Video: Life and Death in Small Town New Mexico (Socorro County Historical Society)

 

On July 19, 2025, I made a presentation for the Socorro County Historical Society titled "Life and Death in Small Town New Mexico". I recorded a video of the presentation and posted it on my "Socorro Genealogist" YouTube station.

In my talk, I profiled four Socorro County 19th Century residents. Eutimio Montoya was a staunch defender of the Socorro Land Grant, taking the U.S. Government to court to fight for the grantees' rights. His father Estanislao Montoya was a brigadier general in the New Mexico militia during the Civil War, a businessowner, and a politician. Samuel Zimmerly was a California Column Civil War soldier and prominent miller in Park City. Samuel's wife Maria Pabla Torres was a descendant of an old New Mexico Spanish family, who ran her husband's business after his death and whose children started six prominent families in Socorro County.

I had a great audience that asked good questions and provided stories of their own during the presentation. I shared binders and folders of genealogy with members of the audience, and a few audience members shared their family history with me, too.

I very much appreciate the reception I received from the Socorro County Historical Society and their members. For more information about the society, click on this link.

To view the video, click on this link

July 19, 2025 SCHS Presentation: "Life and Death in Small Town New Mexico"

Life and Death in Small Town New Mexico

The Personal Histories of Socorro and Surrounding Communities

A new presentation by Robert J. C. Baca

Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 2 PM

at The Socorro County Historical Society annual meeting

City of Socorro Convention Center

1220 Hwy 60 West
Socorro, New Mexico

(The old National Guard building.)

There are thousands of stories in New Mexican small towns. Socorro is not different. From its beginnings prior to Spanish exploration, through Spanish colonization in 1598 and up until the present, many families have lived and died in this town. These are the stories of a few notable, but maybe not lauded, residents of the area. These are "personal histories" of the local folk.

Robert J. C. Baca is a former president of the New Mexico Genealogical Society. For the past quarter century, he has been researching Socorro genealogy and history, focusing mostly on the Socorro Land Grant. He has presented before NMGS, The Historical Society of New Mexico, the Socorro County Historical Society, and many other organizations. Robert and his lovely wife Nancy live are teachers living in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Robert invites you to bring photos, documents, and your own personal family histories to the presentation to share. This will be an interactive event. Portions of the presentation will be filmed and streamed on YouTube and social media after the event. 

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.