Antonio Baca's will, 1755

The following will was transcribed and translated into English by Google's Gemini AI. I made a few minor corrections.  Please follow this link to read the Spanish transcription along with the translation. 

Antonio Baca was the son of Manuel Baca and Maria de Salazar, who returned to New Mexico during the reconquest of New Mexico in 1692/1693. He was married to Maria Getrudis Aragon. 

I believe the Lieutenant Alcalde Mayor Manuel Baca mentioned in this record is Antonio's nephew through his sister Josefa Baca. 

Image # 420 

In the name of God Almighty Our Lord.

1755. Let all who see this document of my testament and last and best will know how I, Antonio Baca, resident of this Kingdom of New Mexico, legitimate son of Manuel Baca and Maria de Salazar, deceased, being sick in bed with an illness that God our Lord has been pleased to give me, and in my full judgment, will, and understanding, believing as I believe in the Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three distinct persons and one true God, and in everything that our Holy Mother Roman Catholic Apostolic Church confesses and believes, placing as intercessor the ever-blessed Virgin Mary, our intercessor, the blessed patron Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Saint John, and the saint of my name, so that they may pray to God for my soul, fearing death which is a natural thing, and desiring to place my soul on the path of salvation, I ordain my testament in the following form and manner —

Image #421

Firstly, I commend my soul to God who created it and redeemed it with His most precious blood, and my body to the earth from which it was formed.

Item, I declare that I am married and veiled according to the order of our Holy Mother Church to Maria Laragon (sic), and during our marriage we had and procreated eight legitimate children:

• Ana Maria Baca, now deceased, who was married to Andres Montoya
• Maria Francisca, married to Manuel Armijo
• Juana Baca, with Francisco Montoya
• Gregoria Baca, married to Don Mateo Ruibal
• Ines Baca, married to Antonio Montoya
• Rosa Baca, married to Antonio Ortega
• Pablo Baca, married to Lorenza Juana de Ribera
• Maria Marta, deceased. At present, six remain alive.

Item, I declare that I possess a plot of land for planting bread wheat in Santa Cruz de los Palacios, which I acquired through a royal sale from Captain Andres Montoya, which I have already left distributed among my legitimate children. And the house of my dwelling, which consists of five rooms with its doors and windows, which said lands and house I leave to my children so that they may enjoy them with the blessing of God and my own.

Image # 422

Item, a hoe, a spit for roasting meat, and a copper kettle —

Item, a comal [griddle], an adze, a gouge chisel —

Item, a charcoal-burning axe, a table, and a bench —

Item, a basket of branding irons —

Item, I declare two hundred and fifty head of cattle —

Item, ten breeding cows, seven calves, and two branded yearlings —

Item, a bull-ox and a young bull —

Item, I declare among my goods twenty-three head of cattle for

my funeral expenses and the care of my body —

Item, it is my will that if God should be pleased

to take me from this present life, my body

be shrouded in the habit of my father Saint

Francis and buried in the church of this

Villa of Santa Fe, at the foot of the altar of Saint Antho-

ny, and if it be a proper hour, let a

mass be said with my body present, with funeral vigils,

and as for the remaining masses, I leave it to the discretion of my executors —

Item, I command to the forced and customary

pious bequests one peso to each one, with which they shall be separated

from my estate, and I name as my executors —

Image # 423

[as executors] testamentaries Don Mateo Ruibal

and Pablo Baca, for the complete satisfaction that

I have. And I revoke and annul any other

testaments, memorandums, or codicils that before

this one I may have made, and let only this one be valid. And for its signature

and validation, I requested and begged the Lieutenant

Alcalde Mayor, Manuel Baca, of this jurisdiction,

to interpose his authority and judicial decree.

And I, the said Lieutenant Alcalde Mayor, who am present

at its granting, do certify that I know

the grantor, who herein is in his full judgment;

and I interpose and have interposed my authority and judicial

decree as far as I can and must, and he signed it

with me and the witnesses written below of my assistance,

with whom I act as receiving judge, there being

no public or royal notary in this kingdom—

and on this paper for lack of that with the royal seal. The

instrumental witnesses were Andres Montoya and Manuel

el Gallego, both residents of this jurisdiction, where

it is done and granted on the sixth day of the month of May

of the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty-five.

