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