Aprender a leer otra vez

Learning to Read ... Again

Aprender a leer otra vez!

Although I haven't perfected my Spanish keyboard techniques yet, I'm excited to begin today my studies with Dr. J. Michael Francis, one of the country's leading experts of Spanish Colonial Florida.

He's letting me audit the class at the University of South Florida Saint Petersburg, in the Florida Studies Department  Florida Studies - USF Saint Petersburg . 

 It's my first step toward clarifying and updating DOUBLE COUSINS with a new chapter on Francisco Xavier Sanchez and his two spouses, Beatriz de Piedra and Maria del Carmen Hill. VIVA!

This time maybe I can shed more light on the "median Spanish" documents by reading them myself. There's definitely something to be said for being in the moment with one's ancestors when reading their own handwriting.

Jose Simeon Sanchez, brother of Francisco Xavier Sanchez, signed the original Florida constitution

FX Sanchez Descendant Double Cousins Salute Tio Jose

Photo from Florida Sesquicentennial in 1995 features FX brother Jose Sanchez

 Lamar Graham, grandson of Delia Sanchez, daughter of Alexander B Sanchez, son of FX Roman Sanchez, son of FX Sanchez & Maria del Carmen Hill, with his 1st cousins late Charlotte Maddox & her sister Frances, both of Thomasville, GA, also FX Sanchez descendants, photographed by me (Dee Graham) at the 1995 FL Sesquicentennial in Port Saint Joe. See photo & info on Tio Jose Simeon Sanchez, their 4th great uncle, between the sisters' heads.

Lamar T. Graham, Frances Maddox and Charlotte Maddox in 1995

Cousin Earl Sanchez of Plant City and his wife, Debi Smith Sanchez, had a unique encounter with some of the Cuban Sanchez descendants when they visited Tolomato Cemetery in Saint Augustine seeking the grave of Francisco Xavier Sanchez.
Here a link to the story of the chance encounter as told in the Tolomato Cemetery blog:
Tolomato Cemetery Times

Earl Sanchez