Welcome..! I hope you find my blog both interesting and informative.
If you are a past reader of my "Sernas of New Mexico NEWSLETTER", (see below), you will remember some of the subjects I wrote about, namely, the Serna family history, the history of the people of New Mexico, and the many short stories about people, places, and events around New Mexico and the world! You will also remember that I encouraged everyone to send me their questions, comments, pictures, and "things" that interested them, and NOT JUST ABOUT SERNAS, but about anything that might be of interest to my worldwide readers.., and boy! did we have a good time and learn a lot about history..!
I want to welcome you to "visit" with me again..! and let's talk about old times, la familia, New Mexico, and our many wonderful cousins around the world..! and again.., I welcome all families and friends... not just Sernas..!
If we have never met, let's do that now and let's enjoy some history, some good food, and some great memories of our great family histories..!
Louis Serna
sernabook@comcast.net
CIMARRON PUBLISHING
Welcome to CIMARRON PUBLISHING...! This website is posted by Louis F. Serna, Publisher, Historian, Author, and Lecturer. I developed the earliest family history of the "Sernas" of New Mexico, descended from the de la Sernas of Spain. The genealogy I developed is the basis for current studies of Serna families today. I am also the Publisher of several books about people, places, and events in northern New Mexico under the company Name: CIMARRON PUBLISHING.
Louis Serna
Publisher - CIMARRON PUBLISHING
Welcome Visitors
PLEASE NOTE; MOST OF MY BOOKS ARE NOW AVAILABLE AS E-BOOKS
E-BOOKS are full length books, in color, with pictures and text, just like any book, except that they are in PDF format which allows me to transfer the book to your computer, upon verification of payment at a very reduced price! You can pay by Credit Card or PayPal and as soon as the transaction is complete, the E-Book is downloaded to your computer. You can then view it on your computer or print it. If you wish, you can then have it spiral bound in book form at your local printer, such as Office Depot, at a very reasonable cost to you. E-Books are the books of the future..!
To purchase my books as E-Books, simply go to the Buy Now E-Book "Add to Cart" button under each book and make your purchase.
To purchase my books as E-Books, simply go to the Buy Now E-Book "Add to Cart" button under each book and make your purchase.
BOOKS FROM CIMARRON PUBLISHING, LOUIS SERNA, PUBLISHER
- A History of the Spanish People of Northern New Mexico
- Robert Clay Allison & the Colfax County War
- Tessie Maxwell of the Maxwell Land Grant Family
- Los Sernas de el Mundo, una Historia de Familia
- The Sernas of the World, a Family History
- The Alfred Dorrance Story
- Payment for any of my books can be made directly to: Louis F. Serna, 11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE, Albuquerque, NM 87123, by Check or Money Order. If you want to use a Credit Card or PayPal account, use the "Checkout" button and your E-Book will be downloaded to your computer as soon as payment is verified.
NEW MEXICANS - Who Really Are We..? (Softcover at $20.00)
Cart for E-Book at $10.00
When finished shopping, go to "View Cart" and pay for E-Book
NEW MEXICANS - Who Really Are We..???
Louis Serna is an author - historian who has written extensively of his and his wife's family's histories and about historical places, people, and events in New Mexico.
In this book, Louis is taking a bold step from the standpoint of southwest history, in that he is writing about ancient visitors to the Southwest and the United States, at a time when conventional history tells us that they should not have been here. He writes about evidence by way of petroglyphs, tools, weapons, artistic influence among Native American tribes such as the Zunis, and other proof that proves that early explorers and merchants from the Middle East, visited the "New World" long before Columbus, and in some cases, 2000 years B.C...! He offers additional proof by way of maps and books written by archaeologists and scientists that indicate that North American Indians and the early Spanish were influenced by these early sea-faring travelers and perhaps even left their genes among the people of the Southwest., thus begging the question... "Who really are we...?"
The book is 40 pages and can be ordered in soft-cover or as an E-Book.
In this book, Louis is taking a bold step from the standpoint of southwest history, in that he is writing about ancient visitors to the Southwest and the United States, at a time when conventional history tells us that they should not have been here. He writes about evidence by way of petroglyphs, tools, weapons, artistic influence among Native American tribes such as the Zunis, and other proof that proves that early explorers and merchants from the Middle East, visited the "New World" long before Columbus, and in some cases, 2000 years B.C...! He offers additional proof by way of maps and books written by archaeologists and scientists that indicate that North American Indians and the early Spanish were influenced by these early sea-faring travelers and perhaps even left their genes among the people of the Southwest., thus begging the question... "Who really are we...?"
The book is 40 pages and can be ordered in soft-cover or as an E-Book.
BOOK: JEWS AND NEW MEXICO, CENTURIES OF CONTACT
NOT AVAILABLE IN HARD COPY AT THIS TIME - ONLY AS E-BOOK
This is a narrative of the earliest history of the Hebrew people in their homeland in the Middle East and their "connection" to the Spanish people in the period before Christ, as well as their connection to the Egyptians and Phoenicians, masters of the sea in that same period..! It is also a collection of articles, mostly from the internet, describing the many artifacts and petroglyphs around the southwest, clearly proving that ancient Hebrew / Phoenician / Egyptian explorers visited the New World as early as 1500 BC., long before Columbus or Hernan Cortes. It describes how these early visitors met with, and influenced the early Native American Indian tribes and left their influence among them. The articles contain many references and links where the reader can obtain more information on the subject.
The book also contains information about the Spanish Inquisition and the subject of southwest "Crypto Jews". It serves to help the reader understand the "association" Hebrews have had with the Spanish people since the earliest history of Spain, into the present.
In December of 2008, Louis Serna presented a well received lecture on the subject of the book to the Adat Yeshua Messianic Synagogue in Albuquerque and other lectures may be forthcoming.
The book is 291 pages and is available as an E-Book for $10.00 USD.
The book as a soft-cover, hard-copy book is $25.00, (includes postage in the U.S.) USD. Send check or money order to:
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
The book also contains information about the Spanish Inquisition and the subject of southwest "Crypto Jews". It serves to help the reader understand the "association" Hebrews have had with the Spanish people since the earliest history of Spain, into the present.
In December of 2008, Louis Serna presented a well received lecture on the subject of the book to the Adat Yeshua Messianic Synagogue in Albuquerque and other lectures may be forthcoming.
The book is 291 pages and is available as an E-Book for $10.00 USD.
The book as a soft-cover, hard-copy book is $25.00, (includes postage in the U.S.) USD. Send check or money order to:
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
Cart for E-Book at $10.00
When finished shopping, go to "View Cart" and pay for book.
The Sernas of the World, a Family History
SOFTCOVER IS OUT OF STOCK UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
1
Cart for E-Book at $10.00
When finished shopping, go to "View Cart" and pay for book(s)
BOOK: THE SERNAS OF THE WORLD, A FAMILY HISTORY
Louis is a native of northern New Mexico in the United States. He was born in Springer, and lived in Cimarron during his High School years. Two years after graduating in 1959, he married his High School sweetheart, Gloria Martinez. In 1966, Gloria’s mother gave Louis a packet of old pictures, telling him that they were her ancestors and asking him to “find out who they were” as she was very proud of who she was. She asked Louis to tell her children who their ancestor's were. Many of the pictures were of her Maxwell ancestors, of the famous Maxwell Land Grant family of northern New Mexico. She died of cancer in March of that same year.
Louis started writing letters to the departments of Vital Statistics of several states, asking for help in determining who the people in the pictures were.
In 1975, Louis had amassed enough information about the Maxwell’s that he self published his first book, titled; “Tessie”, in memory of his mother in law. By then, he had become quite knowledgeable in the processes of family history study and in 1994, he had completed the history of his own Serna family and self published another book titled, “The Sernas of New Mexico, a Family History”. On completing these books he published several other books having to do with the history of northern New Mexico, including some of its “desperados’ such as Black Jack Ketchum, Clay Allison, and others.
The Sernas of the World, a Family History is a compilation of the original “Serna” book, and the latest information Louis has researched about the origins of Sernas (and other Spanish families), through their earliest migrations from the Middle East and the Celtic Isles which later became the British Isles and across Europe to what is now Spain. He covers their development through the Moorish occupation, their establishment of a united Spain, free of the Moors and their sailings to the New World., a period from before Christ to the present.
Louis has included a genealogy of his Serna’s and the De La Serna’s of Spain from 1360 to the present. He has included many Coats of Arms of De La Serna’s in Spain, and has included Interviews he has personally done with Sernas and De La Sernas from Spain, Argentina, the Ukraine, France, and others…, thus the title; “The Sernas of the World…..”
The book is 6 X 8 ½, spiral bound, and contains 230 pages of Serna history. There are 103 pictures including many Coats of Arms. The book price is $35.00 in the U.S. Louis guarantees the book with a 100% money back guarantee if for any reason the reader is not satisfied. He will mail the book upon verification of payment, or purchase order. Postage outside the U.S. is extra.
The book is also available as an E-Book in PDF format for only $10.00. The book will imediately download to your email address upon payment.
