Dwayne and Geert performing for Flaco Jimenez's 70th Birthday.

Two young guys from the Netherlands, Holland. They are good, well worth the look and listening.

Click here to hear it.

 Wish I could play and sing like this.

Richens Lacy (Uncle Dick) Wootton

Jesus Silva and his friend, old Uncle Dick Wootton

Richens Lacy (Uncle Dick) Wootton was a "famous" trapper and built the toll road over Raton Pass in the middle 1800's. He was known as Richard (Uncle Dick) Wootton. He married Maria Dolores LeFevre on the 6th of March of 1848 in Taos, New Mexico. Maria Dolores was the daughter of Manuel LeFevre, a Frenchman and Maria Teodora Lopez a local woman from Taos, New Mexico. Uncle Dick had other wives, Maria Dolores was the first, together they had 4 children. Maria Dolores died in 1855 in Southern Colorado. The book where the quotes below come from is a very interesting read.

Refernce the book "Uncle Dick Wooten" written by Howard L Conrad published originally by W.E. Dibble & CO. of Chichago, IL in 1890. The quotes attributed to Uncle Dick below are from there;

"I have observed in reading our frontier literature, that the tendency has been to exegerate and overdraw everything, and the effect of this has been, to give the Eastern public a wrong idea of the conditions which existed in this country (New Mexico and the early West), and the character of the men who found their way into these savage wilds in search of wealth and adventure."

"I could use a gun as well as anybody, knew how to handle a team, and while never particularly in love with hard work I wasn't afraid of it.... I got along first rate."

Manuel LeFevre and New Mexicans

Manuel LeFevre was a Frenchman, born circa 1810 in Missouri or Canada, one or the other. Manuel married a New Mexican woman named Maria Teodora Lopez in Taos. Maria Teodora was the daughter of Ramon Lopez and Maria de la Luz Martín. Manuel and Maria Teodora married on December 1, 1827 in Taos and made their home there. All total they had 11 children, at least one of whom died while young, the first Maria Pacifica.

1. Maria Leonor - Birth date unknown
2. Maria Dolores - Born June 29, 1828 
3. Jose Vicente - Born April 7, 1830
4. Francisco Antonio - Born April 3, 1831 
5. Maria Francisca Guillerma - Born March 12, 1833
6. Maria Pacifica - Born February 4, 1835 
7. Maria de La Luz - Born May 18, 1843
8. Maria Teodora - Born July 16, 1848 **
9. Manuel Carlos -  Born April 23, 1850
10. Jose Manuel - Born October 16, 1851
11. Maria Pacifica - Born May 22, 1852

** Maria Teodora married Ricardo Ortiz, a distant relative of mine, but that is another story all together.

Anyway, Manuel LeFevre was not in Taos when the New Mexicans revolted against the American occupation of New Mexico in January of 1847. It is not known where he actually was. But he was to be found at Bents Fort just across the Mexican/US Border, near present day La Junta, Colorado, when the news of the revolt arrived there. 

When the news of the revolt arrived at Bents Fort a group of 23 men volunteered to go and retaliate for the Americans killed. In all reality it was to retaliate for Americans and their New Mexican sympathizers killed as there were several New Mexicans killed also. Among those going were Lucien Maxwell, Manuel LeFevre and the author of the book referenced here, Lewis H. Garrard. Here he wrote;

 " We crossed the river into Nuevo Mejico at the fort (Bent's Fort) ford, and followed the Santa Fe Trail, which kept (to) the river bank. five of us were mounted; the rest were to get animals at the PURGATORIE, ninety miles distant. The object of the expedition in which we were about to engage was to travel as far as we could towards Taos; kill and scalp every Mexican to be found and collect all of the animals belonging to the Company of the United States."

NOTE: The writer, Lewis H. Garrard, is writing about a trip to Taos in the winter of 1847 after the revolt of New Mexicans in Taos and the assassination of Governor Bent.

Anyway, the group never got to "kill and scalp" any Mexicans. But the plan was there none the less and begs the question, would Manuel LeFever have actually "killed and scalped every Mexican to be found". Or maybe he would have been a bit more selective being that he had a Mexican wife and at least 7 half breed children with her. 

Reference the book "Wa-to-yah and the Taos Trail" written by Lewis H. Garrard and published by the University of Oklahoma Press.

Also reference page 421 of the book "Origins of New Mexico Families, A Genealogy of the Spanish Colonial Period", the revised edition published by the Museum of New Mexico Press and written by Fray Anjelico Chavez.


