José Antonio Esquibel
Caballero de la Orden de Isabel la Católica
Cruz de Oficial
Genealogical researcher, historian, and author of articles and books
related to New Mexico’s Spanish colonial era history
I am a native of Albuquerque with family roots in northern New Mexico, south Texas, and northeastern Mexico.
I graduated of the University of New Mexico with a degree in Psychology and English, having been a student of New Mexico authors and university professors Rudolfo Anaya (Creative Writing) and Sabine Ulibarrí (Spanish Literature).
In 1985, I began conducting genealogical and historical research, writing my first monograph in 1989 and publishing my first article in 1992.
By 1995, I was also presenting my research findings at genealogy and history conferences, including the New Mexico Historical Society conference. From 1999-2002, I served on the board of the New Mexico Historical Society and was vice-president of the society in 2002.
I was privileged to serve as a research consultant for the Vargas Project (1993-1994), the El Camino Real Project (1995-1996), and the Huelas: Spain, Mexico, and the American West Project (2001-2002). For each of these projects, I conducted researched and contributed new historical information concerning the families that settled New Mexico during the Spanish imperial era.
I offered my research skills to assist the Santa Fe Chapter Regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution to identify the soldiers who gave money or goods towards the donativo decreed by Carlos II, King of Spain, to support the war of independence of the United States. As a result, the National Daughter of the American Revolution officially recognized 122 soldiers of the Santa Fe Presidio as patriots of the War of Independence, allowing Hispanic women descended of these men to apply to and be accepted as members of the Daughters of the American Revolution, recognizing and highlighting the role of Spain in assisting the United States in its successful separation from the government of Great Britain. I compiled and documented the lineage of Eva Torres Aschenbrener from the soldier, José Luis de Herrera, resulting in her acceptance into the Daughters of the American Revolution as the first Hispanic New Mexican women accepted into this national society (2002).
I served as a historical consultant to the Caballeros de Vargas and the Santa Fe Fiesta Council. In this respect, I conducted two historical lectures as part of the celebration of the annual Santa Fe Fiesta (2000 and 2004). I also assisted in the editing and writing of the history plaques on display at Cathedral Park in Santa Fe, accompanying the statute that commemorates the first Spanish settlers of New Mexico.
In 1998, I began maintaining and serving as the main contributor to the ‘Beyond Origins of New Mexico Families’ web site, which is dedicated to sharing new genealogical findings to assist people in their search for information about their ancestors.
I received Adelantado Award of the New Mexico Hispanic Culture Preservation League for “positive contributions to Hispanic history and issues” in April 2000.
From 2004 through 2009 I wrote a regular column title “Parientes” for La Herencia: Preserving Our Past—Promoting Our Future, a magazine dedicated to highlighting and preserving Nuevomejicano culture and traditions.
In 2009, I was inducted by Juan Carlos II, King of Spain, to the knightly Orden de Isabel la Católica for dedication to uncovering and preserving the history of Spain and Spanish heritage in New Mexico.
Over the course of the past thirty years, I have enjoyed collaborative relationships with various New Mexico historians, archeologists, art historians, archivist, and fellow genealogical researchers, including: Eleanor Barrett, Julianne Burton-Carvajal, Adrian Bustamante, Charles M. Carrillo, John B. Colligan, Malcolm Ebright, Albert J. Gallegos, Robin Gavin, Marietta Gonzales Vigil, Sandra Jaramillo, Rick Hendricks, Stanley M. Hordes, Jake Ivey, John L. Kessell, Frances León Quintana (Frances Swadesh), Francisco Lomelí, Charles Martínez y Vigil, Robert D. Martínez, Henrietta Martínez Christmas, Felipe Mirabal, Gabrielle Palmer, Donna Pierce, Christine Preston, Douglas Preston, Pedro Rivera y Ortega, Francisco Sisneros, Marc Simmons, David Snow, Cordelia “Dedie” Thomas Snow, and Thomas J. Steele, S.J., Robert Torres, Miguel Torrez, William Wroth, and Gloria M. Valencia y Valdez.