My Book "History and Families of the Socorro Land Grant, Part I" Now on Sale!

 

Hello, dear readers!

My book "History and Families of the Socorro Land Grant, Part I: The Baca Family and Their Descendants" is now on sale at Amazon.com!

After over 25 years of research, my efforts are finally realized. This book includes genealogies of 35 out of 66 founding families of the Socorro Land Grant. In the future, I will publish genealogies of the remaining families.

This is a valuable resource for family historians and the general public who are interested in families of the area of Socorro, New Mexico. Follow this link to purchase a copy of the book.

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. 

Two Recent Passings in Nancy's Family

 Recently, my wife Nancy lost an aunt and an uncle. Her aunt Joyce Darlene (Douglas) Seitz was her father's sister, while Richard Dunn was her mother's brother. Nancy and I attended Aunt Joyce's service. Unfortunately, we will not be able to attend Uncle Richard's service.

Both were good people. We stayed with Aunt Joyce a couple of times, including just a couple years ago. 

Below are their obituaries:

Joyce Seitz

April 27, 1932 — July 19, 2025

Joyce Darlene Seitz, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully on July 19, 2025, in Tucson, Arizona, at the age of 93.

Born on April 27, 1932, in Hindsboro, Illinois, Joyce was the cherished daughter of Ralph Douglas and Ethel Hanks. She was one of seven children and grew up in a close-knit family filled with love, laughter, and the values that would guide her life.

Joyce graduated from Hindsboro High School and pursued her passion for caring for others by attending nursing school. Her kind heart and steady spirit made her a natural in the profession, and she touched many lives through her work and her quiet strength.

A longtime member of the United Methodist Church of the White Mountains, Joyce found joy and purpose in her faith and her church community. She had a special love for life's simple pleasures - spending time in her garden, working through intricate jigsaw puzzles, and savoring a Milky Way candy bar now and then.

Joyce was known for her strong will, boundless kindness, and warm heart. She was a devoted mother to four children: Ed Seitz, John Seitz, and the late Tom Seitz and Larry Seitz. She was a loving grandmother to five grandchildren and took great pride in her role as a great-grandmother to two. Her family was the center of her world, and her strength and compassion left an indelible mark on all who knew her.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Russell B. Seitz; her sons, Tom and Larry Seitz; her grandchildren, Marie Dine Seitz and Russell Lee Seitz; and her parents and several siblings.

Joyce's legacy is one of enduring love, resilience, and generosity - a life well lived and deeply treasured.

A viewing will be held at Owens Livingston Mortuary, 320 N. 9th Ave., in Showlow, Arizona, on Monday, July 28, 2025, at 1:00 PM, followed by a Funeral Service at 2:00 PM. Graveside services will be held at Show Low Cemetery at 3:00 PM.

Joyce Darlene Seitz will be forever remembered, deeply missed, and always loved.

- "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Richard L Dunn

June 20, 1938 – September 3, 2025

Obituary of Richard L Dunn

IN THE CARE OF Aycock-Riverside Funeral and Cremation Center

Richard Livingston Dunn, 87, of West Palm Beach, Florida, formerly of Redmon, Illinois, died September 3, 2025. He was born on June 20, 1938; the son of Carroll Livingston and Viola Fern (Poole) Dunn.

Richard earned BS and MS Degrees from Eastern Illinois University and completed post-graduate studies at Indiana State University. He served in the US Army Air Force three years and the Illinois National Guard eighteen years. After several years teaching, he was named Regional Planner of Coles County, Kankakee County, Arlington Heights, and Glen Ellyn in that order.

Richard and Jane were married October 11, 1986 in Paris, Illinois. After retirement, they relocated to West Palm Beach, Florida. Richard was an active parishioner of various United Methodist churches where he lived. He and Jane served thirty-two mission trips sharing God’s love and helping improve the lives of those in underserved communities and countries.

Richard is preceded in death by his parents and three siblings, Elaine Dunn, Joseph Leon Dunn and Barbara Jean Dunn.

