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Papers of Merits and Services of 17th Century New Mexico Citizens

by

José Antonio Esquibel

 

In the Villa de Santa Fe, during the summer of 1662, all the possessions of don Bernardo López de Mendizábal,1 Governor of New Mexico (1659-1661) and his illustrious wife, doña Teresa de Aguilera y Roche, were embargoed as part of a formal investigation by royal authorities into allegations of abuse of power related to conflicts with Franciscan missionaries and New Mexico citizens. A detailed and exhaustive inventory was carefully made on July 11, 1662.2 Included in this inventory were many personal papers and letters of don Bernardo. Also among the documents in his possession were papers relating to the merits and services of fifteen New Mexico citizens (fourteen men and one woman) consisting of a combined total of 299 pages.

 

It was customary for men of honor to submit "papeles de méritos y serviicos" to royal authorities for the purpose of seeking recognition for personal and honorable service to the crown and receiving special privileges, especially in being granted an encomienda, or an appointment to an important civil position, or promotion to a higher military rank. Since the list, provided below, is small, it presumably represents papers of merits and services submitted during the tenure of López de Mendizábal as governor in New Mexico. It is very likely that papers of merits and services of other 17th century citizens of New Mexico were submitted to other New Mexico governors before and after López de Mendizábal's tenure. If so, additional research into this potential resource of valuable personal information would prove to be quite fruitful. Unfortunately, no copies of papers of merits and services of 17th century New Mexico citizens have survived among the Spanish Archives of New Mexico, and apparently no such records have been uncovered to date among existing archival collections in Mexico and Spain. In particular, it would be a great interest to read the paper of merits and services submitted under the name of doña Ana Baca.

 

It is not unreasonable to presume that copies of these papers were made and forwarded to royal officials in Nueva España, perhaps to officials of the Audiencia de Nueva España. If so, this could open a new avenue of research in our continued documentation of New Mexico colonial genealogies and family histories. Papers of merits and services contain a varying degree of valuable personal information. They always include noteworthy service to the crown and sometimes provide family lineage information. Additional research into the bureaucratic protocol for processing papers of merits and services could help to identify the possible archival location of such records that may have survived to the present.

 

The papers of merits and services in possession of López de Mendizábal were listed as follows:3

 

Papers of Capitán Miguel de Ynojos4 in 90 pages

Papers of José Telles Girón5 in 6 pages

Papers of Capitán Juan Griego6 in 26 pages

Papers of Francisco Xavier7 in 30 pages

Other papers of Capitán Juan Griego in 44 pages

Papers of Capitán Antonio de Salas8 in 23 pages

Papers of Diego González Lobón9 in 25 pages

Papers of doña Ana Baca10 in 20 pages

Papers of Roque Cadimo11 in 10 pages

Papers of Capitán Juan Luis12 in 4 pages

Papers of Diego de Archuleta13 in 4 pages

Papers of Francisco de Ortega14 in 4 pages

Papers of Agustín Griego15 in 4 pages

Papers of Francisco Ramírez16 in 3 pages

Papers of Felix de Carabajal17 in 2 pages

Papers of José Gutiérrez18 in 3 pages

In addition 17 petitions of different persons in 17 pages

 

Witnesses: Diego del Castillo (rubric) and Juan de Mondragón (rubric) before Juan Lucero de Godoy (rubric), Secretary of the Governor

 