Image # 424

†

I certify that likewise, upon taking up the pen to

sign, he was unable to do so, and he requested and begged Mateo de Ruibal

to sign for me at the request of the grantor. Mateo de

Ruibal Witness: Mateo de Ruibal

Manuel Baca

Witness: Alexandro Tenorio

Witness: Manuel Gallego

Source: Ancestry.com. New Mexico, U.S., Land Records of New Spain, 1692-1916 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. Original data: Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series 2, 1621-1821. New Mexico State Records Center and Archives, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Item # 101. Will for Antonio Baca, 6 May 1755, image # 419-424. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/60892/images/44758_N2546857_0133-00420?usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=173479&treeid=212381541&personid=412809534652

We now know where my Grand Uncle Martin B. Baca was buried

We have now viewed the death certificate for my Grand Uncle Martin B. Baca! According to the record, Martin was buried at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Gonzales Funeral Home was the mortuary that handled his remains. 

He passed away from renal failure and congestive heart failure, at 8:02 PM, on January 14, 1994, at Las Vegas Medical Center Ponderosa I. A medical doctor filed the certificate on February 1st of that year. 

His birthdate is listed as April 11, 1920. According to his baptism, he was actually born on April 1, 1920. 

His parents were listed as Juan Baca and Carolina Bourququrou (sic). His parents names were actually Juan Baca y Luna and Carolina Bourguignon. 

According to the record, Martin never married. He was 73 years old.

We are still looking for Martin's tombstone, if it exists. However, yesterday I set up a FindAGrave memorial for Martin. Here is the link to my grand uncle's memorial.

Source: Martin Baca, death certificate (long form) no. 368279 (14 January 1994), State of New Mexico, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Is my granduncle Martin B. Baca buried in Las Vegas, New Mexico?

A photo of Juan and Carolina (Bourguignon) Baca, and their children, taken on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary (April, 1950). Kneeling left to right: Martin B. Baca, Philip B. Baca. Standing left to right: Robert B. Baca, Priscilla B. Baca, Lorenzo B. Baca, Juan Baca y Luna, Carolina Bourguignon Baca.

Photo courtesy of Ed Baca.

My dad's first cousin Ed is trying to find his uncle's burial place. I found a copy of social security index entry for Martin B. Baca on Ancestry.com. 

Martin B. Baca was born on April 1, 1920, in either Polvadera or Lemitar, New Mexico (his parents lived in Lemitar. Polvadera is the next town over. In fact, I don't even know where Lemitar ends and Polvadera begins.) He died on January 14, 1994, in Las Vegas, New Mexico. He may be buried in Las Vegas, but we really don't know. I've check Newspapers.com and FindaGrave, as well as Ancestry and FamilySearch. I haven't found any burial place for him on any of those sites.

My cousin Ed is going to try to get a death certificate his uncle. However, if anyone has the ability to physically search for his tombstone, please let me know if you can find it. You can put it in FindAGrave and/or send me a photo of the tombstone. You can send it to my email at Bacahistory@gmail.com.

Thank you,

Robert J. C. Baca

Martin Baca's baptismal record. Source: "Microfilm # 16994, Church Records 1821-1956, Catholic Church. San Miguel (Socorro, New Mexico)," Family Search, FamilySearch.org (www.familysearch.org : accessed 22 April 2019), digital image, "baptismal record: Martin Baca," image # 1197.

Martin Baca's information in the U.S. Social Security Index, 1935-2014. Source: 

Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2014. Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration.

Another social security index entry for Martin Baca. This has some different information from the previous image. Please note that this was transcribed incorrectly. Martin's father's name is Juan Baca y Luna. 

Source: Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Original data: Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007.

20th Century Deaths: The Baca/Luna Family of Lemitar, NM

The following article has many links that you should explore. Please click on the links in blue or in the images below.

Genealogists often use obituaries and death certificates to discover vital information about families. Not only do they show the dates and causes of deaths of particular persons, but they can also confirm birthdates, parent names, places of origin, etc. Obituaries particularly can be used to glean family information such as spouses, children, and grandchildren. However, it must be understood that death certificates are only primary documents for the death itself, and not for any other information. The person filling out the paperwork - especially if it's a child or neighbor of the deceased - often does not have personal knowledge of birthdates, parents, and other information. Mistakes can be made. Obituaries are even more likely to have errors, since they are not official documents. As researchers, we should always use other documents to confirm the information. 

That said, it's a good starting off point. I often will use obituaries to find my cousins. I don't publish information about living people, but having the information in my database helps me connect to relatives and solve mysteries. I've used it to connect to people who show up as related to me in various DNA databases, as well when having conversations with people interested in family history.

I have found a lot of information about my Baca/Luna family using these death records. Martin Baca was a son of Jose Mateo Mauricio Cabeza de Baca and Maria Guadalupe Montoya. He was also the grandson of the famed Luis Maria Cabeza de Baca and his second wife Ana Maria Sanchez. Martin himself is mentioned as an heir of Luis Maria in a land claim made by the family (page 7.)  He and his brothers moved from Peña Blanca, New Mexico to Lemitar in the early 1850s. 

