JOSE FLORENTINO TORRES
Jose Florentino Torres was born on October 27, 1885 in Gomes Palacio, Durango, Mexico to Francisco Torres and Bictoria Sanchez.
As a young man he worked on the Mexican railroad as a "bracero", which means laborer, as it was built coming north to Texas. He called the railroad "El Camino de Clavos" meaning "The Road of Nails". His naturalization papers document that he crossed the border as a railroad employee through El Paso in November 1903.
It was also on a train that he met his future wife, Juana Ortega. Juana was hired to entertain on the passenger car playing her banjo.
They married on January 6, 1909 in El Paso, Texas. Juanita's parents were concerned with their 14-year-old girl marrying a 23-year-old man, but they were married over 75 years! They settled in Sweetwater, Nolan County, Texas. Sweetwater was a railroad town, with businesses and homes built along the rail lines. Texas & Pacific Railroad passenger service was active there from 1881-1969. Their daughter Rita remembers them living in a caboose and even a tent while her dad worked on the railroad.
He and his wife had 13 children all born in Sweetwater: Cruz Carmen, Rita, Elena, Juanita, Alexandaria (died as infant), Pedro "Pa-yo", Mary "Bashona", Pete, Demitria, Victoriana "Sadie", Leonard "Nayo", Gregorio, and Francisco (died as infant). They also raised their granddaughter Petronilla "Pat" Rivera and she used the last name of Torres.
At 55 years old, he applied for his U.S. citizenship in Abilene, Texas on October 2, 1942.
Florentino worked 38 years for the railroad from 1919 to his total retirement from the AT&SF in May, 1954. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway often referred to as the "Santa Fe" or "AT&SF", was one of the larger railroads in the United States.
In an interview with his great niece, Eufemia Ortega Gutierrez Torrez, Florentino was said to be a very respected person in the family and the Hispanic barrio. He was usually addressed with the honorific title of "Don" or Tio. Not only did he work for the RR, he was very industrious and enterprising, his 1942 naturalization papers even show him as being a fireman. He was also known to contract with local farmers for seasonal work and then he would drive the streets before dawn picking up day workers living in the barrio. They would clear weeds from crops or pick cotton. Long but productive days helped see the people through the winter months when work was scarce.
Florentino and his wife were members of the Holy Family Catholic Church at 507 Crane Street in Sweetwater, Texas.
He passed away on May 14, 1984 in Sweetwater, Texas at the age of 99 years old.
Family history 2004 as told by Rita Torres Gonzales Abrigo- daughter
Contributor: Christine Gonzales (47887861) - March 18, 2020
******************
Jose Florentino Torres was born on October 27, 1885 in Gomes Palacio, Durango, Mexico to Francisco Torres and Bictoria Sanchez.
As a young man he worked on the Mexican railroad as a "bracero", which means laborer, as it was built coming north to Texas. He called the railroad "El Camino de Clavos" meaning "The Road of Nails". His naturalization papers document that he crossed the border as a railroad employee through El Paso in November 1903.
It was also on a train that he met his future wife, Juana Ortega. Juana was hired to entertain on the passenger car playing her banjo.
They married on January 6, 1909 in El Paso, Texas. Juanita's parents were concerned with their 14-year-old girl marrying a 23-year-old man, but they were married over 75 years! They settled in Sweetwater, Nolan County, Texas. Sweetwater was a railroad town, with businesses and homes built along the rail lines. Texas & Pacific Railroad passenger service was active there from 1881-1969. Their daughter Rita remembers them living in a caboose and even a tent while her dad worked on the railroad.
He and his wife had 13 children all born in Sweetwater: Cruz Carmen, Rita, Elena, Juanita, Alexandaria (died as infant), Pedro "Pa-yo", Mary "Bashona", Pete, Demitria, Victoriana "Sadie", Leonard "Nayo", Gregorio, and Francisco (died as infant). They also raised their granddaughter Petronilla "Pat" Rivera and she used the last name of Torres.
At 55 years old, he applied for his U.S. citizenship in Abilene, Texas on October 2, 1942.
Florentino worked 38 years for the railroad from 1919 to his total retirement from the AT&SF in May, 1954. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway often referred to as the "Santa Fe" or "AT&SF", was one of the larger railroads in the United States.
In an interview with his great niece, Eufemia Ortega Gutierrez Torrez, Florentino was said to be a very respected person in the family and the Hispanic barrio. He was usually addressed with the honorific title of "Don" or Tio. Not only did he work for the RR, he was very industrious and enterprising, his 1942 naturalization papers even show him as being a fireman. He was also known to contract with local farmers for seasonal work and then he would drive the streets before dawn picking up day workers living in the barrio. They would clear weeds from crops or pick cotton. Long but productive days helped see the people through the winter months when work was scarce.
Florentino and his wife were members of the Holy Family Catholic Church at 507 Crane Street in Sweetwater, Texas.
He passed away on May 14, 1984 in Sweetwater, Texas at the age of 99 years old.
