Using the Native Bound Unbound Database to Find Our Native Ancestors

 If you haven't heard of the of the "Native Bound Unbound" Project and Database, you are missing out on an important resource for New Mexico genealogy and history. As a Hispanic New Mexican, I know that my ancestry is complicated. I am descended from both Spanish enslavers and indigenous enslaved. The project's goal is to identify enslaved Native people who are not normally mentioned in historical records. Their names are out there; often they are given Spanish names rather than their original birth names. But they are out there and need to be recognized and celebrated. 

Doing a cursory review of the database, I have already found a number of my ancestors who enslaved people. And I found at least one ancestor who was once enslaved. 

I have written about Jose Tomas Candelaria before on this blog. He is my fifth great grandfather on my Grandmother Maria Teresa (Torres) Baca's side of the family. Apparently, according to my uncles, my great grandmother Juana Andrea Montoya (Teresa's mother) indicated that she was Apache. Although my research does show that she has a number of "Spanish" ancestors, her 2nd great grandfather is Jose Tomas Candelaria, a genizaro. Genizaros were de-tribalized Natives who often were captured as children and put in Spanish households. Many received their freedom as adults and often received land, usually in the outskirts of communities in order to be a buffer against raids from certain tribes. 

Jose Tomas Candelaria was listed as a "genizaro" in the 1790 Spanish census of the 4th plaza of Alburquerque. He is one of a few Candelaria people listed as genizaros, indicating that a few of these citizens were probably raised in one or more Spanish Candelaria households. In entry # 155, 20-year-old Jose Tomas Candelaria is listed with his 15-year-old mestiza wife Ana Maria Gallego. In the Spanish caste system, mestizos were people of mixed Spanish and Native parentage. 

Review an image of the actual census record as well as a translated transcription of the records. The Candelaria/Gallego household is entry # 155 on the page.

Jose Tomas Candelaria entry in the 1790 Census

Once again, this is a great resource for research. Although the transcriptions are only for the household that include Native peoples, images of the entire census are there to peruse. This is a free resource that genealogists should use.

Let us honor all of our ancestors, especially those who were silently ignored over the years. 

Socorro Land Grant Presentation, May 16, 2015 in Socorro, New Mexico

From Immediate Release

Genealogist to Speak about Socorro Grant

Family historian Robert J. C. Baca will speak on “The History and People of the Socorro Land Grant”, on May 16, 2015, at 10 A.M., at the Cottonwood Valley Charter School in Socorro. This program is being presented by the New Mexico Office of the State Historian, the New Mexico Genealogical Society and the Socorro County Historical Society.

Baca has been researching Socorro genealogy and local history for over 15 years. Recently, his research has focused on the Socorro Land Grant. Baca has identified over 60 families who appear to be those who re-settled Socorro in 1815. This year marks the 200^th anniversary of the land grant. 

Baca’s presentation will focus on the controversies regarding the land grant. He will also do a case study on a few of the founding families.

Baca has deep roots in Socorro, going back its founding. He grew up in the community and is a 1986 graduate of Socorro High School. He has a bachelor’s degree in social studies education from the University of New Mexico. He presently teaches history at Foothill High School in Albuquerque.

This presentation is in fulfillment of a scholarship presented to Baca by the New Mexico Office of the State Historian.

Cayetano Torres

On her "1598 New Mexico" blog, Henrietta Martinez Christmas published the 1780 "will" of Cayetano Torres (click her to read her post.) Cayetano Torres was my 6th great grandfather:

Cayetano Torres, father of Antonia Rita Torres, mother of Maria Clara Lorenza Silva, mother of Juan Tomas Montoya, father of Jose Casmiro Montoya, father of Juana Andrea Montoya, mother of Maria Teresa Torres,  mother of Robert C. Baca, father of Robert J. C. Baca.

Actually, this is not a will, as Cayetano (Calletano) Torres died intestate on 25 April 1780. According to the document that Henrietta translated, Cayetano Torres left his property to his wife and his four legitimate children and legal heirs.

