I'm trying to help my grandpa's half brother trace his father's side of the family. He unfortunately doesn't know the names of his paternal grandparents. His father Manuel Saldana was probably born sometime during the 1890's possibly somewhere in Jalisco(i'll get into that a bit later).
Back in early June, I dna tested him and finally got the results earlier this week. He had some second cousin matches that didn't match my grandpa at all, indicating that they are related to him through his dad Manuel's side. I emailed this person, and found that those matches(who happen to be full siblings) relate to my great uncle through their dad's side. It was also mentioned that their paternal grandfather came from jalostotitlan, and that their paternal grandma's mom was from some place called Rios Bolivos in Jalisco(which i can't find where in Jalisco that place is). I've tried looking for a Manuel Saldana in the Jalostotilan church records with no luck. It would be awesome if i could trace his dad's side as well, since I've been able to trace my great grandma Lupe's ancestry several generations further.
Mexican Civil Records
Katy
I would take a look at the Mexican Civil records on Ancestry.com. if you do not have a subscription, they are available on the library edition which your local public library may have, or the edition at the Family History Centers (these two editions are not quite the same). The important point is that these are indexed: births, marriages, and deaths. Go to ancestry, and search the catalog for Jalisco. Select the births, marriages, or death database. Images are linked to the indexes.
Ancestry has more indexes than Family Search has for the civil records. For example, in Aguascalientes (where my research is focused), birth indexes go into the early/mid 1940s, marriages go to the 1960s, deaths go somewhat later.
Good luck.
George Fulton
Mexican Civil Records
i found an index entry for my great uncle's birth record on ancestry, and he was born in the USA, which isn't surprised since my grandpa's mom moved to the states a few years prior.
I might see my great uncle if he shows up to my cousins bbq party/gathering tomorrow. i could ask him if he remembers his dad talking about any siblings, or when/where did his dad die. i'm pretty sure that his dad was at least 20 years older than my great grandma Lupe(she was born in 1922) since he remembers his classmates mistaking his dad for being his grandpa.
Manuel Saldana
Congratulations on finding the birth record. Remember to ask many questions, not just the obvious ones. If he had siblings ask about their spouses and children. Ask him about stories he may have heard about family. Ask about where and when his father died.
Good luck and have fun at the barbecue,
Rick A. Ricci
Manuel Saldana
unfortunately he didn't show up at the bbq
Manuel Saldana
update: case closed since i recently found an immigration record that probably is for him(not gonna go into detail atm) and was able to find a birth record in colotlan from there. I also found out how those cousin matches are related to him as well.
Manuel Saldana
Manuel Saldaña C
Head of Household Name Pedro Saldaña
Age 10a
Event Place El Castillo, Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco, Mexico
Birth Year (Estimated) 1920
Birthplace Jalisco
Gender Male
Gender (Original Language) Hombre
Page Number 148
HOUSEHOLD
ROLE
GENDER
AGE
BIRTHPLACE
Pedro Saldaña M 38a Jalisco
Maria Cervantes De Saldaña F 30a Jalisco
Antonio Saldaña C M 12a Jalisco
Manuel Saldaña C M 10a Jalisco
Juan Saldaña C M 8a Jalisco
Ma Juana Saldaña C F 8m Jalisco
CITING THIS RECORD
"México censo nacional, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M25J-YF4 : 16 November 2014), Manuel Saldaña C in household of Pedro Saldaña, El Castillo, Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco, Mexico; citing p. 148, Archivo General de la Nación, Distrito Federal (National Archives, Distrito Federal); FHL microfilm 1,507,530.
mentioned in the record of Maria Carmen Saldaña
Manuel Saldaña
mentioned in the record of Maria Carmen Saldaña
Name Manuel Saldaña
Gender Male
Wife Refugio Robles
Daughter Maria Carmen Saldaña
Name Maria Carmen Saldaña
Event Type Baptism
Event Date 17 Nov 1902
Event Place Atotonilco el Alto, Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco, Mexico
Gender Female
Age 0
Birth Year (Estimated) 1902
Father's Name Manuel Saldaña
Mother's Name Refugio Robles
CITING THIS RECORD
México, Jalisco, registros parroquiales, 1590-1979, database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NBTD-8L1 : 28 July 2015), Manuel Saldaña in entry for Maria Carmen Saldaña, 17 Nov 1902; citing Baptism, Atotonilco el Alto, Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco, Mexico, parroquias Católicas Jalisco (Catholic Church parishes, Jalisco); FHL microfilm 222,145.
