NM Land Grant Cases online

Are you doing research on your New Mexico ancestors, and you want to know more about them and their communities? One way to do this is to look at the original land grant case documents. Before, you would have to go to the library to look at microfilm. However, many of the land grant cases are now online! You can do your research at home!

The UNM CSWR Catron Land Grant Cases digital collection can be found on the Center for Southwest Research website. Click on this link to view the documents. Thousands of pages are online - and most of the documents (if not all) are translated into English!

1885 New Mexico Territorial Census now online for free!

The 1885 New Mexico Territorial Census in now online for free at FamilySearch.org. This is not only the indexes, but the images of the actual census! Previously, you could only find these records on microfilm or on Ancestry.com.

Here is the link to the 1885 Census.

The 1885 Census is important because most of the 1890 U.S. Census was destroyed. There is no other U.S. Census record between 1880 and 1900 other than the 1890 Civil War Veterans and Widow's Census.

A blank form that you can use to transcribe the 1885 New Mexico census can be found at this link. 

HGRC 20th Anniversary Conference, August 29-31, 2013

It's not too late to send in your registration for the HGRC 20th Anniversary Conference in Albuquerque. You may register ahead of time as late as August 23rd.

For more information, visit their website at www.hgrc-nm.org

1940 U.S. Census - on the NARA website

This previous Saturday, Henrietta Martinez Christmas gave a presentation for the New Mexico Genealogical Society on "Using Census Records to Keep and Eye on Your Ancestors". In the talk, she described the many different ways in which a census may be used to add detail to a genealogy that you might not be able to find in other records.

That got me thinking about the 1940 census. That census was released last year and can be found for free on a number of sites. One of those sites is the National Archives and Records Administration website. I suggest visiting the site. You may find your parents, grandparents and other relatives in the census. Remember, the census was taken only 73 years ago. I'm sure you know at least a few people who are older than 73 years old.

To go to the site, click here.

Researching Spanish Jewish-conveso Lineages - Colorado Springs - July 28, 2013

Jose Antonio Esquibel is conducting a four-hour genealogy seminar in Colorado Springs on July 28, 2013, for the 23rd Annual Conference of the Society of Crypto-Judaic Studies. There is a fee for the individual seminar and the full conference. Below is Esquibel's blog post describing the seminar:


Genealogy Seminar: Researching Spanish Jewish-converso Lineages of Nuevomejicano Families 
  

I accepted an invitation to conduct a four-hour genealogy seminar on the afternoon Sunday, July 28, 2013, 12:00pm to 4:30pm, as a pre-conference session for the 23rd Annual Conference of the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.

The registration fee for the genealogy seminar is $20. Participants can pay at the door or online.

The registration fee for the full conference, which begins on Sunday, July 28th, is $195. You can read more details about the genealogy seminar and conference, including a list of presenters, and find registration information at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/even...

Questions about the SCJS conference can be submitted to tmizer@uccs.edu.

Here is the description of the genealogy seminar—

"Generation by Generation
Researching Spanish Jewish-converso Lineages of Nuevomejicano Families"

José Antonio Esquibel
Genealogical Researcher, Historian and Author

Even with the amazing resilient survival of the memory and traditions of the Jewish faith and customs among some Hispano families of New Mexico and other regions of Spain’s former northern provinces of the Americas, the paper trail documenting lineages to specific Jewish-converso families of Spain is challenging. This is not surprising given that most conversions of Jews to Christianity occurred in the mid to late 1300s and in the 1400s.

To date, only a few Hispano families of New Mexico’s Spanish imperial era (1598-1821) can be traced to the mid-1500s, leaving a gap of 60-200 years, or about two to six generations.

This genealogy seminar will provide guidance on tracing lineages from New Mexico going back in time through communities that are now part of modern-day Mexico and then into Spain. This will include a close look at the migration patterns of settlers to New Mexico and places of origins, as well as discussing the historical context that influenced those migrations and the settlement patterns in 17th-century New Mexico and in the early 18th century. The history of the Inquisition of New Mexico will also be addressed.