An example of a record of méritos y servicios is provided below to familiarize the interested reader with the content of this type of document. The Spanish transcription of the record is followed by an English translation. This particular record was originally submitted in 1635 by don Andrés de Sosa y Tapia who came to New Mexico in 1598 as a soldier with his father, Capitán don Alonso de Sosa Albornoz. Curiously, the name of don Alonso de Sosa y Tapia is not found among the existing muster rolls of the Oñate expedition, but his father is listed. An explanation for this omission is suggested in Sosa y Tapia's document of méritos y servicios when he recounts that his father brought with him to New Mexico armed soldiers with horses and munitions at his expense. The indication given is that Capitán don Alonso de Sosa Albornoz maintained his own small army as part of the expedition into New Mexico. This group of soldiers probably included his son who mentioned in his méritos y servcios that he assisted his father in the "conquista y pacificación del Nuevo México," participated in all the entradas and affrays of the conquest, and helped build houses in the first settlement of San Juan de los Caballeros. Intriguingly, Sosa y Tapia mentioned helping build houses in a second settlement in New Mexico which he referred to as "San Pedro" rather than San Gabriel. It is likely that the soldiers under the command and pay of Capitán don Alonso de Sosa Albornoz were not accounted for in the list of soldiers under Oñate command since they were not part of the army that Oñate was under contract to recruit. Sosa y Tapia indicated that his father sold his entire estate for more than 60,000 pesos, an estimated equivalent of over $1.8 million dollars by modern standards. With this kind of wealth, Sosa Albornoz could well finance his own private army to protect his family and possessions, and further assist in the cause of the conquest and pacification of New Mexico. Notice in this particular record of méritos y servicios that valuable genealogical information was provided in addition to the historical information.

 

Relación de los méritos y servicios de André de Sosa y Tapia19

Andrés de Sosa y Tapia presenta los papeles de sus méritos y servicios siquientes:

Un testimonio de una información fecha en esta ciudad el año pasado de seiscientos y trienta y cinco, ante el general Fernando de Sosa Suárez, Caballero de Orden de Santiago, Corregidor que fue en ella, y Esteban Bernal, Escibano Público, en la qual deponen los testigos, unos de vista y otros de oído, cómo tienen por cierto ser hijo legítimo del Capitán Alonso de Sosa Albornoz y doña Juana Ramírez, y nieto por la parte materna [sic paterna] de Francisco de Sosa Albornoz y de doña Inés de Tapia, su muger, y bisnieto de Esteban de Sosa y doña Ana de Albornoz, y por parte materna nieto de Gabriel Ramírez; y que la dicha doña Inés de Tapia, su abuela, fue hija de Andrés de Tapia, Conquistador, pacificador y poblador de esta Nueva España y Ciudad de México, y Teniente de Capitán general y Maese de Campo en dicha Conquista; y que vino a ella en companía de Fernando Cortés, primer Marqués del Valle; y que el dicho Francisco de Sosa Albornoz, su abuelo, fue uno de los descubriadores, conquistadores y pacificadores del rieno de la [Nueva] Galicia y [Nueva] Vizcaya, sirviendo a Su Majestad en dichas provinocias a su costa y minzión [sic], y que fue de los primeros Alcaldes Mayores que hubo en los reales de Minas de Sain, San Martín y Sombrerete, y pobló el Valle de Suchil y el Real Minas de Chalchiguites, Villa de Nombre de Dios, en que gastó muy gran suma de hacienda; y que el dicho el Alonso de Sosa, su padre, fue uno de los Capitanes nombrados para el decubrimiento y conquista de la Nueva México y a su entrada llevó su muger e hijos, llevando carros con bagajes de bastimentos, armas, municiones y soldados con armas y caballos, todo a su costa y minción [sic]; y edificó casas en la primera población de San Juan de los Caballeros y en la segunda que llamaron San Pedro, para lo qual vendió las haciendas que tenía, de que sacó más de sesenta mil pesos, los quales gastó en ella, dejando con esto quando murió a sus hijos pobres; y que el dicho Andrés de Sosa asistió con el dicho su padre en la dicha conquista y pacificación del Nuevo México, hallándose en todas las entradas y refriegos, y demás ocasiones que se ofrecieron, cumpliendo los órdenes que se le dieron como bien soldado; y que los susodichos y sus ascendientes sirvieron a su Magestad y fueron personas nobles, caballeros hijosdalgo, cristianos viejos sin mácula, ni raza de moros, ni judíos, ni de los nuevamente convertidos a nuestra Santa Fe Católica, y como tales personas nobles se les guardaban y guardaron todas las franquezas, libertades y excepciones de que gozan los hombres nobles hijosdalgo, según fuero de España: y que el dicho Andrés de Sosa sirvió aventajándose, en companía del dicho del dicho Capitán Alonso de Sosa Albornoz, su padre.

