Gomez & Rosales Family of El Paso

The Prenuptial Investigation for the marriage of Francisco Chavez's grandson reveals the pedigree of Francisco de Chavez. Francisco Chavez was the illegitimate son of Tomé Dominguez of Nuevo Mexico but had taken the surname Chavez because he was raised in the household of Pedro Chavez.

Prenuptial Investigation Into the Engagement of Joaquin Garda Villegas and Marla Josefa de Baca. [ Parral, 9 January.14 February 1781, AHAD- 92, f. 115-30.]

Joaquin Garda Villegas, more than 20, a native of Parral jurisdiction, was the legitimate son of Joaquin Garcia Villegas and [illegible]. Maria Josefa de Baca, 15, a citizen of the Parral jurisdiction, was the legitimate daughter of Francisco Baca and Paula Rubí. Fray Jose Francisco de Frías conducted the proceedings at Parral before the notary, Felix Mariano de Bejarano.

3 Witnesses: Melchor Rodriguez, 40, married, citizen of the Parral jurisdiction, had known the couple since they were children. Santiago Munoz, 49, widower, citizen of the Parral jurisdiction.
 Jose Rodriguez, 35, single, citizen of the Parral jurisdiction.


The banns were ordered published. On 27 January 1781 Father Frias noted that the widow Ana de Enriquez, 54, a citizen of the Parral jurisdiction, had heard the second reading and come forward with an impediment based on a relationship in the fourth degree equally of consanguinity. This was because Francisco Javier Chaves, the natural son of Tome Dominguez, used the surname Chaves because he was an orphan raised in the home of Pedro Chaves. Tome was the brother of Francisco Dominguez, great-grandfather of the petitioning couple, which produced the impediment.

As a result of this charge, Frias suspended the third reading of the banns, and the couple was told of the denunciation and called to retestify. They stated that at the time of their first testimony they had been ignorant of any fourth-degree consanguinity relationship equally on a transverse line and of the fact that Francisco Javier Chaves was the natural son of Tome Dominguez. They still wished to marry with the bishop's dispensation. Garda Villegas prepared a lengthy statement identifying Matiana de Chaves as his mother. She was a second cousin of Francisco Baca, Josefa's father.

Witnesses: On 3 February 1781 Bernardo Ronquillo, 60, a married citizen of the Parral jurisdiction said it was public knowledge that Tome Dominguez was the father of Francisco Javier Chaves. Francisco Javier was called Chaves because he had been raised by Pedro Chaves. Ronquillo also knew Esrefanla Dominguez, the daughter of Francisco Dominguez, the brother of Tome. She was the mother of Francisco Baca, father of the intended bride. From this it could be clearly deduced [hat the couple was related.

Francisco Saenz Moreno, 73, of that area, a businessman and widower, repeated the previous testimony and added that Joaquin Garcia de Villegas was a person who applied himself to work and that there was no doubt that his intended wished to marry him and that her parents were poor.

Jose Saenz Moreno, 60, a laborer and citizen of the same jurisdiction, repeated the previous testimony and added that because of the intermarriage of the Dominguez and Baca families and others, there was much suffering in that place, since everyone was related.

Father Frias had a genealogical tree prepared:

Tomé Domínguez(1), father of Tomé Domínguez(2) and Francisco Domínguez Tomé Domínguez(2), father of Francisco Javier Chavez ; Francisco Domínguez, father of Estefanía Domínguez Francisco Javier Chavez, father of Matiana Chavez ; Estefanía Domínguez, mother of Francisco Baca Matiana Chavez, mother of Joaquín García de Villegas ; Francisco Baca, father of María Josefa Baca

On 6 February 1781 Frias forwarded the proceedings to Durango for review. He justified a dispensation based on the high degree of intermarriage in the area. A doctor of canon law, Felipe Marcos de Soto, acting in the place of the ill bishop, received the proceedings. The bishop granted the dispensation on 14 February 1781.

Taken from: New Mexico Prenuptial Investigations From the Archivos Historicos del Arzobispado de Durango, 1760-1799 (pg 64) Rick Hendricks Editor; John B. Colligan Compiler

Named in the marriage of Francisco Xavier Domingues and Francisca Enrriques in 1718.

Tom,

With (the marriage record of 1718) we can estimate a date of birth (ca 1689) and pinpoint with almost complete certainty the identity of Franciso's parents.

The record is dated 1718 and does NOT declare his parents (Tome Dominguez and Ana Molinares) as being dead.

He is too young to be the son of Tome IV (the one killed in the Pueblo revolt). And in 1718 Tome III was already dead (as stated in one of his daughter’s marriage records from 1701):

So definitely, also not his son.

I strongly believe Francisco Javier Chávez is the son of “Tomé Antonio Domínguez de Mendoza Varela”:

It seems that after he lost Tome IV and married for the second time, Tome III decided to name another son “Tome” or “Tome Antonio” to be precise (although he is only referred alongside his second name in his marriage record).

"Tome Antonio" probably had a son out of wedlock when he was a teenager (which makes it chronologically possible).

To me the theory gets even stronger if one considers that there is a “Francisco Dominguez” living in the same location (Valle de Allende) / time frame.

Which I designate as being “Francisco Domínguez de Mendoza López de Mederos”.

Who most probably widowed and married for the second time with “María Vitoria Carvajal”.

He definitely is the great grandfather of “María Josefa Baca Rubí” considering there are records in RootsPoint / Fondo Colonial / Archivo Histórico de Parral that mention him alongside his son in law Ignacio Baca, as well as other relatives.

These would be the relationship between Joaquín García de Villegas Chávez and María Josefa Baca Rubí:

Would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Sincerely, Eduardo Ramos Berrondo