Antonio de Jesus Romero & Maria Gregoria Vigil
of Agua Negra, Mora, New Mexico
portrait of Antonio de Jesus Romero
The
baptismal records of San Juan de los Caballeros registered Antonio de Jesus
Romero as having been born 4 February 1836 at Jolla (Joya) the son of Felipe de
Jesus and Maria Juana Sanches. He was christened 12 February 1836 and registered
in Book No. 44 page 85, 1830-1837. Mentioned also in the record were his
grandparents Miguel Romero, Maria Manuela Garcia, Jose Manuel Sanches and
Teodora Zisernoz. In the 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Antonio de Jesus Romero also
gave his birth month and year as February of 1836.
When Antonio de Jesus Romero was ten years old, Nuevo
México along with Texas and California was taken by the United States in the
Mexican- American War of 1846. At this
point Antonio de Jesus Romero along with all his Spanish- Mexican relatives
became Mexican American citizens supposedly with all the original Spanish
Grants kept intact. This did not happen
and Anglo-American land companies began to acquire huge tracts of land, one
which was called the Maxwell Land Grant the largest in United States history.
Antonio de Jesus Romero's father, Felipe de Jesus
Romero, had moved to the Mora Valley in circa 1844 and settled in a village
called San Antonio a few miles south of Agua Negra (Spanish for Black Water).
The villages were located near the Rio Mora a few miles north of the County
seat of Mora in the Valle de San Antonio. After Antonio de Jesus married he moved near
his Vigil in Agua Negra where his children would grow to adulthood under the
American Flag with the merging of Anglo and Spanish culture. During Antonio
Romero’s life time the town grew large enough to have a post office from 1884
to 1892 but has since withered away and is part of the community of Holman
today.
Antonio de Jesus Romero's grandfather Juan Miguel
Romero was one of the last of the Spanish Dons and therefore Antonio Romero
grew up in a family that carried a certain social distinction. He was raised in households which had Indian
servants and while not extremely wealthy, his father Felipe de Jesus Romero was
a prosperous farmer.
At Agua Negra, families harvested timber for sawmills,
grew grain for the gristmills, harvested fruit trees , and raised livestock
especially sheep. Large herds of sheep roamed all over the valleys of Mora County
during the 1860's and 1870's even though the owners were unable to make any
substantial profit from their wool due to the lack of a woolen mills in the
county.
On 9 March 1859,
22 year old Antonio de Jesus Romero married a neighboring girl named
Maria "Gregoria" Vigil in the village of Santa Gertrudis de Mora .
She was born according to census records on February of 1846 in Taos
County, the daughter of Jose Agapito
Montes Vigil and Maria Alta Gracia Valdez. She would have been 13 years old at
the time of her marriage to Antonio.
“I the priest of the church of Santa Gertrudes,
married and blessed in a solemn mass, Antonio Jesus Romero, single legit, son
of Don Felipe Romero and of Juana Catarina Sanchez, residents of the Plaza of
San Antonio in the Valle de Arriba, with Maria Gregoria Vigil, single, legit.,
daughter of Agapito Vigil and of Maria Altagracia Valdes, residents of the
Plaza de Agua Negra. pg. 19, Mora Marriages, 1856-1875”
The
Romero and Vigil Families were members of the Catholic Church and all
marriages, baptisms, and burials were recorded at the Church of Santa Gertrudis
de Mora, located in the town of Mora.
The 1860 Census of Mora County
The 1860 U.S. Census of Mora County was taken in the
first week of August and listed Antonio and Gregoria as having a six month old
baby girl in their household. which
would indicate that the baby was born in January of 1860. The census listed the family as living in
Precinct of San Antonio as of 8 August 1860. The Post Office was Fernando de
Taos and they were enumerated as Household 3399.
Antonio Romero age 21 (1839) born in Rio Arriba County,
Occupation- Farmer, Worth $600 in Real Estate and $700 in personal estate . Maria
Gregoria Vigil age 15 (1845) born in Taos County Nuevo Mexico
Maria Juana Romero age 6 months born in Mora County New Mexico
Territory. An eight year old boy named Jose Francisco Romero, born in Nabajo [Navajo Country] was listed as a servant.
Some obvious errors that were taken by the census
taker are the ages assigned to Antonio and Gregoria. Antonio would have been a young man of 24 years in 1860, and Gregoria Vigil who was
born in February 1846, would have been
14 years old, ten years younger than her husband. Gregoria's first child was born probably when
she was still 13 years old or just turned 14.. If Maria Juana was indeed 6
months old she would have been born in January or February 1860. February 9 would have been 9 months from their
marriage date. Maria Juana was probably named for either Antonio’s mother and
may have been a sickly baby as she died 23 August 1860, nearly 2 weeks after
the census was taken.
The financial information regarding Antonio is extremely interesting. It indicates that even at a young age he was
a wealthy land owner which suggests an inheritance. An average personal estate even for large
families in the Agua Negra area was about $50 and most did not own any property
at all. Land value on the Nuevo Mexicano
frontier was about a dollar an acre which would indicate that Antonio has an
estate of nearly 600 acres. Personal
estate included the value of his home and his personal effects including his
livestock. Horses could be had for $50, sheep for $3.00 a head, and a nice home
and furnishings would be less than $300.
Antonio Romero's status in his community was such that
he could even afford to keep an Navajo Indian servant. Every census record throughout the 19th
century show that Antonio Romero always kept this Indian servant who usually
adopted the Romero name.
The Romeros were living at Agua Negra during the
American Civil War and it is doubtful they had much allegiance to either side
as a little more than 15 years ago New Mexico was taken away from Mexico
Antonio and Gregoria’s first born son was Ricardo de
Jesus Romero. Baptismal records of the Church of Santa Gertrudis de Mora found
on page 52 of the record for 1862 state that Ricardo de Jesus Romero was born
April 6, 1862 the legitimate son of Antonio Romero and Maria Gregoria Vigil of
Agua Negra. Ricardo was baptized on the
13th of April 1862 with Severiano Martinez and his wife Nicanora Marzerannes
acting as sponsors or Godparents.
Godparents were usually close members of the family but their relationship
to the Romeros and Vigils have not been determined.
Two years later
on June 13th, 1864 Antonio Romero and Gregoria Vigil acted as Godparents for
Antonio de Jesus Vigil the son of Antonio Romero's father-in-law Agapito Vigil
and his wife Maria Alta Gracia Valdez. Later that same year on August 7th,
Antonio and Gregoria became the Godparents of Maria de los Remedios Lazary the
daughter of Agapito Lazary and Juana Romero both of Agua Negra. Juana Romero is thought possibly to have been
Antonio's sister or a cousin.
Another daughter was born to Antonio and Gregoria on
the 30th of October 1864 at Agua Negra.
Miguela de Jesus Romero was baptized at the Church of Santa Gertrudis de
Mora also. Miguela de Jesus Romero like her older sister died at Agua Negra, Mora, New Mexico, probably about
3 years old in in 1867.
The American Civil War ended in April 1865 while it in
effect, it ended much earlier in New Mexico at the Battle of Glorieta Pass
west of Las Vegas. The United States army
and cavalry from Fort Union could now devote more time in subduing the “hostiles” which had
plagued the Nuevo Mexicano settlers for so long, stealing horses and burning
settlements. It was now that large herds
of sheep began to roam the countryside as the population of Mora County began
to expand up towards 10,000 people.
The 1870 Census
The 1870 U.S. Census of Mora County showed that
Antonio's wealth had decreased slightly during the 1860's. While his land value increased to $1000, his
personal estate dropped to $300 indicating a loss of livestock or other possessions
during those difficult years.
Two of his daughters died in childhood during the
1860's. Maria Juana Romero and Miguela de Jesus Romero are both not listed in
the household in 1870. However two
additional daughters were born to Antonio and Gregoria during the latter half
of the 1860's. They were Adelaida Romero
and Maria Virginia Romero.
Adelaide Romero was born in May
1866 according to the 1900 U.S. Census. Her baptismal records have not been
located. Maria Virginia Romero's records
however were. She was born on 5 December
1868 at Agua Negra although she was not baptized until January 7th of 1869
nearly a month later. Perhaps bad winter
weather kept the family from traveling to Mora for the christening until then
or an illness. Jose Nestor Salazar and
Josefa Martinez acted as Godparents.
The 1870 U.S.
Census of Mora County New México Territory listed the Romero family in Precinct
9 Agua Negra as of 8 August 1870. Their Post Office address was the town of La
Junta and they were enumerated as household 41
Antonio Romero age 35 (1835) white male born in Nuevo México Occupation-
farmer, Worth $1000 in real estate and $300 in
personal estate. Gregoria Vigil age
23 (1847) white female born in Nuevo Mexico Her occupation- keeps house. Ricardo Romero age 7 (1863) white male born in New Mexico, Adelaida
Romero age 4 (1866) white female born in
New Mexico, Virginia Romero age 1 (1869) white female born in New Mexico, J
Miguel Romero age 9 (1861) Indian male born in New Mexico
This 1870 census shows that Antonio
de Jesus Romero was one of the wealthier of the 90 households listed in Agua Negra. There were 415 residents listed in the
village and only 3 other men owned as
much real estate as Antonio and only one owned more at $1200 and he was an
Anglo from Pennsylvania.
There are only 4 households that
included either an Indian servant or domestic help as there were only 7 Native
Americans listed in Agua Negra. Antonio Valdez had a 30 year old Navajo woman
and her four children listed as Domestic Servants. J. Ramonito Vigil had two
domestic servants. One was a 60 year old Mexican woman from Nuevo México but
the other was a 30 year old Indian from Utah. Joseph Hillman one of the
wealthiest men in Agua Negra employed a “servant” Mexican girl. Antonio de
Jesus Romero was the only house hold that contained an Indian boy but no
designation of his occupation was listed.
On 3 June 1871 a daughter Maria Librada Romero was
christened. She was born 29 May 1871 the
daughter of Antonio de Jesus Romero and Maria Gregoria Vigil and god daughter
of Luis Manuel Duran and Maria Josefa Vasquez. The godparents relationship to
the family is unknown also.
Two years later on 4 October
1873 a daughter named Maria Francisca Romero was christened. She was born 21 August 1873 and was the goddaughter
of Climeo Lujan and Rufina Romero. A
relationship between Rufina Romero and Antonio Romeros has not been explored.
On 16 February 1875, another Godson
of Antonio Romero and Maria Gregoria Vigil was christened. He was Pacoimio
Romero, the son of Pedro Romero and Juana Arena. The relationship between Pedro
Romero and Antonio is not known. The next year on 22 April 1876 Antonio Romero and Gregoria
Vigil were the Godparents of Marcelina Vigil, who was Gregoria's niece.
A son of Antonio and Gregoria,
named Teo Antonio Romero was christened on 12 November 1876 with Damian Vigil and Maria Dolores Martines
acting as Godparents.
For a while, Indian raids limited the profitability of
the sheep business in northeastern New Mexico Eventually, however, with the Indians subdued
following their defeat in the Red River War of 1874, new economic ventures were
considered safe. The Red River War was a military campaign launched by the
United States Army in 1874 to displace the Comanche, Kiowa, Southern Cheyenne,
and Arapaho tribes from the Southern Plains, and forcibly relocate the tribes
to reservations in Indian Territory.