He is survived by his wife, Jane Gard Rizk Dunn; siblings, Carroll Thomas Dunn (Evelyn) of Paris, Illinois and Sharon Dunn Douglas (Ed Bramel) of Sierra Vista, Arizona; brothers-in-law, James Gard (Karen) and Richard K. Gard; step-children, Richard Rizk (Jill), Mark Rizk (Nataliia) and Jamila Rizk Farid; grand-children, Gina Rizk, Amanda Rizk, Samuel Rizk, Julia Farid and Ava Farid; nieces, Nancy Douglas de Baca, Amanda Douglas Lewis, Brittany Dunn Kingery and Kristy Dunn Bettenhausen; nephews, Andrew Douglas, and Brett, Brian, Brice, and Kevin Dunn; as well as many great-nieces and great-nephews.

Memorial services are scheduled at the United Methodist Church of the Palm Beaches, Florida on September 12, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. with reception to follow. A graveside service will occur at Mount Church Cemetery, E 700th Road, N 250st, Clark County, Illinois (south of Casey, Illinois) on September 18, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. A luncheon will follow at The First United Methodist Church of Paris, Illinois. For those inclined, memorials may be sent to a charity of choice or to the United Methodist Church of the Palm Beaches.

A Summary of a Report to Congress Regarding the Cabeza de Baca Family

 I decided to summarize a report to the House of the Representatives, 1st Session of the 36th Congress, regarding the petition by the Heirs of Luis Maria Cabeza de Baca. I read the entire report, but it found it a little daunting, so I used A.I. to help me summarize it. 

Luis Maria Cabeza de Baca was my fourth great-grandfather. His son Jose Mateo Mauricio (or simply Mateo) was my third great-grandfather. Mateo's son Martin was my 2nd great-grandfather. All three are mentioned in the summary.

Luis Maria was granted a large tract of land in 1821 in the area around present-day Las Vegas, New Mexico. Due to complications including revolutions, wars, regime change, and raids by Native American tribes, Luis Maria lost the land. Other families took possession of the land by 1835 and were issued title for the land. When the heirs of the deceased Luis Maria petitioned the government, they ended up getting up receiving 5 tracts, or "floats", of land in New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado. Click on the following link by to an article about the Baca Floats in the American Surveyor website.

My summary is in the link below:

The Heirs of Luis Maria Cabeza de Baca

Cavernous Malformation and the Baca Family

There is a high incidence of Cavernous Malformation among Hispanic families in New Mexico, specifically among descendants of Cristobal Baca II and his son Manuel Baca. Manuel Baca was a progenitor of Baca families who returned to New Mexico in 1693 after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.

This genetic mutation can cause brain hemorrhaging among many other symptoms. Obviously, this can be a life altering and life threatening condition.

CCM1, the Common Hispanic Mutation , does not skip generations, and children of those who are affected have a 50/50 chance of inheriting the disease. 

Estimates are that there are 5 million descendants of the Baca family, and that anyone who has 7 generations of New Mexican (Hispanic) ancestry are probably descendants of the Baca family. Among the ancestors identified as probable carriers of the illness are two children of Manuel Baca,  (Maria) Josefa Baca and Cristobal Baca III. Cristobal Baca III has the most  descendants identified as affected by the disease. In addition, half of Luis Maria Cabeza de Baca 23 children inherited the disease. He was the grandson of Cristobal Baca III.

Both Josefa Baca and Cristobal Baca III are my ancestors multiple times and Luis Maria Cabeza de Baca is my 4th great-grandfather, along my paternal Baca surname line. 

I'm not by any definition an expert on this topic, but I felt I should share this information. If you are interested in finding out more about this illness, I suggest visiting the site Alliance for the Cure: Cavernous Malformation.

Sources for this post are in its textual links.

Video Link - "Santiago Torres: Early Settler of Socorro, New Mexico".

I posted a new video on The Socorro Genenealogist YouTube channel, Santiago Torres: Early Settler of Socorro, New Mexico.

Santiago Torres and his family arrived in Socorro around 1820. His descendants make up one of the two Torres families of the community. This video profiles one of his descendants in particular, Jose Crespin Torres. 

Marriage Record of Francisco Antonio Garcia and Maria Guadalupe Torres

                                       

 Marriage Record: Francisco Antonio Garcia and Maria Guadalupe Torres, 23 February 1825, San Miguel Church, Socorro, New Mexico. 

Source:  "Microfilm # 16996," database of digital images, San Miguel Mission, Socorro, New Mexico, Archives of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org: accessed 5 March 2022), marriage record: Francisco Antonio Garcia and Maria Guadalupe Torres, 23 February 1825, image # 14.