I also accept checks and money orders, sent directly to:
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Louis started writing letters to the departments of Vital Statistics of several states, asking for help in determining who the people in the pictures were.
In 1975, Louis had amassed enough information about the Maxwell’s that he self published his first book, titled; “Tessie”, in memory of his mother in law. By then, he had become quite knowledgeable in the processes of family history study and in 1994, he had completed the history of his own Serna family and self published another book titled, “The Sernas of New Mexico, a Family History”. On completing these books he published several other books having to do with the history of northern New Mexico, including some of its “desperados’ such as Black Jack Ketchum, Clay Allison, and others.
The Sernas of the World, a Family History is a compilation of the original “Serna” book, and the latest information Louis has researched about the origins of Sernas (and other Spanish families), through their earliest migrations from the Middle East and the Celtic Isles which later became the British Isles and across Europe to what is now Spain. He covers their development through the Moorish occupation, their establishment of a united Spain, free of the Moors and their sailings to the New World., a period from before Christ to the present.
Louis has included a genealogy of his Serna’s and the De La Serna’s of Spain from 1360 to the present. He has included many Coats of Arms of De La Serna’s in Spain, and has included Interviews he has personally done with Sernas and De La Sernas from Spain, Argentina, the Ukraine, France, and others…, thus the title; “The Sernas of the World…..”
The book is 6 X 8 ½, spiral bound, and contains 230 pages of Serna history. There are 103 pictures including many Coats of Arms. The book price is $35.00 in the U.S. Louis guarantees the book with a 100% money back guarantee if for any reason the reader is not satisfied. He will mail the book upon verification of payment, or purchase order. Postage outside the U.S. is extra.
The book is also available as an E-Book in PDF format for only $10.00. The book will imediately download to your email address upon payment.
I also accept checks and money orders, sent directly to:
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Los Sernas de el Mundo, una Historia de Familia
OUT OF STOCK UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
1
Libro; Los Sernas de el Mundo, Una Historia de Familia
Os Mando Saludos a todos mis "Primos" en todos y cada uno de los rincones del mundo, donde el Castellano es nuestra lengua madre.
Durante muchos anos, he estado investigando y trabajando en un estudio de la historia de nuestros antepasados Espanoles...
hasta llegar al ano 1360 en Espana. He trazado la historia de nuestra familia de la Serna, tanto en Nuevo Mejico, Estados Unidos, donde resido, como en Espana, nuestro pais de origen.
Durante estos ultimos anos, he rasteado el origen de nuestra familia de la Serna, hasta el ano 1360, cuando el territorio Espanol no se conocia como Espana como se conoce ahora, y hasta la epoca en la que las tribus que por aquel entonces vivian en el Medio Oriente... sobre los anos de 1500 antes de
Cristo.
En mi libro, describo como esta gente oriunda del Medio Oriente y el Mar Negro, llego a Europa y decidio establicerse en Espana., y como se convirtieron en los Espanoles que hoy dia conocemos.
El libro de pasta blanda es de 145 paginas. Contiene un gran numero de fotografias, dibujos, mapas, escudos de la familia, arboles genealogicos y entrevistas personales a varias ramas de la familia de la Serna en el mundo.
Las dimensiones del libro son las siquientes; 8 pulgadas y media por 11 pulgadas. Su precio es de $35.00 Dolares (USD), ademas de gastos de envio al destino en cuestion se admite realizar el pago por PayPal y tambien a traves de la mayoria de las tarjetas de credito y asimismo, cheques y pagos contrarembolso.
Os ruego que contacteis conmigo para realizar el pago decidir el modo de envio del libro que mas os convenga. Hacedlo a
sernabook@comcast.net o llamadme al (505) 291-0261.
El libro esta tambien disponible como libro electronico por el precio de $10.00 Dolares (USD), y se enviara sobre la marcha a vuestra direccion de email, una vez que se haya realizado previamente el pago del mismo. Por favor, no olvideis escificarme la direccion de email donde quereis que os llegue.
Para mas informacion sobre este libro u otros libros mios, por favor os ruego que visiteis mi email; sernabook@comcast.net.
Gracias y os mando mis mejores deseos..! Luis Serna
Durante muchos anos, he estado investigando y trabajando en un estudio de la historia de nuestros antepasados Espanoles...
hasta llegar al ano 1360 en Espana. He trazado la historia de nuestra familia de la Serna, tanto en Nuevo Mejico, Estados Unidos, donde resido, como en Espana, nuestro pais de origen.
Durante estos ultimos anos, he rasteado el origen de nuestra familia de la Serna, hasta el ano 1360, cuando el territorio Espanol no se conocia como Espana como se conoce ahora, y hasta la epoca en la que las tribus que por aquel entonces vivian en el Medio Oriente... sobre los anos de 1500 antes de
Cristo.
En mi libro, describo como esta gente oriunda del Medio Oriente y el Mar Negro, llego a Europa y decidio establicerse en Espana., y como se convirtieron en los Espanoles que hoy dia conocemos.
El libro de pasta blanda es de 145 paginas. Contiene un gran numero de fotografias, dibujos, mapas, escudos de la familia, arboles genealogicos y entrevistas personales a varias ramas de la familia de la Serna en el mundo.
Las dimensiones del libro son las siquientes; 8 pulgadas y media por 11 pulgadas. Su precio es de $35.00 Dolares (USD), ademas de gastos de envio al destino en cuestion se admite realizar el pago por PayPal y tambien a traves de la mayoria de las tarjetas de credito y asimismo, cheques y pagos contrarembolso.
Os ruego que contacteis conmigo para realizar el pago decidir el modo de envio del libro que mas os convenga. Hacedlo a
sernabook@comcast.net o llamadme al (505) 291-0261.
El libro esta tambien disponible como libro electronico por el precio de $10.00 Dolares (USD), y se enviara sobre la marcha a vuestra direccion de email, una vez que se haya realizado previamente el pago del mismo. Por favor, no olvideis escificarme la direccion de email donde quereis que os llegue.
Para mas informacion sobre este libro u otros libros mios, por favor os ruego que visiteis mi email; sernabook@comcast.net.
Gracias y os mando mis mejores deseos..! Luis Serna
A History of the Spanish People of Northern New Mexico
Softcover - at $20.00
Cart for History of Spanish People E-BOOK at $10.00
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BOOK - A HISTORY OF THE SPANISH PEOPLE OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO
This is a history of the Spanish people of northern New Mexico and why they live, where they live. As a kid growing up in Springer in the late 40's and 50's, and then living in Cimarron later in my youth, I was always puzzled as to why the Spanish people lived where they lived and how they got there. I wondered where did they come from? why do they all call each other "primo" (cousin). Why do some have blue eyes and blond hair? and others of dark complexion?
In 1966 I began a family history study of the Maxwell family of the Maxwell Land Grant and my Serna family of northern New Mexico. Over many years I researched the origins of my family and all the Serna families of New Mexico. I noted the migrations of people up the Rio Grande from Mexico in the early 1600's and their later migrations out to the villages and towns around northern New Mexico in the early 1800's.
In my book I include some history of the Maxwell Land Grant and the great influence the grant had on the settlements and people throughout northern New Mexico.
The book has enjoyed great reviews by the Raton Range, The Taos News, The Las Vegas Optic and those who have purchased the book and have requested copies of my other related books about northern New Mexico history.
The book is aproximately 100 pages, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2, "Perfect Bound", softcover, and contains many pictures. The price is $20.00 in the U.S. I guarantee 100% satisfaction and will mail the book to you upon verification of payment or purchase order, anywhere in the continental U.S. Postage outside the U.S. is extra.
The book is also available as an E-Book in PDF format, for only $10.00. I will send the book to your email address upon payment.
I also accept checks, and money orders, sent directly to:
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
In 1966 I began a family history study of the Maxwell family of the Maxwell Land Grant and my Serna family of northern New Mexico. Over many years I researched the origins of my family and all the Serna families of New Mexico. I noted the migrations of people up the Rio Grande from Mexico in the early 1600's and their later migrations out to the villages and towns around northern New Mexico in the early 1800's.
In my book I include some history of the Maxwell Land Grant and the great influence the grant had on the settlements and people throughout northern New Mexico.
The book has enjoyed great reviews by the Raton Range, The Taos News, The Las Vegas Optic and those who have purchased the book and have requested copies of my other related books about northern New Mexico history.
The book is aproximately 100 pages, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2, "Perfect Bound", softcover, and contains many pictures. The price is $20.00 in the U.S. I guarantee 100% satisfaction and will mail the book to you upon verification of payment or purchase order, anywhere in the continental U.S. Postage outside the U.S. is extra.
The book is also available as an E-Book in PDF format, for only $10.00. I will send the book to your email address upon payment.
I also accept checks, and money orders, sent directly to:
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Robert Clay Allison & the Colfax County War
Book cover
Softcover - (Temporarily out of stock) - Sorry...!
1
Cart for Clay Allison E-BOOK at $15.00
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BOOK - ROBERT CLAY ALLISON AND THE COLFAX COUNTY WAR
This is the true and authentic life of Robert Clay Allison, famous character of the 1800's in the wild west town of Cimarron, New Mexico. Much has been written about Allison, mostly fictitious... this is the REAL life story..!
