My Heros Were Different... As Was My History

The only "history" taught in school when I was in attendance that made any sense to me was New Mexico history, and that was somewhat convoluted. Until it started to come together. American History taught in New Mexico at the time totally ignored the Spanish contributions. New Mexico history taught at the time barely touched on any contributions by the Spanish. It was all about 1912 and statehood.

Even though the American history that was taught did not connect with me it was still interesting, very interesting. As was the bits and pieces of world history I was exposed to in the years I attended school. History was the only subject I had to be prodded to learn, it was a story so long it would never end.

My heroes were different than those who were generally found in the history books. Not once did I see John Adams or George Washington as my heroes, not one for Patrick Henry, not Douglass McArthur either.

As a child I recall Elfego Baca as a hero, because of the television series and because I could identify with the name Elfego, I could identify with the name Baca. Francisco Coronado was a hero, Escalante was a hero. I could not do that with the many other names we read about in school.

As I grew a bit older, Francisco Villa, Dennis Chavez and other names that would come up in one conversation or another. A bit later yet Che Guevara, Fidel Castro and Camilo Cienfuegos were my heroes.

Later yet I would read the list of New Mexican dead in Viet Nam and wonder if they were brave and heroes in death. I recall the song about the death of Daniel Fernandez  in Viet Nam with some sorrow still. I would recall family talking about those who had not returned from the Second World War and wonder if they were heroes.

Some consider giving your life for a cause as the mark of a hero, others may consider them cannon fodder in the big scheme of things.

To me heroes had their people in mind when they took whatever action they took. If they happen to die because they were trying to move their people forward, I consider them a hero.

Killed by Navajos

Information, what there is, on some of the killings of residents of Las Vegas, New Mexico in July and September of 1862 by the Navajos.

Juan Ygnacio Quintana was killed by Navajos on 9 July 1862 in New Mexico. He was buried on 10 July 1862 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. We do know that Juan Ygnacio left a widow and four (4) children.

See a short genealogy for Juan Ygnacio below.

Jose Maria Nieto was killed by Navajos on the 9th of September, 1862 at a place called Vermejo. Jose Maria Nieto was the son of Jose Dolores Nieto and Maria Marcelina Crespin of Pena Blanca, New Mexico and was working as a shepherd for Florencio Sandoval.  Jose Maria was buried on the 15th of September of 1862 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

Demetrio Baca, the son of Antonio Baca and Romualda Baca was eighteen (18) years old when he was killed on September 10, 1862, also the day after Jose Maria Nieto and the same day as Jose Esquipula Mares. He was buried on September 13, 1862 in Las Vegas. The death/burial record does not indicate where he was killed.

Jose Esquipula Mares was also killed at Vermejo on September 10, 1862, the day after Jose Maria Nieto, while tending sheep owned by Antonio Baca. His parents are identidied here as Jose Maria Mares and Maria Salome Baca. He was buried on September 16, 1862.

Jose Maria Nieto was tending the sheep of Florencio Sandoval, Demetrio Baca and Jose Esquipula Mares were all probably killed by the same group of Navajos while tending the sheep. Demetrio and Jose Esquipula were tending Demetrio's father, Antonio Baca's sheep.

The priest Juan Franciscio Pinard, a Frenchman imported by Archbishop Lamy was the Catholic official officiating at all four of the burials.

The two (2) paragraphs below come from an article by Mark Simmons.

At the first sign of Indian attack, the native shepherds had instructions to scatter the flock. Raiders, always in a hurry, would gather what they could and ride on.

When the owner came, he might find his shepherds dead, but he could send the dogs out to

seek and round up what was left of his sheep.

Modified Register for Juan Pedro Quintana

First Generation

        1. Juan Pedro Quintana, Juan Ygnacio's father and the son of  Juan Jose Quintana and Maria Manuela Martín was born in New Mexico.

Juan Pedro Quintana married Maria Josefa Vigil  daughter of Ygnacio Vigil and Ana Maria Cayetana Lopez. Maria was born in New Mexico.

They had the following children:

2 M i. Jose Maria Quintana  was born on 12 Mar 1825 in Santa Cruz de la Canada, New Mexico. He was christened on 13 Mar 1825 in Santa Cruz de la Canada, New Mexico.

+ 3 M ii. Juan Ygnacio Quintana  was born on 1 Jun 1826. He died on 9 Jul 1862.

4 M iii. Jose Antonio Quintana  was born on 24 Sep 1828 in Santa Cruz de la Canada, New Mexico. He was christened on 25 Sep 1828 in Santa Cruz de la Canada, New Mexico.

