The poster above has a significant meaning for me. The story of my ancestors, Agnes Mathieu and Mathieu Devaux dit Platillo, was shared as part of the 2021 Fourth of July celebration in Macharaviaya—a mountain village in Málaga, Spain. Here is a story of how my fourth-generation great-grandparents made their way back to Spain.
On May 18, 2021, I was contacted via Facebook message by Mrs. Katie Hallybone, the Deputy Mayor of Macharaviaya, who was in the midst of coordinating the town’s July 4th celebration, which is held each year in the birthplace of Bernardo de Galvez. He is considered the city’s hometown hero of the American Revolution there. Katie expressed her appreciation for my family’s ancestral story, which took place in Spanish Colonial Louisiana when Bernardo de Galvez was the Governor of Louisiana (1777-1783).
She mentioned that she had viewed the PBS segment of “History Detectives” titled “The Galvez Papers,” which was filmed in New Orleans in 2010, and how much she enjoyed the program.
Much to my surprise, she then asked my consent to allow the community in Macharaviaya to use part of the story of Agnes and Mathieu as part of their event for that year’s Fourth of July celebration. I was excited to see that the intersection of my ancestors’ story with the accomplishments of Bernardo de Galvez had made such an impression on the residents of Galvez’s hometown. Of course, I agreed and was thrilled to know how the program would turn out.
Katie then asked if it would be possible for me to speak with a local Spanish reporter who was also working on an article that was scheduled to come out a few days before the event took place. Once again, I said yes. Click here to (read the article in English) which appeared on July 3, 2021
Here was the day’s event captured and posted titled: Actos del 4 de julio de 2021 en Macharaviaya (the section in which Agnes and Mathieu Platillo are mentioned in the program is (time-stamped 39:31-46:51).
This was truly a wonderful honor to have part of the story of my 4th-generation great-grandparents, Agnes Mathieu and Mathieu Devau dit Platillo and their association with Bernardo de Galvez shared on stage with the local town community in Macharaviaya, Spain where Galvez was born.
Please enjoy. Viva Macharaviaya! Viva Galvez!