Juan Miguel Romero and Maria Manuela Garcia de Noriego
When Juan Miguel Romero was christened on 19 July
1751, in Santa Cruz, Rio Arriba, Nuevo
México , his father, Felipe, was 37 and his mother, Casilda, was 29. He was raised between Santa Cruz and San Juan
de Los Caballeros where he was related to many of the old families of the
area.
When he was not yet 8 years old, on 2 February 1759 he
sponsored with his mother Casilda Mestas, a child of Roque Madrid and Teresa
Sandoval at Santa Cruz. At the age of 18, on 9 October 1769, he sponsored a
child of his cousin Cristobal Mascarenas.
In 1770 and 1772 he sponsored children, along with his sister Maria
Ygnacia Romero. On 2 February 1770 they sponsored a child of Antonio Martin
Serrano. They then sponsored a child of their sister, Maria Rita Romero and her
husband Alonzo Sandoval on 25 March 1772
.
As a young man, Miguel would have been reared to be a citizen
soldier as well as rancher and farmer on his father’s estancia. As a grown man
of 28, he married 19 year old Maria Manuela Garcia de Noriego by May 1779 at
Santa Cruz as that on 16 May 1779 the couple sponsored a child of Gervacio Duran
y Chaves and Victoria Sandoval. Two
weeks later they sponsored Maria de Los Dolores Garcia daughter of Mariano
Garcia and Antonia Sandoval on 3 June 1779.
Manuela Garcia de Noriega was the twin daughter of Capitán
Jose Salvador Garcia de Noriega who was the Alcalde of Santa Cruz although he resided
at Soledad. An Alcalde was similar to a mayor but answered directly to the
Governor of the Colony. This would
indicate that Miguel Romero was of proper social standing to be able to marry a
daughter of a Spanish Alcalde.
María Manuela García de Noriega was christened 8 April
1760 along with her twin sister Juana Manuela Garcia de Noriega at San Juan de
los Caballeros as a daughters of José Salvador García
de Noriega and María de la Encarnación Martín Serrano. Doña Josefa Martin Serrano wife of Juan Garcia de la Mora and her
daughter doña Manuela Garcia de la Mora were their sponsors.
Governor Juan
Bautista de Anza Bezerra Nieto 1777-1787
Miguel
Romero’s father Felipe Romero died sometime between 1779 and 1783 after Juan de
Anza was appointed governor. He had led
a successful expedition to Alta California when on 24 August 1777, the Viceroy
of Nueva España appointed Anza as the Governor of the Province of Nuevo México.
Prior to Anza’s assumption of power, during 1776 an expedition
set out from Santa Fé under the
leadership of Fray Silvestre Velez de Escalante who, with a party of nine,
including Fray Francisco Atanasio Dominguez, left the capital headed toward
present-day Four Corners. They sought a route to Monterey, California. In doing
so they crossed western Colorado, entered modern Utah, followed the Colorado
River through Arizona and ended up back in Santa Fé via Zuñi, having failed to find a route to
the coast. But this expedition left the Spanish with their first knowledge of
western Colorado and the Great Basin of Utah.
Miguel Romero would have been a young man when
Governor Anza led a punitive expedition against the Comanche, who had been
repeatedly raiding Taos. Upon assuming office, Governor Anza organized an
expedition to eliminate the Comanche menace. He set out with 573 men who were
later joined by Ute and Apache allies. During August, 1779 Anza went north
through the San Luis Valley, entering the Great Plains of Colorado where he
surprised a small force of the Comanche. He pursued them and found the main body of the
Comanche returning from a raid in Nuevo México. He won a decisive victory with many
leaders of the Comanche killed. It would be probable that Miguel Romero would
have participated in such a large campaign.
In 1783 Governor Anza led another campaign against the
Comanche on the eastern plains and by 1784 they were suing for peace. The last
of the Comanche chiefs eventually acceded and a formal treaty was concluded on
28 February 1786 at Pecos Pueblo. This paved the way for traders and the
development of the Comanchero trade. Juan de Anza remained as governor of Nuevo
Mexico until 1787 when he returned to Sonora, where he died 1788 at the age of 52 years old.
Governor Fernando
de la Concha 1787-1794.
Miguel Romero was 38 years old and well established at
La Joya when Fernando de la Concha was appointed Governor of Nuevo México in
1787. During the 1780s it had been
decided that the two most distant capitals of Nueva España, Santa Fé and San
Antonio, Texas, must be linked. An explorer named Pedro Vial from San Antonio,
Texas, arrived in Santa Fé in 1787,
where Governor la Concha “warmly received Vial's party” and soon trade into
Santa Fé from the east became much
easier.
In 1792 Governor Concha sent explorers to Saint Louis
from Santa Fé under express orders to
establish a trade route to Saint Louis where a trace they created “eventually
became the Santa Fé Trail. This began to open the province to influences
outside of Spanish domination as the days of Spanish dominance in northern Nueva
España were nearly over. The 1803 Louisiana Purchase by the United States
“robbed Spain of her last buffer against American incursions and more Americans
found their way into Santa Fé .
A major problem that any foreign trader faced was the
constant change of government in Santa Fé during this period. One governor would be
permissive and the next far from friendly. American traders never knew what to
expect. Only after 1821, when Mexico secured her independence, did Santa Fé break away from the colonial trading system
and become the major center for a Mexican-United States commerce.
The 1790 Census of New Mexico
During Governor Concha’s administration a census of Spaniards
in Nuevo México was taken. Miguel Romero and Manuela Garcia de Noriega had
approximately 6 children born between 1780 and 1790 when the census was
authorized but the census only listed 5 children.
"The Spaniards In the Jurisdiction of San Juan
Pueblo, jurisdiction of La Villa de Santa Cruz de la Cañada ," listed Miguel Romero’s family there. He was
referred to by the title "don" which is not a title and not a part of
his name. After the Reconquest, the
title “Don” was simply applied to all landholders and magistrates. In the 18th
Century the title quickly established a class distinction between the “landed
gentry” who were referred to as
gentlemen and ladies, or "Don" and "Dona" to distinguish
them from non-property owners. By the 19th Century the title however was given
almost to any man who reached old age.
The Spanish 1790 Census enumerated Miguel Romero as household 53 in the
Jurisdiction of San Juan de los Caballeros Pueblo which was the main pueblo for
the outlying communities of Canoa, Soledad, La Joya and Embudo.
Household 53 contained “Don Miguel Romero age 40
(1750) farmer, his wife doña Maria Manuela Garcia age 30 (1760), 3 sons ages 7,
5, and 1 and 2 daughters ages 9 and
2. These children were Rafael, Diego,
Ramon, Rafaela and Manuela. Also
included in the household was 1 male
servant, a Coyote (mixed race), 1 male
servant an Indian, and 3 female Indian servants
Next to Miguel Romero was household 52 which contained
the family of “don Estevan Garcia de la Mora the son of Juan de la Mora. Don
Estevan Garcia age 35 (1755) was listed as widower. His late wife was Maria
Barbara Sanchez. Their two sons were listed as ages 12 (1778) and 8 (1782)
along with one Indian servant aged 8 (1782)
In household 51 was listed Miguel Romero’s father in
law, don Salvador Garcia de Noriega. He was listed as age 60 (1730), farmer,
and his wife doña Apolonia Sandoval age 54 (1746). In their household were possibly
two grandsons ages 18 (1772) and 15
(1775), a granddaughter aged 2 (1788), and 6 Indian servants.
