My genealogy database is 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.

New Video Blog: "Reflections on My Father's Baca Family"

With the passing of my Aunt Maryetta recently, I decided to do a little bit of reflection on my dad's family. My aunt was the last of her generation to pass - the last of her siblings. She only has one living Baca cousin.