Those Who Passed Away in Abluquerque! One Days Obituaries. Changed Demographics, Again!

New Mexico, born and raised - Our state bird

From the Albuquerque Journal on August 15, 2015;

1) Bachis - Born in Albuquerque, his mother was a Hispanic New Mexican.
2) Burke - No indication of place of birth nor parents.
3) Durbin-Gonzales - Born in Denver, Colorado and married to a Hispanic, New Mexican.
4) Mora - No indication of where she was born or who her parents were, my guess is she married a local guy named Mora otherwise her New Mexican family would be noted.
5) Morrison - No indication of where he was born or who his parents were,
6) Myers - Lived in Albuquerque at the time he passed away.
7) Rowden - Lived in Albuquerque at the time he passed away.
8) Thomson - Lived in New Mexico and was originally from Port Chester, New York.
9) Wiska - Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1929.
10) Zak - Born in 1938 in Brooklyn, New York.

I find it odd that only individual No. 1, Mr. Bachis has a mother that was native to New Mexico while No. 3, Mrs. Durbin-Gonzales and No. 4, Mrs Mora appear to have been from somewhere else and married New Mexicans.

Aside of the fact that Mr. Bachis is the only one with any roots in New Mexico at all it is also interesting to note that not a single New Mexican born, 100% New Mexican passed away and/or had an obituary in the Albuquerque Journal today.

Now before anyone accuses me of racism or something else let me state that while my ancestors were all from New Mexico, I personally was born in Denver, Colorado and am married to a foreigner, at least foreigner as far as being from New Mexico goes.

Unusual Terms in New Mexican Baptismal Records

Padres, no conosidos - Unknown parents.... It is hard for me to believe that an infant of unknown parentage would be baptized. It could be that the parents were known and the priest was trying to protect the parents. But it was not unheard of for this term to be used for children abandoned at the church for whatever reason. Sort of like "hijo de la iglesia" listed below.

*Espuestos - That some of the "espuestos" were indeed "foundlings", and possibly the victims of poverty, is certainly not excluded. Undoubtedly some of the so called "espuestos" were children of captive Indian women fathered by their masters or older household members. Because of the local social stigma associated with illegitimacy it is likely that in most instances some of these vague terms were used euphemistically. It served to keep illegitimacy managable, especially in church records.

Hijo(a) Espurio(a) - Bastard child of.... The archaic term  Espurio(a) literally means bastard. Usually used when the mother of the bastard child was identified.

Hijo(a) Natural - Nicer way of saying bastard child of..... The same meaning as espurio(a) except it has a softer ring after the centuries.

Hijo(a) ligitimo(a) - Legitimate child of......

De la nacion de "_______" - Belonging to the Indian nation of..... This tern was used when baptizing Indians of known backgrounds. When the Spanish priest knew where the Indian child came from. Indian children were commonly integrated into Hispanic New Mexican households.

Hijo(a) de la Iglesia - Son or daughter of the church..... Who knows what this meant. Does not necessarily mean a priesthood holder had to be the father. It could simply mean the child was raised by the church. Often times when they would be abandoned or left in care of the church. Although every now and then it was common for church leaders to have children out of wedlock like the case with Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla.

Hijo(a) de "Gaspar" y "Rosa", No last name given - Son or daughter of Gaspar and Rosa with no last name given for the parents...... These children were, in most cases, children of Indians who for one reason or another did not have last names. In most cases the Indian child being baptized would be assigned the last name of the "padrino".

*NOTE: Some information comes from the New Mexico Historical Review, Volume 70, July 1995, Number 5. An article there titled " Analysis of Deaths in New Mexico's Rio Abajo during the late Spanish Colonial and Mexican Periods, 1793 - 1846 written by Oswaldo G. Baca.

Being A Spy In New Mexico During the Mexican/Fur Trapper Era, 1820 - 1846.