Martin's wife Maria Rita Luna was the daughter of Francisco de Luna and Concepcion Sena. The family had moved from Albuquerque to Socorro by 1845, when Maria Rita was about 1 years old. 

Martin and Maria Rita had at least 5 children: Ramona, Miguel, Juan, Adelaida, and Juan B. The second Juan was my great-grandfather. Click on this link to read a 5 generation ancestor report for my great-grandfather. This report includes sources for the above information.

Below are images of either death certificates or obituaries of four of those five children. Click on the images to see the documents online.

I do not have an image or link for the first obituary:

1. Ramona Baca

Transciption:

Sra. Ramona B. de Barreras Fallecio el Sabado En Su Residencia de Magdalena. El sabado fallecio en su residencia de Magdalena, Sra. Ramona Baca, esposa de Dn. Frutoso Barreras, a los 65 anos de edad.

A la extinta ademas de su esposo le sobreviven dos hijos y tres hijas; Sres. Martin Barreras, de La Junta Colo; Adolfo J. Barreras, de Chicago; Irene, esposa de Dn. Liberator Montoya de Denver, Beatriz, esposa de Pedro Lopez, Supt. de esculeas de este condado; Rosita Barreras, enboder (?) de su padre; dos nueras, Ramoncity y Mary Lee de Barreras; dos hermanos: Juan Baca, de Socorro, Miguel Baca de Gallup; una hermana: Adelaida Baca, de Polvadera; ademas deja postrados en officcion un gran numero de nietos, sobrinos y parientes que lamentan su separacion.

El funeral se verifico el lunes en la manana emprezando en la casa del luto a la iglesia de Santa Magdalena, en donde le dieron misa de cuerpo presnte y de alif siguio el cortejo funebre al panteon, en donde fueron sepertados (?) los resos mortales.

Esta redaccion extiende sus condolencias a la familia Barreras y deudos. Q.D.E.P.

Translation:

Mrs. Ramona B. de Barreras Died Saturday In Her Magdalena Residence

On Saturday died in her residence in Magdalena, Mrs. Ramona Baca, wife of Don Frutoso Barreras, at 65 years old. In addition to her husband, she is survived by two sons and three daughters; Mr. Martin Barreras, from La Junta Colo; Adolfo J. Barreras, of Chicago; Irene, wife of Don Liberato Montoya of Denver, Beatriz, wife of Pedro Lopez, Superintendent of schools in this county; Rosita Barreras, (caretaker?) of her father; two daughters-in-law, Ramoncita and Mary Lee de Barreras; two brothers: Juan Baca, of Socorro, Miguel Baca of Gallup; a sister: Adelaida Baca, from Polvadera; In addition, she leaves a large number of grandchildren, nephews and nieces and relatives who (mourn her.)

The funeral was held on Monday morning (beginning) in the house of mourning to the church of Santa Magdalena, where she was given a mass of body and (?) following the funeral procession to the cemetery, where the mortal remains were (buried.)

This (newspaper's) editorial staff extends its condolences to the Barreras family and relatives. R.I.P.

Source: "Genealogy Bank," database, Genealogy Bank (www.genealogybank.com: accessed 19 May 2018), "Sra. Ramona B. de Barreras Falleció el Sábado En Su Residencia de Magdalena", Obituary: Ramona Baca de Barreras, 21 Feburary 1930, "Defensor del Pueblo" newspaper (Socorro, New Mexico.), page 1.

2. Miguel Baca

3. Adelaida Baca

4. Juan B. Baca y Luna

A Moment in a Lifetime: My Grandfather's WWII Draft Card

Being a patriotic American (and required by law), my paternal grandfather completed a draft card a year before the U.S. entered World War II. On October 16, 1940, Robert Bourguignon Baca signed his name to the form. It shows that he was born in Lemitar, New Mexico, a small village 7 miles north of Socorro, where he resided. He was born on May 11, 1907, and was a citizen of the United States. He was 33 years old at the time he completed the form.

He worked for the Socorro Post Office. The person who would always know his address was his wife, Mrs. Robert B. Baca - my grandmother Maria Teresa (Torres) Baca. He was listed as 5'11" and 190 pounds. He had brown eyes, black hair, and a dark complexion. He had no obvious identifiable physical characteristics. 

