Pedigree Chart for Maria Paubla Torres

For my article "The Zimmerlys of Socorro", (New Mexico Genealogist, Vol. 50, No. 2, June 2011, pp. 50-59) I submitted a pedigree chart for Maria Paubla Torres, the wife of Samuel Zimmerly. Unfortunately, due to the small printing, it is almost impossible to read. Therefore, I've reproduced that chart and posted it below:

Click on the photo to see a larger, more legible view of the chart.

You may order a copy of the journal that contains my article (Vol. 50, No 2.) by clicking on this link.

Robert Baca

Genealogy, Family History and Local History

I remember one time when I first begun researching my family tree, I showed my sister Janis a pedigree chart of our ancestors. I was very proud that I had been able to go back a number of generations, going back a couple hundred of years.

Janis looked at that pedigree chart, and asked me, "Yeah, but who ARE these people?"

I was puzzled. After all, there was plenty of information about these families I have their names, and the dates and places of their births, marraiges and deaths. What else did I need?

Janis wanted to know their stories.

Over the years, I've realized the difference between compiling a pedigree chart and writing a family history. One is relatively easy. After a short while, one is able to compile names, dates and places. Oh, sure, there are always brick walls - those ancestors that are impossible to find, but any genalogist worth anything can find at least a few generations. But finding information, and more importantly, telling a story is much different. It's the like the difference between walking to the store and taking a trip across the country.

Some years ago I became a family historian. I began writing stories about my family. More recently, I've begun writting local history. The jump from family history to local history is not much. If you are writing family history, you should be looking at local history. How did your family fit within this history? Were members of your family part of something important in your home town? Were they original settlers of a specific area? How did they get to that area? Did they travel on the El Camino Real, or the Oregon Trail, or the Mormon Trail?

For example, my 2nd great-grandfather Samuel Zimmerly was a member of the California Column, regiments of soldiers that came to New Mexico and Arizona in response to a Confederate invasion of New Mexico. In order to understand, who he was, I had to research not only the California Column and the Civil War, but also how these affected my home town and my ancestor.

Another example is the Socorro Grant. I've written a little bit about this grant. Many of my ancestors were the original grantees of this grant. But the story is not just simply saying that such and such ancestor was part of the grant. Rather, its more answering questions about what this grant meant in their lives. What property did they own? How did they pass along this property to their children and grandchildren? Were they able to pass along the property? What did they do to protect their property, their livelihoods, their lives? As I'm finding out, this grant, as with many other Spanish and Mexican grants in New Mexico, is extremely complicated and controversial. Controversy, of course, makes great history.

I began thinking about this topic after reading a blog post on DearMYRTLE's Genealogy Blog. She asks the question: "21st Century Genealogists: are we becoming better historians?" She believes that geenalogy is becoming more family history, with an emphasis on "history".

Click on this link to read her post.

Genealogical collection to remain at Albuquerque Main Library

The following message was sent to me by email on May 31st, but I have been unable to access my email for the past few weeks. Therefore, I apologize for posting this late, but I hope this information will be useful to you. - Robert Baca, President, New Mexico Genealogical Society


Dean P. Smith, Director
Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Libraries
501 Copper St. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
505.768.5170

An open letter to all the supporters and volunteers of the Special Collections Library

Thank you to all who have shared your thoughts and concerns about the Special Collections Library and the materials housed there. After consultations with Library staff, customers, stakeholders, and City Hall, I have decided to leave the Genealogy Collections at the Main Library on Copper and 5th. The Local History, New Mexicana, Archives, and Center for the Book collections will remain at the Special Collections building on Central and Edith. We plan to re-open the Special Collections building in late August or September.

I understand that for some supporters of the Genealogy collections this will not be an acceptable arrangement. I certainly regret this decision being the cause of stress, frustration, or sadness for any volunteers, customers or supporters. These collections would not be the outstanding treasures that they are today without the many contributions of volunteers and supporters.

I have weighed many options and factors in determining the best way to meet the needs of the community, encourage the use of the historical collections, and honor the history and architecture of the Special Collections building. This arrangement is the most beneficial to the greatest number of customers at this time.

Many customers approached Library staff and suggested that the genealogy materials stay at the Main Library as they find the space more conducive to research, the available hours better, and the nearby amenities, such as restaurants, to be better. Many others have told staff they feel strongly about the Special Collections building and the appropriateness of all historical materials being housed in that one location.

Here are some of the factors that had to be considered:
· All of these collections must have space to expand. If all of the historical collections including Genealogy, Local History, Archives, New Mexicana, and the Center for the Book, move back to the Special Collections Library there will be no room for growth.

· The present stack arrangement at the Special Collections Library must be closed to the public. The current configuration of the stacks and the multiple access points to them are not conducive to the necessary supervision or the appropriate security. The present stack arrangement, narrow and with many dead ends, is most suitable to a closed stacks approach.