Family history 2004 as told by Rita Torres Gonzales Abrigo- daughter
Contributor: Christine Gonzales (47887861) - March 18, 2020
******************
JOSE FLORENTINO TORRES
Jose Florentino Torres was born on October 27, 1885 in Gomes Palacio, Durango, Mexico to Francisco Torres and Bictoria Sanchez.
As a young man he worked on the Mexican railroad as a "bracero", which means laborer, as it was built coming north to Texas. He called the railroad "El Camino de Clavos" meaning "The Road of Nails". His naturalization papers document that he crossed the border as a railroad employee through El Paso in November 1903.
It was also on a train that he met his future wife, Juana Ortega. Juana was hired to entertain on the passenger car playing her banjo.
They married on January 6, 1909 in El Paso, Texas. Juanita's parents were concerned with their 14-year-old girl marrying a 23-year-old man, but they were married over 75 years! They settled in Sweetwater, Nolan County, Texas. Sweetwater was a railroad town, with businesses and homes built along the rail lines. Texas & Pacific Railroad passenger service was active there from 1881-1969. Their daughter Rita remembers them living in a caboose and even a tent while her dad worked on the railroad.
He and his wife had 13 children all born in Sweetwater: Cruz Carmen, Rita, Elena, Juanita, Alexandaria (died as infant), Pedro "Pa-yo", Mary "Bashona", Pete, Demitria, Victoriana "Sadie", Leonard "Nayo", Gregorio, and Francisco (died as infant). They also raised their granddaughter Petronilla "Pat" Rivera and she used the last name of Torres.
At 55 years old, he applied for his U.S. citizenship in Abilene, Texas on October 2, 1942.
Florentino worked 38 years for the railroad from 1919 to his total retirement from the AT&SF in May, 1954. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway often referred to as the "Santa Fe" or "AT&SF", was one of the larger railroads in the United States.
In an interview with his great niece, Eufemia Ortega Gutierrez Torrez, Florentino was said to be a very respected person in the family and the Hispanic barrio. He was usually addressed with the honorific title of "Don" or Tio. Not only did he work for the RR, he was very industrious and enterprising, his 1942 naturalization papers even show him as being a fireman. He was also known to contract with local farmers for seasonal work and then he would drive the streets before dawn picking up day workers living in the barrio. They would clear weeds from crops or pick cotton. Long but productive days helped see the people through the winter months when work was scarce.
Florentino and his wife were members of the Holy Family Catholic Church at 507 Crane Street in Sweetwater, Texas.
He passed away on May 14, 1984 in Sweetwater, Texas at the age of 99 years old.
Family history 2004 as told by Rita Torres Gonzales Abrigo- daughter
Contributor: Christine Gonzales (47887861) - March 18, 2020
******************
Jose Florentino Torres was born on October 27, 1885 in Gomes Palacio, Durango, Mexico to Francisco Torres and Bictoria Sanchez.
As a young man he worked on the Mexican railroad as a "bracero", which means laborer, as it was built coming north to Texas. He called the railroad "El Camino de Clavos" meaning "The Road of Nails". His naturalization papers document that he crossed the border as a railroad employee through El Paso in November 1903.
It was also on a train that he met his future wife, Juana Ortega. Juana was hired to entertain on the passenger car playing her banjo.
They married on January 6, 1909 in El Paso, Texas. Juanita's parents were concerned with their 14-year-old girl marrying a 23-year-old man, but they were married over 75 years! They settled in Sweetwater, Nolan County, Texas. Sweetwater was a railroad town, with businesses and homes built along the rail lines. Texas & Pacific Railroad passenger service was active there from 1881-1969. Their daughter Rita remembers them living in a caboose and even a tent while her dad worked on the railroad.
He and his wife had 13 children all born in Sweetwater: Cruz Carmen, Rita, Elena, Juanita, Alexandaria (died as infant), Pedro "Pa-yo", Mary "Bashona", Pete, Demitria, Victoriana "Sadie", Leonard "Nayo", Gregorio, and Francisco (died as infant). They also raised their granddaughter Petronilla "Pat" Rivera and she used the last name of Torres.
At 55 years old, he applied for his U.S. citizenship in Abilene, Texas on October 2, 1942.
Florentino worked 38 years for the railroad from 1919 to his total retirement from the AT&SF in May, 1954. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway often referred to as the "Santa Fe" or "AT&SF", was one of the larger railroads in the United States.
In an interview with his great niece, Eufemia Ortega Gutierrez Torrez, Florentino was said to be a very respected person in the family and the Hispanic barrio. He was usually addressed with the honorific title of "Don" or Tio. Not only did he work for the RR, he was very industrious and enterprising, his 1942 naturalization papers even show him as being a fireman. He was also known to contract with local farmers for seasonal work and then he would drive the streets before dawn picking up day workers living in the barrio. They would clear weeds from crops or pick cotton. Long but productive days helped see the people through the winter months when work was scarce.
Florentino and his wife were members of the Holy Family Catholic Church at 507 Crane Street in Sweetwater, Texas.
He passed away on May 14, 1984 in Sweetwater, Texas at the age of 99 years old.
Family history 2004 as told by Rita Torres Gonzales Abrigo- daughter
Contributor: Christine Gonzales (47887861) - March 18, 2020
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