It was easy, very easy. Mexico in general and New Mexico in particular were easy targets, easy to spy against and easy and ready to be invaded.  There were a lot of spies. Most all of the "fur trappers" from the "states" were spies passing information back to the authorities in the United States, either personally during visits back or in many other ways. Some, if not all, of the traders associated with the "Santa Fe Trade" were also spies. How do we tell who were the trappers? Who were spies? Read the accounts of the folks who came with the Army of the West. Read some of the accounts of the trappers themselves, that is if they could read or write, which most could not. They were every bit as ignorant and unschooled and uneducated as those they were spying on, probably more so.

Christopher "Kit" Carson,
Samuel Magoffin,
Richens "Uncle Dick" Wooten,
"Governor" Charles Bent

The list of spies is actually quite large, I could go on and on. The spies included some of our New Mexican ancestors, the Oteros being the best example. Many of these spies were headquartered in Taos and they did pay the price for their treachery against New Mexico. The names of some are etched in history as some of the political appointees in the aftermath of the occupation and prior to the rebellion by the folks in Taos.

Bent's Fort just over the Arkansas River in what is now Colorado was a nest of spies, spying against New Mexico and also against the Indians. But that is another story altogether.

These spies were spying for the Unites States, it  really does not matter how a person looks at the conquering, occupation and annexation of the New Mexican province by the United States in 1846. It does not matter if, in retrospect, you agree or disagree with it, it does not matter if you think it was a good thing or a bad thing and it does not matter if you think it was a moral or immoral thing for the United States to annex the province.

The bottom line is that these folks mentioned were spies pretending to be friends of the Mexican Republic and New Mexicans. Some were even married to Hispanic New Mexican women, some were Mexican citizens and others even converted to the Catholic faith as part of their "cover". Christopher "Kit" Carson is THE prime example.

There were non New Mexicans, mostly German and French, in the province who were not spies, but very few of them. Maybe one or two of the American trappers were not carrying information back to the "states".

In all reality these folks were spies. Spies with a capitol S. As such, it really all depends on how you feel about spies, sneaks and outright liars. I imagine there are many things that come into play when looking at the subject.

How to Deal With "Unclaimed" Relatives in Our Trees

The view in early spring driving between Raton, NM and Cimarron, NM

How do we deal with "unclaimed" relatives in our "trees". The proverbial red headed stepchild? I do not mean how do we deal with them in real life, I mean how do we deal with this information in our charts, our genealogical family trees?

For us it all depends on the source, sometimes information on unclaimed individuals was common knowledge, sometimes the information was just there and we bumped into it by accident, sometimes someone let's us in on the "secret".

We always look at the source of the information before adding or subtracting the individual from our database. It also causes us to go looking for the evidence and if it is there we add the individual if not I may keep the information and wait to see if some additional information will show up.

We have been at this, genealogy, for a long, long, time. We work as a team, we rarely work at this alone. Both of us combing this book or that book or deciding where the information we need my be had. I input the names into the database and Donna keeps me honest. The database we maintain now contains over 26,000 names, somehow all connected to my sons. That is a lot of data and folks would be surprised at what information we bump into.

Both Donna and I work at compiling the information, sometimes alone but most likely together. We spend some time most days on the subject, sometimes a little time other times several hours and sometimes the whole day. It all depends what it is we are after. We have traveled to west Texas to Southern Colorado and points in Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska in search of information. Some places in Minnesota and Wisconsin have also been visited, as some of her family comes from that area. We actually moved and lived in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, retracing some ancestral footsteps of her people

Anyway, one piece of information on an unclaimed relative just came into our possession via a comment on one of the posts here on this weblog. That has begun a new quest for information on someone who we knew about but did not know that she had been married and had children. In other words we knew about her and some of her ancestors but knew/know zero about her descendants. But someone knows something about the matter, somewhere the information is waiting to be found. We will see what comes up for Maria Abrana Lucero AKA Maria Abrana Ebel.

New Mexican chained to a huge rock

Johnson Mesa in Colfax County New Mexico

A guy died and arrived in heaven at the pearly gates. St. Peter advises he can proceed in. As he does he sees a  man in chains chained to a huge rock looking beaten. The guy walks up to God standing next to him and asks him why is this guy chained to the rock.

God tells him the reason he is chained is because the person is a New Mexican.

The guy then asks God what does that have to do with it.

