Raymond C. Lozano and Narciso Cano

00:00 Store forgot to bring it.

00:07 My name is Raymond C Lozano Jr. And my age is 7 I'm 71 years old. I was born in August 1936.

00:19 And today's date is February 21st 2008 and we are here on location at San Antonio, Texas in front of you.

00:28 Shrine of Texas the Alamo

00:31 And I'm here with my first cousin Narciso Cano Junior.

00:40 My name is Narciso Cano Junior and I'm 63. I think I'm born in 1944. So I'm six years older than Raymond and I invited Raymond to come here today because he's my oldest living.

01:00 Relative on my father's side, and I wanted to explore with him his memory of growing up on San Jacinto Street.

01:14 And to talk about the great Storyteller in our family home, I believe was the old man Mac. Is it Matt Matt or Mac Mac Mac Mac? Okay.

01:33 And for those who listen to this tape in the ensuing decades, hopefully you'll find you'll have found or you will look for recordings that I've made of many people from the condo side of the family and you'll be able to

01:58 Hear their voices and their memories but let's start with Raymond. You were born to be up or Lies We called her. Yes. No Lozano, and you were raised where 617 North San Jacinto Street intersection of Pettis.

02:20 Right across from Moore Hill Elementary School

02:24 Do you have strong memories of when you were growing up I do.

02:29 I do we live across the street from the school elementary school in Echo see all the kids and I was not even old enough to go to school yet. But all that time, you know, you're in the Warriors then there was no I Was Your Man of the House?

02:45 And with my aunt's they they were always teaching me English version and Spanish come second, but and that's the way I learned.

02:57 And even though I was before 5 years old, I remember I know I could write my name backwards and when I went to first grade, like I said, I was born in August. I started school on the first day of September.

03:13 Wish I was six years old.

03:16 And it was amazing that

03:24 I got skipped a couple of grades in elementary school.

03:37 You know what? That's about it for 6:20 if it's for his, you know, I'm a cell phone number Marine Corps. It's 16 and 1/2 years old.

03:53 Did you did you lie about your age or it was it wasn't meant to be like that you graduated from high school at sixteen know I would have graduated around 16 and a half to get home from high school or 16. So what are you saying? You left you left early High Senior, and I only needed a few credits and get my diploma. I need my neighborhood is leaving so I left.

04:32 They were leaving for the Korean War for the Korean War. Yeah, although I did not participate in it. I was in it, you know during that time.

04:42 And I was well that's turned it was March 1953 and March 12th, in fact, so and the war ended in July. Thank God and 53.

05:01 But I did not participate in it.

05:05 I love butts.

05:09 You asked me a question. Did I lie about my know it was already written on the birth certificate when I was going to high school. I was in the tenth grade and you need to be a certain age to do work for the Western Union, you know.

05:25 And I sold one of those red jacket kernels. I want to go get a job somewhere and it wasn't hiring Western Union. Yeah, but you got to be certain 8:16. So it says you have a birth certificate to bring it over here. So she took care of that problem. But you know what I never to go work for the Western Union then you know, I'm sorry playing at Athletics and school and you're a couple years went by so fast Young by the time I realized you know, it is being the only one in the neighborhood here, you know, it's everybody is leaving, but of course everybody was older than me.

06:14 You know, so it was a fine time to use a birth certificate to make which I did, you know, and I have always been afraid of somebody coming back at me. I know that but not anymore. They won't put me back and not at this age anyway, but anyhow, I remember the good old days with you and let you know when I left. We have a uncle Mac, you know, you told my mom is if you got to do what he's got to do, you know and

06:50 So don't worry, she'll take care of him. So I used to take care of myself all the time. I used to come down downtown when I was nine or ten years old at the time to pay the bills in the water water right here downtown the water and the and the gas and electric bill. They said they used to give me out to the penny. You know, I mean, why do people even have all that much money and of course so I will get bus fare also and but I remember one time coming downtown feeding the bills and I'm at you know, I like one penny from getting the bus, but I want to let me get aboard. So I walked all the way in front of a strong which was really wasn't that bad. It's just I was afraid of railroad tracks crossing the tracks. That's about it.

07:42 And that's about it. I remember all them years and and growing up BB before I even went to service. You know, we're going to school, you know, there was some like a neighborhood bar on the corner of 17th and Morgan, you know, all the old-timers were coming back from World War II, you know, they used to go to the are congregating LED bar used to have two doors. Okay during the early days like on a Saturday, you know that the man that the owner he wouldn't be able to let us go in there and then shoot some pool. You know, we were youngsters. We're not old enough to be even being a place but there was no YMCAs around there was no parks that we had a school nothing but rocks across the street, you know on which we did play tackle football in and all that.