· The Genealogy collections are best on open and accessible shelves. The remaining historical collections, especially the archival and unique, are more suited to closed stacks.

· Parking at Main is now more convenient on weekdays with multiple pay lots and a parking garage available, with two free hours, as well as metered parking and public transportation.

· Parking around the Special Collections building has changed in the last six months as two hour metered spaces have been installed all along and just off of Central, and residents only parking is being set up in front of the adjacent residences all along Edith and Copper.

· Genealogy is the most used special collection. Having Genealogy at the Main Library provides an additional 10 hours of public service including Mondays and two evenings.

· Meetings and programs on local history and genealogy can be held in either location depending on which venue most suits the style of program, the space requirements and the time. Large events can be held in the community room or auditorium at the Main Library, while smaller events can be out on the 2nd floor where the Genealogy collection is housed. Medium sized events can be held at the Special Collections building in Botts Hall, and small events in the Center for the Book or the New Mexicana Room. Because of the new parking restrictions at Special Collections, events there will best be limited to weekday evenings and Saturdays.

Again, thank you for your interest in the Special Collections building and the historical collections. Please understand that this was not an easy decision to make nor was it made lightly.

At this time, I have determined this to be the most appropriate use of the historical ‘old main’ building at Central and Edith; the best way to assure all the collections can grow and thrive; and the most appropriate provision of access to all the treasures that make up the various historical collections of the Albuquerque / Bernalillo County Libraries.

Sincerely,


Dean P. Smith, Director
Albuquerque / Bernalillo County Libraries

A list of Socorro Grant Families?

According to J. J. Bowden, there were 70 families that re-settled Socorro, New Mexico in 1815. There is no list of who these families were. Ronald Miera in his article "Who Were the Settlers of Socorro Town Land Grant?" (Herencia, Volume 9, issue 3, July 2001) used Belen baptismal records to figure out who were the Socorro grant families. Although the San Miguel Church was not established until July 1821, baptismal records going back to August 17, 1816, showed babies being born in Socorro.

I have found another record that shows an early list of Socorro residents. In the microfilm "Spanish Archives of New Mexico 1621-1821, Series 2, Roll 19", I found a list of Socorro residents who contributed to a campaign against the Navajos on September 18, 1818. This is found on frames 268 & 269, catagorized as "Twitchell 2747".

Sixty-four individuals are listed on these two pages, including a few female spouses and widows of certain residents. Some of the spouses are not listed by name, but rather simply as spouses of certain residents.

Below is a list of these names:

El Alce [The Alcalde] Dn [Don] Migl [Miguel] Aragon


Dn Juan Dionisio Baca

Dn Xavier Garsia

Su Esposa [his wife]

Diego Antonio Beytia [Abeyta]

Pedro Antonio Silva

Jose Anto Gutierres

Bartolo Romero

hagustin Trujio [Agustin Trujillo]

Jose Padia [Padilla]

Lorenso Padia

Santiago Romero

Dionisio Maldonado

Antonio Truxilo [Trujillo]

Francisco Savedra

Antonio Jose Maldonado

Migl Baldes [Valdez]

Domingo Padia

Antonio Jose Benavides

Domingo Gallego [Gallegos]

Juan Salasar

Ramon Lopes

Bernardo Trujillo

Pasqual Serna

Felipe Padia

Bisente [Vicente] Silva

Antonio Griego

Rafael Apodaca

Anselmo Tafolla

Antonio Baca

Bisente Griego

Dn Pedro Garsia

Christobal Salazar

Dn Felisiano Montoya

Jose Maria Martin

Rafael Lopes

Lorenso Luna

Francisco Baca

Carlos Romero

Juaquin Aragon

Christoval Montoya

Jose Manuel Ruival

Juan Tafoya

Dn Baustista Chaves

Da [Dona] Ana Maria Sanches Esposa del tiente [wife of the lieutenant]  Dn Dionosio Baca

Maria getrudis Martin Esposa [wife] de Antonio Gurule

Manuel trujillo Melsiano (?)

Dn Diego Sanches

Salvador aragon

Jose Manuel Bijil [Vigil]

Su Esposa de Jose Padia

Su Esposa de Juaquin aragon

Juan Montoya

La Esposa de Anselmo tafoa

Antonio Montoya

Jose Antonio Molina

Rafael abeita

La Espa de [The wife of] Anto Trujo [Antonio Trujillo]

Simon Maldonado

Migl Perea

Antonio Cario [Carillo]

Luis Rivera

Barvara Barela vuida [widow]

tomas Salasar

There is some other wording on the document, including what these people contributed. I'm also not 100% sure that I have all the names correct, so I would like to have someone look these over for me.

There is more to this document than just names of Socorro residents. It also has a list of Sevillita, Belen, Tome and Toas residents, too. It would be good to have the entire document transcribed, translated and published at some point.