NOTE: The name LeFevre has changed in New Mexico to Lefebre.

Maria del Refugio Benavidez - 1905 to 1998

Maria del Refugio (Ruby) Benavidez was born on April 5, 1905 in Rowe, New Mexico and died in Santa Fe, New Mexico on February 26, 1998.

Maria del Refugio's ancestors came to New Mexico into what was then known as New Spain with the very first colonists who arrived here with don Juan de Onate. They arrived in New Mexico on the 30th of April of 1598.  They crossed the Rio del Norte (Rio Grande) at EL Paso.  Two, out of several, interesting ancestors that arrived on that day were her 10th great grandparents Juan Lopez Olguin Villasana and his wife Catalina Villanueva as were another set of 10th great grandparents, Pedro Robledo and his wife Catalina Lopez. Both couples had their families with them.

Juan Lopez Olguin Villsana and his wife, Catalina Villanuva, arrived in good health at the future colony north of Santa Fe. Catalina is interesting because in a muster roll she identified her father as an "Indian from the valley of Mexico". Catalina was a Mestiza, 1/2 Mexican Indian and 1/2 Spanish. Catalina, her husband Juan and one daughter (Ana) were members of Onates 1597 expidition and some of the "first colonists".

Don Pedro Robledo was to suffer a tragic accident and died because of it. He was thrown from his horse and died on the May 21, 1598 at a place known as Paraje Robledo near present day Radium Springs, New Mexico. The Robledo family burried him there and continued up into Santa Cruz near Santa Fe where the first Spanish colony was established. Don Pedro was the 1st known settler of european decent to die in what today is the United States of America. Other Europeans had died, but they were soldiers or Catholic priests and not settlers, don Pedro was the very first. The Robledo family was a very famous Spanish family in those early days of the colony.

Most Spanish New Mexicans were expelled from New mexico during the 1680 Pueblo Indian Revolt, some came back during the reconquest of the province with don Diego de Vargas and more came at that time for the very first time. Amongst them were Maria del Refugio's (Ruby) Benavidez 5th great grandparents Juan Esteban Benavidez, known as "El Mozo" and his wife Maria de Diezma who came north from Zacatecas. Juan Eateban was a soldier/settler. Juan Esteban Benavidez and his wife, Maria de Diezma arrived in New Mexico during December of 1695. Both Juan Esteban and Maria de Diezma were dead by 1702. Many, many of their descendants still live in New Mexico and Colorado.

Los Herreras, Los Gorras Blancas Y Poco Mas

The Herrera brothers, Juan Jose bottom left, Pablo standing and Nicanor seated right.

Juan Jose, Pablo and Nicanor Herrera from San Miguel County are identified by many as associated with, if not the organizers of "Las Gorras Blancas" in New Mexico. A good dissertation on them and Las Gorras Blancas comes from the book "Mexicano Resistance in the Southwest" written by Robert J. Rosenbaum and published by Southern Methodist University Press. Most folks who are familiar with Northern New Mexico are familiar with Las Gorras Blancas.

This family has a very interesting story as well as genealogy. Here is a sampling:

Manuel Herrera the son of Jose Miguel Herrera and Maria Josefa Saavedra married Maria Paula Archibeque, the daughter of Juan Domingo Archibeque and Maria Josefa Gallegos on the 5th of October 1832 at San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

Manuel Herrera and Maria Paula Archibeque had the following children;

1) Juana Paula Herrera - Baptismal date July 21, 1833
2) Maria Paula del Refugio Herrera - Baptismal date January 15, 1835
3) Juan Jose de la Cruz Herrera - Baptismal date September 24, 1837
4) Ambrosia Herrera - Birthdate/baptismal dates, December 7, 1841/December 19, 1841
5) Jose Pablo Herrera - Birthdate 1843
6) Nicanor Herrera - Birthdate/baptismal dates, November 28, 1846/December 5, 1846

As far as is known all were born in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

Juan Jose, Pablo and Nicanor Herrera from San Miguel County are listed in several of the U.S. Federal Census. NOTE: Be advised that ages listed on the census can vary a whole lot.