08:33 And I but anyhow, I remember one day that we're playing pool in there and it was early, you know, because customers start coming in. The man was say, where are you guys going to have to leave, you know, and we go and I but one day of spring pool and I remember has a cue stick my hand and and like I said, they were two doors that that place will income song Come and Pick 4 and I told the guys so the guys will I see you guys later man, you know, and I went out one of the doors but Uncle make an already seen me so he stepped back and intercepts is being abused or coming out where you going. I'm going home from school school. There's no school. Today is Saturday. Do you know he got me all nervous says

09:28 I would I was nervous and I didn't know what to say and he says why don't you why don't you come in here with me and play a game of pool? Why don't you do that? No, I can't go in there cuz ya come on in. So I said play the game of pool with him and man. I mean I went to make the 8-ball so bad so bad just to get out of there. But anyhow, he and man he was something else. Anyhow, let me tell you something when I went in the Marine Corps my mother and I were the only once okay with leaving my hands all my answer you like I said, the guy is the guys are gone and and Uncle Mac was one of the guys in the first guy just came back.

10:14 Of course. I have a my other uncles and a senior. He he's try to join the military when he was a young man you try to join but but when he went through the physical they found out he had tuberculosis. So they put him in the hospital immediately, you know, and so whatever everybody know that's how it happened. So everybody everybody was making their effort, you know, I mean for WW2 and I'll answer then like I said, I was born in 36 the war started with what five years old and so but then flashbacks in 1945, you know, and Uncle Mack is back Laura 1946 weather.

11:04 And then I here I am I'm leaving in 53 and and and I try to get enough $40 allotment from you from the government from for my mom. You know, I had three rejection and I would prefer put in 403 Jacquees Jacquees Jacquees time, really and I never did say nothing. I don't know how in the world I used to go every now and then but now apparently I told her you know what I'm saying you this money because the government don't want to put in the other $40 which was 40 + 40. You know, how I would go about 80 bucks a month. That's it back in those days. That was that would have been nice all

11:46 Man, I mean it didn't take long the following payday, which is 2 weeks. Okay, every two weeks and maybe with Kaiser the troops and then you know every two weeks and any out the procurement officer and he tells me congratulations you got an allotment. How do you know that I have to be rejected does yeah, but do you have an uncle Mac and said, well, he he he talks to some congressmen over there from San Antonio Bexar County and he got you that a lot when you heard of thinking when you go home and that's how I like my mom start getting forty bucks a month for refrigeration that I was in the car. That's great, you know.

12:36 And I know Uncle Maggie he was something else man he's idle. And I remember this coming up. His Idol was General George Patton and you feel that gentleman World War II, you know, he he was real straight strict and and all that but all those years I never did hear him.

13:08 Say a cuss word never not one cuss word or get upset or get angry with anybody. You know whenever he just had those strong words that that somebody when you don't see what we have an argument with him and he just met her a few words and that person would come down and walk away, you know, and I will see that you're not saying that that man it's amazing and some some man. I don't even recall his name live in the neighborhood. You said you know that Uncle Matia sou have I said hell, yeah, I'm icy hot Scott on you know, I don't know why he's not a lawyer and not turning he is just like an attorney he gives us advised, you know, whenever we walk up to him and tells us what to do and and so far and it works and if it works and I can't recall on that man's name, but I do know he lives in the neighborhood.

14:05 I'd like to at this point relay that I brought with me a DVD or CD that I have an interview I had with the Omak back in 1972 And I would be 35 years ago where in Mac tells the story about how the Cano family emigrated from Arroyo to Lockhart and

14:45 There's no replacing.

14:49 The Cadence there's no replacing the Cadence that that the Olmec would would get into when he was telling the story.

14:59 But essentially the family came up on a mule from Doctor Arroyo and got to San Antonio.

15:12 Where he left his wife and the youngest boy, Monica?

15:17 Cual he intended to go look for his brother in Lockhart except gross who was the older of the two boys put up such a fuss that he wanted to come along that will slow our great-grandfather relented and agreed to take Cruise along with him. And the way they went from San Antonio to Lockhart was following the railroad tracks walking and for those who don't know Lockhart's about 6570 miles from here.