Above is the image of my 4th great-grandparents marriage record. The record indicates that Francisco Antonio Garcia, 27 years old (single), was the son of Francisco Gabien (Xavier) Garcia, dead, and Maria Josefa Sanches, also dead. He married Maria Guadalupe Torres, 13 years old (single), the daughter of Santigo Torres and Maria Barbara Ortis, who were living in Socorro. The padrinos (best man and matron of honor) were Jose Antonio Baca* and Maria Manuela Barreras. The witnesses were Antonio de Jesus Marques, Jose Rafael Lopes, and Diego Antonio Belesques. A prenuptial investigation (diligencia)  was performed on the couple. Click on this link to view the marriage record. You may have to search for image # 14.

A transcription of the prenuptial investigation (diligencia matrimonio) can be found at this link.**

* Jose Antonio Baca was Francisco Antonio Garcia's half 2nd cousin, once removed through their mutual ancestor Ramon Garcia Jurado. See the chart below. (Sources available upon request.)

** After clicking the link, scroll down to "Fray Angelico Chavez’s New Mexico Roots (1678 - 1869)". Click on Volume IV, and search for page 626. You'll find the investigation there.

Source: Fray Angelico Chavez, New Mexico Roots, Ltd.: A Demographic Perspective from genealogical, historical and geographic data found in the Diligencias Matrimoniales or Pre-Nuptial Investigations (1678-1869) of the Archives of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. (Santa Fe, New Mexico: typescript, 1982), Volume 4, p. 626.

Zuni Pueblo Ancestor: Josefa de Hinojos, wife of Diego Montoya

Certain words and phrases in this article have links to articles and a video on the Internet. Click on the underlined words to review these site.

Josefa de Hinojos is a common ancestor of many New Mexicans. She was the wife of Diego Montoya, and had at least seven children. My research shows that I descend from her at least 22 times, with all four of my grandparents being descendants. 

In the prenuptial investigation of her descendants, Josefa de Hinojos is alleged to be a coyota of the Zuni people. A "coyota" was a woman of mixed Spanish and Native American ancestry. She is also noted to be the sister of and Indian named Ventura.1.

DNA tests analyzed by the New Mexico Genealogical Society DNA Project Team has identified five Josefa de Hinojos's matrilineal descendants as being in the mtDNA Haplogroup C1b11, a Native American haplogroup. Researcher Miguel A. Torrez wrote that DNA research technology is not able to identify which specific tribe their ancestor is from. 2. 

New Mexican Hispanics will find that they most undoubtably have Native American Ancestry. When the Spanish conquered Mexico, they paired off with and had children with Native American women. Their descendants of mixed race came to New Mexico and mingled with various Pueblo tribes here. Captured native children, known as genizaros - sold to and raised by Spanish families - were freed and blended in with the growing mestizo population of New Mexico.

My ancestry includes all of these people. The paper trail frequently lists my forebears as  "mestizo", "indio" and "genizaro". My DNA results show from 18% (FamilyTreeDNA) to 23% (Ancestry.com) indigenous American blood. When I began understanding the true nature of my ancestry decades ago, I began celebrating the diversity of my family. This fact is not unique to me. The only uniqueness of my ancestry is that only my sisters and I have the specific combination of our pedigree. However, all Nuevo Mexicanos can tell this mestizo story.

In his presentation "Nuevomejicano Ancestors with Spanish & Indian Antecedants", Jose Antonio Esquibel profiles Josefa de Hinojos. I linked the video at the 8 minute, 46 second mark when he begins talking about Josefa. However, I suggest you rewind the video to the beginning. Earlier in the video, Esquibel explains how our mestizo ancestors helped negotiate with their Indian cousins to end the 17th Century Pueblo Revolt and allow the Spaniards to occupy New Mexico once again. There were definite close familial bonds between the Spanish and Pueblo residents of the Kingdom. 

Endnotes:

1. Fray Angelico Chavez, New Mexico Roots, Ltd.: A Demographic Perspective from genealogical, historical and geographic data found in the Diligencias Matrimoniales or Pre-Nuptial Investigations (1678-1869) of the Archives of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. (Santa Fe, New Mexico: typescript, 1982), volume 2, p. 316. Prenuptial Investigation of Jose Vicente Duran y Chaves and Maria Concepcion Aragon.

