By Rick Hendricks
Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle became governor of the province of New Mexico in 1754 and remained in office until 1760. Before departing México City to take up the governorship, Marín del Valle executed a series of documents, one of which was an obligation to repay a loan of 22,000 pesos de oro común at 5 per cent annual interest to Captain Martínez y Aguirre, a México City merchant who was also Marín del Valle's future father-in-law.[1] Another document was an acknowledgement of his receipt of the dowry provided by the parents of his new bride, María Ignacia Martínez, and an assessment of the value the items included in that dowry.[2]
In México City on 24 April 1754, before me, the escribano and witnesses, don Francisco Marín del Valle, resident in this capital, husband and marriage partner of doña María Ignacia Martínez de Ugarte, whom I swear that I know, stated that because he is about to contract matrimony with the aforesaid, he executes in her favor a dowry receipt for the sum of ten thousand pesos in reales of circulating currency that Captain Jacinto Martínez de Aguirre, her father, delivered to him along with the clothing she wears; her trousseau and house-warming gifts; various pieces of gold, pearl, and diamond jewelry; a four-seater coach; and other property that because of the time pressure and closeness of the aforesaid marriage, no inventory and appraisal of its worth was made even though for the said jewels, property, and house-warming gifts they were considered delivered, and he planned to execute a document of receipt as soon as they have been appraised by knowledgeable persons as is established from the aforesaid dowry to which he refers.
Because the jewels, gold, pearls, diamonds, and garments have now been appraised by knowledgeable persons with whom he was satisfied in pursuit of what was proposed in the aforementioned document of receipt for the dowry and obligation made therein, he executes in my presence and that of the witnesses, for which he asks that I vouch, a receipt for the property, dowry, and known sums belonging to the aforesaid doña María Ignacia Martínez de Ugarte, his wife, the jewels, gold, pearls, diamonds, garments, house linens, house-warming gifts, and the rest that are enumerated in the following manner:
Wardrobe |
Appraised at |
|
125 pesos |
|
|
|
70 pesos |
|
25 pesos |
A pearl grograin skirt and cassock with gold lace |
40 pesos |
Another skirt and cassock of melendre with gold flowers and braid |
50 pesos |
A black skirt and cassock lined with buckram |
16 pesos |
Some small taffeta petticoats with wide ribbon |
10 pesos |
Two pairs of blue, ribbed silk underskirts |
10 pesos |
Some rainbow underskirts with lace ruffle |
12 pesos |
An interlining with two lace ruffles and gold and silver ribbon |
40 pesos |
Another one with two lace ruffles and velvet ribbon |
30 pesos |
A blue one with lace ruffles like the previous one |
25 pesos |
Another one of several colors like the previous one |
16 pesos |
Another one embroidered with worsted yarn |
14 pesos |
Two lustrine cloaks at 12 pesos each |
24 pesos |
A new cloak trimmed with lace |
25 pesos |
A mother-of-pearl, gold, and silver rebozo trimmed with lace |
30 pesos |
A blue and silver rebozo trimmed with lace |
16 pesos |
A rebozo of ribbons and silver |
30 pesos |
A rebozo of cream and silver |
18 pesos |
A smooth black and white rebozo |
10 pesos |
A small, blue velvet cape with silver galloon |
30 pesos |
A smooth blue satin pinafore with silver lace |
14 pesos |
A pinafore, palatine, and bib with silver adornment |
10 pesos |
|
|
All these entries amount to: 780 pesos |
|
|
|
A new, ribbed silk, farthingale for said garments |
25 pesos |
|
100 pesos |
|
302 pesos, 4-1/2 reales |
Another new gold one with gold galloon |
339 pesos, 3 reales |
Another new one of blue and silver lustrine |
273 pesos, 3 reales |
House Linens |
|
Eight used Brittany blouses at 8 pesos each |