The lineages of two New Mexico families that trace back to Jewish-converso families of 15th-century Spain will serve as examples of the types of records that are available for genealogical and historical research. Directions about how to access the records will be provided.

One lineage traces from the Cansino family of Andalucía to the Silva-Ruiz family that settled New Mexico in 1694 and the other is in regard to the Montoya-Góngora family of 18th-century New Mexico with ancestral family relations among the Jewish-converso Pulgar family of 15th-century Spain.

This will be an interactive seminar with time for dialogue and sharing of knowledge among participants. Also, instruction will be given in how to make the best use of specific research tools and sources available on the Web.

Whether you are a novice in New Mexico Hispano genealogy and history or more experienced, you will gain insights and direction for your future research.

Registered participants are invited to submit questions to José Antonio about Hispano genealogy research in advance of the workshop.

Beginning Genealogy Workshop in Santa Fe - Friday, August 9, 2013

Beginning Genealogy Workshop in Santa Fe at the State Records Center and Archives on Friday, August 9, 2013 from 1pm to 4:30pm; presented by the Office of the State Historian.

The State Records Center and Archives is located at

1205 Camino Carlos Rey
Santa Fe, NM 87507  

For more information, contact the State Historian at:

Phone: (505) 476-9782
Fax: (505) 476-7909
E-mail: nm.historian@state.nm.us

Website link

Family History Library microfilms at Albuquerque Genealogy Center

Recently, the Genealogy Center at the Albuquerque Main Library became a depository for the LDS Family History Library. As such, microfilm and microfiche that can be ordered through www.familysearch.org can be delivered to the Albuquerque Genealogy Center. For more information, click on this link.   The New Mexico Genealogical Society has ordered a few microfilms that are in indefinate loan to the Genealogy Center. That means they are there until the Family History Library asks for them back. The films were ordered that are now the Albuquerque Main Library are listed below.     Catholic Church. Holy Name of Mary (Del Norte, Colorado)
Latin, English
2 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.
Baptisms 1877-1880 Marriages 1877-1895 Baptism 1881-1942         FHLM 2714
Catholic Church. Holy Name of Mary (Del Norte, Colorado) Latin, English 2 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.   Baptisms 1942-1957 Communion 1946-1957 Confirmations 1913-1955 Marriages 1876-1957 Deaths 1911-1957                                                             FHLM 2715
	Catholic Church. San Albino (Mesilla, New Mexico)
	English, Spanish
	El Paso, Texas : Golightly, 1956
	3 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.

Baptisms 1852-1912                         FHLM 16827

Catholic Church. San Albino (Mesilla, New Mexico)

English, Spanish

El Paso, Texas : Golightly, 1956

3 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.

Confirmations 1877-1956 Communions 1882-1956 Marriages 1852-1956 Deaths 1852-1956 Baptisms 1877-1888 (with deaths 1881-1888) Marriages 1908-1920 (with deaths 1881-1888)                          FHLM 16829

 

Catholic Church. San Ignacio Mission (Monticello, New Mexico)

English, Spanish

El Paso, Texas : Golightly, 1957

2 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.

 Baptisms 1886-1956 Confirmations 1903-1955                             FHLM  16842

Catholic Church. San Ignacio Mission (Monticello, New Mexico)

English, Spanish

El Paso, Texas : Golightly, 1957

2 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.

 Marriages 1869-1956 Deaths 1869-1956 Baptisms 1951-1956 Marriages 1952-1956 Deaths 1951-1954       FHLM 16843

Catholic Church. St. Vincent de Paul (Silver City, New Mexico)

English, Spanish, Latin

El Paso, Texas : Golightly, 1956

3 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.   Baptisms 1874-1911        FHLM 16889

Catholic Church. St. Vincent de Paul (Silver City, New Mexico)