15:57 So they took off walking and an early in the morning our great-grandmother made some tacos and packed a lunch Cruise as young boys are prone to do when skipping a long-running and as fast as he could up and down the tracks and coming back to his father works a lot and kept it up all day until finally got to the point where he was exhausted and

16:32 They pulled over for the to make bed for the evening and the cruise was complaining about his legs.

16:42 And in fact crying and pleading with Ursula to carry him for the rest of the way to Lockhart and Son we're going to take care of you. Hope you had brought with him a container and they urinated into the container.

17:01 And heated the the urine over a campfire boiled it boiled it down and made a yam what I would call and lotion or an unguent and

17:19 Ursula

17:21 Put it all over gross has legs and feet and my guess is that probably crusoe's Barefoot at the time. He was 6 7 years old.

17:35 Anyway that I don't know if it worked or if it was just psychosomatic, but the story is Uncle Matt tells it is a cruise woke up the next day with the the soreness and achiness in his legs and feet gone, and he was able to continue the journey.

17:59 Up to Lockhart

18:05 That's on the tape Donaldson DVD.

18:11 And that's basically one of the classic tales about the how our family got to where we are today.

18:20 Tell me a little bit about your children Raymond with what are their names of the oldest one is Mary Francis. And the second oldest is Patrician. And the youngest is Raymond Matthew and they each have children of their own the oldest tune to boys and the middle and two girls and Mathews got two girls and one boy, but who are you married to I am married to Mary Alice Gill.

18:52 Lozano we got married on.

18:56 April the 20th 1957

19:02 As I was downtown happened to be downtown, you know in Skyrim the area and after you returned from the Marines, right? I still belongs to the reserve. He have to go and participate in all Adam & Buster's Saturday happened to be by the day off. So I did some Scouting Around, you know, and I went down to crash and well wait a minute before that. I went to a birthday party on a Monday. I didn't want to go and but just friend of mine says, it's Monday and you don't have nothing else to do it was already at night, you know run 7. So let's go to a park birthday party.

19:49 So I went and that's where I met my wife, you know, it's a he was dark pitch-dark almost except for the candles on the tables and and they were playing music and I asked you to dance but I asked you if you want to dance to this one with me what I am course, she's got blue eyes and you called her and then to cover my eyes are well, we've been we've been married fifty years and going on 51 this coming April. I met her at the birthday party and then what happened? What's it like Chris? Well, that's what you used to work at crazz.

20:45 And of course, she was 19 years old and I was way older than her. I was 20 already and then and I went to visit her and then from there on we started dating, you know, and we dated for about 3 months and and what have you been planning on a big church wedding and what-have-you, you know get some money together knowing my future mother-in-law really like me. So she said they won't be no waiting here in this house. Okay fine. So we'd Lok what best man were brothers and then they were they were both in Marine Corps also with me and from the sea neighborhood. Like I said, everybody was leaving but only one of them had left before me and then the

21:45 Left after I did but when we got married and if they don't participate in and then you know, and we still at it and

21:58 And no.

22:00 We're real happy and all that is whenever you

22:04 Triumph to get out of the house every chance we get travel and of course, I remember bringing up the kids when they were babies right here, but maybe 20 yards from where we're sitting right now. I had a car and you could drive up here through in front of the Alamo and I took pictures when the when my children were little and you know, I would say 50 feet in front of the Alamo with the street and that's where we parked and I had to have pictures in front of the Alamo and and who got who could gas that that I would be here, you know, 45 years later.

22:50 Is the Alamo in talking in the microphone with my cousin?

22:58 And witches, you know, I never thought anything like that would ever happen.

23:10 Yeah, that's the way it is.

23:14 Fandom

23:16 Well, how about you learn or something? Well, I married to a lady from under her name is Marcia.

23:29 Very striking

23:34 Woman with with a an air of mystery as I say

23:41 And we have been fortunate to have two children Gardena CSUN. Who's now 31 and Joshua my DS

23:52 Dino

23:53 Who is 26 neither of them are married men, so maybe by the time the Staples listen to the mic? I might may have grandchildren and great-grandchildren with hope.

24:10 Battelle

24:13 What do you remember about Grandpa Bruce was he in good health when you came back from the war or before you left. He was not in very good health, you know when I left and he might have been had diabetes. Maybe he had to have his leg amputated resent me when he passed away the military sent me down here to attend his funeral and which I am very grateful American Red Cross paid my way to for me to get here from where and what I was stationed in San Diego, California when it happened I see, you know, you know, I was the test for the Navy most of the time you know that I was in the Marine Corps.