1880 Census
“The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe, besting it rival,
the Denver and Rio Grande Western, for possession of Raton Pass, became the
first to lay rails into New Mexico from the east. Following the heavy ruts of
the Santa Fe Trail, it reached Las Vegas early in 1879. Continuing westward,
the railroad bypassed Santa Fe and curved down the Rio Grande valley to
Albuquerque. It reached south to a division point at Rincon. There, one branch
was extended to El Paso, while the other ran to Deming, where, in 1881, it forged
a transcontinental link with the Southern Pacific that was building eastward
from California.
The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad entered
the Mora County region in 1879, shutting down traffic on the Old Santa Fe
Trail. When the railroad was first being built, many of the tracks were laid
directly over the wagon ruts of the Santa Fe Trail. Despite being chartered to
serve Santa Fe, the railroad chose to bypass the town, due to the engineering
challenges of the mountainous terrain. “Eventually a branch line from Lamy, New
Mexico, brought the Santa Fe railroad the 20 miles to its namesake city.’ The
railroad ran through Wagon Mound about 60 miles east of Santa Gertrudis de Mora
and had a station at Las Vegas, 30 miles south of Mora.
“Throughout the Southwest, railroad promotion was in
the air, and in New Mexico’s rugged mountain ranges, prospectors with picks and
hammers were beginning to uncover deposits of gold, silver, copper, and other
minerals. For those men for whom railroading or mining held little attraction,
the territory’s plains and basins, from which the last hostile Indians were
then being cleared, provided abundant room for staking out a princely sheep or
cattle ranch.” Much of Mora County became an important stock-raising region,
with large herds of sheep and cattle.
The 1880 U.S. Census of Mora County listed the family as
still in Precinct 9 with their Post Office address being “Aqua Negra Abajo” the
lower part of the village. The family was enumerated on 19 June 1880 as
Household 98.
Antonio Romero age 44 (1836) listed as a farmer. Gregorita
Romero age 34 (1846) wife; Ricardo Romero
age 17 (1863) son laborer; Adelaida Romero
age 13 (1867) daughter at home; Virginia
Romero age 12 (1868) daughter at home; Librada
Romero age 8 (1872) daughter; Francisco Romero
age 3 months son born in March. Miguel Romero age 21 (1859) Servant
Miguel Romero was certainly the same
Indian boy “Miguel Juan Romero” who was included in the 1860 and 1870 household
of Antonio Romero. The 1880 census indicates that Antonio and Gregoria had lost
4 children as they are not enumerated.
The 1880 U.S. Census shows that Francisca Romero and
Teo Antonio Romero are both absent from the list of children in the Antonio’s
household. However a son Francisco
Romero is listed as a 3 month old baby but his baptismal records have not been
located yet. Why Francisca was not enumerated in the household is a mystery
because she was clearly alive.
The 1885 Territorial Census
On the 22nd of June 1885 a Census
was taken for the New Mexico Territory. Antonio Romero’s family was listed as number
253 household in the 1st Precinct of Mora County. The census taker was
extremely careless with the information that as recorded for the family.
Antonio Romero’s age was given as 48, which would have been reasonable and was
listed as a farmer. However his wife was listed as “Maria Ignacia” instead of
“Gregoria” and listed as age 28 when she
was 39. Their 23 year old son Ricardo Romero was listed as a 17 years old
daughter! Ricardo would marry the following year in 1886. M. Adelaide Romero was
listed as 14 years old when she should
have been 19 and M. Librada Romero was listed as 11 instead of 14. M. Francisco Romero was listed as a 5 year
old son who was the only correct age. Gregoria’s parents Agapito and Altagracia
are listed in the subsequential household 252. Antonio’s father and mother were
included in his household.
Antonio and Gregoria’s daughter Maria Virgina Romero was
married on 8 Dec 1884 to Jose Desiderio Romero at
Santa Gertrudes Church, Mora, at the age of 16 so she was not included in her
father’s household. Her sister Maria Labrada Romero at the age of 14 was married
on 9 January 1886 at Santa Gertrudes Church, Mora to José Benito Romero. The
brothers Jesus, Benito, and Desiderio were sons of Juan Miguel Romero 1811–1870
and Maria del Rufugia Duran 1823–1886.
The oldest son Ricardo de Jesus Romero married at the
age of 24 on 18 December 1886 to Maria Librada “Libradita" Romero y Maes
in the Church of Santa Gertrudis, Mora,
New Mexico Labrada Romero was the 15
year old daughter of Jesus Romero and Maria Alta Gracia Maes. Libradita was the
niece of both Desiderio and Benito.
During the last decade of the 19th Century all of Antonio de Jesus and Gregoria Vigils
children except for Adelaide and Francisco Romero had either died or were
married. Their youngest daughter Francisca Romero married Concepcion Arellano on 11 November 1891 at Santa Gertrudis, Mora, New Mexico and
their daughter Maria Labrada Romero died in 1894 at the age of 22 as a wife and
young mother.
The New Mexico frontier was over at the end of the 19th
Century. Even Fort Union was no longer needed with the cessation of Indian
raids and, therefore, was abandoned in 1891.
The Twentieth Century
There is a twenty year gap between
the 1880 U.S. Census and the 1900 U.S. Census due to the fact that the 1890
U.S. Census was destroyed in a fire. Mora County had a population of 10,304 in
1900 according to the census bureau. Antonio and Gregoria continued to live on their farm at Agua Negra
in Precinct 9 during that time. It would safe to assume that during these years
Antonio and Gregoria also began to have grandchildren and continued to farm,
raise stock, and keep house. . Newspaper accounts from that year stated that
Agua Negra’s wells were dry and there was scarcely sufficient water in ditches
to supply household purposes. The Mora grain
mills were also shut down.
The 1900 U.S.
Census for Agua Negra in Precinct 9 of Mora County was taken on the 13th day of June.
The 1900 census was unusual as that it asked for the Month and year of birth
for family members. Antonio Romero was enumerated in Household 108 and gave his
birth date as February 1836 and said that he and his wife had been married 41 years,
which would be the year 1859. He stated
that he was born in New Mexico as were his parents and that he was a farmer by
occupation. He also owned his own farm
without any mortgage attached. He stated
he could not read, write, or speak English, although early censuses reported
that he could read and write Spanish. Gregoria Vigil also said that she was
born in New Mexico as were her parents and she also could not read, write, nor
speak English.
Gregoria Vigil was listed as
"Gregorita" in the 1900 census and she said that she was born in
February of 1846. She also said that she
was the mother of eight children although only five were living in 1900.
Actually she was the mother of 9 children, Juana Romero who had died in infancy,
Ricardo, Miguela who also died young, Adelaida, Virginia, Librada, Francisca,
Antonio Teo who died young and Francisco.
Only two adult children remained at home in 1900,
Adelaida Romero and Francisco Romero. Adelaida said she was born May 1870 in New
México and that she too could not read nor write nor speak English. Francisco
Romero was born April 1880 in New México and while he could read and write
English, he could not speak it. The 1880 census gave his birth month as March.
Antonio Romero and Gregoria Vigil also had a ten year
old boy named Fernando Romero within their household. He was listed as a
servant. His race was given as white. Fernando was born in June 1889.
Interestingly he is listed as being able to speak, read and write English
although no one else in the household could speak English.
Ricardo de Jesus Romero was listed near his parents as
household 106. He had been married for 12 years and was the father of 6
children by 1900. He owned his farm free and clear of a mortgage also.
During the first decade of the 20th
Century, Francisco Romero, the youngest son of Antonio and Gregoria was married
in 1901 to Maria Jesusita Martinez . A
few years later Antonio Romero and Gregoria Vigil acted as God parents for
their granddaughter Alta Gracia Romero on 25 September 1904. She was the daughter of Ricardo and Librada
Romero. In 1907 Adelaide Romero married
Abundio Gallegos, a widower, at the age of 41
The 1910 Census
Remarkably the 1910 and 1920 U.S. Censuses continued
to show these Spanish pioneers as alive and still living in Mora County. The
1910 U.S. Census of Mora County, listed Antonio Romero in Precinct 9 Agua Negra
as of 27 April 1910 in Household 105. Antonio J. Romero head of household male white age 74 (1836)
married 54 years (1856), Born in New Mexico as were his parents. His native language
was Spanish and was able to read and write. His occupation was Farmer on his home
farm. Which was free of a mortgage.
Gregoria Romero his wife was age 64 (1846) mother of 9
children 5 still living. She was born in New Mexico as were her parents with
her native language being Spanish. She could not read nor write. Except for the
marriage year, the information contained in this census was fairly accurate.
Actually in 1909 they had been married 50
years.
Two households away from Antonio
and actually next door, if the census taker crossed the lane, was their
youngest son Francisco Romero and their now married daughter Adelaida Romero
Gallegos. In Household 107 Francisco Romero was listed as head of household, a white male aged
29 (1881) and married 9 years (1901). He was a farmer by occupation. His wife Jesusita
Romero was aged 25 years (1885) and mother
of 5 children 2 still living. This census revealed the high childhood mortality
rate among these families. Childhood
diseases and lack of medical care carried off many of the children of these
families.
In Household 108 was Abundio Gallegos aged 55 years (1855)
married 3 years (1907). It was his 2nd marriage but Adelaida’s first. Adelaida married very late in life and
never had children of her own. She
probably married to stop being a burden on her aging parents but lived close enough
to them to take care of them.
Household 115 of Agua Negra included Antonio’s
daughter Virginia Romero as head of household
female white age 39 (1871). Her husband Francisco Martinez aged 50
(1860) was her 2nd marriage and operated
a lumber Mill. She had been married 14 years since 1896. Her first husband Jose
Desiderio Romero must have died by then. She said she was the mother of 3
children all of whom were still living.
Two children are listed in the household one was her 18 year old daughter named
Esgolasion Romero and a 4 month old boy
of whom she was listed as a guardian. Her married son Benjamin Romero lived
next to her.
Ricardo Romero was listed as head of household 116 and was
age 46 (1864) and married 21 years (1889). He could only speak Spanish but
could read and write English. His occupation was given as Farmer, on land which he owned mortgage free. His 37
year old wife Libradita Romero was the
mother of ten children, however, only with 8 children still alive in 1910. The
eight children in the household were Clofes Romero age 18,
Gregorita Romero age 17, Antonio Romero
age 15, Estevan Romero age 13, Modesto Romero age 9, Altagracia Romero age 5, Patricio Romero age 3, and Matilda Romero age 9 months.
Of all of Antonio Romero's children, Ricardo Romero was the most
prolific and the first in the family to leave New México in almost 300 years.
New Mexico Statehood
Finally in 1912 New Mexico Territory was admitted as a
state on 6 January 1912. The Territory
had a population of 327,301 in 1910, far exceeding the required 20,000 for
admission to the United States. New Mexico incurred the longest period of any organized territory of the
United States, lasting approximately 62 years from 9 September 1850.
Open prejudice against the Hispanic culture played a
key factor on why New Mexico remained a territory for so long. “Such hostility
was that New Mexicans for more than sixty years were repeatedly checkmated in
their efforts to achieve statehood. This resulted in their land remaining a US
territory until 1912.”