Don Manuel Garcia de la Mora, the Alcalde of Santa
Cruz age 45 (1745) was listed as household 50. Along with his wife doña Maria
Antonia Trujillo age 31 (1759), two sons ages 8 (1782) and 5 (1785) and one female
Indian servant 15 (1775).
There
are no other Romero's in the jurisdiction of San Juan de los Caballeros except
for people of mixed ethnicity with the exception of Nicolasa Romero age 25
(1765) who married Manuel Rodriguez.
Indian Servants
of Miguel Romero
It was customary during the 18th Century and 19th
Century for Indians who were fighting other tribes to capture their enemy's
children and women and sell them into servitude to the Spaniards on the
haciendas of northern Nuevo México. Spanish children were also captured by
Indians and sold to the French in Louisiana Territory.
Several captured Indian children were bought by Don
Miguel Romero who then had them baptized at San Juan de los Caballero soon
after their purchase. They became his
“servants” on his estate. The Spaniards
preferred the term servant to slave but the involuntary servitude was the same
by any name and run away Indians would be tracked down and returned to their
owners. His “servants” would not have been Christianized Pueblo Indians but
captured Plains Indians.
The 1790 Census of San Juan de los Caballeros states
that don Miguel Romero had three female Indian servants and two adolescent boys
on his estancia. One was a 14 year old
Indian male servant and the other was a 12 year old boy listed as a “Coyote”
which was a Nuevo Mexicano term for an
Indian and Spanish ethnicity.
The 18 year old
female servant was probably a Comanche girl christened Maria Barbara Romero,
who was born in circa 1772-1774 and was baptized on 9 April 1780 at San Juan de
los Caballeros . The Indian girl's sponsors were both don Miguel Romero and
doña Maria Manuela Garcia de Noriega.
Miguel Romero's young bride Dona Maria Manuela had given birth to her
first child and this Comanche girl was probably brought to be of service to her
as she had been raised in a household containing servants.
The 15 year old female may have been Rafaela
Romero. On 7 January 1781 (born
1776-1777) a four year old Comanche girl was christened Maria Antonia Rafaela
Romero at San Juan de los Caballeros with Miguel Romero and Maria Manuela
Garcia being her sponsors. These two children Maria Barbara Romero and Maria
Antonia Rafaela Romero were raised in
Miguel's household, taught catechism by them and became domestic
servants helping prepare meals, tend gardens, and help with housework.
An Apache girl born circa 1782 may have been the third
female servant. She was baptized Maria Antonia Romero on 1 April 1789. Her
sponsors were also don Miguel Romero and his wife doña Maria Manuela Garcia de Noriega.
Another Indian servant in the household of don Miguel
Romero was a 7 year old Apache boy who was baptized on 12 May 1793 as Jose
Antonio delos Dolores Romero. His baptismal record stated that his parents were
in the service of Don Miguel Romero. His sponsor was Jose Romero, probably
Miguel's brother.
Maria Guadalupe
Rafaela Romero Comanche
On 23 May 1783 a 7 year old Comanche girl was given the name
Maria Guadalupe Rafaela Romero, and was baptized at San Juan de los
Caballeros. Presumably near the time of
her purchase. She was purchased by Don Miguel Romero to be a servant on his
estate. As was custom for the time,
servants were made Christians because it was seen as a master's duty to see to
the Christian upbringing of the people of his household. The Padrones or sponsors of the Comanche
woman was Miguel Romero and his mother Casilda Mestas. Casilda Mestas was probably by 1783 the widow
of Félipe Romero. Why would she sponsor
the Comanche Indian servant and take upon the responsibility of her Christian
education if she was not Miguel Romero's close kin.
According to baptismal records at San Juan de los
Caballeros Maria Guadalupe Romero, who had no husband, had several children
while in the employ of Miguel Romero on his estate in Joya. A good number of
Romeros were enumerated as “Coyotes” meaning half Spanish and half Indian in
the 1790 and 1816 censuses of Joya. Any number of these Coyotes-half Indian and
half Spanish children could have been sired by Don Miguel Romero, his sons, and
or his many kinfolk and neighbors.
Guadalupe had a son born 1 November 1794, named Jose
Santos Romero, who was christened 7 November 1794. His baptismal record states that his mother
Guadalupe was a purchased Indian living at “Joya”. His sponsor was Juan Miguel Vargas. A
daughter of Guadalupe named Maria del Carmen Romero was born 19 July 1801 and christened
26 July 1801. Her baptismal records states that her mother Guadalupe was an
Indian servant at Joya. Her sponsors were Santiago Salazar and Maria Rafaela
Romero, a daughter of Don Miguel Romero.
Another son of Guadalupe, Juan Luis Romero, was born 23 August 1814 and
was christened 30 August 1814. His sponsor was Jose Ramon Romero a son of Don
Miguel Romero. Still another son, Jose
Julian Romero was born 10 April 1816 and christened 15 April 1816 and was
sponsored by don Miguel Romero himself. However
none of these sons are listed on the 1816 census of Joya.
The 1816 Census of La Joya did list eight female
Indian servants enumerated in the Romero household all with the surname of
Romero. They were Guadalupe age 40 years old (1776), Guadalupe age 28 (1788),
Maria Anita age 22 (1794), Ana Josefa aged 23 (1793), Carmen aged 16 (1800),
Soledad age 15 (1801) Indian Servant, Maria dela Cruz age 5 (1811) and Juana
Josefa aged 4 (1812). The relationship of these servants to one another is
unknown except for Carmen who was a daughter of the older Maria Guadlupe. They
all may have been daughters of Guadalupe who would have been 12 or 13 when she
had Guadalupe born in 1788.
Governor
Fernando Chacón 1794-1804
Fernando Chacón was appointed as the governor of Nuevo
México on 16 August 1793 and assumed office in 1794. He expanded areas where settlers could live
and after 1796, Governor Chacón granted portions of land to 63 families in
Taos, Nuevo México who would move east.
During his administration the Romero family entered
the 19th Century. The frontier was basically settled and Nuevo
México was becoming less isolated. Events that happened in Europe saw the
decline of the far spread Spanish Empire which was becoming too expensive to
maintain and in North America became increasingly pressured by the newly formed
United States.
On 3 May 1804, Governor
Chacón sent an expedition to find Lewis and Clark, who had begun their
exploratory trip four months earlier of the Louisiana Territory. The expedition
consisted of 52 soldiers, along with Spanish settlers, and Native Americans. The expedition left Santa Fé , Nuevo México ,
on August 1 but failed to find Lewis and Clark. Spain was worried that the
American discoveries would include pinpointing Spain’s gold and silver mines in
the mountainous West. Attempts were made again in 1805, and 1806 under the next
governor with no success.
Governor Joaquín
del Real Alencaster 1804-1807
Juan Miguel Romero was a prosperous landowner in La
Joya at the beginning of the 19th Century. Most of his large family
were grown and married. His estancia had
wheat and corn fields, beans, squash, and chilies as well as pasture land for
cattle, sheep, and other livestock.
When Joaquin Alencaster was named governor of Santa Fé
de Nuevo México in 1804 he began his administration in the province in 1805. “During
his term as governor, he donated money to restore the church of Santa Fé, and
the citizens of Nuevo México soon followed his example. The donations financed
the construction of a new floor and several new doors.”
