I was born Carol Ann Gottschalk to Rose (Navarro) and Benard Gottschalk.
I grew up, married twice, had three children and now have 7 grandchildren. I have always had in the back of my mind the information my Grandfather Joe had imparted to me.
What people don't know is what he told me. He said, "I wish someone from my family would write something about my great grandfather Jose Antonio Navarro."
That was going to be me. I full filled that wish for him, but what you will see later in this story is that it was my Mother who did it first. I have written a pamphlet, titled "The Navarro's" and Texas. It under the tab "documents" above. This was shortly after attending the saving of the Casa Navarro, by the San Antonio Conservation Society in 1960. That's when the name of Mr. Navarro's house was known as Casa Navarro.
here's how my Mother Rose Gottschalk, through her efforts as a young girl at Joel C. Harris Jr. High, was the first to full fill her Dad's wish. I'm going to tell you that to that time little was known about Jose Antonio Navarro and his Uncle Jose Francisco Ruiz. It wasn't until my Mother's teacher, Mrs. Francis Donecker and another teacher named Ralph Steen were asked to be the co-authors of a Texas History book for use as curriculum in Texas schools.
The book is titled "Our Texas" Here's how it goes. One day Mrs. Donecker asked her student to do a project about someone of importance as a Texan and to gather clippings or stories to put into a scrapbook and turn it in. When my moth3er's scrapbook and report came in Mrs. Donecker was so impressed that she wanted to use it for a display in the library. She asked my mom to go and ask her dad if there were any artifacts that the family might have. Her father took my mom to his oldest sister's house and asked her if Rose could use something for this display. The Aunt said yes, but the items must be returned to me when done. Now Mrs. Frances Donecker would have to research Mr. Jose Antonio Navarro and Mr. Ruiz's accomplishments as they were to be added to teaching on Texas History in San Antonio, Texas where both Navarro and Ruiz had resided. It was this action that prompted Navarro and Ruiz being added and to be taught in Texas schools. Because of this one project my mother did, Navarro and Francisco Ruiz have been thrust into the public view, thus full filling her Dad's wish first.
Grandfather handed down another story that intrigued me for years and has been my longest
pursuit and that's about what he told me. Much gold and silver went through his ancestral home. In time I learned about the minting of a minor coin for use in the Americas, namely San Antonio, Texas requested by Jose Antonio de la Garza. It took me many years to make a connection as to why grandfather told me that. I now know it is because Jose Antonio Navarro's wife Margarita is related to J.A.G. on her mother and father's sides. That's the connection. J. A. G. was allowed to mint a minor coin made of a lesser ore in 1808. Jose Antonio Navarro was a witness on the document about this coin, thus gives credence to the fact that much gold and silver would have passed through the Garza home.
Another of my pursuits has been to prove the true identity of Margarita de la Garza, because I believe the tombstone at the San Fernando Cemetery No. 1, states the births and deaths of Jose and Margarita to be correct. There's others who don't agree with me. I have numerous documents that show and prove her birth and that I am right, Because of her Will that was written after her death by her husband Jose Antonio Navarro it gives conclusive evidence that his wife Margarita was b. in the year 1801, as he states her age at death was 60. I am still looking for a church baptism document as the real proof of her birth. My search for this document has been for over 40 years. A friend of mine who is a genealogist, named Alicia O'Neal thinks she is close to finding that document for me. She thinks that Margarita may have been born in the New Orleans area. I sure hope she finds something for me.
Why do I pursue these stories to this day, because there's more my grandfather told me..