“There were
even blunt spokesmen who went so far as to suggest that the United States had
made a bad bargain in annexing New Mexico Some years after the Civil War, General
William T. Sherman, who heartily disliked the arid country and the people of
the Southwest, was quoted as saying that “the United States ought to declare
war on Mexico and make it take back New Mexico ”
Also a “central issue was the uphill job of adapting
to a new pace and pattern of life, one ruled by a different philosophy. A
country and people so unlike the rest of the United States seemed to have a
poor chance of adjusting to the militant demands of American patriotism and
economic nationalism.”
Anglo New Mexicans knew that if New Mexico remained a
territory, its principal officials would be appointed in Washington. The
Hispanic majority tended to lean toward statehood with the right to elect their
own officials and Anglos feared Hispanics “could easily put nativeNuevo
Mexicanos s into the highest offices.”
In addition to the politics, “hostile Indians and
outlaws, problems of education and economics, difficulties involving land and
water rights and territorial boundaries” added to the delay.
The 1920 Census
Between 1910 and 1920, Mora County grew from 12,611 to
13,915, when the County was at its peak. During the next 10 years until 1930
the population decreased by nearly 4,000, and steadily decline each decade
afterwards.
Antonio de Jesus Romero and his wife were located in
the 1920 federal census as household 115 on January 21. Antonio is listed on the bottom of the page, which
was in the community of El Rito de Agua Negra. They were living on a street called
La Jolla Road. Antonio gave his age as 85 and Gregoria, listed simply as ”Maria”,
was listed as 76 year old. For an occupation he wrote “none”.
Three
of their children were living in El Rito de Agua Negra. Their youngest child
Francisco Romero lived at household 48 with his family on La Jolla Road. Their
daughter Virginia is listed in Household 66 on El Canon las Lunas Road. Her
husband Francisco Martinez is listed as
head of household age 64 and a labor in the sawmill. Virginia listed her age as
50. Included in this household is a 13 year old boy named Leo. Living at household 68 was Virginia’s son
Benjamin Romero and his family. The daughter Adelaide Romero Gallegos was
enumerated with her husband Abundio in household 184 on Las Alamitos Road in El
Rito de Agna Negra, Mora, New Mexico Francisca
Romero Arrellano stayed in Agua Negra and lived on Holman Road with her husband
Concepcion. By 1920 Ricardo de Jesus Romero had moved his family to Rawlins,
Wyoming. His father in law Jesus Romero died
at El Rito at the age of 73 years
It is not known when Maria Gregoria Vigil Romero died
but in was some time in the 1920’s. Antonio de Jesus Romero died on his 92nd
birthday 4 February 1928. Antonio and Gregoria probably rest in some small
cemetery near where the chapel at Agua Negra once stood or perhaps even in the
Holman Cemetery.
Virgina Romero’s
granddaughter, Estella Romero, the daughter of Benjamin R Romero and Josepha
Lovato wrote about Antonio de Jesus Romero whom she remembered knowing as a
little girl. She remembered he “was a tall slender man with blue eyes light
complexion and white hair”. She estimated he was about 70 years of age when she
was around him, “very proud and aggressive”.
His bedroom was very special with a beautiful brass bed with thick brass
poles, a bedspread made of wild goat hide, white with beige color and line with
felt cloth. A Saddle was always hanging
from the saddle straps at the head of the bed and from the wall. He would have
his spurs hanging from the bed pole saddle was decorated with silver and the
spurs were also out of silver.” Antonio
“gave strict orders” to have breakfast taken to his room “same menu every
morning, a bowl of Cream of Wheat or oatmeal, two boiled eggs, a glass of homemade apple juice, coffee and
toasted bread made from on top of the stove.”
“Great grandmother made chicos in a mud oven in the yard.” She “came from rich family and never did any work”
and was “very spoiled and dressed in rich silk dresses. She always wore a gold
hair combs and hoop dresses with ruffle skirts.”
Children of Antonio de Jesus and Maria Gregoria Vigil
Maria Juana Romero
She was their first born child circa 1860 at Agua
Negra, Mora, New Mexico and died 23 August 1861 less than 2 years old
Ricardo de Jesus Romero
He was born 6 April 1862 at Agua Negra, Mora County, New Mexico and died 14
August 1948 in Rawlins, Carbon, Wyoming. He married Libradita Romero (1871–1949)
the daughter of Maria Jesus Romero and Maria Altagracia Maes
Miguela de Jesus Romero
She was baptized 30th of October 1864 at the Church of
Santa Gertrudis de Mora and died before 1870 under the age of 6 years
Maria Adelaida Romero
She was born May 1866 at Agua Negra, Mora, New Mexico and died after
the 1920 census in Mora County, New Mexico She married Abundio Gallegos in 1907, his
second marriage and her 1st.
She had no children. Adelaida Romero she was appointed post mistress of
the Telesfora Post Office in Union, 23 Apr 1901until circa 1907.
Maria Virginia Romero
She was born on 5 December 1868 at Agua Negra,
Mora County, New Mexico although she was not baptized until January
7th of 1869 nearly a month later at the Santa Gertrudes Church, in Mora. She died 26 Aug 1926 at Chacon, Mora, New Mexico
She married on 8 Dec 1884 Jose Desiderio
Romero at Santa Gertrudes Church, Mora, at the age of 16. After he died she
remarried by 1896 Francisco Martinez.
Maria Librada Romero
She was born circa 1872 at Agua Negra, Mora County, New Mexico and died 1894 at the age of 22 in Agua Negra. She
married 9 January 1886 at Santa
Gertrudes Church, Mora, to José Benito Romero 1857–1931son of Juan Miguel
Romero 1811–1876 and Maria del Refugio Duran 1818–1885 of Agua Negra
Maria Francisca “Francisquita” Romero
She was born 4
October 1873 at Agua Negra, Mora, New Mexico She died 23 August 1924 at Holman, Mora, New Mexico
She married Jose Concepcion Arellano on
11 November 1891 at Santa Gertrudes Church, Mora. He was the son
of Juan de Jesus Arellano and Rafaela Cordova of Embuda, Rio Arriba. Her
husband died 14 July 1920
Teo Antonio Romero
He was christened on 12 November 1876 at Santa
Gertrudis de Mora and died before 1880 in
Agua Negra.
Francisco Vigil Romero
He was born circa March or April 1880 and died 2 May
1947 Acouchi, Sonora, Mexico He married Jesusita Martinez
The Montes Vigil Family
The Vigil Family of New México has its roots in
“Feligresia de San Martino de Siero”, Spain. Feligresia is the Spanish word for
parishioner so the family probably originated among the peoples who belonged to
the Parish of San Martino in the community of Siero in Asturias.
The Spanish surname Vigil comes from the word
"vigil, " which is from the Latin "vigilia," meaning
"wakefulness." The surname Vigil was first found in Asturias, on the
Bay of Biscay, in northwestern Spain. Asturias became part of the kingdom of
León on the accession of King Alfonso III in 866 and was made a principality in
1388.
The House of Vigil is a noble family that first began
in the Kingdom of Asturias around the 5th to 8th century. The family originated
from the Asturian countryside as watchmen, gradually rising in prominence until
they were one of the first families to achieve titles of nobility.
“The Vigils were one of the oldest and most
distinguished noble families in the Kingdom of Asturias, in the north of Spain.
The great majority of Spaniards who came to the Americas in the colonial period
were from Castile, Estremadura and Andalusia, so there were very few Asturians.
The people of Asturias are interesting because they have a lot of Celtic blood
and Germanic blood as compared to most Spaniards. The Vigil family has a great
tradition of holding political office and serving in the military.”
Juan Montes
Vigil
Juan Montes Vigil was the
son of Juan Montes Vigil and María de
Vigil of San Martino. He was born circa 1590 in Spain and was probably orphaned
by 1609 as his uncle Bartolomé de Vigil was his guardian. It is not known if
Bartolome Vigil was the Juan Montes Vigil’s maternal or paternal uncle but most
likely Juan’s father’s brother.
Juan Montes Vigil, on 10 February 1609 at the age of 18, applied for permission to come to Nueva
Spain as an aide to don Jacinto de Olmos. On that date, at the Villa of Siero,
Bartolome de Vigil, a resident in the Royal Court of Madrid, said that his
Minor Charge wished to go to New Spain
and other Royal Provinces where he could be a "Hijo Dalgo," (Son of
Somebody) as he was a direct and legitimate descendant of the Manor House of
Vigil, one of the most ancient and noteworthy of that Consejo (of de Siero).
Bartolomé de Vigil prepared a valuable document on behalf of his nephew
to be presented to the officials of the Casa de la Contratación de las Indias
("House of Trade of the Indies") in the port of Seville. The Casa de
Contratación had broad powers over overseas matters, especially financial
matters concerning trade and legal disputes arising from it. It was also
responsible for the licensing of emigrants and probate of estates of Spaniards
dying overseas. Every passenger to America had to obtain a Royal License and
register at La Casa de Contractacion for permission to leave Spain. However,
many came to America as "Illegal’s," stowaways, with forged papers,
and as sailors.
Bartolomé de Vigil identified his nephew, Juan Montes
Vigil as a native of the Parish of San Martino de Siero and declared that this
nephew was single and was not committed to anyone in the form of marriage nor
religious order. Furthermore, Bartolome de Vigil named the parents of Juan
Montes Vigil as Juan Montes Vigil and María de Vigil. Next he named the
paternal grandparents as Lucas Montes de Vigil and Isabel de Vigil. The
maternal grandparents he named as Francisco de Vigil de San Martino and Catalina
de Argüelles.
Lucas de Vigil was born circa 1540 in the community of
Feligresia de San Martino de Siero, Spain. His ancestors were probably from the
village of Vigil in Siero as was his wife Ysabel de Vigil. She was born 1548
also in Feligresia de San Martino de Siero, Spain. They probably had Bartolomé
de Vigil, a Regidor (Councilman) of the "Villa del Consejo de Siero"
as well as a son named Juan Montes Vigil.
Bartolomé de Vigil provided information about the
nobility of the Vigil family, declaring they were hidalgos (hijos dalgo) and
verifying that his nephew Juan Montes Vigil was a descendant of the ancient
"casa y solar" (house and manor) of Vigil, one of the oldest and most
prominent families of the San Martino de Siero area.
On 20 Jun 1611 at the age of 20, Juan Montes Vigil left
Spain. A document dated 22 June 1611
refers to Juan Montes Vigil as a native of the Parish of San Martino de Siero
who was seeking to take passage to Nueva España via Peru as “Criado” of don
Jacinto de Olmos’. The word means servant but he was more likely an aide than a
servant. A certified statement was made
and signed by Olmos on 3 June 1611 where Juan was described as tall and white.
Juan first made the long journey to Peru in South
America but eventually made his way the silver mining town of Zacatecas in Nueva
Galicia. Here he married on 21 Jun 1619, Catalina Herrera Cantillana. She was
born 1602 and was also a native of San Martino de Siero, Spain. He was 28 years
old and she 17 when they married. Juan
was also recorded as “Juan Montes Quiñones y Arguello”. His son, Juan Montes
Vigil, is referred to as Juan Montes Argüello. They had two known children Juan Montes Vigil
and María de Herrera Cantillana, named for her mother. According to his
daughter's will, he died before June 1656.