A few thoughts/comments on sheep herding from a Mark Simmons article:

"At the first sign of Indian attack, the native shepherds had instructions to scatter the flock. Raiders, always in a hurry, would gather what they could and ride on."

"When the owner came, he might find his shepherds dead, but he could send the dogs out to seek and round up what was left of his sheep."

Second Generation

3. Juan Ygnacio Quintana  (Juan Pedro) was born on 1 Jun 1826 in Santa Cruz de la Canada, New Mexico. He was christened on 3 Jun 1826 in Santa Cruz de la Canada, New Mexico.

Juan Ygnacio Quintana first married (1) Juana Maria Miguela Marquez  daughter of Juan Prudencio Marquez and Tomasa Hinojos on 16 Dec 1849 in San Miguel del Vado, New Mexico. Juana was born on 5 May 1831 in New Mexico. She was christened on 7 May 1831 in San Miguel del Vado Mission, New Mexico.

Juan Ygnacio and Juana Maria Micaela had the following children:

5 M i. Jose Severiano Quintana  was born on 20 Feb 1852 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. He was christened on 29 Feb 1852 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

6 F ii. Margarita Quintana  was born on 22 Feb 1854 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. She was christened on 26 Feb 1854 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

7 F iii. Maria Felipa Quintana  was born on 26 May 1856 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. She was christened on 1 Jun 1856 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

8 F iv. Maria Panfila Quintana  was born on 26 May 1856 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. She was christened on 1 Jun 1856 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.


Juan Ygnacio Quintana next married (2) Anastacia Apodaca  on 10 Feb 1859 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Anastacia was born in New Mexico.

Juan Ygnacio was married to Anastcia at the time he was killed. They had been married a three and one half (3 1/2) years at the time of his death.

El Cautivo Jose Antonio Flores

In New Mexico, in the early days and well into the 1860's, it was common for New Mexicans and Indians to take captives from one another. These captives were taken when one group attacked the other. The custom was ancient and endured in New Mexico well into the American period. One such captive was the Navajo baptized as an adult in 1829 as Jose Antonio Flores.

Captives were raised as part of the group who took them, New Mexican Hispanics have many Navajos and Indians from other tribes in their genealogical trees. The Navajo, Apache, Comanche, Kiowa and Ute also have many New Mexican Hispanic people in their bloodlines.

First Generation

1. Jose Antonio Flores  was a Navajo born somewhere in New Mexico. He was christened on 2 Jan 1829 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. When he was baptized it shows he was an Indian from the Navajo nation and baptized as an adult. Here he is listed as being a Navajo adult, criado of Jose Antonio Flores (patron) who named him after himself.

Jose Antonio Flores first married (1) Manuela Montano  on 28 June 1844 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. Manuela was also born in New Mexico. On Her marriage record Manuela's parents are identified as Bisente Montano and Maria Paubla Martín. something happened to Manuela Montano as Jose Antonio was soon remarrying.

Jose Antonio Flores next married (2) Maria Emiliana Archeveque  on 4 February 1846 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. When Maria Emiliana was married her parents were listed as Pedro Jose Archeveque and Maria Herrera. Note: Maria Emiliana is sometimes found in the historical records with the surname of Tafoya.

Jose Antonio Flores and Maria Emiliana Archeveque (Tafoya) had the following children:

+ 2 M i. Jose de Jesus Flores  was born on 15 March 1847 in New Mexico.

+ 3 M ii. Jose Dionicio Flores  was born on 8 April 1849 in New Mexico.

4 F iii. Antonia Flores  was born about 1852 in New Mexico.

5 F iv. Maria Eleuteria Flores  was born in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 24 February 1858 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

6 F v. Ana Maria Flores  was born on 27 July 1860 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 29 July 1860 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

+ 7 F vi. Maria Luiza Flores  was born on 10 October 1862 in New Mexico.

8 F vii. Maria Francisca Flores  was born on 3 December 1864 in Puertercito, New Mexico. She was christened on 7 December 1864 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

9 F viii. Maria Francisca Flores  was born on 29 January 1867 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 31 January 1867 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

+ 10 F ix. Maria Nicolasa Flores  was born on 26 Nov 1868 in New Mexico.


Second Generation

2. Jose de Jesus Flores, son of Jose Antonio was born on 15 March 1847 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. He was christened on 20 March 1847 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

Jose de Jesus Flores married Maria Tiburcia Montano  on 7 January 1873 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. Maria Tiburcia was born in New Mexico. Her marriage record lists her parents as Aniceto Montano and Josefa Guana.


