Monday, March 16, 2015

Face to Face with Jose Maria Maltos




Today our long lost cousin Patrick Killeen gave us a tour of his mother’s, Leona Novak Killeen's, photo albums. Flipping through the books we come across this portrait. We have looked at hundreds of photos this afternoon, but this one stops me dead in my tracks. 

“Who’s he?"  I ask.  
“I have no idea" Patrick answers. 

The photo is big... it looks old. It is one of those photos that looks like it was enhanced with soft pencil. It’s printed on heavy card stock. The edges look hacked, like they have been cut from another picture.

Could this be?
I flip and read the inscription on back. Goosebumps.
Could this REALLY be?
I elbow Stella sitting on the couch besides me. 
"Do you think? "
"Jose Maria?" she says. 
"YEAH, I think so too...."
WOW!  We have never laid eyes on our great grandfather who traveled from Mexico to work in the quicksilver mines at New Almaden in the 1860s. So this is Jose Maria?

We both squint at the notes on the back.
Mrs. L Rodriguez, 411 South Yosemite St, Stockton
“Please take good care of father photo”

"To Emma, Father Picture from Lupe 
 Dec. 24, 1933
Keep always with you"

Lupe has got to be our great aunt, Guadalupe Maltos Rodriquez. We know that she lived on Yosemite Street in Stockton, California . “ Emma” must be Emma Maltos her niece. This photo was given to Emma on Christmas eve 1933 with the message :"...take good care of father photo” 

Jose Maria Maltos was Lupe’s father.... This is OUR GREAT GRANDFATHER.  
Finally! a face to go with the name. 
March 11, 2015

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