Tough Enough

Photo taken in 1917 at Cobb Studios (location is an educated guess based on previous research
This is from the 1910 census, Santiago was living with his uncle (possible great-uncle?) Candido Juipe and a large extended family, in Los Lentes in Valencia County, NM. I believe Pedro Peralta was his father – the census only lists an individual’s relationship to the head of household so I’m not sure.
Draft card from 1918, shows Santiago living in Armijo (now part of ABQ). Note that it lists Candido as his nearest relative. And he doesn’t even know his birthday!
Part of my glass negative project. I felt for Santiago as soon as I saw him – his stance is so defiant – and he looks so alone. After digging up this info on Ancestry.com I think my initial thoughts were right on. I can imagine him growing up in this large extended family, belonging, but not belonging. And once he came of age going it alone in Albuquerque. Scraping the money together to get his portrait taken – just to prove his existence – to show he had made it in the big city. And now I am the keeper of that evidence – preserving his memory for a little bit longer.

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