English, Spanish, Latin

El Paso, Texas : Golightly, 1956

3 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.   Confirmations 1892-1956 Marriages 1874-1956 Deaths 1883-1956        FHLM 16891     We will be ordering more films in the future. NMGS will only be ordering films that pertain to New Mexico genealogy. If you have any suggestions of films that you wish us to order, please contact us. Please remember that the Genealogy Center already has microfilms from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.   If there other microfilms that you wish to order, you may still order them through the Genealogy Center. There will be a fee for each microfilm that you order. Click on this link for more information.   Robert Baca, President, NMGS

 

Verifiable Documentation for Spanish Families in NM

Jose Antonio Esquibel has done much research on New Mexico families through his series of articles titled "Beyond Origins of New Mexico Families". In this series, he has cleared up misconceptions and faulty research regarding the early New Mexican families. He has posted online on the "Olibama Lopez Tushar Hispanic Legacy Research Center" website a status report on the verifiable documentation of specific families. Click on this link to find out more.

1885 US Census - Free blank form

The 1885 United States Census

We all know that the United States conducts a census every 10 years. Some of us also know that most of the 1890 census was destroyed in a fire. But did you know that there was a special 1885 semidecennial census that was taken here in New Mexico?

States were given the option to take this census. Any state that complied received from the federal government 50% of the cost to conduct the census. The states of Florida, Nebraska and Colorado and the territories of New Mexico and Dakota took up this opportunity to enumerate their people.

Genealogists can find the New Mexico 1885 Census in a couple of places. You may search for the census on Ancestry.com. Also, the microfilm of the census can be found in the Albuquerque Genealogy Library (2nd Floor of the Main Library), or in any Family History Center. The microfilm numbers are FHL 16610 and 16611.

Since we were unable to find a form that you may use to extract the census, The New Mexico Genealogical Society has created its own. Click this link to access a blank 1885 United States Census Population Schedule Form. An agriculture schedule form is forthcoming.

For more information:

Rebecca Crawford, "The Forgotten Federal Census of 1885", Prologue Magazine (Fall 2008) Vol. 40, No. 3, National Archives website http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2008/fall/1885-census.html, accessed 24 September 2012.

Karen Stein Daniel, Genealogical Resources in New Mexico, 3rd Edition (Albuquerque: New Mexico Genealogical Society, 2007), p. 57.

An Updated Martin Serrano Genealogy

An Updated Martín Serrano Genealogy

José Antonio Esquibel has just completed a compilation of the first three generations of the Martín Serrano genealogy. Prefaced by Henrietta Martínez Christmas, the attached PDF includes documentation and digital images of key primary record.

The document "is intended for sharing and for wide distribution for personal, educational and non-commercial use. Descendants of Hernán Martín Serrano are encouraged to use the material below to update their genealogy charts and software databases and to copy the source citations provided in the Endnotes."

Those engaged in New Mexican genealogical research know Hernán Martín Serrano for at least two reasons:
(1) He was a soldier who was among the first Juan de Oñate colonists who came in 1598 to what is now New Mexico.
(2) He is the progenitor of Martinez line from which many of us descend.

Click this link to download your copy of José Antonio Esquibel's compilation.

1598 New Mexico Blog

Any of you out there who know Henrietta Martinez Christmas know that she is probably one of the best ... darn ... New Mexico genealogist out there. She is also a ... darn ... good historian, too. Well, she's sharing her research on the 1598 New Mexico Blog. She's already posted a few articles on her blog, and their good.

Anyhow, Henrietta is a constant workhorse. She's published a number of books, many, many articles, been on the boards of the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center, Historical Society of New Mexico, and the New Mexico Genealogical Society. I tapped her last year to co-ordinate our conference, and she is going to edit the New Mexico Genealogist next year. And that's just a few things that she's done. Honestly.

Rumor has it that she was partially inspired to do a blog by a certain NMGS president who publishes a couple of blogs himself.

If you are interested in her blog - and you should be - check on this link.

Local news anchor is the descendant of Sheriff Brady

In response to an inquiry that I sent to the station, KOB TV confirmed that news anchor Nicole Brady is the descendant of Billy the Kid victim Sheriff William Brady. Here is their short yet definite response via email:

Yes Nicole Brady really is a descendent (sic) of Sheriff Brady.

