Two miles southeast of the town of Gardner, Colorado was once a town of Hispanic families known as Chavez.1 The word itself has roots in the Spanish and Portuguese language meaning “keys” and as with many surnames, was a trade that evolved into a surname.2 The history of the Hispanic settlers of the area is sparse and there little to share. The families that settled the area did so near the Huerfano River, for all the reasons one would live near water: to fish, to hunt, to raise livestock and to farm. The Huerfano River is described as such by a report from the United States Department of the Interior:
The Huerfano River rises in the Sangre de Cristo Range at an altitude of about 11,000 feet, and drains the eastern slope of that range and the south slope of the Wet Mountains, emerging on the plains near Badito. It flows across the plains for a distance of 61 miles through a series of canyons, finally entering the Arkansas River near Boone. For a distance of 11 miles above Badito the fall is 44 feet per mile, from Badito to the mouth of Apache Creek it is 49 feet per mile, and below the mouth of Apache Creek it is gradually reduced to 27 feet per mile. 3
Notable flooding of the river documented in a government report cites the dates of October 1911, July of 1934, and July of 1936. While it cannot be said for certain which event forced the community members of Chavez to relocate to Gardner for good, the area was prone to flood. Before this town was lost to time and the Huerfano River, families lived and children were born there, including José Onesimo Pacheco.
On the baptism record dated December 17, 1889, the given date for Onesimo’s birth is November 30, 1889, with the location of birth listed as Los Chavez, with his parents José Encarnaction Pacheco and Maria Dolores Vigil. Sponsors (or padrinos) were David Barela and Leocadia Chavez.4
The presiding priest was Father Gabriel Ussel, pastor of the Walsenburg parish that would become St. Mary’s. He serviced the spiritual needs of the region since 1876.5 He was fondly known as Padre Gabriel to the Spanish speaking parishioners and his career with the Catholic Church has him tied to the history of the southern Colorado and northern New Mexico region. Anyone performing research in this region will come to quickly recognize his name and handwriting. Padre Gabriel came to the territory of New Mexico in 1856 from France, where he would be granted priesthood in Santa Fe that same year. He would work in parish of Arroyo Hondo in Taos until 1859 where he was appointed the parish of Fernandez de Taos and lived in El Rito, Rio Arribo County in Colorado until he was named to the Walsenburg parish where he would remain until his death in 1909.6 Only nine years before Onesimo’s birth, Padre Gabriel united his parents in marriage, on April 8, 1880.7
On January 10, 1921, a fire at the U.S. Department of Commerce building in Washington, DC, destroyed the majority of the 1890 United States Federal Census.9 This loss is one that is often lamented by those in the genealogy community, because many events can happen in twenty years, from births, deaths, and migration. For some, this loss is a roadblock to learning more about one’s ancestors. Fortunately, one of Onesimo’s siblings, a sister, Lugarda, was born on October 26, 1891, and baptized by Padre Gabriel on November 10, 1891, with her location of birth as Chavez Plaza.10
While this is not concrete proof, it is likely that the family was in the same location, Los Chavez, Chavez, or Chavez Plaza two miles or so south from the current location of Gardner, Colorado. There is a cemetery documented in the area with the name of Chavez Plaza; providing additional evidence to support to the existence of the settlement in the area.11
On June 8, 1900, Onesimo is documented in the 1900 United States Federal Census living in Huerfano County, Bradford Precinct No. 14, with his parents José and Dolores, older brother Serevo, and younger sisters Lugarda, Marta, and Josefina. The area designated as Bradford is close to present day Gardner. His father José listed employment as a farm laborer, the same is listed for his oldest son Serevo.12
What was grown in the area is not documented in the 1900 United States Federal Census. One of José’s granddaughters and a daughter to Onesimo, Dolores, recalls a few of the crops from the area and how the families would trade at harvest time. Her memory was that her aunt Josefina was responsible for saving and sending seeds for green chilies to the family. Severo had apples and carrots that his adopted son Luther would bring to trade, and Luther would take melons, onions, and beets in exchange. 13
The date was May 7, 1910, when Onesimo was documented as living with his parents, and four younger sisters, Lugarda, Marta, Josefina, and Lucia in Precinct 12, living near Pass Creek Road on a farm that his family owned. His older brother Severo, now married with an infant daughter, lived right next door. While all the men continued as Farm laborers, it is noted in this census that Severo and Onesimo can read and write. The census document infers that this is English; it can be concluded that it was in Spanish as well, as there is a sample of Onesimo’s handwriting listing some of his children’s birthdays. 14
It is unclear how the men were educated. Of note, Severo’s wife, Veronica, is listed as being able to read and write. Veronica’s parents and siblings are listed living right next door in this census; her father Perfilio and two of his other children are listed as being able to read and write as well as attending school. 15 It is possible that the education from the children was being shared within the family.