________

 

Relation of the merits and services of Andrés de Sosa y Tapia

Andrés de Sosa y Tapia presents the papers concerning his merits and services as follows:

A testimony of some information written in this city the past year of 1635 before the General Fernando de Sosa Suárez, Knight of the Order of Santiago, Corregidor of this city, and Estabn Bernal, Public Scirbe, in which both eye-witnesses, and witnesses who have heard, declared with certainty that he is the legitimate son of Captain Alonso de Sosa Albornoz and doña Juana Ramírez, and grandson, through the maternal [sic paternal] side, of Francisco de Sosa Albornoz and doña Inéz de Tapia, his wife, and great-grandson of Esteban de Sosa and doña Ana de Albornoz, and on his maternal side, a grandson of Gabriel Ramírez. The said doña Inés de Tapia, his grandmother, was a daughter of Andrés de Tapia, conquistador, pacifier, and settler of this Nueva España and City of Mexico, Lieutenant Captain General and Maese de Campo in the said conquest; and who came here in the company of Hernando Cortés, first Marqués del Valle. And, that the said Francisco de Sosa Albornoz, his grandfather, was one of the discoverers, conquistadors, and pacifiers of the kingdoms of Nueva Galicia and Nueva Vizcaya, serving His Majesty in the said provinces at his cost, and was among the first Alcaldes Mayores in the royal mines of Sain, San Martín, and Sombrerete, and he settled the Valley of Xuchíl, the royal mines of Chalchiguites, and the Villa of Nombre de Dios, in which he spent a considerable amount of his estate. And, that the said Alonso de Sosa, his father, was one of the captains named for the discovery and conquest of the New Mexico, and he took his wife and children, taking carts with much supplies, arms, munitions, and soldiers with arms and horses, all at his expense; and he constructed houses in the first settlement of San Juan de los Caballeros and in the second named San Pedro. For all of this he had sold the haciendas that he had, for which he obtained more than sixty thousand pesos, all of which he expended in it, leaving his children poor when he died. And, the said Andrés de Sosa assisted with his said father in the said conquest and pacification of the New Mexico, participating in all the entradas and affrays, and on many occasions that were offered, he carried out the orders that were given as a good soldier. And, the above mentioned, and his antecedents, served His Majesty and were noble persons, caballeros hidalgos, old Christians without stain, nor Moorish race, nor Jewish, nor of the newly converted to our Holy Catholic faith, and as such noble persons they were guarded by and they guarded all the exemptions, liberties, and exceptions of the noble hidalgos, according to the law of Spain, in the company of the said Captain don Alonso de Sosa Albornoz, his father.

 

Don Alosno de Sosa Albornoz was killed near San Gabriel in early 1601. In October 1601, don Andrés de Sosa y Tapia along with his step-mother, doña Beatriz Navarro, and siblings, were apparently among the soldier and colonists that left New Mexico. Doña Beatriz settled in Monterrey, Nuevo León, and don Andrés settled in Mexico City where other relatives of his resided.20

 

Notes

  1. Don Bernardo López de Mendizábal was a son of Capitán don Cristóbal López de Mendizábal (native of the village of Oñate in the Basque Province of Guipúzcoa) and doña Leonor de Pastrana (buried 27 Abril 1666 in the Church of Santa Catalina de Sena, Mexico City, below the altar of Las Once Mil Virgines), residents of Mexico City. Don Cristóbal and doña Leonor were also the parents Licenciado don Juan López de Mendizábal and doña Gertrudis López de Mendízabal, wife of Capitán don Juan de Andrada Moctezuma and a resident of Mexico City. Among the papers of don Bernardo López de Mendizábal that were inventoried at Santa Fe in 1662 was a letter of don Gregorio López de Mendizábal. No relationship is stated, so it is unclear if don Gregorio was a brother, uncle, or possibly a cousin. Don Bernardo died on 23 August 1663 while still under investigation by the Office of the Inquisition. Archivo General de la Nación (AGN), Concurso de Peñalosa, tomo 2, leg. 1, no. 10, f.65; tomo 3, leg. 1, no. 1, f.29-30.