Cayetano's widow was Feliciana Ballejos. His heirs were Javier Garcia, the widower of Cayetano's daughter Juana Maria Torres; Salvador Armijo, the husband of Cayetano's daughter Maria Francisca Torres; and Cayetano's other children Juan Francisco Torres and Antonia Rita Torres. Antonia Rita was not quite 6 years old when her father died.

The executor of the estate was Pablo de Salazar. The lieutenant to the Chief Alcalde, Juan Francisco Baca, appointed Feliciana Ballejos as guardian of the property. Jose Francisco Pino and Toribio Garcia Jurado witnessed Juan Francisco Baca's signature. Coincidentally, Pablo de Salazar, Juan Francisco Baca and Toribio Garcia Jurado were all my ancestors.

An inventory was taken of the deceased's estate. After paying funeral expenses, the property was divided half to the widow and the other half to the other heirs.

Ancestor Birthday Blog - Andrea Montoya - November 30, 1883

 

Ignacio and Andrea (Montoya) Torres. Photo courtesy Edward Lujan.

Welcome to my mini-blog within a blog – The Ancestor Birthday Blog. On this blog, I will be posting short vignettes on my ancestors on their birthdays. Today is the genealogy of my great-grandmother Andreita (Montoya) Torres.

My great-grandmother Juana Andrea Montoya was born on November 30, 1883 in the Socorro, New Mexico area. Her parents were Jose Casmiro Montoya and Manuela Abeyta. Andreita (as most people called her) was the granddaughter of Juan Tomas Montoya and Ana Maria Estefana Perea and Jose Albino Abeyta and Maria Miguela Sanchez. Among her ancestors was Jose Tomas Candelaria, the maternal grandfather of her grandfather Albino Abeyta. Jose Tomas Candelaria was listed as a genizaro in the 1790 Spanish census of Alburquerque. A genizaro was an Indian usually kidnapped as a child who was raised in a Spanish household as a servant, and sometimes as family. Jose Tomas would have received his freedom before he married his wife Ana Maria Gallegos. According to family lore, my great-grandmother claimed to be part Apache, which is a possibility since her 2^nd great-grandfather was Native American.

Andreita Montoya married two men. Her first husband was Miguel Marquez. She married him on August 18, 1900 in Socorro. He was the son of Jose Apoloniar Antonio Marquez and Juana Maria Bartola Lucero. Andreita and Miguel had one child: Manuelita Marquez. Her first husband would have died before she married her second husband.

Andreita’s second husband was my great-grandfather Ignacio Torres. Andreita and Ignacio married on August 25, 1906 in Socorro. They had four children who lived past their childhood: Jose Manuel (born 1907), Maria Teresa (1912), Margaret (1917) and Anastacio Torres (1920). Another child, Adelarda Torres (1909) shows up in the 1910 census of the family. It is unknown who this child is; she does not show up in any other records.

Andrea's children: Manuelita Marquez (sitting), Jose Manuel Torres (standing on the right), Maria Teresa Torres (standing on the left) and Margaret Torres (baby on Manuelita's lap.)

Andreita’s second husband Ignacio was the son of Jose Crespin Torres and Maria Andrea Trujillo. Ignacio was born on October 25, 1875 in Socorro. He died on March 15, 1950.

Andreita passed away on July 9, 1974. Although I was 5 years old going on 6 when she died, I for some reason do not remember her at all.

Andrea Montoya and Ignacio Torres (sitting.) Children, clockwise from the right: Jose Manuel, Anastacio, Margaret and Maria Teresa. Photo courtesy Maurine Pool.

If anyone wishes to post stories about Andreita, feel free to post comments on this blog.

Source information available upon request.

