Ramona (Rodriguez) Madrigal (1902 - 1999)

Born 15 Apr 1902 in Deming, Luna, New Mexico, United States

Ancestors

Biography

Ramona was born on 15 April 1902 in Deming, New Mexico.^[1]

In March 1920, John and Mary Rodriguez and their children Cecil, Ramona, and Frank lived in San Jacinto, Riverside County, California. John worked as a farmer and Cecil was a laborer.^[2]

She was married circa 1924 to Jose "Joe" Madrigal.

On 12 April 1930, Joe and Ramona Madrigal and their sons Joe Jr. and Benjamin lived in Elsinore, Riverside County, California. Joe worked at "trucking hauling."^[3]

On 22 April 1940, Joseph and Ramona Madrigal and their children Joseph Jr., Benjamin, Sidris, Ramona, Florence, and Agnes lived at 720 E. Granite Street in Elsinore. Joseph was a ranch laborer.^[4]

Ramona applied for a liquor license for the Madrigal Ranchito on Highway 395 in December 1941.^[5]

On 24 May 1950, Joe and Ramona Madrigal and their children Ben, Ysidro, Ramona, Florence, and Agnes lived at 543 Wisconsin Street in Elsinore. Joe was listed as being a trucker with his own trucking business.^[6]

In December 1950, Ramona attended the stork shower held for Mrs. Richard Tate.^[7]

In March 1952, Joe and Ramona Madrigal and their son Joe Jr. applied for a license to sell alcoholic beverage (beer).^[8]

In September 1967, the local newspaper ran a story on the family business: "Since 1943 the Madrigal family have operated their Mexican Restaurant and Bar on Lakeshore Drive in Elsinore. They bought an old garage and converted it into a restaurant... 'It's always been a good business corner,' says Romona[sic], 'and there was no other place to eat for miles around so many people stopped and we got to know them very well.

Joe and Romona Madrigal settled in Elsinore in 1921 and had six children, three boys and three girls. Of the girls, Romona, Florence and Agnes, only Florence married. One of the boys, Joe, Jr. was killed in an accident five years ago... The second son Yisdor has been in the U.S. Navy 18 years and is now serving in Viet Name. The youngest son Benny still helps his mother with the business.

When the family first settled the elder Joe was the first farmer in the area to raise watermelons and always had a bumper crop. He had 500 head of sheep also and continued with his farming even after they opened up the restaurant. He gave up farming in 1960 when he became ill. He passed away five years ago leaving his wife and family to carry on the business.

The Madrigal family are devout Catholics. All the children were baptized at St. Francis Catholic Church and attend the 8 o'clock mass on Sunday morning no matter how late they work the night before.

Although they are open throughout the day, most of their business is during the evening and midnight hours. They have music and dancing which is an added attraction and plenty of space for dining."

In 1977, Ramona's Madrigal Cafe's pool team placed second in the Lake Elsinore Winter Pool League championship.^[9] They placed second again in 1979.^[10]

She died on 15 October 1999.^[11][12]

She was buried in Elsinore Valley Cemetery in Lake Elsinore, Riverside County, California.^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6K4Z-S1R1 : 11 February 2023), Ramona Madrigal, 1999.
2. ↑ United States Census, 1920: "United States Census, 1920"
   Image path: United States Census, 1920 > California > Riverside > San Jacinto > ED 133 > image 24 of 30; citing NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GR6D-95J (accessed 25 May 2023)
3. ↑ United States Census, 1930: "United States Census, 1930"
   Image path: United States Census, 1930 > California > Riverside > Elsinore > ED 9 > image 21 of 28; citing NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002).
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9R42-PF3 (accessed 25 May 2023)
4. ↑ 1940 Census: "1940 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1940; Census Place: Elsinore, Riverside, California; Roll: m-t0627-00276; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 33-7
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2442 #74597208 (accessed 25 May 2023)
   Ramona Madrigal (5), single daughter, in household of Joseph Madrigal (37) in Elsinore, Riverside, California. Born in California.
5. ↑ Notice of Intention. Elsinore Leader-Press (Elsinore, California), 18 December 1941, page 8, column 4.
6. ↑ 1950 Census: "1950 United States Federal Census"
   United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Elsinore, Riverside, California; Roll: 3680; Sheet Number: 38; Enumeration District: 33-16
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 62308 #264981492 (accessed 25 May 2023)
   Ramona Madrigal (15), single daughter, in household of Joe Madrigal (49) in Elsinore, Riverside, California, USA. Born in California.
7. ↑ Shower Honors Mrs. Richard Tate. Lake Elsinore Valley Sun (Lake Elsinore, California), 14 December 1950, page 9, column 1.
8. ↑ Notice of Intention. Lake Elsinore Valley Sun (Lake Elsinore, California), 6 March 1952, page 13, column 1.
9. ↑ Second Place Honors. Valley Tribune (Lake Elsinore, California), 11 May 1977, page 6, columns 3-4.
10. ↑ Madrigal's Restaurant. Valley Tribune (Lake Elsinore, California), 9 May 1979, page 14, columns 1-3.
11. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16593584/ramona-r-madrigal: accessed 25 May 2023), memorial page for Ramona R. Madrigal (15 Apr 1902–15 Sep 1999), Find a Grave Memorial ID 16593584, citing Elsinore Valley Cemetery, Lake Elsinore, Riverside County, California, USA; Maintained by Janice Klafehn (contributor 46786078).
12. ↑ Ranchito Madrigal Restaurant An Old Elsinore Landmark. Elsinore Leader Press (Lake Elsinore, California), 15 September 1967, page 6, columns 1-3.
13. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
    Find A Grave: Memorial #16593584 (accessed 25 May 2023)
    Memorial page for Ramona R. Madrigal (15 Apr 1902-15 Sep 1999), citing Elsinore Valley Cemetery, Lake Elsinore, Riverside County, California, USA (plot: 12-41-GW); Maintained by Janice Klafehn (contributor 46786078).