by Moises Garza

September 14, 2014

Inherit the Dust from the Four Winds of Revilla
Last Names of Nuevo Leon

If you have traced your ancestors back to Revilla then this book is a must-have for your genealogical information. Inherit the Dust from the Four Winds of Revilla: A 250-Year Historical Perspective with Emphasis on Ancient Guerrero, its People, and Its Land Grants is a 388-page book written by Jose M. Pena back in 2006.

This book is packed with colonial and local history. It is full of genealogical information and even includes many family trees.  The author did an excellent job in this masterful book. Allot of land grant information is also presented in this book.

This book is available at Amazon.com and this is the book description that they provide:

“Rich in the period analysis here is fascinating historical perspective covering 250 years of existence primarily of a 1750 Spanish settlement originally called “Villa del Señor San Ignacio de Loyola de Revilla” and now known as “Guerrero Viejo.” Although many books cover the genealogical aspects of families that originated in this city, the historical contributions of the early pioneers, their descendants, and the controversy related to land grants, called “Porciones” — awarded by the King of Spain — have, for the most part, remained in the background. This, then, is the principal objective of this book. The book provides summaries on the evolution, history, wars, and problems of Mexico. Using some of his ancestors as a sample, the author shows the hardships they endured and discusses their contribution to the formation of the two great nations that the United States and Mexico have become.

At the same time, the book shows that the land grants (and heirs) took one of two alternate roads — depending on their location — when Texas and other territories were ceded to the United States. People and land grants located on the Mexican side were victims of the violent and blood-soaked history that Mexico has had. On the other hand, those located on the U.S. side were subjected to mischief and flagrant violations of the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Sadly, in 1953, the Falcon Dam inundated Guerrero Viejo and many of the land grants.

Thus, for all intents and purposes, the heirs of most land grants met the same end and a financial obligation (of $193.0 Million plus interest) exchanged between the U.S. and Mexico has remained unpaid for over 80 years. The reader will long-remember the amazing facts developed in this book.” Amazon.com

This is the Book Cover of the Book “Inherit the Dust from the Four Winds of Revilla”:

The following are the contents of the book so that you may get an idea of what to expect to find within the pages of this book.

Book Contents:

Acknowledgments ……………………………………………………………………………. 7
Chapter 1: Introduction …………………………………………………………………… 9
Chapter 2: Mexico’s Evolution and the Spaniard’s Conquest …………… 17
Chapter 3: First Two Hundred Years After Conquest ……………………….. 44
Chapter 4: Parade of Ancestors and Families ………………………………….. 51
Chapter 5: Establishment of Revilla and Other Settlements ……………. 60
Chapter 6: Degree of Conversion of the Indian Nations ………………….. 70
Chapter 7: Land Grants of Revilla ……………………………………………………. 87
Chapter 8: Life in Revilla and Guerrero …………………………………………… 109
Chapter 9: Prologue to a Violent Mexican History …………………………… 130
Chapter 10: Mexico’s Independence from Spain …………………………….. 132
Chapter 11: The Indian Attacks against the Settlements …………………. 143
Chapter 12: The Loss of Texas and Other Territories ……………………… 162
Chapter 13: Mexico’s Restoration ………………………………………………….. 185
Chapter 14: Mexico’s Porfiriato ……………………………………………………… 200
Chapter 15: Mexico’s Revolution ……………………………………………………. 210
Chapter 16: Mexico’s Post-revolution ……………………………………………… 228
Chapter 17: Mexico’s Recent History ……………………………………………… 239

Most of the family trees are listed in Chapter Four but there are even more in the APPENDICES that start on page 319.

The following are the one-page family trees in the Appendices:

  • General Pedro Elizondo de Paredes and Maria de la Garza Renteria
  • Vicente Garcia and Maria Josefa Gertrudis Elizondo
  • Jose de Jesus Pena Nagas and Maria Guadalupe Garcia Elizondo
  • Juan Jose Baez Benavides Ochoa and Maria Guadalupe Garcia vda. de Pena
  • Cristobal Javier Baez de Benavides and Margarita Ochoa
  • Jose de Jesus Benavides and Matiana Benavides
  • Jose Bernardo Benavides and Maria Manuela Palacios
  • Bartolome de Lizarraras y Cuellar and Maria Gregoria Martinez
  • Geronimo Garcia Vela and Felicita Benavides
  • Jose Felipe de Jesus Vela and Maria Ana Gertrudis Benavides
  • Pedro Vela and Maria Gertrudis de Lizarraz y Cuellar
  • Antonio Pena and Antonia Narcisa Vela
  • Jose Francisco Garcia and Maria Maxima Trevino
  • Jose Tomas Garcia Trevino and Maria del Refugio Martinez
  • Jose Ignacio de Jesus Garcia Martinez and Maria Ignacia Vela
  • Jesus Maria Garcia Benavides and Antonia Pena
  • Jose Maria Pena Cavazos and Hortencia Garcia de Pena
  • Francisco Javier Pena and Maria Antonia de Nagas
  • Jose Manuel Santiago Pena and Maria Gertrudis Recio
  • Cristobal Recio Soberon and Maria Antonia Dolores Salinas Pena
  • Manuel Pena (widower of Maria Gertrudis Recio) and Cayetana Pena
  • Jose Joachin Pena and MAria Guadalupe Saldivar
  • Jose Jesus (de la) Pena Vela and Maria del Jesus Vela
  • Jose Maria Pena Vela (widower of Josefa Villarreal) and Ruperta Cavazos Serna
  • Jose Maria Pana Vela and Josefa Villarreal
  • Felipe Cavazos and Eufemia Serna
  • Jose Maria Pena Garcia III and Pauline Aguilar

Where to Obtain Your Own Copy:

Genealogical Books About Revilla:

The 7th We Are Cousins Virtual Genealogy Conference Took Place September 11-13, 2024


About the author 

Moises Garza

I have doing my family genealogy since 1998. I am also the creator of this blog We Are Cousins, and the Mexican Genealogy blog. To always be up to date with both of these sites follow me on Facebook or visit visit my personal website at www.moisesgarza.com. If you are lookign to hire a professional geenalogist please visit my Services page.

Books to Help You Grow Your Family Tree

Cavazos-Last-Names-of-Nuevo-Leon
De-Leon-Last-Names-of-Nuevo-Leon-400px
Guerra-Last-Names-of-Nuevo-Leon-446x612
Hinojosa-Last-Names-of-Nuevo-Leon-400px

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