General Kearney in Las Vegas, New Mexico

PROCLAMATION OF 

BRIGADIER GENERAL STEPHEN W. KEARNY,

to the PEOPLE of LAS VEGAS

August 15, 1846

Mr. Acalde, and people of New Mexico: I have come amongst you by the orders of my government, to take possession of your country, and extend over it the law of the United States, we consider it, and have done so for some time, a part of the territory of the United States.  We come amongst you as friends - not as enemies; as protectors not as conquerors.  We come among you for your benefit[not for your injury, "Henceforth I absolve you from all allegiance to the Mexican government, and from all obedience to General Armijo.  He is no longer your governor [great sensation] I am your governor.  

I shall not expect you to take up arms and follow me to fight your own people, who may oppose me; but I now tell you, that those who remain peaceably at home, attending to their corps and their herds, shall be protected by me, in their property, their persons, and their religion; not a pepper nor an onion, shall be disturbed or taken by my troops without pay, or by the consent of the owner.  

But listen! he who promises to be quiet, and is found in arms against me, I will hang.  From the Mexican government you have never received protection.  The Apaches and Navajoes come down from the mountains and carry off your sheep, and even your women, whenever they please.  My government will correct all this.  It will keep off the Indians, protect you and your persons and property; and, I repeat again, will protect you in your religion.  

I know you are all great Catholics; that some of your priests have told you all sorts of stories-that we should ill-treat your women, and brand them on the cheek as you do your mules on the hip.  It is all false.  My government respects your religion as much as the Protestant religion, and allows each man to worship his Creator as his heart tells him best.  The laws protect the Catholic as well as the Protestant, the weak as well as the strong; the poor as well as the rich.

  I am not a Catholic myself - I was not brought up in that faith; but at least one-third of my army are Catholics and I respect a good Catholic as much as a good Protestant.  There goes my army - you see but a small portion of it; there are many more behind - resistance is useless. "Mr. Alcaide, and you two captains of militia, the laws of my country require that all men who hold office under me shall take the oath of allegiance I do not wish, for the present, until affairs become more settled, to disturb your form of government.  if you are prepared to take oaths of allegiance, I shall continue you in office, and support your authority.

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.