25:05 And I was insanely I happen to be in San Diego when grandpa passed away.

25:12 Panda but I remember the good old days with him man. I'm telling you when I was growing up. And like I said, it was the school across the street with the basketball court and one day is too big guys riding a bicycle legs. They took my basketball, okay, and they took off and I didn't know I was just looking at him. Why would they want to do that? I didn't notice my grandpa was sending around the door right behind me and says

25:42 In Spanish, he asked me.

25:44 Do you know I know you said your bone? Yes. Do you want it back? Yes in Spanish? Okay, and well guess what he went and got a shotgun and woke up only you the way to win those guys they saw him and he only went about 20 feet up to the curb when they sell he had a shotgun then they started driving back with a basketball in and gave me the basketball. Here you go. Here you go. Get your butt there in just but they weren't they were just plain playing but anyhow, Grandpa got upset but I used to go. Mow the yard, you know, either one of them push mowers, you know, and it wasn't it wasn't sure and I but every month.

26:36 He would give me a 50-cent piece. Every month was asked I would come downtown. I think I would go to the movies at 5. If the movie is kind of scary at leave in the middle of the movie and then we going to get my shoes shined, you know, and I had a pair of shoes and I had to take care of them and I left that would shine my shoes for a dime and give the guy a nickel for chip with. Can you imagine I mean, I wasn't even saying or 11 years old at the time, you know and all that was happening.

27:11 And I choose the time that I laugh. Like I said, I think my grandpa passed away in 1954.

27:19 And what did he do for money?

27:22 How do you get money was he made was it from Social Security? I believe so it would have had to have happened right after Roosevelt. Got to do. You know, where where do you get your money and all that? I do know that for a fact when I was growing up. He had like a chicken farm in the back of the house and every Sunday we had I mean we would we would eat fine, you know, and then on Lyon Street he had and Uncle Mac they both had about combined they had for Lexus IS for sale for less what they would grow in anywhere from all kinds of vegetables and corn stalks man. I mean real tall and all that anybody could go in there but long and help yourself. Okay, the whole neighborhood could go in there and help himself, but don't go in there and and and help yourself and

28:22 Okay, he has dad's rules. You know, what you want to feed your family you go in there and and you pick whatever you want but squash Union on green beans and corn and and what-have-you, you know, and I remember that because I used to do that myself with all my aunts. They would go down there and put on their Bonnets and and what I mean for the Sun and Google pick up green beans, I remember that and corn as a squash and a good man and a man, especially when he gave me a $0.50 a month. What can you tell us about?

29:06 Ursula who was Grandpa's father. Who who

29:13 Actually lived about a block away. He didn't he lived in Rockaway head that way. I understand he built that house of humongous house right on the corner. It was a big they like a mansion and but I cannot tell you anything about him. I do recall though that he passed away like in 1940 and I remember him then when he when he passed away. He was a big man. He was he looks like he look like a Russian you see you see this movie Russian white hair and they're going to reddish, you know, that's what he look like interesting, you know, and then in those days and they used to host the funeral services in Iran, and I remember they had him in that big house in the rain. I mean where makes Martinez funeral home is located right now or Friday has a different name now.

30:13 Turn the corner he has a big house in though. He owned the whole block and sole Grandpa. He owned the whole block from Bettis. I sent it to get a heavy which was compassionate two houses and like a grocery store around the corner.

30:34 What you used to rent maybe that income was coming in for you know, they used to maybe you don't pay taxes with it and what have you know, maybe self.

30:45 But I gather there was really no interaction between Grandpa Cruise cruises household you and your mother and what's the lowest household is that is that accurate or inaccurate? I believe it's because I believe in personal remarried because he was a widower and this other lady as I believe her name was Maria don't they used to call her Nunya Maria and she has some some children and they sort of we're apart from the other kind of you know, and but not like the street those were very, you know, if they would socialized especially around every week you talked about the money cuz your morning cuz family few more minutes.

31:44 Is there rum?

31:48 Anyting

31:52 Comes to mind that you'd like to

31:55 Tell those who come after us.

31:58 Well

32:01 The one thing that comes to mind is that comes after us make sure you keep it up. Actually you yourselves Narciso junior or have been doing for a long time. And in fact Patricia's got all the history that that you typed and I'm going back to now I'm talking about on my mother's side and I'm but I wish there y'all future generations with the like, I really don't know a lot about my father, you know, and I do know I have a stepbrother he lives in then he was born in Kansas City, Missouri. You still leaves are we we talked and we visit it, you know, and but you got to have something like a platform you you have to have a family tree and see you know,

32:52 Especially there's always somebody that's not in the family that son like Uncle Mac who's going to be the next on Commack that that that that's when you know the next song, maybe it's my brother, but you got to get my telephone and he was fishing right? That's what he wanted to do his life. That's right. You just got back when that's great.

