Bernardino de Sena ~ Will 1758

Know all who may see this, my last will and testament that I, Bernardino de Sena, legitimate son of Agustin de Sena and Maria Ynes Amparano, deceased and natives of the City of Mexico and residents of this capital of Santa Fe, am in good health and in sound judgment and natural understanding.  I order this my testament in the following manner.

I declare that I was married to Tomasa Gonzales for a period of twenty years, more or less, and from which marriage we had and reared on male child, Tomas Antonio Sena, who is living and married to Luisa Garcia.  I declare him to be my legitimate son and as such I delivered to him his mother’s share of all the property acquired during the marriage, as soon as his mother died, as shown by the documents.

I declare that the time when I was married to my said wife, neither of us had any property and the property which we had at the time of her death, we acquired by our labor.

I declare that I was married a second time to doña Manuela Roybal, according to the rites of the Holy Church and we have been married for a period of twenty-nine years; from which marriage we have had any children.

I declare that when I was married to my wife, Manuela Roybal, she brought to my possession thirty breeding cows, three bulls, two yoke of oxen, one large solid silver salt cellar, three silver spoons, three silver forks, one box of common lumber with its lock and containing her clothing, her bedstead, bed sheets, pillows, coverlet, and two mattresses.  All of the said property which I have mentioned belongs to my said wife, doña Manuela de Roybal, and the aid cattle with its increases shall be delivered entirely to her the same year that I may die, as I expect will be done by my executors.

I declare as my property at the present time, three hundred ewes which are on shares in possession of Antonio Gurule, of the rio abajo, the share being half of the increase and the wool.

I have thirty goats, four yoke of oxen, two used carts complete, seven he-mules and two mare ?calves, four of these equipped with packsaddles.

Two horses.

One engraved silver drinking cup with its plate, also engraved on which the 20% duty has been paid.  Of these two pieces, I bequeath the drinking cup to doña Manuela Roybal and the plate to my son, Tomas Antonio de Sena.

I declare as my property, on coal axe, a complete blacksmith shop with a big anvil, vise, three hammers, a sledge hammer to pound iron; three pairs of tongs, two for a forge and some curved ones, one dozen small and large files, two chisels, one made for nail heads, one pair of scales with their two-pound weights, one bellow.  It is my will that said blacksmith shop and the above mentioned tools shall be delivered to my son, Tomas to whom I bequeath it.

I declare as my property and that of my wife, a two story house in this town, containing seven rooms and the corridor on the second floor and nine rooms and a porch in the lower floor.

I declare as my property one cornfield at the south side of the house and fenced with cedar posts, and said cornfield will accommodate a planting of half a measure of corn.

I declare as my property a small orchard which is on the patio of the house and fenced in, and contains apricot and peach trees and from the said orchard to the road of the house of Miguel de la Peña all, with corrals and stables, belongs to my said house.

I declare as property belonging to me and my said wife a piece of land on the north side in front of the corridor of my house and bounded by the river, wherein may be contained a planting of one-fourth of a measure of corn.  It is bounded on the south by my own lands, on the east by the road to the house of Miguel de la Peña and on the west the boundary of Juan Jose de Archuleta, deceased.

I declare that I have an old house which belonged to Senora Mondragon, deceased which was sold for the property of my wife doña Manuela; I purchased it from the heirs of said deceased woman with the lot and piece of land, to the boundary of the said Juan Jose, as will appear by the instrument in my possession.

I declare that is my will that all the household furniture both the Holy pictures and the rest which may be there, with wooden plough points, ax and hoes, I bequeath to my wife, doña Manuela Roybal.  Also it is my will to bequeath to my said fie, doña Manuela, the house in which I live, together with the piece of land which belonged to the rectory and the little old house of Mondragon, with its piece of land, all of which is on the north side, because I purchased said house and piece of land as well as that which belonged to the rectory with the property belonging to my said wife by virtue of which I declare it as hers.

Also, it is my will to bequeath to my son, Tomas, the cornfield which I have enclosed on the south side of my house, also two mules with which I make up the share which he should have had in the house.  Also I bequeath to my said son, Tomas, my share of the lands which I have at the ranch of Cuyamungue.

Also, it is my will that the lands which I purchased from Leonarda Gonzales be divided into three shares, one for the boys whom I raised namely Santiago and Baltazar, one to Maria de los Dolores and the other one to Jose, the genizaro Indian, whom I raised also.

Also, I bequeath to my wife, doña Manuela, the Crucifix of the indulgences and after her death to my son, Tomas.

It is my will an I now order my executors, to bequeath the garden which is in the patio of the house to my wife, because it is hers, and she has raised all of the fruit trees which it contains, less one which belongs to Gabriel, and an old one which is outside of the orchard.  All of this belongs to my wife.

Also, it is my will that from the three hundred ewes, one hundred shall be given to Our Lady, for if by chance, through neglect or carelessness, I have taken anything from her, I order that they be delivered to her.

It is my will that one hundred of the two hundred remaining ewes, be given to my wife and one hundred to my son, Tomas, and that the increase shall be divided in equal shares, between my wife and son Tomas.

It is my will to bequeath to my daughter, Maria Francisca, the goats which there may be.

It is my will that the remaining seven mules, my arms and wearing apparel be left in order that masses may be celebrated, my burial, and the rest of my funeral expenses may be paid and that as many masses as possible may be said for the benefit of my soul.  If the two horses should be in existence at the time of my death, one shall be given to my wife and the other to my son.

I order that the original herd of cattle and all the rest mentioned in this, my testament, shall be delivered to my wife, doña Manuela and that of the increase of said cattle one half shall be delivered to my wife and it is my will that the other half which belongs to my given daughter, Maria Francisca de Sena.

I declare that I do not owe anything to anyone, and likewise that nobody owes me anything.

I declare that for many years I have been the steward of Our Lady and of her jewels, I have the earrings, reliquaries and rosaries at my house. With regard to the vessels of the Sacristy and accounts, I refer to the books in my possession, whereby a full understanding thereof may be gained.

Also, I declare that I have been the steward of the Society of the Blessed Sacrament, and for all of that I refer to the books in my possession.

I declare that I have been Treasurer for the holy places, and I have remitted all the alms, which is evident by receipts which I have in my possession, and none of the alms are in my possession.

I have no other written codicil and I appoint as my executors, heirs and guardians of my property, my said wife doña Manuela Roybal and my son, Tomas Antonio de Sena, to execute and observe this, my last and final will. 

Done in the villa of Santa Fe, capital of this kingdom on the 17^th of July 1758.  The said grantor did not sign and he did not know how and signed by of the witnesses – Jose Miguel de la Peña, Juan Esteban Baca and Antonio Guerrero, residents of this villa. 

As witnesses for Bernardo de Sena, Lucas Moya, rubric.

Executed before me, Francisco Guerrero, receiving judge, rubric.

Witnesses:  Manuel Bernardo Garvisu, rubric and Antonio Dominguez, rubric.

*Bernardino Sena died on November 11, 1765 at Santa Fe.

References:  Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Twitchell 860, Reel 5, Frames 82-95.

©Henrietta M. Christmas