Jose de Jesus Flores and Maria Tiburcia Montano had the following children:

11 F i. Maria Brigida Flores  was born on 2 November 1877 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 8 November 1877 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

3. Jose Dionicio Flores  son of Jose Antonio was born on 8 April 1849 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. He was christened on 11 April 1849 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

Jose Dionisio Flores married Maria Marcelina Baca  on 19 February 1879 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. Maria was born in New Mexico. On her marriage record her parents are identified as Ferrer Baca and Apolinaria Garcia.

Jose Dionisio Flores and Maria Marcelina Baca had the following children:

12 M i. Jose Anastacio Flores  was born on 14 November 1880 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. He was christened on 27 November 1880 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

13 M ii. Jose Ramon Flores  was born on 30 August 1882 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. He was christened on 4 September 1882 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

14 F iii. Maria Estefana Flores  was born on 2 August 1884 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 10 August 1884 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

+ 15 M iv. Gregorio Flores  was born on 16 Novebber 1886 in New Mexico.

16 F v. Maria Josefa Flores  was born in New Mexico, her birth date remains unknown.
.
Maria Josefa Flores married Silviano Martinez  on 14 September 1914 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. Silviano was born in New Mexico. In the marriage record only his mother is identified, as Victoriana Martinez.

7. Maria Luiza Flores  daughter of Jose Antonio was born on 10 October 1862 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 17 October 1862 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

Maria Luiza Flores married Eligio Gonzales  on 29 March 1882 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. Eligio was born in New Mexico.  The marriage record when he married lists his parents as Jose Miguel Gonzales and Ramona Salas.

Maria Luiza Flores and Eligio Gonzales had the following children:

17 M i. Leonides Gonzales  was born on 7 August 1883 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. He was christened on 21 August 1883 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

18 F ii. Maria Luiza Gonzales  was born on 28 October 1897 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 30 October 1897 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

10. Maria Nicolasa Flores  daughter of Jose Antonio was born on 26 November 1868 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 13 December 1868 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

Maria Nicolasa Flores married Abran Gonzales  on 10 January 1888 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. Abran was born on 21 June1864 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. He was christened on 4 July in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. His marriage record lists his parents as Serafin Gonzales and Juana Aragon.

Maria Nicolasa Flores and Abran Gonzales had the following children:

19 M i. Jose Leonidez Gonzales  was born on 19 May 1891 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. He was christened on 27 May 1891 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

20 F ii. Maria Felipa Gonzales  was born on 22 August 1892 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 31 August 1892 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

21 M iii. Francisco Gonzales  was born on 16 November 1895 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. He was christened on 24 Nov 1895 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.


Third Generation

15. Gregorio Flores  son of Jose Dionicio, and grandson of  Jose Antonio was born on 16 November 1886 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. He was christened on 17 November 1886 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

Gregorio Flores married Beatris Baca  on 30 January 1911 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. Beatris was born in New Mexico. On her marriage record her parents are identified as Liborio Baca and Josefa Galis.

Gregorio Flores and Beatris Baca had the following children:

22 M i. Antonio Flores  was born in 1909 in New Mexico.

23 F ii. Cipriana Flores  was born in 1912 in New Mexico.

24 M iii. Dionisio Flores  was born in 1916 in New Mexico.

Dar gracias antes de comer

A very simple "thanks" prior to eating our meals when I was a kid in the 1950's in New Mexico.

Gracias a Dios que me da de comer sin merecerlo, my tatita Dios, Amen

Counting Steps To Measure The Distance.

The following quote comes from page 137 of Volume I of the book titled "Great River, The Rio Grande in North American History" written by Paul Horgan and published  in 1954 by Rinehart & Company, Inc. from New York and Toronto. Volume I of the book is about Indians and Spain and in Chapter II dealing with the Eastern Plains (el Llano Estacado or Staked Plains) and the early 1540's journey of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado on page 137 there is a curious paragraph that states ;

"But still they marched, seeing in one place a white woman with a painted chin, and in another a wild hailstorm. The stones, as big as oranges, dented armor and killed animals. Trembling, the people wept and prayed and made vows. Each day they heard how far they had gone according to the soldier whose duty it was to count steps by which the leagues could be computed. In all that wilderness they were appalled at how little mark so great a throng of men and women and beasts made on the grass upon the plain. They left no trail, for the grass in the wind waved over their path like the sea in a galleon's wake."

