Unas Floricitas
By Ben Apodaca
You can take the boy out of New Mexico, but you can't take New Mexico out of the boy. There is that
special "something" that keeps us wanting to go back. This yearning can last a lifetime, as it did with my father, Ben Apodaca. He regaled the family with stories and incidents, much to the disomfort of hismom, that he had heard when he was a young boy and during early adulthood. This his story - one he wrote a few months before his sudden death two years ago - Rose Apodaca Martinez, daughter, Whittier, California. 
Ben Apodaca Picture Taken May 1999
Two months before he passed away.
He wrote this article in 1997
While searching for ancestors in Dona Ana County, New Mexico, I began my journey in the Garfield, Hatch and Salem area, recalling an old settlement called Santa Barbara that at one time located along the Rio Grande. My grandmother Leonarda Torres Apodaca, was born in Salem in 1887 and was baptized at the San Ysidro Catholic Church. I often thought of those places and tried to imagine how my ancestors lived in those days. I continued on to La Mesilla, still looking for clues. This is where my grandmother made her First Holy Communion in 1887, at San Albino"s Church. When I was a young lad, my father had shared a story with me about his family, saying that he had half brothers and sisters whose name was Lucero, but never mention their place or origin.
Later that day, I was walking through the the cemetery and found a grave marker with the name of Alcario Lucero on it. I also noticed there were unas florecitas on the grave, and I thought, "Aha! There's someone here that I need to find." That was the lead I needed to continue my research.
I headed home to Southern California, remembering that as a young man, I had traveled through many of those places in New Mexico, never realizing how deep my my family history was imbedded in the Land of Enchantment. In my heart I carried all those memories of places in the past. Immediately upon my return I called the Rio Grnade Gazette in Anthony, N.M., and placed an ad in their newspaper to see if I could find living descendants of Alcario Lucero. Within a week I received a call from Esther Lucero, granddaughter of Alcario Lucero, informing me that her sister, Margaret, from Alabama, was also doing genealogical research. Through this contact and unas florectias on a grave, I found my family. The flowers gave a completeness to my heart and soul, brought me tears and sadness, but also brought happiness into my life.
As I continued my research, I concentrated on looking for Mariana Lucero, who had lived in Anthony, recall that she and her husband, David Madrid, were owners of a large farm in the area. I had met my Aunt Mariana in 1942 but had lost contact with her.
So now I was really on a roll! In 1994, I made several calls to St. Patrick's Church in Canutillo with no results, then I researched Chamberino and hit pay dirt when I contacted Father Vega from the San Luis Rey Church. He put me in touch with Pablo Lara, who was the cemetery caretaker, and Pablo in turn told me that he knew a man named Pasqual Madrid. When I tracked down Pasqual, he told me he had a cousin named Eustolia, who was the granddaughter of my Aunt Mariana. I was hot on the trail. I contacted Eustolia and told her that my father, Benjamin, and her grandmother were brother and sister. She was so excited with the information, and invited my nephew Aaron Magdeleno, and me to visit her in Anthony. To my surprise when I arrived at her house, I realized that it was the house of my Aunt Mariana. Eustolia then proceeded to tell me that her grandmother, Mariana, had said she had a brother, Benjamin Apodaca, who lived in Silver City and that they did not visit often due to the long distance. During our visit, Eustolia showed us a picture that belonged to her grandmother. The picture was of myself, my sister Felicitas and my two brothers, Dan and Sam. I now have a copy in my possession and will always cherish it. On the back of the picture it says, "Para mi Hermana Mariana de parte de tu hermano Benjamin Apodaca y familia, ano 1935."
I have mixed feelings about all that has transpired. I sometimes feel sad because I never had an opportunity to know my Lucero family, and on the other hand, I feel happy that I finally got to enjoy their company for just a little while-all because of unas florecitas placed on a grave.
Published in La Herencia / Fall 2001
Later that day, I was walking through the the cemetery and found a grave marker with the name of Alcario Lucero on it. I also noticed there were unas florecitas on the grave, and I thought, "Aha! There's someone here that I need to find." That was the lead I needed to continue my research.
I headed home to Southern California, remembering that as a young man, I had traveled through many of those places in New Mexico, never realizing how deep my my family history was imbedded in the Land of Enchantment. In my heart I carried all those memories of places in the past. Immediately upon my return I called the Rio Grnade Gazette in Anthony, N.M., and placed an ad in their newspaper to see if I could find living descendants of Alcario Lucero. Within a week I received a call from Esther Lucero, granddaughter of Alcario Lucero, informing me that her sister, Margaret, from Alabama, was also doing genealogical research. Through this contact and unas florectias on a grave, I found my family. The flowers gave a completeness to my heart and soul, brought me tears and sadness, but also brought happiness into my life.
As I continued my research, I concentrated on looking for Mariana Lucero, who had lived in Anthony, recall that she and her husband, David Madrid, were owners of a large farm in the area. I had met my Aunt Mariana in 1942 but had lost contact with her.
So now I was really on a roll! In 1994, I made several calls to St. Patrick's Church in Canutillo with no results, then I researched Chamberino and hit pay dirt when I contacted Father Vega from the San Luis Rey Church. He put me in touch with Pablo Lara, who was the cemetery caretaker, and Pablo in turn told me that he knew a man named Pasqual Madrid. When I tracked down Pasqual, he told me he had a cousin named Eustolia, who was the granddaughter of my Aunt Mariana. I was hot on the trail. I contacted Eustolia and told her that my father, Benjamin, and her grandmother were brother and sister. She was so excited with the information, and invited my nephew Aaron Magdeleno, and me to visit her in Anthony. To my surprise when I arrived at her house, I realized that it was the house of my Aunt Mariana. Eustolia then proceeded to tell me that her grandmother, Mariana, had said she had a brother, Benjamin Apodaca, who lived in Silver City and that they did not visit often due to the long distance. During our visit, Eustolia showed us a picture that belonged to her grandmother. The picture was of myself, my sister Felicitas and my two brothers, Dan and Sam. I now have a copy in my possession and will always cherish it. On the back of the picture it says, "Para mi Hermana Mariana de parte de tu hermano Benjamin Apodaca y familia, ano 1935."
I have mixed feelings about all that has transpired. I sometimes feel sad because I never had an opportunity to know my Lucero family, and on the other hand, I feel happy that I finally got to enjoy their company for just a little while-all because of unas florecitas placed on a grave.
Published in La Herencia / Fall 2001
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