By Xcaret I. Bello, Advertising & Latinx Studies, Class of 2024
Mexicanos, or individuals born in Mexico who migrated to the United States, sought new opportunities and faced the challenges of adapting to a new country. In contrast, Hispanos are descendants of Spanish settlers in the Southwestern United States who were already present before the area became part of the United States following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. The Rel family’s story mirrors the journey of many Hispanos and Mexicanos who migrated to Lane County during the 1920s-30s. Concepcion, born in Las Cruces, and Victoria, from Lincoln, New Mexico, embarked on a new chapter in their lives when they married in 1911. Settling in Eugene, Oregon, they found a home on Van Buren Street, where they raised their three children: May, Jack, and Thomas. Despite hardships of young death, crime, and illnesses, the Rel family remained rooted in Eugene, forging connections in their tight-knit community. Their story offers a glimpse into the complexities of Mexicano migration, family dynamics, and the pursuit of stability in a new environment such as Hispanos.
Lane County, Oregon. Sign by Russell Lee
The migration from New Mexico to Oregon for the Rel family could be attributed to various aspects of their life. Phillip B. Gonzales’ article, “Forced Sacrifice as Ethnic Protest: The Hispano Cause in New Mexico and the Racial Attitude Confrontation of 1933,” explores attitudes toward Hispanos in New Mexico. In the 1930s, a leaked survey measuring anti-Hispanic sentiment caused an outcry and led to protests against discrimination.
While the Rel family started their life in Oregon in the 1930s, this case study highlights the ethnic and racial tensions back in New Mexico. The Rel family could have been exposed to a community not welcoming enough to remain in New Mexico and build a family there.
Another reason for their move could have been that Concepcion found a different employment opportunity in Oregon. In the census of the Rel family, we see that Concepcion was a laborer in the railroad industry. A prevalent job in New Mexico, often characterized by grueling work and frequent relocations. Out of the 142 Latinos in Lane County recorded in the 1930s census, 109 were employed in the railroad industry.
If Conception had been working in the railroad industry, he might have been influenced to move due to the rapid expansion of the railroads. In the article Mexicanos In Oregon by Erlinda Gonzales-Berry and Marcela Mendoza, they describe that during Oregon’s economic boom in the 1990s, many Mexicanos found better-paying, year-round jobs outside of agriculture, which is usually the lowest-paid work as well as opened up more agricultural jobs. In the reading Traqueros: Mexican Railroad Workers in the United States, 1870 to 1930 by Jeffrey Garcilazo, he describes that Hispanic farmers in New Mexico, along with migrant railroad workers, came together to oppose the influence of railroads during the late 1800s.
It suggests that the expansion of railroads led to the decline of the open range system, a significant change in the region’s agricultural practices from herding to stationary ranch farming (24).
This highlights the broader economic and social forces that shaped the lives and decisions of Hispanos and Mexicanos during that era.
Regardless of the reason for their move, the Rel family settled in Lane County for good. Among their three children, May charted a different course. She worked as a saleslady at a vanity store and married a salesman at a magazine distributor. Their joy was shadowed by the loss of their only child during birth, and they never had more children, yet they stayed rooted in Lane County. Perhaps May’s career choice stemmed from witnessing her parents’ physically demanding jobs. In Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in the Railroad Work Force: The Case of the Far Northwest, 1883-1918, Thomas White explores how, despite initial doubts, women became vital to the Northern Railroad by 1918. Yet, concerns lingered in Washington about women straying from traditional roles. May, whose mother was a stay-at-home mom, might have been inspired by her parents’ experiences to seek different roles. Records show May was always a point of contact for her parents, suggesting a close-knit family. When she passed, she was laid to rest beside her parents in Lane County, staying close to her roots.
While May pursued a career different from her parents, her brother Jack’s path took a different turn. Jack’s record shows he was a student when he was arrested for robbery. Both siblings may have been driven by a desire for stable careers, possibly influenced by their father’s work challenges. Speculating on Jack’s life and his robbery arrest in Washington, despite living in Lane County, financial instability might have played a role. He was arrested at 21, and his prior census record at 17 shows unemployment while living with his parents. At the time of his arrest, his father would have died three years before the arrest. Concepcion’s records indicate unemployment at age 55, listing a birth year discrepancy. In Concepcion’s registration card, he states that he was 55 and unemployed. That said, he lists his birth year as 1886 when every other document states he was born in 1876. Perhaps Concepcion stopped working early, staying home with his wife. Their socio-economic status during this time remains unclear, but it might have contributed to Jack’s involvement in the robbery.
Jack V. Rel arrested on July 18th of 1951.
The Rel family’s experience stood apart from other Hispanos in Lane County during the 1920s and 30s. Their two sons lacked recorded occupations, marriages, or children, yet stayed in Lane County with their parents. May was the only one who branched out to marry and pursue a career while remaining in Lane County. It could be assumed that either the two male sons remained home because of both their parents’ critical health issues, or they were not close to the family and dispersed to other locations where we have yet to find information. Nevertheless, they all shared the same household and established their lives there, indicating a solid attachment to the area, unlike many other Hispanos in Lane County who moved around more.
Their lives and experiences can illustrate why Hispanos left their original hometowns to settle down in a space like Lane County. Concepcion and Victoria hailed from New Mexico, where their families worked as laborers. They may have aimed to offer their children new opportunities in the Pacific Northwest. Jack was visiting Washington, and May found a career outside of labor. Thomas lived a short life, but it could be assumed that he also explored it. Since their mother, Victoria, lived in a nursing home, we can assume that her children had enough income to place their mother in a space where she could be cared for. Their extended stay in Lane County can also illustrate that Lane County was indeed a stable place for them to live, attend school, and more. Throughout readings like Erlinda Gonzales-Berry and Marcela Mendoza, we can see that Oregon had a large, growing population of Mexicans. Despite Victoria’s passing from cerebral arteriosclerosis in 1967 and Concepcion’s death from bladder cancer and cerebral hemorrhage, their children remained in the place their parents had chosen to begin their family. The Rel family’s lasting presence in Lane County reflects their deep connections to the community and the opportunities it provided. Despite facing challenges, their story highlights their resilience, determination, and strong family bonds. Their journey led them to a home and left a meaningful impact on Lane County, shaping it with their contributions and memories.
Bibliography
Garcilazo, Jeffrey Marcos. “Traqueros: Mexican Railroad Workers in the United States, 1870 to 1930”. Denton, Tex.: University of North Texas Press, 2012. 1st ed.
Gonzales, Phillip B. “Forced Sacrifice as Ethnic Protest: The Hispano Cause in New Mexico and the Racial Attitude Confrontation of 1933”. New York: Peter Lang, 2001. 275 pp. 59.95 ISBN: 0-8204-51584.
Gonzales-Berry, Erlinda, and Marcela Mendoza. “Mexicanos in Oregon: Their Stories, Their Lives”. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press.
White, W. Thomas. “Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in the Railroad Work Force: The Case of the Far Northwest, 1883-1918.” Western Historical Quarterly 16, no. 3 (July 1985): 265-283. Accessed January 27, 2024. Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/969128. Oxford University Press.
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