Chávez identified José Mariano de la Peña (born circa 1759) and his brother José de la Peña (born circa 1769) as natives of Mexico City and sons of Juan Antonio de la Peña and María Antonia Álvarez (ONMF: 256).
The 1753 census of Mexico City provides this information about the Peña family:
Peña, Juan Antonio de la. Dueño de cigarrería, casado con María Antonia Alvarez. Hijos: María Antonia, Dorotea, Juan Antonio. En su compañía: Francisca Valentín Pérez. Vive en la Calle de la Acequia.
According to this information, the Peña family resided on Calle de la Acequia in Mexico City where Juan Antonio was the owner of a cigar/cigarette producing shop.
Researcher: José Antonio Esquibel
Source: Boletín de Archivo General de la Nación, Segunda Serie, Tomo VIII, núms. 3-4, 1967: 901.
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Posted 2-7-16
The progenitors of one branch of the Peña family of New Mexico were Mexico City residents don Juan Antonio de la Peña and doña María Antonia Álvarez Fondón (ONMF, 256). Their son, José Mariana de la Peña (born 1750) settled in New Mexico by 1783 and his younger brother, José de la Peña (b.ca. 1769), followed.
The 1753 census of Mexico City includes this entry for Peña family:
Peña, Juan Antonio de la. Dueño de cigarrería, casado con María Antonia Alvarez. Hijos: María Antonia, Dorotea, Juan Antonio. En su companía Francisca Valentín Pérez. Vive en la Calle de la Acequia
(Source: Boletín del Archivo General de la Nación, Segunda Serie, Tomo VIII, núms. 3-4, 1967: 901).
According to this record, the Peña family resided on Calle de la Acequia where Juan Antonio owned a cigar/cigarette producing shop.
The marriage record of don Juan Antonio de la Peña and doña María Antonia Álvarez Fondón provides some valuable leads for further research. This couple received the sacrament of Matrimony in the sagrario chapel of the Catedral de México on November 2, 1745.
Dn Juan Antonio En dos de Noviembre del año del S.r de mil setecientos qua
de la Peña = con renta y sinco, aviendo prerdido las tres amonestaciones
Da Maria Antonia y con licen.a del S.r L.do D.n Miguel Angel Fernandez
Albares Fondon de Andrade Cura desta S.a Yglesia; Yo el B.r D.n Juachin
de Camaño estando en este sagrario y hecha la Ulti=
ma amonistacion de a no resulto Ympedimento Cano=
nico Case por palabras de presentes q.e hisieron Verdaderos
Leg.mo matrimonio a D.n Juan Antonio de la Peña con
D.a Maria Antonia Albares Fondon; siendo testigo averlo
Contraer D.n Felipe Antonio de la Peña escribano Real y
Publico y D.n Joseph Valentin de la Peña, todos Vez.os de Mex.co
B.r Juachin Joseph Camaño
Source: Mexico, Distrito Federal, Mexico City, Asunción (Catedral de México), Matrimonios 1743-1755, LDS #0035273 f.165v (record is out of chronological order, since it follows the marriage entry date September 12, 1746).
Unfortunately, the above marriage record does not give the names of the parents of the bride and groom. Instead, there is very likely a corresponding record of banns of matrimony dated one to two weeks prior to the date of marriage. The bans of matrimony will give the places of birth the couple and the names of their parents.
The use of the titles ‘don’ and ‘doña’ indicate that the Juan Antonio de la Peña and María Antonia Álvarez Fondón came from families of elevated social standing. The two official witnesses, don Felipe Antonio de la Peña and don José Valentín de la Peña, appear to be relatives of the groom.
Don Felipe Antonio de la Peña was identified in the marriage record as a “royal and public scribe.” The occupation of don José Valentín was not given. Both were vecinos (taxpaying citizens) of Mexico City.
According to the International Genealogical Index (www.familysearch.com), there is a baptismal record dated May 30, 1726, Catedral de México, for a person named Felipe Antonio de la Peña, born May 26th, son of Francisco de la Peña Flores and María Josefa de Sadualde (México, Distrito Federal, Asunción, Bautismos, LDS #0035180). There is also a marriage record dated February 27, 1748, Catedral de México, for a person named Felipe Antonio de la Peña and his bride, Ana María Ubila (México, Distrito Federal, Asunción, Matrimonios 1743-1756, LDS # 0035273).
One of the sons of don Juan Antonio de la Peña and doña Antonia Ávarez Fondón who came to New Mexico was José Mariano de la Peña, who married María Soledad Gutiérrez in March 1783 (ONMF, 256). José Mariana was baptized as José Mariano Hilario on November 4, 1755, Catedral de México, and his padrinos was don Pedro Álvarez:
Joseph Mariano En quarto de Noviembre del año del señor
Hilario de mill setecientos y cinquenta y cinco con Liz.a
del S.r D.or y Mro D.n Juan Ygnacio de la Rocha
Cura proprietario de esta S.ta Yg.la Yo el B.r D.n
Joseph Ossorio Martinez Baptise infuente
que nacio el dia dos de este presente mes pusele
por nombre Joseph Mariana Hilario, hijo le
gitimo de legitimo matrimonio de Juan Antonio
de la Peña, y de Maria Antonia Albares Fondon
fue su Padrino D.n Pedro Albares, Vec.no de Mex.co
D.or Mro Juo Ygo de la Rocha Joseph Ossorio Mrnz
Source: Mexico, Distrito Federal, Mexico City, Asunción (Catedral de México), Bautismos 1751-1755, LDS # 0035185, f. 243v-244r.
This baptismal record, and the marriage record above, consistently recorded the extended surname of doña María Antonia as Álvarez Fondón. It is very likely that don Pedro Álvarez, the padrino for José Mariano Hilario de la Peña, was a relative. He may have been Pedro Álvarez Fondón who was married on February 16, 1738, Catedral de México, with Bárbara Antonio Cantu de la Camara (México, Distrito Federal, Asunción, Matrimonios, LDS # 0035272). This couple had a daughter, Juana María Antonia Álvarez Fondón, who was baptized in the sagrarion chapel of the Catedral de México on September 2, 1740 (México, Distrito Federal, Asunción, Bautismos 1735-1740, LDS #0035182).
Researcher: José Antonio Esquibel and Henrietta Martinez Christmas. Originally published in the April 2009 issues of Herencia, the Journal of the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center of New Mexico.
Sources: Provided in the text.