Manuel Jesus Saldana
Mexico, Jalisco, Catholic Church Records
Name Manuel Jesus Saldana
Event Type Baptism
Event Date 20 Jun 1880
Event Place Santísima Virgen, Ixtlahuacán del Río, Jalisco, Mexico
Gender Male
Father's Name Florencio Saldana
Mother's Name Cleotilde Losano
CITING THIS RECORD
México, Jalisco, registros parroquiales, 1590-1979, database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NDY8-PYC : 28 July 2015), Manuel Jesus Saldana, 20 Jun 1880; citing Baptism, Santísima Virgen, Ixtlahuacán del Río, Jalisco, Mexico, parroquias Católicas Jalisco (Catholic Church parishes, Jalisco); FHL microfilm 628,885.
Manuel Saldana
Dear Katherine,
I would love to help but you haven't provided any information to distinguish him from other Manuel Saldanas in Jalisco. The only thing that you mention is rio Bolivos.
Here are a few possibilities:
Manuel Saldana
Mexico, Jalisco, Catholic Church Records
Name Manuel Saldana
Event Type Baptism
Event Date 13 Feb 1891
Event Place Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, Juchitlán, Jalisco, Mexico
Gender Male
Father's Name Nasario Saldana
Mother's Name Pan... Urive
CITING THIS RECORD
México, Jalisco, registros parroquiales, 1590-1979, database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N579-8MK : 28 July 2015), Manuel Saldana, 13 Feb 1891; citing Baptism, Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, Juchitlán, Jalisco, Mexico, parroquias Católicas Jalisco (Catholic Church parishes, Jalisco); FHL microfilm 270,697.
Manuel Jesus Saldana
Mexico, Jalisco, Catholic Church Records
Name Manuel Jesus Saldana
Event Type Baptism
Event Date 20 Jun 1880
Event Place Santísima Virgen, Ixtlahuacán del Río, Jalisco, Mexico
Gender Male
Father's Name Florencio Saldana
Mother's Name Cleotilde Losano
CITING THIS RECORD
México, Jalisco, registros parroquiales, 1590-1979, database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NDY8-PYC : 28 July 2015), Manuel Jesus Saldana, 20 Jun 1880; citing Baptism, Santísima Virgen, Ixtlahuacán del Río, Jalisco, Mexico, parroquias Católicas Jalisco (Catholic Church parishes, Jalisco); FHL microfilm 628,885.
Jose Manuel Saldana Bermejo
Mexico Baptisms
Name Jose Manuel Saldana Bermejo
Gender Male
Christening Date 28 Dec 1853
Christening Place IXTLAHUACAN DEL RIO, JALISCO, MEXICO
Father's Name Rito Saldana
Mother's Name Bartola Bermejo
CITING THIS RECORD
"México bautismos, 1560-1950," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N2LY-JJY : 12 December 2014), Jose Manuel Saldana Bermejo, 28 Dec 1853; citing IXTLAHUACAN DEL RIO, JALISCO, MEXICO, reference ; FHL microfilm 628,882.
Manuel Saldana Florez
Mexico Baptisms
Name Manuel Saldana Florez
Gender Male
Christening Date 10 May 1869
Christening Place ATOTONILCO EL ALTO,JALISCO,MEXICO
Father's Name Julian Saldana
Mother's Name Maria Trinidad Florez
CITING THIS RECORD
"México bautismos, 1560-1950," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NJYK-W93 : 2 January 2015), Manuel Saldana Florez, 10 May 1869; citing ATOTONILCO EL ALTO,JALISCO,MEXICO, reference ; FHL microfilm 222,131.
Manuel Saldana Arellano
Mexico Baptisms
Name Manuel Saldana Arellano
Gender Male
Christening Date 05 Jan 1873
Christening Place SAN LUIS,COLOTLAN,JALISCO,MEXICO
Father's Name Juan Saldana
Mother's Name Ysabel Arellano
Need more information in order to help,
Rick A. Ricci
Manuel Saldana
i can definitely eliminate the last three since my great uncle was born in 1963(he's almost a year younger than my mom). I'll see about telling my great uncle about the first entry at least since that one has the highest possibility of being his dad compare to the other Manuels listed. It doesn't help that his dad died when he was still a kid.
Manuel Saldana
What about your great uncles birth or baptismal record? What about the death record of his father? Did he have other siblings? What about land records? What other information can you provide to guide a search?
If I was sitting in front of your great uncle I would question him for hours while recording the conversation with a tape recorder or cell phone. I would also have a pencil and paper in hand. I have found that some people have their memory jogged when someone is writing down what they are saying. Some people are more relaxed if there it is more of an informal conversation so for them you don't take out paper and pencil. For my wives uncles I tried both ways. I started off without the pencil and paper but wasn't getting anywhere. Once I started writing down information they corrected themselves and had me rewrite some info until finally after hours of interviewing them they gave me two little clues that I used to successfully find their grandfathers death and birth records and their grandmothers first marriage records.
I believe that your Rio Bolivos is may be "Ixtlahuacán del Río, Jalisco, Mexico," as there are many Manuel Saldanas in that town.
Without more information to guide the search it is impossible to know if you have found the right person.