Familias
Carreño y Borunda
Why are we here today?
Hello, my name is Elena Carreño, and I’m a 51 year old businesswoman from Southern California. I’m an experienced forensic genetic genealogist and have been researching my family history for over 20 years. A couple of years ago, a rare DNA match appeared in my 23andMe list: Pablo Borunda. Shortly thereafter, Santiago appeared, and then “RB” popped up. I couldn’t figure out how I was related to Pablo and Santiago, but when RB appeared, I knew immediately.
This is a hard note to write, and I’ve dwelled on whether I should reach out to your family or not. But I don't want to miss an opportunity to connect with family... Your father, Roberto Borunda Ortiz, is the biological son of my grandfather, Pedro Carreño Gomez. This means Roberto is my half-uncle, and RB my half cousin. I’m confident that I know how they met each other, but it will always be a mystery how this happened. Was it a secret relationship? Did it happen without your grandma’s consent?
​
I noticed that Tio Roberto was born during your grandparents’ marriage, which was why I was hesitant to reach out. I don't think we should pay the penalty for my grandfather's actions. I think we should know the truth, our history, and the beautiful people that come with it. For whatever it’s worth, I’d like to give you some context and tell you a little bit about me, the Carreño family, and share some pictures. I don't have high hopes, only that maybe someday we could meet, become acquaintances, and maybe see some pictures of Tio Roberto, and see if he looks like his brothers and sisters!
The Carreño Gómez Family
With the exception of great-great grandfather, Nicolas Carreño Somonte (born in Pola de Siero, Asturias, Spain around 1800), the Carreño Gomez family has a history in San Luis Potosi going back to the late 1500s.
​
Brothers Pedro, Jose and Franco left San Luis Potosi and went to Mexico City as young men. Isauro went to Juarez, and Nicolas and Nereo stayed in San Luis Potosi. Unfortunately, Aurora, the oldest sibling and only sister, was disowned from the family for an unknown reason; her descendants now live in Southern California.
Eufracia Gomez Tavera & Jose Carreño Ledesma
Standing: Franco, Nereo, Nicolas, Jose
Sitting: Pedro, Eufracia, Isauro
TIMELINE
Here is a quick timeline of how three Carreño brothers may have known the Borunda family.
1913 - The Mexican Revolution
Grandpa Pedro Carreño joins President Carranza’s cabinet
during the Mexican revolution.
Source for the above two images: https://digitalcollections.lib.uh.edu/concern/images/x346d4386?locale=en
1914-17 - Border Crossings
December 16, 1914
El Paso
December 15, 1915
Laredo
1914
Laredo
March 30, 1916
Eagle Pass
1915
El Paso
November 14, 1917
Laredo
~ 1915 - Isauro in Juarez
Great uncle, Isauro Carreño, was a businessman in Juarez who entered into politics, and eventually rose to become the Presidente Municipal in Juarez (only for 6 months). He continued in Juarez government until his death in 1939. His grandchildren and great grandchildren still live in El Paso, and I met them when our DNA matched on ancestry around 10 years ago! Over the years we've stayed in touch, and I've become good friends with the oldest brother and his wife, and have stayed at their home in El Paso several times!
​
Standing: Isauro Carreño and Juana Gamez
Seated: Eufracia Gomez, Alma, Isauro Jr. & Blanca
Delgadillo Carreño Family
Children of Alma Carreño Gamez
L to R: Blanca, Alma, Me, & Francisco (Pancho)
1919-22 - Pedro's 1st Marriage
Pedro meets my grandmother, Adela Olsen Ezquerro, through her uncles who also served in Carranza's cabinet. They married in San Antonio, Texas, and had three sons:
Guillermo (b.1919), d. 1994)
Javier (b.1920, d. 1988)
Hector (My dad! b.1922, d. 2000).
