Ricardo “Richard” Yuriar Cavanillas (Anastacio, Clemente)
Born: 2 Feb 1900, Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico
Immigration: 1905, Nogales, AZ
Died: 23 Jan 1979, West Covina, Los Angeles, CA
He was born on 02 Feb 1900 in Mexico. After the death of his sister, he, with his mother, immigrated to America as a very young child. He grew up in the Los Angeles area, and married MARY CHAVEZ on November 4, 1932. Together, they had three sons.
In April of 1940, Richard and Mary Yuriar were living with their first two sons (Son 3 wouldn’t come along for a few more years) in a rented home in Los Angeles. Richard worked as a vendor at a baseball park while Mary stayed home with the baby. According to the census records, Richard had papers declaring his intent to become a citizen, while Maria claimed to have been born in New Mexico.
He died at age 78, on 23 Jan 1979, in West Covina, Los Angeles, California.
In 2001, I recieved the following from Richard’s third son”
“My father was born out of wedlock in 1900, in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico. His father was Anastacio Yuriar (often called Tacho). His mother was Librada Cavanillas. Soon after my father’s birth, a rift developed with Tacho and she left Mazatlan with my dad and another child of theirs, a daughter. Librada headed for Nogales and crossed into the U.S. there with my dad in 1905. My dad’s sister died somewhere enroute to Nogales. From what I understand, it was a long journey that took several months and the daughter fell ill and died.
My father and his mother made their way to Los Angeles. Apparently Librada knew some family or friends there. Eventually, she married into the Figueroa family and my father was adopted into the family, but retained his birth surname. My father had an aunt or cousin named Rita. It was from her that we learned what little we knew of my dad’s family in Sinaloa. We knew that the name, Yuriar, was of Basque origin. Beyond that we knew little else.”
Spouse: Maria “Mary” Chavez
Children:
- Living Son 1
- Living Son 2
- Living Son 3