Juan Montes
Vigil the third
Juan
Montes Vigil the third of that name was born 1621 in Mexico City. He was raised in Ciudad de México but moved
to Zacatecas, Mexico where he became a wealthy merchant.
Court records show that in 1664, Juan de Montes was
compelled by the law to give a slave to the Royal Treasurer of the Holy Office
of the Inquisition of New Spain for seventy-nine pesos. Juan Montes had a very
young daughter buried at Zacatecas in 1667. The fact that no mother was named
is consistent with Juan’s testimony that he was single, and also that he was
responsible in one way or another, for the children he fathered.
While
conducting archival research in Zacatecas, Mexico, two wills of Juan Montes
Vigil were located where he is described as a native of Ciudad de México and a
resident of Zacatecas. The wills are dated 2 October 1682 and 25 April 1683. In
his second will, Juan Montes Vigil identified Francisco Montes Vigil, husband
of María Jiménez, as his natural (illegitimate) son. According to the wills,
Juan Montes Vigil was a son of Juan Montes Vigil and Catalina de Herrera
Cantillana, both deceased and natives of the kingdom of Castilla.
Juan Montes Vigil the third recorded his first
testament at Zacatecas, Nueva Galicia, on 2 October 1682. He began by stating
he was a native of Ciudad de México and a vecino [resident] of Zacatecas. He
then named his parents as Juan Montes Vigil and Catalina de Herrera Cantillana,
both deceased and both natives of the "reynos de Castilla" and
vecinos of Mexico City.
At the time he made this will, Juan Montes Vigil was
ill in bed and feared he would die. He professed his faith in the Holy Roman
Catholic Church proclaiming he lived and would die as a good Christian and
asked for supplication from the Holy Apostles and all the Saints, especially
San Pablo and San Juan. He then requested that one Mass be sung and nine others
be said in the parish chapel and another nine to be said in the convent of San
Agustín, all for the benefit of his soul.
From the sale of his possessions he desired to give 25
pesos to fray Francisco Bravo of the convent of San Agustín. He also desired to
give 500 pesos to Capitán don Antonio de Salazar, Juez Oficial de la Real
Hacienda y Caxa de Zacatecas, and 136 pesos and 4 tomines to doña Gerónima
Gutiérrez. He also left 500 pesos in gold to fray Juan de Vargas, the Prior of
the convento de San Agustín in Zacatecas.
Juan Montes Vigil then named the individuals who owed
him money. They were Francisco Bernardo de ____azo, merchant and resident of
Zacatecas (1590 pesos); don Diego de Monteverde, merchant (1000 pesos); Alférez
José Delgado, merchant (500 pesos); and Nicolás Jaime (224 pesos and 4
tomines), Agustín Guerrero (40 pesos); Lucas Fernández Pardo, el mozo, vecino
de Zacatecas (42 pesos); Mathías de Palacios, vecino of Zacatecas (27 pesos);
Luis de Arteaga, vecino of Puebla (140 pesos); and Gerónimo Montaño (207 pesos).
It was his desire to leave 15 ducados for the
Confraternity of the Most Holy Sacrament in Zacatecas.
He had two slaves, a “mulata” [mixed race] named
Tomasa and her one-year old son named Miguel. A third mulata slave of his,
Nicolasa, age twenty-nine, was in the possession of Tomás Hernandez, vecino de
Zacatecas. This slave he had purchased from Ayudante [Assistant] Diego Jaimes,
vecino de Zacatecas, and he expected Hernández to pay him a total of 115 pesos
for this slave, having already received 15 pesos.
Juan Montes Vigil named Nicolás Díaz Caballero as the
executor of his estate and ordered that his natural son, Francisco Montes
Vigil, age sixteen more or less, be placed in the care of Díaz Caballero,
Francisco's uncle. He also stated that if his son died before coming of age to
acquire the estate of his inheritance that everything would go to his sister
María de Herrera Cantillana.
Also, Juan
Montes Vigil mentioned as his heir an orphan boy named Carlos Vigil, age two,
who was being reared by Juan and his sister, María. He placed this boy in the
care of Díaz Caballero also. Although it is not clearly stated, it appears that
María de Herrera Cantillana was married with Nicolás Díaz Caballero.
In his second testament dated 23 April 1683,
Zacatecas, Juan Montes Vigil declared he was a merchant and a resident of
Zacatecas, a native of Ciudad de México and the legitimate son of Juan Montes
Vigil and Catalina de Cantillana, natives of "reynos de Castilla." He
once again confessed in his believe in the Catholic faith, he asked that all
his funeral expenses be paid from his belongings.
He requested that 100 pesos be paid to Dionisio de
Cuéllar, a merchant. He asked that doña Juana de Mizquia, widow of Pedro de
Lezamas, be given 100 pesos. He also requested that 500 pesos be paid to don
Diego de Montes, and another 300 pesos be paid to Diego Sánchez de Salas,
treasurer.
Juan Montes Vigil declared he was a single man and had
never been married. He also declared that he had a natural son by a single
woman and identified this son as Francisco Montes Vigil, seventeen years old
and married and veiled in the Catholic Church with María Jiménez.
He asked to be buried in the parish church and once
again ordered that 15 ducados de Castilla be given to the Confraternity of the
Most Holy Sacrament.
Juan Montes also had a “natural” daughter who was
buried at Zacatecas 26 December 1667
The fact that no mother was named is consistent with
Juan’s testimony that he was single, and also that he was responsible in one
way or another, for the children he fathered.
By 1690, Juan Montes Vigil had
recovered from his illnesses and ran into trouble with the law. He was jailed
for not paying a debt he owed to the convent of San Francisco in the city of
San Luis Potosi. He spent 30 days in jail.
What all these documents reveal are the real life
problems and issues that Juan Montes Vigil,
his sister María de Herrera, Francisco Montes Vigil, and María Jimenes
dealt with, such as Juan losing a daughter at a very young age, spending time
in prison for not complying with the law, buying and selling his fellow human
beings as slaves, and writing out a will when facing death. Whether his son
Francisco Montes Vigil ever knew his mother or not we may never know, but he
and his wife María Jimenez went into the northern country of New México to
start a new life.
Francisco Montes Vigil
Captain Francisco Montes Vigil, a pioneer settler of New
México was born out of wedlock to an unnamed woman fathered by Juan Montes
Vigil. He was born in the year 1665, more or less in Zacatecas, Mexico and died
11 September 1731 in Santa Cruz about 66 years old. Francisco was married by 1683 to María Jiménez
de Ancizo and moved to New México in 1695 as part of the Reconquest. They were
in Santa Fe in 1695, he said that he was
a native of El Real de Zacatecas and thirty years old.
Through a muster roll of Colonists we know Francisco,
his wife and their children came to New México in 1695 with the Juan Páez
Hurtado expedition. He is described on the muster roll as thirty, an
able-bodied Spanish native of Zacatecas with somewhat curly chestnut hair, and
a scar on the left side of his face below his eye. In 1710 he received a grant
of land at Alameda, but sold it two years later.
Their known children were Maria Vigil, wife of Martin
Romero and mother of Antonio Romero; Gertrudis Vigil; Elena Vigil; Domingo
Vigil who married Maria Estela Marquez; Francisco Vigil husband of Antonia Jiron and then of Lorenza
Medina; Manuel Vigil who married Manuela Sanchez; Juan Vigil husband of Ynez Lopez and then of Nicolasa
Lujan; and, presumably, Pedro Vigil, who married Juana Trujillo.
Whether Francisco ever knew his mother or not we may
never know, but he and his wife María pioneered into the northern country of Nuevo
México to start a new life. Through their children, they became the progenitors
of the Vigil family of New Mexico. Capitán Francisco Montes Vigil died 11
September 1730 and was buried at Santa Cruz de la Cañada (Sante Fe).
Francisco
Vigil’s Descent from Charlemagne the Holy Roman Emperor
It has been
confirmed that any individual who can trace a lineage verified by
documentation to Francisco Montes Vigil (is a descendant of Charlemagne the Holy
Roman Emperor of the 9th Century. He was responsible for uniting
most of Europe under his rule by the power of the sword, for helping to restore
the Western Roman Empire (becoming its first emperor), and for facilitating a
cultural and intellectual renaissance.
Generation
1: Charlemagne the Holy Roman Emperor
Generation
2: Louis “The Pious,” Holy Roman Emperor,
Generation
3: Lothair I, Holy Roman Emperor,.
Generation
4: Lothair II, King Of Lorraine,
Generation
5: Princess Bertha, married Thibaud, Count Of Arles,
Generation
6: Boso of Arles, Margrave Of Tuscany
Generation
7: Willa of Tuscany, married Berengario II, King Of Italy,
Generation
8: Adalberto, Margrave of Ivrea,
Generation
9: Otto alias Guillaume, Count Of Mâcon, Count of Burgundy,
Generation
10: Renaud I, Count of Burgundy,
Generation
11: Guillaume I, Count of Burgundy,
Generation
12: Raymond of Burgundy, Count of Galicia, married Urraca I, Queen of Castilla
y León,
Generation
13: Alfonso VII, “El Emperador,” King of Castilla y León,
Generation
14: Fernando II, King of León,
Generation
15: Alfonso IX, King of León,
Generation
16: Doña Aldonza Alfonso de León, married don Pedro Ponce de Cabrera,
Generation
17: Don Fernán Pérez Ponce de León,
Generation
18: Don Fernando Pérez Ponce de León
Generation
19: Don Fernán Pérez Ponce de León,
Generation
20: Don Pedro Ponce de León,
Generation
21: Doña Beatriz Ponce de León, married don Diego Fernández de Miranda.
Generation
22: Doña Inés de Miranda y Ponce de León married don Martín Vásquez de Quirós,
Generation
23: Don Diego Fernández de Miranda,
Generation
24: Don Diego de Quirós Miranda,
Generation
25: Doña María de Quirós y Miranda married don Diego de Argüelles, a resident
of Candamo in Asturias in 1546, son of don Estaban de Argüelles, Señor de la
Casa de Argüelles, and doña María González Valdés.
Generation
26: Don Lope de Argüelles married doña María Valdés Vigil, Señora de la Torre y
Solar de los Vigiles de San Martin de Vega de Poja.
Generation
27: Doña Catalina de Argüelles married Francisco Vigil de San Martino.
Generation
28: María de Vigil married Juan Montes Vigil of Vega de Poja, Asturias, son of
Lucas Montes Vigil and Isabel Vigil, each said to be hidalgos of the Casa y
Solar de Vigil in Consejo de Siero, Asturias.
Generation
29: Juan Montes Vigil II, native of San Martino de Siero, Consejo de Siero,
Asturias, also known as Juan Montes Quiñones y Argüello, traveled to Nueva
España July 21, 1611, Zacatecas, Nueva Galica, died before June 27, 1656, and
married doña Catalina de Herrera Cantillana, a resident of Mexico City, Nueva
España, and Zacatecas, Nueva Galicia. They were the parents of Juan Montes
Vigil.