Before the next census, Onesimo would be married. Before that joyous event, another union and untimely death must be recalled. Abundo Sanchez was born in Badito, Colorado on March 22, 1891, to the union of José Ramon Sanchez and Maria Piedad Duran.16 On November 28, 1914, Abundo, married Marta, Onesimo’s older sister; the union was witnessed by Abel and Juliana Gallegos.17
One child was baptized at Walsenburg on July 4, 1916, Telesforo Sanchez, with Marta’s siblings Onesimo and Lugarda listed as padrinos.18 Sadly, by 1920 United States Federal Census, Telesforo would not be listed, an indication that he had likely died.19 Shortly thereafter, Abundo would appear in the marriage register once again on March 21, 1921, this time to wed Rozalia Gallegos, with a annotationes (Latin for annotation) next to the union in Spanish: “el esposo eslate viudo” (the husband is widowed).20
This story is important to know because the union of the Pacheco and Sanchez families is how Onesimo would meet Abundo’s sister Zenaida, whom he would marry on January 8, 1917.21 When he decided to marry her and when he expressed his intentions to do so are unknown; for Zenaida was just 14 when Abundo married Marta.22 Onesimo would be twenty-seven and Zenaida would be sixteen when they married three years later.23 Onesimo would later share that he attracted to her small waist.24
The Untied States would enter World War I in April of 1917. With America’s entry into conflict, an issue was immediately realized: the Untied States Army was small in comparison to the forces in Europe. While it was not the desire of President Woodrow Wilson, a draft was implemented to grow the size of the US Army. There were three national registration days where males aged twenty-one to thirty (later amended to ages eighteen to forty-five) and Onesimo registered as part of the first wave.
End Part I.
Notes
- As documented by Augustino Garcia to Thomas J. Noel in his article, “Colorado’s Hispanic Towns,” History Colorado, dated October 30, 2014. https://www.historycolorado.org/story/colorado-voices/2014/10/30/colorados-hispanic-towns.
- Documentation of Portuguese, Spanish, and Latin. Kimberly Powell, “Where Did the Surname Chavez Originate from?” ThoughtCo, dated April 6, 2019. https://www.thoughtco.com/chavez-last-name-meaning-and-origin-1422475.
- Robert Follansbee and Leon R. Sawyer, “Floods in Colorado,” Floods in Colorado § (1948), pp. 96-97.
- A reconstructed church record; the books in which the information was listed has a copyright date of 1930. It is unknown to the author the fate of the previous registers. St. Mary’s Catholic Church, “Church records, 1870-1957,” Baptism book 3: p. 101.
- Howard L. Delaney, All Our Yesterdays: The Story of St. Mary’s Parish, Walsenburg, Colorado (Anniston, AL: Consolidated Pub. Co, 1944), p. 28.
- Ibid p. 30.
- Robert Follansbee and Leon R. Sawyer, “Floods in Colorado,” Floods in Colorado § (1948), pp. 96-97.
- St. Mary’s Catholic Church, “Church Records, 1870-1957.” Baptism book 1: p. 27.
- History Staff Jason Gauthier, “January 2021 – History – U.S. Census Bureau,” United States Census Bureau, January 2021, https://www.census.gov/history/www/homepage_archive/2021/january_2021.html.
- St. Mary’s Catholic Church, “Church records, 1870-1957,” Baptism book 3: p. 160.
- Karen Mitchell, Huerfano County, Colorado Chavez Plaza Cemetery, 2000. https://www.kmitch.com/Huerfano/chavplacem.htm.
- 1900 U.S. census, Huerfano County, Colorado, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 144, p. B(stamped), p. 5 (penned), dwelling 92, family 93, Onesimo Pacheco; NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 124.
- Fuiks, Kristina C., and Dolores Hernandez. Family Memories. Personal, May 29, 2022.
