A Few 1881 and 1882 Socorro Baptisms

Yesterday, I went to the Albuquerque Genealogy Library to research a baptisms for a Perfil(o) Baca. Nancy Anderson, the New Mexico Genealogical Society's treasurer and Primeras Familias researcher, requested that I look up this name for a member who requested our help. The member said that Perfil(o) Baca was born in 1881, but did not give us any further information.

I spent about and hour and a half looking at this name through the Archives of the Archdioces of Santa Fe microfilm #0016994 which includes "Socorro, San Miguel Church Records Baptisms 1865-1931". I looked not only in the year 1881, but 1880 and 1882, also. If I had time, I would have done a full 10 year wrap around of the 1881 date, but I didn't have the time. Unfortunately, I was unable to find Perfil(o) Baca in any variation of spellings that the name could come in. The closest I could get was a male baby by the name of Pilar Baca, but I didn't believe this was the same person.

While I was researching the name, I came across five baptisms that piqued my interested. They were all related to me in some way. I decided to transcribe and partially translate the baptisms. Unfortunately, I made a few mistakes. For instance, I'm not sure if the baptism for Maria Dolores Zimmerly says that she was baptized on "tres" (3) or "trece" (13) of March 1881. Twice I've recorded her baptism as saying "tres"; however, a family history says that she was born on 10 March 1881. If she was baptized on the 13th of March, and was born three days prior, (as her baptisms states) then she could have been born on 10 March. I also wrote down that Jose Torres was baptized "el mismo dia" (the same day) in October 1881. This means that he was baptized on the same day as a child in the previous baptismal entry. Unfortunately, I did not write down the day from the previous entry. Lastly, I was trying to write down the padrinos, or godparents, of each child. I forgot to write them down for Valentin Torres. Oops.

I've decided to start a new series on my blog. Jose Sanchez III and  the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center have published marriage books for Socorro dating from 1821 through 1900. In addition, The New MeFxico Genealogical Society and HGRC have published baptismal books from 1821 to 1865. However, no one to my knowledge has published Socorro baptisms from 1865 on. Due to an agreement between NMGS and HGRC, it would be up to HGRC to publish baptisms for those dates. HGRC has published many fine books over the years and I'm not criticizing their publication priorities. However, it would be nice if a book did come out sometimes.

There are probably thousands of entries for the time period of 1865 to 1900. I would be impossible for me to  transcribe all of them myself. However, I have transcribed a few over the years. Therefore, I will begin posting them here.

If you have any baptismal records from Socorro that you would like to post on my blog, please let me know at abqbobcat@nmia.com.

My tranlsation skills are not perfect. Oftentimes it is difficult to read what is written. Therefore, realize that there may be mistakes. I suggest that you use the information below as a guide and take a look at the microfilm yourself. One last thing, Many times names are abbreviated. In order to allow for search engines to find these names on the Internet, I have written them out completely. However, the spelling of other names are as I found them on the record.

Maria Dolores Zimmerly del Socorro. 3rd (or 13th) day of March (1881), baptized Maria Dolores born 3 days prior, the legitimate daughter of Sam. Zimmerly and Paula Torres of Socorro. Padrinos: Valentin Torres, Josefa Ortiz.

Jose Torres del Socorro. "El mismo dia" (October 1881) baptized Jose born 5 days prior, the legitimate son of Crespin Torres and Andrea Trujillo of Socorro. Padrinos: Jose de la Cruz Olguin and Enavista Padilla.

Maria Eleonor Baca. April 24 (1882) baptized Maria Eleanor born 7 days prior, the legitimate daughter of Alejandro Baca and Ursula Montoya. Padrinos: Elucamio (?) Montoya and Leonor Gonzales.

Luis Baca del Limitar. May 21 (1882) baptized Luis born 15 days before, the legitimate sons of Jose Miguel Baca and Abrama (?) Lopez. Padrionos: Dionisio Baca and Tomasa Baca.

Valentin Torres. November 9 (1882) baptized Valentin Torres born 2 days before, the legitimate son of Jose Epitasio Torres and Josefa Aveita.

Source: Archives of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, Socorro San Miguel Church Records Baptisms 1865 - 1931, AASF 0016994.

September 15, 2012 NMGS Program

Botts Hall

Albuquerque Special Collection Library

423 Central NE

Albuquerque, NM

(On the corner of Central and Edith) 

Saturday, September 15, 2012

10:30 AM – Noon

The Albuquerque Special Collections Library

and

The New Mexico Genealogical Society

Present

Ron Solimon

Pueblo Nations and State and Federal Government Policies

1912-2012

 The Territorial government in New Mexico did not know exactly what to do about the Pueblo Indians as they were pastoral rather than nomadic.  They enacted many laws governing these Nations and the State and Federal governments added to the confusion and ignorance after statehood was granted in 1912.  Just how did these laws and statutes affect the daily lives of the Pueblo Nations and how were they rectified?

