Nerona-Sanchez Family Collection
Dublin Core
Title
Nerona-Sanchez Family Collection
Description
Margaret Sanchez was born in San Antonio, Texas, and her date of birth is not known. Margaret had two children: Gloria Dominguez (b. unknown) and Marialis Dominguez (b. unknown, but eventually, she married Isidro Ramon Gonzalez—a man born in Monterrey, Mexico, and raised in Texas. Isidro and Margaret had two children together, Dora Gonzalez (b. unknown) and Raymond “Ray” Gonzalez (b. 1943). Their daughter Dora passed away from diabetes around 1946. Isidro and Margaret divorced in 1947.
Throughout her life, Margaret migrated around the United States working in the canneries and agricultural fields. She and her children moved from Chicago to Salinas in 1949. In 1950, Margaret met Benito Acosta Nerona while they were both working in the Pajaro Valley cannery industry.
Benito was born in the municipality of Luna, in the province of La Union, in the Philippines, during the early 1900s (Benito’s exact date of birth is unknown). He migrated from the Philippines to Hawai‘i, where he worked in the hospitality industry, and then to San Francisco. Later, during the 1940s, he worked as a crew member on the S.S. Cardinal O’Connor, an Army Transportation Corps ship. In the late 1940s, Benito began to work in Pajaro and Salinas Valley agriculture.
In 1951, Benito and Margaret married in Watsonville. Benito adopted Margaret’s son, Ray Gonzalez. Together, Benito and Margaret had a daughter named Leilani Nerona (b. 1952). Benito and Margaret were involved in field labor union organizing and hosted union meetings at their family home in the Pajaro Valley.
Margaret, Benito, and their children were integrated into the Pajaro Valley Filipino American community. They were close friends with the Castillos and other Filipino families in Watsonville. Although he is not Filipino, Margaret’s son, Ray, was especially active within the Filipino American community and was a member of the Filipino Youth Club at Watsonville High School during the late 1950s.
Benito passed away in 1980.
The Nerona-Sanchez Family Collection was donated to Watsonville is in the Heart in 2023. It contains one oral history interview with Raymond Gonzalez.
Throughout her life, Margaret migrated around the United States working in the canneries and agricultural fields. She and her children moved from Chicago to Salinas in 1949. In 1950, Margaret met Benito Acosta Nerona while they were both working in the Pajaro Valley cannery industry.
Benito was born in the municipality of Luna, in the province of La Union, in the Philippines, during the early 1900s (Benito’s exact date of birth is unknown). He migrated from the Philippines to Hawai‘i, where he worked in the hospitality industry, and then to San Francisco. Later, during the 1940s, he worked as a crew member on the S.S. Cardinal O’Connor, an Army Transportation Corps ship. In the late 1940s, Benito began to work in Pajaro and Salinas Valley agriculture.
In 1951, Benito and Margaret married in Watsonville. Benito adopted Margaret’s son, Ray Gonzalez. Together, Benito and Margaret had a daughter named Leilani Nerona (b. 1952). Benito and Margaret were involved in field labor union organizing and hosted union meetings at their family home in the Pajaro Valley.
Margaret, Benito, and their children were integrated into the Pajaro Valley Filipino American community. They were close friends with the Castillos and other Filipino families in Watsonville. Although he is not Filipino, Margaret’s son, Ray, was especially active within the Filipino American community and was a member of the Filipino Youth Club at Watsonville High School during the late 1950s.
Benito passed away in 1980.
The Nerona-Sanchez Family Collection was donated to Watsonville is in the Heart in 2023. It contains one oral history interview with Raymond Gonzalez.
Contributor
Raymond Gonzalez
Collection Items
There are currently no items within this collection.
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