In addition, Governor Alencaster regulated
ecclesiastical life having all the priests in charge of various missions to
give mass in churches of the province as Mass was not being given everywhere.
He also wanted to study the relationships of couples who wanted to marry and requested the Bishop in Durango to send
him the "dispensations to prohibited relationships".
Traders and explorers, coming from the United States were seen in Santa Fé for the first time to
barter with Nuevomexicanos and the Plains Indians, especially the Comanche
people. Governor Alencaster established measures to try to curb this trade.
In midsummer of 1806, Governor Alencaster organized an
expedition to look for the Lewis and Clark explorers and to capture them. Lieutenant Facundo Melgares was sent with more
troops but never found Lewis and Clark. Governor
Alencaster was replaced as governor of Nuevo México by Alberto Maynez in 1807
who was Melgares’ father in law. Joaquín del Real Alencaster made himself
unpopular by raising taxes and suppressing the smuggling of contraband.
In 1807 Jose Manrique started to raise a militia
company in Santa Fe, which he said was for local defense. He was jailed by Governor Alencaster who later that year was
removed from office, and don Alberto Maynez was made the interim Governor.
Records are scanty and dates are uncertain. However Maynez has been identified
as acting governor from 1807-1808 and succeeded by Jose Manrique, who perhaps
for a while was acting Governor while Alencaster remained technically the
Governor.
Governor Alberto Maynez 1807-1808
In 1807, Alberto Maynez was appointed as Governor of
Nuevo México. During his administration he allowed the Neomexicanos to trade
with non-Christian Indians and the province of Nueva Vizcaya. This meant the
merchants had to have only a government approval and passports to trade with
them. The passports were required to confirm that the number of armed men in
the transactions was enough. In 1808, he was replaced by José Manrique.
Governor José
Manrique 1808-1814
Governor Manrique continued Maynez's policy of letting
the Nuevo México colonists embark on large-scale expeditions to trade with the
Plains Indians. Apart from the economic benefits, this served to counterbalance
U.S. influence. On 21 August 1809 Manrique was called to the Pecos Pueblo to
parley with Comanches. After 1810, he supported the use of the Protector de
Indios office to obtain justice, an office that had fallen out of use since
around 1720, which was revived to prevent uprisings by the Pueblo Indians.
Governor Alberto
Maynez 1814-1816
In 1814 Alberto Maynez was appointed acting governor
of Santa Fé de Nuevo México and city councilman in Santa Fe. In addition, he
served as protector of the Native Americans who lived in the province. During
his administration, the settlers in the Pecos River continued hunting and
trading with the Comanche people, establishing good relations with them.
In 1816, the chief of the Taos Pueblo sued the many
settlers who had just settled in San Fernando de Taos and Arroyo Hondo, near
San Fernando. However, the mayor of Taos, Pedro Martinez, and the friar of the
Taos Mission, Jose Benito Pereyro, opposed the suit, pointing out that lands
that were not cultivated by Native Americans should belong to the descendants
of Spaniards, who had conquered New Mexico. Either way, Governor Maynez ordered
the settlers of San Fernando de Taos to abandon the lands which were property
of the Pueblo Native Americans. In October 1815, Maynez issued a law that
defended the Indigenous rights of New Mexico.
In 1816, during the final year of his government in
New Mexico, 280 Spanish colonists of Taos made a revolt to reverse the new tax
which had been set by Pedro Martin, the Alcalde mayor of Taos and were
imprisoned. The complaint was delivered to Maynez, who represented them. After
Maynez imposed the removal of that tax, Alcalde Mayor Pedro Martin resigned
from his charge.
Maynez ended his term in Nuevo México in 1816, being
replaced by Pedro María de Allande in the province government.
The Census of
1816
Don Miguel Romero and his family
were enumerated in 1816 as part of a census of the inhabitants of the Rio
Grande Valley between San Juan de los Caballeros and Embudo. The 1816 Spanish
Census of La Joya, Nuevo México is very
valuable in reconstructing the family of Miguel Romero during the last years of
his life when most of his oldest children
would have been married and living away from home in that year. La Joya was in the Jurisdiction of San Juan
de los Caballeros and the Archdiocese of Santa Fé in 1816.
In that 1816 census Miguel Romero
was listed as being age 60 (1756) when he was actually 65 years old. His wife Maria Manuela Garcia’s age was given
as 57 (1759)’ which was basically correct. Children still listed in his household were, Juan de
Jesus Romero age 23 (1797), “Phelipe” [Felipe] de Jesus ROMERO age 17 (1799)
actually only 15 years old, Manuela Martin
aged 12 (1804), Manuel Martin aged 10 (1806). Manuela and Manuel Martin, while
it is not stated are presumed to be grandchildren of Miguel and Manuela's. They
were probably the orphaned children of their daughter Rafaela Romero. This census also clearly shows the social
standing of this Romero family having eight Indian Servants included in the
household.
Other Romeros living in Joya in 1816 were Miguel
Romero’s son Jose Ramon Romero age 26 (1790) and his wife Maria Rafaela Vigil
age 18 (1798). Miguel Romero’s daughter
Maria de la Lus Romero was listed as age 29 ( 1787) with her husband Jose
Franco Martin aged 35 (1781) and two children Manuel Gregorio Martin aged 6
(1810) and Franco Esteban Martin aged 4 (1812).
The ages of this family is probably mixed up as Miguel
Romero and Manuela Romero had a daughter named Maria dela Luz who was born in 1799 not 1787. Additionally if the ages of these children
are correct Maria de la Lus was only 11 or 12 years old. Jose Francisco Martin
is probably the son of Gregorio Martin Serrano and his wife Maria Victorio
Tenorio. Félipe Romero and Casilda
Mestas had been Godparents to a child of theirs in La Joya in 1779.
Domingo Romero perhaps the brother of Miguel Romero or cousin was
also living in Joya and listed age 60 (1756). He has a large family but does not have the
servant’s Miguel Romero had. His family consisted of wife Manuela Garcia age 48
(1766) and six sons, Josef Maria Romero age 22 (1794), Juan de Jesus Romero age
15 (1801), Josef Miguel Romero age 12 (1803) actual 1802, Josef Franco Romero age 10 (1806), Juan Pablo Romero age 8 (1808),
Juan Antonio Romero age 6 (1810)
A widow named Maria Josefa
Garcia age 60 (1756) was also listed in Joya.
All of her children carry the
surname Romero which implies that her husband was a man named Romero. Her
children were Diego Antonio Romero age 33 (1783), Pedro Romero age 30 (1786), Jose
Ignacio Romero age 28, (1792), Maria
Josefa Romero age 20 (1796), and Maria Francisca Romero age 19 (1797). The Ignacio Romero of this family may
be the Ignacio Romero found in the 1880 census of Mora County as living in Agua
Negra. He gave his age as only 70 in
that year but may have been much older.
Other Romeros were Jose Antonio Munos age 52 (1764) and Guadalupe Romero age 43 (1773) and Isidro Romero age 30 (1786) and his wife Matiana Paes age 25 (1791) and their children Juana Dolores Romero age 13 (1803), Maria Manuela Romero age 12 (1804), Maria Encarnacion Romero age 6 (1810), and Ysidro Antonio Romero age 5 (1811). This family had not been identified but records from the 1830's show that Isidro Romero married a Maria Manuela Romero by 1832 when he had a daughter Maria Salome Romero and Maria Manuela Romero who married a Antonio Maes also by 1832 when she had a daughter Maria Alvina Maes.
