La Historia de dona Maria Candelaria Ulibarri

Maria de la Candelaria Ulibarri was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico on February 5, 1765 and baptized on the very same day by a man known as Joseph Miguel (no last name available) and Juana Catalina Angela. This was 9 years before the American Revolution of 1776. Her parents were Jose Fernando Ulibarri and Maria Olaya Armenta.

Candelaria, as she was known, married Jose Rafael Garcia who was baptized on November 28, 1765 shortly after he was born. Their marriage took place on September 27, 1790 in Santa Fe. Jose Rafael was the son of Francisco Garcia de Noriega and Rita Padilla.

Together they had the following children;

1. Jose Antonio Garcia - Birthdate unknown
2. Miguel Garcia - Birthdate unknown
3. Pablo Garcia de Noriega - Birthdate Unknown
4. Bernardo Garcia de Noriega - Birthdate unknown
5. Diego Antonio Garcia - Born December 22, 1797
6. Juana Garcia - Born about 1800
7. Ana Maria de Jesus Garcia - Born July 22, 1801 and died/buried on February 24, 1804.
8. Maria del Rosario Garcia - Born June 26, 1804
9. Jose Rafael Garcia - Born December 1, 1806

All of the children were probably born in Santa Fe. Some are documented as being born there but most probably all were. Both Candelaria and her husband Rafael were born there, so it is safe to assume the children were all born there also.

Jose Rafael died in 1817 and was buried in the church on March 11, 1817. He was not quite 52 years old.  Candelaria was just over 52 years old having celebrated her birthdate the previous month. At least two of the children were still young, 1) Maria del Rosario was thirteen and 2) Jose Rafael had just turned ten. So, under the best of circumstances, it would have been hard on Candelaria.

On the 3rd of February of 1823 Maria Candelaria baptized a young Navajo child in Santa Fe and named him Jose Maria Agapito Ulibarri. He was living in her house. The record shows "espuesto en la casa de Candelaria Ulibarri". Jose Maria Agapito's real parents are listed only as "Nabajos". She and an individual identified only as Jose Teodoro were the "padrinos" at the baptism.

Something terrible must have happened to the Navajo child named Jose Maria Agapito because just  a year later on February 20, 1824 he was buried in Santa Fe. He is listed as Indian parvulo (infant) of the Navajo Nation. The cause of death of the child is not stipulated.

Another tragedy happened soon there after. Dona Maria Candelaria Ulibarri herself died and was buried just 3 months later on the 22 of May of 1824. Again no cause of death is noted, just that she was the widow of don Rafael Garcia.

The moral of the "story" is the hardships folks had to endure, just imagine Maria Candelaria. Imagine the birth and death of Jose Maria Agapito, imagine his biological parents. All we can do is wonder. But it is interesting what you can glean from the historical records.