Josefa Montoya ~ Will 1766

I, Josepha Montoya, daughter of don Salvador Montoya and doña Manuela Garcia de la Riva, deceased and a resident of this villa of Santa Fe, and a widow of Joseph Antonio Benavides, find myself sick in bed.

I was married to Joseph Antonio Benavides, deceased, and we raised six children who are:  Manuela, Xaviera, Gertrudis, Ygnacia, Antonio Gervacio and Juan Domingo; whom are the heirs of me and my husband. 

The ones of age and married:  Manuela married Antonio Lucero; Xaviera to Nicolas Garzia; Ygnacita is promised since childhood to Manuel Urioste.  The other three are with me and under my protection being of minor age.

I declare my home which I received from my deceased mother as inheritance.

I have three cows with calves which are in the possession of Antonio Lucero; one female burro and one small burro; I order they be given to my daughter, Xaviera.

I owe don Nicolas Ortiz three pair of hose, I order them to be paid.

I owe the son-in-law of Antonia Montoya six pesos, which I order to be paid.

I owe Estevan Rodrigues the schooling for my son.

I declare that Barthola Lopez owes me four pesos, I order it collected.

The Indian woman, Rosalia, owes me two pairs of hose, I order it collected.

Juan Estevan Baca owes me five pesos for making a pair of women’s skirts, collect four pesos as I owe him one peso.

I declare that Francisca, the wife, of Fragoso owes me four pesos, which I order collected.

I declare that Jose Manuel Apodaca owes me fourteen pesos, I order it be collected.

I declare that I owe Joseph Lozano one peso and four reales, I order it paid.

I leave my kitchen comal and one kettle.

My brother-in-law, Domingo Benavides, has two cows and two heifers, which is my property and not my deceased husbands.  The said cows upon the information of my brother-in-law, Manuel Benavides and Francisco Lujan, a neighbor, still exist. I order them collected and added to my goods.

I leave as my executor, my son-in-law, Antonio Lucero de Godoy. Signed this 3^rd of April 1766. 

Signed Francisco Guerrero, rubric; Francisco Xabier Fragoso, rubric; and Juan Francisco Niño Ladron de Guevara, rubric.

References:  Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Twitchell 569, Reel 3, Frames 1155-1157.

©Henrietta M. Christmas