A returned emigrant story

[Xosenrique]

Very interesting!! We have "discovered" an emigrant worker in WV that returned to Castrillon. He is 102 years old!!!

He emigrated to Virginia in 1920 and lived several years there . Is very difficult understand to him, but I believe that he said to live in Ziesing. He says that he worked in a metallurgical company (?), although cannot specify more. He tells that everybody spoke spanish. were many emigrants of the Avilés place (Avilés, Miranda, Salinas, Luanco, ...)

He remembers soccers match and a club: "the Miranda" to be the members of this locality near Avilés.

The name of him is: Leandro Fernández Peláez.

[Suronda]

Xosenrique,

What great news! I know that several Asturianos who were in West Virginia returned to Spain, and that some came for only a short time to work and then returned. Unfortunately, I haven't had the time to do the research required to find them. Can you tells more about how you learned about Leandro Fernández Peláez? Will you be able to get more details from his family?

Perhaps the articles coming out in La Nueva Espa~a will bring others to your attention. It is exciting to make these connections.

S.

[Bob]

My father was born in Ziezing (Spelter), West Virginia in 1917, and lived there until the mid 1920's. He has often told me that the entire community was Spanish speaking. When I talk with him tomorrow, I'll ask if he remember Leandro Fernandez Pelaez. He has a wonderful memory.

Some people in my family came to the US only temporarily. My grandfather's brother, Manuel Martinez Artime lived for a while in Canton, Ohio, where he worked in the steel industry. My father has told me that Manuel visited my family in Spelter several times, sometimes appearing unannounced, knocking on the door, and asking "Any Spanish people live here?" He returned to Spain and ran a tavern, but had the misfortune being tortured by the Franco forces for serving all patrons without regard to politics. He escaped to France, and eventually moved to Mexico City. I met him there in 1961. As I recall, he had two or three sons. I still have a pair of cufflinks that the youngest son gave to me.

My father has also told my that his maternal grandfather also visited West Virginia at least once.

Bob Martinez

[Bob]

Xosenrique,

I asked my father, who was born in Ziezing (Spelter) West Virginia in 1917 if he remembers Leandro Fernández Peláez. He does not, but he would have been from 3 to 7 years old when Leandro was there.

Perhaps Leandro, like many others was known primarily by a nickname. If you can find out what he was called, I'll ask my father again.

You could also ask Leandro if he remembers my grandparents. My grandfather, Victor Martinez Artime (called Vituron) was born in Salinas in 1894. My grandmother, Josefa Fernandez Inclan (called Sena) was born in the la Vallina neighborhood of Samartin de Laspra in 1895.

Bob Martinez

[mdhsuarez]

I wonder if Leandro ever knew any of the St. Louis spaniards? Many of them moved back and forth between West Virginia and St. Louis. My own father is desperate to find someone who may personally remember HIS father Enrique Menendez who died in 1929 when my dad was only 4 1/2 years old. It would be a real gift if this man remembered that name. We do not know anybody alive now with memories of my grandpa and my father would travel to SPain to talk to Leandro if by some chance he knew him. Leandro would have been about 6 years younger than Enrique Menendez who came to America in 1909 from Leon near Aviles. He owned many small businesses and often "sponsored" new immigrants until they could get settled. He played professional soccer around St. Louis but died at a tragically young age. He was supposedly well-regarded in the St. Louis area Spanish community.

[Art]

For more on Leandro Fernández, see this thread:
http://www.asturianus.org/forum/viewtop ... highlight=

[Art]

Sadly, Leandro Fernández died on or about the 8th of October, 2003, I believe.

I read in La Nueva España that his funeral was attended by a large number of admirers. He had been called "the grandfather of Castrillon", probably because of his being one of the oldest residences of the area, but also because he was so well-liked. He evidently loved to talk about his years in the US.

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Reverso translation (tweaked by Art)

Tristemente, Leandro Fernández murió mas o menos el 8 de octubre de 2003, creo.

Leí en La Nueva España que su entierro fue asistido por un gran número de admiradores. Le habían llamado "el abuelo de Castrillon", probablemente debido a su ser una de las residentes más viejas del consejo, pero también por el cariño que tenía la gente por el. Parece que le gustó mucho hablar de sus años en EEUU.