Rosa Martin Serrano ~ Will 1750

I, Rosa Martin, native of this kingdom of New Mexico, being sick, execute this my last memorandum.

I declare that I was married to Nicolas Lopez, from which marriage we had two sons, Juan Nicolas Lopez and Francisco Lopez, whom I declare as my heirs.

I declare a statue of St. Jose and three goats, these I leave for my funeral.

I declare two rooms of a house and a portion of land a shown in the deed of sale.

I declare another portion of land which belongs to the lands under the same title.

I declare three rooms in Chimayo.

I declare a small lot which I leave to my godchild Melchora, having raised her as my own daughter.

I declare that Rosa de Medina, owes me one peso and I order it collected.

I declare an axe, two plow-points and an old chest.

I declare a portion of land situated on the north side of the same portion of land which I have sold to Ignacio Pacheco, towards the south gate.  This said portion of land will be shown by a deed of sale I have made him.

I declare that said portion of land, given as situated on the north side, together with the three said room, I leave for the welfare of my soul.

I leave as administrators of my assets, my brother, Sebastian Martin, and I authorize and request that Juan Jose Sandoval, Lt of this district to authorize this. 

I did not sign and at my request Salvador Varela did so on this 20^th March 1750 and witnessed by Clemente Montoya and Nicolas Apodaca.

Signed:  Juan Jose Sandobal, rubric, Salvador Martin and Alonso Sandoval.

References:  Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Twitchell 536, Reel 3, Frames 979-982.

©Henrietta M. Christmas

Lorenzo Martin, Land Sale 1749 Chimayo

Know thee all, that I, Lorenzo Martin, a native of New Mexico, and resident of Our Lady of Guadalupe of El Paso del Rio del Norte, sold a piece of land in the locality of San Buenaventura de Chimayo, to – Francisco Martin, a resident of said locality.  The land was my lawful paternal inheritance from my father, Francisco Martin and also from the maternal part of Juana Garcia de los Reyes.  Said lands measures, east to west, 106 varas and east bounded by Ana Petra Martin, west is the land of the purchaser; north lands of Marcial Martin; south lands of Francisco Lorenzo Martin; and another portion of land, not adjoining the said land, above, near the land of La Questa, which is 50 varas; then east to west is the public road, west are the lands of Marcial Martin; on the south is 120 varas bounded by lands of Maria Martin. I sold for the amount of 42 pesos.

Witnesses:  Felipe Romero, Domingo de la Cruz and executed in the locality of Chimayo on 11 November 1749.  Signed Juan Jose Sandoval, Judge; at the request of Lorenzo Martin, Jose Gomez; witnesses:  Jose Gomes and Martin Valerio.

References:  Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Twitchell #535, Reel 3, Frames 975-978.

©Henrietta M. Christmas

Antonio Montoya ~ Will 1749

I, Antonio Montolla, a native of this villa nueva de Santa Cruz, am ill in bed and make this my last will and testament.

I declare that I was married to Juana de Medina and we had twelve children who are:  Francisco, Ramon, Consesion, Maria Juliana, Francisca Ramos, Antonio, Mariano, Graviel, Rafael, Juana, Pascuala and Alejandro Tomas – and of these four are dead the rest are living and three are married.

I wish to be interred in the parish church of this villa.

I declare as my property a parcel of cultivated land where my house, which contains six rooms is located.  The land would five almudes of corn feed, more or less, and I order that the house and lands be divided and be given to each one in equal parts, as my executors may consider just.

I declare that I owe on pair of stocking in Peña Blanca, I order that it be paid.

I declare that I owe one heavy-buckskin in El Paso, I order it paid.

I declare that Ynasio Bargas owes me three pesos, I order that collected.

I declare that Gabiel (Xavier) Tafolla owes me seven pesos, I order that collected.

I declare that Juan Trujillo, son-in-law of Juana Martin, owes me two pesos, I order that collected.

I declare that Juan Tafolla owes me four pesos and I order that collected.

I declare that Gaviel (Xavier) Martin owes me two pesos, I order that collected.

I declare that I owe Juan Antonio Camo, four pesos, I order that paid.

