House Furniture-
Ten half-varas of frames, nine gilded and one plain.
Two mirrors of the same size with gilt frames.
Three chests with keys.
One small hoe, one adze, one chisel and one axe.
One used kettle, one used copper kettle and one iron
griddle.
Two tables, one small, one large and two chairs.
One five room house which is her residence; on small corral
and piece of land for a garden.
One very old cart and two plows.
Six china cups and three Pueblo cups.
The said widow declares that the has delivered to the Father
Juan Bermejo, for the funeral and novenas of low Masses, one second grade cloth
cloak and one good horse, and the said priest to woe six pesos one mare.
She presented two shirts of Brittany cloth; one pair of
cotton hose.
She declares that the tailor, Manuel Rendon, has on pair of
trousers which she will recover and present.
The widow asks, as she is a woman and is unable to present
the livestock, that I send for Jose Crespin who is well acquainted with the
livestock and he can count the mules and horses and declare how many there are,
plus the account of sheet, herds and cattle.
The sworn statement of Miguel Ortiz should be taken he being the on left
by her deceased husband in charge and care of said herds; and also a deposition
of Tadeo Lobato who took care of them for many years. Signed Antonio Jose Ortiz
Deposition of Jose Crespin-
On April 28 of the present year, appeared Jose Crespin, a resident
of the villa. Asked on the last trip he
made to Chihuahua with the deceased Juan Antonio Fernandes, he had left and
returned under his service and he said ‘yes’. Asked how many mules and horses
were brought from the trip, he answered six he mules, four mare mules and seven
horses. He further stated he was 43
years old. Signed Antonio Jose Ortiz
Deposition of Miguel Ortiz-
He was asked if he was the agent of the deceased and he
answered that he care of the livestock at the request of the deceased. He knew the sheep herds and cattle by their
distinguishing marks; he replied that he when to the La Majada Ranch and
counted 552 head of sheep, including goats, wethers, ewes and lambs. He did
this on the 25th day of the present month at the request of the
widow. He again counted the herd and
found only 500 head without this year’s additions as the lambing had not been
completed. As for cattle, he counted 20
breeding cows, 15 yearlings and heifers, four oxen and one bull. He had also heard from the people living at
the ranch that he had given ‘al partido’ to an Indian of Santo Domingo, ten
cows. Signed Antonio Jose Ortiz and Miguel Ortiz
Deposition of Tadeo Lobato-
On April 29th, asked if he had been employed by
the deceased, he answered yes for the last 14 years taking care of the
livestock. Asked how many sheep he had when Fernandez had left for Chihuahua,
he can’t tell, but that Miguel Ortiz could.
He asked about the cows and said there were 25, five cows with calves
and other ready to have calves. Two heifers and one two-year old bull, 15
yearling steers and heifers and four oxen.
He knew that Felipe Barela of Abiquiu had one yoke of oxen and also that
Pedro Gonzales of Rio Tesuque had one yoke of oxen and one bull; that Gregorio
Leyba had one yoke of oxen.
He declares that this deceased master two years ago have an
Indian of Santo Domingo names Sebastian, 10 head of cows on ‘partido’.
He also declared that Fernandez received from Antonio Jose
Ortiz, 200 head of ewes from which amount he delivered 100 to Antonio Ulibarri
and are still in his possession. Asked
about other animals he mentions the wild horses on the land that belong to
Santo Domingo and one lame burro. As for
goods on the ranch, he knew about a broken copper kettle. When asked about structures he mentioned that
the ranch improvements were four walls of a large hall and two towers of
defense, each one had two rooms and plowed farm lands and the acequias to
irrigate. He was 50 years old. Signed Antonio Jose Ortiz
Immediately, I asked Tadeo Lobato under oath to declare what
livestock ad died or been taken away from the ranch since Miguel Ortiz counted
the first time. He said that between
the two counts that 15 head and died and that by order of the deceased he had
delivered eight head to different Santo Domingo Indians; he also delivered to
Bentura Esquibel four wethers and five lambs that had been killed and
eaten. He declared that when Fernandez
died he took two bulls belonging to his mother, doña Luisa Tenorio and he told them he would deliver them to the
mother. Signed Antonio Jose Ortiz
Appointment of appraisers.
They were Juan Antonio Ortiz and the guardian of the children chose
Vicente Armijo with Pedro Tafoya appointed by me, Antonio Jose Ortiz.
Memorandums-
Remaining to be included is the inheritance he received from
his father Bartolome Fernandez.
The brother of the deceased, Santiago Fernandez had
purchased some land.
Testimony of Widow-
I, Maria Francisca de Sena appear before you, that what I
brought to the marriage items that appear in this document from my grandfather
Bernardino de Sena. The inheritances
were given me also by my father and that one writing by Francisco Guerrero, who
was at the time Alcalde that all the monies received should be used to purchase
sheep. And from any increase in cattle, my grandfather, specified in his last
will my share should be given to me and four bulls were delivered to my husband
as my share. The sheep were also increased to 1,000 head. When these deliveries were made I was very
sick in bed with the measles and were received by my husband. Signed Maria Francisca de Sena
She continues on that with all the papers in the house she cannot
find the ones where her grandfather Tomas de Sena delivered to her husband, for
a certain number of sheep. Likewise,
when my grandfather accompanied by his son, Matias de Sena went to the Rio Abajo
to deliver to my husband the sheep, the son witnessed the delivery. I ask that this person be brought forward and
under oath. I have also been informed
that at the time of the delivery, my grandfather and my husband had a great
dispute, which the following documents will show and I make myself
responsible. Signed Maria Francisca
Sena
References: Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Twitchell #280, Reel 8, Frames 811-877
©Henrietta M. Christmas
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