Don Manuel Gallegos and "Cajetito"

Don Manuel Gallegos and “Cajetito”

While I have established that my paternal surname is an adopted name, it’s still my family name, descending from a long line of Gallegos men – at least eight generations to Manuel Gallegos, who served as Alcalde Mayor of Santa Fe in 1761-63, shortly before his death.

I always assumed that since he held a prominent position in the local Spanish government of the capital city, there had to be more records about the Alcalde Mayor. No doubt, he must have been a descendent of the first Gallegos men who came to New Mexico in the mid-1600s, before the Pueblo Revolt. But I haven’t determined the identity of his parents.

I found a handful or records about Manuel’s time as mayor. But I recently came across more detailed estate records related to his death in 1763, thanks to the transcription of the Spanish Colonial records posted online by researcher Henrietta Christmas. Those estate records confirm my assumptions that Manuel Gallegos left plenty of material goods – worth about 1,075 pesos -- to his wife, Juana Maria Baca, and nine heirs when he died.

What I didn’t expect is one of those possessions was a servant named Joseph Antonio, known by the alias “Cajetito,” an Indian genizaro. I’m note sure of the origin of the nickname, which basically means little bucket. But the designation as Indian genizaro meant he was an Indian slave or servant, probably captured or purchased from a nearby tribe or pueblo.

That news on its own wasn’t a major surprise. Many prominent Spanish families in the 17^th and 18^th centuries, including my own Chavez ancestors, had servants. I have been meaning to write about the capture and trade of Indian children, and sometimes children of Spanish colonists. It is a complicated subject, and I have seen examples of both sides of the practice in my family tree.

The surprise in this case was two-fold: first it was a shock to see Joseph Antonio listed as a possession after the death of Manuel Gallegos; and second, the name Joseph Antonio suggests that perhaps this servant is the father of my own ancestor, Jose Antonio Gallegos, who was raised in the home of Manuel’s son, Manuel Gallegos Jr., in the early 1800s.

I know – it’s confusing. My paternal family tree, starting with myself, goes like this:

1.     Gilbert Gallegos, Jr.

2.     Gilbert Gallegos Sr.

3.     Carlos Gallegos

4.     Luis Gallegos (raised in the home of Manuel Gallegos)

5.     Manuel Gallegos

6.     Gregorio Gallegos

7.     Jose Antonio Gallegos (“criado” or raised in the home of Manuel Gallegos)

8.     (possible) Joseph Antonio, aka “Cajetito” (genizaro in the home of Alcalde Mayor Manuel Gallegos)

I can’t be certain whether my Gallegos line extends to Indian ancestors or the Alcalde Mayor Manuel Gallegos. And as I said, I already know through my DNA that my paternal heritage is linked to the original Duran y Chaves family. My Great-Grandfather Luis Gallegos was raised by a Gallegos family, but his own paternal ancestry is not known.

What is clear is that Luis Gallegos, and his ancestors before him, were raised with the Gallegos name – the same surname my grandfather, my father and I inherited.

While I have not determined the parents of Manuel Gallegos, the Alcalde Mayor of Santa Fe, this is what I know about him:

He was born about 1720, based on records that identified his age later on in life. Without his baptismal or marriage records, I have not found records identifying his parents or his place of birth.

He married Maria Josefa Baca, and they had nine children, including Manuel Antonio Gallegos, who was born in 1753. Manuel Jr. married Maria de la Luz Ortiz, and gave his Gallegos surname to Jose Antonio, my ancestor who was either Indian or a mix of Indian and Spanish.

Manuel Sr. served at Lt. Alcalde Mayor of Santa Fe in 1751 and 1752. A decade later, he was Alcalde Mayor and War Captain from 1761 to 1763.

