The Ortega Journey to the New World

By Roy Ortega 

After many months of inquiry, I was able to pinpoint the exact location in Spain where members of my Ortega ancestors lived before departing for Mexico (New Spain) sometime in the early 1700s. The reasons why they left Spain and under what circumstances remains the subject of my ongoing genealogical search. I have also identified the names of many of my ancestors who lived during this time period.

Robledo, Albacete, Spain

Robledo, Albacete, Spain

The place determined to be our ancestral home village is named Robledo, Albacete, Spain, located in the south-central mountains of the country. Church records in the village reveal that Fernando de Ortega was born there in 1700. He was married to Maria Lopez Romera, born in 1705. Records show the couple was married at the Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion Church on October 2, 1724. One of their sons was Antonio de Ortega who was born in 1729. He married Lucia Villegas who was born in 1735.

Journey to the New World

Robledo, Albacete, Spain

At some point during this period, Antonio left Spain and settled in what is now Villa del Refugio, Zacatecas, Mexico. When they arrived, Mexico was under Spanish colonial rule.

Froilan Ortega

Literally tens of thousands of Spanish men and women made their trek from Europe to the new world to participate in various roles under the vast and burgeoning Spanish Empire. It was not until 1821 that Mexico gained its independence from Spain.

Ortega Family in New Spain

The first Ortega to be born in New Spain (Mexico) was Candelario Ortega, according to church records. His birth year is listed in Catholic records as 1797. Candelario lived until 1860.

Higinio Ortega

Candelario Ortega 
Birth Record About
1797

This information was gathered, verified and matched through records accessed from various resources. I am grateful for the fine research conducted by one of our distant relatives in California, Leticia Ortega. She is a descendant of Higinio Ortega, brother of Froilan Ortega.

Froilan is my grandfather who brought his family to the U.S. from Zacatecas, Mexico in 1925 and settled in Iowa.

Of course, there is still much to explore, and we will certainly pass it along. I hope this information is both interesting and educational.

Roy Ortega may be reached at rortega54@elp.rr.com

Additional information:

The 100-year Legacy of An American Immigrant Family

By Roy Ortega 

When my grandparents immigrated to the United States from Mexico in May of 1925, they carried little more than hope in their hearts. Froilan and Dolores Ortega could never have dreamed that, a hundred years later, their footsteps would echo through generations, shaping a legacy that still blooms in the lives of their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. 

Immeasurable Contributions 

In the last century, descendants of Froilan and Dolores have participated in every aspect of American life. All have excelled in their respective endeavors. They have done more than their share in building and
defending America. Today, Ortega family members include health professionals, law experts, educators, entertainment, media and communications specialists and numerous other vocations and professions. Quite notable is the large number of family members who served with honor and distinction in our country's military services, from World War II through the most recent world conflicts.

A Lasting Legacy 

Immigration is the foundation on which this nation is built. It is my hope that the faulty notion of immigrants as criminals and an insufferable drain on America's soul can somehow be dispelled with facts and the realization that immigrants are truly an indispensable part of American life. The legacy they leave behind continues to shape the ideals and values of our community for generations to come.

 The number of direct descendants of Froilan and Dolores Ortega is currently estimated to be more than 400 (living) and growing. 

The list below is by no means conclusive. There are many other family members with equally impressive backgrounds and accomplishments who are not mentioned in this article. Included in this list are young members of the newest generation whose future contributions will undoubtedly keep the family legacy alive long after the immigration debate comes to an end.

The List

-Luis V. Ortega, San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Army, World War II Combat Veteran, Purple Heart recipient. (1925-1987)

John R. Ortega

-Salvador V. Ortega, San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Army, World War II Veteran. (1927-2007)

-John R. Ortega, Compton, California. U.S. Marine. Korean War Veteran. Civil Rights Attorney. Clients include the United Farm Workers Union. (1935-2007)

Ramona Ortega 

-Ramona Ortega Liston, Ph.D., Phoenix, Arizona. College professor. Author. Harvard University graduate. Served in the President George H.W. Bush Administration.

Etna R. Ortega

-Etna R. Ortega, San Antonio, Texas. City of San Antonio Administrator, Real Estate professional.   

-Marisa Landsberger Oakes, Tampa, Florida. Physical Therapist. Clients include President George H.W. Bush.

Marisa Landsberger 
Oakes

-Troy Hunt, The Villages, Florida. Retired. U.S. Army Airborne.

-Ruben Ortega, San Antonio, Texas. U.S. Navy. Retired. Noted artist and muralist.

-Ray Ortega, Chicago, Illinois, Financial Planner.

-Victor Martinez, San Antonio, Texas, military veteran.

