Discovering the Rio Grande Valley Reports from the: Community Historical Archaeology Project with Schools Program (CHAPS) Report # 1 The Norquest Family: A Porción of Edinburg Report # 2 The Cantú Family: A Porción of Edinburg Report # 3 Atwood Acres: A Porción of Edinburg Additional copies may be purchased at: http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/cantu/ this needs fixing For more information on the CHAPS Program, visit us at www.utpa.edu/chaps ii The Cantú Family: A Porción of Edinburg A Report Prepared for The Cantu Family And for the UTPA and CHAPS Program Class Titled Discovering the Rio Grande Valley: The Natural and Cultural History of South Texas Edited by: Jenarae Alaniz, Roland Silva, Robin Galloso, and Daniel Nicholson Written and Researched by: Roland Silva, Ramiro Garza, Randall Ramirez, Alexis Casiano, Kristine Adames, Uriah Curtiss, Luis Reyes Jr., Ashley Leal, Jenarae Alaniz, Ryann Fink, Raul Lopez, Joel Rodriguez, Alyssa Aparicio, Ryan Lanoy, Arturo Cortez, Nadia Borrego, Armando Montelongo, Christopher Scott, Jesus Ramos, Omar Flores Marin, Jorge Trujillo, Francisco Gonzalez, Antonio Briones, Jose Garcia, Colin Newton, Randy Rosas, and Daniel Nicholson Principal Investigators from the CHAPS Program: Margaret Dorsey, Juan González, Sonia Hernandez, Bobbie L. Lovett, Kenneth R. Summy, and Russell K. Skowronek iii 2014 The full title page is usually page iii of a book, and displays the book’s full title (including the subtitle), the names of the author(s), editor(s), and con- tributor(s). You may also include, the publisher’s name and/or logo followed by the year of publication at the bottom of the page. Copyright page Example Text: Update to display information specific to your book. [Style = Copyright] Copyright © <Year of Publication> by <Your Name> All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal. First Printing: <Year of first printing> ISBN <Enter your ISBN> <Your Publishing Company Name> <Your Street Address or Post Office Box> <Your City>, <Your State> <Your Zip Code> www.<Your Internet Address>.com The copyright page appears on the reverse side of the title page, usually page iv. The text on the copyright page is generally set two or three points smaller than the main body text so all of the information will fit on a single page. The copyright page con- tains all relevant publisher and author information, including the Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication (CIP) data. Cite as: Alaniz, Jenarae, Roland Silva, Robin Galloso, and Daniel Nicolson, Editors 2012 The Cantú Family: A Porción of Edinburg. A Report Prepared for the Cantu Family and for the University of Texas-Pan American, Community Historical Archaeology Project with Schools Program. The University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, Texas. iv Dedicated to the Memory of Rojelio Cantú Sr. (1922-2014) 90th Birthday 2012 And v Maria Lopez Cantú (1924-2013) With All of Our Thanks. This document is dedicated to the entire Cantú family who helped make this report a possibility but especially to the two family members who passed on before completion of the final publication. Rojelio Cantú Sr. and Maria Lopez Cantú had both participated in the formal ethnographic interviews conducted by the CHAPS Program students. The patriarch of the family, Rojelio Sr. was 91 years old when he passed on in early 2014. Maria Lopez Cantú was present at the interview conducted with Rojelio Sr. She was Rojelio Sr.’s sister- in-law, Maria was married to Rojelio’s Sr.’s older brother, Felipe Cantú. Maria passed away in the middle of 2013, after the class had completed its preliminary research in the fall semester. Their passing was heartbreaking for the entire family. The CHAPS team feels very lucky to have met them and heard their stories about life here in South Texas. This report could not have been completed without their ready contributions. The CHAPS Program thanks the entire Cantú family for their magnanimity and patience. vi vii Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................................... xiii DEDICATION ........................................................................................................................... vi FOREWORD ........................................................................................................................... xvi PREFACE .................................................................................................................................. xv CHAPTER 1: The Cantús of Edinburg ............................................................................... 