Although I pretty much knew all this information before, it's still nice to see this snapshot of a moment in his lifetime. It also confirms that he was going by the name Robert Bourguignon Baca - Bourguignon being his mother's surname. It has his signature, and it gives his height. My dad and others said that he was over 6 feet tall - and indeed pictures of him, especially when he's standing next to my dad who was 5'9" seem to indicate that he might have actually been at least 6 feet. (Side note: I'm 5'10" when I don't slouch. I once said to my dad, "hey, dad, I'm taller than you!" My dad responded, "you may be taller than me, but you aren't taller than your father!" Of course it was just a joke: I look a lot like my father.)

I was very young when my grandfather died - about 4 years old. I honestly don't remember him and I don't have any pictures of me with him. I wish I knew him better. My sisters and many of my cousins remember him. I've been told that I look a lot like him, especially when I wear a suit and fedora. 

Source: "New Mexico, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSSB-2SYQ-5?view=explore : Oct 24, 2026), image 482 of 1033; National Personnel Records Center (St. Louis, Missouri).

Image Group Number: 101688584

Article about the Zimmerly Family in the Socorro County Historical Society website

One of the first articles that I used for research was titled "Zimmerly Family in Socorro for 100 Years" which was published in the El Defensor Chieftain on November 17, 1966. There are some mistakes in the article - for instance it says that Samuel Zimmerly was from Germany. He actually was from Switzerland. However, it had a lot of great genealogical information about his descendants. I am personal descended from his son Estevan (Steve) Zimmerly and Delfina Torres, and their daughter Maria Paublita (again, another mistake was the she was born on December 10, 1909, not 1924. December 10, 1924 was the date that her brother Albert was born. 

Here is a link to the transcribed version of the article.

My genealogy database now lists over 17,000 people

 Hello, friends:

Today my Socorro Land Grant Project genealogy database has exceeded 17,000 names. Are you interested in finding out about your family who lived in the Socorro area? Contact me. We could share information with each other. 

I tend to do research in spurts. It helps that this weekend is my Labor Day break. 

I'll be posting this database to Ancestry.com. I suggested to everyone that you save your database online every so often in case your computer is lost or damaged and you lose your data. This uploaded database will be private, as I have a lot of projects that I'll be working on in the future. 

Happy researching!

- RJCB

 

Video Blog: Finding Philip Bourguignon's Family in Census Records

I uploaded a new video blog to YouTube: "Using New Mexico Census Records to Find Sgt. Bourguignon's Children". 

In the video, I discuss my 2nd great-grandfather Philip Bourguignon's part in history, find his family in various U.S. censuses, and follow his wife to Albuquerque to visit her son Luis, whose family was living in the Barelas neighborhood. Along the way, I add names and records to my Ancestry.com family tree.

Samuel Zimmerly's Civil War Pension Files (from index)

 Unlike my 2nd great-grandfather Philip Bourguignon, I do know my 2nd great-grandfather Samuel Zimmerly's date of death. Based on his obituary, Samuel died circa November 20, 1887. A history of the Zimmerly family states that he died on November 20, 1887, while the obituary below mentions that he died the day before the publication date of November 22, 1887.

Zimmerly was a member of Co. B, 1st Infantry, of the California Column. The obituary mentions other members of the same company including Samuel C. Meek, Joseph D. Emmerson, Richard Patterson, Councilman McCuistion, E.L. Smart, and Sam Creevy, all who were residents of the city of Socorro and its vicinity. 

Sources: 

Author Anonymous, "Zimmerly Family in Socorro for 100 Years," El Defensor Chieftain (Socorro, New Mexico) (17 November 1966). 

"Samuel Zimmerly's Obituary," obituary, p. 3, Santa Fe New Mexico, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 22 November 1887; online archives (http://0-access.newspaperarchive.com.albuq.cabq.gov/us/new-mexico/santa-fe/santa-fe-new-mexican : accessed 2 September 2026).

The pension index below shows that Samuel Zimmerly applied for an invalid Civil War pension on September 21, 1885, while his wife Paula Torres de Zimmerly applied for a widow's pension on July 18, 1889. 

Source: "U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934," database, Ancestry.com (Ancestry.com: accessed 2 September 2026), Index of Invalid and Widow's pension files. Pension Requests made by Samuel and Paula Torres de Zimmerly

Philip Bourguignon's Death Date?

Until recently, I wasn't able to estimate the date that Philip Bourguignon died. However, after reviewing a pension record index, I believe that I can use this record to estimate his death date within a two-year period. 

It appears that my 2nd great-grandfather may have died between May 25, 1892, and July 14, 1894. I base it on the pension index below that shows the dates of Philip's Civil War invalid pension request and his wife Tomasita's request for a widow's pension. 

Source: "U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934," database, Ancestry.com (Ancestry.com: accessed 2 September 2026), Index of Invalid and Widow's pension files. Pension Requests made by Philip and Tomasita Bourguignon.