Ron Solimon current president and CEO of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center located in Albuquerque and sits on the National Tourism Board and was a former Board member of the Laguna Development Corporation.  He has written many articles on Pueblo Indians and is in high demand as a speaker and motivator.  

For more information about our programs, check out the New Mexico Genealogical Society’s website at www.nmgs.org.

This program is free and open to the public.

Canada Alamosa

As I mentioned in a previous post, I recently bought a copy of "Matrimonios San Miguel del Socorro ...." published by the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center. I woke up way too early today, and decided to look through the book and came across the marriage record of Miterio MONTOLLA and Maria de La Luz ALDAZ. This couple was married in the San Miguel Church in Socorro on 28 June 1865. Miterio was the single son of Anastasia VACA (no father mentioned) and Maria was the single daughter of Paulin (MONTOLLA) and Tomasa CERNA. The couple were both residents of Cañada Alamosa.
.
I had not heard of Cañada Alamosa before, so I decided to research about the community. According to Robert Julyan's "The Place Names of New Mexico", Cañada Alamosa is a settlement now known as Monticello, a community 21 miles Northwest of Truth or Consequences. This community is presently in Sierra County, the county itself was created in 1884.

Cañada Alamosa, which is near Alamosa Creek, was originally settled in 1856. "Cañada Alamosa" refers to a cottonwood lined canyon in the area.

Another family that lived in the area was the Bourguets. Two brothers from France, Alphonse and Aristide Bourguet, immigrated to the United States in 1874. The came to New Mexico to be near their aunt Sarah Bourguet who had been living in Socorro since 1850.

Alfonso Bourguet, the single son of Jaquez N. Bourguet and Adele Celestina Maurel, married Isabel Sanchez on 20 January 1886 either the San Ignacio or San Cristobal Parish. Isabel, who was also single, lived in Cañada (Alamosa), and was the daughter of Manuel Sanchez and Sabina Chavez.

Aristides Bourget, single, no parents given, married Dolores Hill on 1 February 1894 in either San Ignacio or San Cristobal Parish. Her parents were not listed.

If you have any more information about the families of Cañada Alamosa, please share it with me. You may either post a comment on this blog or send me an email at abqbobcat@nmia.com.

- Robert J. C. Baca

Sources:

Matrimonios: San Miguel del Socorro 1 January 1854 to 31 December 1900; San Ignacio y San Cristobal 1 March 1869 to 31 December 1900; San Marcial 26 March 1883 to 31 December 1902; Our Lady of Sorrows de La Jolla 1 January 1872 to 31 December 1900 (Albuquerque, New Mexico: Hispanic Genealogical Research Center, 1999), pp. 70, 280 and 289.

Julyan, Robert, The Place Names of New Mexico, Revised Edition (Albuquerque, New Mexico, University of New Mexico Press, 1998), pp. 58, 233 and 334.

Genealogical Resources for Socorro, NM

Yesterday I received in the mail a book I purchased from the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center, titled "Matrimonios: San Miguel del Socorro..., San Ignacio y San Cristobal ... , San Marcial ... and Our Lady Sorrows of La Jolla ...." The book includes transcribed marriage records from 1854 until 1900 for Socorro County churches. The records are transcribed from the records of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

For years I've been using a copy from the library to do my research. I was tired of having to go to the library every time I needed to find information, so I finally decided to get my own copy.

Although I always recommend that researchers should use the original sources, or at the very least microfilmed copies of sources to do research, books such as this one are sufficient. The books published by the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center and my own organization The New Mexico Genealogical Society are checked for errors numerous times before being published. However, there are always chances for errors. Sometimes, too, a record can be read one way by one person and another way by another. There may also be information on the document that the extractor did not deem important, but may be important information to the researcher. So whenever you have a chance, check the original.

With all that said, I would like to list books that are useful for a genealogist researching his or her Socorro, New Mexico family.

Depending on the title, these books may be purchased either on the NMGS website (link) or the HGRC website (link.)

Socorro was re-settled in either 1815 or 1816. The first church records show up in 1821.

* New Mexico Baptisms San Miguel de Socorro Church 1821-1853 (NMGS)

* Censuses 1833 and 1845 - Socorro and Surrounding Communities of the Rio Abajo (NMGS)

* 1850 Territorial Census, Volume I: Valencia County (NMGS) - Socorro and the surrounding area was in Valencia County in 1850.