In Embudo, a community about 10 miles north of Joya, Miguel
Romero’s son Rafael Romero age 36 was enumerated with his wife Maria
Encarnacion Gonzales age 25 (1791). His
descendants will eventually settle at
Taos, Nuevo México and in San Luis in Colorado.
Also in Embudo is Franco
[Francisco Xavier] Romero age 29 (1787) and
was married to Marta Lucero age 25 (1791). A Miguel Romero age 26 (1790) was married
to Maria Manuela Suazo age 20 (1796), and Jose Romero age 70 (1746) was married
to Lugardo Hurtado also age 70. This Jose Romero is probably the brother Juan
José Manuel Romero who was born circa 1745 and married Maria Lugarda Antonia
Hurtado daughter of José Hurtado and Juana Sánchez.
At Canoa, south of Joya Maria
dela Luz Romero age 52 (1764) was married to Lorenzo Jaramillo age 65 (1751).
Their children were Apolonia Jaramillo age 33 (1783) and Matilda Jaramillo age
30 (1786). She was the daughter of Felipe Romero and Casilda
Mestas.
Death of Juan
Miguel Romero and Maria Manuela Garcia de Noriega
A death record dated 8 June 1818
from San Juan de Los Caballeros shows that Don Miguel Romero, husband of Dona Maria Manuela Garcia de
Noriega of Joya, died on that date. This can be verified in Book B23 page 138
Death Records of San Juan de Los Caballeros. Very
little is actually known of what kind of man Don Jose Miguel Romero was,
besides the obvious fact that he was a man of means. He died about 67 years old.
His wife Maria Manuela Garcia de Noriega out lived him
by several years. A church record from
San Juan de Los Caballeros shows that she was still alive in April 1831 and
living in La Joya, Rio Arriba County, Nuevo México . She would have been 71
years old in that year. As that property
Transfer records from ten years later 1841, doña Maria Manuela Garcia de
Noriega was still alive at the age of 81 and living at Joya. However by 8 June
1843 she must have died, when her son Don Félipe de Jesus Romero sold his
interest in his inheritance to lands at Joya. She was about 83 years old at the
time of her death at La Joya and is probably buried in the church yard of The
Church of Santa Guadalupe which was built in 1813 at La Joya.
Children of Juan
Miguel Romero and Maria Manuela Garcia de Noriega:
1. Jose Rafael Romero born in February and
christened 2 March 1780 Joya, Rio Arriba,
Nuevo México married Maria Encarnacion Gonzales by 1816 when living in
Embudo
2. Maria Rafaela Romero was born 13 March 1782
Joya, Rio Arriba, Nuevo México. On 20
March 1782 Maria Rafaela Romero was christened as the daughter of Miguel Romero and Maria
Manuela Garcia of Joya at San Juan de Los Caballeros. Her sponsors were Jose
Miguel Ortiz and Tomása Araya. She married
17 November 1795 Pedro Antonio Garcia de la Mora the son of Manuel Garcia de la
Mora and Trujillo and later Juan de Jesus Martin.
In San Juan de
Los Caballeros Pueblo on 17 June 1802, Father Ramon Antonio Gonzilei baptized
seven day-old Margarita de Jesus, the legitimate daughter of Juan de Jesus
Martin and Maria Rafaela Romero. Her
godparents were Santiago Salazar and Maria Dolores Romero, citizens of La Joya.
After Rafaela’s death Juan de Jesus Martin married Barbara
Josefa Sanchez. “San Juan de los Caballeros, 21 November 1808-9 January 1809,
Juan de Jesus Martin, 36, was widowed of Maria Rafaela Romero. Barbara Josefa Sanchez, Espanola, single, was
the legitimate daughter of Jose Sanchez and Marla Antonia Bernal citizens of
the jurisdiction of San Juan de los Caballeros. The couple was related in the
fourth degree of affinity on the basis of copulalicila. Father Gonzalez questioned Juan who stated
that he was a life-long resident of the area and was related to most of the
people of his station there. His intended was the daughter of poor parents who
were burdened with a family, while with his prospects he could support her
properly. Barbara Josefa Sanchez stated
that she had her parents' permission to marry. Witnesses: Juan Antonio Valdez.
64, citizen of the San Juan de los Caballeros jurisdiction. Francisco Arellano,
58, citizen of the San Juan de los Caballeros jurisdiction. Jose de la Trinidad
Cisneros, 62, citizen of the San Juan de los Caballeros jurisdiction. Pedro
Cisneros, 50, citizen of the San Juan de
los Caballeros jurisdiction.
3. Diego Antonio Romero was born 18 April 1784
Joya, Rio Arriba, Nuevo México On 28
April 1784 Diego Antonio Romero was christened at San Juan de Los Caballeros.
He was sponsored by Uncle Pedro Garcia
de Noriega and his wife Maria Gertrudis Ortiz.
4. Maria Dolores Romero On 6 October 1786 Maria Dolores Romero was christened the
daughter of Miguel Romero and Maria Manuela Garcia of Joya at San Juan de Los
Caballeros. Other sources state she was born 22 November 1786 Joya, Rio
Arriba, Nuevo México and on 26 November
1786 Maria Dolores ROMERO was christened
at San Juan de Los Caballeros, sponsored by Tomás Ortiz and Maria Rosa Martin.
This may have been another Romero of the same name. The daughter of Miguel
Romero must have died before 1790 as she is not included in his household.
5. Maria Manuela Romero born 1 January 1789
Joya, Rio Arriba, Nuevo México. On 5
January 1789 she was christened at San Juan de los Caballeros. She was
sponsored by Antonio Lucero and Ana Maria Salazar.
6. Jose Ramon Romero was born 20 March
1790 Joya, Rio Arriba, Nuevo México. On
24 March 1790 he was christened at San Juan de los
Caballeros and his sponsor was the Alcalde of Santa Cruz, Manuel Garcia de la
Mora and his wife Maria Antonia Trujillo. He married by 1816 Maria Rafaela
Vigil.
7. Juan de Jesus dela Dolores Romero was born
21 May 1793 Joya, Rio Arriba, Nuevo
México. On 1 July 1793 was christened at
San Juan de los Caballeros sponsored by Alonso Hermengildo Sisneros.
He married on 6 February 1829 Maria dela Luz Salazar age 22 (1807) of Santa
Clara daughter of Don Salvador Salazar and Guadalupe Martinez. Alonso
Hermengildo Sisneros was married to María Manuela Salazar about 1773 in Río
Arriba, Nuevo México, Nueva España and secondly to María Rita Juliana Lucero in
1792 in San Juan de los Caballeros, Nuevo México, Nueva España.
8. Maria Encarnacion Romero was born 18 February
1796 Joya, Rio Arriba, Nuevo México On
21 February 1796 She was christened at San Juan de los Caballeros. Her sponsors were Aduto Fresquí and Maria
Archuleta. She was married by 1814 to Juan
de Jesus Sanchez the son of Jose Manuel Sanchez and Maria Teodora Sisneros of
Plaza de San Antonio.
