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Spouse
Basilia McKnight Lyles appears in the Baptism entries for Alfonso, Carmen, Roberto, Marcos George, Amanda and Juan. She is also named in Death Certificates for Juan, called John, and George Jr. Basilia's parents are named in Robert E Lyles' Baptism record in the church register of San Antonio de Padua, Real de Barranco Colorado in April 1853: Candida Trujillo and Roberto McKnight. She appears as a 12-year-old in the 1841 Mexican census in Barranco Colorado, Chihuahua; it indicates that her family origins were in Northern Chihuahua. The 1860 US Census shows her birthplace as New Mexico. A simple ancestry search turns up an article published in the Galveston Daily News on 8 December 1871 stating that Basilia died in Fort Stockton. Her family connections given in this death notice tells of the nine surviving children and spouse George B Lyles. Her Virginia-born father was Robert McKnight who lived in Chihuahua until his death in April 1846, one month before the outbreak of the Mexican American War.
Children
Lyles' sons, Alfonso and Robert were leaders at the founding of Reeves County. Alfonso Simon was born in Paso del Norte on 5 April 1849. Around 1874, Alfonso married Cruz Rodriguez. Alfonso was a member of Presidio County's first grand jury in late 1875, serving from the San Solomon Springs area; he later went into business with Tomas Jaime forming Loma Vista Canal Company, constructing and repairing canal systems. There are descendants of Alfonso in Reeves
county and Howard county, Texas; in Maricopa county, Arizona; in the Denver area in Colorado; and in various counties of California. An article in the El Paso Herald published on 29 March 1901 stated:A. S. Lyles. aged 52, died at his home at corner of Utah and Seventh streets yesterday afternoon. He was a carpenter and had a family. The funeral was held at the residence this afternoon and the body buried in Concordia cemetery.
Jose Roberto was born in Barranco Colorado, Casas Grandes, Chihuahua on 28 March 1853. Jose Roberto was always known as Robert E "Bob". At 21 years of age, he found himself surrounded by Indians at Madera Canyon along the Fort Davis-Balmorhea road as he was tending cattle 7 miles from the family homestead in Toyahvale. A neighbor helped him escape, as the Natives had him pinned down. Bob had 2 more showdowns with the feared Mezcaleros. Inspite of these dangers, he nurtured and farmed the land since a young man as evidenced in the 1880 census. He also served his community in several county positions. R E Lyles served as Justice of the Peace for Precincts 3-8 in 1884 and as Precinct 3 County Commissioner in Saragosa. Along with other community leaders, he was instrumental in establishing the public school system in the Balmorhea area. He married Herculana Rivera on 7 September 1887. Robert E Lyles is buried at La Loma. His grave marker gives his
birth year as 1853 and year of death as 1920. R E Lyles' Texas descendants continued his agriculture efforts at the Family Homestead and carry forward community contributions at local, state and national levels in education, transportation, soil conservation, military and civil service. Youngest daughter of R E Lyles opened a Beer Garden in 1936 located in the Balmorhea downtown business area. Her descendants of Mesa, Arizona founded the local favorite Matta's Restaurant in 1954. The family tradition continues as Matta's Grill and Cantina at a new location.Photo on right of Alfonso Simon Lyles and brother, courtesy of Viola Lyles PonzioPhoto on left of Robert E Lyles, courtesy of Viola Lyles Ponzio.
Carmen Lyles was born in Paso del Norte on 24 July 1851. Carmen married Rodrigo Ruelas on 22 July 1873 at San Fernando Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas. 'Carmelita' appears in the 1880 US Federal Census at Mesilla. The Ruelas were a founding family of Mesilla in 1850 after the Mexican American War. Rodrigo's father, Rafael Ruelas, served the community as first Alcalde of Mesilla, later as Justice of the Peace, Probate Judge, and State Legislator. The Ruelas family resided in San Antonio, Texas from 1866 until 1874 when they returned to Mesilla. Carmen's five babies were all born in New Mexico and baptized in the original San Albino Church built in the early 1850's. Built in 1906, the current standing San Albino church stood at one end of the town plaza. Many historic buildings face the quaint city square and are occupied by various businesses. None of Carmen's children survived their young years; four died as infants and a daughter Rebecca died as a toddler (1875-1880).Photo of Carmelita Lyles Ruelas courtesy of Lydia (Mary Lou) Matta Garza from Lorenzo Cota.
