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Tejano Pioneer Families
Page G - K
Page G - K
GALVAN, Fernando (D)& Rita (D) Year that Family first migrated to The Pacific Northwest ,1956 Uncle arrived at Toppenish, Washington in 1935 Texas Hometown, Eagle Pass / San Antonio Area and Northern Mexico. Settled in, Toppenish, Washington Other members of the Original Family; Manuel Galvan (D) -Prosser,Washington Berta Galvan (D) -Prosser, Washington Fernando Galvan Jr. -Connell, Washington Antonio Galvan -Toppenish, Washington Juan Galvan -San Antonio, Texas Oscar Galvan -Sunnyside, Washington Information provided by, Oscar Galvan ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: In 1956 the Galvan family arrived at Toppenish,WA in the month of March. We started out from Eagle Pass, Texas traveling through Arizona, Cochella Valley (Indio), California, Oregon arriving in Washington on a Snowy day of March. The family worked in the Hops, asparagus, mint, sugarbeets, potatoes and other seasonal crops. We traveled to Idaho to do the potatoes and onions before going back to Texas. In Texas the family worked all of the Winter Garden area (Around Eagle Pass, Carrizo Springs, Crystal City, El Quemado area) and Throughout West Texas doing the Cotton Crops (Lubbock/Plainview). My parents would tell us various stories of when we traveled from Texas to Washington. The family's first experience was in Cochella Valley (Indio)California. We were coming from Texas following several large trucks full of migrant families traveling to Washington when we stopped near Indio, California late at night. The trucks pulled over to rest/sleep and all of the single men traveling laid to rest under the trucks and when they woke up in the early morning, the were covered with sand. That specific area was sandy and windy that it had covered the people with sand overnight. We then traveled towards Los Angeles and the people traveling/following the trucks got lost and took a wrong turn ending up driving through Hollywood, California. We then traveled and ended up at Biggs Junction, Oregon which at that time was only a Ferry. We arrived with only enough money to pay for the toll and enough gas to make to Toppenish, Washington. The Galvan Family has many stories of traveling as migrants from and to Texas. We experienced vehicle breakdowns, snow storms, dust/rain storms etc. We have lived in labor camps with woods stoves and no running water but with a happy, safe and positive home environment (there were several related families traveling). The Galvan family comes from a Musical background family in Texas and Northern Mexico. The Galvan name continues to make its' mark in Tejano Music. We have active Tejano musicians living in San Antonio, Uvalde, Eagle Pass and throughout the United States and a musical history going back to the 1800s. The Galvans' live on supporting la ONDA Tejana.. Viva PNTMA....I could write a whole book, but no room! WEBMASTER NOTE; Mr. Oscar Galvan is a past Board Member and former Vice-President of PNTMA. He has commitments including his education and obtaining his Masters Degree. He has a vast knowledge of music and is a very talented musician playing with several bands in the area, including his own band La Nueva Imagen. |