9. Maria dela Luz Romero was born 5 January
1799 Joya, Rio Arriba, and was christened
on 9 January 1799. Her sponsors were
Santiago Lucerno and Barbara Padilla. She married Jose Francisco Martin aged 35
(1781).
10. Félipe de Jesus Romero born 31 May 1801
Joya, Rio Arriba, Nuevo México. On 4 June 1801 he was christened at San Juan
de los Caballeros and was sponsored by Alonso Hermengildo Sisneros and Maria
Rita Lucero of de Rio Arriba.
Hermenegildo Sisneros was the sponsor of his brother Juan de Jesus.
Felipe Romero married Maria Juana Catalina Sanchez the daughter of Jose Manuel
Sanchez and Maria Teodora Sisneros of Plaza de San Antonio, Rio Arriba, Nuevo México.
11. Felipa Romero born 1May 1807 Joya, Rio
Arriba, Nuevo México The youngest child
of Jose Miguel Romero and Maria Manuela Garcia de Noriega. She was christened
11 May 1807 and was sponsored by her brother Juan de Jesus Romero and her
sister Maria Encarnacion Romero. Maria
Manuela Garcia de Noriega was 47 years old at the birth of her youngest child. She died before the 1816 census was taken.
Garcia de Noriega & Martin Serrano Families
Manuela
Garcia de Noriega was related to many of the pre-1680 Revolt families of New
Mexico.
Lieutenant Governor Alonso Garcia & Teresa Varela
de Losada
Juan Garcia de Noriega and Maria Francisca Sanchez de
Inigo
Don Juan Estevan de Garcia de Noriega and Luisa Gomez Lujan del Costilla
Jose Salvador Garcia de Noriega and Maria dela
Encarnacion Martin Serrano
Maria Manuela Garcia de Noriega and Juan Miguel Romero
Maese de Campo
Alonzo Garcia & Teresa Varela de Losada
Lt. Governor Alonso Garcia was born in 1627, in
Zacatecas, Nueva España perhaps the son of
Andres Garcia and Ana Francisca de Noriega. He married Teresa Varela de
Losada about 1648 in Santa Fé. She was the daughter of Pedro Varela de Losada and
Ana Lopez Olguin. Her grandfather Pedro
Varela de Losada passed muster in 1598 with his brother Alonso. Pedro was six
years younger, twenty-four years of age, and gave the same father and
birthplace as Alonso. He had a good stature and a red beard.‘ Nothing more is
known about him, save that his son, Pedro Varela el Mozo, active in a major
campaign in 1638,was referred to as a cousin of Alonso Varela.’
Pedro Varela el Mozo and a Juan Varela had been
condemned to death for treason in 1643 but escaped execution.’ Later he was an
Alférez, thirty -Six years old in 1644,and was referred to as a native of Nuevo
México in 1660. His wife was Ana Holguin, and they lived in the Sandia
district.‘ It was at his estancia, somewhere in the present site of
Albuquerque, that a meeting was held in 1664 for founding an official
settlement in the valley of Atrisco. “Captain Pedro was at death's door
sometime prior to 1667, but it cannot be ascertained if he died then.“
Alonso García (without the "Noriega") came
to Nuevo México in the middle of the century around 1645 from the City of Zacatecas, his
birthplace. He may have come as a soldier escorting a supply train.
In 1660 he gave his age as thirty-three and he owned
the Estáncia de San Antonio in Río Abajo, twenty leagues from Santa Fé. By
1667, he was a “Capitán” and later became the Lieutenant General of the Rio
Abajo area of New Mexico. He was also Alcalde of Sandía at this period. He was holding
the rank of Maestre de Campo, when the Pueblo Indians rebelled in 1680, and as such was held
responsible for the flight of the Rio Abajo people.
From Santa Fé, Governor Otermín sent orders for García
to send aid in the way of horses and men but the orders never reached García.
Even if the orders had reached him he was poorly equipped to send help north as
he and his sons had been dashing up and down the valley and over to Jemez
rescuing fleeing colonists from rampaging Indians in revolt. He had gathered as
many people as he could find at Isleta for a few days and then when the Indians
sent word that all settlers to the north were already dead, he evacuated to the
south.
Finally word from Governor Otermín reached him that
Otermín was on his way down the Río del Norte behind him so he sent out an
escort of 6 soldiers to meet the angry Governor and his party. For this reason,
he underwent a court-martial by Governor Otermín. García was prepared with 13
folios to document what had been happening. A review of the documents
determined that he had acted in a superior and often heroic manner and if not
for his action, many more settlers would have perished. The following year he still
had his titles showing that he had been exonerated.
One of his sons, Lazaró, had been killed by the
Indians in 1680. The others were: Alonso II, Juan, and most likely, Tomás. Of
his two known daughters, Juana was married to Antonio Dominguéz de Mendoza, and
Joséfa later became the wife of Alonso Rael de Aguilár. These children added
"de Noriega" to their family name, derived most likely from their
father's parents or grandparents
In 1681 he passed muster reporting that he was ready
to return for the reconquest of Nuevo México when he was described then as
being fifty-four years old and being a native of Zacatecas, having a good
physique, partly grey hair, protruding eyes and an aquiline face. A married
man, he had a large family of children and sons-in-law. In 1682 he deposed that
he had three sons and two sons-in-law bearing arms.
Juan Garcia didn’t
returned to Nuevo México until 1693 along with Diego de Vargas and may have
died by 1700. Of the descendants of
Alonso Garcia, some remained at Guadalupe del
Paso, to prosper and, generations later, to intermarry with Nuevo México families. But
the majority returned with Governor Vargas in 1693.
His son Alonso Garcia de Noriega who married Maria
Luisa Godinez in Santa Fé in 1696, died at Sevilleta from wounds from an Apache
Indian attack.
Juan Garcia de
Noriega & Francisca Sanchez de Inigo
Juan Garcia de Noriega was born in 1658 to Alonzo Garcia and Teresa Verela.
He was born on is father’s cattle ranch Estancia de San Antonio near present day
Albuquerque, The de Noreiga extension
was added to the family name probably from grandparents or an ancestor. He was married
at a young age and Juan was a young man
of 22 at the time of the revolt. He
helped his father round up the fleeing settlers and escort them to safety. His
one brother Lazaro was killed.
His first wife was dead when he remarried in 1681. He
married 15 year old Francisca Sanchez de Inigo on 4 May 1781. “El Paso del
Norte. Juan de Noriega Garcia, son of Maese de Campo Alonso Garcia and Da.
Teresa Varela, vecinos of New Mexico, and Da. Francisca Sanchez de Ynigo.
Witnesses: Antonio Jorge (27), n. of Santa Fé who knew groom since age 12;
Francisco Romero (40) who knew groom since infancy; Tiburcio de Ortega who knew
bride since infancy; Juan de Madrid (39), n. of New Mexico, same testimony. Pair
married, May 4, 1681.”
Francisca Sanchez de Inigo was born in 1666, in
Bernalillo, Nuevo México. After considerable research genealogist determined
that Juan’s wife Francisca was the illegitimate daughter of a Franciscan Priest
Fray Francisco Munoz born 1629 who was in Nuevo México from 1660 to 1668. He
was accused of “scandalous living” and had 3 children with Juana Lopez de
Aragon, Jacinto, Pedro and Francisca. Juana (Ana) Lopez, “the old lady” was “still
-much alive in 1724” and living in Santa Cruz.