Generation
30: Juan Montes Vigil III, also referred as Juan Montes Argüello resided in
Zacatecas, Nueva Galicia, and did not marry. His natural son was Francisco
Montes Vigil by either an Indian woman of a women that was part Indian and part
African. He also declared the ownership of 2 mulatto slaves. One was named
Tomasa de la Cruz and the other named Nicolasa
Generation
31: Francisco Montes Vigil born circa 1665, Zacatecas, Nueva Galicia, married
María Jiménez (Ximénez) de Enciso (Anciso), and they settled Nuevo México in
1695.
Domingo Montes Vigil
Francisco Montes Vigil and Maria Jiménez had a son
they named Domingo Montes Vigil. He was born 1696 in Santa Cruz New Mexico. Domingo married as his first wife Maria
Estela Marquez, born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the daughter of Diego Marquez and
Juana Martin Serrano. After she died, he remarried in 1718 in Chimayo, Santa
Cruz, to Pasquala Salazar. He was 22 at the time of this marriage. Pasquala
Salazar was born 1704 in Santa Fe, New México
and would have been 14 at the time of her marriage. She was the daughter of Agustin Maria de
Salazar and Felipa Teresa de Gamboa.
Juan Bautista Vigil y Alarid
Domingo Montes Vigil was the great grandfather of Juan Bautista Vigil y Alarid who was the last Mexican
governor of New Mexico. Juan Bautista Vigil y Alarid had a long political
career after the independence of Mexico from Spain in 1821, when he became
secretary of state to the first Mexican governor of New Mexico, Francisco
Javier Chávez.
Nuevo México was at first a province of the Estado
interno del Norte, with its capital at Chihuahua. In May 1824 Vigil y Alarid
was aNuevo Mexicanos deputy to the state
congress in Chihuahua. In July 1824, Nuevo México was made a separate territory
from the State of Chihuahua, with the historic El Paso del Norte (Ciudad
Juárez) transferred from Nuevo México to Chihuahua. It was a move that Vigil opposed. In 1826
Vigil was appointed customs collector by the central government, in charge of
regulating the trade with the United States via the Santa Fe Trail, a difficult
position and one in which he came to blows with the trader Charles Bent. He
served in various positions in the Nuevo Mexicanos government until the United States take-over.
Vigil y Alarid was left in charge as acting Governor
of Nuevo México when his predecessor Manuel Armijo fled Santa Fe to escape the
approaching United States troops under General Stephen Kearny. On 19 August
1846 he accepted the defeat of Nuevo México and pledged the loyalty of himself
and his fellow citizens to the United States. He was replaced by Charles Bent as governor.
Domingo Montes Vigil was also the great grandfather of
José Donaciano Vigil who was first cousin to Juan Cristobal Montes Vigil the
father of Agapito Vigil. José Donaciano Vigil became the second New Mexico Territorial Governor after the
murder of Charles Bent.
The Salazar Family
Francisco de Salazar Hachero (abt. 1600 - 1643)was the
father of Bartolomé de Salazar, [abt. 1630-1673], according to the Great New
Mexico Surname Index. Francisco de Salazar first appears in the soldier-escorts of 1625,
and then in 1643. In 1634, if it was the
same man, he was Procurator General of New Mexico. He was deeply involved in
the Governor Rosas murder affair, he was beheaded with otherNuevo Mexicanos officers in 1643. In the 1642 trial, his full surname was given
as Salazar Hachero.
Francisco de Salazar’s punishers tried to behead him
with his own dagger, “they made a bad job of it”. According to witnesses, his
death was badly botched. The man’s own dagger was used, but it was too dull to
sever the neck. Bleeding, he croaked: “For God’s sake, sharpen that thing and
put me out of my misery.” The executioner did as requested. “The crowd summoned
to the plaza that afternoon included relatives of the victims, no doubt
including Francisco Salazar’s son, Bartolomé.
Bartolome Antonio de Salazar was born about 1630, in
Nuevo México, New Spain as the son of Francisco de Salazar Hachero. He married
Maria de Hinojos about 1650 the daughter of Miguel de Hinojos and his unnamed Zuni
Indian wife. . They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 5 daughters. In
1662, his occupation is listed as alcalde mayor of Zuni and moqui
jurisdicion in Zuni Pueblo, Nuevo
México, New Spain. He died before 1680.
When Agustin Maria de Salazar was born circa 1665 in
Zuni Pueblo, Nuevo México, New Spain, his father,
Bartolome Antonio de Salazar, was 36 and his mother, Maria de Hinojos, was 30. He
was a blind interpreter, “proficient in his mother’s tongue,” who reported the
impending Indian resistance late in December, 1693, while Vargas was waiting
for the Tanos to vacate Santa Fe. He was helped to safety by Miguel Lujan. In
1698 he gave his age as thirty-three.” He died on 17 February 1741, in Santa
Cruz de la Canada, Nuevo México, and was buried in Santa Cruz de la Canada,. He
had at least 5 sons and 5 daughters with Felipa Teresa de Gamboa.
Felipa de Gamboa was
the daughter of Juan de Gamboa, who figured in 1661 as the father of
Petronila de Gamboa, “a girl of low estate” who was supposedly raped or seduced
by Gov. Lopez Mendizabal. Her mother’s name was Maria Pacheco.' The child from this
affair was Juan de Gamboa II who figured in a marriage squabble in the
following century.
The first Juan de Gamboa seems to have had another
wife, Luisa (or Lucia) Martin Barba, by whom he had a daughter, Felipa, who
later married Agustin de Salazar. Antonio de Salazar, son of Agustin de Salazar
and Felipa de Gamboa, married Maria de Torres in Santa Fe, November 27, 1708.
In 1714 he asked for Santa Cruz lands west of the Rio
del Norte that had belonged to his grandfather, Captain Alonso Martin Barba,
and the Governor ordered the grant made.
Alonso Martin Barba was the father of Domingo Martin Barba who married
Sebastiana Mondragon the maternal ancestor of Salvador Romero, the 3rd
Great grandfather of Antonio de Jesus Romero.
Cristoval Montes Vigil
Cristoval Montes Vigil who was born circa 1722 in Santa Cruz, Nuevo México the
son of Domingo Montes Vigil and Pasquala Salazar. When he was 21 years old, Cristoval Monte
Vigil married Maria Teodora Medina in 1743 at Santa Cruz, Nuevo México. Teodora de Medina was born circa 1726 in Santa
Cruz, Nuevo México, daughter of Jose Ysidro de Medina and Catarina Martin
Serrano. She was 17 at the time of her marriage. They were the parents of at
least 10 sons and 3 daughters. He died in 1791, in Kingdom of Nuevo México at
the age of 71.
Jose Ysidro de Medina was the uncle of Felipe Romero.
which made Teodora his first cousin. Both
Antonio de Jesus Romero and Gregoria Vigil were descendants of Maria Telles
Jiron the mother of Josefa de Medina and Ysidro de Medina. Antonio de Jesus and
Jose Agapito Vigil were 4th cousins.
Catarina Martin Serrano was the daughter of Cristobal
Martin and Maria Montoya de Paredes and granddaughter of Cristóbal Martín
Serrano and Antonia Moraga and Felipe
Montoya and María de Paredes.
Felipe de Montoya declared in 1680 that he had four
sons. He was twenty-nine in 1681 when he was described as a native of New
Mexico, married, of a good slender stature, and having an aquiline face scarred
by smallpox, and a thick beard.” From later marriages of two children, Maria
with Cristobal Martin, and Clemente with Josefa Lujan, we learn that his wife
was Maria de Paredes, of the Dominguez de Mendoza clan; hence, Felipe was
closely related to Antonio and Diego, perhaps a brother.
Juan
Miguel Montes Vigil was born 3 February 1762 in Santa Cruz, Nuevo México and baptized
11 February 1762 also at Santa Cruz dela Canada. He married at the age of 22 Ana Maria
Vallejos on 22 November 1784 in Santa Cruz. Ana Marie was baptized 12 Jun 1767
at the Villa De San Felipe Albuquerque, Nuevo
México, the daughter of Bernardo de Sena Vallejos and Juana de Luna. He later
married Maria Conception Trujillo on 30 November 1829 at Taos. She was born
about 1809 and was the widow of Carmen Salazar.
Juan Miguel Montes Vigil’s brother was Juan Cristobal Vigil the father
of Jose Donaciano Vigil the governor of New Mexico Territory from 1847 to 1848.
The Vallejo
Family
Manuel Vallejo Gonzalez was the son of Juan Gonzales Vallejo and Ana
Gonzales, born in Acatzingo, and thirty-three when he joined the 1693 colonists
with his thirty-one year-old wife, Maria Lopez de Arteaga, as a blacksmith. He
was tall, dark, and bald, with large eyes. With them came Angela Teresa a
seven-year-old child by Manuel’s previous marriage, Maria Nicolasa Lopez Solis.
Manuel’s second wife died during childbirth on the
journey, at El Puesto de Collosillas, and was buried in the convent church of
San Francisco de Santiago in Querétaro.’ After reaching Santa Fe, Manuel
married Mariana Hurtado, on 7 November 1694. He gave his age as thirty-four. In
1698 he sold his grant at Santa Cruz,‘ and moved to his new wife’s country in
the Rio Abajo.
Two known sons by Mariana Hurtado were Antonio Vallejo
who married to Micaela Silva, and Ignacio Lugardo Vallejo who married Rosa
Romero the daughter of Matias Romero de Pedraza and María Ángela Teresa
Vallejos. Matias Romero de Pedraza was a direct descendant of Bartolomé Romero
and Luisa López Robledo.
Angela Teresa Vallego was the little girl of
Manuel’s first marriage and who made the long trip from Mexico City to Santa Fe
with her twice-widowed father and became the wife of Miguel Lucero de Godoy and
later of Matias Romero. Her half brother Ignacio Lugardo Vallejo married her
daughter Rosa Romero which would never been allowed by Catholic laws of
consanguinity
María
Ángela, daughter of Manuel Vallejo and María López, was baptized on 16 October
1685 in Ciudad de México, Nueva España. Her father enlisted as a settler for Nuevo
México in 1693 and she arrived in Santa Fe with her family on June 24, 1694.
She married Miguel Lucero de Godoy sometime after
November 4, 1700. They had at least three children: Manuel, María and Manuel
Miguel before Miguel Sr.'s untimely death in 1709. She later married Matías
Romero de Pedraza circa 1711, based on the birth of her daughter María Rosalia
Romero de Pedraza.
There
was a Prenuptial Investigation, at Bernalillo, taken on 4 November 1700. “Miguel Lucero, Santa Fe Presidio
soldier, son of Nicolas Lucero and Maria Montoya, natives of Nuevo México living
here, and Angela Teresa Vallejo daughter of Manuel Vallejo and Maria Lopez
Solis, deceased. Witnesses, Jose Mascareñas (32), native of Mexico City,
notary, Joaquin Sedillo (25), native of New Mexico, Cristobal Jaramillo (36).
Angela's
daughter Maria Lucero was baptized on 1 December 1708 in Albuquerque,
Bernalillo, son Manuel Miguel Lucero was baptized on 6 January 1710 in
Albuquerque, Bernalillo. Angela's daughter Rosalia Romero married Lugardio
Vallejo on 31 May 1730 in Albuquerque, Bernalillo, Nuevo México.
