polvo, Ruidosa, Shafter, Terlingua, Ochoa Ranch, etc., starting at age 18. I have a picture of Celestina outside the Light of the Desert School with about 30 of her students and a horse whip in her right hand as well as a picture with students, friends and siblings at the Ochoa Ranch. Some of her students were probably older than she was.
At one time, Celestina and her family lived in the Big Bend area ranch known as Cibolo Creek Ranch which is now a luxury ranch resort for the very wealthy. This ranch was once owned by Milton Faver. Paz Rodríguez, my grandfather, was employed as a bronc buster at Cibolo Creek Ranch and various other ranches. My grandmother, Encarnación Ornelas Rodríguez, was the chef and seamstress for these ranches.
Celestina and her siblings attended these ranch schools which were financed by the ranch owners for the education of their children as well as the children of the ranch hands. Celestina and her siblings were perfectly bilingual in Spanish and English from age 6 until adulthood, which was very unusual for those days.
After Celestina finished the fifth grade at the ranch schools, Encarnación moved the family to Shafter, Texas, area circa 1909, so that Celestina and siblings could continue their education. This move was against Paz' wishes, but Encarnación insisted that her children were going to be educated with or without Paz' consent.
Encarnación moved her family to Shafter sans Paz, rented a house, opened a taco stand, took in laundry/seamstress work and operated a Mexican pastry shop to support the family. Eventually, the carousing, heavy drinking, womanizing, macho man, Paz, rejoined the family in Shafter and, at Encarnación's strong insistance, quickly found employment in the Shafter mines as a mill hand.
Celestina was one of the first students of Mexican ancestry to attend Sul Ross Normal College during the summer of 1922 along with the iconic teacher from Presidio, Lucy Madrid Rede Franco. Lucy and Celestina were reared together in Shafter and treated each other as sisters. I have a formal picture of Lucy and Celestina at age about 20, and they were two beautiful knockouts, even by today's standards.
Lucy in later years was twice honored as Texas Mother of the Year and all eight of her children graduated from college, all with graduate degrees. The children have established a scholarship foundation in honor of their parents, Manuel and Lucy Madrid Rede Franco at Sul Ross University.
Celestina taught for one year in Fort Stockton during the 1920-21 school year. While in Fort Stockton, she met my Dad, Manuel Lugo Peña, and they got engaged in 1921 with the understanding that Celestina would not get married until her youngest brother, Jose, was an adult. Manuel agreed and they finally got married circa June 29, 1929, at our Lady of Peace Church, Alpine,Texas. What a LOVE story of romance, commitment, responsibility, respect and endurance.
Prior to meeting Celestina, Manuel had been in the US Army during WW I, 1916-18. Celestina and Manuel had four children, of whom three became teachers and one was a newspaper printer.
I will submit more detailed information regarding Celestina and her family at a later date.
Saludos,
Juan-Paz Peña
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 4:58 PM
To: Antonio Franco
Cc: Ida Peña
Subject: Celestina Rodríguez Peña: Big Bend and Rio Grande Border Teacher During1916-1929
Hola! Tony, I am replying to your e-mail query, forwarded to me by cousin Ida Peña, regarding a Jesús de la Paz Rodríguez whose name was found in the Familia de Terlingua web site.
My name is Juan-Paz Peña and I am the son of Celestina Rodríguez Peña and the maternal grandson of Jesús de la Paz Rodríguez. I exchanged e-mails with you on several occasions regarding the Terlingua web site. In these e-mails I mentioned that Celestina had been born and reared in the Shafter area and that, Paz, my grandfather was a mill hand in the Shafter/Terlingua mines as well as a bronc buster in several Shafter area ranches.
A short summary, of the top of my head without notes, of Celestina Rodríguez Peña and her family is as follows:
Celestina was born circa 1898 in San Esteban, Texas, which was destroyed when the Alamito Dam was built circa 1908. She was a Rio Grande Border Teacher from circa 1916-1929. She taught in many ranch schools along the Rio Grande, i.e., Light of the Desert Schoot on the Madrid Ranch near Redford, Candelaria, El Polvo, Ruidosa, Shafter, Terlingua, Ochoa Ranch, etc., starting at age 18. I have a picture of Celestina outside the Light of the Desert School with about 30 of her students and a horse whip in her right hand as well as a picture with students, friends and siblings at the Ochoa Ranch. Some of her students were probably older than she was.
At one time, Celestina and her family lived in the Big Bend area ranch known as Cibolo Creek Ranch which is now a luxury ranch resort for the very wealthy. This ranch was once owned by Milton Faver. Paz Rodríguez, my grandfather, was employed as a bronc buster at Cibolo Creek Ranch and various other ranches. My grandmother, Encarnación Ornelas Rodríguez, was the chef and seamstress for these ranches.
Celestina and her siblings attended these ranch schools which were financed by the ranch owners for the education of their children as well as the children of the ranch hands. Celestina and her siblings were perfectly bilingual in Spanish and English from age 6 until adulthood, which was very unusual for those days.
After Celestina finished the fifth grade at the ranch schools, Encarnación moved the family to Shafter, Texas, area circa 1909, so that Celestina and siblings could continue their education. This move was against Paz' wishes, but Encarnación insisted that her children were going to be educated with or without Paz' consent.
Encarnación moved her family to Shafter sans Paz, rented a house, opened a taco stand, took in laundry/seamstress work and operated a Mexican pastry shop to support the family. Eventually, the carousing, heavy drinking, womanizing, macho man, Paz, rejoined the family in Shafter and, at Encarnación's strong insistance, quickly found employment in the Shafter mines as a mill hand.
Celestina was one of the first students of Mexican ancestry to attend Sul Ross Normal College during the summer of 1922 along with the iconic teacher from Presidio, Lucy Madrid Rede Franco. Lucy and Celestina were reared together in Shafter and treated each other as sisters. I have a formal picture of Lucy and Celestina at age about 20, and they were two beautiful knockouts, even by today's standards.
Lucy in later years was twice honored as Texas Mother of the Year and all eight of her children graduated from college, all with graduate degrees. The children have established a scholarship foundation in honor of their parents, Manuel and Lucy Madrid Rede Franco at Sul Ross University.
Celestina taught for one year in Fort Stockton during the 1920-21 school year. While in Fort Stockton, she met my Dad, Manuel Lugo Peña, and they got engaged in 1921 with the understanding that Celestina would not get married until her youngest brother, Jose, was an adult. Manuel agreed and they finally got married circa June 29, 1929, at our Lady of Peace Church, Alpine,Texas. What a LOVE story of romance, commitment, responsibility, respect and endurance.
Prior to meeting Celestina, Manuel had been in the US Army during WW I, 1916-18. Celestina and Manuel had four children, of whom three became teachers and one was a newspaper printer.
I will submit more detailed information regarding Celestina and her family at a later date.
Saludos,
Juan-Paz Peña