64 pesos |
|
60 pesos |
Four pairs of used Brittany underskirts at 4 pesos each |
16 pesos |
Two pairs of cambric underskirts with lace at 16 each |
32 pesos |
Ten new and used jackets, 2 of Dutch linen, 8 of Brittany |
15 pesos |
Eight white handkerchiefs, 4 smooth, 4 of lace |
7 pesos |
One set of sheets of Dutch linen with large pillows, cambric pillows adorned with fine Flemish lace |
158 pesos |
One complete set of superfine Brabant sheets |
40 pesos |
Seven pinafores, 3 of worked cambric at 8 pesos, 3 of gauze at 6, 1 of Brittany at 2 pesos each |
|
Two pairs shirred skirts, 2 cambric orders with fine lace de 2 ½ and 4 de 2 in width |
|
Five pairs de two used orders of cambric with lace of various widths and quality |
90 pesos |
|
4 pesos |
Four used handkerchiefs for snuff at 4 reales each |
2 pesos |
Six pairs of common and fine under stockings at 1 peso each |
6 pesos |
Four pairs of smooth, silk socks at 2 pesos each |
8 pesos |
Two cloths with gold and silver embroidery at 8 pesos each |
16 pesos |
One pair of garters with silver embroidery |
2 pesos |
One bed of three slats with headboard painted in the current style with gilt conch |
34 pesos |
One new, crimson damask, Chinese hanging with bedspread and footstool |
265 pesos, 4 reales |
Two new mattresses covered in the same material |
91 pesos, 6 reales |
One new, large folding screen depicting the four seasons of the year |
50 pesos |
One wooden trunk carved with various figures |
20 pesos |
One wooden clothes closet with gilt designs |
60 pesos |
Some pearl bracelets with diamonds set in the current style |
950 pesos |
Some garnet bracelets with set in silver overlaid with gold |
25 pesos |
Two pair of enameled, gold bangles from China at 100 pesos each |
200 pesos |
One string of pearls with earrings and diamond bucklers |
130 pesos |
One three-piece set of diamond jewelry in the current style |
1,500 pesos |
Two gold rings |
10 pesos |
One Jerusalem rosary mounted in gold |
12 pesos |
Another mounted in silver |
2 pesos |
Some gold buckles |
65 pesos, 6 reales |
One enameled mother-of-pearl fan with fine painting |
50 pesos |
Another old one of ivory with fine painting |
6 pesos |
Two gold reliquaries, one with diamonds at 60 and the other with emeralds at 30 pesos |
90 pesos |
A new, black church dress silk damask |
71 pesos |
One pinafore with palatine, bib, and gold embroidered lace |
77 pesos, 2 reales |
One new cloak with wide melendre |
38 pesos, 4 reales |
A new four-seater coach with metal and embroidery adornments and new traces |
860 pesos |
Two new liveries for a coachman and lackey |
121 pesos |
|
|
Total of: 7,282 pesos, 1 real |
|
|
|
On 25 April 1754, Marín del Valle executed a power of attorney in favor of his father-in-law; a power of attorney in favor of his father-in-law, brother-in-law, and his wife's uncle; and a safeguard in favor of his father-in-law, brother-in-law, and his wife's uncle.[3] He also made his will in which he stated that he was a native of Lumbreras, Calahorra, the son of the late Francisco Marín del Valle and Manuela Saenz de Tejada.[4]
On 27 April he and his father-in-law executed a contract and obligation in which Marín del Valle and his father-in-law agreed to have the latter collect whatever is provided for the presidios in New Mexico.[5] Marín del Valle obligated himself to repay a loan of 30,454 pesos 7 1/2 reales for New Mexico presidios and his personal needs.[6]
Eighty soldiers from the Santa Fe Presidio granted their powers of attorney to Governor Marín del Valle to collect their salaries on 2 January 1755.[7]
Teniente de Castellano Nicolás Ortiz
Afz. Juan Felipe de Ribera
Sgto. primero Francisco Esquibel
Sgto. segundo Cristóbal Martín Serrano
Cabos |
Juan Benavides |
Luis Jaramillo |
José de Herrera |
Bartolomé Maese |
Andrés Sandoval |
Miguel Tenorio |
Antonio Zedillo |
Soldados |
||
José Antonio Alari |
Francisco García | |
Juan de Alari | ||
Marcos de Apodaca | ||