Their
son Bernardino de Sena Vallejo, was baptized 22 May 1735, the son Lugardo
Vallejo and Rosa Romero and married Maria Luna in 1756.
Following are the Known Children Of Juan Miguel Vigil
and Anna Maria Vallejos:
Francisco Vigil baptized 23 July 1785 at Santa Cruz De la Canada. He
Married Concepcion Hurtado 28 August 1808.She was the daughter of Juan Hurtado
and Matiana Romero.
Juan Cristoval Vigil baptized
10 March 1787 at Santa Cruz dela Canada. He married Antonia Viviana Torres, the
daughter of Antonio Torres and Nicolasa Sandoval.
Cristoval Faustin Vigil born
11 September 1789 died before 1860
Juan De Jesus Vigil baptized
23 September 1792 at Santa Cruz Dela Canada. He married Luisa Agustina Salazar
12 July 1812 at Taos. She was the daughter of Juan Manuel Salazar and Maria
Delos Reyes Martin.
Soledad Vigil baptized 24 July 1794 at Taos. She married
Ramon Salazar 26 Oct 1809 at Taos. He was the son of Juan Manuel Salazar and
Maria De Los Reyes Martin
Maria Refugio Vigil married
Salvador Gutierrez 8 Dec 1832.He was the son of Francisco Gutierrez and
Guadalupe Martin.
Miguel Vigil and Ana Marie Vallejo were the parents of
Juan Cristobal Montes Vigil who was born 5 Mar 1787 in Santa Cruz, Nuevo México
He died circa 1832. He married circa
1809 Viviana Torres, who was born 19 Jan 1790 in Embudo, San Juan, New Mexico,
to Jose Antonio Torres and Maria Nicolasa Antonia Sandoval. She died 12 Jan
1860 at Culebra.
The Torres Family
Cristóbal Tórres,
Cristóbal Tórres a native of New México, gave his age
as thirty in 1698, and forty-four or forty-five in 1710. His wife was Angela de
Leyva, which can be found in his last will and the marriage records of his
children. In 1698, he was at Guadalupe del Paso where Cristóbal married Ángela
de Leyva, daughter of José de Leyva de Nevares and Juana Frésqui. Ángela de
Leyva was born in 1657 in Galisteo, Nuevo México, Nueva España, and died in Mar-Apr 1729 in Nuevo Mexico, Nueva
España 250. She was buried on 1 Apr 1729 in Santa Cruz de la Cañada, Nuevo Mexico,
Nueva España.
Cristóbal de Torres passed muster in 1681 at El Paso
de Norte as a native of Nuevo México, married, and forty years of age. He was
described as being thickset, of medium height, rather fat, with a crooked nose,
black hair, and an awkward gait. He married Angela de Leyba. They were the
parents of at least 1 son and 5 daughters.
He was on inactive-duty status with the El Paso
presidial troops in 1700. By 1710 he was an Alférez and resident of
Alburquerque, Nuevo México where he participated in the 1715 Apache campaign.
His daughter Francisca Torres married Felix Luján and
was murdered by him in 1713. Another daughter María Torres married Antonio de
Salazar in 1713. His daughter Josefa Torres was the wife of man whose last name
was Martín, and they had a son named Manuel Martín. His daughter Margarita
Torres became the wife of Bartolomé Trujillo.
Several years
later he established himself at Santa Cruz where in 1719, he was the alcalde
mayor. Cristóbal Torres is listed on the
Muster roll passed by the soldiers of the Presidial Fortress of the Villa de
Santa Fé of their arms and horses, the 18th of June of 1723. In 1724, he was given a large grant near the
"Old Pueblo" of Chama. Cristóbal Tórres, on 16 Feb 1724 wrote a
letter to Lieutenant-Governor Juan Paez Hurtado notifying him of the theft of
horses of José Luján by the Ute Indians. He was accused, in 1726, of reporting
to Juan Páez Hurtado the names of poor people who were trading illegally with
non-Pueblo Natives.
On 9 December 1726, he made his will at San José de
Chama declaring his wife and the
following children: Diego, Francisca, María, Josefa and Margarita. He died on
12 December 1726, in Santa Cruz de la Canada, Nuevo México. His age was given
as 78, but if he was born in 1641 he would have been closer to 85. He was buried in Santa Cruz de la Canada,
Nuevo México, New Spain. His wife, Angela Leyba made her will on 2 Mar 1727,
San José de Chama and named the same children. She was at Santa Cruz on 1 April 1727. Her burial record identified her
as age 70 and as the widow of Cristóbal de Torres.
Diego Torres
Diego de Torres was born circa 1689 in Guadalupe del
Paso. He married Maria Rosa Varela Jaramillo on 8 July 1711 the widow of
Francisco Lucero de Godoy son of Nicolas Lucero de Godoy.
“24
April 1711, Alburquerque, Diego de Torres (22), soldier, son of Alferez
Cristobal Torres and Angela Leyva of Santa Fé, and Rosa Varela Jaramillo, widow
of Francisco Lucero, daughter of Alferez Cristóbal Jaramillo and Casilda
Sedillo, deceased, natives of Nuevo México Witnesses: Cristóbal Gongora, notary in Santa
Fé, Antonio Durán de Armijo (42), Manuel Cervantes (34), Juan Luis Cordero
(40), all of Santa Fé. José de Quintana, notary in Alburquerque; Capt. Antonio
Gutierres, (23) and Ramón García Jurado (30), Alburquerque soldier, who
enshrouded the corpse of Francisco Lucero when killed in Zuni province. Pair
married, July 8, 1711, with witnesses, Juan Varela and wife Isabel Sedillo.”
Rosa
Varela Jaramillo died 1712 leaving two sons Salvador de Torres and Marciel de
Torres.
He
lived in Belen, in 1750. He died on 29 July 1758, in Belén, Nuevo México, T the
age of 66, and was buried in Isleta Pueblo, Nuevo México, New Spain. Diego de
Torres, son of the late Cristobal de Torres, was numbered among the first
settlers of Chama as a village in 1731. He gave his age as thirty-nine in this
year as assistant Alcalde of Santa Clara. He was already widowed of Rosa de
Varela when he married again in 1712. Two elder sons of his seem to be the
issue of his first marriage: Salvador, married to Catalina Naranjo, and his
brother Marcial, who was married twice, to Maria Lujan and Maria Martin, by
whom he had several children.
Belen was founded in 1740 as Nuestra Señora de Belén
by a group of colonists led by Diego Torres and Antonio Salazar, who had
received permission to settle the tract of land known as the Belen Grant. The early settlers in the Belen grant included
several genízaro families. The geníizaros, American Indians with origins as
slaves and servants of the colonists, were important in the frontier defense of
Nuevo México For the genízaros,
relocation to Belen and other frontier settlements was a means of acquiring
land.
Their settlement in Belen was established to protect
the southern border of the colony from Apache raiders. Belen was the first of
what would be many genízaro settlements and, by 1744, 40 families were in
residence. Spanish and mestizo families were also settled in Belen. Recognizing
the strategic significance of Belen, Spanish authorities established a fort in
Belen to protect the settlements along the Rio Grande in 1760.
By the 1790s,
Belen had established a city center known as Plaza Vieja, or Old Town, and had
grown from a paraje, or precinct, to a partido, or district, with a population
of 1,695. By 1793, a Catholic church and parish was founded. By the middle of
the 19th century, Belen had outgrown Old Town and was expanding into what
became known as New Town.
Marcial Torres and his son Jose Joaquin Torres,
Marciel was then married to Maria
De la Luz Martin Serrano the daughter of Juan Antonio Martin Serrano and Catalina
Villalpando whose daughter Pascuala Martin Serrano married Joaquin Torres, son of
Marcial by his first wife. Joaquin was
baptized 21 March 1731 at San Juan de los Caballeros, Rio Arriba, Provincia de
Nuevo México, and married Pascuala Martín who was baptized 6 January 1732. Marcial
Torres’ son Jose Joaquin Torres was also slain on the same day as his father
After Marcial Torres’ father
left to start the community of Belan in Rio Abajo, he stayed and lived in the Rio
Arriba area where his father and grandfather had an estancia granted to them by
the King of Spain. He lived near Embuda then in Abiquiu and eventually near
Picuris in the Taos Valley where he is enumerated in the 1750 Spanish Census
on 2
July 1750. The
census list 142 people in 26 families primarily made of the Martin Serrano,
Torres, and Villalpando families.
The Martin
Group consisted of families of Francisco Martin Serrano “el Ciego” and his
brother Alejo Martin Serrano.
Francisco
Martin Serrano “el Ciego” and Casilda Contreras , his son Juan Francisco Martin Serrano and wife Paula Villalpando,
their 5 children and 5 servants [one with child], his son Antonio Martin
Serrano and wife Catalina Villapando with their 2 children and 3 servants.
Lieut.
Nicolas Jacinto Martin Serrano with wife, 4 children and 3 servants. He was a
nephew of Francisco Martin Serrano “el Ciego.
Alejo Martin Serrano wife and a child, father of Nicolas Jacinto Martin Serrano. Alberta Martin
Serrano and husband Jose Zamora their 8 children, and 3 servants. Antonia
Martin Serano and husband Manuel Olguin with 3 children, Juana Martin Serrano
and husband Juan Fresquí with 5 children and
a sister in law, Josefa Martin Serrano and husband Pedro Medina their 7
children, Cayetano Martin wife and
child, Manuel Martin and wife
Juana Trujillo with 3 servants who had 3 small children, and a widow Guadalupe
Martin with 3 children.
The Torres Family intermarried
with the Martin Serrano and Villalpando families. Marciel Torres and wife Maria Martin Serrano daughter of Antonio
Martin Serrano and wife Catalina Villapando with their son and daughter. Maria Leonarda
Torres daughter of Marciel and husband Valentine Antonio Martin Serrano son of Juan
Francisco Martin Serrano and wife Paula Villalpando. Joaquin Torres and wife
Pascuala Martin Serrano daughter of Antonio Martin Serrano and wife Catalina
Villapando. Josefa Villapando and husband Antonio de Dios their 8 children
Other families listed at Picuris
were a widow Juana Zamora with 3 children probably a relative of Jose Zamora, a
widower Bartolome Olguin and his 3 children. He probably was a relative of
Manuel Olguin. A widower simply named Contreras with 3 children was probably
related to Casilda Contreras. Others without know relationships were a widow Gertrudis de Tapia with a child and servant, Juan
Basques his wife and 5 children, Fracisco de la Cruz his wife and 2 children,
Xavier de la Cruz and wife Maria Romero and 2 children, Jose Urtado with wife and 2 children Juan
Manuel Gonzales with wife Rosa Lopez and
2 children and a widow Antonia Lopez with a child
The Martin
Serrano Family
Juan Antonio
Martín Serrano was a brother in law to Marciel Torres and a father in law to
his son Joaquin. He was a descendant of
Luis Martin serrano and his wife Catalina de Salazar who had many descendants to resettle Nuevo México
in 1693 through at least two sons, Luis
and Pedro.
Pedro Martin
Serano de Salazar and his wife, Juana de Arguello, returned in 1693 to
re-settle the ancestral La Canada country. He was dead by 1700, but his widow Juana
was seventy years old in 1718, and still living with her daughter Josefa, widow
of Andrés Archuleta, in Santa Fe.