Imagine, if you will, that being your job, to compute the passing leagues by counting steps. Then imagine that the leagues had to be computed from the time you left Mexico City until the Llano Estacado had been explored and maybe all of the way back again. Would the General, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, have one man do this, or alternate the tedious and boring job? It had to be done, there was no easier way at the time of measuring distance on flat land. But you had to do it if you wanted to get back. They realized they would die of thirst if they got lost.

No pedometer, no odometer, no GPS to mark the distance in a flat and grass covered land. It had to be done by some other method. The counter could not often lose count or he literally would have lost not only those who he was with, but eventually he would lose his head.

History is not always kind to you and I

History is not always kind to you and I. Sometimes it can be downright cruel. It can be glossed over for sure, but if the truth comes out it is most likely painful for those wishing to know and somewhat understand the truth. The history of the world, the country, the region, state, city or family is most likely not what everyone imagines. The truth may not be every ones cup of tea.

Sometimes the truth does hurt, it hurts us as individuals, as a group, whatever the group may be and it hurts as a nation. Especially if you begin to understand what it took, what was done to get to where we are today. It is not always pretty, not what we thought it was. But is is history, however much we want to buy into it or avoid it. And the knowledge of history is liberating in many ways.

Then there are the rose colored glasses. If you want to use them they filter history to allow us to see what we want to see.

For folks doing genealogy the glasses eventually come off, they will eventually come off if the research is done right, if the research is correct. It is interesting to the nth degree, no doubt about it. But, and this is  a big but, you have to have the stomach for it.

Te Deum By The Conquistadores

Before battle, the Conquistadors prayed the Te Deum. In New Mexico the prayer was heard during battles with the Indians from the time of Coronado thru the reconquest with don Diego de Vargas. The Indians had no idea what the words meant much less that the prayer was used before an attack by the Spanish.

Read about the prayer here.

En Espanol

Te alabamos, oh Dios: reconocemos ti para ser el Señor.
Toda la tierra adoración doth de ti: el eterno Padre.
A ti todos los ángeles lloran en voz alta: los cielos, y todos los poderes en el mismo.
A ti Querubines y Serafines: continuamente llores,
Santo, Santo, Santo, Señor Dios de los ejércitos;
El cielo y la tierra están llenos de la majestad: de tu gloria.
La compañía gloriosa de los Apóstoles: te alabamos.
La beca buena cantidad de los Profetas: te alabamos.
El noble ejército de mártires: te alabamos.
La santa Iglesia por todo el mundo: doth te reconoce;
El Padre: de un infinito Majestad;
Tu honorable, fiel: Hijo unigénito;
También el Espíritu Santo, el Consolador.
Tú eres el Rey de la gloria: oh Cristo.
Tú eres el Hijo eterno del Padre.
Cuando te tookest sobre ti para liberar al hombre: no hayas aborrecen el vientre de la Virgen.
Cuando tenías superar la nitidez de la muerte:
    hiciste abrir el Reino de los Cielos a todos los creyentes.
Ora sentado a la diestra de Dios, en la gloria del Padre.
Creemos que vendrás: para ser nuestro Juez.
Por tanto, te rogamos que ayudan a tus siervos:
    quienes redimiste con tu preciosa sangre.
Haz que sea contado entre tus santos: en la gloria eterna.

In English

We praise thee, O God : we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee : the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud : the Heavens, and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim : continually do cry,
Holy, Holy, Holy : Lord God of Hosts;
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty : of thy glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles : praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets : praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs : praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world : doth acknowledge thee;
The Father : of an infinite Majesty;
Thine honourable, true : and only Son;
Also the Holy Ghost : the Comforter.
Thou art the King of Glory : O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son : of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man : thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death :
    thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God : in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come : to be our Judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants :
    whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy Saints : in glory everlasting.

Different Views Of The Weblog With The Different Web Browsers

Click on the image to make it larger....

I don't know why, but the views are different with each of the browsers I have down loaded. Internet Explorer has one view, Google Chrome has another and Fire Fox has yet another. Odd, but there is nothing I can do or so it seems. I will have to look and see.

I started with Internet Explorer and it worked well until they upgraded it a few upgrades back. Then it gave me some strange results with the cut and paste function and it would not let me upload pictures. So I started using Google Chrome.

That is the one I use mostly now. I tried editing something with IE this morning and it took me 15 minutes to fix it with Google Chrome.