God tells him that it is spring in New Mexico after some rains, the flowers are out and the grass is green on the hill sides, the iris are in bloom and if we don't chain them down they will all go back.

Grifos y tecatos in New Mexico

Reading an article (study) in the April 1981 edition of the New Mexico Historical Review titled "Guns and Butter, Albuquerque Hispanics, 1940 - 1975". Very interesting article and addresses the illegal drug problems "Hispanics" have in New Mexico. I have always wondered if "grifos" who are marijuana users or "tecatos" who use heroin or other hard drugs have always been the pox on New Mexican society that they are now. I have found no reference to these drugs in historical records. There are many references to alcohol use in the record. Not only by "Hispanic" New Mexicans but "anglos" as well as Indians.

The article (study) states that prior to the WWII drug use was minimal in New Mexico but increased dramatically when workers and soldiers started arriving back from the Ft. Bliss government facility in the El Paso area and also from overseas and the shipyards in the west coast, particularly Los Angles, California. They had been hooked, one way or another, while away from home.

Later it increased with heroin and opium users arriving back from Korea and Viet Nam. It calls this phenomena the "victims not only of hostilities but also the derangements of war".

Today the use of all types of illegal drugs by all segments of society, is rampant in New Mexico with some calling for the legalization of this or that drug as a cure all for the problems we have which are caused by people who are addicted.

Any way, if you can find a copy of the publication at your local library, it makes for enlightening and interesting reading.

Banana Cream Pie In Rowe, New Mexico in the middle 1950's

My cousin and I were on our way to the river about a mile away from town to fish, or swim, or both when we heard someone behind us..... We went into the forest and hid while they went by. The property was private, belonging to the actress Greer Garson and her millionaire husband "Buddy" Fogelson.  It was part of the old Los Trigos Land Grant which was lately owned by Jane Fonda. Anyway, we did not want to get caught fishing or swimming there but the odds of that happening were slim to none as we were experts at hiding in the adjacent woods.

Anyway, it was an "anglo" couple with some small kids who were behind us. I do not know if they were sneaking in too or if they had permission to be or go there. It did not matter, we let them pass and then followed them out of curiosity. Just to see what they were up to. They got to an area and "set up" the spot. Picnic basket and a tablecloth to cover the ground before they all went down about 100 yards to the river.

Opportunity was knocking and we decided my cousin would be the lookout while I went down to see what they had set out. Just looking really, at least I recall that was what I was thinking at the time. Anyway, I opened the basket and lo and behold a funny looking pie was there. Never seen a pie with all white on the top before. I dipped my finger to taste it and the taste was out of this world. I took the pie and some plastic spoons and high tailed it to where my cousin was waiting.

My first taste of banana cream pie.... God sent it to us, I just knew it. My forced church attendance was paying off right then. It was the best thing, outside of panocha for la semana santa, that I had ever tasted. We took off to the ole swimming hole to swim without waiting to see what the white folks did when they found the pie missing. I still don't know if they figured it out or if the ole man blamed the woman for forgetting the pie.

We did not know what type of pie it was, just that it was good. The next time I tasted banana cream pie again was in Nebraska one summer while traveling through many years later. Now when I have a piece, I remember back...

New Mexicans surrounded by hostile enemies

Fredrick Remington, Mexican Sheepherder tortured by the Apaches.

The Hispanic and Pueblo Indian New Mexicans of the Spanish (1598 - 1821) and Mexican (1821 - 1846) era's were surrounded by hostile tribes and had to fight day and night on all fronts. The Navajo on the north and west, the Ute on the north and east, the Comanche and Pawnee on the east and the various subdivisions of Apache to the south.

In all reality the siege by hostile Indians lasted well past the American occupation and annexation of the province into the late 1870's. But the Spanish and Mexican era's were particularly difficult as the area had a small population and even smaller financial resources.

The 1850 U.S. Federal Census lists 61,547 persons. This was 4 years after the American conquest, occupation and annexation of the New Mexican province. By this time there were at least 5,000 - 6,000 Americans in New Mexico. there were probably 10,000 Pueblo's as the "savage tribes" mentioned were not part of the census. That leaves about 45,000 or so New Mexican Hispanos or Mexicans as our ancestors were known then.