The known
sons were of Pedro Martin Serrano were
Miguel Martin Serrano husband of Leonor Dominguez de Mendoza, Antonio
Martin Serrano who married Ana Maria Gomez, and then Magdalena Sedillo,
Francisco Martin Serrano “El Ciego,” who was married to Casilda Contreras,
Alejo Martin Serrano and Sebastian
Martin Serrano, husband of Maria Lujan.
Francisco
Martin Serrano, called “El Ciego,” must have been blind, or very much
nearsighted, to deserve the nickname. He appeared on the Spanish census on 12
Jul 1750 in Picuris, Nuevo Mexico, Nueva España with his extended family. He was living at El
Embudo with his wife Casilda Contreras in 1764 when he made his last will.
Antonio Martin Serrano, son of
Francisco Martín Serrano "el ciego" and Casilda Contreras Antonio was married to Catalina de Villalpando, on 26 Aug
1728 in San Juan de los Caballeros Pueblo, Nuevo Mexico She was the daughter of Juan Villapando (1673
- 1716) and Ana Maria Romero (1682 – 1722) the daughter of Alonso Cadmos Romero
and Maria de Tapia. Alonso Romero, not a member of the preceding family, was a
“Criado” at the hacienda of Felipe Romero at Sevilleta. His real name was
Alonso Cadimo, and he was nicknamed “Jola.” His wife was Maria de Tapia. All
this information is from the year 1665. Alonso himself does not appear in 1680
and 1681, having died before that time, evidently, but his family did return
with the Reconquest as Romeros de Predaza. One son, Diego, married a Maria de
San José, and a daughter, Maria, became the wife of Juan de Villalpando.
Juan de Villa El Pando was a
native of La Villa de Leon, and a soldier of Santa Fe, when he married Ana
Maria Romero, June 2, 1694. His parents were Juan de Villa el Pando and Ursula
de Olaes. He was dead by 1718, when a son of theirs got married. Widow was
known also as “La Panda.” Their known children were Ambrosio, Pablo, Juan
Rosalito, and Catalina.’ The girl became the wife of Antonio Martin of Embudo. Ambrosio
de Villalpando was twenty when he married Maria Romero on October 6, 1718. In
1732 a complaint was made against him for mistreating some Picuris Indians,°
and in 1735 he was tried for the killing of an Indian but was found not
guilty.’
Based on some different accounts
of the massacre, we know that somewhere between 12-17 families were living in
the Pablo Villalpando estancia in Taos.
Together, Marciel Torres and his
new wife settled in the area of Picuris
and Taos Nuevo México where they started a new family and develop their new estancia.
The older children of Marciel by his first wife had all married so the extended
family had grown quite large.
“Everything was peaceful until
the early morning of August 4, 1760, when they were attacked by a tribe of
Comanches. Three thousand braves swept
in and extended family soon succumbed.
This time Martial was killed with other family
members as well as his wife and daughters being captured. A couple of his
children survived the massacre perhaps were somewhere else during the attack,
maybe at the grandfather Antonio Martin Serrano’s house.
Marcial
Torres’ father-in-law Antonio Martín Serrano listed to authorities all who were
killed and captured in the Torres Family. Marcial Torres was dead, his second wife María de la Luz Martín was
a captive. His son Jose Joaquin Torres was killed and his wife Pascuala Martín
captured as was his daughter Petronila. Another son, Pablo Torres, was slain and
his wife Francisca Salazar captured. His son in law Julian Jacquez was killed
and Marciel’s daughter Jacinta Torres and granddaughter Francisca Jacquez were captives.
Other family
members taken captive were his son Cristobal Torres (captive
Three
children from this second marriage of Marcial Torres and María Luz Martín taken
captive – one named María and the other unnamed, plus Francisca killed.
Children who survived and placed
in the care of Antonio Martin Serrano were Antonio’s grandchildren
Juliana Torres and Juan Domingo
Torres and Antonio Jose Torres, son of Jose Joaquin Torres and Pascuala Martín
,
The remaining settlers
immediately fell into pursuit. One of
the captured Petronila Torres was either recaptured or redeemed.
Many years pass, and evidence was
found that Jacinta Torres had been sold by the Indians to a trapper in
Arkansas. Rosa Villalpando was also
redeemed by a trader from Saint Louis.
During the settlement of the estate of Marcial
Torres, Antonio Martin gave the following testimony: Marcial died at the hands
of the Comanches in the "valley of Taos" and Antonio paid for masses
to be said for him and for the safety of his daughter & Marcial's wife,
Maria Martin, and two of their children, who were taken captive by the
Comanches.
"There is now in my
possession ... two little orphans; one little girl and one little boy, children
of the said deceased and my daughter, Maria Martin, now a captive and a little
grandson of the said deceased and mine, that is three little orphans that are
in my possession," ... "I took them in charge, considering myself
nearest them, on the part of my daughter now captive, and the two children who
are with her and that the two which I have with me"
In another statement given, Antonio Martin
stated the names of the children from both marriages: First marriage: Joaquin,
now dead, who was married to his, (affiances) daughter, Pasquala, from which
union there is left one child called Antonio Joseph, who is now in his,
(affiants) possession; Pablo, who was killed by the Comanches, having been
married to a daughter of Juan Antonio Salazar, who was carried off into
captivity; Jacinta, who is in captivity and who was married to Julian Jaques,
who was killed by the Comanches, from which union there was one child named
Francisca, who was taken into captivity with her mother by the Comanches;
Leonarda who is married to Valentin Martin; Cristoval, who is also in
captivity; and by the second wife, whose name is Maria, a daughter of the
affiant, he had Juan Domingo, Juliana, Maria and another child whose name he
does not know. Of these, Juan Domingo and Juliana are in his possession and the
other three are in captivity and Francisca, who was killed by the Comanches."
Jose Antonio Torres
When
Jose Antonio Torres was born on 13 February 1752, in Picuris his father, Joaquin
de Torres, was and his mother, Pascuala
Martin Serrano. He was 8 years old when his father was slain by the Comanche
and his mother carried off as a captive.
Antonio Joseph Torres, son of Jose Joaquin Torres and Pascuala Martin,
orphaned living with Antonio Martin
Antonio
lists his daughter, Pascuala Martin, who was married to a son of Marcial (Jose
Joaquin Torres) as being taken captive and their son Jose Antonio (b. 1755), being
left behind and in the custody of his grandfather. In none of the testimony
does it ever state that any of the captives were
rescued, however Pascuala Martin, widow appears in the 1790 census with a son aged
16. What happened to their son Jose Antonio? He may have been living with his
mother when the testimony was given, confusing the identity of him and his
uncle, Jose Antonio, both born two years apart. There is a marriage investigation in Santa Cruz in 1782, listing
Antonio Torres age 25 son of Marcial Torres and Maria Martin both deceased. Is
the child whose name Antonio couldn’t remember in the testimony? The age is
very close to the age of the son of Jose Joaquin and Pascuala, so could he be
the grandson? The marriage witnesses don’t seem to have a problem or bring up
anything unusual about Antonio especially his parentage.
He
married Nicolasa Antonia Sandoval on 8 April 1782, in Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, New
Mexico, United States. She was the daughter of
Juan Joseph Sandoval and Maria Antonia Romero. They were the parents of
at least 5 sons and 5 daughters. He died on 5 February 1800, in Embudo, Rio
Arriba, New Mexico, United States, at the age of 47. Jose Antonio5 Torres, born Abt. April 1755 in Picuris,
Nuevo México His daughter Maria Antonia
Viviana Torres married Juan Christoval Montez Vigil
Children of Juan
Christoval Montez Vigil and Maria Antonia Viviana Torres
Juan Miguel Vigil 1810–Maria
Rosa Vargas
Maria Encarnacion Vigil 1811–1890
Jose Andres Joaquin Garcia
Jose Agapito Vigil Born 13 SEP 1813 at Abiquiu
Ventura De Jesus Vigil 9 May
1814 Taos, Taos, New Mexico, United States 18 August 1828
Ranchos
de Taos, Taos, New Mexico, United States
Antonio Jose Vigil 13 April
1816 Taos, Taos, Nuevo México Territory, United States
Estefana Vigil 10 Apr 1817 Ranchos,
Taos, New Mexico
Maria del Refugio Vigil 30 November
1818 Taos, Taos, Nuevo México died 1845
Salvador Gutierrez 08 Dec 1832 Taos,
Taos, New Mexico
Pedro Antonio Vigil 22 Mar
1821 Mission de Taos, Taos, before 2 April 1909 Cerro, Taos, New Mexico,
Ana Maria Martin 1827–1867 marriage
30 June 1842 Marriage 30 June 1842
Nuestra
Senora De Guadalupe-Catholic Taos, Taos, Mew Mexico, United States
Hipolito Vigil 15 Sep 1823 Taos,
Taos, New Mexico
Ignacio Vigil 21 November
1823 – Deceased
Jose Rafael Vigil 20 April
1828 – 5 December 1846
Maria Nicolasa Vigil 1831–1831
Birth: 24 September 1831 Ranchos de Taos, Taos,
New Mexico, United States Death: 11 December 1831 Ranchos de Taos, Taos, New
Mexico, United States
Maria Guadalupe “Lupita” Vigil Birth:
25 December 1832 Taos, Taos, New Mexico, United States
Death:
Deceased Antonio Maria Cortez 06 Dec 1847 Nuestra Senora De Guadalupe-Catholic,
Taos, Taos, New Mexico
In
a 1841 New México Census, Agapito Vigil
was listed as a 27 year old single man. Five years later at the age of 33, he
married 15 year old Maria de Altagracia Valdez on or 26 May 1845 6 May 1846 Nuestra
Senora De Guadalupe-Catholic, Taos, Taos, Nuevo México in Taos County. Altagracia
Valdez was born 1831 in Abiquiu, New Mexico, the daughter of Jose Manuel Valdez
and Maria dela Luz Trujillo. The families
of Vigil, Torres, Valdez, and Trujillo eventually all trace their roots back to
Rio Arriba County in the Espanola Valley.
Marriage Records of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in
Taos County, New México show that Agipito Vigil, the son of Juan Cristobal Vigil
and Viviana Torres of the Plaza of San Francisco del Rancho married Maria Alta
Gracia Valdez daughter of Jose Manuel Valdez and Maria de la Luz Trujillo of
Abiquiu.
On 16 November the 1850 U.S. Census of Taos County,
Northern Division enumerated the family of Agapito Vigil as household 714. The
family of Felipe Romero was also enumerated on 16 November 1850 at household 676
which indicated that Agapito was in what was to become Mora County and near San
Antonio. They were less than 40 families away from each other. As that a
daughter was baptized at San Lorenzo de Picuris in October 1850 the family must
have just recently arrived at San Antonio.
Agapito Vigil was
listed as age 28 (1822) born Taos County New México Farmer $200 worth of Real Estate. His age was
off by about 10 years. His wife’s age was correct. Maria Alta Gracia Valdez age
19 (1831) born Rio Arriba County New México.