I declare that I leave a shotgun with its’ case, now old, its shield, already used, its power bags, already old, and its powder flask half full of powder, besides sixty bullets of lead and stone, I leave them for my internment.

For the execution and payment of this, my last will and testament, I leave my wife, Juana de Medina, and my son, Ramon Montolla, as my administrators and the keepers of my property.  I declare them as my heirs along with my legitimate children.

I request, that Captain Juan Jose Sandobal, Lt. Alcalde Mayor of this district and locality of Santa Francisco Gabiel, to authorize this, my last will and testament, as it is my will that it be kept and complied with.

I did not sign as I do not know how, I asked Salbador Barela to sign for me, this September 13, 1749.

Singed Salbador Barela, rubric

Witnesses:  Salbador Barela, rubric, Alonso Sandobal, rubric and Juan Jose Sandobal, rubric

References:  Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Twitchell 528, Reel 3, Frames 849-852.

©Henrietta M. Christmas

Andres Montoya ~ Will 1740

I, Andres Montoya state that I am the legitimate son of Captain Antonio Montoya and doña Maria Hurtado, natives of New Mexico; a resident of the locality of  Sieneguilla. 

I was married to Antonia Lucero and they had the following children:  1) Josepha, married to Joseph de Santiestevan; 2) Manuela (deceased), married  to Joachin Sanchez;  3)  Andres, married  to Ana Baca;  4)  Ysidro, married  to Manuela Silva;  6)  Joseph, married to Juana Quintana;  7)  Christoval (who died just prior to his proposed marriage);  8)  Nicolas, bachelor;  9) Diego,  bachelor.

I married a second time to Maria Sisneros and we had no children, thus making the children from my first marriage my legitimate heirs.

I declare that in the Province of Sonora, I owe Thomas de Albiso, resident of Secori, 60 pelts of buffalo hides, thick elk skins and light and medium buckskin.

I declare that I owe to Ygnacio Gonzales, resident of San Buenaventura:  a little Indian boy, 7 years old, cloth wainscoting and two painted elk skins.

I declare that I owe a son of Thomas Madrid, resident of San Buenaventura a little Indian girl, 6 years old.

"If my said estate is not sufficient to pay the debts which I have declared, and if, through forgetfulness, one should appear that it may be proved that I owe, and my goods fall short of paying it, I ask my Creditors, for love of God, to forgive me."

I declare as my good:  two tracts of land:  One agricultural land at La Sieneguilla, four leagues from Santa Fe which hold a planting of approximately 20 fanegas of seed;  the other land on the other side of the Rio del Norte between the Pueblos of San Yldefonso and Cochiti and have not started to cultivate due to my illness.

Five oxen tamed to "whoa and stop."  Two cows  one with and one without a calf.  Row cart equipped with yokes, whips and straps.  Six horses and one mule – broken.  Thirty head of sheep, goats and ewes, some with lambs of this season.

A leather riding saddle of the country; standard gun, sword, bridle, spurs, shield, saddle pads, powder bags, boots and a gun case.

An adobe house at La Sieneguilla with four rooms and a portal.

Two large copper kettles, one iron griddle and spit; copper pitcher in which to beat chocolate and another for drinking water; an iron hoe, five new wooden plow points, an old spade, a carpenter's axe, a chisel.

Old chest for chocolate with its key.

As the clothes I use,  an old cloak of dieziochono cloth (a cloth having 1800 threads in the warp), a new great coat of said cloth lined with blue flannel of this county; the goods for some trousers of said cloth without trimming, a new black hat with a black band.

A wool mattress with unbleached muslin and a sheet of the same, I leave to my son Nicolas.

A horse for trading purposes which Captain Miguel de Coca has, to be collected.

The farm lands at La Sieneguilla to sons and sons-in-law some piece of land - to those who have not yet married executors are to assign them land "of equal quality and excellence, under irrigation and if they should not be of equal excellence, they will get more land than the rest in order that they shall remain equal.

I declare that to my son, Francisco, because he has sold a piece of land which I assigned him at the time of his marriage, for which they gave him 100 pesos, and because he has no land in which to plant, I again gave him another piece of land, which it is my will shall be given to him because it comes within the fifth part of my estate.

