Rafael Fuentes and Darial Salinas Fuentes were married in El Moral Coahuila, Mexico.  That is where this family as we know it at this time started.  As we try and gather information form other members of the family and dig deeper into the Fuentes roots we will be able to add more names and cities.  As we know to this date, Rafael Fuentes was one of the Rebels in the Mexican Revolution.  Somewhere around 1910.  Rafael had many adventures with Pancho Villa and many others of that Mexican Revolution history.  As it was told to me, Rafael, was wounded during one of the battle fights, not sure where or what city but I can just visualize the dark, dirty, and brutal fighting that would have take place in a very hostel environment.  Rafael did not die from the wound at that time.  Years later he did die form the old war injury.

     Daria was the adopted daughter of Mr. Salinas, on of the riches government officials in the city of El Moral, Mexico.  As many people know, in Mexico, if you are in the government and have access to any money, you pay yourself first, and so did Darias father.  Darias father was her birth fathers brother and Darias godfather so at the time of her real fathers death, Mr. Salinas adopted hera as his own daughter.  From the history, we know Mr. Salinas loved Daria very much, just as his very own daughter and gave her everything that she could want. I do not know Mr. Salinas first name.

     During that time there were no banks or safe places to store money, you just dug a hole in the ground or kept it in large chests or as told to me, buried in cow hides.  Mr. Salinas had many full cow hides stuffed with money.  It is said that when he went out to find a safe place to hide the cow hides, the workers that went with him to dig the hole, did not come back.  That would sure leave only one man that knew where the money was buried.  Daria was a young girl and on a few trips to find a safe place for the money she went with her father.  As young as she was, Mr. Salinas new that she could make a mental note as to where the money was if ever she needed to find it.  The main thing is that Daria would never want for anything.

    Rafael and Daria met and fell in love.  The only problem was that Rafael was on the wrong side of the war.  Mr. Salinas did not approve of this man.  But, he loved Daria very much that he would not deny her any wish.  I can just visualize Rafael going to this government agent and asking to marry his daughter.  What a day that must have been.  At any rate, they were married and had a very large wedding in El Moral, Coahuila, Mexico.  During that time a wedding could last up to three days. The more important the person, the longer the wedding fiesta lasted.  People came form all the near by towns and would sleep in their wagons.  A regular wagon train, or camp ground would take place.

     Mr. Salinas made one thing very clear to Rafael and Daria that the money he had would never go to them.  But he would give it to their first born.  Rafael would not take part of his riches because of Mr. Salinas disapproval of the Rebel that like to drink.  Mr. Salinas told Daria that her dowry would go to her first born.  That was Samuel Fuentes.  Under this agreement they both married. Love was more important than money.

     Rafael and Daria had many good and happy years together and had three sons and five daughters together.  They made their home in Eagle Pass, Texas.  Many families at that time moved to the U.S.A. because of the war, things in Mexico were very unstable.  Rafael was a very ruthless man himself and did not want for anything to ask anyone for anything.  He made very good money by selling liquor from Mexico into Texas.  This was the time of liquor prohibition 1922 to 1932 or so.  With all the money he made, he built a large rock house in Eagle Pass, Texas.  His five daughters were pampered and lived in the Casa Grande.  The sons on the other hand were raised to be hard working men and they lived in the barren land or camp grounds in tents about a days ride from town.  They had to cut mesquite to fill the storage shed for the family business.   Rafael sold wood to all in Eagle Pass for the long and cold winters and for all the fire needed to heat wood stoves and any other usage a family had for fuel.  Provisions, staples, flour, salt, sugar, etc. would be taken to the sons at the camp site.  On one occasion, it is said, that aunt Concha Fuentes went to take the boys food and a rattler bit her leg.  Rafael quickly cut her leg and bled her so she could get rid of the poison.  She did not die.

     Concha Fuentes has an interesting history of her own.  When she was young she was in love with a young man form San Antonio, Texas.  Rafael would not let her marry the young man.  He told her, you are the one that has to stay home and take care of your mother and not till the day she is gone, can you leave.  As she was an obedient daughter she did as her father said.  When her mother Daria died, Concha married her long awaited love.  They had just communicated by letters and she had not seen him since the last day; in San Antonio all those many years back.  He also had waited and came to take her away.  They married and five or so years later she died.

     During one of the years Daria and Samuel, her eldest son, went to find the money that she had remembered her father Mr. Salinas had buried money.  She had been very young when she was on the trip, with her father, Mr. Salinas.  She did find the place and did find the cow hide but the money was gone.  I can just feel the disappointment when Daria saw the cow hides that had been vandalized.  That might have been a time of need for her or her son and all was lost.

      History shows us that money is the root of all evil, well at times that just might be so.  Daria had two step brothers and one of them was a very smart business man by the name of Enrique Salinas.  He had a bank in Eagle Pass and in Piedras Negras along with another large business.  It is said that Enrique used all of Darias money to help his business and not to enrich his sisters estate.  All of Enriques children went to the finest colleges and had the best that money could buy.  Daria has another brother, Jesus Salinas.  He also lacked the money and business entrepreneurship his brother had.  At that time in history, women did not have the voice we do today and there was no where to turn for Daria.  Her fortune was gone.

     After Rafael died and Daria died, the children made their home in many parts of the U.S.A. and from the children of Daria and Rafael Fuentes came my grandfather Efrian Fuentes.  He married Tomacita.  My father Efrain Fuentes Jr. is also deceased but they have left us with many great memories that we will forever keep in our hearts. 

     Please, if anyone has any information I can add to this let me know.  Just send a little not or letter with a wonderful memory you have of our ancestors.  Also, if I have an address wrong or missing an address, again, just send it via e-mail to mariomartinezjr@msn.com (my sons e-mail account).  I would love to have a complete list of all the Fuentes families addresses and phone numbers.  Maybe in a few years we can have a more complete reunion.

    I have put together this phone list as a favor to give to as many members of the family has possible.  During the reunion try to find out missing phone numbers form members that are at the party.  If you see your name and address is missing, let me know so I can tell the family know to add to their books.  Enjoy the party and the family reunion.  Looking forward to meeting with all and everyone of you at my mothers house in Yorba Linda, California.

Forever Thankful,

Elva Rosa Fuentes Martinez

July 6, 2003