* Baptisimos: San Miguel del Socorro: Vol. 1 Jan 1854 - Mar 1865 (HGRC)

* Matrimonios: Socorro 1854-1900, San Ignacio, San Cristóbal, San Marcial, La Joya (HGRC)


Many of the early families of Socorro area came from the Belen, Tome and Isleta areas. So I would also suggest these books going back further into the 1700s:

* Baptisms: Church of Our Lady of Belen, 1810-1851 (NMGS)

* Baptisms: Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepción de Tomé. Vol. I: 22 Mar 1793- 8 May 1853. (NMGS)

* San Augustin de la Isleta Church Baptisms 1730 to 1776 and 1829 to 1842. Marriages 1736 to 1846 (NMGS)

* Marriages: Churches of Immaculate Conception of Tomé and Our Lady of Belén. (Tomé 1793-1826 and 1809-1855. Belén 1826-1856.)  (NMGS)

* NM Spanish and Mexican Colonial Censuses, 1790, 1823, 1845. (NMGS)

* Spanish and Mexican Censuses of NM, 1750-1830 (NMGS)

And for information on where else to look for resources on Socorro, New Mexico genealogy:

* Genealogical Resources in New Mexico. 3rd edition., Vols. 1-38, 1962-1999. (NMGS)

Access Ancestry.com for Free at any ABC Library

Access Ancestry.com for FREE at any Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Public Library

Recently, I discovered that ABC Libraries are offering free access to the library version of Ancestry.com. You can use the computers at the library, or bring your own computer and access it through wifi.

Once you are on a computer at one of the libraries, go to the ABC Library website at http://www.cabq.gov/library . Click on the “Genealogy Research Center” link on the left side box under the heading “Research Assistance. On the next page, look at the top right hand corner box that says “Available in the Library”. Click on “Ancestry Library Edition” and begin searching Ancestry.com and downloading the records offered by this site!

Remember, this service is only offered at the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Public Libraries themselves. You must be inside one of their libraries and be able to access their wifi. Speak to your librarian if you have any questions regarding this service!

P.S.: If you discover that this service does not work at any of the ABC libraries, please let me know so that I can post the information on this blog. My email is president@nmgs.org. If you are unable to access Ancestry.com, you may wish to ask your librarian if they can help you access it at your library.

Robert Baca

President, NMGS

August 18, 2012 NMGS Program

Botts Hall

Albuquerque Special Collection Librar

423 Central NE

Albuquerque, NM

(On the corner of Central and Edith)

 Saturday, August 18, 2012

10:30 AM – Noon

The Albuquerque Special Collections Library

and

The New Mexico Genealogical Society

Present

David Snow

Settling New Mexico’s Colonial Landscape

Juan de Oñate's colonists put in place a settlement strategy that reflected European preferences for consuming beef, mutton, and wheat bread.  Expansion of the "Hispano Homeland" of northern New Mexico resulted in the formation (and abandonment) of some 450 plazas and placitas within and adjacent to this region between 1700 and the latter half of the 19th century, as individuals and families pushed the frontier's envelope in search of grass for livestock and irrigable lands necessary for the production of wheat.

David is an historical archaeologist, former staff archaeologist at Museum of NM Lab of Anthropology and former history curator at Palace of the Governors.  He has written numerous articles and books pertaining to New Mexico sites & personalities including, New Mexico’s First Colonists & History and Archaeology of San Felipe Church.

For more information about our programs, check out the New Mexico Genealogical Society’s website at www.nmgs.org.

This program is free and open to the public.

Who is in the photo? One person is probably Serito Baca

Above is a probable photo of Serito Baca and three other men. Francisco Sisneros lent me this photo at the Historical Society of New Mexico Conference a month ago. He gave me permission to copy it and put it on this blog. I gave him back the photo today at the Genealogical Society of Hispanic America conference in Santa Fe.

Serito Baca was the brother of my maternal great-grandfather Rafael Baca. They were both the sons of Ramon Baca and Maria Anastasia Padilla.
The 1900 census of Luis Lopez, New Mexico indicates that Serito was born in February 1870.  The 1910 census indicates that he married Emena Padilla in 1902 (I'm not sure why I only have census records to indicate these relationships. I'll have to check this out later.)

