Juan Gerónimo Tórres

  General Notes:

Juan Geronimo Tórres is one of my ancestors who lived during a time when New Mexico was ruled by three different countries. He was born under the flag of Spain. At this time New Mexico was Nuevo Méjico, Nueva España whic means New Mexico, New Spain. New Spain was the Spanish colonial lands that stretched from the northern border of Panama north to the northern borders of California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado.

In 1821, New Spain gained their independence from Spain, and became the country of Mexico. Juan Geronimo Tórres now lived in Nuevo México, México.

Twenty-five years later, in 1846, Stephen Kearny with his army of the west, occupies Santa Fé, the capital of New México since the 1600's and he claimed New México for the United States, much like Coronado did in the 1500's. Juan Geronimo Tórres died in 1848, the same year that the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially made New Mexico a territory of the United States.

  Noted events in his life and other information:

• Marriage: 1 Aug 1811. ³¹
Belen Diligencias Matrimoniales : Juan Geronimo Tórres (14), son of Juan Tórres and Rita García, : and Maria Concepcion Chaves (16), daughter of Jose Chaves and Ana Maria Aragon. - Witnesses: Mariano Aragon (40), Jose Antonio Tafoya (46) : 1811 Aug 1 #31, Belen, V10 P1902 CR

• He served in the military on 4 Nov 1819. ³²
Savinal (Sabinal today) was establish in 1741 and it was the southernmost New Mexican colony at the time.

New Mexico's colonies had been a target of attacks by Apache, Navajo, Commanche and Ute attachs. There were always too few Spanish soldiers to ward off these attacks, so the Spanish settlers and Pueblos formed citizen milita groups to protect their settlements.

Juan Geronimo Tórres is listed as the Lietenant of the third Company of the second Squadron on the Review of Militia, Mayoralty of Belén (including Juan's home of Savinal), November 4, 1819.

Review of Militia, Mayoralty of Belen, November 4, 1819

3rd Co. of the 2nd Squadron

Lieutenant:
Don Juan Geronimo Tórres.

2nd Lt.:
Don Juan Jesus Chaves

Sergeants:
Francisco Chaves
Rafael Baca

Corporals:
Jose Antonio Pino
Manuel Pino

Carbineers:
Antonio Jose Tórres
Bison Sais

Soldiers: Vicente Xaraurio Francisco Padia Antonio Barela Pablo Tórres Juan Miguel Santillanes Juan Trujillo Antonio Gorge Jose Antonio García Esteven Santillanes Francisco Serna Juan Jose Martin Baca Jose Manuel García Antonio Gurule Juan Antonio Trujillo Don Juan Francisco Baca Juan Silba Vicente Silba Dionosio Silba Hermenegildo Montolla Lorenso Padia Diego Antonio Abeita Juaquin Padia, 2nd

Ramon Montoya Pablo Gallego Antonio Jose Chaves Bartolome Romero Juan Jose Ribas Juan Montolla Juan Ribas Miguel Perca Rafel Ribera Jose Antonio Gutierrez Antonio Montolla Antonio Carillo Manuel Xaramillo Jose Gamboa Felilpe Padia Antonio Jofola Antonio Jose Maldonado Carlos Romero Marcos Baca Lorenzo Salas

Transcribed from "Rio Abajo: Prehistory and History of a Rio Grande
Province" by Michael P. Marshall, et al. New Mexico Historic
Preservation Program, Santa Fe, 1984. Pgs. 262-263.

• Census: Méxican, 1827, San Antonio del Savinal (Sabinal), Nueva México. ²⁷⁰
Juan Gerónimo Tórres, María Josefa Chaves, Bisente Pino, Juan Tórres, Juan Ysidro Tórres, Rita Tórres, Ana Maria Tórres, Rafael Ribera, Doretea Tórres
~Spanish & Mexican Census, 1750-1830, pg. 252

• Tax Record: 1835. ³¹
Juan Geronimo Tórres is listed as the head of the household on the Belén, Nuevo México tax list of 1835.

Juan married María Josefa de la Concepción Cháves, daughter of Juan Jóse Cháves and Ana María Aragón, on 18 Aug 1811 in Belén, Valencia, New México Territoy.⁴⁶ (María Josefa de la Concepción Cháves was born in 1795 in Sabinal, Valencia, Nueva Méjico, Nueva España ³¹.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Diligencias Matrimoniales: ^31,248
Belen Diligencias Matrimoniales : Juan Geronimo Torres (14), son of Juan Torres and Rita Garcia, : and Maria Concepcion Chaves (16), daughter of Jose Chaves and Ana Maria Aragon. - Witnesses: Mariano Aragon (40), Jose Antonio Tafoya (46) : 1811 Aug 1 #31, Belen, V10 P1902 CR
or DMS, pg. 1902

• Marriage Record: ⁴⁶
18 Aug 1811, Don Juan Gerónimo Tórres married to Doña Josefa de la Concepcíon Cháves.
Tomé marriages, pg. 40