Miguel Martin Serrano ~ Will 1753

I, Miguel Martin Serrano, declare this shall be valid as my last will.

I ask that my body be buried in the church of San Ildefonso, with the shroud of St. Francis.

I was married with Maria Archuleta and we had as legitimate children:  Agustin, Juan Pablo, Isidro, Juan Pablo, Manuela, and Josefa, who I declare as my legitimate heirs. 

I appoint as my executors and keepers of my property, my sons, Jose and Pablo.

I declare as my property, one ranch belonging to my wife, which she inherited from her parents, and one house with eight rooms as it will appear from the partition.

I declare that I have another ranch in Abiquiu as a grant as it will appear from the deeds, also one house with three rooms.

I declare that I have six mules.  Two belong to my wife and four to Jose my son.  These do not enter in the partition.

Also one cow saddle, all my arms and my clothing, one cape; these I leave to my son Jose.

Three plow shares, three hoes, one ax, one adze and one boring bit, one flat pan and one spit.  Also, 18 goats and 150 fleece of wool.

Also seven horses, one mare and one colt.

Also I declare that Ascencio Archuleta owes me three horses.  I order that the same be recovered.  Also one horse which Juan Bautista de Tafoya owes me.  Felipe Sais, also owes me, one horse, and three buckskins.  I order the same to be collected.  Also one buckskin, 300 adobes which the Indian Juachimillo owes me, I order them collected.

The Indian also owes me 800 adobes and one buckskin, I order them collected.

I declare that the Indian, Tadeo, owes me 200 adobes.

I declare that the Indian Migelillo, owes me 200 adobes, which formerly belonged to the deceased Juan Antonio Lujan, I order the same be collected.

I declare that Jose Dominguez owes me 11 carts full of fence posts, I order that the same be collected.

I also owe one buckskin to don Manuel Saens.

I owe one buckskin to Ignacio Chaves.

I owe Tomas Madril, of San Buenaventura, one old plough share, one small carder, one small flat pan, I order all these to be paid.

I also owe one hoe to Hilario Archuleta, I order it paid.

I declare that my property above I refer to, there shall be paid eighteen masses which shall be paid for the good of my soul.

I declare that I bought, under my own name, one parcel of land, which I bought from Jose de Ramos, the same belongs to my son, Jose.

Signed on this 5^th day of June 1753.  Miguel Martin Serrano, rubric

Witnesses: Hilario Archuleta, judge;  Francisco and Juan Gomez del Castillo, rubrics

References:  Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Twitchell 546, Reel 3, Frames 1020-1023.

©Henrietta M. Christmas