2. Daria Celeste Landress, Henrietta Martinez Christmas, and Miguel A. Torrez, "Josefa de Hinojos: Colonial-period matriarch of New Mexico and Haplogroup C1b11," New Mexico Genealogist, 60 (March 2021): pp. 30-42.

My Grandmothers and Charlemagne

In the past few years, genealogists have discovered a link between the Montes Vigil family of New Mexico and Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor. If this link is accurate, it allows many New Mexicans to trace their ancestry back 40+ generations. In my case, I can trace both of my grandmother through that line. I have not found a link for either of my grandfathers.

I used a website called "Beyond Origins of New Mexicans Families" to connect my ancestry to Charlemagne. This website is very reliable, and I trust its conclusions. Click on the link below to read the genealogy that leading researchers have developed. 

Montes Vigil Royal Lineage

I have created two charts that show the relationship between Charlemagne and my paternal grandmother Maria Teresa Torres and my maternal grandmother Maria Paublita Zimmerly. (You may need a Google account to access these charts.)

Relationship between Charlemagne and my paternal grandmother Maria Teresa Torres

Relationshiip between Charlemagne and my maternal grandmother Maria Paublita Zimmerly

Brent A. Cruz has done extensive research connecting the Montes Vigil line to Charlemagne and other notable ancestors and relatives. Click on this link to view his presentation to the GSHA on YouTube.

Collection of Socorro Family Obituaries

Click on this link: Collection of 419 Obituaries for a list of obituaries that I gathered on Evernote. Most of the obituaries for Socorro families. However, there are a few from my wife's family in the Midwest U.S.

If you wish me to email you a copy of any of these obituaries, please send me an email at info@socorrogrant.org and I'll email you a weblink to the particular obituary that you want. Please type "Evernote obituary request" in Subject line.


Collection of 419 Obituaries

Free Internet Genealogy Workshop

Workshop: Free Internet Genealogy 

by Robert J.C. Baca, New Mexico Genealogical Society President

Wednesday, September 24, 2014, 6 – 7 pm. 

St. John's Methodist Church

2626 Arizona St. NE

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Room 149/151 

Click for Directions

 

New Mexico Genealogical Society President - and St. John’s member - Robert Baca presents a workshop on Free Internet Genealogy. Find out how to use free resources on the web such as FamilySearch.org, USGenWeb, and the Albuquerque Public Library website to delve into your family history. This workshop will be hands-on, so please bring to the program a laptop computer or other device that is WiFi compatible. 

The workshop is free and open to the public.

Come to the church early - starting at 5 p.m. - and you can get dinner prepared by Chef Tim for only $10! September 24th's menu is Teriyaki Pork Chops. The children's menu is chicken tenders. Dinner includes dessert and a drink. The meal is $10 for adults (18 and older), $5 for children 12 to 17;  $2 for children 6 to 11; and children under 6 eat for free!

For more information, please visit the St. John's Methodist Church website at this link.

ABC Genealogy Library Page

The Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Library website now has a dedicated page to the genealogy library. Just go to the ABC Libraries website, look under "Research Assistance" and click on "Genealogical Research Center". Or simply click on this link.

There you will find directions to the library, bus routes to the library and parking suggestions, and links to a number of websites.

Also, you'll find links to Fold3 (formerly known as Footnote.com) and Heritage Quest that allow you to access these sites from home for free! All you need is an Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Library card (get one, it's worth it!)

Visit the website to find out more. And visit the library when you are in town.

Link

Baca/Cabeza de Baca Family History

Ernie M. sent me a link via email that is of interest for those who are researching the Baca family. Somos Primos publishes an online journal. In its 141th online issue, there is an article titled Origin of The Cabeza de Baca Family in Spain by Dr. Eric Beerman, Madrid. The article is about half-way down the page.

I have done research on the Baca family, and I agree with the history that he wrote in this article.

Click on this LINK to view the article.