Juan Esteban Baca | ||
Salvador Casillas | ||
Tomás Casillas | ||
Juan José Durán | ||
Salvador Durán | ||
Juan José Gallegos | ||
Manuel Gallegos | ||
Alonso García | ||
|
Cristóbal Madrid |
|
|
Juan Eusebio Maese |
|
|
José Maldonado |
|
|
José Mares |
|
|
Nicolás Mares |
|
|
Diego Antonio Márquez |
|
|
Isidro Martín |
|
|
Vicente Martín |
|
|
Eduardo Martínez |
|
|
Francisco Nieto |
|
|
Antonio Ortega |
|
Francisco García |
Francisco Ortega |
|
Santiago García |
Juan Antonio Ortiz |
|
José Miguel Garduño |
José Miguel de la Peña |
|
Cristóbal González |
Nicolás Rael |
|
Francisco González |
Pedro Marcial Rael |
|
Marcial González |
Antonio de Ribera |
|
Nicolás González |
Salvador de Rivera |
|
Agustín Griego |
Esteban Rodríguez |
|
José Antonio Griego |
Francisco Javier Rodríguez |
|
Antonio Guerrero |
Juan Antonio Rodríguez |
|
Bartolomé Gutiérrez |
Juan Diego Romero |
|
Mateo Gutiérrez |
Miguel Sánchez |
|
Juan Bautista Herrera |
Juan Manuel Sandoval |
|
Cristóbal Jaramillo |
Miguel Tafoya |
|
Agustín Lobato |
Juan Tafoya primero |
|
Bartolomé Lobato |
Juan Tafoya segundo |
|
Cristóbal Lucero |
Tomás de Tapia |
|
Domingo Luján |
Cayetano Tenorio |
|
Francisco Luján |
José Torres |
|
Santiago Luján |
Martín Torres |
|
Antonio Trujillo |
||
Juan Trujillo |
||
Pedro Antonio Trujillo primero |
||
|
Pedro Antonio Trujillo segundo |
|
|
Alejandro Valdés |
By September the document had arrived in México City and Martinez de Aguirre put the power of attorney he held into effect.
[1] Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle to Jacinto Martínez y Aguirre, Obligation, México City, 15 March 1754, Archivo General de Notarías, México City (AGNot.) 744.
[2] Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle, Receipt and assessment of dowry, México City, 24 April 1754, AGNot. 744.
[3] Jacinto Martínez y Aguirre to Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle, Power of attorney, México City, 25 Apr. 1754, AGNot. 744; Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle to Jacinto Martínez y Aguirre, Juan Martín de Aztiz, and Juan José Martínez de Aguirre, Power of attorney, México City, 25 Apr. 1754, AGNot. 744; and Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle to Jacinto Martínez y Aguirre, Juan Martín de Aztiz, and Juan José Martínez de Aguirre, México City, Safeguard, 25 Apr. 1754, AGNot. 744.
[4] Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle, Will, México City, 25 April 1754, AGNot. 744.
[5] Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle and Jacinto Martínez y Aguirre, Convenio and obligation, México City, 27 April 1754, AGNot. 744.
[6] Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle to Jacinto Martínez y Aguirre, Obligation, México City, 27 April 1754, AGNot. 744.
[7] Soldiers of presidio of Santa to Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle, Power of attorney, Santa Fe, 2 Jan. 1755, AGNot. 744
In México City on 24 April 1754, before me, the escribano and witnesses, don Francisco Marín del Valle, resident in this capital, husband and marriage partner of doña María Ignacia Martínez de Ugarte, whom I swear that I know, stated that because he is about to contract matrimony with the aforesaid, he executes in her favor a dowry receipt for the sum of ten thousand pesos in reales of circulating currency that Captain Jacinto Martínez de Aguirre, her father, delivered to him along with the clothing she wears; her trousseau and house-warming gifts; various pieces of gold, pearl, and diamond jewelry; a four-seater coach; and other property that because of the time pressure and closeness of the aforesaid marriage, no inventory and appraisal of its worth was made even though for the said jewels, property, and house-warming gifts they were considered delivered, and he planned to execute a document of receipt as soon as they have been appraised by knowledgeable persons as is established from the aforesaid dowry to which he refers.