1850 - Tecolote, San Miguel County, New Mexico

Manuel de Herrera
Maria Paubla de Herrera, 32
Juana de Herrera, 17
Refugio de Herrera, 15
Juan Jose de Herrera, 13
Jose Pablo de Herrera, 7
Maria Ambrosia de Herrera, 9
Nicanor de Herrera 

In 1850 living next door is

Maria Justa Urioste, 30
Jose Feliciano Urioste, 1 year old
Luciano Trujillo, 25

1860 - El Salitre in San Miguel County, New Mexico

Manuel Herrera, 58 listed as a laborer,
Maria Paula Herrera, 40,
Ambrosia Herrera, 18,
Pablo Herrera, 17,
Nicanor Herrera, 14,

In 1860 and right next door lived;

Justa Urioste, 58, listed as a servant,
Feliciano Herrera, 12,
Estefana Herrera, 9,
Pedro Herrera, 4,
Antonia Lucero, 13,
Juan Lucero, 10.

1870 - Ojitos Frios in San Miguel County, New Mexico

Paula Herrera, 48 listed as a seamstress,
Pablo Herrera, 25 listed as a freighter,
Juan Jose Herrera, 33, listed as a freighter,
Nicanor Herrera 23, listed as a farmer,
Justa Urioste 48, listed as a domestic servant,
Antonia Lucero 23, listed as a domestic servant,
Estefana Herrera 17, listed as a domestic servant,
Felicario Herrera, 23, listed as a farm laborer,
Pedro Herrera 13, living at home.

A note of real interest is that living with this family or right next door is "Justa Urioste". Her relationship to the Manuel Herrera and Maria Paula Archeveque family is not noted in the documents we have looked at but there is no doubt that there is some very close relationship(s). Justa Urioste is listed as living next door in 1850 and 1860 and in the same house in 1870.

Justa Urioste had at least 3 and maybe 4 children, all of them with no father listed:

1) Feliciano Herrera (Urioste) - Born June 17, 1849 from unknown parents and baptized as Feliciano Herrera by Manuel Herrera and Maria Paula Archeveque.
2) Doroteo Urioste - Born January 5th 1855 and his padrinos were the daughter of Manuel Herrera and Maria Paula Archeveque, Juana Paula Herrera and her husband Ramon Ulibarri.
3) Pedro Celestino Urioste  - Born May 25 1857 and his padrinos were brother and sister and the children of  Manuel Herrera and Maria Paula Archeveque, Pablo and Ambrosia Herrera.
4) Ursula Urioste - Born on October 21, 1859 and baptized by another son of Manuel Herrera and Maria Paula Archeveque, Juan Jose Herrera and a woman identified as Luisa Pinard.


On January 31, 1871 "Feliciano Urioste" listed as the son of Justa Urioste married Altagragia Jarmaillo the daughter of Vicente Jaramillo and Juana Gallegos from "los Ojitos" (Ojitos Frios). The marriage occurred at Nuestra Senora de Los Dolores Catholic Church in Las Vegas, New Mexico. NOTE: Feliciano is listed as Herrera in both the 1860 and 1870 census.

On January 7 1891, twenty 0ne (21) years later almost to the day, Altagracia Jaramillo's son Toribio Herrera is marrying Luisa Gallegos. This marriage also occurred at Nuestra Senora de Los Dolores Catholic Church in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Here Toribio's father is listed as Feliciano Herrera.

New Mexico Justice for Joe Felipe Gallegos, 1878 Style?

The speed with which Judge L. Bradford Prince (pictured above) worked in dispatching court business is illustrated by a case which came before him during his first session which he held of the Mora County District Court.

On Friday morning of the week that the court was in session, the grand jury bought in an indictment against Joe Felipe Gallegos for the murder of Sabino Lopez on August 9, 1878. Gallegos was immediately arrested and his trial went on in the afternoon of that very same day.

Mr. Thomas B. Catron (of Santa Fe Ring fame) was assigned to prosecute the case and a Mr. Leyden. who had just been admitted to the bar, was named to defend Joe Felipe Gallegos. The trial continued Friday night until nearly 11:30 o'clock and throughout the day Saturday. The jury returned a verdict of guilty of murder in the 4th degree Saturday evening. A sentence of seven years imprisonment, the highest penalty under the circumstances, was imposed. Thus the defendant was indicted, arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced, all within less than 2 days.

It may be doubted that this speed was always in the best interest of complete and impartial justice in individual cases.

References:

1. Frank W. Clancy, "Reminiscences of Territorial Days", Proceedings, New Mexico Bar Association, 1919 on page 55.
2. Frank W. Clancy, "In Memory of L. Bradford Prince." Historical Society of New Mexico, publication No. 25 on page 5.
3. Arie W. Poldervart, "Black Robed Justice". Published by the Historical Society of New Mexico on page 112.