Seems like to me that IE is losing out to Google, not only with the browser, but with everything. At least with my desktop PC. No smart phone here yet. Falling behind the technology power curve. Sitting way on the right side of the "bell shaped curve".

I have to make a move on this technology front soon, either that or get left behind totally. Stuff if changing so rapidly that it is hard to keep up. Planned obsolescence is here to stay and the time gap between new and obsolete is shortening to the ridiculous.

Como se dice aqui en el Norte estos dias, prospero ano nuevo, yall.

UPDATE - Panocha Para La Natividad - UPDATE

27 Dec 2016 - Made  another batch.... every bit as good as the last one........ NOTE: Watch out with step No. 2, when you add the water to the golden brown sugar....

Note: I made a batch using the recipe above. Excellent panocha, it is just a bit thin so next time I will reduce the water by a couple of cups. The panocha is as good as I have ever tasted.

Historical New Mexican Hispanic Women - 1540 - 2015

From the book "Great River, The Rio Grande in North American History" written by Paul Horgan we learn that on February 23, 1540 don Francisco Vasquez de Coronado left Mexico City for New Mexico.

 "Three of the soldiers brought their wives. One of these men was a tailor. His wife served as a nurse and seamstress and rode the seven thousand miles with the expedition on a horse. The military company were served by close to a thousand Mexican Indians, many of whom were accompanied by their wives and children. With the main body of the army came the flocks of sheep - over five thousand rams, ewes and lambs. The pace and the distance of the daily marches of the army were determined by how steadily and at what pace those grazing little animals could move. The army brought five hundred head of cattle. Six hundred pack mules carried supplies and equipment. Five hundred and fifty two horses belonged to the soldiers."

New Mexican Hispanic women have been here since 1598. In all reality some were here with Francisco Coronado in 1540. They, like the rest of Coronados people,  did not stay, but they were here. The point being that they have been here doing what needed to be done since then. They have been here at every historic and non historic event. In the background of written history, but they were always there.

A few unusual Hispanic women and their more "famous" American, or otherwise, husbands;

Maria Josefa Jaramillo who was married and the third wife of mountain man and scout Christopher "Kit" Carson. Kit's first two wives were Indian women, one of whom dumped him as soon as she could after "marrying" him. He was known to have been interested in and lived  with another Mexican woman whose name was Antonia Luna at Taos who after having lived some time with Jim Beckworth told Kit that he did not measure up and went back to Jim.

Maria Ygnacia Jaramillo who was the sister of Maria Josefa mentioned above. Maria Josefa was living, sans marriage, with Charles Bent who was appointed the first governor of New Mexico by Gen. Stephen Watts Kearny. Charles met his end on January 19, 1847 at Taos by New Mexican patriots unhappy with the American occupation of the province. Charles Bent was  an out and out racist having riled against Mexicans in his writings, he hated Mexicans and everything they stood for. Not sure why he ended up with  Maria Ygnacia and having at least five children with her. Maybe out of necessity..... who really knows.

The Jaramillo women must not have cared that their husbands detested their people, they may have had low self esteem and this was a way of addressing it. There was an underlying reason for this, maybe financial, but we really don't know.

Charles Bent had an eleven year connection with Maria Ygnacia. She was free to marry and was he, but they never did. You can't tell me that they never married because of her. Do you think she would rather live with the stigma of being unmarried and giving birth to eight children, six of them baptized under her name of "padre no conicido" (father unknown)?

Maria Ygnacia was married and or associated with three different men, one of whom was Charles Bent. She may have been an easy mark for him, for one reason or another.

Antonia Luna who was "married" or lived with several famous and not so famous men. Some were Kit Carson, Jim Beckworth, Bill Williams and finally with William Tharp. Antonia must have been something else. I am not sure this is how she would have liked to be remembered and documented in history.

Maria Elvira Estella Bergere who's  mother was Eloisa Luna, Estella was a "halfbreed" New Mexican and American. Estella married Aldo Leopold, famous in forestry circles and the father of "American Wilderness".

Maria Teodora Lopez was married to fur trapper and mountain man Manuel LeFevre.

Maria Dolores LeFevre, another halfbreed New Mexican was the daughter of Maria Teodora Lopez and Manuel LeFevre was one of several wives of Richard Lacey (Uncle Dick) Wooton of Raton Pass fame.
.......................................................................

Suffice it to say that the great majority of the New Mexican women went unnoticed by the folks who wrote the history. Probably good for them too, as history has been kind to them even if they remained unnoticed and unrecognized. We, their descendants, know better. We get bits and pieces of their lives here and there, but we must generalize.