  2. AGN, Concurso de Peñalosa, tomo 3, leg. 1, no. 1, f.27ff.

  3. AGN, Concurso de Peñalosa, tomo 3, leg. 1, no. 1, f.37v.

  4. Miguel de Hinojos was a son of Hernando de Hinojos and Beatriz Pérez de Bustillo. He held the encomienda of Humanos Pueblo in 1661. Fray Angélico Chávez, Origins of New Mexico Families in the Spanish Colonial Period (ONMF), Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe, 1992, 48.

  5. In 1661, José Telles Jirón held the encomeindas of San Felipe and Cochiti, He was a native of Los Altos de San Jacino at Cuyoacan in Nueva España, b.ca. 1631-32. Chávez, ONMF, 106.

  6. Capitán Juan Griego is named frequently in the documents relating to the López de Mindizábal case. In 1662, he was referred to as an encomendero and a vecino of the Villa de Santa Fe. AGN, Concurso de Peñalosa, tomo 3, leg. 1, no. 1, f.39.

  7. A native of Sevilla, Francisco Xavier arrived in New Mexico with the retinue of López de Mendizábal and became an encomendero. He married Graciana Griego, daughter of Capitán Juan Griego and Juana de la Cruz. Chávez, ONMF, 113.

  8. Capitán Antonio de Salas was born circa 1617. His encomeinda was Pojoaque Pueblo. Chávez, ONMF, 100.

  9. Diego González Lobón was a son of Domingo González. Diego sided with the party that opposed López de Mendizábal. In fact, he was the courier for Governor Peñalosa for whom he carried the papers relating to López de Mendizábal's residencia to Mexico City.

  10. This doña Ana Baca may be the same woman of this name who was widowed of her husband, Francisco López de Aragon, by 1661. She resided at her Estancia del Alamo about twelve miles from Santa Fe. Chávez, ONMF, 54.

  11. Roque Cadimo is not accounted for in Origins of New Mexico Families. See 'Cadimo' in Chávez, ONMF, 13.

  12. Capitán Juan Luis Luján was a native of Santa Fe and married Isabel López del Castillo. This couple had at least two children: 1) Ana María Luján md. 30 May 1682, El Paso del Norte, with Juan López Olguín, son of Capitán Salvador Olguín and Magdalena Fresqui; and 2) Pedro Luján md. with Francisca Martín de Salazar. Chávez, ONMF, 62, 212, & 369-70; also, Fray Angélico Chávez, "New Mexico Roots, LTD," n.p. (1980), 1379.

  13. Diego de Archuleta is not accounted for in Origins of New Mexico Families.

  14. Francisco de Ortega was identifed by Chávez as a native of Zacatecas, born circa 1614, and living in the jurisdiction of Sandia in 1667. The presence of his papers of merits and services in the possession of Governor López de Medizábal indicates he was in New Mexico as early as 1662.

  15. This Agustín Griego appears to be the elder who was named as the father of Agustín Griego (b.ca. 1657). The elder Agustín Griego was married with Francisca Montoya. Chávez, ONMF, 42, & 361.

  16. Francisco Ramírez was a native of New Mexico, born circa 1628. He was married with María López de Gracia. Chávez, ONMF, 90.

  17. Felíx de Carabajal (Carvajal), son of Juan de Vitoria Carvajal was an encomendero. His wife was Juana de Arvizu. Chávez, ONMF, 15.

  18. José Gutiérrez is not accounted for in Origins of New Mexico Families.

  19. J. Ignacio Mañe, "El conquistador Andrés de Tapia y su familia," in Boletín del Archivo General de la Nación, Tomo V, Num. 3, 1964, 588-89.

  20. For a history of the Sosa Albornoz family detailing their involvement in the conquest and pacification of Nueva Galicia, Nueva Vizcaya, Nuevo León and New Mexico, see: José Antonio Esquibel, "Tragedy Among Oñate's Colony: A Chronicle of the Sosa Albornoz Family," Nuestra Raíces, Vol. 10, No. 1, Spring 1998, 3-8, and Nuestra Raíces, Vol. 10, No. 2, Summer 1998, 43-50. The genealogical information contained in the merits and services of don Andrés de Sosa y Tapia was instrumental in clarifying and extending the ancestry of the Sosa Albornoz family. It has been particularly challenging to document the ancestry of the individuals that accompanied Oñate to New Mexico in 1598. Currently, the best-documented ancestry of the Oñate era is that of the Oñate-Salazar family which extends to the early 1300s (see: José Antonio Esquibel, "New Light on the Jewish-Converso Ancestry of Don Juan de Oñate: A Research Note," forthcoming in Colonial Latin American Historical Review, 1998). The next best-documented ancestry of the Oñate era is that of the Sosa Albornoz family, extending to the mid-1400s. The following line of descent represents one of numerous possible lineages from the Sosa Albornoz family to the present:

