Asturian-American Migration Forum

HI-I am new to this site. My mother (JOSEPHINE) was born "CHERRYVALE KANSAS" in 1923. Both of her parents were from the Madrid area of SPAIN. My grandfather(AVELINO VASQUEZ) first settled in West Virginia, then moved to KANSAS. My grandmother's (MARIA GARCIA) was a seamstess. My grandfather worked in the smelter's mainly in CHERRYVALE, KANSAS. When work slowed down probably around 1928-1930 he moved his family to ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI but only for a short while, all the kids hated it and cried everyday, so he moved them all back to CHERRYVALE, KANSAS, where they lived until him and my grandmother both died. My grandfather's name was AVELINO VASQUEZ, my grandmother's name was MARIA GARCIA. Together they had six children all a year apart they raised and schooled in CHERRYVALE: MANUEL, JOSEPH (LITTLE JOE), OLIVIA (LIVER), JOSPHINE (JO), MARY, AND TONY (TONY, was raised my my grandfather's brother BALDAMERO, due to my grandmother being in a bad car wreck that left her childlike that she too had to be cared for by my grandfather and a baby was too much for the family to care for ) They lived in SMELTER TOWN in CHERRYVALE or as my mother refer's to as "SPANISH TOWN". The smelter build about 50 homes and a grocery store around the smelter for the SPANISH families that worked at the smelter. He later bought their home. My grandfather had three other brother's that came to the states. MANUEL (PETE) and BALDAMERO who remained in CHERRYVALE. Another brother stayed in WEST VIRGINIA (name un-known to me) that the family lost contact with. There was another brother who left SPAIN and went to CUBA (name un-known, also) BALDAMERO and his family lived better, they owned the grocery store there. They moved to CANEY, KANSAS later. BALDAMERO died in his 40's of an ear infection, and his family later moved to CALIFORNIA... My mother's isn't real good on remembering who all lived in CHERRYAVALE, during those times. Some NAMES she remember's are: OLGA FERNANDEZ, SANCHEZ, ALONZO, GENEVA CASTARINA HUSBAND FRANK AND A SON JOHN AND LENA ALONZO. The STATE bought their home for the highway to come through and they bought a farm outside of town. My mother was the only child that remained in CHERRYVALE for many year's, I too went to school in CHERRYVALE till JR High...Anyone that has any history, any information on CHERRYVALE (SMELTER TOWN OR SPANISH TOWN) or family information or pictures would be greatly appreciated...ANY "old pictures" of CHERRYVALE espcially would thrill my MOTHER......THANKS!

My mother says there were so many SPANISH famililies in CHERRYVALE, that the school taught school both ways in ENGLISH and SPAINISH.

My grandfather was married ,once, before he married my grandmother. This part of his life was kept pretty much a secret...(which back then everything was private and kept behind closed doors, is why lives are hard to piece together) I don't know what her name was. They had three children that my mom didn't meet until later in life: TRINA, VIRGINIA AND FLOYD. FLOYD is the only one living, he too lives in KANSAS. Their mother kept the kids, I think this was in WEST VIRGINIA and my grandfather went back to SPAIN and there he later married my grandmother where their first two son's were born then they all came back to the states.
THANKS!!!

Since posting this I have some up-dated info... that hopefully someone will recoqnize and be able to add ANY additional info or will help someone else with info they may be seeking...

My mother (JOSEPHINE or JO) was born in CHERRYVALE, KS. in 1923, her father (my Grandfather)was AVELINO VASQUEZ from ORENSE, SPAIN (? not possitive). Her mother (my Grandmother) was MARIA GARCIA from CARBRILLON, SPAIN (CASTRILLON, PIEDRAS BLANCAS)). Through this site I located a cousin(OLIVIA'S son) I had lost contact with who was able to add lots of information, but still we have alot of blanks. MARIA GARCIA'S was born in 1899, her parents were RAFAELA ALONZO and JOSE GARCIA, whom had a total of 7 children: ISABEL GARCIA, ETELVINA GARCIA, PACITA GARCIA, JOSEFA GARCIA,AVELINA GARCIA and JOSE MANUEL GARCIA. AVELINO VASQUEZ we still know very little about. We know before he was married he came to the us in 1913 with a brother and met another brother BALDAMERO (later went by MEADOW) who was already in NEW YORK(stayed at a friends boarding house at 385 West St.- Vakentim Aquirre) In 1917, he returned to SPAIN.
He, AVELINO married MARIA in SPAIN (yr?) and they had two boys (GERVASIO, later went by MANUEL and AVELINIO, who later went by JOSEPH or JOE) In 1920 he left SPAIN never to return. He first went to CUBA where he met another brother (name still un-known ?) then returned to the US to meet another brother MANUEL VASQUEZ (who later went by PETE) who was already in NEW YORK. From here heand his brother went to CHERRYVALE, KS. MARIA GARCIA with their two sons came to the US and joined AVELINO 7 months later.

