The following stories and legends have some variance, but most have commonalities. Please read the newspaper article published in Missouri by a reporter who state she got her information from various family members. I'm not acquainted with that branch of the family and neither is Marilyn and Kathy, so this is the legend handed down through their parents and grandparents.
The following information was given to me by my mother who obtained the information from her mother (my grandmother), who was told the story by her husband, Don Carlos and C E who I am told had a warm relationship with Blanche.
According to Mother and Blanche (my grandmother, mother of Edna): C E came into New Orleans via Cuba when Charles (Carlos) was about 10 years old with a younger brother and his mother.There was some type of problem regarding C E's father while he was in America and he returned to Spain, hoping to bring other family members out of the strife torn country, but upon leaving, it was reported that at some point he was killed. She was unsure what happened to the mother and a younger brother. Blanche (grandmother) also reported that C E's father was close to the royal line and the family owned castles and titles.
Various family members related that C E ascended the Mississippi River while under age. No one had an answer as to whom he lived with, but all versions state he was left with either family members or friends.
In Jr High School while studying early America, my history teacher selected me and a
fellow classmate to do a search of our ancestors arrival in America. She chose my mothers paternal side, the Tappana's. Although I have related the story on another page at this site, I will do a quick review for continuity.
After a period of approximately 2-3 weeks research, she smiled at me and told the class " we have quite a little celebrity here." "Dolores came from a well known family in Spain with connections to Royalty." She further stated my great, great grandfather (this would have been C E's father) was embroiled in controversy here in America and had been accused of things he didn't do. She also told me he was sent back to Spain and killed before he could get other family members out .(I can't remember if it was in Spain or elsewhere that he was killed and I believe she said beheaded). This is brief but to the point as I began trying to unravel the mystery. At the beginning of 2004, I received an email from Marilyn Tappana McCroskey and learned she was cousin who along with her sister Kathy, had been looking for records in Missouri where C E eventually went to live. I found legends existed from that side also and some matched fairly well with what I had been told, while others didn't.
I related to Marilyn that a linguist in Spain stated the name Tappana was contrived and not of any Latin origin. He told me to start research on part of the name and/or spelling and see what I could find. I began searching through various online records of ship arrivals in America and in particular, New Orleans.
Finding no Tappana , but I did find an Espana/Espano family that had entered new Orleans in 1846, from Madrid Spain, with a son Charles (Carlos, aged 10) and a son Guillermo (William aged 8). There was a mother whose name was scratched over and someone wrote in Madline. (A genelogist later told me the name probably was Madalena or Magdalena). Marilyn informed me she had also found this ship register and was going to see if she could find the original on microfiche through the university library where she is a professor of Library Sciences. Shortly thereafter she obtained a copy of the original declaration of passage. It also stated the name as Don Carlos Espana, consul from Spain to New Orleans, LA.
Through all our efforts and the endless hours Marilyn spent reading microfilm, we learned that indeed Carlos de Espana (listed records) was in New Orleans as a Consul (Ambassador), from Spain. Having arrived here in 1846, he assumed duty the same day. All information we have found at this time regarding the difficulties he faced and the treachery that he would endure can be found in the archived newspapers from New Or;eans, LA. In particular the Daily Delta, The Picayune, the True Delta and the Daily Crescent. You must read through to completion to understand the travesty of justice. Finding that at one point just before leaving America he had traveled "up the river", the intrigue was having an effect on the three of us and so we continued pursing this vein of thought. Marilyn soon found "The Crescent" newspaper gave a different and much more favorable report of the incident that beleagured Carlos.
When I started this search I had no idea of the many twists and turns it would take. My concern was to seek the truth and end the mystery regardless of family belief's or legends. Taking all of these things into consideration I began my quest open minded and desirous to leave the findings to future generations as they seek their roots. With that said, I'm listing the following findings by Marilyn Tappana McCroskey, Kathy Tappana and myself, Dolores Marlena.
Marilyn and Kathy are sisters and the daughters of William (Bill) Tappana and the grandchildren of Leroy Tappana who was the son of Charles Edward Tappana. I am the daughter of Edna Tappana, who was the daughter of Don Carlos Tappana, who was the son of Charles Edward Tappana.
