Mascareñas-Acostas Family of New Mexico: Maternal Genealogy

By Robert D. Martínez

On 7 June 1693, José Bernardo Mascareñas married María de Acosta, daughter of Nicolas Acosta, in Mexico City.[1] From this record, the paternal line of the Mascareñas family was traced back to Lisbon, Portugal in the early 1600s.[2] However, up to this point the origins of the Acosta family have been unknown. While researching for Mascareñas maternal ancestors, the following document was located in the Mexico City church records[3]:

Maria
En Primero de Febrero de mil seiscientos y setenta años con licencia del Cura Semenario Baptise a Maria, hija de Nicolas de Acosta y de Francisca del Castillo; fue su Madrina doña Luisa Camacho
Juan de Quebedo [rubrica]
Bachiller Antonio de Elorsa [rubrica]

María
On the first of February of 1670 with license from the weekly priest, I baptized María, daughter of Nicolas de Acosta and Francisca del Castillo; her godmother was doña Luisa Camacho
Juan de Quebedo
Antonio de Elorsa

From this record we learn Maria was born in 1670 and therefore was twenty three years old when she married José Bernardo Mascareñas.

This record lead to a search for a marriage record for Nicolas de Acosta and Francisca del Castillo. With this information, the record was found[4]:

En 23 <de marzo 1664>
Francisca del Castillo, mestiza, natural y vesina desta ciudad, hija de Juan de Cornexo y de Josepha del Castillo
Con
Nicolas de Acosta, natural y vesino desta ciudad, hijo de Baltasar de Acosta y de Luisa de la Vega
On 23 <March 1664>
Francisca del Castillo, mestiza, native and resident of this city, daughter of Juan de Cornejo and Josefa del Castillo
With
Nicolas de Acosta, native and resident of this city, son of Baltasar de Acosta and Luisa de la Vega

This document reveals the grandparents of María de Acosta. Her paternal grandparents were Baltasar de Acosta and Luisa de la Vega; and her maternal grandparents were Juan de Cornejo and Josefa del Castillo. Also, Francisca del Castillo, María’s mother, was mestiza, or half Spanish and half Native American.

It was not uncommon in Spanish society for siblings from one family to marry siblings from another family. While marriage records for Juan de Cornejo and Josefa del Castillo, as well as Baltasar de Acosta and Luisa de Vega, have proven to be elusive, the practice of siblings marrying siblings as demonstrated in the following marriage record gives some clues as to the origins of the Acosta and Vega families of Mexico City[5]:

En 20 <de enero 1649>
Joseph de Acosta, natural desta ciudad, hijo de Baltasar de Acosta y de Geronima Gutierres
Con
Teresa Ballesteros de la Vega, natural desta dicha ciudad, hija de Miguel Lopes de Villareal y de Mariana de la Vega
José de Acosta, native of this city, son of Baltasar de Acosta and Gerónima Gutiérrez
With
Teresa Ballesteros de la Vega, native of this city, daughter of Miguel López de Villareal and Mariana de la Vega

Given the name of José de Acosta’s father, Baltasar de Acosta, it is logical he would have a son named the same. Therefore, Baltasar de Acosta, father of Nicolas de Acosta, is certainly the son of Baltasar de Acosta and Geronima Gutierrez, and the brother of Joseph de Acosta.

Furthermore, the similar and not too common surname of Vega, Teresa Ballesteros de la Vega is likely the sister of Luisa de la Vega, wife of Baltasar de Acosta, and mother of Nicolas de Acosta. If so, Luisa’s parents are Miguel López de Villareal and Mariana de la Vega.

The following record was also located in the baptismal record book for Spaniards in Mexico City. It is the baptism of Luisa de la Vega, wife of Baltasar de Acosta[6]:

13 Abril 1608
Luisa  Y en treze de abril de <1>608 a<ño>s baptise a Luisa, hija de Miguel López y de Mariana de Vallesteros, su mujer fueron sus pad<ri>nos J<ua>n de Valencia y Helena de los Reyes
El D<oct>or Lucas Lóp<e>z de Villanea [rubrica]
Luisa
Luisa, daughter of Miguel López and Mariana de Ballesteros, his wife
Godparents: Juan de Valencia and Elena de los Reyes
Doctor Lucas López de Villanea [rubric]

This record shows María de la Vega using the Ballesteros surname, connecting her to Teresa Ballesteros de la Vega.

While a marriage record for Miguel López de Villareal and María Ballesteros de la Vega has yet to be located, below is the marriage record for Baltasar de Acosta and Gerónima Gutiérrez, the likely parents of Baltasar de Acosta, father of Nicolas de Acosta[7]:

Baltasar
En diez y ocho de marzo de mille qui<nient>os y noventa yo el bachiller Luis Lopez cura de Acosta y beneficiado de <e>sta parroquia despose por palabras de presente a Baltasar de Acosta
Y a
Geronima Gutierrez siendo testigos el do<c>t<o>r Diego de Villalobos y Juan
Dominguez y Felipe de Sobranes y G<on>zalo Hernandez
El beneficiado
Luis Lopez [rubrica]
Baltasar
On the eighteenth of March of 1590, I Bach. Luis Lopez, priest and
Beneficiary of this parish deposed with words of the present Baltasar
de Acosta and Gerónima Gutiérrez, the witnesses were doctor Diego de
Villalobos, Juan Domínguez, Felipe de Sobranes and Gonzalo Hernández
The Beneficiary
Luís López [rubrica]

Further research must be conducted to confirm and clarify relational lines between these families and generations. This promising lead shows María de Acosta, wife of José Bernardo Mascareñas, was the daughter of Nicolas de Acosta and Francisca del Castillo. Francisca del Castillo was a mestiza and the daughter of Juan de Cornejo and Josefa del Castillo. Nicolas de Acosta was the son of Baltasar de Acosta and Luisa de la Vega. Baltasar de Acosta is likely the son of Baltasar de Acosta and Gerónima Gutiérrez, and Luisa de la Vega was the daughter of Miguel López de Villareal and Mariana de la Vega Vallesteros.

Notes:

Robert D. Martínez

Mascarenas-Acostas Family Genealogy in New Mexico; Research and Writing of Robert D. Martinez

Valdez Family: Maternal Genealogy