Los Tres Benjamin Tapia's de San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico

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The first Benjamin was born to Aparacio Tapia and Maria Emilia Urioste in January of 1895 probably in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. He was listed in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census as being 5 years of age and living with his father, mother and older sister Agrapina in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

This 1st Benjamin must have died as a young boy because by the time the 1920 Census there is a 2nd Benjamin listed as being 8 years of age living in the household. This would put his birth date at sometime in 1912. Too old to be the Benjamin listed in the 1900 Census. The 1920 Census is a bit off on this birth date, in reality this Benjamin was born in 1908.

Birth and baptismal information for the 2nd Benjamin comes from page 124 of the publication Bautismos, San Miguel del Vado, 1 January 1900 - 25 May 1912 published by the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center of New Mexico. It lists this Benjamin  as being born on the 21st of December of 1908 and being baptized on the 5th of January of 1909. The padrinos were Miguel Ortiz and Trinidad Duran.

Sad to say but this Benjamin died at an earlier age than his brother whom he was named after because the 3rd Benjamin was born on 13 of March of 1911. Birth and baptismal information for the birth of the 3rd Benjamin comes from page 160 of the publication Bautismos, San Miguel del Vado, 1 January 1900 - 25 May 1912 published by the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center of New Mexico. His padrinos were Matias Lopez and Marcelina Sandoval.

It was not unusual in New Mexico at the time this was going on for parents to name newborn children for siblings that had passed away. A way to mitigate the grief of losing a young child. Aparacio Tapia and Maria Emilia Urioste went through this three different times with sons named Benjamin.

My own maternal grandfather, Roman Benavidez, was named after a brother of the same name that had died earlier. Roman Benavidez and his wife Ignacia Archuleta went on to lose a child by the name of Emilia only to name their next daughter Emilia. A way to mitigate the grief felt for the loss of their other child.