BACK AND READY TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION

 

It's been too long. Sorry for not being here.  A lot has happened since my last post. The most exciting thing that has happened is that my Mother Rose Gottschalk was recognized as one of 5 Navarro women {AdelaNavarro who was my mom's first cousin, Sylvia Tilitson, Angelina Gerdes, and a descendant of Gertruidis Navarro of Alamo fame} whom in various ways to promote the knowledge of Jose Antonio Navarro endeavors by getting their ancestor acknowledged for his contributions in making the great state of Texas what it is today. My daughter Christi helped me by putting together the information on Mom for the Board that was to be put on display inside Casa Navarro along with the other four above mentioned women.

I will post that photo and others as soon as I can.

Night Under the Stars

 

Another great night is scheduled this coming Tuesday, November 29, 2022 at Casa Navarro.  Hope you can attend.

The San Antonio Symphonic Symphony will entertain us again. Pretty good, huh! time is 6 pm dress code is very nice.  See you there.

I'm reporting that I did not get to go but I've heard it was really good.  See the newsletter of the friends of Casa Navarro.  They posted some photos of the event.

Party Back On.

The rescheduled Navarro

Birthday celebration is back on.

That's  right so come join us.

Here's the time 3:00 - 5pm.

You know the place. 03/27/2022.

Cancellation of Birthday Event

I'm  sure some of you are aware that the event was canceled due to temperatures in the 50s. For San Antonio that's a bit nippy. Don't know if that will  be rescheduled or left to next year. I'll  try and keep you posted. 

Upcoming Celebration February 2022

We will celebrate our beloved Jose Antonio Navarro's 227th  Birthday this Saturday Feb. 26th at his house on Laredo St. 

Festivities will start at 11:00.  We will be serving coffee and tamales

while they last.

 

Hope to see you all there.  I will be manning a genealogical table

that day to help those who want to see if they possibly connect to

Jose Antonio Navarro. 

Those new to this site my be asking why do they honor this man?

Well let me explain, from the prospective of one of his

descendants.  The man and all of his accomplishments in those early

days of the setting of San Antonio, Texas are amazing.  He was always thinking of his state and honoring it.  He worked for many years to help do that.  You can read many books on what he did and

said.  The quotes from him are numerous.  If you look under the tab there is one of his most enduring quotes  This is proof of just how much he thought of the United States of America.  The way I view him is for his humanitarianism.

One of the ways we all benefit from something he did is looking at the Homestead Act.  He first authored a forerunner for that act in the Texas legislature and it was widened to help the whole U.S. 

Please explore my site by navigating through the tabs above.  If you'd like to subscribe.  You can do so in the area below comments after everyone of my post.  If I can be of further assistant just call or email me.  210-415-1912  carolcce@yahoo.com

Feb

December 2021

It's been a while since I've posted so I'll just tell you a little bit

about what's going on around the Casa Navarro.  Some of you may

know that the city has this wonderful project going on called the

San Pedro Creek Culture Park.  The completion date for it is

in the fall of 2022.  That means right now you can go downtown

and walk this wonderful gift to the citizens of San Antonio, because

that was how it was proposed to us citizens at the meetings prior to

them starting the project.

If you've been downtown recently and  especially around Casa

Navarro you may have seen what our city is doing to revitalize that

 section of downtown.  First the new Federal Building's 

construction was started, then the neighboring city Jail was torn

down, but did you know that everything surrounding the Casa

Navarro will become UTSA campus.  That's right.  More University

buildings. If you traveled down Delarosa Street lately you would

have seen progress on one of those buildings.  In fact the only thing

that will remain that block will be the Casa Navarro.  

I hope all Jose Antonio Navarro's and friends will listen for coming

events.  I will keep you posted of things I hear of. 

plans for events in the area on the San Pedro Creek.

