MY PATRIOT
A New Orleanian Born in Cuba
Maryland DAR member Lilliam Zayas y Hernández’s journey to DAR membership led her to a surprising discovery: Not only was she descended from American Revolutionary War Patriots, but also she had unknowingly lived near their settlement of St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, for over five decades.
For 52 years, Lilliam Zayas y Hernández (who generally goes by Lily) lived in New Orleans. She had always felt a deep connection to the Crescent City, despite her lack of ancestral roots in Louisiana—or so she thought until she began digging into her genealogy and found herself joining the DAR.
Zayas was born in Cuba. At age 14, she immigrated to the United States, and she and her first husband ultimately moved to New Orleans for his job as a nuclear engineer. She stayed in New Orleans following their divorce.
“I always felt a deep connection to New Orleans, even though I didn't know I actually had a connection,” Zayas said. “I always say that I was a New Orleanian born in Cuba.”
In 2006, Zayas started researching her genealogy, starting with a small notebook filled with names. “I wrote down the names of my mother, my father, the grandparents I knew of, my uncles, and that was all I had,” she said. “Being Cuban means it’s difficult to get paperwork and documents. I have been very persistent, frankly.”
Four years ago, following her husband Martin Regan’s passing, Zayas decided to relocate to Maryland to be closer to her children. After she moved into a retirement community, her bandwidth for genealogy increased, and so did her passion for the pursuit. “Genealogy just opens up all these doors. If you’re an individual with a vivid imagination, as I am, genealogy just brings all of these folks alive.”
“My children are the children of Cuban immigrants. There’s a lot of pride that comes from that. I've always instilled in them that I come from a really great place.
But now, their lives have this added dimension. They are vested in this country, because they were part of the beginning of this country.”
— Lilliam Zayas y Hernández
Lilliam Zayas y Hernández (seated) with her daughter Lilliam Machado (right), and granddaughter Charlotte Gutierrez (left). Photo courtesy of Lilliam Zayas y Hernández.
Zayas began tracing her maternal grandfather’s line and discovered the surprising news that his great-grandmother had been born in New Orleans. She started digging, uncovering information on the Canary Island Patriots in St. Bernard Parish—right next to her beloved New Orleans. She realized that her deep love for Louisiana was part of her heritage. She was an Isleño.
“Isleño” is Spanish for “islander” and today refers to the descendants of the Canary Islanders who were sent to the Americas by King Carlos III to settle the territory under Gov. Bernardo de Gálvez. Zayas is descended from two of these soldier/farmer Isleños who are recognized as DAR Patriots: Manuel Antonio de Ojeda and Sebastian de Vega Carzola. Her DAR application was approved in March on the de Ojeda line, and her daughter, Lilliam Machado, became a DAR member in July on the Carzola line. Her granddaughter Charlotte Gutierrez’s application has also been submitted.
Following a visit to St. Bernard Parish for additional research, Zayas connected with the Thomas Stone Chapter in Olney, Maryland, to apply for DAR membership. State Membership Chair and Chapter Lineage Research Chair Cheryl Beauregard delved into the research with Zayas, consulting seminal works on migration from the Canary Islands, including The Canary Islanders of Louisiana by Gilbert C. Din and The Canary Islands Migration to Louisiana, 1778–1873 by Sidney Louis Villeré. “She put her heart and soul into this,” Zayas said of Beauregard. “Cheryl was very interested in helping me discover a way to bring Manuel Ojeda alive.”
Isleños celebrate their heritage in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana. Photo courtesy of Lilliam Zayas y Hernández.
Following the American Revolutionary War, Zayas’ family immigrated to Matanzas, Cuba, establishing her roots in another island nation. The discovery of her Spanish Patriots has not only uncovered a previously unknown chapter in her family’s history but also enhanced her identity as an American.
“After joining DAR, I went from reading random books here and there to focusing on the American Revolution and reading about the beginnings of this nation,” she said. As for her daughter and granddaughter, Zayas said: “My children are the children of Cuban immigrants. There’s a lot of pride that comes from that. I’ve always instilled in them that I come from a really great place.
“But now, their lives have this added dimension. They are vested in this country, because they were part of the beginning of this country.” P
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
