Pedro Antonio Mestas ~ Will 1826

Reference:  Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Twitchell 1201, Reel 6, Frame 643-644.

©Patricia Sanchez Rau

ARCHIVE 1201

Public Survey Office

Date:  January 18, 1826

Will of Pedro Antonio Mestas of this “capital” (Santa Fe)

In the name of Almighty God and of the ever Virgin Mary, conceived without stain of original sin, from the first instant of her natural being.

Know all persons that I, Pedro Antonio Mestas, being sick in bed with an illness which God our Lord has been pleased to send me, but in my whole and sound mind and natural understanding, make and order this my Testamentary memorandum in the following form:

Firstly, I say that I believe and confess the mystery of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, three distinct persons and only one true God.  I believe that the second person is the Son who was born and died in order to redeem us.  I commend my soul to the Lord who created and redeemed it with the infinite price of his precious blood and my body to the earth from which it was formed.

Item:  I order that my body be shrouded with the habit of our father Saint Francis and that it be buried in the Military Chapel at the regular cost.

Item:  I declare that I have been married to Maria Josefa Escudero, for a period of forty-six years, in which time we had and procreated three children who are Jose Patricio, now deceased, and Maria Antonia who also died at the age of three months, and Mariano who is living, whom I recognize as my sole heir.

Item:  I leave one peso to each one of the forced bequests (mandas forzosas)

Item:  I declare as my property that which I have acquired in the management of my house, one pair of trousers, two suits of underwear, one mattress, two blankets and one hat.

Item:  I declare that I have not made any other testament or codicil if any should appear, I hereby revoke it and declare it to be of no value for which purpose I appoint as my executors, first my son Mariano and second Domingo Fernandes.

There I request the Corporal Jose Ortega to interpose his judicial authority.  I and the said Corporal said that I would and did interpose it insofar as it is conferred upon me by the order of the Señor Governor.  I did so and signed it on the 18^th of January 1826 with two witness as my assistants, in the absence of a notary public of which there is none in this capital.

                        Jose Ortega (Rubric)

Jesus Lopez  X (his mark)  and Juan Bustamante (Rubric)

Reference:  Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Twitchell 1201, Reel 6, Frame 643-644.

©Patricia Sanchez Rau