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SALAS FAMILY GENEALOGY

 

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New Mexico

In July 1693, Fray Francisco Farfan recruited Sebastian de Salas and his wife Maria Garcia as settlers for the reconquest of Nuevo Mexico, which was 1450 miles away in a dangerous and hostile land.  At the time of recruitment, they were living in Mexico City.  Transportation would be by wagon pulled by mules.  The couple was to receive 300 pesos as travel expenses and would be provided land, water and food until they could sustain themselves.  It was estimated that the trip would last four months, however, in the end it took a total of 9 grueling months.  They finally departed in the second week of September 1693 with 68 families consisting of 235 individuals.

Just prior to departure, the three Frenchmen, Jean l'Archiveque, Jacques Grollet and Pierre Munier joined the expedition.  These three were survivors of the La Salle expedition and had been captured in Spanish Territory.  The couple received their 300 pesos on September 1, 1693. The majority of the settlers were born in Nueva Espana, Mexico City.  Only 7.7% of the colonizing group was of direct European origin, numbering 13 in total.  Sebastian de Salas was on of them. His wife Maria was born in Puebla to "pardes espanoles".  At the time of her marriage to Sebastian in 1687, her father was already deceased.

The route north to Santa Fe was to take the colonizers along the Camino Real from Mexico City to Queretaro, to Zacatecas, to Cuencame, to the outpost of El Gallo, to Parral, to El Paso del Norte and then on to Santa Fe as there were no other cities north of El Paso.  The colonist group failed to reach El Paso in time for the trip north with the main Vargas group and Vargas left without them.  Vargas left 14 soldiers with orders to hurry Fray Francisco Farfan en route to Santa Fe.  The colonists took the route to Santa Fe by way of Jemez and reached La Bajada Hill on June 22, 1694.  The following morning after a grueling 9 month journey, Vargas greeted the group for the first time.  At 9:00 a.m. June 23, 1694 they entered Santa Fe.  Unfortunately there are no personal written accounts of what took place upon arrival.  What is known is that by leaving Mexico City these families had the promise of social and economic privileges, land ownership, appointment to civil and military positions, and most of all independence to determine their own destiny.

The stay in Santa Fe would not last long.  On April 21, 1695, Vargas moved the families to La Villa Nueva and later called simply Santa Cruz de la Canada which was approximately 20 miles north of Santa Fe.  The families were moved because another settler group was on their way from Zacatecas.  Sebastian de Salas, one of four squad leaders and was named to be part of the Cabildo of the village. He would later travel extensively and own land in Santa Cruz and Pojoaque and eventually re-settle in Albuquerque where his son, Sebastian Higinio de Salas would be born.  For those whose roots lie in New Mexico, this is where the re-settlement story begins in America.

Sebastian de Salas was a civilian member of the group when he joined the expedition, however some time during the nine month journey, he joined the militia and arrived in Santa Fe as a member of the garrison.  He is named in various muster rolls through 1716.

In the first 1693 Census of The Mexico City Settlers (muster roll), Fray Francisco Farfan identified Family #38, Sebastian de Salas, age 25 with spouse Maria Garcia, age 23.  No occupation was listed for Sebastian.  Farfan describes Sebastian as a native of Sevilla, of medium height, having swarthy, large eyes and mark of a wound on the forehead and the son of Bernardo de Salas.  Maria was described as able bodied, white, with a small nose and rather deep set eyes.  She was the daughter of Nicolas Garcia and a native of Puebla.

 In 1699 Sebastian received a land grant at Santa Cruz de la Canada.  On March 9, 1699, Antonio Silba claimed that he was the owner of the land that had been granted to Sebastian de Salas by Vargas and requested a new land grant.  Sebastian owned other land to the east of that portion that was in dispute.  The petition was approved by Pedro Rodrigues Cubero in favor of Antonio de Silba.

 Ref SANM Archive 819 Public Survey Office pg 090 & 091

October 19,1701  Sebastian sold another parcel of his land to Juan Trujillo for 45 pesos in the Pojoaque area.   No details on how it was obtained.

Sebastian was part of the militia that initially assisted in the selection of a new Villa that would become Albuquerque in 1705-1706.  In the spring of 1706 he assisted in the relocation of families from Bernalillo to Albuquerque.  In January 1707 his son, Sebastian Higino de Salas was born in Albuquerque, making him one of the first children to be born in Albuquerque.

In the Misc record archives, we find a misplaced entry for the birth of Nicolas Salas born to Sebastian De Salas and Maria Garcia.  No further information is available.

In 1713, still a soldier, Sebastian De Salas is a resident of Albuquerque where records indicate he and his son drew provisions against the annual salary of 425 pesos.   The relationship between Juan De Salas and Sebastian De Salas is not clear, however, Juan substituted his service for that of Sebastian in November of 1713.

On March 12, 1716, now age 38, Sebastian is granted a license to leave Albuquerque and travel to Nueva Vizcaya.  The purpose of the trip is not known.  Oddly, on the same day, Sebastian Canseco is granted a license to travel to Chihuahua.  Here is were the trail goes cold on the activities of Sebastian De Salas.  There are no other known entries in the historical record.  Perhaps he was re-assigned to a new garrison in Nueva Vizcaya or perhaps killed as was Sebastain Canseco as his wife Maria petitioned the Governor on October 22 for adjustment of her deceased husbands debts.

 

Here are some of the questions we are still trying to reconcile.

Did his father or uncles come to the new world before Sebastian?

What ship did he board to come to the new world?

What was his original occupation?

Why did he come to the new world?

What other family members had preceded him to the new world?

What brothers and sisters did he have?

What became of him after 1716?

Was Nicolas de Salas his second child born in Albuquerque in 1709?

 

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