She must have followed her
children back to northern Nuevo México where her son Jacinto in 1713 was Alcalde Mayor of Santa Cruz, but not
considered too competent by the Governor. There he was mentioned together with
Pedro Sanchez.”
In the 1681 muster roll Juan Garcia de Noriega was
described as a native of New Mexico, married, medium stature, long face,
chestnut color hair 23 years of age. He signed the document showing he was
literate. In the winter of 1681-1682 Juan took part in the Governor Otermín
expedition an unsuccessful attempt to reclaim New Mexico.
Both Juan and
Francisca were counted in the 1685 and 1692 census of el Paso de Norte. The
1685 census included Juan’s family of 8 persons
and was given a bushel and half of corn. His wife’s clothing was
“somewhat decent” but the others had “Worn out clothes”. He was listed as
having 3 horses, saddle, fire arm, sword
and dagger.
Juan served as a captain in the Spanish military and in1692 served as Alguacil mayor del
cabildo meaning a sheriff. His family took part of the resettlement in
1693 and he brought 3 sons and a
daughter along with 8 servants with them.
In December 1693,
Juan Garcia de Noriega and his wife Francisca Sanchez de Inigo were
listed as volunteer settlers of Northern Nuevo México with four children: (1)
Juan Antonio, age 11; (2) Francisco, age 7; (3) Jose, age 5; (4), Maria, age 2.
In October 1694 Juan Garcia de Noriega, brought up an
impediment to the marriage of Cristobal Varela de Losada (18) to Rosa Isabel
Marquez (15). He stated that the groom
had “relations with a female named Juana (Moran), related in the 4th and 3rd
degree to the prospective bride. Juana Moran herself gave up all claim, saying
that , while the groom had given her his word, he had always mistreated
her.” However the marriage was approved
and Juan Garcia de Noriega and wife Da. Francisca Sanchez were the witnesses.
Juan returned north for a time but eventually returned
to Guadalupe del Paso due to Indian raids.
He was back in El Paso del Norte by 1704 when his daughter Maria Garcia
de Noriega (16), native of El Paso del Norte married Juan Martin Navarro de Quesada (29) on 7
January 1705. Capt. Juan Garcia de
Noriega and Francisca Sanchez de Inigo were mentioned as living in El Paso. One
of the witnesses was Juan de Dios Lucero, who was the brother in law of
Salvador Romero.
“22 November 1710: DM (no. 3), El Paso del Norte.
Francisco Garcia de Noriega (26), native of El Paso, son of Capt. Juan Garcia de
Noriega and Da. Francisca Sanchez, natives of New Mexico, and Maria Jiron de
Tejeda (25), daughter of Tomas Jiron de Tejeda and Da. Josefa Gonzales de
Aragon, both from Mexico City. Witnesses: Toribio Sanchez (50), native of
Montanas de Burgos, married; Jose Varela (22), native of El Paso, married: Antonio Duran de Armijo
(42), native of City of Zacatecas, married; Pedro Montes de Ocarina's (37), native
of City of Zacatecas, married.
“11 November 1711: DM (nos. 8, 16), El Paso del Norte.
Jose Telles Jiron (25), native of El Paso, son of Alverez Rafael Telles Jiron
and Da. Mariana de Esparza, natives of Nuevo México living here, and Magdalena
Garcia de Noriega (18), daughter of Capt. Juan Garcia de Noriega and Da.
Francisca Sanchez de Inigo, natives of Nuevo México living here. Witnesses:
Sargento Jose de Contreras (46) who always knew groom; Francisco Rodriguez
Calero (36), who always knew bride; Toribio Gonzales (40), who always knew bride.
Pair married, 20 January 1712, with witnesses Francisco Lucero and Juan de
Alderete. A Sebastiana Madrid had renounced her claim of breach of promise.
Captain Juan Garcia de Noriega died 13 January 1732 in
Guadalupe del Paso. He was the father of at least 4 sons and 3 daughters.
Juan Esteban
Garcia de Noriega & Luisa Gomes del Castillo Lujan
When Juan Esteban Garcia de
Noriega was born in June 1696, his family had returned to El Paso del
Norte, Nuevo México, Viceroyalty of Nueva España, his father, Juan Garcia de
Noriega, was 38 and his mother, Francisca Sanchez de Inigo, was 30. He returned to northern Nuevo México perhaps
as a soldier and when 25 years old he married Luisa Gomes del Castillo Lujan on
23 June 1721, in San Ildefonso Pueblo. They were such prominent individuals of
the Rio Arriba district that ex-Governor Valverde was a sponsor. Esteban Garcia
was thirty-five years old in 1731 and residing in Santa Cruz He died on 4
August 1758, in Santa Cruz de la Canada, Nuevo México, at the age of 62, and
was buried in Santa Cruz de la Canada, Nuevo México, Viceroyalty of Nueva
España.
Luisa Gomez was the daughter of Antonio Gomez Lopez
del Castillo and Juana Lujan. That made her a third Cousin to Diego Romero both
descendants from Captain Bartolome Romero’s daughters Ana who married Governor
Francisco Gomez and Maria who married Gaspar Perez. Antonio Gomez was the son
of Francisco Antonio Gomez Robledo 1628–1693 and Juana Lopez del Castillo
Bartolome Romero & Luisa Robledo’s daughters
Sisters
“Ana Romero
Robledo married Francisco Gomez
Maria Romero married Gaspar Perez
1st cousins
Francisco Gomez Robledo married Juana Lopez
Diego Perez Romero & Sebastiana Mondragon
2nd cousins
Antonio Gomez Robledo married Juana Lujan
Salvador Romero married Maria Ocanto
3rd Cousins
Luisa Gomez Robledo married Juan Esteban Garcia de
Noriega
Diego Romero married Josefa de Medina
They were the parents of thirteen Children. Joseph
Anselmo Garcia de Noriega 1722–Gregorio de Jesús García de Noriega1721–1806 Juan
Tomas Garcia De Noriega 1723–1765 Domingo Garcia de Noriega 1726–1728 Salvador
Garcia de Noriega 1730–1790 Joseph Antonio Garcia De Noriega, 1732–1824, Maria
Garcia de Noriega, 1734–1774, José
Joaquin Garcia de Noriega 1735–1790, Josefa Garcia de Noriega 1736–Deceased, Francisca
Garcia De Noriega1740–Antonio Maria Garcia de Noriega 1742–1802 Francisco
Garcia de Noriega 1745–Deceased, Juan Jose Garcia de Noriega.
In 1761 Joaquin Garcia de Noriega married Maria
Conception Garcia de la Mora daughter of Juan Garcia de la Mora of La Soledad
near San Juan de los Caballeros Pueblo. She was born 16 Dec 1742. Jose Joaquin Garcia de Noriega was the son of
Juan Estaban Garcia de Noriega and the brother of Salvador Garcia.
Don Juan Esteban García de Noriega, alcalde mayor of
the district, had the viceroy's permission on June 21, 1733 to rebuild the
church at Santa Cruz. Construction seems to have been done in sections. As late
as 1744 a Franciscan superior declared that the resident minister at Santa
Cruz, probably Fray Antonio Gabaldón, "is now building a sumptuous church
by order of my prelates, without its costing his Majesty half a real for its
materials or building.