Clay Allison, as he was better known, was born in Tennessee and was unfortunate to live his young adult years in the middle of the Civil War..! His family and he suffered from the hardships of the War and it stayed with him throughout his life.
Late in the war he made his way to Texas, rounded up some "bush" cattle and headed north to the New Mexico territory to try to settle down and start a cattle ranch of his own. Destiny played him a cruel hand, as it did so many at that time, in that in order to survive, he had many confrontations with others as hard as he was, but not quite as deadly..! In spite of hia many confrontations, he tried to retain an air of politeness and civility which earned him the nickname, "The Gentleman Gunfighter"...! he himself was known to refer to himself as a "Shootist".... as if that somehow lessoned his deadly reputation..!
Arriving in northern New Mexico, he built himself a sod house on the bank of the Canadian River and from there started a life of highs and lows with regard to his personal activities in that time and place. He spent a great deal of time at Cimarron, at the St. James Hotel where many outlaws and famous characters came to rest, play, and often meet their maker..! Clay was in many scrapes from Cimarron all the way to Dodge City and confronted the likes of Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, and others and lived to tell about it. Others, he left in his wake..!
Destiny again played him a rough hand when he became embroiled in the aftermath of the sale of the huge Maxwell Land Grant which led to much bloodshed and turmoil in northern New Mexico... so much so that it became known as The Colfax County War..! Because of his many scrapes with the law and noted gunmen, he soon became the target of many "news" men, writers, and others who made up many tall tales about him. This book sets the story straight as to his real life story and his thoughts and activities.
The book is aproximately 318 pages, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2, "Perfect Binding" softcover, and contains many pictures. The book price is $35.00 in the U.S. I guarantee 100% satisfaction and will mail the book to you upon verification of payment, or purchase order anywhere in the continental U.S. Postage outside the U.S. is extra.
The book is also available as an E-Book in PDF format for only $15.00. I will send you the book to your email address upon payment.
I also accept checks and money orders sent directly to:
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Clay Allison, as he was better known, was born in Tennessee and was unfortunate to live his young adult years in the middle of the Civil War..! His family and he suffered from the hardships of the War and it stayed with him throughout his life.
Late in the war he made his way to Texas, rounded up some "bush" cattle and headed north to the New Mexico territory to try to settle down and start a cattle ranch of his own. Destiny played him a cruel hand, as it did so many at that time, in that in order to survive, he had many confrontations with others as hard as he was, but not quite as deadly..! In spite of hia many confrontations, he tried to retain an air of politeness and civility which earned him the nickname, "The Gentleman Gunfighter"...! he himself was known to refer to himself as a "Shootist".... as if that somehow lessoned his deadly reputation..!
Arriving in northern New Mexico, he built himself a sod house on the bank of the Canadian River and from there started a life of highs and lows with regard to his personal activities in that time and place. He spent a great deal of time at Cimarron, at the St. James Hotel where many outlaws and famous characters came to rest, play, and often meet their maker..! Clay was in many scrapes from Cimarron all the way to Dodge City and confronted the likes of Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, and others and lived to tell about it. Others, he left in his wake..!
Destiny again played him a rough hand when he became embroiled in the aftermath of the sale of the huge Maxwell Land Grant which led to much bloodshed and turmoil in northern New Mexico... so much so that it became known as The Colfax County War..! Because of his many scrapes with the law and noted gunmen, he soon became the target of many "news" men, writers, and others who made up many tall tales about him. This book sets the story straight as to his real life story and his thoughts and activities.
The book is aproximately 318 pages, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2, "Perfect Binding" softcover, and contains many pictures. The book price is $35.00 in the U.S. I guarantee 100% satisfaction and will mail the book to you upon verification of payment, or purchase order anywhere in the continental U.S. Postage outside the U.S. is extra.
The book is also available as an E-Book in PDF format for only $15.00. I will send you the book to your email address upon payment.
I also accept checks and money orders sent directly to:
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Tessie Maxwell of the Maxwell Land Grant Family
Softcover (temporarily out of stock) - at $30.00
Cart for Tessie E-BOOK at $10.00
When finished shopping, go to View Cart and pay for book(s)
BOOK - TESSIE MAXWELL OF THE MAXWELL LAND GRANT FAMILY
This is the story of Tessie Maxwell of Cimarron, New Mexico, and her ancestral Maxwell family. She was the daughter of Teresina Maestas and Peter Menard Maxwell. She was born in 1924 in El Prado, Taos, New Mexico. Tessie led a difficult but productive life, typical of a young lady in Taos at that time.
The book is written by her son-in-law, whom she asked to develop her life story, while in her final stages of cancer. She died in 1966 and her son-in-law, Louis set about developing information which was on the backs of pictures she gave him before passing on. Louis researched the information and developed a wonderful story of Tessie and her Maxwell family which included the history of the huge Maxwell Land Grant, owned and operated by Lucien B. Maxwell, her uncle twice removed. Tessie's father Peter was the son of Ferdinand Maxwell of Kaskaskia, Illinois. Ferdinand and Lucien Maxwell were brothers, and sons of Hugh H. Maxwell and Marie Odile Menard of St. Louis, MO. The family was very prominent in business and politics. Marie Odile's father, Pierre Menard was very successful in the fur-trading business and his father, Jean Baptiste Menard was well-known to George Washington, as Jean Baptiste provided them with money and support from Canada during their American Revolution. The family's involvement in local and national politics is very interesting.
Tessie's story centers in Cimarron, New Mexico, headquarters for the huge Maxwell Grant and focal point for the Colfax County War that followed when Lucien sold his grant which he claimed to be 2 million acres! The intrigues of the sale and later conflicts that followed are in the book and much more.
Also included is a genealogy of the Maxwell family which includes very prominent and historical characters. In one way or another, the Maxwell Land Grant influenced all of northern New Mexico and beyond.
The book is 290 pages, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2, softcover, and contains many pictures of the Maxwell family. The book price is $30.00 which includes shipping and handling in the U.S. Louis guarantees 100% satisfaction and will mail the book to you upon verification of payment or purchase order, anywhere in the continental U.S.
The book is also available as an E-Book in PDF format for only $10.00. I will send you the book to your email address upon payment.
I also accept checks and money orders, sent directly to:
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Liven Serna, Bearhunter of the Rayado
Softcover - at $15.00
Cart for Liven Serna E-BOOK at $10.00
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BOOK - LIVEN SERNA, FAMOUS BEARHUNTER OF THE RAYADO
This is the biography of Liven Serna of northern New Mexico. Liven (pronounced lee - ven), was a famous bear hunter and hunter of other big game in the mountains around the Rayado Valley in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the early 1900's.
In fact, he became a legend in his own time..!
He was born in 1871 at Rayado, NM., and as the youngest in the family the chore of hunting game for the table fell on him as his older brothers were too busy working their farm and livestock. At a very young age he became an expert at tracking and bagging deer, mountain lion, wolves, and especially bears. At that time, when there were no fences or "limits" on game, he discovered that he could make much needed money by hunting bears and selling their hides and meat. He had several harrowing close calls with the bears and became a living legend in his own time as he was in so much demand as a guide and hunter.
The book is aproximately 60 pages, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2, spiral bound softcover, and contains many pictures. The book price is $20.00 in the U.S. I guarantee 100% satisfaction and will mail the book to you upon verification of payment or purchase order. Postage outside the U.S. is extra.
The book is also available as an E-Book in PDF format for only $10.00. I will send the book to your email address upon payment.
I also accept checks and money orders sent directly to:
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
________________________________________________________________________________________________
In fact, he became a legend in his own time..!
He was born in 1871 at Rayado, NM., and as the youngest in the family the chore of hunting game for the table fell on him as his older brothers were too busy working their farm and livestock. At a very young age he became an expert at tracking and bagging deer, mountain lion, wolves, and especially bears. At that time, when there were no fences or "limits" on game, he discovered that he could make much needed money by hunting bears and selling their hides and meat. He had several harrowing close calls with the bears and became a living legend in his own time as he was in so much demand as a guide and hunter.
The book is aproximately 60 pages, 8 1/2 X 5 1/2, spiral bound softcover, and contains many pictures. The book price is $20.00 in the U.S. I guarantee 100% satisfaction and will mail the book to you upon verification of payment or purchase order. Postage outside the U.S. is extra.
The book is also available as an E-Book in PDF format for only $10.00. I will send the book to your email address upon payment.
I also accept checks and money orders sent directly to:
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
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The Sernas of New Mexico NEWSLETTERS
BOOK - THE SERNAS OF NEW MEXICO NEWSLETTERS - TEMPORARILY OUT OF PRINT..!!! SORRY..!!!
From 1997 until 2006, I produced a family history Newsletter about my family, the Sernas of New Mexico, other families, and people, places, and events in New Mexico. I had previously done some 40 years of research on my Serna family, taking that history back from me, through the years back to 1626 when my first ancestor, Luis Diego de la Serna came to what is now New Mexico in 1625. I then went back through the family's history in Spain when we were the "De La Serna" family, to 1360 in the mountains in the north of Spain.
