Thursday, November 6, 2014

Maria de Jesus Baca ~ Will 1784


February 24, 1784
Will of Marina de Jesus Baca executed before Jose Sandobal, Salvador Rivera Juan de Abrego witnesses; receipt for payment of masses, signed by Fray Juan Bermejo, attached

Know all who may see this my last will and testament that I, Marina de Jesus Baca, in perfect health, sound mind, memory, understanding and volition believing in, as I firmly believe and confess the mystery of the most Holy Ghost, three distinct persons and only one true God, and the rest that our Holy Mother, the Roman, Catholic, Apostolic Church, believes and confesses, under which faith and belief I have lived and promise to live and die, asking the intercession of the ever Virgin Mary, mother of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who bore Him without pain, remaining ever a virgin, and my patron saints, I execute this, my last will and testament in the following manner:

First, I commit my body to the soil from which it was created, and commend my soul to God, our Lord, who created and redeemed it with His most precious blood; and it is my desire that, if God our Lord should see fit to take me, I be interred in the Military Chapel of Our Lady of Light in the transept, and that my body be shrouded with the habit of our father, Saint Francis, for love of god, and a funeral Mass.

I order that the customary forcible bequests be given 1 peso, currency of the land.
I order the Holy Places be given 2 pesos, currency of the land.
I order that two novenas of low Masses be said for me.
I order another novena of low masses for the repose of the soul of my deceased husband, Juan Tafolla.
I declare that I leave as my administrators, my son-in-law, Jose Sandobal, and my daughter Polonia Tafolla.
I declare that I was married according to the rites of our Holy Mother church to Juan Tafolla, now deceased.  In the said time we had and raised three children - two boys and one girl:  Juan, Miguel, and Polonia who is living.
I declare that I do not owe any one, and no one owes me.
I declare as my property the house and residence consisting of four rooms, with a piece of land containing, from east to west, 142 varas, and 80 in width.

I declare as my property one ranch in the Pueblo Quemado, bounded on the north by the Cochiti road; on the south by a high cross; on the west by lands of Blas Trujillo; on the east by the lands of the widow of Jose Baca.

I declare as my property 25 head of cattle, both large and small, all ages.
I declare that if God our Lord should be pleased to take me, after my funeral expenses are paid, I leave my daughter, Polonia as my only heir, so that she may enjoy it all.

I declare that I am in sound mind and judgment; and I so grant and order in this villa of Santa Fe, on the 24 February 1784.  Witnesses were called and requested, all of which I certify.  And I the grantor, not knowing how to sign, asked and ordered my son to sign for me.
Jose Sandobal (rubric)
Salbador Rivera (rubric)
Juan de Abrego (rubric)

The receipt is sewn to the front of the will.

I, Fray Juan Bermejo, chaplain of this royal garrison of Santa Fe, acknowledge that I have received from the corporal of the garrison, Jose Sandoval, the sum of 77 pesos, silver, for 3 novenas of low masses with bell tolling and responses in each, and for the funeral high Mass and vigils for his mother-in-law, doña Marina de Jesus Baca, who left all the aforementioned in her last will and testament as will be evident.  It was paid in full with 2 cows, and calves, 1 ox, 1 bull, one old female burro, 10 varas of cloth and 10 varas of wide unbleached muslin and a rebozo (scarf) for 3 pesos.  In evidence that I agree and remain satisfied, at the request of the said corporal I gave this receipt which I signed in this villa, June 24, 1784, Fray Juan Bermejo (rubric).

Reference:  Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Twitchell 1061, Reel 5, Frames 1334-1338.
©Henrietta M. Christmas

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