Alex Villanueva family tree, ancestry, ethnicity, heritage, DNA from Poland, Puerto Rico by Mary Cummins

alex villanueva, alexandro villanueva, alejandro villanueva, poland, polish, aguadilla, puerto rico, sheriff, latino, mary cummins, genealogist, los angeles, california, police, office, los angeles county, board of supervisors, mother, father, siblings, sister, brother, grandparents, abuelos, padre, madre, chicago, illinois, rochester, new york,

Sheriff Alex C Villanueva (Alexandro, Alejandro, Alexander) was born February 1963 in Chicago, Illinois. Alex Villanueva's parents were Victor Manuel Villanueva Laguer born 3 Jul 1941, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, died 9 Dec 2000; and Mary Anne Zgonina born 10 Mar 1937, Chicago, Illinois, died 25 Feb 1989, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. They are both buried in Monte Cristo Memorial Park in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.

FATHER: Alex Villanueva's father ran a Spanish language newspaper called "La Voz de Pueblo" in New York around 1966. He was also involved in the Inter-American Unity Council and the Center for Brain Research, University of Rochester according to himself in two newspaper articles via newspapers.com, see references. 

"Puerto Rican Leaders Publishing Spanish-Language Newspaper. Here A group of local Puerto Rican leaders, in an attempt to encourage their countrymen to participate more fully in community affairs, have begun publishing a bi-monthly Spanish-language newspaper. "We're hoping to help the Puerto Ricans develop the feeling that Rochester is their city," the paper's editor, Victor Villanueva, said yesterday. "So far there has been a sense of disassociation. We want them to think of themselves primarily as Americans, not just Puerto Ricans."

As evidenced by this 1968 Letter to Editor Victor Villanueva was well spoken and appeared to care about his fellow man. This letter is important because Alex Villanueva's paternal great grandparents are black if Villanueva is his father. His father was actually confused about terms used in an article which came from a statistics report by the D&C and not the school. His use of the word "Negro" was appropriate for the time which was 1968. It was not considered racist at that time. "Colored" means "mulatto" or mixed with black. These were just the terms used in 1968 and were not considered racist at the time.

"I AM WRITING about the article, "10 P.C. Non-White,-Parish Schools Imbalanced" (D&C March 13). If for some statistical reason it happens that the majority of Puerto Ricans attending these schools happen to be from mixed families, your statement should be applied in terms of those who are actually mulattoes, but to generalize by saying that all Puerto Ricans are non-whites is false because of its superficiality. Since the island is only 24 per cent colored, this shows your generalization is in error. We reject the designation of non-white, not because those of us who, in fact, are non-white are ashamed of it, but because we reject the state of mind behind it which is really saying that we are not equal to others. We will not do this because man's scientific knowledge has shown that one group of humans is not superior to another and if we did we would retard the fight for equality which is moving forward all over America. I believe that the struggle for school integration at this Stage is a basic part of the struggle of the American Negro to secure the self-respect and dignity due him as a human. We have had this dignity and self-respect for centuries, VICTOR VILLANUEVA, Center for Brain Research, University of Rochester."

Victor Villanueva was in the US Army in Vietnam. His enlistment was 19 Jul 1961 and was discharged 23 Jul 1963. Victor Villanueva married Mary Anne Zgonina in Buffalo, New York November 8, 1963 nine months after Alex was born in Chicago, Illinois after he was discharged. Based on Victor Villanueva's military service dates he may have been in Vietnam nine months before Alex was born. Alex may have a different father than his siblings, see below. 

MOTHER: Alex Villanueva's mother was Mary Anne Zgonina Golubski. She was born in Chicago, Illinois and attended two years of college. Her first husband was G. Christopher Verduin. They were married 3 Sep 1958 in Chicago, Illinois. It's possible G Christopher Verduin is the father of Alex who was born before Victor and Mary Anne married. Verduin is an English Norman name. That would mean Alex Villanueva is Polish and maybe English but not Latino. Perhaps that is why he changed his name from Alex to Alexandro then to Alejandro when he came to California. I'm Latino and I've never seen it spelled "Alexandro" which is very different than "Alejandro." It's also possible that Mary Anne was pregnant by Victor before they married perhaps when he was on leave from Vietnam if he was. Only a DNA test knows for sure. Either way he's not a legitimate child of Victor Villanueva in the eyes of the law and Catholic church. In Latino communities this used to be shame upon the family though it doesn't matter as much today. Below are the combined marriage certificate entries of Villanueva and Zgonina.

Mary Anne Villanueva died of colon cancer at home in Puerto Rico in 1989, redacted death certificate below. She may have gone to California in 1988 for treatment. The certificate is signed by Alex's sister Bernadette Villanueva Lopez Miranda who was born in 1965 in New York. Bernadette and her father took care of the mother while she was sick even though Alex was the oldest child. Bernadette appears to still own the family house in Puerto Rico.

In 2000 Bernadette then a music teacher in New York wrote a song about her mother's death. 

"CD of music, poems helps pupils, staff cope. Bernadette Villanueva had been stoic for a long time, but sitting by the bed in what she knew would be her mother's final hours, she was overcome by grief. "I couldn't take it anymore and I broke down and I ran out of the room," Villanueva said, recalling the sad day in 1989. "But my mother called me back and she said, 'Don't worry about me; everything is going to be OK,' and she consoled me and she held me. ... It was painful, but at the same time very beautiful" Now, more than 10 years after her mother died of colon cancer, the 35-year-old Irondequoit woman is sharing her grief and her mother's words of comfort with others. An original song written and performed by Villanueva in memory of her mother is included on a new CD put out by the Rochester School District's Grief Resource Network." 