Ephraim Banda

-Ephraim Banda, Cleveland, Ohio. NFL Safeties Coach, Cleveland Browns.

-Guadalupe O. Mireles, Somerset, Texas. U.S. Army, Vietnam Veteran. Purple Heart recipient.

-Mark Ortega, Phoenix, Arizona. Musician, singer, entertainer. 

-David Ortega, Sr., Scottsdale, Arizona. Retired Administrator, State of Iowa.

-Nicholas Flores, San Antonio, Texas. U.S. Army, Combat Veteran, Operation Iraqi Freedom. High School Band Director.

Nicholas Flores

-Jason Mireles, San Antonio, Texas. U.S. Army Combat Veteran, Operation Iraqi Freedom.

-James A. Ortega, El Paso, Texas. U.S. Army veteran. EMT. Crisis Intervention Specialist, El Paso Police Dept.

-Evan A. Ortega, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Board Administrator, Regulations and Licensing Dept., State of New Mexico.

-Debra Riedesel, Cumming, Iowa. Retired Registered Dietician.

-Benjamin Proscelle, San Antonio, Texas. Science Teacher and Coach, San Antonio ISD. 

-Edis Knoop, Colorado Springs, Colorado. U.S. Air Force. High School English Teacher, Librarian. 

-Eloy Martinez, San Antonio, Texas. Transportation Services.

Andrew Mauricio

-Andrew Mauricio, San Antonio, Texas. HEB Grocery Company. Diversity Champion.

-Carmen Lott, San Antonio, Texas. Registered Nurse. Community health professional.

-David Ortega, Des Moines, Iowa. Businessman, Ortega's Tacos, LLC. 

-Richard Ortega, Palmdale, California. Retired Engineer, Northrop Corp.

-Ryan Daniel Flagg, Austin, Texas. Aspiring actor. Incoming freshman at Texas State University. 

Ryan Daniel Flagg

-Alissa Ortega, Cedar Falls, Iowa. 5th and 6th Grade Band Director, Cedar Falls Community School District.

-Ty Ortega, Northfield, Illinois. Athlete. Champion hockey player. 

Maxx Manzano

-Adam Keller, San Antonio, Texas. IT Specialist.

-Maxx Manzano, San Antonio, Texas. Accomplished musician, talented guitarist.

Author's note: This narrative was written largely in support of, and in solidarity with, the millions of immigrants currently under siege in America. It is intended to show that the many positive contributions made by immigrants and their families cannot be discounted or dismissed. Sadly, the true value of an immigrant is often misunderstood or unappreciated until much later.  In reality, immigrants are overwhelmingly good, decent, hard-working people who wish to live in peace and harmony with their neighbors. In the last 100-years, members of the Ortega family have proven that immigrants truly deserve a rightful place in American society.

A complete history of the Ortega Family can be found at: The Ortega Blog: The Life of Mamá Grande

Roy Ortega may be reached at rortega54@elp.rr.com All comments are welcome.

Drawn to The Water's Edge

 By Roy Ortega

The deadly flooding along the Guadalupe River in Central Texas got me thinking about why humans insist on living close to the water's edge despite the inherent dangers and inconveniences. For them, the appeal of living on or near the water is worth the occasional threat of disaster. 

Thalassophobia

But many people have a deep fear of living anywhere close to a significant body of water. Experts have a name for it: Thalassophobia, which is a stronger phobia than aquaphobia, a simple fear of water. In my case, it is not a phobia but rather a mild anxiety. I simply don't like being close to rivers, lakes, bays and oceans. It is one of the reasons why I choose to live in the desert far away from the nearest ocean shore. 

 Fun on the Water   

Growing up in Central and South Texas, recreation for my family almost always revolved around water activities such as boating, swimming, tubing, fishing and water skiing. I can name just about every popular vacation spot and weekend getaway from Austin to Corpus Christi and the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. I seem to be the exception when it comes to enjoying the sense of calm and serenity most people feel while near the water.  

In light of the still unfolding tragedy in and around Kerrville, Texas, I became curious about why humans are drawn to bodies of water despite the obvious dangers. While looking into this question, I came across a concept that scientists use to explain why humans are so deeply connected to water; It's known as biophilia, the innate connection that humans have to water. The water has always been a source for drinking, food and mobility. 

At the same time, the water has also been a place of horror, death and destruction. Hurricanes, floods, tsunamis, insects, snakes, mosquitoes and a variety of dangerous sea life have made living near water unappealing to some humans ever since prehistoric times. 

Paradise on the Shore

In modern times, humans have learned to adapt to life along the water's edge. For the most part, many of the problems and dangers of living near the shore have been solved, but not all.  

