Jose Terrus Will ~ 1745 Santa Fe

Know ye all who shall see this, my testamentary letter, that I, don Joseph Terrus, a native of the Kingdom of Castile, am ill in bed with an illness and make this my last will and testament in the following form and manner.

I declare that I have been married to doña Antonia Paez Hurtado for a period of eleven years.  She is the legitimate daughter of General don Juan Paez Hurtado and doña Teodora Garcia de la Riva, in which union we have had and reared five legitimate children who are:  Antonio Felis Terrus; Rosa; Teodora; Juan Antonio; and Manuel Francisco, whom I declare as my legitimate children.

I order that I be shrouded in the habit of St. Francisco and interred I the parish church with a funeral mass.

The executors whom I leave are:  in the first place, my wife, doña Antonia Paez Hurtado and in the second, don Francisco Guerrero and in the third, Captain, Nicolas Ortiz and in the fourth, Juan Domingo Paes Hurtado.

I declare as my property the part of the ranch which it evident by a testamentary clause, which was left to me by the General don Juan Paes.

I declare as my property, the house in which I live, and one room which is built above the house of my brother, Juan Domingo, because the adobes and woodwork are mine.  This with all that is within the said house, I leave to my wife and my children.

I declare that I have as my property, two mules, three ‘he’ mules and four horses; outside of my own, one mare which is among the beasts that belong to Juan Antonio Rodriguez.

I declare that the Captain, Nicolas Ortiz, the deceased owes me one mule for one ornament which I sold him. Although, he gave me a ‘he’ mule, that is not equivalent to the mule which is in the herd.  I order that it be returned to him and that I be paid the mule.

I declare that I hold, as my property, some cows, which Antonio Montoya has; he shall state which they are.

I declare as my goods, five oxen, all perfect.

I declare that Juan Francisco Muños owes me thirty pesos, I order that they be collected.

I declare that I owe to don Juan Peres, merchant of the villa of Chiguagua, 180 pesos in silver, I order that they be paid.

It is my last will that all that is herein declared shall be paid and shall be collected, exactly as it is stated.

I requested Captain Antonio de Ulibarri, Alcalde mayor of this villa of Santa Fe, to interpose his authority and judicial sanction.  It is done in this villa of Santa Fe on the 23^rd of May 1745.

Joseph Terrus, rubric

Antonio de Ulibarri, rubric and Receiving Judge

Witnesses:  Antonio Felix Sanches, rubric and Gregorio Garduño, rubric.

References:  Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Twitchell 966, Reel 5, Frames 712-716.