Video: Don Pedro Antonio Baca, Ep. 1 of "L&D in Small Town NM"

  

I began a new series on my "Socorro Genealogist" YouTube channel called, "Life and Death in Small Town New Mexico." 

This video is the first of a series of vignettes on people who lived in and surrounding Socorro, New Mexico. My first vignette is about Don Pedro Antonio Baca. I read from his obituary published in the November 12, 1887 “Socorro Bullion” newspaper. He was the husband of my 4th great grandmother Maria Guadalupe Torres, although he was not my direct ancestor. Maria Guadalupe’s first husband Francisco Antonio Garcia was my direct ancestor. This obituary gives a great insight into the history of the Socorro Land Grant, its founders, and late 19th century small town New Mexico history.

LINK

Video: Life and Death in Small Town New Mexico (Socorro County Historical Society)

On July 19, 2025, I made a presentation for the Socorro County Historical Society titled "Life and Death in Small Town New Mexico". I recorded a video of the presentation and posted it on my "Socorro Genealogist" YouTube station.

In my talk, I profiled four Socorro County 19th Century residents. Eutimio Montoya was a staunch defender of the Socorro Land Grant, taking the U.S. Government to court to fight for the grantees' rights. His father Estanislao Montoya was a brigadier general in the New Mexico militia during the Civil War, a businessowner, and a politician. Samuel Zimmerly was a California Column Civil War soldier and prominent miller in Park City. Samuel's wife Maria Pabla Torres was a descendant of an old New Mexico Spanish family, who ran her husband's business after his death and whose children started six prominent families in Socorro County.

I had a great audience that asked good questions and provided stories of their own during the presentation. I shared binders and folders of genealogy with members of the audience, and a few audience members shared their family history with me, too.

I very much appreciate the reception I received from the Socorro County Historical Society and their members. For more information about the society, click on this link.

To view the video, click on this link

July 19, 2025 SCHS Presentation: "Life and Death in Small Town New Mexico"

 Life and Death in Small Town New Mexico

The Personal Histories of Socorro and Surrounding Communities

A new presentation by Robert J. C. Baca

Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 2 PM

at The Socorro County Historical Society annual meeting

City of Socorro Convention Center

1220 Hwy 60 West
Socorro, New Mexico

(The old National Guard building.)

There are thousands of stories in New Mexican small towns. Socorro is not different. From its beginnings prior to Spanish exploration, through Spanish colonization in 1598 and up until the present, many families have lived and died in this town. These are the stories of a few notable, but maybe not lauded, residents of the area. These are "personal histories" of the local folk.

Robert J. C. Baca is a former president of the New Mexico Genealogical Society. For the past quarter century, he has been researching Socorro genealogy and history, focusing mostly on the Socorro Land Grant. He has presented before NMGS, The Historical Society of New Mexico, the Socorro County Historical Society, and many other organizations. Robert and his lovely wife Nancy live are teachers living in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Robert invites you to bring photos, documents, and your own personal family histories to the presentation to share. This will be an interactive event. Portions of the presentation will be filmed and streamed on YouTube and social media after the event. 

Baca and Garcia Jurado Ancestry of Socorro Land Grantees

As part of my research on the Socorro Land Grant, I have created several spreadsheets to organize information. One of those spreadsheets shows how each of the 60+ land grantees is descended from either Cristobal Baca or Ramon Garcia Jurado, the precursors of those respective families. The spreadsheet that is linked below demonstrates those links either through the person listed on the 1818 Donation List or through their spouse. 

Socorro Land Grantees based on 1818 Donation List

Spanish, Mexican and Territorial New Mexico Records on Ancestry

 If you have a paid membership to Ancestry.com, you can access the following New Mexico records for Spanish, Mexican and United States Territorial periods:

* New Mexico, U.S., Civil Records of New Spain, 1621-1821- These records organized by "Twitchell Numbers". These are original Spanish era records and are in Spanish. 

* New Mexico, U.S., Land Records of New Spain, 1692-1846 - These are original Spanish and Mexican documents as well as transcriptions of those records and United States court documents relating to Spanish and Mexican Land Grants.