Julie Szulczewski
News Director

Although I will respect the news anchor's privacy by not trying to discover how she is related to this man, I may in the future post something about Sheriff Brady's 1st generation descendants. Keep a lookout on this blog for more information.

To learn more about Sheriff Brady, check out this NMGS Blog post. There is even a book published about Sheriff Brady, titled simply "Sheriff Brady" by Donald R. Lavash. You can order it through NMGS on Amazon.com and at the same time help support the Albuquerque Special Collections Library.

Is KOB TV Anchor a Descendant of Sheriff Brady?

Is it true that KOB TV Anchorperson Nicole Brady is the 3rd great-granddaughter of Sheriff William Brady, victim of the Billy the Kid? After reporting about the uproar over whether New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson should pardon the infamous killer, reporter Stuart Dyson mentioned that Nicole Brady was a descendant of Sheriff Brady.

Click on this link to see the report.

According to Don Bullis in his book "New Mexico's Finest", Sheriff Brady and his deputies stepped out of the Lincoln County Courthouse on April 1, 1878 and was ambused by Billy the Kid and eight others. Sheriff Brady was the only one killed. Billy the Kid was tried and convicted for this murder - his only murder conviction. Sentenced to hang, Billy the Kid escaped killing two other lawmen in the process.

William Brady was 49 when he died. He was born in Ireland, and migrated to the US in 1851. Brady came to New Mexico as a soldier. He wife was Bonifacia, and they had nine children. His ninth child, Primitivo. was born after his death.

Source: Don Bullis, "William Brady: County Sheriff", New Mexico Finest: Peace Officers Killed in the Line of Duty 1847-1996 (Santa Fe: New Mexico Department of Public Safety, 1996), pp. 108-109.

Hidden Cemetery in Bernalillo, NM

An old cemetery in Bernalillo, NM that was discovered a couple of months ago is being restored. The following information is from the KRQE Channel 13 website:

BERNALILLO, N.M. (KRQE) - The town of Bernalillo uncovered 200 years of history. Neighbors discovered an old cemetery south of U.S. Highway 550 near the railroad just two months ago.

Weeds and shrubs grew over the tombstones. Some of the graves date back to the 1800s. Few people even knew the cemetery existed.

"A lot of people walk by this cemetery on [a] particular path and don't even realize it's there," said Roxanne Smyth.

Click on this link to read the rest of the story and to view photos of the cemetery.




Did you know there is also a hidden cemetery in Socorro County, in the town of Lemitar? Click on this link to read more.

Revolutionary War Docs Free on Footnote Until July 7th

Footnote.com, which has a number of great documents online from the National Archives and other sources, will be offering free access to Revolutionary War documents on their site until July 7th.

From their site:

In partnership with the National Archives, you can explore millions of American Revolutionary War documents that are found nowhere else on the Internet. Discover details about individual soldiers, read letters penned by the Founding Fathers, view documents from The Continental Congress and more.

Example Records
* Revolutionary War Pensions
* Revolutionary War Rolls
* Revolutionary War Service Records....

Link.

1962 Time Article about 1st NM Capital

I found the following article from the August 3, 1962 Time Magazine: Science: Conquistadors' Capital. It is about the excavation work that was done on the first Spanish capital of New Mexico: San Gabriel de Yunque. It's an interesting read.

You can find out more about the dig in the Winter 2008 Issue of the UNM Anthropology Newsletter (page 8). The article aludes to a Time Magazine article that Tony Hillerman wrote about the dig. I wonder if it's the article above?

African-American History Month celebrated at the NARA

From Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter, the following announcement from the National Archives and Records Administration was posted:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 -- The National Archives will celebrate African-American History Month in February with special films, public programs, book talks, and lectures, including a special event on the legacy of John Hope Franklin. These events are free and open to the public and will be held at the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C., and at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland.