I wrote a book titled: "The Sernas of New Mexico, a Family History" in which I documented that family history and included a genealogy of 20 generations, and much more. I wrote several other books about historical people, places and events that in many way affected the development of the state of New Mexico and even of the United States.
In 2005 I wrote another book titled: "The Sernas of the World" in which I included much of our family history, but also added a great deal of new information regarding the family's origins before 1360, into the region of the Middle East..! I also included many conversations and newly discovered family history from distant cousins in Argentina, Cuba, France, Spain, and even the Ukraine..!
The "Special Collection" of the Newsletters includes forty six issues, each eight pages, in a single bound book. The book is 8 1/2 X 11", softcover, and about 1" in thickness. The book price is $35.00 in the U.S. I guarantee 100% satisfaction and will mail the book to you upon verification of payment, or purchase order. Postage outside the U.S. is extra.
I accept checks and money orders, sent directly to:
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
___________________________________________________________________________________________
I wrote a book titled: "The Sernas of New Mexico, a Family History" in which I documented that family history and included a genealogy of 20 generations, and much more. I wrote several other books about historical people, places and events that in many way affected the development of the state of New Mexico and even of the United States.
In 2005 I wrote another book titled: "The Sernas of the World" in which I included much of our family history, but also added a great deal of new information regarding the family's origins before 1360, into the region of the Middle East..! I also included many conversations and newly discovered family history from distant cousins in Argentina, Cuba, France, Spain, and even the Ukraine..!
The "Special Collection" of the Newsletters includes forty six issues, each eight pages, in a single bound book. The book is 8 1/2 X 11", softcover, and about 1" in thickness. The book price is $35.00 in the U.S. I guarantee 100% satisfaction and will mail the book to you upon verification of payment, or purchase order. Postage outside the U.S. is extra.
I accept checks and money orders, sent directly to:
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
___________________________________________________________________________________________
About the Sernas of the World Genealogy
The Sernas of New Mexico and the Sernas of the World Genealogy
Following are the paternal and maternal genealogies of Louis Serna, from Alvar Gomez de la Serna, c.1360 and Lucas Montes de Vigil, c.1500 of Spain. The Serna genealogy of Spain applies to all Sernas / de la Sernas of the World. Also shown are the paternal and maternal genealogies of Gloria Martinez de Serna from her maternal Hugh H. Maxwell and Piere Menard, c.1700. Go to the links provided to view the genealogies. http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/s/e/r/Louis-F-Serna/index.html
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Following are the paternal and maternal genealogies of Louis Serna, from Alvar Gomez de la Serna, c.1360 and Lucas Montes de Vigil, c.1500 of Spain. The Serna genealogy of Spain applies to all Sernas / de la Sernas of the World. Also shown are the paternal and maternal genealogies of Gloria Martinez de Serna from her maternal Hugh H. Maxwell and Piere Menard, c.1700. Go to the links provided to view the genealogies. http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/s/e/r/Louis-F-Serna/index.html
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The Alfred Dorrance Story
"Bloody Trail Of The Thunderbird!"
The Alfred Dorrance Story
Alfred Dorrance was a kid from Cimarron, New Mexico, who in the early days of World War II lost a brother in action in the Phillipines. He decided that he now must do his part in the war, so although small of stature.., he decided to join the Marines..! They turned him down.... too small..! Determined, he then tried the Navy... again, too small..! Now demoralized and dejected, he turned to the Army, who told him, "We need YOU...!"
His story of how he overcame his size, and became one of the highly decorated soldier / heroes of WWII is truly poignant..! Read how this young, small man from Cimarron, went on to earn the coveted Silver Star in combat and much more..!
The book is 99 pages, with full color pictures of landing maps, and various battle plans in which Alfred was engaged. The book also contains his various citations and medals, also in color.
The book is available as an E-Book in PDF format for $10.00. I will send the book to your email address upon payment by check or money order to;
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
His story of how he overcame his size, and became one of the highly decorated soldier / heroes of WWII is truly poignant..! Read how this young, small man from Cimarron, went on to earn the coveted Silver Star in combat and much more..!
The book is 99 pages, with full color pictures of landing maps, and various battle plans in which Alfred was engaged. The book also contains his various citations and medals, also in color.
The book is available as an E-Book in PDF format for $10.00. I will send the book to your email address upon payment by check or money order to;
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
Cart for Alfred Dorrance E-BOOK at $10.00
When finished shopping, go to View Cart and pay for book(s)
The Alfred Dorrance Story
Medals & Citations
LECTURES
To schedule a lecture on any of my above books, or on a history topic of your choice, contact me at (505) 291-0261 or (505) 681-9458 or by email at sernabook@comcast.net.
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OUTSTANDING SERNAS OF THE WORLD SECTION
The section that follows, includes outstanding Sernas of the world. If you know a Serna who you feel should be here, including YOU, please contact me at sernabook@comcast.net
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The Sernas of the Ukraine
Ivan and Maria and son Oleksandr and Oksana
Oleksandr, Maria, Oksana, and Ivan Serna
Outstanding Sernas of the Ukraine..!
Chernivtsi Region in Red
The Sernas live in Mamajivtsi, a village in Chernivtsi
AN OUTSTANDING SERNA FAMILY - THE SERNAS OF THE UKRAINE
The Sernas of the Ukraine, another Outstanding Serna Family of the World..!
During the many years that I have produced “The Sernas of New Mexico NEWSLETTER,” and now “The Sernas of the World” Blog, I have had the pleasure of meeting so many wonderful Sernas from wonderful places in the world! The pleasure has certainly been mine..! ALL of them have been “outstanding.” Once again, it is my pleasure to introduce you to a beautiful family in one of the most beautiful places in the world..! The Sernas of the Ukraine..!
Where is the Ukraine, you ask? The Ukraine is just above the Black Sea, bordered on the east by Russia and on the west by European countries like Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldavia. It has a long, exciting, and durable history..! Always threatened by one country or another, but always one of the leading countries in Industry and Government.
By now, you must be asking yourself, “How did Sernas come to be in the Ukraine?” A good question since most Sernas around the world expect to find Sernas in Spanish-speaking countries like Spain, South America, Mexico, the U.S., and elsewhere. So how did Sernas come to be in this area, prone to the Slavic and Russian languages?
As some of you recall, who know me from my books and lectures on the Sernas of the World, I wrote many years ago, that there was Serna influences in the region of Moldavia, Ukraine, and Russia, in the regions bordering the north shores of the Black Sea. There are even people, villages, and rivers named “Serna” there. So how did they get there? I contend that they were transported there by the early Masters of the Sea, the Phoenicians!
About 500 BC, the Phoenicians were sailing from their ports in the Middle East, to far off places like today’s British Isles and today’s Spanish coasts in search of tin ore which was being mined in those places in abundance by then Celts.., early ancestors of some of the Spanish. The Phoenicians were also sailing far into the Black Sea, in search of the same metal which was being mined in that region as well. The Phoenicians used the metal to forge weapons and other trade wares. It made sense to me, and history seems to back up my theory by recent DNA testing that has been done in those same regions, which indicate that similar blood lines appear in those areas and those areas only..! Since we know that the very name Serna is a Celtic name dating back to the time that the Celts were in the British Isles, and then in Spain, and then across Europe, it is a foregone conclusion that Celtic Sernas, as miners or workers, or seamen, were transported to those locations courtesy of the seafaring Phoenicians! There is much more to my contention, all in my book, “The Sernas of the World, a Family History.” Could Ivan’s ancestors be from those origins?
So who are the Sernas of the Ukraine? It is my great pleasure to introduce to you, Ivan, Maria, their son, Oleksandr (Sasha), and the beautiful Oxana Serna..! (also spelled Oksana).
Sometime in 2005, Oxana was working at the Philmont Scout Ranch, just outside my hometown of Cimarron, New Mexico. She was there on a temporary work visa. Many youngsters from Cimarron work at Philmont in summer jobs. At the Ranch cafeteria, one of those kids noticed a young girl go by the food line with a nametage that read "Serna." He asked the young girl if she was related to the Sernas of Cimarron? The young girl replied, "You mean there are Sernas here???" From that chance meeting, Oksana was able to meet my monther Vangie Serna and my brothers in Cimarron. She had never met Sernas outside of her village of Mamajivtsi in the Ukraine..! In fact, they are the only Serna family in her village that she knew of. That chance meeting at the Philmont Scout Ranch started for me, a wonderful communication with Oxana who at the time was a young school girl, living with her parents when she wasn’t traveling to various places related with her schoolwork. Oleksander was living in Canada at the time, enjoying a successful career in music. Ivan, followed in the carpentry craft of his father and Grand-father and also in the faith of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. He is and has been a Minister for many years. There is much more to this beautiful family, which I will share with you in a recent interview I did with Ivan, through Oxana. No longer the school girl, she recently graduated and will probably move on to greater adventures.
For the purpose of this article, I sent a series of questions to Ivan, hoping that he would share his response with me. I was very pleased when Oxana responded, as she is the “English” speaker in the family. Their responses were so poignant, that I decided to share them unedited, so the Sernas around the world who read my Blog, can know more about the Sernas of the Ukraine! Here are my questions and Ivan’s response;
Louis: How long has your Serna family been in the Ukraine?
