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Monday, December 3, 2012

Josefa Baca ~ Will 1746

This is one of my favorite wills.  As I love to work on Colonial Women, she is in the right place, right time.  She's an ancestor!

I, Josepha Baca, being ill and of sound mind and good reasoning...

She declares that she is a sinner, but repentant.  She wants to be buried in the habit of St. Francis and interred in the parish church.  She asks that her funeral have a vigil with her body present, a novena and eight days of masses and at each anniversary that ten novena masses be done for her soul.

She declares that she has a statue of the Infant Jesus.

A farm at Pajarito, also 950 head of sheep, 75 head of cattle with her brand.

A box, a brass mortar, some old skirts and new ones, three shirts, two white shirts, hose, shoes and a bed with a mattress, sheets, quilt and pillows.

She also declares she has two Indian women in her service, who will be given their complete freedom along with ten sheep.

She also declares that she is miserable, frail, and a sinner and she has six kids who are:  Antonio Baca, Josefa Baca, Domingo Baca, Manuel Baca, Rosa and Ysabel Baca, to who she leaves her wordly goods.

She leaves as executors her sons, Antonio and Jose.  Signed June 10, 1746.

As part of this her estate is included and valued at 2,184 pesos, a fortune in that time period.  If she is your ancestor, you should get a copy of this for your files.  

References:  Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Frames 700-704
©Henrietta M. Christmas
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4 comments:

  1. A. BacaJune 21, 2015 at 10:56 AM

    Why do you think there is not a mention of a husband in her will? Does it mean she never married and had her children out of wedlock?
    I like your blog. Very interesting information.
    Thank you,
    Anjannette Baca

    ReplyDelete
  2. Robert BacaJune 13, 2018 at 8:20 PM

    As far as we know, Anjannette, Josefa Baca never married. She apparently had all of her children out of wedlock.

    ReplyDelete
  3. MariaJuly 17, 2021 at 4:06 PM

    I find her fascinating. She is my favorite ancestress.

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownAugust 15, 2021 at 2:17 PM

    My great grandfather's name was Domingo Baca, descended from Cristobal Baca like most of the other New Mexico Bacas. Likely this name, Domingo, was passed down the generations. My Baca family came from Jarales, and in the case of Domingo, he later moved to Mora County and had a ranch at Piedra Lumbre just outside of Wagon Mound.
    Jose Rivera, Albuquerque

    ReplyDelete