  1. Capitán don Alonso de Sosa, Señor de Villa Borquelo in the region of Toledo, Caballero del Orden de Calatrava, served the Catholic Monarchs as Alférez in the wars of Granada (late 1400s). (Source: A)

  2. Don Esteban de Sosa, md. doña Ana de Albornoz, residents of Santa Olalla, jurisdiction of Toledo, in 1540. (Source: A)

  3. Don Francisco de Sosa Albornoz, native of Toledo (sought passage with his brother Estaban de Sosa from Sevilla to Nueva España on 7 April 1540); md. doña Inéz de Tapia y Sosa, daughter of Maese de Campo don Andrés de Tapia and doña Isabel de Sosa. (Sources: A, B)

  4. Capitán don Alonso de Sosa Albornoz, b.ca. 1550, Mexico City, Nueva España, conquistador de Nuevo León and New Mexico - d. ca. March 1601, near San Gabriel, New Mexico; widowed of doña Juana Ramírez y Ortiz de la Vega, he md. (2) doña Beatriz Navarro y Rodríguez, daughter of Capitán Juan Navarro and doña María Rodríguez y Castaño de Sosa. (Sources: A, C, D)

  5. Doña Ana de Sosa Albornoz md. don Alonso Farias Treviño, son of don Juan Farias and doña María de Treviño Quintanilla. (Source: D)

  6. Doña María de Sosa Farias md. don Vicente de Zaldívar y Resa, son of don Juan Guera de Resa, Teniente Adelantado de la Neuva Méjico, and doña Magdalena de Zaldívar y Mendoza; residents of Monterrey, Nuevo León. (Source: D)

  7. Doña Margarita de Zaldívar Sosa md. 20 January 1653, Monterrey, Nuevo León, with don Diego de Ayala Treviño, son of don José de Treviño Quintanilla and his second wife, doña Leonor de Ayala Valverde. (Source: D)

  8. Doña Inéz de Zaldívar Ayala md. 1 October 1673, Monterrey, Nuevo León, with don Lázaro de la Garza González Hidalgo, d. 22 February 1694, Monterrey, Nuevo León, son of don Blas de la Garza Treviño and doña Beatriz González Hidalgo y Navarro. (Sources: E, F)

  9. Don Manuel de la Garza Zaldívar md. (2) 9 February 1716, Monterrey, Nuevo León with doña Teresa Caballeros de los Olivos y Montemayor, bt. 3 November 1677, Monterrey, Nuevo León, daughter of don Lucas Caballero de los Olivos and doña Margarita Montemayor de la Garza. (Sources: E, G)

  10. Don Manuel de la Garza Caballero, d. 18 December 1787, Monterrey, Nuevo León; md. 30 August 1741, Monterrey, Nuevo León, with doña Teresa Cisneros Cantu, daughter of don Bartolomé Jiménez de Cisneros y Galvés and doña Ana Cantu Villarreal. (Sources: D, E, F)

  11. Don Juan José de la Garza Cisneros md. 16 January 1772, Salinas Victoria, Nuevo León, with doña Ana María Martínez Treviño, daughter of don Santiago Martínez Benavides and doña Agustina Treviño. (Source: H)

  12. Doña María Teresa de la Garza Martínez, bt. 11 January 1774, Salinas Victoria, Nuevo León; md. 16 November 1788, Salinas Victoria, Nuevo León, with don Francisco Miguel González de la Garza, son of don José González and doña Polonia de la Garza. (Sources: H, I)

  13. Don José Fernando de Jesús González de la Garza, bt. 15 June 1791, Salinas Victoria, Nuevo León; md. 7 February 1814, Marín, Nuevo León, with doña María Guadalupe Montemayor. (Sources: I, J)