Dionosio Antonio Baca and his son-in-law Agustin Torres

Dionosio Antonio Baca was one of the founders of modern-day Socorro, New Mexico. Although Socorro was originally founded in 1598, it had been abandoned before the 1680 Pueblo Revolt and not re-settled until 1815 or 1816. We do not have a list of people who re-settled Socorro; however, we do have a list of people who contributed to a war campaign against the Navajos in 1818. This is the best information that we have regarding who was living there in the early years of its existence. Baptismal records from Belen and Socorro confirm the identities of many of the settlers as well as suggest a few more names.

Dionosio Antonio Baca and Ana Maria Sanchez had at least 10 children. Below is a list of those children:

Individual summary for Dionosio Antonio Baca

I'm going to focus on two of the children: Jose Rafael Baca (1808- 1838) and Maria Felipa Josefa Bonaficia Baca (1767-1838). In my article "A Baca Family in Socorro County, New Mexico 1808-Present" (New Mexico Genealogist 49, December 2010, pp. 196-204), I conjectured that Jose Rafael Baca, who married Maria de Lus Jesus Nepomuncena Baca, was the son of Dionosio Antonio Baca and Ana Maria Sanchez. The problem was that there were many Rafael Bacas in Belen and Socorro, and all I had to confirm Jose Rafael Baca's existence was his son Ramon's marriage record, Jose Rafael's burial record, and his widow's marriage record to her second husband in which she proclaimed that she was the widow of Jose Rafael Baca. By comparing all of the Rafael Bacas in the area, I came to the conclusion that Jose Rafael Baca was the son of Dionosio Antonio Baca. Let's say that this was just an educated guess and not a firm conclusion. There was only one young man named Jose Rafael Baca in the 1833 census of Socorro and the surrounding area. All others had slightly different names, (including his brother Jose Rafael Marcos Baca) and all records mentioned him by his full name rather than by a truncated name (such as Rafael Baca.)

Jose Rafael Baca was my mom's 2nd great-grandfather, through her paternal Baca line:

Relationship chart - Jose Rafael Baca to Frances R. Baca

Maria Felipa Josefa Bonifacia Baca (Felipa, for short) was another one of Dionosio and Ana Maria's children. She married Agustin Torres, the grandson of the founder of Belen, Diego Torres. Felipa and Agustin were among the earlier settlers of Socorro, but may have not been there when it was initially founded. They are not listed among the people who donated goods to the war campaign of 1818. The first record of one of their children being born in Socorro was in July 2, 1823, and that was their son Santiago Torres. It is possible that they moved to Socorro to follow Felipa's parents. It also might be that they were trying to escape the notoriety of her husband's affair with another woman - one of Felipa's cousins. An 1806 prenuptial investigation in Belen indicated that the knowledge of the affair was widespread throughout the community.

Felipa and Agustin had nine children, most of them born in Belen:

Individual Summary - Felipa Baca

Two of Felipa's children are important to my ancestry: Ricardo Torres and Simon Torres.

Ricardo was the grandfather of my great-grandfather Esteban Zimmerly. Simon was the great-grandfather of Esteban's wife, Delfina Torres. This relationship made my great-grandparents 2nd cousins, once removed:

Relationship chart between Esteban Zimmerly and Delfina Torres.

Esteban Zimmerly and Delfina Torres had a daughter by the name of Maria Paublita Zimmerly. Paublita is my grandmother. She married the aforementioned Santiago Baca, the descendant of Jose Rafael Baca. My grandparents were 3rd cousins, once removed:

Relationship chart between Santiago Baca and Maria Paublita Zimmerly

In all, I am descended from Dionosio Antonio Baca and Ana Maria Sanchez three times, all on my mother's side of the family.

Maria Paublita (Zimmerly) and Santiago Baca

Sources:

Robert J. C. Baca, "A Baca Family in Socorro County, New Mexico 1808-Present", New Mexico Genealogist, 49 (December 2010), 196-204.

Robert J.C. Baca, "Early Settlers of the Socorro Land Grant: An 1818 List, Part III," New Mexico Genealogist, 51 (September 2012): p. 119. 

Robert J. C. Baca, "The Zimmerlys of Socorro: A Swiss Civil War Soldier and an Old New Mexican Family", New Mexico Genealogist, 50 (June 2011), 50-59.