​
The wedding party included relatives of President Madero, and relatives of other influential families. (Unlabeled people are the siblings of my grandparents)
San Antonio Evening News
January 24, 1919
L to R: Guillermo, Javier, & Hector Carreño Olsen
~1941
La Prensa
January 26, 1919
L to R: Javier, Guillermo, & Hector Carreño Olsen
~1945
1922 - Carreño family tree welcomes a Borunda
Nereo, stayed in San Luis Potosi for most of his life. ln the 1920's, he decided to pursue a career in politics like his brothers. It was a short-lived career, but while pursuing it, he would travel between SLP and Juarez, presumably to visit Isauro. At one point, he served as City Treasurer of Juarez for an unknown period of time.
​
Back home, Nereo had a wife and 5 children. In El Paso in 1927 he fathered a daughter named Zoila Chacon (d. 2021). Similar to meeting Isauro’s grandchildren through genealogy, I am also in contact with Zoila’s son and grandson, who live in El Paso.
Nereo fathered another daughter, this time with your grandfather's sister, Rosa Borunda Ortiz. Armandina was born on June 18, 1929 (d. 1951) in El Paso, Texas. The Borunda family has ALWAYS BEEN IN MY FAMILY TREE!
​
My family is still very close with Nereo’s descendants in Mexico to this day - Nereo's great-granddaughter just spent 3 weeks at my Tias' house in CDMX!
1930 United States Census
El Paso, Texas
Nereo, Rosa Borunda, & Baby Armandina
El Paso Evening Post
September 18, 1929
El Paso Herald
July 10, 1929
La Prensa
May 24, 1922
Armandina Carreño Borunda
1941 - Mexico's Supreme Court
Franco became a Superior Court Judge in 1941 in Mexico after gaining experience as Secretario General de Gobierno en San Luis Potosí and then Abogado Consultor del Departamento del Distrito Federal, de la Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Obras Públicas y de la Comisión Nacional Agraria. He retired in 1964, and passed away in 1986.
We are still very close to Franco Jr. (Carreño Garcia), and of his 4 children, his 3rd son is one of my best friends! And Tio Franco and my Tio Pepe (my dad's 1/2 brother) are best friends!
Franco Carreño Gomez & Lucia Garcia Valencia
In no particular order: Lucia, Claudia, Diana, Carlos & Franco Jr.
Franco Carreño Gomez & Lucia Garcia Valencia
Me & Franco Carreño Garcia
November 2022
Franco Carreño Garcia's children are:
Franco Carreño Colio
Diego Carreño Colio
​
Although there is a family rift between the Carreño Garcia siblings over a large inheritance, (clearly, we are on Franco II's team) I thought you would be interested to see Lucia's daughter: Karyme Lozano Carreño
Carolina Carreño Drannon & Franco Carreño Colio
August 2022
Diego Carreño Colio's Wedding
Maria Fernanda Carreño Osorio (middle)
Left: Franco Carreño Osorio
Right: Diego Carreño Colio
1946 - Pedro's 2nd Marriage
Around 1926, Pedro left my grandmother and his three sons. The only record we can find, is of him and Adela living in San Antonio in '26. To this day, nobody knows where Pedro was during this time period. We’re pretty sure that there are other Carreños out there.
​
In 1946, he married my adorable, spicy little step-grandma, Josefina Figueras and had four more children:
Tribute to Josefina on INBAL's FB page (2021)
Jose (video)"Pepe" (b.1948) and articles he wrote as World New Editor
Silvia (b.1949) and Article mentioning 50 years as General Manager of Palacio de Bellas Artes
Rosalba (b.1952, d. 2013)
Lilia (b.1953)
​
We also know of another child he fathered in Guerrero, but nobody knows his name. Pedro stayed married to Josefina until his death in 1962.
Pedro's Children & Descendants
Carreño Olsen
I created this side-by-side view of brothers Javier (L)
& Hector (R) to show how much they looked alike! Javier was 6'4" with light brown hair & hazel eyes. My dad was around 5'9" with dark hair & eyes. Even though they had different eyes and hair color, they looked identical... including their widow's peak!
Blended Family - Carreño Olsen & Figueras
Carreño Figueras
Nicolas Carreño Gomez's Son, Cesar Carreño Manilla (b. 1917, d. 2011)