From locating my cousin through this site, I learned I have many, many relatives still in PIEDRA BLANCAS, that he has visited. He sent me several pictures of my moms brother's and sister's...he also sent be many, many pictures and addresses of relatives in PIEDRA BLANCA'S.

There were no pictures of the smelter or SMELTER TOWN (SPANISH TOWN) in CHERRYVALE.

Any iformation... anyone might have on AVELINO VASQUEZ or of his parents or of his missing brother's or their families...anything at all... would be greatly greatly appreciated.

I forgot to mention in the above posting:

One of the missing VASQUEZ brother's to AVELINO may have been ANDREW.

Also I noticed three other people in 1908 Ellis Islands records that they or their family might be able to add some info:

LOLA GARCIA father FRANCIS GARCIA, single, 22,born in MIRANDA went to BOX#7 in CHERRYVALE,KS.

MARIA CUETA INGLESIAS, 26, married to MARCELLINO INGLESIA went to
Box #8 in CHEERYVALE, KS.

FERNANDES, SOLEDOS, FERNANDEZ, father FRANCIS GARCIA,single female, 17 went to Box #9 in CHERRYVALE,KS.

THANKS

Vickie - Have you checked any records in "Cherryvale". My husband's father was born there in SPanish town, but I notice that on his birth certificate the spelling of the town is "Cherryville". Just thought I'd point this out. I'm not sure which is the correct spelling, but records probably exist under both and it wouldn't hurt to check both. Do you know if this town still exists. ALthough I have records back to Spain on my family, the trail stops cold in Cherryvale for my husband's family. It is only about a 1 day drive for me...do you think it would be worth going there? Also, what years did your mom live in St. Louis? SHe is the same age as my dad and he said this family sounds familiar to him. He also lived in St. Louis for a few years as a child. Ask her if she remembers Enrique Menendez Jr. who was also known as Henry, Junior or Pesty.

Marleen

There are some old photos of Cherryvale, Kansas, at http://specialcollections.wichita.edu/k ... Montgomery, and general information at http://www.city-data.com/city/Cherryvale-Kansas.html. Apparently there is also a Cherryville in Kansas, but Cherryvale was the one with the zinc smelter. For a history of the twon see http://www.leatherockhotel.com/CvaleHistoryTframe.htm

Bob Martinez

Marleen-I phoned my mother tonight, she said she didn't recognize the name, too long ago she said. Both of my Grandparents were born in Spain, all the kids that were born there have their records. My Grandparents along with 2 uncles are buried at CHERRYVALE in the Catholic Cemetery, ST. Francis Xavier. I've always known it as CHERRYVALE not VILLE. if you go to:

http://www.ku.edu/heritage/InMemoryOFKS/index.htm

there is a jpg-photo of CHERRYVALE'S MAIN STREET, click on it to en-large, I'm sure your father in law will recognize it, the photo is from that era looking west on Main Street, East of the railroad tracks. If you were to go there today, you'd probably recognize it from the photo. The buildings haven't changed, a few have burnt down, but overall the town is smaller today than back then, even smaller than when I grew up there. See if this rings any bells with your father-in-law, my mom's family lived in the BRICK HOUSES up front. My mom can't remember what yr they moved to ST. LOUIS, she thought she was about in the 3rd grade, they lived there for 1 to 1/2 years, she said it was during very hard times. She says times were so bad her Dad worked two jobs, when he'd get off at the smelter he'd smoke chickens, he would hide two chickens under his floor board of his car to feed them. To this day my mom can't stand chicken or chicken skin. ha-ha
She remembered some more names tonight when I was talking with her:
LENA ALONZO (I'm not sure of the spelling of 1st name) she said they moved to ST. LOUIS and never moved back. FERNANDO, ALEXANDER, JOSEPH, AND ISABEL SANCHEZ. She also remember's some friends of her Dad's that came to visit from PENNSYLVANIA in a new car, their name was ALONZO also. Ask your father in law if these teacher's names ring with him: Grace Mannigan, Miss Armstrong (the mean teacher) Mr. Trout or Miss Buck.
Also check out the links BOB posted, I had already seen these sites, alot of history of the times.-----THANKS BOB!----- Let me know if your father in law remember's any more. How old was he when he left CHERRYVALE? Did he have brother's or sister's and what were his parents names?
THANKS-
Vickie