Bacas, Garcia Jurados and a few Torreses and Montoyas for good measure

I've  become a fan of genetic genealogy. I don't believe it can replace conventional genealogy, but it sure can help clarify questions and find distant relatives.

Regarding the latter - I bought the Family Finder test last year, and I've found a few hundred relatives. A few of these relatives have posted their genealogies on the FamilyTreeDNA website. I've noticed a few trends in their genealogies.

First, I have a number of relatives who are related to me through my 4th great-grandparents Dionosio Antonio Baca and Ana Maria Sanchez. My closest relative on the site is Mr. F.M. who shares my 2nd great-grandparents Ramon Baca and Anastasia Padilla (making us 3rd cousins.) Ramon Baca is the the grandson of the aforementioned Dionosio Antonio and Ana Maria. Mr. R.M. is the fourth great-grandson of Dionosio Antonio and Ana Maria - making him my 5th cousin. Mrs. L.V.J.E. and Mrs. D.W are also my 5th cousins through this relationship. Mrs. L.T.A. has them as her 3rd great-grandparents, which makes her my mother's 4th cousin and my 4th cousin, once removed.

Dionosio Antonio Baca is the great-grandson of Ramon Garcia Jurado and his first wife Juana Antonia de Espindola y de las Heras. A number of my relatives are descendants of Ramon Garcia Jurado and his second wife Bernadino Hurtado. This latter couple are my 7th great-grandparents. Mr. F.T., Jr.; Mr. L.C.; Mr. G.G.R.; Mr. N.C.G.; Mr. B.M.; Mr. K.G.S and Mrs. N.C.P. are all descendants of this couple.

Other relatives are related to me through Diego de Torres, one of the founders of Belen, and various Montoya families. Two of my relatives, Mrs. H.M.C. and Mr. M.M., are descendants of Luis Maria Cabeza de Baca, my 4th great-grandfather. H.M.C. is descended from Luis Maria's first wife; both M.M. and I are descended from Luis Maria's 2nd wife.

I have personally contacted only a few of these people. A few of them are friends and genealogical colleagues of mine. One, who is a 5th cousin of mine, is the president of one of the leading genealogy societies in town. Many have roots either in Socorro, Belen or Pena Blanca.

I am still waiting to find a Zimmerly or Bourguignon family member to take a Family Finder test. I would also like to find a closer Torres family (one from Socorro, rather than Belen) on the site.

Descendants of Toribio Garcia Jurado

Andres Armijo, the author of "Por Constancia /So that it may be validated: Family History in the Rio Abajo", informed me recently that he is related to me. I already knew that we were related by marriage - his great uncle married my great aunt, and therefore we have mutual cousins. I also figured that we were related to each other in other ways. After all, we are both of New Mexico stock and we both come from the Rio Abajo. But even though I read his book, I didn't realize that he had information that showed that we are 7th cousins.

In his book, Andres indicated that he is the descended of Joseph Enrique Chaves, a soldier from Belen who enlisted in Isleta Pueblo in 1808. Joseph Enrique Chaves was the son of Santiago Chaves and Maria de la luz Garcia. Maria de la luz Garcia was the daughter of Toribio Garcia Jurado and Antonia Teresa Gutierrez. Based on my extrapolation of the information that he presented, Andres is the 6th great-grandson of Toribio and Antonia (see pages 102-104 of his book.) I, too, am the 6th great-grandson of Toribio and Antonia - three times - and their 7th great-grandson once.  That makes Andres and me 7th cousins and 7th cousins, once removed.

Andres' ancestors probably stayed in Belen for a few generations at least. My ancestors were the original (re) settlers of Socorro in 1815.