Ivan: My parents were from Chernivtsi. They came from a region called Bukovina, from a village called Beregomet. I don’t know much about my grand parents or great grand parents, only that my Serna ancestors have lived in the Ukraine for some 200 years.
Louis: Where were your father and grandfather born?
Ivan: They were born in Beregomet.
Louis: Did your ancestors migrate to the Ukraine from somewhere else?
Ivan: Since my surname is not Ukranian, I have sometimes thought that they migrated from somewhere as my ancestors were the only Sernas here. I know there are Sernas in Spain, Portugal, and Latin America but I don’t know of any connection to them.
Louis: What was your father’s occupation? Your grand-father’s occupation?
Ivan: My father was a Carpenter. He lived during the “hard” time of our country. Most people couldn’t study at college or university. Very few could study in the big cities. Because of that situation, people, especially men, tried to master some practical occupation where they could use their hands. My grand-father was also a Carpenter. He taught my father the profession. It was rather difficult to survive at the time. People had to struggle. I’m not sure if he attended school. Many children didn’t have clothes for school so they didn’t attend. They didn’t have such childhood as we do, they had to work from their early childhood. They helped the parents with the garden and with the cattle. Each family had a cow or two, hens, geese, dogs, pigs, etc. At that time there weren’t as much markets as now, to provide themselves with food. They had to plant food, then gather it and then cook it. I went to school in the town of Luzhany which was situated 10 km from Beregomet. I attended school for eleven years, nine of them as a full-time student and two years on a part-time study classes in the evening. I had to work to help my family. My grandfather moved to my grandmother’s place.
(By coincidence, my father and grandfather were also Master Carpenters..! Lou Serna)
Louis: I know you are a man of God. When and where did you decide to become a Minister?
Ivan: My parents belonged to Seventh Day Adventist Church. During the Soviet time it was very difficult and dangerous to attend church. The ideology of the Soviet regime was that there was no God. They said the Party gave people everythings! Christians were prosecuted. A lot of them were at prison because of their commitments. It was forbidden to have Christian literature, especially Bible, so people had to hide it. It was much more difficult for Adventists as according to our commitments, we keep the Sabbath Day (according to the 4th Commandment), we don’t work during this day, but there wasn’t democracy and everybody had to work 6 days a week including Saturday. If one doesn’t work, he is fired and nobody else will hire him. Children were forced to attend school on Saturday. There were even cases when children were taken away from their parents because they “didn’t allow their children to go to school that day.” I became a member of the SDA church when I was 16. I was doing building work at that time. I married my wife, Maria, when I was 22. Our first child, Oleksandr, (we call him Sasha), was born he next year and then Oxana was born the next year.
I became a Minister in my 30’s. The Church proposed that I become a Pastor, and I hesitated to take the responsibility. I prayed with my wife and we decided that if God wants me to become a Pastor, I will be. At first, I worked as a Pastor in our local church and then I was elected to work as a Youth Director at the Bukovinska Conference. I was responsible for the youth ministry in the territory of 3 regions. I really liked it because I was a very active and energetic person and I liked working with the youth. Four years later, I was elected as the Youth Director for the entire Ukrainian region so I was responsible for the youth ministry of the whole territory of Ukraine. The main office was in Kiev, our capital. I had to move there and leave my family in our home. My son, Oleksander was already in college and Oxana was attending school and music school. I did not move my family to Kiev because I had to do a lot of traveling. I went home to see them twice a month. I worked there for 4 years and then I was invited to work at Vinnitsa City as an Administrator in the position of Secretary at Podolska Conference. I worked there almost 10 years. My wife Maria and I live here now.
In May of 2007, there will be elections and I don’t know if I will stay here or be invited somewhere else. We hope we can return to the Chernivtsi region, back to our lovable home. We pray on it but we will accept God’s will.
Louis: Did you serve in the military?
Ivan: Yes, I served one year from 1973 to 1974 in Mukachevo. It is situated in the Karpathian mountains on the border with Hungary.
Louis: What was it like for your family during World War II?
Ivan: My parents were lucky. They didn’t feel much of WWII. At that time the west part of Ukraine was under European countries like Poland, Hungary, Czech, and Romainia. Chernivtsi, (Bukovina), was under Romainia. But it was terribly difficult for people who lived in South, North, and East. They were occupied by the Soviet Army. Russians wanted to destroy our Ukranian culture, especially our language. All educated and smart people were taken to Syberia or put into prisons. The food was taken away… the West part of Ukraine was occupied by Soviet Union in 1945, the other parts earlier in 1918
During WWII Soviet Union wanted to destroy our culture and everything. The policy was to make all people equal, the middle class, to destroy religion, to control all spheres of people’s life, no democracy, people couldn’t go to another country. They were told that the best place in the world was the Soviet Union. They said that the other countries were beneath us, especially the USA. It was a rather difficult time because the government tried to kill a person personally, they had to follow totalitarian ideology. People were told where to study or live. Adventists didn’t have any opportunity to study at college or university, first because they were not members of the Socialist Party and second because they didn’t attend classes on Saturday. People laughed at Christians. It was very hard to get Christian literature. Almost all literature was reprinted by people. My wife Maria used to do that. She printed a lot of books from the originals. She had to do it in the basement of her house because if the government noticed, she would be arrested. A lot of people were arrested at that time….
Louis: Do you travel around Europe on business? On vacation?
Ivan: Yes I travel a lot in the territory of Ukraine. I go to Europe not too often. I go to Russia, Germany, Hungary, Czech, and Poland with my work. I took the family to Russia and to Italy but we were not able to travel a lot because of finances. It’s very expensive, especially for the Minister.
Louis: Are you retired from work now? Do you plan to retire soon?
Ivan: Yes, I am tired of work but I like it and I enjoy it. I am quite devoted to my work and I am a spiritual person so I try to do my best in everything, especially my job. I’ll retire in 7 years, but you know, frankly speaking, I think I’ll work until the end. I hope Maria and I can live in our home in Mamajivtsi this summer. The present term of my job ends this Spring in May. We’ll see what happens then.
Louis: What does the future hold for the Ukraine?
Ivan: I love the Ukraine. It is a young country that has a rich history. It’s history began in the 11th century during the ruling of the Kievan Rus. At that time it was the second most powerful country in Europe after Visanty (modern Turkey). It had reached culture and a stable economy. At that time, countries like Germany, France, and others had tribes at their territories and weren’t developed. I’m not sure how long it existed, but some period. It had a very good geographical position as the Ukraine was situated at the centre of Europe. A lot of trade crossed the Ukraine. It had very good soil, (the black one), good climate and nature. That is why other nations and tribes tried to occupy Kievan Rus and after some period of time it was destroyed. From that start came the Ukranians, the Russians, and the Belarussians.
Then many countries like Vizanty, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Czek, and Russia occupied us. We released from them but then another occupied us… We have a cruel history.
Modern Ukraine is a young country. This year in August will be 16 years old. Nowadays we have democracy in our country but still sometimes we experience the influence of the Soviet Union. After the destruction of the Soviet Union in 1991, it was very difficult for Ukraine because Russia took almost all money and resources from us and other countries too. I remember at that time a lot of people were depressed because they had a lot of money at banks and after the destruction, the ruble lost it’s value so people lost big sums. There was high inflation. The government was very corrupted. Now the situation is much better, the cities and towns are renewed and they look pretty modern. There are lots of goods in supermarkets. You can live very good if you have money. You can live even better than in the USA, because the food and clothes are more natural. The biggest problem is still money. The government doesn’t provide enough work places and because of that, a lot of people work in other countries such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, the USA, Canada, Germany, etc. Nevertheless, our culture and history is very rich and people are hard-working. Ukrainian nation is famous for it’s food, songs, women, and language. Our language is melodic, and in third place behind Italian and French in it’s pleasant spoken language.
I’m sure you’ve heard of the Orange Revolution which took place in the Ukraine 2 years ago? It was a time for Ukrainians to show the world that we are a nation with our own language. We love our country and we want everyone to come here and enjoy our nature. We have everything. Mountains, flat areas, two seas, a lot of rivers, and our nature is fantastic..!
Louis: What do you want for the future of Ukraine and Europe?
Ivan: I want people of Ukraine and Europe to live in peace and love. I want people to know about Jesus Christ and his love for us. I want everyone to think about eternal values and to prepare for the second coming of Christ!
Louis: Would you like Sernas and other people to contact you?
Ivan: Yes..! I appreciate the work you do and I thank you for it. I would like Sernas from other countries to write to me and my children. Here are our emails.
Ivan and Maria Serna serna_ivan@vn.ua
Oleksander and Rita Serna sanya-ca@hotmail.com
Oxana Serna oxana_serna@hotmail.com
Oxana Serna Corazon.17@gmail.com
There is much more to this wonderful family and especially Oxana who is full of energy and has traveled throughout Europe and the United States with her school studies. It has been my pleasure to present this beautiful “Outstanding” family to you and I hope you can find the time to send them an email and let them know that we are all one big family after all…!