33:33 Yeah, well.

33:37 There's lots of history that we have yet to uncover. We've only gone back to 1844 old Solo's father was a man by the name of out of doctoral Royal and his mother was Susanna degollado in that vicinity call. Rancho album came from another branch called Rancho de las Bellas. Yes, because it was supposedly a ranch where the old cow comprised mainly of old cows and hence the word life gas.

34:25 But my father and at once with my brother and I made a journey to dr. Arroyo back in 1980 took a tape recorder with us, so that type is still somewhere in the in our archives.

34:40 But as we were driving off from the main Highway the main highway is the main route to Mexico City the nearest the road or the nearest city is motiwala. And so you get them at the wall and turn left and you you drive over an hour over very bad roads and you get to doctor on Royal.

35:09 And all I could think of it as we were driving on that very lonely desolated road to the lawyer was

35:19 Thank God Grandpa left.

35:25 On that note

35:27 Will end the interview and thank you Prima. Okay. Thanks.

35:35 Tell us more about your neighborhood. It seemed like it was a really type of community with your grandfather and great-grandfather helping everyone else. Can you tell us a little more about your

35:48 Well, yes, I'm back at the end. You know in those days are houses. They're practically knew, you know, and I mean back in the forties and 40 or 19 is it sounded stand my grandfather built that house where I live like in 19 to 2825 something like that. And of course your dad cuz he's a senior was the one who told me that and back then.

36:19 And I but every Everybody wouldn't fluid in the back in those days. You can you can leave your door screen off and you didn't have to lock your doors. Everybody was so friendly, you know, and not even the dogs would bark at you. You know what they respected you and it was it was real neat. But I have a mental picture of is one-eyed must have been a Saturday morning or Sunday morning. There was a whole a pit.

36:54 A dog in the yard of the home where you were raised and there were rocks lowered into it and that it was a ritual for making Barbacoa. You put the whole head of the of the pig remember then come that but I've heard stories about how about that? But I really can't recall having a fever off and then drains and the religions don't don't don't recall that but I do recall that all the chickens and I mean the whole neighborhood would Feast, you know, I mean that area I'm talkin about

37:43 Prince William it was wrong.

37:47 Well close to Saint Agnes church was the area was a whole lot. You don't come pass the compressed another words some the houses were closer to each other and in a lot of the people and they all knew each other and and not that they needed anything. It's just that the food was there for their taken and as long as they were taken and salads and then it was a by my grandfather said he would plan it and he wouldn't take the stand or anything like that. And and and also where I live

38:25 Talking about the the neighborhood the almost are every ethnic.

38:34 People live there. Okay, we has blacks. I mean right like they're in fact that it was a black church here across the street which I seen so I knew Pastor shorter and Twice The Outlaws, then there were they were syrians and mostly they were Italian, you know, Mana Corazon Mexican people in their Americans Mexican descents where they do, you know, what everybody was like no, no, no discrimination or nothing like that everybody live.

39:13 Just fine. I mean does it do you know, where are the most of the barbecue place run by the black the family will Mueller find a place like this is like Miller's BBQ. He was a big deal this lady. She had a big house in the front and then that's right way and over there you walk down the driveway you parked on the street, but then you will walk down the driveway and over there in the back and she had a stone garage and I with a pit and all kinds of fire Oaks Mesquite you name it? And then it's just like the recipe, you know, they had their own sauces their own meats and all that people would eat there and and take her take it home. So I know that they used to send me down there on my bicycle and like on Uncle Mac with my bike and I'm Thinkin get some barbecue on Saturdays.

40:13 Saturdays and that's why I did have barbecue with the songs and and all that Sam Miller's BBQ, right then or Morales and San Marco Street, which was about three or four blocks away. They want to live that far. But let's close on a health note, which is that the in really it's a mental health note that we have to thank our ancestors for the relatively good health. We've experienced.

40:48 Very little diabeetus

40:53 The only one that didn't fare. Well was my credit to our cousin who had heart problems, but we've managed to stay out of jail, and that's not so easy.

41:07 And we managed to leave for managing to live to an ice age, or thank you very much. Thank you.