Pedigree Chart for Maria Paubla Torres

For my article "The Zimmerlys of Socorro", (New Mexico Genealogist, Vol. 50, No. 2, June 2011, pp. 50-59) I submitted a pedigree chart for Maria Paubla Torres, the wife of Samuel Zimmerly. Unfortunately, due to the small printing, it is almost impossible to read. Therefore, I've reproduced that chart and posted it below:

Click on the photo to see a larger, more legible view of the chart.

You may order a copy of the journal that contains my article (Vol. 50, No 2.) by clicking on this link.

Robert Baca

Genealogy, Family History and Local History

I remember one time when I first begun researching my family tree, I showed my sister Janis a pedigree chart of our ancestors. I was very proud that I had been able to go back a number of generations, going back a couple hundred of years.

Janis looked at that pedigree chart, and asked me, "Yeah, but who ARE these people?"

I was puzzled. After all, there was plenty of information about these families I have their names, and the dates and places of their births, marraiges and deaths. What else did I need?

Janis wanted to know their stories.

Over the years, I've realized the difference between compiling a pedigree chart and writing a family history. One is relatively easy. After a short while, one is able to compile names, dates and places. Oh, sure, there are always brick walls - those ancestors that are impossible to find, but any genalogist worth anything can find at least a few generations. But finding information, and more importantly, telling a story is much different. It's the like the difference between walking to the store and taking a trip across the country.

Some years ago I became a family historian. I began writing stories about my family. More recently, I've begun writting local history. The jump from family history to local history is not much. If you are writing family history, you should be looking at local history. How did your family fit within this history? Were members of your family part of something important in your home town? Were they original settlers of a specific area? How did they get to that area? Did they travel on the El Camino Real, or the Oregon Trail, or the Mormon Trail?

For example, my 2nd great-grandfather Samuel Zimmerly was a member of the California Column, regiments of soldiers that came to New Mexico and Arizona in response to a Confederate invasion of New Mexico. In order to understand, who he was, I had to research not only the California Column and the Civil War, but also how these affected my home town and my ancestor.

Another example is the Socorro Grant. I've written a little bit about this grant. Many of my ancestors were the original grantees of this grant. But the story is not just simply saying that such and such ancestor was part of the grant. Rather, its more answering questions about what this grant meant in their lives. What property did they own? How did they pass along this property to their children and grandchildren? Were they able to pass along the property? What did they do to protect their property, their livelihoods, their lives? As I'm finding out, this grant, as with many other Spanish and Mexican grants in New Mexico, is extremely complicated and controversial. Controversy, of course, makes great history.

I began thinking about this topic after reading a blog post on DearMYRTLE's Genealogy Blog. She asks the question: "21st Century Genealogists: are we becoming better historians?" She believes that geenalogy is becoming more family history, with an emphasis on "history".

Click on this link to read her post.

Zimmerly family article to be in June New Mexico Genealogist

I wouldn't say that it takes me a long time to do things, but it's been nearly three years since I did my presentation on the Zimmerly family, and I just recently submitted the article to the New Mexico Genealogist. In June, 2011, my article "The Zimmerlys of Socorro: A Swiss Civil War Soldier and an Old New Mexican Family" will be published in that journal.

Here is a teaser from the article:

"Samuel Zimmerly was living in California when he joined the army on October 3, 1861. This sandy-haired carpenter signed his name to the muster rolls at Camp Latham, a military installation near Los Angeles, California. We don't know how or when Samuel began living in California. We can guess why: many people came to California during the 1849 Gold Rush seeking fortune. Apparently, Samuel was not one of the fortunate ones, as his occupation indicates. He may have joined the army in order to find consistent employment; or, he may have been seeking adventure. Again, we don't know.

"A transcription of the Regimental Descriptive Book gives this description of Samuel Zimmerly: he had a "sandy"complexion, "black" eyes, and sandy hair. He was 5'8" tall, and was 21 years old when he joined. This means that he was born in 1840. A family history claims that Samuel's exact date of birth was March 14, 1837; however, no documents could be found that confirm that birth date."

The article doesn't just talk about Zimmerly, though. It also talks about his wife, Paubla Torres, and her lengthy ancestry in New Mexico.

If you are interested in reading the article, you could become a member of the New Mexico Genealogical Society this year, and NMGS will send you a copy of the June 2011 journal, as well as the March issue that is already published and the September and December issues which will be published later. Not only would you be able to read my article, but you could help out a great organization and read a lot of good articles about New Mexican genealogy. Click on this link for details on how to become a member.

