SAN ANTONIO – Generation after generation of family history is being unlocked by the local organization Los Bexare?os Genealogical and Historical Society.
Since 1983, the organization has been helping others discover and research their origins.
“They could just walk in here just knowing names of their parents, maybe some date of birth, marriages, any information they had available, and we can find a way to get them started,” said Barbara Chavez, president of Los Bexare?os.
Their offices at 2300 W. Commerce Street are filled with documents, books and other sources dating as far back as the 1700s.
“We have a lot of families who are very, very old here, and not just since the Spanish came, but the indigenous people that lived here and how they intermarried,” said Corky Rubio, Los Bexare?os member.
Now the group wants future generations to understand their roots and history.
“San Antonio is a very rich city in our culture and in our history, and this is how we are going to protect it so that it goes on to the next generation and the following generations,” Rubio said.
If you are interested in looking into your family history, Los Bexare?os have their office open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
On Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, the organization will host the 42nd Annual Texas Hispanic and Genealogical and Historical Conference.
“We have some excellent speakers lined up from that will be teaching us and speaking about not only DNA but even some local speakers, like the Bexar County Archives or our own San Antonio Public Library, and the resources available to get started even there,” Chavez said.
Registration is still open at the Los Bexare?os website.
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