In my two articles in the September 2011 and March 2012 New Mexico Genealogist - "The Early Settlers of the Socorro Land Grant: An 1818 List (Parts I and II)", I mention two specific ancestors of mine who are the children of Toribio Garcia Jurado and Antonia Teresa Gutierrez. Francisco Xavier Garcia Jurado, married three times, was one of the instrumental founders of Socorro. In 1817 and 1818, he petitioned the governor to get title of the Socorro Land Grant for the settlers. He was listed in an 1818 list of Socorro residents who contributed goods to a military campaign against the Navajos. (Part I - page 117.) I am descended from Francisco Xavier's second wife Maria Josefa Sanchez, who was dead by 1816.  (New Mexico Roots, Volume 4, page 616.)

Francisco Xavier's sister Maria Trinidad Garcia Jurado arrived Socorro by 1818 with her husband Feliciano Montoya. Feliciano Montoya was listed on the 1818 list, which confirms that he was living in Socorro at the time. (Part II - page 12.)

Descendants of Francisco Xavier Garcia Jurado include my second great-grandmother Maria Guadalupe Padilla, who married my 2nd great-grandfather Jose Epitacio Torres. They were the parents of Delfina Torres, who married Estevan Zimmerly - my great-grandparents - my maternal grandmother's parents. Another descendant is Jose Crespin Torres, my 2nd great grandfather on my father's side, who married Maria Andrea Trujillo.

Descendants of Maria Trinidad Garcia Jurado include Maria Pabla Torres who married Samuel Zimmerly, who were the parents of the aforementioned Estevan Zimmerly (which means that Maria Pabla Torres and Maria Guadalupe Padilla were 3rd cousins, and their children - the married couple Estevan and Delfina were fourth cousins.) Also, my 3rd great-grandfather, Jose Valentine Torres, the father of the aforementioned Jose Epitacio Torres, was a great-grandson of Maria Trinidad. This means that Jose Epitacio Torres and his wife were 2nd cousins, once removed. Also Josefa Abeyta, Jose Epitacio Torres' first wife, was also a great-granddaughter of Maria Trinidad Garcia Jurado, which made this couple also second cousins. Luckily, I'm not descended from her, too.

If you wish to get proof of these relationships, please contact me.

The Garcia Jurado family is one of my favorite families, partially because I'm descended from them many times and also because they are just interesting people. I mean, just look at Ramon Garcia Jurado (Toribio's famther), Ramon's daughter Petronila Garcia Jurado (not mentioned here, but I wrote about her in the June 2014 New Mexico Genealogist) and his grandson Francisco Xavier Garcia Jurado. All of these people had colorful lives. You can read about them in articles that I've written and through books such as Origins of New Mexico Families (by Fray Angelico Chavez), The Spanish Recolonization of New Mexico (Esquibel and Colligan), and "Spanish Colonial Lives" (Tigges and Salazar.)

The Line of Santiago

As many of you know, my name is Robert James Baca. What you might not know is that my middle name comes from my mother's father Santiago Baca. Santiago literally means "St. James" in Spanish, but is often translated as "James."

When researching my family, I noticed a trend among my ancestors. I call it the line of Santiago.

My maternal grandfather Santiago Baca was born on December 24, 1907, and died on July 19, 1961. Santiago Baca married my grandmother Maria Pablita Zimmerly in 1932.

Santiago Baca's maternal grandfather was Santiago Padilla, who was probably born in the mid 1800s, and married my 2nd great grandmother Maria Albina Trujillo in 1878.

Santiago Padilla's 2nd great grandfather was Santiago Trujillo who was married to Victoria Chaves, probably in the 1760s. He was probably born in the 1730s or 1740s.

The leap from Santiago Padilla and Santiago Trujillo is a bit large (5 generations.) As such, it's unlikely that Santiago Padilla was named after his 2nd great grandfather. However, it does appear that my grandfather was named after his grandfather. You will see that in many Hispanic families, especially those from a hundred a years ago. New Mexicans generations ago were often named after one of their grandparents.

So my middle name seems to go at least as far back as the 1800s, and possibly the 1700s. This is a neat legacy to have.

My grandparents Santiago and Pablita (Zimmerly) Baca