  14. Doña Clara María González Montemayor, native of Las Higueras, Nuevo León; md. 5 August 1835, Marín, Nuevo León, México, with don José Rafael Mendoza Ronquillo, native of Parral, Chihuahua, México, son of don Santiago Mendoza and doña María Ignacia Ronquillo. (Source: K)

  15. Don José Perfecto Mendoza González, bt. 24 April 1836, Marín, Nuevo León, México; md. 15 November 1856, Marín, Nuevo León, México, with doña María Cesaria Díaz González, bt. 30 August 1836, Salinas Victoria, Nuevo León, México, daugther of don José Luis Díaz de León y Silva and doña Gertrudis González. (Sources: J, K)

  16. Guadalupe Mendoza Díaz, b. 12 December 1862, México - d. 22 December 1945, Benavides, Duval County, Texas; md. 17 March 1883, Duval County, Texas, with Juan Manuel Canales González, b. 8 February 1862, México, son of José Cayetano Canales Rodríguez and María Rafalea González Martínez (residents of Mier, Tamaulipas, México). (Source: L)

  17. Juan Manuel Canales Mendoza, b. June 1892, Duval County, Texas; md. María Enriqueta Hernández Martínez, b. 17 November 1893, Duval County, Texas, daughter of Gudalupe Hernández and Octaviana Martínez. (Source: L)

  18. María Enriqueta Canales Hernández, b. 8 April 1919, Realitos, Duval County, Texas; md. 13 October 1935, Laredo, Webb County, Texas, with José Alfredo Wise Dovalina, b. 26 February 1917, Laredo, Webb County, Texas, son of Margarito Wise Ramírez and Elvira Dovalina Suárez. (Source: L)

  19. Sylvia Enriqueta Wise Canales, b. 4 October 1936, Benavides, Duval County, Texas; md. 16 February 1936, Laredo, Webb County, Texas, with Antonio Rudolfo Esquibel, b. 10 September 1934, Las Vegas, San Miguel County, New Mexico, son of Juan Isidro Esquibel and Inéz Andrada. (Source: L)

  20. José Antonio Esquibel, native of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Sources:

  1. J. Ignacio Mañe, "El conquistador Andrés de Tapia y su familia," in Boletín del Archivo General de la Nación, Tomo V, Num. 3, 1964, 564 & 588-89.

  2. Don Cristóbal Bermúdez Plata, Catálogo de pasajeros a Indias durante los siglos XVI, XVII y XVIII, Tomo III (1539-1599), 94.

  3. George P. Hammond and Agapito Rey, eds., Don Juan de Oñate: Colonizer of New Mexico, 1595-1628, University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, 1953, 165.

  4. Raul J. Guerra, Jr., Nadine M. Vásquez, & Baldomero Vela, Jr., compilers and editors, Index to the Marriage Investigation of the Diocese of Guadalajara: Provinces of Coahuila, Nuevo León, Nuevo Santander, Texas, 1653-1750, published privately, Edinburg, Texas, 1989, 269; see also LDS microfilm #0168604 (1653-1699), DM 21 January 1653, Monterrey.

  5. Matrimonios: Monterrey, Nuevo León (Sagrario), 1667-1800, LDS microfilm #0605179.

  6. Defunciones: Monterrey, Nuevo León (Sagrario), 1668-1752, LDS microfilm #1605195, and 1752-1794, LDS microfilm #0605196.

  7. Bautismos: Monterrey, Nuevo León (Sagrario), 1668-1731, LDS microfilm #0605147.

  8. Matrimonios: Salinas Victoria, Nuevo León, 1755-1835, LDS microfilm #0605410.

  9. Bautismos: Salinas Victoria, Nuevo León, 1721-1790, LDS microfilm #0605402, and 1790-1830, LDS microfilm #0605403.

  10. Matrimonios: Marín, Nuevo León, Asunción Church, 1802-1856, LDS microfilm #0605495.

  11. Bautismos: Marín, Nuevo León, Asunción Church, 1834-1852, LDS microfilm #0605489.

  12. Family records.

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