My story, How it all began

I was eleven years old when one day my Mother's blind father, my Grandfather, Joe Celso Navarro, would talk to me about his family history.  The Navarro's are an important part of the settling of San Antonio, Texas. You see this is what set me on a course of discovery that continues to this day.

 
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..

Family History Story to come out soon.

 

How my life has been consumed with a passion for family history.  That of my

Mother's Rose Navarro.  It is a fabulous obsession I have.  One that will last my whole life time.

Corona cut into my time.

Hopefully, some of you have gotten the "Friends" newsletter, El Tejanjo and have seen the many photos of that day. We had a great time.
We saw two young people recieve  the Jose Antonio Navarro schoolarship and were told about a great award the "Friends" Organization  received from  the THC Historical Division for Civic Engagement. Then we were serenade by a High School Mariachi band and meet new Navarro's whom were visiting for the very first time. The food and commradery were great.

Navarro Day 2020

We're a week away.  Hope your making your plans to attend.  Great time to see your ancestral home here in San Antonio, see friends and family and meet new friends and family. We never know just  whom we might meet.  From past experiences I can tell you that it is a real fun time.  We have some beverages and light food items, presentations, awards given; and even some entertainment.

I look forward to visiting with each and every one of you.  See you soon.

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Our 225th Celebration of Navarro's Birthday

King Williams Parade

KING WILLIAM PARADE

Another date for your calendar you will want to mark.  April 25th a Saturday is the King Williams Parade. The Parade starts at 9 am sharp on Guenther St. and Eagleland St. and ends on Adams and Eagleland. (see flyer under events for more information)

Casa Navarro is the Grand Marshall this year.  We were given this honor by the King Williams Association and will be the first float in the parade.

Now you now this will be a grand parade. Would  you like to participate?  You will need to fill out a waiver. Contact me for one. Then all you have to do is be dressed in white attire and comfortable walking shoes and be ready  to walk behind our float with other family and freinds, for the 2 mile trek.  Something all descendants and their children should consider doing.  I know they will love it.  Show up and lets let San Antonio see just how many of us there are.

December Event at Casa Navarro

 "Night under the Stars" at Casa Navarro will be on December 3rd. 

 This year we are having a repeat of last years event presented by the San Antonio Symphonic Band.  Ah! but what will they preform for us this year?  If you were lucky enough to attend last years' event, you are sure to be pleasantly surprised.  

 My event page shows you how to reserve a seat for this year.

Annual Meeting a success

We had a great turn out for the meeting.  We passed the By-laws
that our committee had been working on for 6 months.  The new date for the dues being due was my contribution.  I've been attend
JAN's Birthday celebrations for some 20 plus years.  I really wanted for people to know that supporting our cause was a good one as they could see by the celebration and all the things our organization does to promote the remembrance of our great ancestor.  His Birthday was the logical date for dues to be due.

Our President, Belinda Gavallos told us about the many wonderful things that are happening around Casa, like UTSA building, the San Pedro Creek Culture Park that will give access to visitors to us 
from the Creek, and the possibility of a building being built on the land behind the Casa where we can hold meetings. We also had     from the State Historical division in Austin talk to us about an award the Friends group is getting for promoting Jose Antonio Navarro.  Tickets are available for this
event which will be held in Austin, TX.  Anyone wanting to know
more about this can contact me or reach out to the Org. through
our website, friendsofcasanavarro.org  Below is a phone taken after the meeting of the three performers from the group Voces Comicas
whom had just finished entertaining us after we adjourned the meeting. 

Anual Meerting coming this Saturday the 19th

Hope you will be able to attend our annual meeting of "Friends" of Casa Navarro.  Time 11 am to 1 pm  After the meeting we will be entertained by Voces Cosmicas, an organization of poets,
musicians, artist, and story tellers. Hope you will enjoy this glimpse into their future performance in May of 2020 with us here at Casa
Navarro.  I'll keep you posted on when they will perform.

Our next generations learning their history at school.

                                                Way to go Warren Cooper Smith.

Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month