One of My Grandfathers In the early part of 2007 while reviewing the family historical data I made an amazing discovery. This story concerns one of my 5th Great Grandfathers, Luis Manuel Quintero. What put me on the trail of this "Grandfather" was the information I found stating he was a tailor.  Knowing that Mariano Antonio Cordero, the progenitor of many Cordero families in California and of Santa Barbara in particular was also a tailor I was curious if they ever worked side by side.  Based on the dates and locations the answer would be... perhaps.  This research revealed a much more interesting story... Luis Manuel Quintero, born about 1726, in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.  In about 1760 he married Maria Petra Rubio, born about 1741 at Real de Los Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. In 1781, he and his family traveled with Fernando Xavier de Rivera y Moncada and several soldiers from Real de Los Alamos, Sonora, Mexico to the Royal Presidio of San Diego, in Alta California, after a brief rest, they traveled to the Mission San Gabriel arriving in July, and on 4 September 1781, he and his family, along with 10 other families, and 4 soldiers and their families, arrived at El Pueblo de Los Angeles about 9 miles away. After a few months of living in Los Angeles (March 1782), he sent a request to the governor of Alta California, stating that he was not a farmer, but a tailor and would like to move to the new Royal Presidio of Santa Barbara, arriving first at the new Mission San Buenaventura in March 1782 and later at the presidio with his family a month later. He raised his family in Santa Barbara. Luis and Maria had 8 children, 7 girls and 1 boy, one of the girls was adopted. As I read a document describing these 11 families, calling out; Family Head, Age, Race, Spouse & Children I was thrilled to see the story evolve.  Luis Manuel Quintero is listed as "Negro" and his wife "Mulata", the story continues that Luis's father was a slave and his mother an indian.   Of the original 11 "pabladores", settlers of Los Angeles, among the 22 adults, including wives, 9 are listed as indians, 8 are listed as mulata(o), 2 are listed as spaniards, 2 are listed as negro, and 1 mestizo.  The "Indians" could have been from any one of the Mexica tribes. One must view these racial terms in the context of the culture and time in which they where applied.  For instance, someone that would be called a Mulatto in one country and century would be called a Negro in another locale and time. Everywhere in the Americas these early systems of classification of people emphasized ancestry as well as physical appearance as their dominant criteria. They also represented a preoccupation with the intermediate social position of such groups between the dominant Caucasoids, the Negro slaves and the subjugated indigenous peoples. But for several reasons such elaborate systems of classification soon became unworkable and impossible to maintain. The following partial list illustrates the absurdity of the system that was in use during the 18th century in "New Spain" (Mexico).  This list could also vary from colony to colony. One need only consider the Pre Columbian racial history of Iberia itself to further underline the fallacy of racial purity. • Spaniard and Indian = Mestizo (50% European and 50% Native American) • Mestizo and Spanish woman = Castizo (75% European and 25% Native American) • Castizo woman and Spaniard = Spaniard (87.5% European and 12.5% Native American) • Spanish woman and black man = Mulatto (50% European and 50% African) • Spaniard and Mulatto = Morisco (75% African and 25% European) • Morisco woman and Spaniard = Albino (50% European and 50% African) • Spaniard and Albino woman = Torna atrás (lit. "turn away") (75% European and 25% African) • Indian man and Torna atrás woman = Lobo (50% Native American, 37.5% European, and 12.5% African) • Lobo and Indian woman = Zambaigo (75% Native American, 18.75% European, and 6.25% African) • Zambaigo and Indian woman = Cambujo (87.5% Native America, 9.375% European, and 3.125% African) • Cambujo and mulatto woman = Albarazado (43.75% Native American, 29.6875% European, and 26.5625% African) • Albarazado and Mulatto woman = Barcino (40.43% European, 21.87% Native American, and 37.7% African) • Barcino and Mulatto woman = Coyote • Coyote woman and Indian man = Chamiso • Chamiso woman and Mestizo = Coyote mestizo • Coyote mestizo and Mulatto woman = Ahí te estás ("there you are") It was not until the mid 19th century with it's influx of "anglo-saxon" bloodlines migrating from the east as well as arriving by sea on the West Coast did a renewal of the harsh delineation designated by skin color and/or place of origin reaffirm it's violent grip on the California population. The term "white" has meant many things over the centuries. In the San Francisco Mission Delores marriage registry the first entry, January 7, 1777, Mariano Antonio Cordero and Juana Maria Pinto are listed as "white".  Ironically, there exists the possibility that Mariano Antonio Cordero's mother, Angela Nunez may have been indigenous to the Lorteo, Baja, MX area.  She would have most likely been Monqui or Cochimi. And on that note I will conclude this version of the story concerning my "black" grandfather. If your attention and interest held I thank you for letting me practice my story telling.  Truly, as I focus my mind on the names, numbers and places I feel a connection that in it's most complete sense is not about ego, pride, shame or guilt but concerns itself with relations...All My Relations. Luis Manuel Quintero HOME