Valdes-Benavides

Chávez identified Francisco Valdés y Bustos (ONMF: 301-302) as having first married Lugarda Martín and then Tomasa Benavides. A more detailed study of Francisco Valdés y Bustos and Lugarda Martín through baptismal records of Santa Cruz reveals that this Francisco Valdés was not the same person of this name married with Tomasa Benavides. This is further verified with information from the prenuptial investigation record for the proposed marriage of Francisco de Valdes and Tomasa de Benvides.

On June 30, 1721, in the Villa de Santa Fe, Francisco de Valdés, 25 (born circa 1696), soldier of this royal presidio of the Villa of Santa Fe, widower of Maria de Rivera, son of Ayudante, Juan Luis de Valdes, deceased, and doña Maria de Cabrera, resident of thejurisdiction of the Villa of Santa Cruz, sought to marry Tomasa de Benavides, 13 (born circa 1707), daughter of Nicolas Benavides, deceased and Juana de Ojeda, residents of the Villa of Santa Fe (Fray Angélico Chávez, “Addendum to New Mexico Roots,” in New Mexico Genealogist, 49:4, December 2010, page 192). The witnesses: Sebasthian de Apodaca, 34; Lorenzo de Medina, 42; Joseph de Armijo, 34; Miguel Carrillo, 55, all residents of said villa. There was no impediment to the proposed marriage and they received the sacrament of Marriage and were veiled on July 22, 1721, with Pedro Lopez de Gallardo and Maria Griego as the sponsoirs and the event was recorded in the book of marriages by Father fray Francisco de Yrazabas.

Tomasa Benavides died at Santa Fe on 29 April 1762. A record pertaining to her death and inventory of estate (SANM I: 104) identifies her as the widow of Francisco Valdés. Tomasa Benavides appears in the 1750 census of Santa Fe as the head of her household and is listed with Alexandro Valdés, Manuela Ramos, María Antonia, Lucía, and two other unnamed children. From this record it appears that Tomasa Benavides was already a widow by 1750. As such, her husband was definitely not the same person as Francisco Valdés married with Lugarda Martín. This man's identity and origins have not been ascertained at this time. Was he a member of the Valdés family that came from Mexico City to New Mexico in 1694?

As part of the record of Tomasa's inventory of estate we also learn that she had four children named as:

Alexandro Valdés (identified as a legitimate son), deceased, and his widow was Manuela de Urioste;

Francisca, wife of don Francisco Xavier Fragoso;

María Antonia, married with Ysidro Resenes;

María Rosa, wife of Joseph Quintana. In this same record, Juan de Benavides, married, was mentioned as the brother of Tomasa Benavides.

It appears that Tomasa Benavides and Francisco Valdés had only one child that survived to adulthood. The daughters of Tomasa Benavides used various surnames as adults. Most frequently they were known by the surname of Benavides. As such, it is not certain if these daughters were children by Francisco Valdés. María Francisca Benavides, also known as María Francisca Alarí (born circa 1747), was married with don Francisco Xavier Fragoso (ONMF: 176), a native of Guadalajara. According to sources consulted by Chávez, María Francisca had been raised in the household of Tomasa Benavides. Could it be that she was an adopted daughter of Tomasa, or was she a natural daughter by an Alarí man?

María Antonia Benavides (daughter of Francisco de Valdés and Tomasa Benavides) was married at Santa Fe on 2 December 1761 with Isidro Resenes, a native of San Luis Potosí (ONMF: 265). María Rosa Benavides was the wife of José Quintana and they had these three children baptized at Santa Fe: José Alexandro Quintana, baptized 1 September 1763; Anselmo Quintana, baptized 27 April 1766; and 3) Manuel Antonio Quintana, baptized 2 January 1768. There is a baptismal record dated 21 September 1762 for María Matiana Quintana, daughter of José Quintana and Rosa Armijo. There are no other Santa Fe baptismal records for additional children of this couple. As such, it appears that Rosa Armijo may very well have been the same person as María Rosa Benavides.

Researchers: Moonyean Hill and José Antonio Esquibel

Sources: Fray Angélico Chávez, "New Mexico Roots, Ltd.," 2005, DM 1723, Oct. 1 (no. 6), Santa Cruz; Archives of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe: Roll #6, Nambé Baptisms, 1707-1727; Roll #15, Santa Fe Baptisms, 1747-1814; Roll #13, Santa Cruz Baptisms, 1731-1767; Roll #39, Santa Cruz burials, 1726-1859; Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, no. 104; José Antonio Esquibel and John B. Colligan, The Spanish Resettlement of New Mexico: An Account of the Families Recruited at Mexico City in 1693, (Bustos family section); Fray Angélico Chávez, “Addendum to New Mexico Roots,” in New Mexico Genealogist, 49:4, December 2010, page 192.