The area up from the Rio Chama and to the north of the
Rio del Ojo Caliente was initially settled by several families, including that
of Juan Estevan Garcia de Noriega who in 1735 received a grant that resulted in
the establishment of what is now El Rito. This grant was subsequently
officially revoked because the occupation requirements were not completely
fulfilled by Estevan Garcia, but somehow the family held on to it until at
least 1808 when a member of the Garcia family sold land there . Settlement in the outpost area of Vallecitos,
about 10 miles north of El Rito and perhaps 14 miles north of Ojo Caliente up
Vallecitos Creek, may have occurred as early as 1774.
Salvador Garcia
de Noriega
When Salvador Garcia de Noriega was born on 12 January
1730, his father, Juan Esteban Garcia de Noriega, was 33 and his mother, Luisa
Gomes del Castillo Lujan, was 25. Salvador Garcia de Noriega was a fourth cousin
to Felipe Romero both distant descendants of Captain Bartolome Romero, through
his two daughters, Ana and Maria. He married Maria De La Encarnacion Martin
Serrano on 28 April 1752, in San Juan, Rio Arriba, New Mexico.
Maria Encarnacion Martin Serrano was born 11 July 1734
Rio Arriba, San Juan de los Caballeros, the daughter of Juan Manuel Martin
Serrano and Elena Roybal. Her paternal grandparents were Capitán Sebastián
Martín Serrano and María Durán y Chávez de Luján and her maternal grandparents were Ignacio de Roybal y Torrado
and Francisca Gómez Robledo who was the daughter of Andres Gómez Robledo a
cousin of the infamous Captain Diego Romero. Maria Encarnacion Martin Serrano died in 1760 about 24 years old and he
died in 1790, in San Juan Pueblo, Nuevo México, Mexico, at the age of 60.
The first known record of Don
Salvador Garcia de Noreiga is found
dated 3 November 1752 when Salvador filed a lawsuit against Don Juan Garcia
de la Mora on a contract regarding a blacksmith shop. This record suggests at least that Don Juan
and Don Salvador were well acquainted with each other and perhaps has
blacksmithing as a trade. The 1790 Census stated that Salvador was born in 1730
so he would have been 22 years old at the time of the suit.
Salvador Garcia de Noriega brought litigation against
Juan Garcia de la Mora for failing to live up to a contract which involved a
joint investment in a smithing operation and a division of the profits.. The
issue was the ownership of a blacksmith shop. Apparently the men were partners
and when the books failed to balance, they accused each other of fraud.
Garcia de la Mora accused Garcia de Noriega of
participating in a plan to defraud the public through bad workmanship. Garcia
de Noriega sued Garcia de la Mora for
damages. Juan Garcia de la Mora defended himself by saying that he had been
injured in an accident and was unable to leave his house. Furthermore, he had
written to Garcia to explain the problem as the investigation continued.
Garcia de la Mora was caught in a number of
falsehoods, the governor decreed that the matter be resolved within five
months. The court found Garcia de la Mora guilty of having taken funds from the
partnership and he was sentenced to ten months in jail. Garcia de Noriega it
was decided, had defrauded the public and he was fined 100 pesos.
Church records of San Juan de los Caballeros showed
that on 28 October 1755 Pedro Antonio Garcia was christened a son of Salvador Garcia and Maria Martin. His
sponsors were Jose Pacheo and Francisca
Pacheo, children of Félipe Pacheco and Rosa Martin the daughter of Capitán
Sebastian Martin Serrano.
Salvador Garcia’s young wife died in 1760 after giving
birth to twin daughters. By December
1760 he remarried Apolonia Sandoval. She was the daughter of Antonio Sandoval
and Josefa Duran de Chavez. His children
by Maria de la Encarnación were raised by their stepmother.
Apolonia was born circa 1736 to Antonio de Sandoval
Martínez and Josefa Duran y Chaves. In 1757 she married Manuel Tenorio de Alba
y Corona and they had one daughter, María Victoria, before Manuel was killed by
Apache Indians in 1759. His step daughter married Gregorio Martin Serrano.
On 6 August 1763 Manuel Martin Serrano, his former
father-in-law, granted to Salvador a conveyance of land at Nuestra Senora dela
Soledad most likely for his grandchildren.
This is where don Juan Garcia de la Mora was living in 1760.
Salvador Garcia de Noriega and Apolonia Sandoval on 20
February 1767 were the sponsors of Mateo Garcia the son of his brother Capitán
Jose Joaquin Garcia de Noriega.
On 28 February 1768 Salvador Garcia filed a suit
against Nicolas Martin Serrano regarding the sale of sheep to Garcia. Nicolas
Serrano was probably a cousin to his first wife Maria Martin and this law suit
shows that Salvador Garcia was a stock raiser also. After long testimony,
Martin Serrano was found guilty, but not sentenced. He worked out his debt on
the installment plan.
By 1770 Salvador Garcia de Noriega at the age of 40
was installed as the Alcalde of Santa Cruz de la Cañada having succeeded Manuel Garcia de Parejas
Alcalde of Rio Arriba who died 29 October 1764.
The position of Alcalde was not an elected post and usually was given to
members of the same family.
By 1775 Salvador Garcia de Noriega at the age of 45
while still the Alcalde of Santa Cruz
presided over a lawsuit between Jose Quintana and his uncle Gregorio
Garcia over a question of a sale of a rancho in Santa Cruz. More seriously on
19 November 1775, Salvador Garcia settled the matter of a complaint against
Gregorio Martin who had raped his daughter. This Gregorio Martin was married to Maria
Victoria Torres. Later in 1801 this
same Gregorio Martin was placed on trial for the killing of Pedro Ignacio
Valdes.
Don Salvador Garcia died sometime after 1790 when he
was enumerated with his second wife Apolonia Sandoval. He probably died sometime after 1801.
Juan Garcia de
la Mora
It is speculated that Juan Garcia de la Mora and Manuel
Garcia de Parajas were relatives as they were both residents of Soledad, near
the San Juan de los Caballeros Pueblo in Rio Arriba as was Salvador Garcia de
Noriega. However it is unlikely that Juan Garcia de la Mora and Manuel Garcia
de Parajas were related although it was
believed they came to America at the same time.
Parajas was a small village in Northern Spain near the Bay of Biscay
while Pozuelo de Almagro was near Madrid.
Juan Garcia de la Mora was born in LaVilla de Pozuelo
de Almagro in the Archbishop of Toledo, the son of Juan Garcia de la Mora and
Manuela Gonzales. While still in Spain
he married Maria de Hornero, on 10 January 1725 at Pozuelo de Calatrava. However a few months later suspecting his
wife of infidelity, he murdered her, fled to Seville, and from there shipped to
the West Indies.
From Havana, Cuba, Juan Garcia de la Mora found his way to Nuevo México and settled in
La Soledad as did Manuel Garcia de
Parajas. It may have been that Juan
Garcia fled to this northern outpost of Nueva España because of kinfolk who
lived there.
Garcia de la Mora soon married Josefa Martin Serrano of
the important Martin Serrano family on 3 August 1735 She was the daughter of Marciel Martin
Serrano and his wife Lugarda de Medina of La Soledad, the aunt of Felipe Romero.
Josefa Martin Serrano was first cousin to
Maria Martin Serrano who married Salvador Garcia and acted as sponsor to
Salvador’s daughter Maria Manuela Garcia de Noriega as well as half first
cousin to Felipe Romero.
