Manuel Olguin ~ Will & Estate 1767

Inventory and the division of the estate of Manuel Olguin.  I, Manuel Olguin, was baptized in the church of St. Francis in the villa of Santa Fe.  I declare to have married Maria Antonia Martin, for twenty-four years, during which time we reared five children, and who are:  Bentura Holguin, Pedro Antonio Holguin; Juan Manuel Holguin; Barbara de la Luz Holguin; Maria Elena Holguin, deceased, all whom I declare as my legitimate children.  I hereby make this my final will and testament.

I ask to be buried seven feet deep, in the most obscure and humble place in the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows in the pueblo of Sandia.

I declare as part of my estate, a tract of land situated on the other side of the Rio del Norte, boundaries are in the documents.

I declare that on the said place, I have a house of four rooms, all in good condition.  On the same site, I also have three log houses.  The said land is divided into two parts by el Rio del Norte and so the land lies on both sides of the river. 

I declare that I paid 1,050 pesos. 

Declare that I have in the care of Joaquin de Luna, 1,850 good ewes.

I declare I have n his care a good horse and seven excellent buckskins.

Declare I have six one-year old heifers; six calves of the same age; six three-year old bulls; ten oxen; thirteen one year old heifers; two mules – one tame and the other untamed.  Declare as my property three he mules, also five horses, three of them good and three old worn out.  Declare 22 untamed mares, and a jackass.  Declare two two-year old colts; eight colts and mares one year old. 

Declare as my possessions, two carts fully equipped, one used, the other old. Declare a spit; a branding iron; coal axe, an adze, a screwdriver, two gridirons one good the other medium; an iron spit for roasting meat; a copper kettle used; an iron serving spoon, a pair of red breeches trimmed with silver buttons and jet buttons trimmed in silver; a short coat of blue Castilian cloth; a blue cloak of blue Mexican broad cloth lined in Castilian red flannel used; a used hat.

I declare 27 chamois skins; also two fanegas of piñon.  Declare as my property, a ranch in the Taos valley.  Declare to have a house of six rooms all in good condition, also a walled in patio.

Declare to have a portion of land, formerly of my deceased father, in el Rio de las Trampas, of San Jose de Gracia for six brothers, and we all consented to give our share to the widow of our deceased father and the part pertaining to Maria Rosa a similar portion on the said land left to us by our deceased mother, for all the brothers, in the locality of San Buenaventura commonly called Chimayo.  I declare that neither now or at any time, my wife or my children have any claims in any of the said portions of land, I ceded them of my own free will and they are well given.

I have the following debts:  to Don Clemente Gutierrez, 20 silver pesos; to Toribio Gonzales, four pesos in wool; to my comadre doña Juana Roybal, one fanegas of frijol and four strings of chili to be paid or given in the equivalent in good fresh milk, goats in the spring as per contract; To Jose Gonzales, three pesos; to this lady a large canvas cloth, which she loaned me, I order it returned.  To Juan Bautista, 7 pesos 4 reales; to Jacinto Gonzales, three sacks of corn; to Pedro Candelaria eight lambs; to His Reverence, the Father Juan Jose Honojosa, a cow and calf or an ox; to Father Davila, two pesos; I ask that they all be paid.

I declare that Juan Martinez owes me eight lambs and I order them collected.  That Manuel Torres owes me a pair of black socks, I order them collected.  Manuel Gallegos owes me one sheep; by brother, Bartolome took a cow and a chamois skin; Juan Manuel Padilla owes me 12 pesos; Jose Antonio Castelo owns five pesos; Juan Jose Santillanes, one dollar; the Indian, Juan Agustin of Sandia owes me two sacks of corn for damage done in my field by his horses; Juan Domingo a brother of Juan Agustin owes me two sacks of corn for four pesos worth of cheese; Juan Garcia owes me 20 silver reales; The Indian, Ambrocio from Zia owes me a chamois skin; The Indian Chavez of San Felipe owes me a chamois skin; the estate of the deceased father Campo Redondo, owes me nineteen sheep; that Juan Ignacio Fernandez, resident of Taos owes me two pairs of black socks; that Santiago Hurtado resident of Taos, three fanegas of wheat; Christobal Duran owes me six pesos; I ask they all be collected.

I declare that my sister, Rosa receive ten goats, they be given to her.

I declare as my executors of my estate, my beloved wife, Maria Antonia Martin, and second my son, Ventura Olguin.  I leave my brother, Juaquin Romero as a guardian and curator. The estate should be divided equally between my wife and my children.  I also declare having a cowboy saddle, with its iron stirrups, bridle, spurs, boots and lariat, it is my will this be given to my son Pedro Antonio Olguin besides his share of the estate.

I declare as part of my estate, my weapons, guns and case, pouches with a pound and a half of gun powder, fifty bullets, leather jacket, sword and sheath, all of which is my last will to leave to my son, Ventura, that he may serve our King and Master.

I declare that at present I reside in Bernalillo.  The alcalde, Vicente de Sena, to interpose his authority.  Signed by Jose de las Huertas on this 8^th day of November 1767. 

Vicente Sena, rubric; Manuel Olguin requested that Jose Garcia Jurado signs for him and Francisco Lobato.

The Division of the estate was done on January 15, 1768 by Vicente de Sena, alcalde mayor.   The entire estate was valued at 5,709 pesos, minus debts of 157 pesos, funeral 307 pesos.  The remainder was divided as, one half to the wife and the children receiving the other half.

Reference:  Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Twitchell 654, Reel 4, Frames 296-314.

©Henrietta M. Christmas