Manuel Gallegos died on Dec. 29, 1763, according to the estate record transcribed by Henrietta Christmas. The next day, the Lt. Governor took an inventory of his holdings, followed several months later by the completed inventory, which was valued at 1,075 pesos:

Ø  One house that consists of four rooms, one large hall, one room, one kitchen and one store room,(150 pesos)

Ø  Built upon 30 varas of land with all its agricultural lands lying adjoining the house, that consists from north to south 400 hundred and some varas and from east to west 200 varas (100 pesos)

Ø  One old saddle with its equipment (40 pesos)

Ø  One old rifle with its case “San Miquelena.” (30 pesos)

Ø  One pair of spurs (6 pesos)

Ø  One leather jacket with six button holes (40 pesos)

Ø  One coat of Spanish cloth and pants of the same (45 pesos)

Ø  One pipe with an old gold stem (8 pesos)

Ø  One old hat (3 pesos)

Ø  One cloth cloak from “Queretaro” (15 pesos)

Ø  One axe (4 pesos)

Ø  One weaving frame (15 pesos)

Ø  Fourteen male mules and one unbroken mule (460 pesos)

Ø  One female burro (15 pesos)

Ø  One male mule that is to be paid by a servant of Vicar Santiago

Ø  Five pesos due him by Roque Lobato

Ø  Three pesos due him by the Indian Antonio Vigil

Ø  Joseph Antonio, alias “Cajetito” Indian genizaro

Ø  Due by Miguel Romero, deceased one cow and a calf (25 pesos)

Ø  Due by the deceases six varas of cloth to Bicente Martinez, soldier (6 pesos)

Ø  Due by deceased, to Pedro Rendon, three peso

The inventory was completed several months later:

Ø  Five male mules and serge cloth with trimmings (30 pesos)

Ø  Four pairs of shoes (8 pesos)

Ø  Two handkerchiefs (3 pesos)

Ø  One piece of cloth sufficient to make a cape (24 pesos)

Ø  One peso in soap (1 peso)

Ø  Two pounds of chocolate and two pounds of sugar (6 pesos)

Ø  One-half pound of bluing (2 pesos)

Ø  Three varas of ribbon (1.5 pesos)

Ø  Three canvas sheets for the patio (24 pesos)

Ø  One cotton shawl (5 pesos)

Said property being acquired by the sale of two male mules and six fanegas of piñon nuts, also five pesos in silver, which were delivered in good to the widow of the deceased Manuel Gallegos, six equipment’s with riata lassos (24 pesos)

Juana Maria Baca, the widow of Manuel Gallegos testified that she brought with her to the marriage: 156 ewes and a part in two ranches farming land that she inherited from her father and sold for 196 pesos

70th Anniversary of Operation Husky

Last year marked the 70^th anniversary of the start of America’s involvement in Pacific Theater during World War II. Next year will mark the 70^th anniversary of D-Day, the allied invasion at Normandy. But today, July 10, is the 70^th anniversary of the war that made its mark on my own family.

Seventy years ago, allied forces, including many National Guardsmen from northern New Mexico, invaded Sicily in an amphibious assault that would pave the way for D-Day nearly a year later.

It occurred to me that this was the 70^th anniversary as I looked back on photos of a Nazi flag captured and signed by those New Mexico National Guardsmen, which included three of my great-uncles – Clemente Gallegos, Eloy Gallegos and Antonio DeTevis, Jr. My father and I went to see the flag at the Albuquerque Museum in 2011, which I wrote about here.

 

My Grandfather, Carlos Gallegos, was also a member of the 120^th Engineer Battalion (Combat.) Company C. But he was attending officer school in Seattle at the time of the Sicilian campaign. He would later join Company C, including his brother, Clemente, in Europe. However, he would not see his brother, Eloy, who was killed in action in Sicily, just before its conclusion and just before the allies would chase the Germans onto mainland Italy. I found out later that Eloy was killed while with his brother, Clemente, in an orchard of olive trees in Sicily, according to Uncle Clemente’s daughter. I have not been able to find an official military record that details the circumstances of the death of Uncle Eloy.

I was recently reminded of my grandpa’s service in the war when he was reinterred at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe with military honors. His remains were moved from Las Vegas to the National Cemetery. It was something else to stand behind his casket, 30 years after his death, while soldiers folded the American flag and handed it to my father.

