Patricio Padilla Rubio

Patricio Padilla Rubio

Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Patricio Padilla Rubio was born March 17, 1926, in
Cuchillo Parado, Chihuahua, México; he is the youngest of six brothers; when he was a child, his father was the foreman for a ranch in Presidio, Texas, and he would often travel between Texas and México; Patricio enrolled in the bracero program when he was eighteen years old; as a bracero, he worked in New Mexico and Texas, where his duties ranged from weighing cotton to caring for animals and crops; he completed his last contract in 1960; although he did legalize his residency, he chose to permanently reside in México.

Summary of Interview: Mr. Padilla briefly describes his family and childhood; he speaks about his father’s job as a foreman for a ranch in Presidio, Texas, and how he would often travel between Texas and México; when Patricio was eighteen, he enrolled in the bracero program; his first contract took him to a ranch in Marfa, Texas, where he cared for livestock; upon his return to México, he married and subsequently had children; his second contract took him to Dexter, New Mexico, where he weighed cotton; the following contracts took him to work at different ranches in Pecos, Texas, where he learned to drive a tractor; he goes on to discuss his various duties as a bracero, working and living conditions, contract renewals and extensions, treatment, provisions, recreational activities, and remittances; after his last contract in 1960, he bought land in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México, which is where he later lived and worked; although he did legalize his residency, he chose to permanently reside in México.

Rosas, Ana

Padilla Rubio, Patricio

2005-11-12

Bracero

Cristóbal Borges

Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso

spa

Patricio Padilla Rubio

Rosas, Ana

Cristóbal A. Borges

Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso

Mini Disc

52:25

24 bit
96 k

Rosas, Ana

Padilla Rubio, Patricio

El Paso, Texas

[Mins 0:00-4:53; Introduction and Early Life] Patricio Padilla Rubio was born March 17, 1926 in Cuchillo Parado, Chihuahua, México. He is the youngest of six brothers. His father had a ranch with cows in which his older brothers would work from 8a.m. to about 4 or 5p.m. Patricio would bring them their lunch at midday. Patricio remembers that his mother used to defend him against his brothers. His father was the mayordomo [field boss] for an American ranch named the Alamo in Presidio, Texas. Patricio’s father would transport Mexican workers to the ranch. His father had a passport to enter the United States. He would enter the United States to pay the workers, check up on them, and then return to México. Patricio was about eight years old at the time.

[Mins 4:54-7:14; First Contract – Marfa, Texas] Patricio’s first Bracero contract was a three month position working for a livestock ranch named La Cuerva in Marfa, Texas. Patricio’s friends urged him to apply to become a Bracero when he was eighteen years old. He decided to apply because he wanted to establish a home in México and make more money for his girlfriend.

[Mins 7:15-10:36; Working and Living Conditions] Patricio missed his family while he was in the United States, but kept working to help them monetarily. He wrote to his family monthly. Patricio describes his American boss, Bill Allens, as a good boss who treated the Braceros well. Patricio drove the truck on the ranch and cured animals. After Patricio’s first contract, he returned to México, married, and had children. He got his second Bracero contract in 1953.

[Mins 10:37-12:43; Mexican Military Service] Patricio served in the Mexican Army in 1945 and 1946 in Irapuato, Guanajuato, México. He describes a mutual relationship between Mexican and American troops aiding each other in the use of weaponry and war tactics. He mentions Escuadrón 201 [a Mexican fighter squadron stationed in the Philippines that aided the ally effort in 1945]. Patricio was given housing, food, and clothes through the Army.

[Mins 12:44-15:56; Second Contract – Dexter, New Mexico] Patricio’s second contract in 1953 was in Roswell, New Mexico. He worked in a nearby town named Dexter, New Mexico for three months as the official weight-taker, reporting to the grower how much each Bracero had picked during the day. Patricio states that he liked his experience. The American grower, Thomas, had hand-picked thirty-five Braceros from the Roswell Association. Patricio picked cotton and weighed everyone’s pickings at the end of the day. Patricio’s wage was higher than the other Braceros’. He describes the Braceros from Torreón, Coahuila, México as good cotton pickers.

[Mins 15:57-18:38; Third Contract – Pecos, Texas and Processing] After his second contract, Patricio returned to México and was re-contracted to work in Pecos, Texas. Patricio enjoyed his experience working for a ranch named The Alamo in Pecos that grew yellow melons and lettuce among other things. The grower also had a ranch in Fort Stockton, Texas named The Watermelon that grew watermelons. Patricio learned how to operate a tractor to assist him in his work. Patricio was processed in the Río Vista Processing Center in El Paso, Texas. He describes being examined and states that he and other Braceros were nervous during the process.