Second Lyles daughter, Carolina married Desiderio Gamboa and lived in Mesilla. The Gamboa Family has a long line of ancestors involved in the history of New Mexico. The Gamboa-Lyles descendants are well-known in the Las Cruces area as well as George Lyles Gamboa's business venture, the Gamboa Market in Old Mesilla. In 1961, Gamboa descendants opened and operated Gamboa's Restaurant in Las Cruces for several years. On January 5, 1901, the Dona Ana County Republican newspaper published a short notice of Mrs. Carolina Gamboa's death stating that she died of pneumonia.
Carmen, Carolina and Juan died in Doña Ana County in New Mexico.
Juan Alejandro Lyles was the baptismal name given to John Lyles at San Fernando Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas on 14 May 1867; he was born on the 6th of May 1867. The seven Lyles children are all named in the 1870 US Census with their parents in Lylesville, just west of Fort Stockton. The next year, John was only four years old when his mother Basilia died in Fort Stockton. His oldest brother Alfonso kept the family together and raised his infant brothers. The 1880 US Census lists the siblings in the same household. John's marriage date is recorded as 10 August 1896 in the St Joseph parish register at Fort Davis, Texas. In 1910, John and his young family were living in Ward County, Texas in a small farming community called Barstow, located between Pecos (town) and Monahans. His in-laws, Seferino Minjares and Cleofas Garcia and their family were also living in that area with a 7-year-old adopted son George Les (Lyles). John Lyles appears in the 1920 US Census in El Paso, Texas with wife and six children. The Las Cruces Sun News published his obituary on 23 May 1941. The article states that the John Lyles family had liv
ed in the Mesilla area for twenty years. According to the survivors description, two sons were living in Detroit, Michigan. During World War II, several of John Lyles descendants moved to the San Francisco, CA bay area. John Lyles' New Mexico Death Certificate leaves no question of his parents names: George B Lyles and Basilia McKnight. The document states his wife is Dionisia (Minjares). Many of his offspring are found in the Mesilla-Las Cruces region even today. The Palacio Bar in Old Mesilla is an established business presently owned and operated by a John Lyles descendant. Photo of John Lyles and Dionisia Minjares Lyles courtesy of Minjares Family.
Amanda was baptized on the 27th of January 1863 at 23 days old at Paso del Norte. Amanda and her husband, Hemerigildo Galindo, farmed at the Family Homestead and lived in Reeves county until her death in 1918. Galindo descendants resided in Reeves county, Texas; Loving County, New Mexico and Bexar County, Texas.
Isabel married Jacinto Casarez and lived in the El Paso Area until her 1906 death. The couple married at San Elizario on 16 February 1887. Built in 1910 the historic Toltec Club Building, known as the social center of El Paso -- housed the Casarez descendants' very popular El Paso area restaurant, Mexico Restaurant, for many years. George Jr, the youngest of the Lyles family was born 30 April 1868; he died in El Paso May 17, 1936 after a short illness according to his death notice in the El Paso Herald-Post. His first wife was Rosalia Gonzales and his second wife was Ferminia Solis. George Jr descendants mostly remained in the El Paso area; some traveled and lived in Los Angeles County, California, in Clark County, Nevada and in Maricopa County, Arizona.
Photo on left of Amanda Lyles Galindo courtesy of Viola Lyles Ponzio.
Photo on right of Isabel McKnight Lyles Casarez, courtesy of Al Lyles III.
Photo in center of George B Lyles JR, courtesy of Lyles Family descendants in California.
This information is provided for personal use to learn about the origin of the Lyles family. Permission required to be used in any printed form. Inez Vasquez vasqgen@gmail.com
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