I need your help. Do you recognize anyone in the photo? If you do, send me an email at president@nmgs.org. Thanks! Robert Baca

July 21, 2012 NMGS Program - John Kessell

Botts Hall

Albuquerque Special Collection Library

423 Central NE

Albuquerque, NM

(On the corner of Central and Edith) 

Saturday, July 21, 2012

10:30 AM – Noon

The Albuquerque Special Collections Library

and

The New Mexico Genealogical Society

Present

 John Kessell

¡Más Allá!  Don Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco and the 18th-Century Kingdom of New Mexico

From his baptism in northern Spain in 1713 to his marriage in 1741 to Estefanía Domínguez de Mendoza in Chihuahua, we know virtually nothing about Miera y Pacheco.  Yet by the time he died in Santa Fe in 1785 he had expressed himself artistically more notably, worn more hats, drawn more maps, knew  more Indians, and explored more of the Kingdom and Provinces of New Mexico than any vecino before or after him.  He embodied the very soul of eighteenth-century Hispanic New Mexico.

John Kessell, professor emeritus at the University of New Mexico, has written numerous books and articles regarding Spanish Colonial history.  Some of which are:  Kiva, Cross, & Crown, Spain in the Southwest, and Pueblos, Spaniards, and the Kingdom of New Mexico.  In addition to which, he was the primary editor on the Vargas Project, a multi volume work of the correspondence of Don Diego de Vargas and the reconquest of NM.

For more information about our programs, check out the New Mexico Genealogical Society’s website at www.nmgs.org.

This program is free and open to the public

Zimmerly, Torres wedding

Below is a family photo taken after the marriage of my great-grandparents Estevan Zimmerly and Delfina Torres. They are the couple in the center of the photograph. The other people in the photo are Delfina's family - her parents, brothers and sisters and an uncle. To the far left, wearing a hat, his her father Jose E. Torres. To the far right, holding the baby is her mother Maria Guadalupe (Padilla) Torres. I've posted a different copy of this photo before which was in much better condition, but had a bunch of wording obscuring part of the picture.

Below is Estevan and Delfina's wedding invitation.

Below is my translation of the wedding invitation using online translation machines:

Wedding

You and your family are respectfully invited to attend

the marriage of our children

Delfina Torres

and

Estevan Zimmerly

which is to be held on the day of April 22,

A.D. 1908, at 7 A.M.

in the Catholic Church of San Miguel

in Socorro, N.M.,

and from there they will be given a toast at the home of the

(first?), and there will be a dance in the evening at the

Garcia Opera (House).

Jose E. Torres.

Paulita T. Zimmerly,

Socorro, N.M., 14 April 1908.

Jose E. Torres was Delfina's father. Paulita T. (Torres) Zimmerly was Estevan's mother.

By the way, the Garcia Opera House, where the dance was held, was built by Francisca Garcia, the widow of Juan Nepomuceno Garcia and dedicated to his memory. Delfina's mother was the niece of Juan Nepomuceno & Francisca Garcia.

Close Relations on my Family Tree

Sometimes, I forget how few families arrived in Socorro in its early years. According to a letter sent in 1817 to the Governor of New Mexico by Javier Garcia and Anselmo Tafoya, there were 70 families that settled the Socorro area in 1815 or 1816. Although a few other families arrived a few years later, including the Santiago Torres family, there were still not many families around. And many of these families were already related either by blood or by marriage.

In my presentation to the Historical Society of New Mexico Conference this may, I indicated that my fourth great-grandmother Maria Guadalupe Torres married two men who were distant cousins. Guadalupe’s 1st husband Francisco Antonio Garcia Jurado was the half 2nd cousin, once removed of her 2nd husband Pedro Antonio Baca. These two cousins were related through Ramon Garcia Jurado, separately through his two wives.

Francisco Antonio Garcia Jurado is my fourth great-grandfather. Pedro Antonio Baca is not my ancestor.

What I had not realized, though, until I read a blog post written by my cousin Maurine Pool, was that Guadalupe’s brother Anastacio Torres married the niece of Guadalupe’s 1st husband Francisco Antonio Garcia Jurado. It wasn’t that I didn’t have that information in my database - after all Francisco Antonio’s niece was my 3rd great-grandmother - but I did not make the connection until I read the blog post.

As I said, many of these families were closely related either by blood or by marriage. No wonder I have so many instances of pedigree collapse in my ancestry.

Sources:

Robert J. C. Baca, “The Torres, Garcia and Baca Families and the Defense of the Socorro Land Grant”, unpublished paper presented at the 2012 Historical Society of New Mexico Annual Conference, May 5, 2012.

Maurine Pool, “Crespin’s Line”, Torres Family Genealogy and History Blog, , retrieved May 28, 2012.