I am sorry your mom didn't remember my dad...he too said it was hard times when he lived in St. Louis, but then added his whole childhood was hard times. I think we can never understand how difficult life was for them. Unfortunately, my father-in-law is dead as are most of his brothers and sisters. The only 2 still alive are uncooperative and don't remember much (my husband says old maid Spanish ladies are the meanest people on earth..lol). My father-in-law's name was Anthony Suarez. His siblings were Joseph, Raymond, Segundo, Manuel, Pete, Angel, Ben, Josephine, Maria and Nora. Their father was known as "Salas", but I don't know if that was his real name. Unfortunately, I do not know their mother's name...I am working slowly on the 2 surviving sisters and hopefully they will let me into the records eventually. This is why I am having such a hard time putting together the family history. This family moved from Cherryvale when the kids were still at home and settled in Fairmont City, Il (just across the river from St. Louis) where there was a zinc smelter. My husband and I were both raised there and now live in nearby Collinsville, IL. IF your research leads you nearby, please let me know and I will be glad to help.

Marleen---Nice to hear back from you so qiuckly. I'm sorry, I mis-understood you, I thought it was your father-in-law born in CHERRYVALE, I didn't realize it was your father. So, what were any of his family names, parents, brothers, sisiters?
THANKS-Vickie

I finally found a photo of CHERRYVALE'S ZINC SMELTER:

http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ks/mo ... -mont.html

Please, check it out...scroll down through Montgomery CO. to CHERRYVALE......THANKS!!!

Vickie

"Salas" could be a surname or a nickname. There is a concejo called Salas, and also a town with the same name. See, for example, First link and Second link.

Bob Martinez

My Mother was born in Cherryvale although she was sent to Spain, being a few months old, when my grandmother died. My mother's name was Trinidad Arias Sal and my grandfather was Manuel. If anyone has any information on the Arias family I'd greatly appreciate it. I think my grandfather had a brother in PA., could have been Spelter?
Reagrds, Manny

There was an Arias family in Niagara Falls, who lived close to my grandparents. I think they moved there from Spelter (and possibly Cherryvale before that, as did my grandparents). I'll ask my father what he remembers about them.

Bob Martinez

Vickie, I read your post on the Asturian Migration website where you mentioned my great grandparents Maria Cueto Yglesias and Marcelino Yglesias. They came over from Piedras Blancas, Spain, in 1908 and they lived in Cherryvale. They had five children, Maria, Marcelino, Jose, Anita and Rogelia. Rogelia was my grandmother and was born in 1912 and passed away in 1993. The family moved from Cherryvale to St. Louis when my grandmother was a teenager. She spoke fondly of Cherryvale often and talked about her childhood there. Her eldest son Richard is my father and I have asked him if he could recognize any names in your posts. He said he can't recall any mention of those names by his parents, but said most of the Spaniards in the St. Louis area came through either Cherryvale or West Virginia, so it's very likely they were acquainted and possibly related. By the way, in St. Louis Garcia is pronounced "garsha". Is that how they pronounced your grandmother Maria's name? Steve Garcia

Garcia was always pronounced "Garsha" when I was growing up in Niagara Falls. Both Arriaz and Arias were "Arris" like the way a Cockney would say Harris. Perez was "Purez" with the second syllable accented. My own name, Martinez, was Martnez with the accent on the second syllable.

Bob Martinez

Hi,
My name is Anthony Garcia. I live in St. Louis, MO. My Grandmother and great Aunt lived in Cherryvale, KS. I remember stories that they told me of when they were little. My wife is from Neodesha KS. When we first met I asked her where was Neodesha, and told her that my Grandmother lived Southeast KS. So when I went to visit her family I stopped in Cherryvale. I went to City Hall were I bought a book about Cherryvalle. In it there is a chapter about cultural groups in Cherryale. My Grandmother and her family also moved to Henrietta, OK, did you know of other Spaniards going there? I did get an address from city hall of where my great-grandfather and them lived but could not find it but it was near the J. Edgar Zinc Co. In some of the stories I was told by my Great Aunt talk about Klan gatherings, and how some of them were. My Aunt was not the type to pull your leg so I did believe her. Most of all the old Spaniards I know has passed on so its hard to find out about life in Cherryvale, but I would like to find out more. If interested in the book of Cherryvale you might call Cherryvale City Hall. Well, if I find anything on my next visit to Kansas I let you all know. Thanks and good bye for now.