To know more about the Ukraine, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine
Lou Serna louserna@comcast.net
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
During the many years that I have produced “The Sernas of New Mexico NEWSLETTER,” and now “The Sernas of the World” Blog, I have had the pleasure of meeting so many wonderful Sernas from wonderful places in the world! The pleasure has certainly been mine..! ALL of them have been “outstanding.” Once again, it is my pleasure to introduce you to a beautiful family in one of the most beautiful places in the world..! The Sernas of the Ukraine..!
Where is the Ukraine, you ask? The Ukraine is just above the Black Sea, bordered on the east by Russia and on the west by European countries like Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldavia. It has a long, exciting, and durable history..! Always threatened by one country or another, but always one of the leading countries in Industry and Government.
By now, you must be asking yourself, “How did Sernas come to be in the Ukraine?” A good question since most Sernas around the world expect to find Sernas in Spanish-speaking countries like Spain, South America, Mexico, the U.S., and elsewhere. So how did Sernas come to be in this area, prone to the Slavic and Russian languages?
As some of you recall, who know me from my books and lectures on the Sernas of the World, I wrote many years ago, that there was Serna influences in the region of Moldavia, Ukraine, and Russia, in the regions bordering the north shores of the Black Sea. There are even people, villages, and rivers named “Serna” there. So how did they get there? I contend that they were transported there by the early Masters of the Sea, the Phoenicians!
About 500 BC, the Phoenicians were sailing from their ports in the Middle East, to far off places like today’s British Isles and today’s Spanish coasts in search of tin ore which was being mined in those places in abundance by then Celts.., early ancestors of some of the Spanish. The Phoenicians were also sailing far into the Black Sea, in search of the same metal which was being mined in that region as well. The Phoenicians used the metal to forge weapons and other trade wares. It made sense to me, and history seems to back up my theory by recent DNA testing that has been done in those same regions, which indicate that similar blood lines appear in those areas and those areas only..! Since we know that the very name Serna is a Celtic name dating back to the time that the Celts were in the British Isles, and then in Spain, and then across Europe, it is a foregone conclusion that Celtic Sernas, as miners or workers, or seamen, were transported to those locations courtesy of the seafaring Phoenicians! There is much more to my contention, all in my book, “The Sernas of the World, a Family History.” Could Ivan’s ancestors be from those origins?
So who are the Sernas of the Ukraine? It is my great pleasure to introduce to you, Ivan, Maria, their son, Oleksandr (Sasha), and the beautiful Oxana Serna..! (also spelled Oksana).
Sometime in 2005, Oxana was working at the Philmont Scout Ranch, just outside my hometown of Cimarron, New Mexico. She was there on a temporary work visa. Many youngsters from Cimarron work at Philmont in summer jobs. At the Ranch cafeteria, one of those kids noticed a young girl go by the food line with a nametage that read "Serna." He asked the young girl if she was related to the Sernas of Cimarron? The young girl replied, "You mean there are Sernas here???" From that chance meeting, Oksana was able to meet my monther Vangie Serna and my brothers in Cimarron. She had never met Sernas outside of her village of Mamajivtsi in the Ukraine..! In fact, they are the only Serna family in her village that she knew of. That chance meeting at the Philmont Scout Ranch started for me, a wonderful communication with Oxana who at the time was a young school girl, living with her parents when she wasn’t traveling to various places related with her schoolwork. Oleksander was living in Canada at the time, enjoying a successful career in music. Ivan, followed in the carpentry craft of his father and Grand-father and also in the faith of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. He is and has been a Minister for many years. There is much more to this beautiful family, which I will share with you in a recent interview I did with Ivan, through Oxana. No longer the school girl, she recently graduated and will probably move on to greater adventures.
For the purpose of this article, I sent a series of questions to Ivan, hoping that he would share his response with me. I was very pleased when Oxana responded, as she is the “English” speaker in the family. Their responses were so poignant, that I decided to share them unedited, so the Sernas around the world who read my Blog, can know more about the Sernas of the Ukraine! Here are my questions and Ivan’s response;
Louis: How long has your Serna family been in the Ukraine?
Ivan: My parents were from Chernivtsi. They came from a region called Bukovina, from a village called Beregomet. I don’t know much about my grand parents or great grand parents, only that my Serna ancestors have lived in the Ukraine for some 200 years.
Louis: Where were your father and grandfather born?
Ivan: They were born in Beregomet.
Louis: Did your ancestors migrate to the Ukraine from somewhere else?
Ivan: Since my surname is not Ukranian, I have sometimes thought that they migrated from somewhere as my ancestors were the only Sernas here. I know there are Sernas in Spain, Portugal, and Latin America but I don’t know of any connection to them.
Louis: What was your father’s occupation? Your grand-father’s occupation?
Ivan: My father was a Carpenter. He lived during the “hard” time of our country. Most people couldn’t study at college or university. Very few could study in the big cities. Because of that situation, people, especially men, tried to master some practical occupation where they could use their hands. My grand-father was also a Carpenter. He taught my father the profession. It was rather difficult to survive at the time. People had to struggle. I’m not sure if he attended school. Many children didn’t have clothes for school so they didn’t attend. They didn’t have such childhood as we do, they had to work from their early childhood. They helped the parents with the garden and with the cattle. Each family had a cow or two, hens, geese, dogs, pigs, etc. At that time there weren’t as much markets as now, to provide themselves with food. They had to plant food, then gather it and then cook it. I went to school in the town of Luzhany which was situated 10 km from Beregomet. I attended school for eleven years, nine of them as a full-time student and two years on a part-time study classes in the evening. I had to work to help my family. My grandfather moved to my grandmother’s place.
(By coincidence, my father and grandfather were also Master Carpenters..! Lou Serna)
Louis: I know you are a man of God. When and where did you decide to become a Minister?
Ivan: My parents belonged to Seventh Day Adventist Church. During the Soviet time it was very difficult and dangerous to attend church. The ideology of the Soviet regime was that there was no God. They said the Party gave people everythings! Christians were prosecuted. A lot of them were at prison because of their commitments. It was forbidden to have Christian literature, especially Bible, so people had to hide it. It was much more difficult for Adventists as according to our commitments, we keep the Sabbath Day (according to the 4th Commandment), we don’t work during this day, but there wasn’t democracy and everybody had to work 6 days a week including Saturday. If one doesn’t work, he is fired and nobody else will hire him. Children were forced to attend school on Saturday. There were even cases when children were taken away from their parents because they “didn’t allow their children to go to school that day.” I became a member of the SDA church when I was 16. I was doing building work at that time. I married my wife, Maria, when I was 22. Our first child, Oleksandr, (we call him Sasha), was born he next year and then Oxana was born the next year.
I became a Minister in my 30’s. The Church proposed that I become a Pastor, and I hesitated to take the responsibility. I prayed with my wife and we decided that if God wants me to become a Pastor, I will be. At first, I worked as a Pastor in our local church and then I was elected to work as a Youth Director at the Bukovinska Conference. I was responsible for the youth ministry in the territory of 3 regions. I really liked it because I was a very active and energetic person and I liked working with the youth. Four years later, I was elected as the Youth Director for the entire Ukrainian region so I was responsible for the youth ministry of the whole territory of Ukraine. The main office was in Kiev, our capital. I had to move there and leave my family in our home. My son, Oleksander was already in college and Oxana was attending school and music school. I did not move my family to Kiev because I had to do a lot of traveling. I went home to see them twice a month. I worked there for 4 years and then I was invited to work at Vinnitsa City as an Administrator in the position of Secretary at Podolska Conference. I worked there almost 10 years. My wife Maria and I live here now.
In May of 2007, there will be elections and I don’t know if I will stay here or be invited somewhere else. We hope we can return to the Chernivtsi region, back to our lovable home. We pray on it but we will accept God’s will.
Louis: Did you serve in the military?
Ivan: Yes, I served one year from 1973 to 1974 in Mukachevo. It is situated in the Karpathian mountains on the border with Hungary.
Louis: What was it like for your family during World War II?
Ivan: My parents were lucky. They didn’t feel much of WWII. At that time the west part of Ukraine was under European countries like Poland, Hungary, Czech, and Romainia. Chernivtsi, (Bukovina), was under Romainia. But it was terribly difficult for people who lived in South, North, and East. They were occupied by the Soviet Army. Russians wanted to destroy our Ukranian culture, especially our language. All educated and smart people were taken to Syberia or put into prisons. The food was taken away… the West part of Ukraine was occupied by Soviet Union in 1945, the other parts earlier in 1918
During WWII Soviet Union wanted to destroy our culture and everything. The policy was to make all people equal, the middle class, to destroy religion, to control all spheres of people’s life, no democracy, people couldn’t go to another country. They were told that the best place in the world was the Soviet Union. They said that the other countries were beneath us, especially the USA. It was a rather difficult time because the government tried to kill a person personally, they had to follow totalitarian ideology. People were told where to study or live. Adventists didn’t have any opportunity to study at college or university, first because they were not members of the Socialist Party and second because they didn’t attend classes on Saturday. People laughed at Christians. It was very hard to get Christian literature. Almost all literature was reprinted by people. My wife Maria used to do that. She printed a lot of books from the originals. She had to do it in the basement of her house because if the government noticed, she would be arrested. A lot of people were arrested at that time….
