Descendants of namesake reunite, share history
Seated in a shady spot at Peña Adobe Saturday, Cecilia Maloney — aka Cecilia Pettis McElligott Maloney, matriarch of the Hertz branch of the descendants of Vacaville's namesake Juan Manuel Vaca — held court during the 65th family reunion.
It would have been the 67th, but two gatherings were missed due to the Caldor Fire and the pandemic.
Regardless, Maloney was excited to see seventh, eighth and ninth-generation members at the picnic, where all could connect and become awash in the family history.
Back in the 1800s, Juan Manuel Vaca was one of the first area settlers and the area was later named for him.
“I'm the matriarch and it's important to get us all together,” Maloney emphasized. “My cousins are very close. I want these cousins to be close.”
Mark Hertz, who was in charge of this year's event, said he's long been inspired to work on the family tree.
“Our dad started the family tree,” he advised, pointing to one. “This is the first one.”
He later created several in the shape of historical landmarks. He's creative, he said, and felt the design does the family's history justice.
Each branch of the family has its own sign, lovingly created over several months. It took immense research, he said, and much care.
The signs were initially made in 1989 and features nine generations of family. He pointed to the Hertz, Stewart and McElligott signs, saying, “these are the families that are here today.”
The signs are important, he said, “Because I want the younger generation to know they are part of history here.”
Though previously based in the Bay Area, the family is now located everywhere. On Saturday, some flew in from Washington and Texas, too.
His daughter, Aussie Holcomb, has shown an interest in helping with the project, he said, which brings him joy.
Holcomb said the project simply matters. “Just how important traditions are,” she said
of the family trees and the gatherings. “It's something I'm very proud of.”
The picnics are a way to get to know family, she said, and bring everyone closer.
“Getting together sort of builds up the family history,” she said.
“It's fun for us to be able to do this,” Hertz added. KC McElligott agreed. “It's one of those things where you just realize it means a lot,” he said.
Throughout the picnic, family members wandered to a tent set up by the Peña Adobe Historical Society and gave snapshots of the family's oral history. Society officials said they were excited to be part of the event and to learn more about the Vacas.
To learn more about the society, visit https://www. penaadobe.org/.