Goddamn π‘ As I've been getting deeper into patching together my family history there are a couple branches of the family tree that dead-end. On my mother's side that happens in the 1810's in Ysleta, TX. On Dad's side it's about the same time in San Elizario, TX. Not knowing the area it took some study to find this is basically the same region around El Paso. And all area controlled in New Spain, about to become Mexico, and basically the land of the Tigua Pueblo.
Some Spaniards lived in the area and I do find one family line that runs back into Spain from there. Otherwise many records, identified often by a mother and child with no father listed and instead padrinos or godparents/sponsors that often lent a name to the Tigua child being converted into society through that baptism.
This is what I'm finding in these records. Mom, child, godparents.
Then I find history of the political shifts in the area.
1820's and Mexico gains independence. They follow Spain's model of respecting the Tigua land. 1850's and the shifting Rio Grande puts Ysleta, Socorro, San Elizario in limbo between the US and Mexico. Ultimately most becomes US Texas territory. Then the Americans start screwing the Tigua out of their lands. Lincoln grants land to the Pueblo but excludes the Tigua. Texas makes moves to stomp on US efforts to protect indigenous lands. And the Tigua are displaced.
And all this coincides with the family history I'm finding and when that family starts moving from that area south into Mexico or west into New Mexico.
I started this as someone pretty disconnected from my family history. Now as I'm finding it it turns out to be pretty infuriating.