For many people, the beautiful views of the water provide a sense of peace and well-being. The gentle sound of waves and flowing water have been shown to reduce stress and improve mental health. That's why so many people are drawn to it.

But until we get a much better understanding of nature's tendency to occasionally unleash its fury and unless we learn better ways to prepare for it, we will continue to see more sadness and horrible loss of human life like we witnessed in Kerrville. 

Roy Ortega may be reached at rortega54@elp.rr.com. 

In Times of Crisis, the Truth Always Seems to Vanish

By Roy Ortega 

"The first casualty in war is truth." - Sen. Hiram Johnson (R), California, 1918

In a time of crisis, where do you go to hear the truth? Government leaders, most notably our current president, are some of the most prolific liars in the universe. Putting your trust in their words is mostly an exercise in frustration and futility. Much of our media are severely compromised by their allegiance to the bottom line, not the truth. Purveyors of honest, unbiased journalism are hard to find.

With a coming war that could easily spiral into a planet-ending nuclear conflagration, where can you go to find intelligent, truthful information that can help you make decisions about your own life?

Truth and Honesty Disappear

As I sit here writing these words, the U.S. is exchanging bomb-a-grams with one of its longest-existing world foes, the Islamic Republic of Iran. When the president of the United States stood before the American people to announce his "successful" bombing raid on Iran's nuclear facilities, I knew instinctively he was lying. Why? Because the objective, historical record shows he lies and lies a lot. Also, this president doesn't seem to understand that there is no such thing as "success" in war. War, by nature, is failure. True to form, the Iranians quickly responded by saying that the bombed facilities were largely undamaged and that their nuclear program is still intact. I don't know if the Iranians are lying or not, but there is a long history of strife and hostility between both countries that taints the veracity of both their claims.

So, Who is Telling the Truth?

As a former journalist who spent his fair share of time in the news trenches, my default position in a time of world and national crisis always tends to fall on the cynical side. That's a hard position for me because I am not a cynical person. I want to believe in the honesty and good nature of people, but experience has taught me to question everything that needs to be questioned.

History and Precedent

So, back to the main question I have raised: How do you know who is telling the truth about this ungodly war our country is about to wage?

My answer is this: Take the time to learn and understand history and precedent. Use your knowledge and understanding of the big picture of events before deciding if someone is offering truth or spitting total fabrication. Your learned perspective should be based on your ability to think critically. Seek multiple sources, especially those with a known history of honest journalism. Never take the word of a known liar.

Roy Ortega may be reached by email at rortega54@elp.rr.com

Links:

Where to find the truth? - Robert Reich

The More I Retreat from Religion, the More I Understand It

By Roy Ortega

I have spent most of my adult life trying to understand why religion exists. I haven't found many answers inside religion. Getting closer to religion has always led me to more questions. But the further I have stepped back from religion, the clearer I have understood why humans are drawn to it. 

I don't recommend everyone watch the following video. I'm not trying to change anyone's mind. I only offer it to show how I tend to view things. 

 Video: Why Religions Were Created

Roy Ortega may be reached at rortega54@elp.rr.com. All comments are welcome. 

Trump is Destroying America's Elder Population

 By Roy Ortega 

I am heartsick watching my fellow retirees facing this awful, cataclysmic, life-changing period of our history. Trump is killing us. I don't mean that rhetorically. I mean it literally.

Social Security at Risk

As a Baby Boomer I am reminded of the sacrifices made by my parent's generation to defeat a soulless, hateful demagogue named Adolph Hitler.

I am shocked, sick, tired and fed up with the rise of still another evil dictatorship. This time, it is happening in our lifetime and in our own country, no less.

If you can't see the close parallels between 1930s Germany and today's Trump world, you weren't paying attention in history class.

Prior to WWII, Hitler set out to rid society of those whom he deemed useless and an unnecessary burden on the country's economy. It included all racial and ethnic minorities, the physically disabled, the mentally incapacitated and, to no one's surprise, the elder population.

Unless Americans rise quickly against Trump's tyranny, many American senior citizens will find themselves homeless, destitute and without medical resources. No Medicare, no Medicaid, and worse, no Social Security. This isn't alarmist thinking. It is a reality we are facing at this moment. It stands to reason that without these critical resources, almost all earned over a lifetime, scores of American senior citizens will be left to fend for themselves. Many will die penniless and alone. If this doesn't sound like Hitler Germany to you, you are not human.

Our Story

By the time Jo Anne and I retired in 2017, we had spent the previous decade planning the path we would take to ensure a smooth transition into our golden years. But it wasn't easy. Stashing money into our retirement accounts was difficult as we both worked to build our careers and raise three sons, all the while paying a mortgage, credit cards, car payments and utilities. Our modest incomes never allowed us to splurge on vacations or fun-filled diversions of any kind, but we still managed to take the boys on yearly Spring Break jaunts to such "exotic" places like the Grand Canyon, the Gulf Coast and even Las Vegas.