Jessica's Wedding

Jessica and Josh Isler exchange vows

Our family tree grew this weekend when our niece, Jessica Padilla, married Josh Isler. Jessica and Josh were legally married a year ago, before he left for active military duty overseas. This weekend, they were married in the Catholic Church in front of friends and family from New Mexico and Pennsylvania.

For the genealogical record, Jessica is the daughter of Jeff B. Padilla and Debbie Casaus, my sister-in-law; and the granddaughter of William and Sophie Padilla, and Joe and Neyda Casaus. Josh is the son of Ron Isler and Pam Cole; and the grandson of Joe and Annamae Cole; and Ron and Betty Isler.

The wedding was especially meaningful for our family because our daughters were part of the wedding party. They shared their thoughts about the wedding as part of this blog:

 

Isabella, Jessica and Carin

By Carín Gallegos

I’m Carín…this is about my cousin’s wedding….

Okay so one day Jessica called us and told us that she is engaged!!! I was so happy and excited cause I always wanted to be a bride’s maid…and guess what…I was!!! So all through the year I was trying on dresses and we found the perfect one! It was a dark purple (it was my favorite color).

So July 6^th couldn’t come any sooner!!! And like four days before the wedding we’ve been preparing for the wedding and setting up. I bet everyone was nervous!

So the day of the wedding…I was like so excited I woke up like at 5am!!! So all the bride’s maids and the bride and flower girl went to get our hair done. So we all finished getting it done and all our hair turned out great! When we got home I was running up to my room to get my dress on! And Isabella and I were ready both of us were like HURRY UP! We had to be at the church an hour early.

So when all of us got there when I saw Jessica’s dress I’m like OMG!!! YOU LOOK LIKE A PRINCESS!!! Jessica was really nervous also but she said she didn’t know why.

Maid of Honor Jennifer Padilla

So it was time to walk down the aisle and I was the very first one to walk! But really Josh’s parents were, but still! The wedding itself was beautiful!  So after the wedding part we went to the park down on Rio Grande and took pictures! I had fun taking pictures… and I told Jessica and Jennifer to send me the pictures they took to me cause I’m too excited to see them!!

At the party it was fun! Jennifer did a wonderful speech and so did Josh’s brother… well his brother’s speech was kinda funny. But I will never forget the day that JESSICA AND JOSH became… MR. AND MRS. ISLER!!! And I know Jessica and Josh are very happy together!!

Flower Girl Isabella Gallegos

By Isabella Gallegos

On Saturday, July 6, 2013, I was going to be a flower girl for my cousin Jessica’s wedding. I was nervous and had butterfly’s in my stomach because I never been a flower girl in my life. Once I walked down the aisle, I felt happy because everyone was taking pictures and smiling at me.

Whenever I go to my Nanibea and Papi’s house on Thursday and Wednesday in the mornings, Papi opens the door with his shirt off because he just got out of bed. And so sometimes he always poses and then I say oh come on that’s just gross! Everyone laughs about that.

And the morning of the wedding day, my dad woke me up and I said I’m nervous about the wedding. Then he said, just pretend everyone has only their underwear on and Papi with his shirt off posing. Then we both laughed.

Isabella Gallegos

There is so much to say about the reception but it’s so much to write about but I can speak about this. Late at night around 10:00 I got really tired a and my Nina kept telling me to lay down on the couch but I kept saying no its ok. It was too dark and my Nina thought her dog Ginger was lost in the streets. We all had a flashlight looking around everywhere and my Nina said Ginger can’t be so far around here because she’s too old. I looked one more time for Ginger in the backyard and my cousin Jennifer said Ginger is in the kitchen! We were all like good thing she’s not really lost! Then it started raining and Jennifer drove us home.

We got home around 12:00 at midnight. Right when I got in my room I changed into my pajamas, I had to sleep in my mom and dads room because my sister was asleep in my bed because somehow she gets sick in her bed. So that’s the day about my cousin’s wedding.