[Mins 18:39-21:32; Recreation] Patricio completed three contracts of eighteen months each in Pecos. Most Braceros at the worksite were from Ojinaga, Chihuahua, México. Patricio describes a boxing match in 1953 in which a Mexican fighter, [Raúl] Ratón Macias, beat an American fighter in Las Vegas, Nevada. About sixty Braceros were crowded in the barracks watching the fight on the television. Patricio describes feeling very proud that [Raúl] Ratón Macias won the fight. Patricio would send the greater part of his earnings home every fifteen days. Every Sunday, a bus would arrive to take him and other Braceros to church. The services were in Spanish. Patricio is an Evangelical Christian.

[Mins 21:33-24:27; Family] Patricio’s sons currently live in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, in Texas [difficult to hear which city], and in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México. He speaks briefly about his family’s Christianity. Patricio describes buying gifts from the United States for his children. Patricio lived with his family in Ojinaga before moving to Ciudad Juárez in 1965 so that his children could attend better schools. He speaks briefly about his children’s current occupations.

[Mins 24:28-27:21; Contracting and Legalizing Residency] Patricio relates that two or three days before the end of the Braceros’ contracts, a bus would take them to renew their contracts. After Patricio’s third contract, in 1959, he received another contract of three months to work on a different farm in Pecos for an American grower. Patricio legalized his residency [unclear as to what year this occurred] stating that the requirements of the era were a birth certificate and a voting card. He believes that the INS gives preference to those who are from the Mexican state of Chihuahua. He states that when he legalized his papers they took him from Chihuahua to the Río Vista Processing Center in El Paso and that he had recommendations from growers in the United States. From there, they would send him and many others to Pecos.

[Mins 27:22-29:29; Field Work] Patricio describes how at the beginning of the contract the grower would show him how to do the required work in the fields. The fields were about a mile and a half long. He describes the process of caring for the fields. Braceros were sometimes lent out to other farms for about a week at a time.

[Mins 29:30-36:11; Post-Bracero Work] After his Bracero work in 1960, Patricio began to sell clothes in Ciudad Juárez. He would pick up articles of clothing from Moroleon, Guanajuato, México and take a train back to Ciudad Juárez to sell them. Patricio, as supervisor, had five sellers that worked for him selling the clothing in the neighborhoods of Ciudad Juárez. Many female maquiladora workers would purchase clothing from him. Patricio’s business sold clothing in Ciudad Juárez’ neighborhoods of Anapra, Colonia Insurgentes, and Altavista. Patricio also worked as a butler in large homes. Today, he receives a pension from the Mexican government and does not work. Patricio speaks briefly about his son who resides in Midland, Texas. Patricio speaks about missing his family while he was in the United States as a Bracero. After he completed his last Bracero contract, Patricio bought some property in Ciudad Juárez.

[Mins 36:12-41:12; Religion Continued] Patricio talks about his own and his children’s Christianity.

[Mins 41:13-43:33; Work Ethic] Patricio speaks about his desire to please the growers by working hard as a Bracero. He states that he would like this interview to reflect his labor as a Bracero for his nieces/nephews, grandchildren, and sons/daughters.

[Mins 43:34-46:50; Daily Life and Recreation] Patricio speaks about fulfilling the roles of both a man and a woman while he was a Bracero in that he would have to cook for himself and darn clothing. He remembers cooking corn tortillas, quesadillas, ham and eggs, ham and beans, and salsas. The Braceros would be transported to stores. He remembers going to the movie theater to watch Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete, “El Chicote” [Armando Soto la Marina], María Félix, Lola Beltrán, Elsa Aguirre, and other actors.

[Mins 46:51-49:17; Daily Life Continued] Patricio states that there was no racism among the townspeople and expresses that relations were friendly. Patricio states that in the barracks there were up to five beds stacked on top of each other. He speaks briefly about the similarities between army life and Bracero life.

[Mins 49:18-End; Family Continued] Patricio states that during the time he was a Bracero, his wife used to tell him that each month he was away seemed very long. Patricio would visit Ojinaga, his home at the time, every month or sometimes every fifteen days. Patricio states that although he legalized his residency in the United States, he always chose to live in México. He speaks briefly about his children. Patricio currently has a passport to enter the United States to visit his two children who reside there.

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