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Dario Ceniceros Olvera (Generation 1
GENERATION 1
DARIO CENICEROS OLVERA
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BORN 29 DEC 1906 - DIED 24 JAN 1995
Petra Ceniceros was born on 18 May 1878 in Mapimí, Durango and was the daughter of Jesus Ceniceros and Romana Gonzales. She had two daughters, Maria Estanislada and Josefa, from a previous marriage to Jose Antonio Silerio. Her son, Dario Ceniceros, was born on 29 December 1906, in "El Refugio" , a small village in Durango, Durango. Shortly after, Petra and her children moved to Torreón, Coahuila, where she married Francisco Rosales in 1909. Together they had six children: Maria Luisa, Maria Refugio, Maria Jesusa, Benito, Romana, and Jose. By 1930, Francisco and Petra were living on Pera Street in El Paso, Texas. After moving to Torreón, Coahuila with his mother, 18-year-old Dario Ceniceros married 15-year-old Maria Refugio Torres on 19 August 1923. She was the daughter of Alberto Torres and Amada Enciso.
MARRIAGE OF DARIO CENICEROS AND MARIA REFUGIO TORRES, 1923
Dario and Refugio traveled to El Paso, Texas in 1923. Both his father and mother were also in El Paso with their separate spouses and families. Once in America, he went by the name "Dario Olvera. " On 21 April 1927, Refugio gave birth to twin boys: Donato and Enrique Anastacio. However, only one month and two days later, Donato died of enterocolitis. Donato's mother, Refugio, would also have a short life. She died of tuberculosis on 5 August 1929, shortly after she turned 20 years old. The informant on her death certificate was Dario's half-sister, Josefa Silerio. Both Donato and Refugio are buried at Concordia Cemetery.
After the death of his wife and infant son, Dario continued to live in El Paso. He worked at the El Paso Cotton Mills and later as a cleaner at a "Government Hospital, " according to the 1930 U.S. census. It is in this census record where Dario and his son Enrique Anastacio were living in the home of his mother and her husband Francisco Rosales at 3200 Pera Street. In this record, they are both incorrectly listed as the nephews of Francisco Rosales.
BIRTH CERTIFICATE OF ENRIQUE ANASTACIO OLVERA, 21 APRIL 1927
DEATH CERTIFICATE OF DONATO OLVERA, 23 MAY 1927
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On 23 August 1930, Dario and Francisca Jimenez were married in El Paso, Texas. After 1930, Petra Ceniceros and her husband Francisco returned to Torreón, Coahuila and were living at Calle Zaragoza 128. On the 1940 U.S. Census, Dario and Francisca are living at 2132 Cypress Street with Enrique Anastacio (his son with his first wife), and his children with Francisca: Elvira, Carlos, Dario Jr., Nasario, and Cruz. His occupation is listed as a "weaver" and he had received a 7th grade education. The family lived in a rented home and paid $8 a month, which would be about $152 in today's dollars. Dario, as the sole provider, worked 52 weeks of the year and earned $672 annually ($12,788 in today's currency.) In the 1940 World War II Draft Registration card, Dario states that he works at the Lone Star Cotton Mill. He is 5 feet 8 inches tall, and weighs 135 pounds. The registrar notes that he has a scar on his left cheek.
After 1940, his son Enrique Anastacio was living in Torreón, Coahuila with Dario's mother, Petra. On 26 October 1941, Enrique Anastacio died of an intestinal infection. He was 16 years old. Shortly after his son's death, Dario and Francisca returned to the U.S. on November 9th, from having stayed at the home of Petra Ceniceros. The immigration record also notes that in 1928, Dario was denied admission to the U.S.
DEATH RECORD OF ENRIQUE ANASTACIO OLVERA, 1941
IMMIGRATION RECORD OF DARIO OLVERA, 1941
NATURALIZATION RECORD OF DARIO OLVERA, 1953
Dario petitioned for U.S. Naturalization on 31 July 1953. This record provides the vital information for himself, his wife Francisca, and their children. On 5 October 1953, Dario became a U.S. Citizen when he took the Oath of Allegiance. Several years later, his mother Petra died in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, on 27 May 1961. Her death certificate listed "5 hijos: Maria y Josefa Silerio, Dario Ceniceros Olvera, Benito y Maria de Jesus Rosales" .
In articles published in the El Paso Times by his son, Enrique "Joe" Olvera, he described his father Dario as very involved in his civic duty as a U.S. citizen. He stated that his father never missed an election and encouraged his children to "become dedicated to the voting process. " Dario's letters in which he urged elected politicians to fulfill their elected duty were often published. In one such letter, he calls upon a local representative to improve the city's parks.
Dario Ceniceros Olvera died on 24 January 1995. He is buried in Evergreen Cemetery.
DEATH CERTIFICATE OF PETRA CENICEROS, 27 MAY 1961
