I felt like I was at a library of obscure books the other night when I googled “Coahuila, Mexico.” You know, so I can learn more about why, oh, why I can’t find my great-grandfather Braulio or any of his compadres.
But wow – the books I came up with, most of which are out of print or so rare you couldn’t possibly find them in any library or bookstore, are a treasure trove of (presumable) context and insight.
I’ve learned recently to search for obscure book topics or titles in Google Play, but who knew I’d come across stuff like this?
So I’m kind of overwhelmed now by what could either be a treasure trove (glass half-full) or a bunch more needles in my haystack (glass half-empty). The mind is getting weary and I might just be sucking my positive juice dry.
Now, if I could just find a book that can tell me what the heck happened to Saltillo parish records from the mid-19th century – a fire, flood, some disaster? – I might have more of a lead of what was going on in those days and whether it’s my great-grandfather who’s “missing” or just his records.
For now, a little spittle on a test strip for DNA-by-mail is going to have to do.
poor mexican gone 
Why would you have a header image in Spanish when this is for an English speaking audience?
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I know how hard these journeys into foreign land can be… even tho its long ago i found that the local priests of church kept better records than the more official sources did. They were the ones that traveled from village to village and town to town.. sometimes out of the main city places and kept the good records..Have you tried that? I hope you find some answers as you move through the journey….Thank you so very much for sharing this with us..Be well.e
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Hey Estelle! Your reminder is spot on regarding how priests traveled from town to town, so that’s good to keep in mind. Actually, it’s parish records that drove me – earlier than I’d hoped – to get my DNA tested.
Hoping it helps us discover whether Braulio is a broken link (i.e. adopted) or if his birth/christening records were just lost. Also, another reason why Saltillo historical insights would be very useful right about now. 😉
Thanks so much for sharing your own! Really good things to remember.
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