* New Mexico, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1993 - As described in the title, these are United States wills and probate records. You can browse these records by county, including Socorro County.

There are many other records that can be found on Ancestry, but I find these are particularly useful for New Mexico genealogy.

Socorro County deed, mining, mortgage, and land records

 On Family Search, there are a number of digital records from the Socorro County that can be accessed. Some are in English, many are in Spanish. All are original. Take a look. There are few indexes, so you may have to scroll through the images to find an ancestor or two.

Click on the link below to begin searching:

Deeds, mining locations, mortgage records, and miscellaneous land records, 1881-1929; indexes, 1851-1937 (Socorro County, New Mexico)

Index: Socorro County Marriages 1885-1907, 1911. Images 61-80

Below is an index of Socorro County Marriages as recorded in the Socorro County Courthouse, from the periods of 1885-1907 and 1911. These are images 61-80. These specific records are for the years 1891-1893. You can view the images yourself  by clicking on the link below.

You can find this database on the FamilySearch website at this link:

Source:
"New Mexico, County Marriages, 1885-1954," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-L1SL-9MNB?cc=2110325&wc=SL34-YWP%3A361659601%2C361659502 : 18 December 2014), Socorro > image 1 of 173; State archives and county courthouses, New Mexico.

image 61

Charles D. Wilson and Eliza Gordon

Robert J. Murry and Mary Anderson

William D. Watson and Jessie G. Holloway

George Webber and Laura Luisa Bell

Gilbert C. Musey and Ida Spencer

Max Gandind and Eloisa Bacca (Baca)

image 62

F.W. Keith and Cora James

Charles G. Lueham and Sarah Lula Thompson

F. Bud Dyer and Clara M. Tate

Jose Dolores Ortis (Ortiz) and Maria Clure

R. W. Anderson and Cora Robinson

image 63

A.J. Bahney and Clara J. Gooding

Lorenzo Padia (Padilla) and Natividad Montoya 

(recorded twice on the same page.)

image 64

Manuel Chaves and Pablita Andelas

Felipe Morena (Moreno) and Manella (Manuela) 

Contreras

Jose Montoya and Francisca Torres

Serifin Aragon and Commelia Duran

Julian Silva and Emelia Gonzales

Silvester C. Abeytia and Rosa Crespin

image 65

"Marriages list of the Parish church of Saint Michael of Socorro, N.M. from July 1891 to December 31, 1891 by Rev. Father Anthhony Fourchegu Pastor and Rector"

Miguel Abeyta and Josefa Abeyta

Francisco Saavedra and Tiburua Baca

Carlos Montoya and Epimenia Padilla

Luz Ribera and Bibiana Marques

Teofilo Torres and Juanita Gurule

Ygnacio Pena and Miguela Chavez

Pablo Padilla and Abrana Silva

Alejandro Gallegos and Aurora Sanchez

Levi Sanchez and Maria Smith

J.A. Hammel and Yrma Guenier

Telesfora Zamora and Maria Remedias Leyva

Precopio Leyva and Maria Prudencia Salas

Mateo Analla (Anaya) and Guadalupe Martinez

Flavio Romero and Maria Carlota Lucero

image 66

Candeleria Torres and Georgina Baca

"All of these I certify correct and recorded in  the books of the Saint Michael's church of  Socorro, at Socorro, N.M. On the 31st of   December 1891 A.D. Rev. Anthony Fourehigu. 

pastor and rector."

Pablo Trujillo and Mariana Durs (Luis?)