Historic Socorro Videos

Joel Wigglesworth inherited three historic videos about Socorro, New Mexico. Below is a screen shot of one of those videos:

This photo shows the demolition of the Socorro Courthouse.

Click on the underlined words below to view the three videos:

1. Socorro County Courthouse. According to Joel W.: "This is footage of the Socorro County Courthouse being torn down circa 1939. Socorro county, New Mexico. This film came into my possession about a decade ago, and I decided to post it here for its historical value. The name on the box the reel was in appears to read W.E Mundy, Socorro, New Mexico."

2. Socorro 1.  According to Joel W.: "This film came into my possession about a decade ago, and I decided to post it here for its geneaological and/or historical value. Contains footage of kids playing, misc people, and it appears that people are assembling for a wedding, dance, or party. The name on the box the reel was in reads Pete Gallegos, PO Box 1, Socorro, NM."

3. Socorro 2. According to Joel W.: "This film came into my possession about a decade ago, and I decided to post it here for its geneaological and/or historical value. Contains footage of misc people, some cars, the front of someone's house, and the plaza in Socorro, New Mexico. The name on the box the reel was in reads Pete Gallegos, PO Box 1, Socorro, NM."

Enjoy!

Socorro History Articles

For some years now, Paul Harden has be writting articles in the El Defensor Chieftain about local Socorro history. I've linked some of his articles that have been published on that newspaper's website. However, what is published on the El Defensor Chieftain's website is only text; photos are not included.

Yesterday, I discovered that some of his articles with photos are published on the El Camino Real International Heritage Center website. These include articles on Socorro county churches, ghost towns, La Llorona, Las Posadas y Las Pastorelas, and Socorro family names.

Click on this link to read these articles.

First Hand Account of the New Mexico Territorial Period

Recently, I have been researching early Socorro County history, when I came across a book online titled "El Gringo, or New Mexico and Her People". It was written by William Watts Hart Davis, a circuit judge the United States Attorney for New Mexico. He traveled throughout New Mexico for two and a half years in the 1850s. I find the book interesting because he talks a lot about the people he came across in his travels.

What I specifically found useful in my research was his mention of the residence of the last and late Mexican Governor of New Mexico Manuel Armijo:

The mayor domo of the establishment received us in the court-yard and conducted us into the house, where we were welcomed by the owner of the establishment, a son-in-law of the deceased general [Governor Armijo.] As is customary of a Mexican gentleman, he placed everything at our disposal, but we felt well understood that nothing farther was donated to us than accommodations for ourselves and our horses. We were ushered into the main sala, where servants soon made their appearance with water and necessary ablutions and accompanying toilet fixtures...." [page 363]

The son-in-law is undoubtedly Luis Maria Baca, husband of Manuel Armijo's adopted daughter Ramona Armijo. Ramona inherited her father's house after he died. ^1. Additionally, Luis Maria Baca was also a grandson and namesake of land grant proprietor Luis Maria Cabeza de Baca, and the brother of my 2nd great-grandfather Martin Baca.^2. Through this vignette, I was able to get a better understanding of this family.

To read "El Gringo", click on this link.

Sources:
1. Fray Angelico Chavez, Origins of New Mexico Families: A Genealogy of the Spanish Colonial Period, Revised Edition (Santa Fe: Museum of New Mexico Press, 1992), p. 318. See also J. J. Bowden, "Socorro Land Grant", in the New Mexico Office of the State Historian website http://www.newmexicohistory.org/>, retrieved 24 October 2010. (Link)

2. Chavez, "Origins of New Mexico Families", p. 152-153. See also J.J. Bowden, "Luis Maria de Baca Grant", in the New Mexico Office of State Historian website, http://www.newmexicohistory.org>, retrieved 24 October 2010. (Link)

Cousin writes about genealogy ... and her iPhone

My cousin Maurine Pool, a reporter for the Orange County Register, wrote a short article about using her iPhone at a recent reunion - the Torres Family Reunion, to be specific. She was showing all of us her new genealogy program and photographs ... well, why don't I let her explain it herself. Click on this link to read her article.

By the way, check out the photos that go along with her iPhone. One photo includes a picture of my 2nd great grandparents Crespin Torres and Andreita Trujillo.