They had three daughters recorded in the census all born near San Antonio when
it was still part of Taos County. Maria Gregoria Vigil age 4
(1846) born Taos County New México Maria
Josefa Vigil age 2 (1848) born Taos County New México [baptized 24 Aug 1848 in Ojo Caliente,
Abiquiu, Nuevo México Maria Miguela Vigil age 2
months (1850) born Taos County New México
born Oct 1850 in San Lorenzo de Picuris
If
Gregoria was born in 1846 then her mother Altagracia was pregnant at the time
of her marriage as it was only six months from May to November.
The 1860 Census
of Mora County
The 1860 U.S. Census reveals
that Agapito and Altagracia had indeed moved
to Mora County along with Agapito’s father and his mother in law, Manuel Valdez
and Maria
dela Luz Trujillo. The 1860 U.S. Census of Mora County New México show that the
Vigils, Romeros, and Valdez’ were living in the Precinct of San Antonio as of 8
August 1860. Their Post Office address was Fernando de Taos. The northern area
of the Plaza of San Antonio would become the community of Agua Negra. The
Vigils were listed as Household 3398 and the Valdez were 14 households away at
number 3385.
None
of the daughters listed in Agapito’s household in 1850 remained in 1860. Maria
Gregoria Vigil was 13 years old when
she married Antonio de Jesus Romero in 1859. Her sister Maria Josefa Vigil who would had been 12 in 1860 and sister
Maria Miguela Vigil at 9 years old are absent and probably Maria Gregoria Vigil
is living with her husband Antonio Romero next door in Household 3399, with a
six month old daughter and a 8 year old servant, likely provided by Agapito
Vigil.
Agapito
Vigil was listed as a farmer with $1000 in real
estate and $1800 worth of person property which showed he was quite well
off. His wife Alta Gracia Valdez was
listed as aged 26 and there were three children at home a daughter and two sons
all born in Mora County. They were Maria de Jesus Vigil age 8
(1852) Mora County, Jose Benito Vigil age 4 (1856) Mora County and Jose de Luz Vigil age 1
(1859-60) Mora County. A servant cook
named Ines Antonia aged 23 from Chihuahua, Mexico was also included in the
household. This record also shows
Agapito Vigil to be a person of wealth and even had a domestic servant from Mexico
Agapito’s fathr In law Jose Manuel Valdez was
listed as age 80 (1780) born Rio Arriba Co New México and a farmer. He is quite wealthy also with
$1160 worth of real estate and $2000 worth of personal property. Maria dela Luz
Trujillo age 60 (1800) Rio Arriba County
This
record shows that Jose Manuel Valdez was a substantial land owner and man of
means. Both he and his wife are originally
from Arriba County.
The 1860’s was a time of
conflict among the Anglo population of New Mexico. After the civil war records
show that on 26 February 1866 Agapito Vigil of Agua Negra paid to the IRS a tax
of $35. Whether this prompted the family to leave Mora County, between 1866 and
1870 Agapito moved to the Apishapa River Valley, in Las Animas, Colorado
Territory. There they are located as of 16 June 1870 as Household 152. Their
Post Office Address was Trinidad. The Old Santa Fe Trail went through Las
Animas down into New Mexico.
Agripa Vigil moved his family some 150 miles
northeast of Agua Negra. He gave his occupation as a farmer and grazier.
Grazier is an old fashion term pastoral farming
which is a form of agriculture aimed at producing livestock, rather than
growing crops. He certainly was raising sheep on his land. His finances are
considerably reduced compared to the decade before. He is only listed as owning
$360 worth of real estate and $300 worth of personal property.
Within his household are his wife
Altagracia and his son Jose dela Luz, but he also has two Indian women as
servants who had 5 Indian children between them. The way the families are
grouped certainly Fernando and Ramon were children or grandchildren of
Guadalupe and Marcelina, Manuelita, and Pedro were children of Josefa. In all there are 12 individuals within his
household, including 35 year old laborer and a 12 year old Turcerio Gallegos, a
cow herder.
These
last two were not Indians. All members
of the household were born in New Mexico.
Agapita Vigil age 46 (1824), Maria Alta Gracia Vigil
age 36 (1834), Jose De La Luz Vigil age 10 (1860) at school, Guadalupe Vigil
age 50 (1820) listed as a female Indian Servant, Fernando Vigil age 4 (1866)
listed as an Indian boy, Ramon Vigil age 1 Month (born May 1870) listed as an
Indian girl, Josefa Vigil age 30 listed as a female Indian who cooks for the
family, Marcelina Vigil age 6 (1864) listed as an Indian girl, Maria Manuelita
Vigil age 2 (1868) listed as an Indian girl, Pedro Antonio Vigil age 1 Month
(born May 1870) listed as an Indian boy, Mariano Cordero age 35 listed as a
laborer, and Turcerio Gallegos age 12 listed as a cowherder
1880 Census
When the Agapito Vigil family was enumerated as
Household 65 in the 1880 Census, they had returned to Precinct 9 in Mora
County. They were enumerated on 17 June 1880 as living on Agra Negra home on “Abaso
Street”. Agapito was no longer listed as a farmer but was a “laborer” aged 59 [1821]
when he would have been closer to 66 years old. His wife Alta Gracia was listed
as 46 years old, which would have been correct. The only child still at home in
1880 was still Jose de Luz whose age was given as 17 when he would have been
closer to 20. Within the household is a 11 year old female servant named
Ramonina Vigil who while not stated was probably Indian. She was surely the 1 month old baby girl Ramon
from the 1870 Census. The children of their
cook Josefa Vigil seemed to have moved to Costilla County, Colorado where
Josefa’s daughter Maria Manuela now “Valdez” married Jose Gabriel Oilvas on 19
December 1879 in San Luis, Costilla County
The last census that Agapito and Alta Gracia are
recorded in was the 1885 New Mexicano Territorial Census which is deeply
flawed. The Census was taken on 22 June 1885 and Agapito’s family is listed as
the 352 Household in Precinct 1 of Mora County. The family is enumerated
between his former son in law a 60 year old German named William Gandert listed
as head of household 351 and that of his son in law Antonio de Jesus Romero at
household 353.
Agapito was listed as a 55 year old farmer [1830] when
he should have been 71 years old. His wife Maria Altagracia is listed as 50
years old [1835] which is closer to really age of 57. Three individuals are listed as his sons,
however only one was his son and that was 26 [1859] year old Luz Vigil. The
other individuals were Ramona age 26 [1859] and Davis Gandert born August
1884. Actually Ramona would have been
the year old baby in the 1870 census, and the 10 year old within the 1880
Census. She should have been listed as a 15 year old girl. Davis Gandert was
his grandson. In Antonio de Jesus Romero’s household, Ricardo Romero was identified as his daughter
instead of his son.
Ages given for Agapito Vigil in all the federal censuses
in which he was enumerated were deeply flawed either by ignorance or choice.
Baptismal records from Taos show that he was born in 1813 how no census gives
this date even as an approximate except a Mexican Census of 1841 which listed
his age as 27 [1814]. His marriage record from 1846 listed him as 33 years old
[1813] however from 1850 onward his age is stated that he was at least a decade
younger than he was. In 1850 he was 28 [1822], in 1860 age 36, 1824, in 1870 46
years old 1824, 1880 age 59 1821 and in 1885 age 55 [1830]. Why all the discrepancies is hard to explain
as that others in the household were generally given the correct ages.
Jose Agapito Vigil was thought to have died January
1888 at Agua Negra, Mora County, New Mexico about 74 years old. There is no
record of the death of his wife although being younger she may have lived as a
widow.
The Children of
Agapito Vigil and Alta Gracia Valdez were the following:
Maria Gregoria Vigil was born
on 6 May 1846, in Taos, New Mexico She
married Antonio de Jesus Romero on May 9, 1859, in Mora, Mora, New Mexico They had nine children in 21 years. She died
in 1920 at the age of 74 at Holman.
Maria Josefa Vigil was born
on 20 August 1848 at Taos, New Mexico. She died as a child circa 1855 at the
same time as her younger sister of some childhood disease.
Maria Miguela Vigil was born
in September 1850 in Taos, New Mexico She died as a child in 1855.
Maria de Jesus Vigil was born
in 1852 in Mora, County, New Mexico She
married William Frederick Gandert on 23 January 1866, in Agua Negra. January
23, 1866, I married and veiled William Gandert, legit., son of William Gandert
and of Maria Engelhart, from Alemania (Germany), with Maria de Jesus Vigil,
Single, legit., daughter of Agapito Vigil and of Maria Altagracia Valdez, from
Agua Negra. Wit: Juan Marquez and Albino Atencio. (Note: The bride listed as
Jesusita in margin). pg. 53, Mora Marriages, 1856-1875
They had five children during
their marriage. She died as a young mother in 1877 in childbirth at the age of
25. William was born in Hannover, Germany, came to the United States in 1851 at
the age of 19, and settled in St. Louis Missouri. Soon afterward he got a job
as a freighter and joined a mule team outfit headed west to Santa Fe, New México
which consumed several months. He remained in the Santa Fe, and Taos area for
the next 10 years, teaching school, part time store clerking, and practicing
medicine. Additionally, He operated a cattle ranch, and also opened Two stores,
one in Agua Negra [Holman], and one in San Antonio [Cleveland], New Mexico He became a leading men of the county, serving
as deputy sheriff, and also on the board of county commissioners. He married
his first wife Maria DeJesus Vigil, and they had five children: Andres, Daniel,
Carlos, Frederick, and Maria Teresa. With his second wife, Maria Altagracia Arellano,
they had five children: John, Bonifacio, Magdelena, Madalena, Davis and Regina.
Both William, and his second wife Maria died in 22 March 1898 in Holman, he was
65 years old. To the Editor of the Optic.
Holman, N.M., March 23rd, 1898. | Dr. William Gandert, a well-known old-timer
of Holman, N.M., died yesterday at his ranch at 3 p.m. The doctor came to Las
Vegas last week and going home caught a very bad cold, which turned into
pneumonia. He leaves a large family of six sons and two daughters. He will be
buried today at 10 a.m. at his place, by his request before he died. He was 65
years old. Peace to his ashes. | Las Vegas Daily Optic, 25 Mar 1898; also cited
in The Albuquerque Journal, 29 Mar 1898
Jose Benito Vigil was born in
November 1858 in San Antonio, New Mexico He married Margarita Romero in 1878. She was
the daughter of Juan Miguel Romero and Maria del Refugio Duran y Lopez and a
descendant from Felipe Romero and Casilda Mestas. She and Ricardo de Jesus
Romero were 3rd cousins. Ricardo was Benito’s nephew. He farmed at Agua Negra all his life. They had
six children in 16 years. He died on October 31, 1943, in Holman, New Mexico,
at the age of 84.
Jose de la Luz "Luis" Vigil was born in 1859 in Mora, New Mexico He had eight children with Julianita Olivas
"Julia" Gonzales Birth 27 June 1875 • New Mexico Jose Vicente M Gonzales and Maria Magdalena Fernandez.
The 1910 census stated they were married 22 years which would have been 1888
when he was 29 years old and she about 13 years old. That census stated that
she was the mother of 13 children but only 5 were alive in 1910. He died on March 23, 1933, in Platte,
Wyoming, at the age of 74, and was buried in Wheatland, Wyoming.
No comments:
Post a Comment