By James Knudsen
“A horse, a saddle, and land.” Those are the three things my maternal grandfather suggested I ask my father for when it came time for me to start making my way in life. My grandfather was born in the village of Doze Ribeiras on the island of Terceira, one of the major islands of the Azores archipelago. Born Laurentino Domingoes Cota on February 9, 1900, he came with his family to the United States at the age of seven. First by ship across the Atlantic and then by train crossing the American continent. One of earliest stories of his life is of him losing his hat when he stuck his head out the window of a train. He pleaded with the conductor to stop the train, but I suspect his lack of English and being only seven did little to advance his cause. The family settled in the San Joaquin Valley and joined the growing community of Portuguese immigrants whose families remain a significant part of the Central Valley today.