I declare that I bequeath one peso each to the mandatory legacies. 

I name as my executors, Ysidro Montoia, Andres Montoia and Joseph de Santiestevan, my sons and I leave as guardians and curators of my two minor sons, Diego and Nicolas, Jose de Santiestevan for Diego and Ysidro for Nicolas until they are both married.

On this June 17 1740, before me, Juan Paez Hurtado, rubric, Receiving Judge at the request of Andres Montoya signed Joseph Miguel de la Peña, rubric

Witnesses:  Gregorio Garduño, rubric and Francisco Orttiz, rubric

Reference:  Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Twitchell #526, Series I, Reel 3, Frames 841-844 
©Henrietta M. Christmas

Diego Marquez ~ Will 1729

I, Diego Marquez, state that I am sick in bed from an accident and do make this testament.

I name as my executor, my wife, Juana Martin. 

First I was married in the church to Juana Martin Serrano, my wife, above mentioned, we had three children which are:  Maria Estella Marques, Francisca Marques and Diego Marques, and I declare to be jointly with my wife, my legitimate children and heirs.

I order that my body be buried in the church of the new villa of Santa Cruz, at a place which my wife may choose.

I declare as my legitimate property, one riding saddle embroidered and saddle blankets, one blunderbuss, one sword and one sheath, one pair of spurs, one bridle, one fire-lock, and gun case.  Three plow shares, one hoe, one pick, one axe, one adze and one chisel, one spit, for the purpose of broiling meat, one flat pan, one candle stick, one bed which consists of one mattress, two sheets of Chinese liner and one of wool, one bed coverlet and two pillows, one box of bind-wood and two broken boxes, three skirts, one of silk, one of satin and one of serge, two pair of trousers, one pair of woolen, cloth and one of scarlet cloth; four shits, three pair of white trousers, two hats, one cape of fine cloth, adorned with galloons, one white coat and one to be made, one house consisting of six rooms with six doors and one window, one table and one bench, one wooden chair, and one chair without arms, one Crucifix, one image of St. James, one guitar.  Also, one parcel of land which I acknowledge having received as a grant; twelve horses, three tame mares, five mules, two herds of mares, with stud horses and one stud burro, sixty head of cattle, with brand, also four yoke of oxen.  All the things above mentioned, I declare to be my legitimate property, which my wife will dispose of as I have stated or as may be more convenient.

I declare that I do not owe anything to anybody and I declare that Juan Lujan, a soldier owes me sixteen pesos and Phelipe de Tamaris, 15; and the Governor, don Juan Domingo de Bustamante, the value of 25 fanegas of wheat and fifteen of corn.  Cristobal Varela also owes me a barrel of wine.  Francisco Perea owes me eight pesos.  I requested the Fray Father Manuel Sapena to sign at my request on this April 20, 1729.  Also one cart and fixtures, etc., and 129 head of sheep.

At the request of Captain Diego Marques, Friar Manuel de Sapena, rubric

I the General don Juan Domingo de Bustamante, Governor and Captain General of this Kingdom of New Mexico.  Whereas, Diego Marques, a resident of the new villa of Santa Cruz died leaving children and his wife, in compliance with my duty, attending, as I ought to attend, to the minors and the widow, I order the Secretary of Government and War to the said villa, to make an inventory of the property which was left on account of the death of said deceased.  Paying for the funeral and burial and debts if there are any.   Of the reminder, one half shall go, to the wife, for property acquired during her marriage and the rest shall be divided in equal parts among the heirs, giving their full share to the married ones, as far as the youngest one is concerned, his share shall be left in the care of his legitimate guardian.  Signed at Santa Fe on March 10, 1729

On March 16, 1729, I Antonio de Cruciara, Secretary of Government and War, divisions were made as follows.  Signed before me, Antonio de Cruciara, Juana Martin Serrano at her request, Jose Martin Marques de Ayala, rubric

Inventory and division shown in several pages, but not retyped here.

References:  Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Twitchell #513, Series, 1, Reel 3, Frames 742-754

©Henrietta M. Christmas