Felipe Lopez and Telesfora Chavez

David Perry and Rita Vigil

Florencio Gil and Maria Chavez

C.E. Tipton and Sarah Kelly

image 67

W.J. Butler and Josephine de Priest

James A. Smiley and Maggie Grace

John R. Parish and Nellie Hitchcock

Jose Russell and Edith Atkins

Charles Baud and Sarah Williams

image 68

Robert N. Williams and Mary W.Noles

Joseph N. Connell and Katie S. Hahn

Jose Miranda and Maria Luz Sisneros

James H. Osborn and Nellie Gibbons

Juan Valenzuela and Maria Valenzuela

George Wolfinger and O. Luisa Bursum

Acencion Ortis and Felizita Ortega

William M. Spillers and Luzy Dean

Kenny S. Delgar and Rebecca Geiero

image 69

Asa Reed Dean and Nora Gatlin

James Arnot and Lizzie Roe

Clement Jung and Louis M. Luchano

Chilion Riley and Emma Maude Russell

Frances M. Hill and Sarah R. Wilson

Romone Gentela and Andrea Sernero

image 70

William Hartzag and Dora York

Francis Wilson and Kizzie Beetle

Marriages celebrated in the parish of Saint   MIchael of Socorro ... from 1st of January 1892,  until 30 June 1892

Juan Figerora and Rufina Gomez

Telesforo Montoya and Veronica Contreras

Perfilio Tafoya and Doloritas Montoya

Jose Castillo and Remedios Baca

Anastacio Zamora and Paola Garcia

image 71

(continued from image 70)

Jose Zamora and Vicenta Garcia

Tomas I. Harris and Isabel Giron

Telesfor Chavez and Maria Luisa Montoya

Cesareo Bataini and Aurora Padilla

Luis Bourguignon and Manuela Gonzales

Melguiades Armijo and Rufina Vigil

Apdelario Telles and Anastasia Garcia

Pablo Martinez and Placida Baca

Antonio Saavedra and Romualda Baca

Mascimiano Molina and Barsabe Salazar

Edwardo Chavez and Rosaura Jiron

Jackson Robison and Rufina Gonzales

(end of San Miguel marriages)

image 72

W.D. Marry and Teresa Chavez

Joseph Ray and Eva Willey

Rumaldo Griego and Bitoria de la Cruz

J.J. Leeson and Lin Serr

Pio Papa (?) and Marcelina Garcia

image 73

Pio Papa (of Switzerland) and Marcelina Garcia

Sabrino Ortega and Maria Sostenes Garcia

W.F. Jones and E.F. Smith

John Kennedy and Dorothea Jensen

Henry Williams and Olive May Potter

image 74

(Unreadable names)

Dick Murray and Annie A. Morris

J.C Herist and Marsis Smith

James H. Johnson and Belle P. Swafford

Ambrosio Serna and Lula Lucero

George Washington Roberts and Lydia Adeline Clark

image 75

Frederick Walls and Rebecca Catherine Patt

William Grant and Alice Zora de Priest

George William Ravenson and Mary Belle Shannon

W.H. Webb (of El Paso) and Dorie Nicla

Jose Antonio Torres and Romualdita Baca

George G. Graham and Samantha Jane Johnson

image 76

Benjamin Clegg and Matilda Williams

H.A. Patterson and Nellie Westlake

Ralph Elton Luther (?) Lucy Brown

John Batish Crammer (?) and Susie Bondedrier

Samuel S. Eldridge and Nettie C. Gibbons

W. Tate Van Dusen and Minnie Sickles

image 77

Thomas Davenport and Ida Belle Rainbolt

Omar Rice and Kate Martin

Victoriano Sedillo and Filomena Vallejos

Rejino Garcia and Maria Abalos

image 78

E.D. Hagan and Margaret B. Keith

Charles G. Yaple and Dora A. Harris

Morris H. Frame and Mimmie F. Hoss

Frank Durham and Anna Durham

Charles W. Lilywhite and Margaret Coplan

Pablo Rivera and Juanita Leevata

image 79

Winter Thomas and Kate Rutherford

Leonis Marian Ross and Lillie May Wood

Charles Willis Davenport, Jr. and Sallie Tuomey Handy

William Homer Hill and May Lincoln Berry

BIRTH RECORD: Esther Levy, 27 day of NOvember 1887, Mr. & Mrs. A. Levy of Sabinal, Socorro County, New Mexico.

BIRTH RECORD: Mirian Levy, 23 day of September 1890. Mr. & Mrs. A. Levy of Sabinal.

image 80

Margarito Castillo and JOsefa Aldaretta

Juan Garcia y Baca and Tocha Sanchez

Casamiro Aldez and Juanita Tafoya

Antonio Lappero adn Isabelita Sanches