- 1910 U.S. census, Huerfano County, Colorado, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 81, p. A (stamped), p. 11 (penned), dwelling 190, family 198, Onesimo Pacheco; NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 120.
- Ibid.
- St. Mary’s Catholic Church, “Church records, 1870-1957,” Baptism book 3: p. 145.
- Sacred Heart Catholic Church, “Church Records, 1912-1957,” Baptism book 1: p.1.
- St. Mary’s Catholic Church, “Church records, 1870-1957,” Baptism book 8: p. 88.
- 1920 U.S. census, Huerfano County, Colorado, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 89, p. A (stamped), p. 6 (penned), dwelling 105, family 121, Marta Sanchez; NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 165.
- Sacred Heart Catholic Church, “Church Records, 1912-1957,” Baptism book 1: p.9.
- St. Mary’s Catholic Church, “Church records, 1870-1957,” Marriages book 2: p. 67.
- St. Mary’s Catholic Church, “Church records, 1870-1957,” Baptism book 3: p. 172.
- St. Mary’s Catholic Church, “Church records, 1870-1957,” Marriages book 2: p. 67.
- Fuiks, Kristina C., and Dolores Hernandez. Family Memories. Personal, May 29, 2022.
Bibliography
Colorado. Huerfano County 1900 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 124. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.
Colorado. Huerfano County. 1910 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 120. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.
Colorado. Huerfano County. 1920 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 165. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.
Delaney, Howard L. All Our Yesterdays: The Story of St. Mary’s Parish, Walsenburg, Colorado. Anniston, AL: Consolidated Pub. Co, 1944.
Department of the Interior, Robert Follansbee, and Leon R. Sawyer, Floods in Colorado § (1948).
Fuiks, Kristina C., and Dolores Hernandez. Family Memories. Personal, May 29, 2022.
Gauthier, Jason. “January 2021 – History – U.S. Census Bureau.” United States Census Bureau, January 2021. https://www.census.gov/history/www/homepage_archive/2021/january_2021.html.
Mitchell, Karen. Huerfano County, Colorado Chavez Plaza Cemetery, 2000. https://www.kmitch.com/Huerfano/chavplacem.htm.
Noel, Thomas J. “Colorado’s Hispanic Towns.” Colorado’s Hispanic Towns | History Colorado, October 30, 2014. https://www.historycolorado.org/story/colorado-voices/2014/10/30/colorados-hispanic-towns.
Powell, Kimberly. “Where Did the Surname Chavez Originate from?” ThoughtCo. ThoughtCo, April 6, 2019. https://www.thoughtco.com/chavez-last-name-meaning-and-origin-1422475.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Gardner, Huerfano, Colorado), “Church Records, 1912-1957,” Marriages book 1: p. 1, marriage of Abundo Sanchez and Marta Pacheco; Family History Library microfilm 7833399.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Gardner, Huerfano, Colorado), “Church Records, 1912-1957,” Marriages book 1: p. 9, marriage of Abundo Sanchez and Rozalia Gallegos; Family History Library microfilm 7833399.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church (Walsenburg, Huerfano, Colorado), “Church records, 1870-1957,” Baptism book 3: p. 101, baptism of Jose Onesimo Pacheco; Family History Library microfilm 7833423.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church (Walsenburg, Huerfano, Colorado), “Church records, 1870-1957”, Baptism book 3: p. 145, baptism of Abundo Sanchez; Family History Library microfilm 7833423.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church (Walsenburg, Huerfano, Colorado), “Church records, 1870-1957,” Baptism book 3: p. 160, baptism of Lugarda Pacheco; Family History Library microfilm 7833423.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church (Walsenburg, Huerfano, Colorado), “Church records, 1870-1957,” Baptism book 3: p. 172, baptism of Maria Cenaida Sanchez; Family History Library microfilm 7833423.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church (Walsenburg, Huerfano, Colorado), “Church records, 1870-1957,” Baptism book 8: p. 88, baptism of Telesforo Sanchez; Family History Library microfilm 8139101.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church (Walsenburg, Huerfano, Colorado), “Church records, 1870-1957,” Marriages book 1: p. 27, marriage of Jose Encarnacion Pacheco and Dolores Vigil; Family History Library microfilm 7833424.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church (Walsenburg, Huerfano, Colorado), “Church records, 1870-1957,” Marriages book 2: p. 67, marriage of Onesimo Pacheco and Cenaida Sanchez; Family History Library microfilm 7833424.