Mary Anne Villanueva moved with her family from New York to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico about 1973. She stayed there until her death in 1989. Alex left Puerto Rico via the military like most leave Puerto Rico. For some reason I don't see records for Alex until 1991. Maybe he was using a different name.

PATERNAL: Alex Villanueva's full paternal side was born in Puerto Rico. Alex's paternal grandparents were white, black and "colored" or "mulatto." 

In Puerto Rican census documents it's shows as "B" for blanco, white, "N" for "negro," black, and "C" for "colored," "mulatto." Don't confuse "B" for black like in US census documents. I am using, quoting the same exact words from the PR census to stay consistent with the records. I never use the words "negro," "colored" or "mulatto" normally.

In Puerto Rico they list couples as "married," or "consensual." They list parents as married even if they're married to other people besides the parent of their child. You end up with multiple spouses and potential parents. Some of these people on that Villanueva side were not married but "consensual partners." 

Spanish language names include the last name of the mother and father. The father's last name is the first last name and the mother's is the second last name. My family's last name was Rivera Baz. Sometimes the census flips, confuses them or cuts one off. I read, write, speak Spanish so I translated the original documents. The tree I made for Alex Villanueva has 113 people and 204 documents which are all publicly available. 

Alex's paternal grandparents were white Andres Villanueva Galicia, 12 Jun 1912 Aguada Aguada P.R, died 4 Aug 1995 Aguadilla, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; and "colored" Manuela Laguer Pellot, 28 Ene 1916 Isabela, Puerto Rico, 15 Mar 1992 Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. They were sugar cane farm laborers, laundresses and carpenters with limited education per the census. Villanueva Galicia's parents were white. Laguer Pellot's parents were black. 

MATERNAL: Alex Villanueva's great great grandparents are from Poland. His mother to great grandparents were born in Chicago, Illinois. They were not recent immigrants. The maternal side is taller, white with light skin and generally blue eyes. 

Alex's maternal grandparents were John Walter Zgonina, 8 Jun 1906 Radom, Washington, Illinois, USA, 18 Dec 1977 Hot Springs, Garland, Arkansas, USA; and Adeline Mary Golubski, 31 Jan 1901 Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States, 2 Aug 1996, Montgomery County, Maryland, USA. His grandfather John Zgonina was a 5'11" blue eyed fair skinned mail carrier who was in the military. Below is John Zgonina, Zgonena's obituary which mentions Mary Ann and Victor Villanueva.

"(sic) ZGONENA (ZGONINA) John W. (sic) Zgonena, passed awav Dec. 17, at Hot Springs, Ark., beloved husband of Rosetia; loving father of Leonard (Merle) Zgonina, Raymond (Marie) Zgonina and Mary Ann (Victor) Villanueva of Puerto Rico; dear brother of Joseph (Clementine), Herman (Helen) and Michael (Barbara) Zgonina and Helen (Joe) Buck; grandfather of 12; also nieces and nephews." 

Alex Villanueva has a son named Johannes Jared Villanueva who has been in the news. He was born 1985 in Los Angeles, California. His mother is Echavarria per his birth certificate. I can't find a marriage or divorce document for Echavarria so Johannes may be the illegitimate son of Alex Villanueva. I saw reference to Alex being "divorced" but can't find that document. 

Alex Villanueva married Vivian E Lopez born January 1967 in 1997. It appears they were living together in Vivian's mother's?, sister's? small old home in Los Angeles. They finally bought their own home in 2003. This is the home where it was stated that Alex allegedly tried to build a helicopter pad on property owned by the utility company. That would need a conditional use permit besides other permits. He is on the planning commission for La Habra Heights but that would still be difficult. 

Based on my research Alex Villanueva is either Polish English or he's half Polish and half Puerto Rican with white and black ancestry. His maternal Polish side arrived in the 1870's, was educated and at least middle class. Based on photos and descriptions he appears to very closely resemble his maternal side which is taller and lighter. His paternal side if it's Puerto Rican was mainly poor mixed farm laborers and laundresses. The father Villanueva and maybe a couple of the father's male siblings have advanced education maybe via the military and the GI Bill. At least a few of Alex's siblings went to college including at least one brother and sister. 

Alex Villanueva has repeatedly stated he's the first Latino and first Spanish speaking Sheriff of Los Angeles County. That's not true. Tomas Avila Sanches was the first Latino and Spanish speaking Sheriff in 1860 158 years earlier. Alex's first language was English like his mother. Alex is max half Latino if he's Latino at all.

If anyone has any other information, please, send it to me. This tree will probably be updated as more information becomes available. I asked Alex and others for comment, gave them 24 hours but no response as of the publishing of this article. 

References

"Puerto Rican Leaders Publishing Spanish-Language Newspaper," Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, New York,12 Jun 1966, Sun, Page 46. 

"Don't Generalize on Puerto Ricans," Letters to Editor, Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, New York, 24 March 1968, Sun, Page 123.

"CD of music, poems helps pupils, staff cope." Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, New York, 19 Apr 2000, Wed, Page 110.

Obituary John W Zgonina, Zgonena, Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Illinois,20 Dec 1977, Tue, Page 37.

California Birth Index, 1905-1995, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Lehi, Utah, http://www.ancestry.com 

Puerto Rico, Civil Registrations, 1885-2001

U.S., Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 2

Census Records, Ancestry Operations Inc.,. United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.

U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index.

Social Security Administration; Washington D.C., USA; Social Security Death Index, Master File

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Villanueva

Ancestry
http://www.ancestry.com

Photo is from Wikipedia fair use non-copyrighted in the public domain. Official portrait of 33rd Sheriff of Los Angeles County, California, Alex Villanueva. Other photos from Ancestry.com license for use. All uploaded content to Ancestry is non-copyrighted. 

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