The 1784 El Paso Spanish Census* lists 4,091 total "Hispanos" in the district. men were 1,220, women were 1223 boys were 820 and girls were 828. so the men comprised about 29% of the population.

We need to keep in mind that El Paso was part of New Mexico at the time and would remain so through the Mexican Period. The population in other New Mexican districts would most probably breakdown similarly by percentage.

So if the Hispanic/Mexican population was about 45,000 in 1850 we can estimate the "fighting" population in 1846 was about 29% of the 45,000 or a little over 15,000 men. If we subtract a figure to represent the men too old to be effective in war we probably end up with 11,000 to 12,000 men  capable of "bearing arms". The Pueblos were also involved in the defense of the province. 

These 11,000 - 12,000 men plus whatever number of the Pueblos assisted had to defend all of the area where they lived and their flocks and herds of animals where ever they grazed. Mostly up and down the Rio Grande but there were other places where Hispanos/Mexicans resided. When you consider or ponder the numbers of "hostiles" or "savages" that is quite a feat. A feat that the "Americanos" would have had trouble with.

As for hostile or savage Indians? Well, we do know that it is estimated that in the 1860's during the removal of this tribe to Bosque Redondo there were 12,000 to 15,000 hostile Navajos. The numbers of Apaches, Comanches, Utas, Pawnees and other Indios del Norte is not known. Neither are the numbers of hostiles that resided in the area south of El Paso.

Either way, New Mexicans and their Pueblo allies did a great job of the defense of the province. These defenders are our real heroes,  our "founders". To these defenders we owe our gratitude. The threat then was close, real and terrible. 

*Refer to the October 1977 New Mexico Historical Review article titled The Population of the El Paso Area - A Census of 1784 written by W.H. Timmons.

Como se dice? Unos cuantos dichos favoritos de me joventud.

My mother used to use this one, "Se hase el pendejo para comer con las dos manos." for someone playing dumb.

My grandmother when we as kids asked her "que es" she would respond "una punta para los preguntones." We were asking too many questions.

En la tierra de el siego, el tuerto es rey.

When asked como esta(s), "como un perrito millionario". Doing just fine.

Waiting for some undeserved something, "Esperando el bien de dios envuelto en una tortilla."

My grandmother used to say about ghosts that "No le tengo miedo a los muertos, solamente a los vivos."

Pobre Nuevo Mejico, Tan Lejos del Cielo y Tan Cerca de Tejas.

"Pobre Nuevo Mejico, Tan Lejos del Cielo y Tan Cerca de Tejas."

Poor New Mexico, so far from heaven and so close to Texas. Manuel Armijo, the Last New Mexican Governor prior to the American occupation hit the nail on the head when he uttered this pearl of wisdom.

In New Mexico today Texans escape from the heat and the dreariness of the Llano Estacado and come to the mountains of New Mexico by the tens of thousands every weekend. If you travel between Raton and Clayton over 90 % of the traffic is from Texas. The same goes on the road between Roswell and Tularosa. A good portion of the Texans also head into the mountains of Southern Colorado. Any place really, any place other than Texas.

The towns of Eagle Nest, Angel Fire and Red River in Northern New Mexico and also Ruidoso and Cloudcroft in Southern New Mexico are populated by about 95% Texans. Texans catering to other Texans. Sort of odd to spend time in these towns, islands of Texans in New Mexico. And the extreme eastern part of New Mexico is called little Texas as in some cases there are more Texans there than New Mexicans or folks from anywhere else.

New Mexicans have had a distrust of Texans since the Americans settled there (Texas) swore allegiance to the Mexican Republic then turned on Mexico, declared their own republic and tried to invade New Mexico from there several times after their "independence". Sort of hard to trust them after the scheme that they pulled off with the support of the Americans.

We have been going into the Texas Panhandle, especially Amarillo since we used to travel I-40 when coming home from points north and east. I Like Amarillo, easy to get around in and lots of antique shops on old Route 66. I also like to travel the panhandle as this is the part of the llano our New Mexican ancestors used for several hundred years before modern Texas came into being. Sort of gives a person perspective of what life used to be like in New Mexico.