A previous wedding ceremony between Juan Garcia and
Josefa Martin had taken place on 11 November 1733 at San Juan de los Caballeros
but for some reason was considered invalid. Juan
Garcia de la Mora was investigated by the Holy Office for being married twice, 5
November 1734. They were married officially again in 1735.
In 1735 lieutenant alcalde Diego
de Torres of Chama was accused by Juan Garcia de la
Mora of illegally trading with the Comanches. On 16 May Juan Garcia de la
Mora filed a complaint against Torres for having attempted to barter with the Comanche
Indians before “the time set for the regular trades.” Garcia filed the suit for
the loss of buffalo hides which he purchased from the Indians. Torres was found
guilty of all charges and fined ten pesos plus he made a substantial
contribution to the local church fund.
Garcia dela Mora had come into prominence as a man of
means and was acquainted with the deceased former governor Felix Martinez in Santa
Fé from whom he had purchased a home there.
Estate Lands of
Governor Felix Martinez ~ 1739
“In the villa of Santa Fe, on July 27, 1739, before me
Captain Antonio Montoya, alcalde mayor and Captain of War of said villa, and my
two witnesses, with whom I act as Resolver in the absence of royal or public
notaries, of which there are none in this Kingdom; appeared don Juan Garcia de
la Mora a resident of the jurisdiction of the villa of Santa Cruz, whom I
certify to know and he said that he has in this said villa of Santa Fé a house
which is composed of a hall and ten rooms, besides another without a roof and
in ruins, and a patio, which said house is located on the street that looks
towards the Camino real which leads to Tesuque and also a nice piece of land in
which can be planted two fanegas of wheat, more or less.”
“The boundaries of the said house and lands are north,
lands of Juan Lucero and Maria de Ledesma; south, the lands of Juan Paez
Hurtado, don Francisco Guerrero and lands of Estevan Rodrigues; east said lands
and house of Juan Lucero and west the lands of Rosa Lucero.”
“The said house and lands were sold to Jose Garcia,
master tailor, resident of this villa by don Juan Garcia de la Mora in a Royal
Sale as attorney for the estate of the former Captain, don Felix Martinez,
deceased, by general power of attorney given him by the executor, don Antonio
de Otero y Hernandes, for the price and sum of 450 pesos in merchandise. Which
were: two pesos, one vara of Rouen
Linen, two of the same, a patio, four pesos, one vara of serge, etc.”
“The said amount of 450 pesos was received by the said
don Juan Garcia to his satisfaction.
Signed Juan Garcia de la Mora, Antonio Montoya, wit/ Leonardo Anevodo
and Bernardo Baltazar Montoya.”
Juan Garcia de la Mora in 1753 was a “captain” at Santa Cruz del Ojo Caliente in
Rio Arriba when he was also referred as “Manuel Dias del Castillo alias Mora.”
The family of Juan Garcia de la Mora became connected
eventually with the Garcia de Noriega family when Juan Garcia de la Mora’s
daughter Maria Conception married Joaquin Garcia de Noriega, the brother of
Salvador in 1761. Garcia de la Mora’s son Manuel Garcia de la
Mora was listed as living next to Salvador Garcia de Noriega in the 1790 census when Manuel was Alcalde of
Santa Cruz. Also near them was Juan Miguel Romero whose brother Domingo married
Maria Manuel Garcia dela Mora, the
daughter of Jose Manuel Garcia de la Mora
The Martin Serrano Family
The Martin Serrano Family traces
its roots back to 1558 when Hernan Martin de Serrano was born in Nueva España the
son of Hernan Martin de Serrano and a native woman from Zacatecas. In 1598 Hernan Martin Serrano came with the
original Juan Onate expedition where he was mustered on the rolls of the
expedition in 1597. Hernan Martin was
described as being tall of stature with a sparse beard and pockmarked. Martin
brought with him not only his family, cattle, horses, utensils, but even a mill
stone which indicates that he may have been a miller before being a soldier.
Hernan Martin de Serrano was
listed as being age 70 in 1626 and was
considered an ancient settler and resident of Santa Fe.
Hernan Martin had a son Luis
Martin Serrano who died in 1663. He was
the Alcalde for the pueblo of Tewa and married Catalina de Salazar the daughter
of Captain Sebastian Rodriguez de Salazar. They had a son Pedro Martin Serrano
de Salazar who married Juana de Arguello. She was born in 1648.
Pedro Martin and his family fled to El Paso in 1680 during the Indian
rebellion. Juana de Arguello de Martin
returned to Nuevo México with her son
and died in 1718 at Santa Cruz at the age of 70.
Sebastian Martin Serrano was
born 1671 the son of Pedro Martin Serrano de Salazar and Juana de Arguello. He
moved back to Nuevo México after the
Reconquest and was listed as 27 years old in Santa Fé in 1698. He settled in Rio Arriba County and
became a fierce Indian campaigner against the Comanches. In 1714 Sebastian Martin Serrano was the Alcalde of Santa Cruz and was
given a large land grant at La Soledad north of the San Juan de los Caballeros Pueblo
where he reared his large family. He
built a chapel at La Soledad which was mentioned by Father Dominguez in
1777. Sebastian Martin married Maria
Lujan and died before 1765 when his
widow made her will.
Their known children were Marciel who married Lugarda Medina the aunt of
Felipe Romero, Margarita, Rosa, Juan Manuel who married Elena Roybal, Angela, Jose
Antonio, Josefa, Juan, Francisco who married Juana Lujan.
Maria Lujan de Martin wife of
Sebastian Martin Serrano made her last will in 1765 when she was about 85 years
old. Maria Lujan was the daughter of Don Fernando Duran Y Chaves Lujan and
Elena Ruiz Caceres. Her father had been
massacred in Taos in 1680 by the Indians and she was captured as a baby. She was ransomed after the Reconquest in
about 1696. Her husband was already dead at the time of her will. She was the great-grandmother of Maria
Manuela Garcia de Noriega wife of Miguel Romero .
In
1763 Sebastian Martin Serrano’s’ eldest son Marciel Romero filed deed of gift
from a division of his father’s estate.
Sebastian
Martin ~ Estate Division 1763 by Marcial Martin
Deed
of gift, executed in favor of Francisco Chacon by Marcial Martin in fulfillment
of the agreement made with the said Chacon by Martin’s father, Sebastian
Martin, now deceased.
In this locality of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de
Rio Arriva, in the jurisdiction of the villa Nueva de Santa Cruz de la Cañada,
on December 14, 1763, before me, the Alcalde Mayor, don Manuel Garcia Pareja,
appeared Marcial Martin, who is the executor for his late father, Sebastian
Martin, who when he was alive, made a gift and donation of a piece of land to
Francisco Chacon, resident of Rio Arriva, in order that he would accompany him
and help him with anything that might present itself. Said Marcial Martin, acknowledges that this
is so, his brother, as second executor, giving him permission. Said land is 200 Castilian varas in length
and in width 100 varas, its boundaries on the north, are uncultivated lands of
the heirs of the deceased Sebastian Martin; on the east the acequia madre; on
the south the old acequia belonging to the deceased; and on the west lands of
Santiago Luzero. Said land is conveyed
to him with entrances and exits and the side towards the hills, Marcial Martin,
makes this gift. Signed Manuel Garcia Paraja (rubric). Salbador Baldes
[Salvador Valdez] and Gregorio Lucero
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