Visitors to the William G. McGowan Theater should enter at the Special Events entrance at Constitution Ave. and 7th St., NW. Visitors to all programs in the National Archives Building Research Center (Room G-24) should use the Pennsylvania Avenue entrance, between 7th and 9th Streets, NW. The National Archives at College Park, MD, is located at 8601 Adelphi Road. Both locations are fully accessible. For directions, see: http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro....

Visit Dick Eastman's blog for further information, including dates and times of specific events. If you live or are visiting in the Washington, D.C. area in February, consider attending one or more of these events.

New Mexico DNA Project

New Mexico DNA Project

Project Background:

The New Mexico DNA Project will cover the colonial expeditions of New Mexico by the Spanish in 1598 and 1693, by the Mexicans in 1821, and by the Americans in 1848. The New Mexico DNA Project will encompass not only Hispanics, but also Anglo-Americans who have come to New Mexico.

In the years just after the Conquest of the New World, the Native-American population was decimated by disease and war, leaving a relatively small gene pool of Native-American, Spanish, French, and English ancestors.

DNA studies on Hispanics show a higher European admixture. *Anthropologist Andrew Merriwether and colleagues conducted a study on Hispanics living in Colorado. Using classic genetic markers they estimated an admixture of 67% European and 33% Native-American.

He further tested their mitochondrial DNA (mtdna) which is a test to find the origins of your great, great...grandmother, going back 10's of thousands of years. This one ancestor which is your families "Eve" so to speak, showed up as Native-American 85% of the time and European in origin 15% of the time. Thus showing that the majority of unions in this admixture were of European males and Native-American females.

Project Goals:

To find our ancient origins, whatever they may be. To discover previously unknown living relatives. To determine migration patterns of different families. To see if similar sounding surnames are related. To discover how closely related all of us really are. To share this information with others so that we can learn more about where we came from.

How to join this DNA project:

FamilyTreeDNA offers a discount on their 12 marker test ($99 +P/H, the price of several genealogy books) and their 25 marker test ($124 +P/H) or the 37 marker test ($149 +P/H) to those participating in a DNA Project. Since women do not have Y-chromosome DNA they would need the assistance of a brother, Uncle or other male relative with the family surname.

In order to join the "New Mexico DNA Project" and get this discount just go to this link, or contact Angel R. Cervantes at angelrcervantes@yahoo.com.

Just decide on the 12 marker test or the 25, 37, or 67 Y-dna marker test. The 37 or 67 marker tests are more economical in the long run. All tests show the group discount of $99 for the 12 marker test, $124 for the 25 marker test, $149 for the 37 marker test, and $239 for the 67 marker test. The test results take about 4 to 6 weeks from the time FamilyTreeDNA gets your sample.

To see project results go to this website: http://www.familytreedna.com/public/NewMexicoDNA

Disclaimer: Only Family Tree DNA benefits monetarily from those who sign up to the New Mexico DNA Project

Confederate Soldier's Remains Found In Socorro?

Bone that were found by Socorro City workers may be those of Confederate soldiers burried in the town. According to KRQE TV:

The February 1862 Battle of Valverde brought wounded Confederate soldiers to Socorro, and some historians believe those who later died were buried under what are now a paved street and the backyard of a local family....

This find is especially controversial because a supposed burial site is on private land and the owners do not wished for their property to be disturbed. To read more about this find, read and see the video at this link: Bones find renews Civil War dispute

The Battle of Cieneguilla

I found this article while searching for Taos County Genealogy Links:

In 1856, a military court cleared U.S. Dragoon Lt. John Davidson of any wrongdoing two years earlier in the Battle of Cieneguilla above Embudo — despite testimony that he had taken a “war whoop” as a threat and needlessly led his troops into a fatal fight.

During the short battle in the early spring of 1854, about 60 U.S. Dragoons got trapped in a canyon and, before retreating, suffered their worst defeat — 22 dead, 22 wounded — in the campaign against American Indian tribes, in this case the Jicarilla Apache.

Ironically, the Jicarilla victory only served to intensify the U.S. Army’s efforts to run American Indians off their homelands and sequester them on reservations.

For more information about the article "Archaeologists fill in some blanks of Battle of Cieneguilla" click on this link.