4 CHAPTER 2: The historical background of the Cantú family .................................. 6 CHAPTER 3: The geology of the Cantú farms ............................................................. 28 CHAPTER 4: The biology of the Cantú farms .............................................................. 36 CHAPTER 5: The lifeways of the Cantú family ........................................................... 43 CHAPTER 6: Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 63 LIST OF REFERENCES ......................................................................................................... 64 APPENDIX A: Interviews ................................................................................................... 67 APPENDIX B: Obituary Dedications ........................................................................... 176 APPENDIX C: Land transactions of Jackson property .......................................... 177 viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Cantú Family Tree…………..………………………………………………...……2 Figure 2: The Cantús of Edinburg. c. 1995...............................................................................4 Figure 3: Carmen Hernandez-Cantú, Rogelio Jr., Marcos Ramirez, Jesus Cantú-Serna. c. 1955.......................................................................................................6 Figure 4: Pictured with their grandchildren, Hermelinda and Rojelio Sr. pose for a photo. Date 2009……………………………………………………………………………………..9 Figure 5: Figure 5: Rojelio Sr.’s Immigration card. Arrival Date 1923.….…...…………...11 Figure 6: Jesus Cantú-Serna, Felipe Cantú, and Rojelio Cantú Sr. out on the field. c. 1940……………………………………………………………………………….....…...12 Figure 7: Rojelio Sr. out in the field on his property. c. 1978.…..………………...…….….12 Figure 8: Rogelio Jr.’s early start as a truck driver. c. 1955.……...……………...…….…...13 Figure 9: Pictured with workers, Rogelio III, Rogelio “Roy” Jr., and Ruben Sr. get ready to transport goods to market in Houston. c. 1983.…………………..….…………………...13 Figure 10: Hermelinda and Rogelio Sr. at their Jackson property. c. 1955.………….……..14 Figure 11: Hermelinda Cantú standing in front of Jackson Rd. c. 1970.………….………..14 Figure 12: Norma, Ruben Sr., and Rogelio Jr. standing next to a combine machine. Date August 1967.……….……………………………………………………………...…..15 Figure 13: Pictured here are Rogelio III and farm laborers loading watermelons for trucking. c.1983……………………………………….…...………………………..….…..15 Figure 14: North Junior High School, located on Lovett St., with heavy flooding. (Image courtesy of UTPA Library)……...…………………………………..………………16 Figure 15: Pictured here-the Cantú siblings with their children and parents. Date 1995….………………………………………………………..……………………….17 Figure 16: Norma Cantú Valdez with a hired family. The woman pictured in the background is pregnant with child. c. 1974.………………………...………...…………….19 Figure 17: Siblings Norma, Ruben Sr., and Rogelio Sr. pose for their graduation photos.……….........…………………………………………………………………………19 ix Figure 18: Proof of Hermelinda Cantús dedication to education-she still has her grade school report cards.……………………………………..……………………………….…..20 Figure 19: Here we have pictures of some of the many machines used on the Cantú farm...…… …………………………..………………………………………………22 Figure 20: Figure 20: Hermelinda Cantú takes the wheel. Date Unknown.………………...23 Figure 21: Ruben Sr. and friends after a day of working in the field. c. 1977.………..…....24 Figure 22: Rogelio Cantú Jr. and Ruben Cantú Sr. Date 2012.………………..…….……...25 Figure 23: Rogelio Jr. on his tractor. c. 1967……………………..…..……………………..25 Figure 24: Locations of six boreholes dug on Jackson Rd. Property and Mile 17 ½ Rd.…………………………………………..…………………………………...29 Figure 25: Soil compositions of CHAPS 3, 4, and 5 which were taken at Jackson Rd. Property……………………………………………………………………..…30 Figure 26: Soil compositions of CHAPS 6, 7, and 8 which were taken at Mile 17½ Rd. Property.……………………………………………………………………..31 Figure 27: Soil deposit from Mile 17 ½ Rd. property. October 2012.……………………...31 Figure 28: Jenarae Alaniz and Ryann Fink drilling CHAPS 8. October 2012.….……….....32 Figure 29: Ramiro Garza, Francisco Gonzalez, Jorge Trujillo, Armando Montelongo, Roland Silva, Dr. Juan Gonzalez, Colin Newton, Luis Reyes Jr., Alyssa Aparicio, Arturo Cortez, Kirstine Adames, and Jenarae Alaniz drilling CHAPS 6, 7, and 8 on Mile 17 ½ Rd. October 2012………..…………………..…………………………………..32 Figure 30: Location of five oil rigs on or near the Cantú property. c. 1950. Photo courtesy of Carrol Norquest Jr.………….………………...…………………………………..……...34 Figure 31: Cantú property and its surroundings, 1995.……………………..………..……..36 Figure 32: Cantú property and its surroundings, highlighted