Ramírez

Nicolás Ramírez and Gregorio Ramírez (ONMF: 264) were brothers, as confirmed in their diligencias matrimoniales dated 19 January 1696 (no. 2) and 22 April 1696 (no. 7). In his petition of April 1696 to marry Isabel de la Rea, or Gaitán, Nicolás Ramírez stated that he was a mulato from Zacatecas, age twenty-five, and a son of José Ramírez, deceased, and María Pineda. His prospective bride, “Isabel de la Rea o Gaitán”, age nineteen, was a mulata of unknown parents. Isabel came to New Mexico in the company of María de la Trinidad, a mulata of Zacatecas, as part of the settlers recruited in Zacatecas by Capitán Juan Páez Hurtado in 1694-1695. Although listed as a daughter of María de la Trinidad, it appears that this small family group was one of those that was deceptively composed for the purpose of securing funds to bring settlers to New Mexico, as described by John B. Colligan in his book, The Juan Páes Hurtado Expedition of 1695: Fraud in Recruiting Colonist for New Mexico (p. 42).

Nicolás Ramírez and his brother Gregorio may have come to New Mexico with the same group, either under different assumed names or as muleteers, or perhaps in some other capacity of service.

In his diligencia dated 9 January 1696, Gregorio Ramírez stated he was twenty years of age and native of Zacatecas. He named his parents as José Ramírez and María de Pineda. His bride to be was María Fresqui. Curiously, there is a listing for a woman named María Frésquez listed in the 1697 cattle distribution census of settlers. However, this woman is listed as single and with three children. As such, she may not have been the same person as the wife of Gregorio Ramírez, who is not listed in the 1697 census.

A further note that makes it very likely that Nicolás and Gregorio came in some capacity with Páez Hurtado is that the witnesses for both their diligencias were obviously identified and unidentified settlers of the Páez Hurtado expedition, such as Miguel Tenorio de Alba, Antonio Durán de Armijo, José de Contreras, of San Luis Potosí; and Antonio Gutiérrez, of Zacatecas. In addition, on 29 August 1703, Nicolás Ramírez, age twenty-five, was a witness in the diligencia process for Vicente Ferrer de Armijo and Magdalena Apodaca (AASF, DM 1703 # 8).

Also, on 5 June 1697, there were criminal proceedings against Nicolás Ramírez, mulato (Spanish Archives of New Mexico 3:82 Item 66, June 5, 1697 - March 10, 1698).

Researcher: Yolanda Romero Chávez

Sources: Cited in text.