On July 14th The D.C.C.W and Bishop Vasquez honored Caldwell County Farmer-Rancher Mr. Miguel Alonzo Jr.at the 31st Annual Diocese of Austin/D.C.C.W Rural/Farmers Mass here at St. Mary’s. Congratulations to him and the Alonzo Family. Miguel was born in Caldwell County on November 21, 1922, where he has been a lifetime resident of 97 years. In 1945, Miguel married Maria Estrada, here at St. Mary of the Visitation. They had four children, Arnulfo, Juanita, and Ernestine who live iCaldwell
County and Valentine (Val) who lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Maria Estrada Alonzo died February 1955. Miguel remarried in 1959 and he and his wife Petra celebrated their sixty-first wedding anniversary last month. They have two daughters, Petra, and Rosemary and three sons, Miguel III, Alex, and Joe. He has been blessed with seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Miguel spent his entire life farming and ranching, often in partnership with area landowners. Before acquiring cotton and corn picking machinery, he would employ large groups of people and often members of the same family to harvest crops. To this day, many of those families remember those cottn picking days. Bailing hay and managing cattle also kept him busy. Two of his sons, Miguel III and Joe have successfully followed in their father’s footsteps by continuing to farm and ranch. Farming was an American Dream for Miguel who started working alongside his father in 1939. Decades ago, it was a “golden period” for the small farmer who grew commodity crops like cotton and corn. The ever-encroaching crush of urbanization plays a major role in the disappearance of the family farm. For several years, in the late 1950’s, after the harvest season ended in Central Texas, Miguel coordinated work opportunities in the West Texas region. He transported field workers to jobs that provided sustainable work opportunities for many Caldwell County families. Today we celebrate Miguel Alonzo, Jr., and his family for being the small farmer that provided a lifeline to his family and to numerous other families that assisted with the harvesting of crops. Thank you Bishop Vásquez and the Austin Diocesan Council of Catholic Women for this special celebration. And thank you to Father Ed for nominating our father or this acknowledgement. --The Alonzo family
County and Valentine (Val) who lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Maria Estrada Alonzo died February 1955. Miguel remarried in 1959 and he and his wife Petra celebrated their sixty-first wedding anniversary last month. They have two daughters, Petra, and Rosemary and three sons, Miguel III, Alex, and Joe. He has been blessed with seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Miguel spent his entire life farming and ranching, often in partnership with area landowners. Before acquiring cotton and corn picking machinery, he would employ large groups of people and often members of the same family to harvest crops. To this day, many of those families remember those cottn picking days. Bailing hay and managing cattle also kept him busy. Two of his sons, Miguel III and Joe have successfully followed in their father’s footsteps by continuing to farm and ranch. Farming was an American Dream for Miguel who started working alongside his father in 1939. Decades ago, it was a “golden period” for the small farmer who grew commodity crops like cotton and corn. The ever-encroaching crush of urbanization plays a major role in the disappearance of the family farm. For several years, in the late 1950’s, after the harvest season ended in Central Texas, Miguel coordinated work opportunities in the West Texas region. He transported field workers to jobs that provided sustainable work opportunities for many Caldwell County families. Today we celebrate Miguel Alonzo, Jr., and his family for being the small farmer that provided a lifeline to his family and to numerous other families that assisted with the harvesting of crops. Thank you Bishop Vásquez and the Austin Diocesan Council of Catholic Women for this special celebration. And thank you to Father Ed for nominating our father or this acknowledgement. --The Alonzo family