Louis: Do you travel around Europe on business? On vacation?
Ivan: Yes I travel a lot in the territory of Ukraine. I go to Europe not too often. I go to Russia, Germany, Hungary, Czech, and Poland with my work. I took the family to Russia and to Italy but we were not able to travel a lot because of finances. It’s very expensive, especially for the Minister.
Louis: Are you retired from work now? Do you plan to retire soon?
Ivan: Yes, I am tired of work but I like it and I enjoy it. I am quite devoted to my work and I am a spiritual person so I try to do my best in everything, especially my job. I’ll retire in 7 years, but you know, frankly speaking, I think I’ll work until the end. I hope Maria and I can live in our home in Mamajivtsi this summer. The present term of my job ends this Spring in May. We’ll see what happens then.
Louis: What does the future hold for the Ukraine?
Ivan: I love the Ukraine. It is a young country that has a rich history. It’s history began in the 11th century during the ruling of the Kievan Rus. At that time it was the second most powerful country in Europe after Visanty (modern Turkey). It had reached culture and a stable economy. At that time, countries like Germany, France, and others had tribes at their territories and weren’t developed. I’m not sure how long it existed, but some period. It had a very good geographical position as the Ukraine was situated at the centre of Europe. A lot of trade crossed the Ukraine. It had very good soil, (the black one), good climate and nature. That is why other nations and tribes tried to occupy Kievan Rus and after some period of time it was destroyed. From that start came the Ukranians, the Russians, and the Belarussians.
Then many countries like Vizanty, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Czek, and Russia occupied us. We released from them but then another occupied us… We have a cruel history.
Modern Ukraine is a young country. This year in August will be 16 years old. Nowadays we have democracy in our country but still sometimes we experience the influence of the Soviet Union. After the destruction of the Soviet Union in 1991, it was very difficult for Ukraine because Russia took almost all money and resources from us and other countries too. I remember at that time a lot of people were depressed because they had a lot of money at banks and after the destruction, the ruble lost it’s value so people lost big sums. There was high inflation. The government was very corrupted. Now the situation is much better, the cities and towns are renewed and they look pretty modern. There are lots of goods in supermarkets. You can live very good if you have money. You can live even better than in the USA, because the food and clothes are more natural. The biggest problem is still money. The government doesn’t provide enough work places and because of that, a lot of people work in other countries such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, the USA, Canada, Germany, etc. Nevertheless, our culture and history is very rich and people are hard-working. Ukrainian nation is famous for it’s food, songs, women, and language. Our language is melodic, and in third place behind Italian and French in it’s pleasant spoken language.
I’m sure you’ve heard of the Orange Revolution which took place in the Ukraine 2 years ago? It was a time for Ukrainians to show the world that we are a nation with our own language. We love our country and we want everyone to come here and enjoy our nature. We have everything. Mountains, flat areas, two seas, a lot of rivers, and our nature is fantastic..!
Louis: What do you want for the future of Ukraine and Europe?
Ivan: I want people of Ukraine and Europe to live in peace and love. I want people to know about Jesus Christ and his love for us. I want everyone to think about eternal values and to prepare for the second coming of Christ!
Louis: Would you like Sernas and other people to contact you?
Ivan: Yes..! I appreciate the work you do and I thank you for it. I would like Sernas from other countries to write to me and my children. Here are our emails.
Ivan and Maria Serna serna_ivan@vn.ua
Oleksander and Rita Serna sanya-ca@hotmail.com
Oxana Serna oxana_serna@hotmail.com
Oxana Serna Corazon.17@gmail.com
There is much more to this wonderful family and especially Oxana who is full of energy and has traveled throughout Europe and the United States with her school studies. It has been my pleasure to present this beautiful “Outstanding” family to you and I hope you can find the time to send them an email and let them know that we are all one big family after all…!
To know more about the Ukraine, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine
Lou Serna louserna@comcast.net
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Chief Justice Patricio Serna
New Mexico Supreme Court Justice - Patricio Serna
Another Memorable Serna..!
In the November 1997 Issue of the Sernas of New Mexico NEWSLETTER, I wrote about my very pleasant personal experience with Patricio. We had arranged to get together on November 12 at his office in Santa Fe, to just visit and talk about our Serna familia genealogy. When I got there, his office was of course, the Supreme Court Office as he was then a Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court. He met me at the door of his office and immediately embraced me in the typical Hispano abrazo..! We immediately hit if off and I expressed my delight at being at such an auspicious place. He said he too, was personally in awe of his surroundings and felt privileged to be a part of the Court.
I was impressed with Patricio’s easy going manner and his delight in “showing me around”… it was as if I was visiting a primo at his ranch and he was showing me his tack room with saddles and favorite tools… He took me to his personal Chambers and then to the Supreme Courtroom where he presides. It was impressive..! He was constantly telling me how fortunate he was to be in the place and position that he was… I felt he was genuinely modest, but at the same time, I knew he was completely qualified for his office..!
We talked about his origins in the Reserve area. He was born in 1939 in Cruzville, a tiny settlement in Catron County in the southwestern part of New Mexico, just a few miles northeast of Reserve on Highway 12. He recalled how his mother died when he was only 2 years old and his father raised the family of 8 in a three room log cabin which they had all helped their father build. His journey from those meager beginnings, to the highest Judicial seat in the State is one of determination, very hard work, and that Serna determination that he is so proud of.
Patricio received his Bachelor of Arts from UNM in 1962 and went on to the University of Denver College of Law in 1970. From there he went to the Harvard University Law School at Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1971. He was a Special Assistant in the EEO from 1971 to 1975, then worked in the NM Attorney General’s Office as Asst. Attorney General from 1975 to 1981. In 1996, he was named to the New Mexico Supreme Court and served as Chief Justice from 2001 to 2002. He is the only Hispanic Chief Justice before or since. There is much, much more to Patricio’s achievements.
Patricio was the perfect host, gracious and polite to a fault..! Although we had planned to have lunch at his favorite lunch spot, time overcame us and we said our farewells. I believe that he was more impressed with the work I had done on preserving our Serna family history, than he was with anything else that day. Another testament to his modesty and his down to earth good nature..! We remain in touch to this day.
Louis Serna
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In the November 1997 Issue of the Sernas of New Mexico NEWSLETTER, I wrote about my very pleasant personal experience with Patricio. We had arranged to get together on November 12 at his office in Santa Fe, to just visit and talk about our Serna familia genealogy. When I got there, his office was of course, the Supreme Court Office as he was then a Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court. He met me at the door of his office and immediately embraced me in the typical Hispano abrazo..! We immediately hit if off and I expressed my delight at being at such an auspicious place. He said he too, was personally in awe of his surroundings and felt privileged to be a part of the Court.
I was impressed with Patricio’s easy going manner and his delight in “showing me around”… it was as if I was visiting a primo at his ranch and he was showing me his tack room with saddles and favorite tools… He took me to his personal Chambers and then to the Supreme Courtroom where he presides. It was impressive..! He was constantly telling me how fortunate he was to be in the place and position that he was… I felt he was genuinely modest, but at the same time, I knew he was completely qualified for his office..!
We talked about his origins in the Reserve area. He was born in 1939 in Cruzville, a tiny settlement in Catron County in the southwestern part of New Mexico, just a few miles northeast of Reserve on Highway 12. He recalled how his mother died when he was only 2 years old and his father raised the family of 8 in a three room log cabin which they had all helped their father build. His journey from those meager beginnings, to the highest Judicial seat in the State is one of determination, very hard work, and that Serna determination that he is so proud of.
Patricio received his Bachelor of Arts from UNM in 1962 and went on to the University of Denver College of Law in 1970. From there he went to the Harvard University Law School at Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1971. He was a Special Assistant in the EEO from 1971 to 1975, then worked in the NM Attorney General’s Office as Asst. Attorney General from 1975 to 1981. In 1996, he was named to the New Mexico Supreme Court and served as Chief Justice from 2001 to 2002. He is the only Hispanic Chief Justice before or since. There is much, much more to Patricio’s achievements.
Patricio was the perfect host, gracious and polite to a fault..! Although we had planned to have lunch at his favorite lunch spot, time overcame us and we said our farewells. I believe that he was more impressed with the work I had done on preserving our Serna family history, than he was with anything else that day. Another testament to his modesty and his down to earth good nature..! We remain in touch to this day.
Louis Serna
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Che Guevara de la Serna
A Memorable Serna
"El Comandante, Che Guevara"
(The following is an article by Louis Serna, which appeared in the February 2002, Issue #40 of the Sernas of New Mexico Newsletter.)
Those who keep track of these things, say that this is the most famous "picture - poster" in the world….. the image of "Che" Guevera, the ultimate revolutionary…! Some, especially in the U.S., condemn him completely as a Communist, a mercenary, and even "just a plain cold-blooded killer…!" Others in the world, praise him as the consummate hero, the model fighter for lost causes, the image of a knight fighting against all odds for the rights of the oppressed, the poor, the down-trodden, and the hopeless..! There were many, who supported him, and thought enough of him to fight and die for him and the things he stood for… because they saw him as the "last hope" for justice in the face of oppression…!