The worst financial hit we ever took was following the 2008 recession when we saw my 401k account

diminish in value by 40-percent. Republican President George W. Bush's economic policies created a nightmare scenario that left many of us wondering if we would ever be able to retire comfortably. My 401k had been humming along quite nicely until the 2008 recession hit. The impact was followed by a job loss and near financial ruin - two topics I'd rather not remember much less talk about.

But we didn't panic. We were still 10-years away from retirement and figured we had plenty of time to recover. It took eight years to recoup the losses from our retirement fund. Somehow, we managed to recover well enough to retire comfortably in 2017.

Big Trouble Ahead

Today's retiring class will not likely be so lucky, if you can call it that. As of this writing, 401k savings are diminishing by double-digit levels every day with little or no prospect of recovery any time soon.

The deliberate trashing of our economy at the hands of a corrupt, ignorant and morally bankrupt president combined with his effort to eliminate all social programs will surely destroy what little we have left to support ourselves in our waning years. Everything we own and worked so hard to build over a lifetime is now in jeopardy. There is no rational explanation for any of this. None.

Only the whims and prejudices of one man. ONE MAN.

Roy Ortega may be reached at rortega54@elp.rr.com. All comments will be read.

Useful links:

Four Threats To Social Security From Trump Policies

Social Security Checks In Danger? What To Do | Investor's Business Daily

Trump Administration and DOGE Eliminate Staff Who Help Older Adults and People With Disabilities - Medicare Rights Center

The Russians Are Still the Bad Guys

 By Roy Ortega

For many of us who lived through the Cold War, the Russians are still the bad guys. It is totally inconceivable to us that our current government has chosen to side with a country that literally wanted to wipe us off the face of the earth. 

Photo Credit: Reuters

In the 1950s, 60s 70s and 80s, the Soviet Union was our enemy. The Soviets had a clearly defined goal of spreading their communist ideology to the rest of the world. It started with the Russian victory over Germany in World War II and continued into the post-war era. It was the basis for the wars in Korea and Vietnam. In more recent history, Russian expansion was abundantly evident with the annexation of Crimea and the current war in Ukraine. Nothing has changed in the last 70-years to convince us that the true goals of the Russians have really shifted to our favor. To the contrary. 

The motives of the current Russian leadership are no less dastardly today than they were when they aimed their nuclear missiles at our cities from launch sites in Cuba. In October of 1962, we came within hours of wiping each other out in what could have resulted in "mutual assured" destruction. For us boomers, the Cuban Missile Crisis was a seminal event in our lives along with the Kennedy assassination and the resignation of President Richard Nixon.

Boomer Children and the Cold War

Today's boomers were children during the Cold War. The stories of Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschev slamming his shoe on the podium and the frightening quotes attributed to him - "...we will bury you" - remain permanently etched into our minds. The fears, worries and anxieties expressed by our parents filtered down to us in ways that haunt us to this day. In school, the daily drills included the infamous "duck and cover" instructions in the event of a nuclear strike.  

Duck and Cover Drill

I remember this time in history very well. My siblings and I sat on the front stoop of our house one October day waiting for our dad to come home from work. In 1962, I was 9-years old. At the time, my dad was an Air Force reservist assigned to an air transport unit at nearby Randolph Field. As he pulled into the driveway, my dad could see the worried look on our faces. Moments earlier, we had been sitting in front of our black and white TV set when a news bulletin interrupted our afternoon cartoon show. On the screen appeared CBS newsman Walter Cronkite

Walter Cronkite

informing the world that a nuclear strike was a real possibility. At our age, we only understood the sense of fear that had suddenly gripped our community. Our city, San Antonio, Texas, was high on the list of targets due to a large presence of military installations. I vividly remember my dad's calming assurances that no matter what happened, he would be there to protect us from any harm. 

The Russian Goal Remains

Long ago, the Russians openly vowed to dominate and control us. Their actions since then have proven repeatedly that they still intend to fulfill their goal of expanding their sphere of influence and dominance to as much of the world as possible. Vladimir Putin has stated many times he longs for a return to the former Soviet Union's prominence on the world stage. In Donald J. Trump, Putin knows he has the perfect dupe to help him achieve his goal. 

Roy Ortega may be reached at rortega54@elp.rr.com

Links:

Cuban Missile Crisis | JFK Library

cronkite and cuban missile crisis - Google Search 

Cuban missile crisis | History, Facts, & Significance | Britannica