So who was this "Che" Guevara… whose nickname "Che" is Italian for "friend"… And why would Louis Serna feature him in the SNL? And finally, what does this have to do with Serna family history…..???
I think there are many who start out to do their family's history, full of excitement and anticipation at what they might find, and even "hope", that they will find some famous character is in their "tree"… some even hope there is nobility, or a political hero or two, that they can say "I'm related to so and so….!" and they begin their exciting search with great anticipation. Others find, sometimes early on, that there are some people and events in their "tree" that they didn't expect, and things that the family feels are best left alone, and in making that decision, they immediately begin to slant, edit, and even change their family's history, and in so doing, they create a false history…. Perhaps a worse sin than not doing it at all..!
So again, why "Che Guevara…?" Let's find out…
To the surprise and amazement of many, Che was a very complicated man… an educated man with a medical doctorate, and learned in worldly affairs, to the point that he could have been an outstanding diplomat or successful businessman…. And yet he chose to live the life of a revolutionary… fighting for the causes of others in countries like Africa, Cuba, and south America. He was not a leader who would send others out to do the dirty work and die for his causes, but one who was in the jungles and in the fire-fights, leading his men… and suffering more than they suffered… as he knew they would follow him anywhere and die if need be.. so he carried the burden of a man responsible for many… and a man who had to be able to negotiate with heads of state or their diplomats… or fight mano-a-mano in the jungles… so this was a man who could do it all, in the business of fighting wars.
This is not an attempt to glorify Che Guevara, only to present him as the worldly man that he was, and as yet another member of our great world-wide Serna family… Yes, he was a Serna, and in fact, he was also part Irish…!!!
His "complete" name was Ernesto Guevara Lynch de la Serna..!!! He was born in 1928, to a middle class family in Rosario, Argentina. His father, Ernesto Guevara de Lynch, was a successful businessman, with interests in shipbuilding, the tea market, and other ventures. His mother, Celia de la Serna, was a fiery political observer of world politics, educated, with very firm Marxist beliefs! She attacked the U.S. at every opportunity, accusing them of the worst form of imperialism…! The Guevaras had an extensive home library which included books by Marx, Engels, and Freud… and the young Che read, no… he devoured those books and absorbed every word… and he saw the world through the eyes of a young man born to be "of the world"… disgusted with the crimes of the very rich and the desperation of the very poor….
It wasn't long before he set out on a life mission to right those wrongs he saw in his mind and on the streets and jungles of third-world countries...! No doubt he was further fueled in his thinking and in his actions, as he experienced the cruel dictatorship of Juan Peron in his native Argentina… and the criminal and corrupt government of Fulgensio Batista's Cuba, and perhaps, even further fueled by the fiery hot blood of his Irish grandmother, Anna Isabel Lynch, who had been born in County Galway, Ireland… she left oppression there to go to South America where she met a man named Guevara, and the rest, as they say, is history..!
In his last letter to his children, Che wrote; "…always remain capable of feeling deeply, whatever injustice is committed". Perhaps words learned from his grand-mother! And in spite of all the turmoil in his life, he actually sought a life in the professional world, even earning a degree as a Doctor..!
Coincidentally, Che suffered terribly from Asthma, as I have for many years. It amazes me, knowing what humidity does to an asthmatic, that he was able to function at all in the steamy jungles where he fought so long and hard..! I can only imagine how much he suffered… Unfortunately his fate was sealed and he lived and died the life that he was destined for.., and he died fighting for those causes in his head and in his heart… some say, “lost causes…!”
There is much to tell of his life, too much for this little blog…. He was killed on October 8, 1967, by a Bolivian army squad… trained by U.S. Special Forces, under the direction of the CIA… and so ended the life of yet another Serna. Right or wrong…, good or bad…, but committed completely to what he believed….. that he was fighting injustice..!
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(The following is an article by Louis Serna, which appeared in the February 2002, Issue #40 of the Sernas of New Mexico Newsletter.)
Those who keep track of these things, say that this is the most famous "picture - poster" in the world….. the image of "Che" Guevera, the ultimate revolutionary…! Some, especially in the U.S., condemn him completely as a Communist, a mercenary, and even "just a plain cold-blooded killer…!" Others in the world, praise him as the consummate hero, the model fighter for lost causes, the image of a knight fighting against all odds for the rights of the oppressed, the poor, the down-trodden, and the hopeless..! There were many, who supported him, and thought enough of him to fight and die for him and the things he stood for… because they saw him as the "last hope" for justice in the face of oppression…!
So who was this "Che" Guevara… whose nickname "Che" is Italian for "friend"… And why would Louis Serna feature him in the SNL? And finally, what does this have to do with Serna family history…..???
I think there are many who start out to do their family's history, full of excitement and anticipation at what they might find, and even "hope", that they will find some famous character is in their "tree"… some even hope there is nobility, or a political hero or two, that they can say "I'm related to so and so….!" and they begin their exciting search with great anticipation. Others find, sometimes early on, that there are some people and events in their "tree" that they didn't expect, and things that the family feels are best left alone, and in making that decision, they immediately begin to slant, edit, and even change their family's history, and in so doing, they create a false history…. Perhaps a worse sin than not doing it at all..!
So again, why "Che Guevara…?" Let's find out…
To the surprise and amazement of many, Che was a very complicated man… an educated man with a medical doctorate, and learned in worldly affairs, to the point that he could have been an outstanding diplomat or successful businessman…. And yet he chose to live the life of a revolutionary… fighting for the causes of others in countries like Africa, Cuba, and south America. He was not a leader who would send others out to do the dirty work and die for his causes, but one who was in the jungles and in the fire-fights, leading his men… and suffering more than they suffered… as he knew they would follow him anywhere and die if need be.. so he carried the burden of a man responsible for many… and a man who had to be able to negotiate with heads of state or their diplomats… or fight mano-a-mano in the jungles… so this was a man who could do it all, in the business of fighting wars.
This is not an attempt to glorify Che Guevara, only to present him as the worldly man that he was, and as yet another member of our great world-wide Serna family… Yes, he was a Serna, and in fact, he was also part Irish…!!!
His "complete" name was Ernesto Guevara Lynch de la Serna..!!! He was born in 1928, to a middle class family in Rosario, Argentina. His father, Ernesto Guevara de Lynch, was a successful businessman, with interests in shipbuilding, the tea market, and other ventures. His mother, Celia de la Serna, was a fiery political observer of world politics, educated, with very firm Marxist beliefs! She attacked the U.S. at every opportunity, accusing them of the worst form of imperialism…! The Guevaras had an extensive home library which included books by Marx, Engels, and Freud… and the young Che read, no… he devoured those books and absorbed every word… and he saw the world through the eyes of a young man born to be "of the world"… disgusted with the crimes of the very rich and the desperation of the very poor….
It wasn't long before he set out on a life mission to right those wrongs he saw in his mind and on the streets and jungles of third-world countries...! No doubt he was further fueled in his thinking and in his actions, as he experienced the cruel dictatorship of Juan Peron in his native Argentina… and the criminal and corrupt government of Fulgensio Batista's Cuba, and perhaps, even further fueled by the fiery hot blood of his Irish grandmother, Anna Isabel Lynch, who had been born in County Galway, Ireland… she left oppression there to go to South America where she met a man named Guevara, and the rest, as they say, is history..!
In his last letter to his children, Che wrote; "…always remain capable of feeling deeply, whatever injustice is committed". Perhaps words learned from his grand-mother! And in spite of all the turmoil in his life, he actually sought a life in the professional world, even earning a degree as a Doctor..!
Coincidentally, Che suffered terribly from Asthma, as I have for many years. It amazes me, knowing what humidity does to an asthmatic, that he was able to function at all in the steamy jungles where he fought so long and hard..! I can only imagine how much he suffered… Unfortunately his fate was sealed and he lived and died the life that he was destined for.., and he died fighting for those causes in his head and in his heart… some say, “lost causes…!”
There is much to tell of his life, too much for this little blog…. He was killed on October 8, 1967, by a Bolivian army squad… trained by U.S. Special Forces, under the direction of the CIA… and so ended the life of yet another Serna. Right or wrong…, good or bad…, but committed completely to what he believed….. that he was fighting injustice..!
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Some Serna Coat of Arms from Spain
Ancestry.com - My Family Link
My Favorite Links
- Albuquerque Genealogical Society
- Beyond Origins - Jose Esquibel's Home Page
- City of Albuquerque Blog
- Hispanic Genealogical Research Center
- La Herencia Magazine
- National Society of Hispanic Genealogy
- Parallel Histories of Spain, the U.S., and the American Frontier
- Society of Hispanic Historical & Ancestral Research
- SOMOS PRIMOS
- SPAIN DIRECTORY
- The Congressional Hispanic Caucus
- Trementina - Henrietta Martinez Christmas' Web Page
Some of my Favorite BLOGS
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Some of my Favorite Jewelry Pieces I have created
Some of my Silver Jewelry