Aparicio Mestas (1755 - after 1806) Maria Antonia Varela (1765 - 1804) Aparicio Mestas and María Antonia Varela were the parents of  María Manuela Mestas, who married Cayetano Hipolito de Jesús Serrano.  We know this from María Antonia’s baptismal record in 1765 in Santa Cruz, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico.  Aparicio Mestas was born November 17, 1755, in Santa Cruz, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico.  He was the son of Cristóval Mestas and Cristoval’s first wife, whose name is yet unknown.  Aparicio was married to María Antonia Varela about 1777. She died about 1804, possibly during the birth of José Feliciano Mestas, who was born June 9, 1804.  Aparicio then married Pasquala Gonzales in 1805.      María Antonia Varela was born June 7, 1765, in Santa Cruz, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, and was baptized there two days later.  Her godparents were Bernardo Sanches and Barbara Antonia Gallegos.  Her parents were Juan Antonio Varela and María Bárbara Quintana.  Barbara was a granddaughter of Miguel Quintana and Gertrudis Moreno Trujillo, but we aren’t sure yet which of their sons was Barbara’s father.   CHILDREN OF APARICIO MESTAS AND MARÍA ANTONIA VARELA    [1]   Juana Rafaela Mestas, born July 10, 1779, in Santa Cruz, New Mexico.  Her godparents were Joaquin Sandoval and María Francisca Mestas [a sister to Aparicio?]. [New Mexico Baptisms, Santa Cruz de la Canada Church, Volume I 1710-1794, New Mexico Genealogical Society]  [2]    Juan Cristóval Mestas, born March 6, 1782, in Santa Cruz, New Mexico.  His godparents were Miguel Bustos and Maria Sandoval.  [3]     Pedro Ygnacio Mestas, born February 1, 1788, in Santa Cruz, New Mexico.  His godparents were Pedro Mestas and his sister Josefa Mestas [siblings to Aparicio?] [4]    Juan Antonio Mestas, born April 2, 1785, in Santa Cruz, New Mexico.  His godparents were Juan Antonio Varela and María Bárbara Quintana [his grandparents].  [5]    María Manuela Mestas,  born December 24, 1789; married Cayetano Hipolito de Jesus Serrano about 1806.  She is our ancestor and is covered separately in this work.  She died after 1860, presumably in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. [6]    Manuel Antonio Mestas, born December 31, 1792, in Santa Cruz, New Mexico.  His godparents were Bernardo Madrid and Margarita Sanchez. [7]   Juana Josefa Mestas, born April 20, 1796, in Santa Cruz, New Mexico.  Her godparents were Bartolome Montoya and Rita Mestas. [8]    Ylario [Hilario] Mestas, born November 3, 1799, in Santa Cruz, New Mexico.  His godparents were Manuel Herrera and Paula Roybal. [9]    Gregoria Mestas, born November 29, 1801, in Santa Cruz, New Mexico.  Her godparents were Antonio Montoya and his wife Maria de la Luz Lopez.  [10]    José Feliciano Mestas, born June 9, 1804, in Santa Cruz, New Mexico.  His mother may have died giving birth to him.  His godparents were Diego Martín and María Gonzales. Child of Aparicio Mestas and his second wife, Pasquala Gonzales [11]   José Vicente Mestas, born  June 4, 1806, in Santa Cruz, New Mexico.  His godparents were Jose Cruz Rivera and María Paula Atencio. Varela Notes: We are descended from Juan Antonio Varela [c.1742-?], who was the father of Maria Antonia Varela, who was the wife of Aparicio Mestas. Juan Antonio may be descended from the Varelas below.      In 1598 Juan de Onate conquered New Mexico and established a Spanish colony there. Among the soldiers serving under him were the following brothers: Alonso Varela He was of a native of Santiago, Galicia, Spain. He was of good stature, chesnut colored beard, 30 years of age, son of Pedro Varela. He supplied a complete armor for himself and his horse. Alonso had a brown beard and was of a good stature. [Most of Onate’s soldiers were not described as having “a good stature.” He was a brother to the Pedro Varela below. Pedro Varela He was also a native of Santiago, Galicia, Spain.  He was of good stature, red-bearded, 24 years of age, son of Pedro Varela, and supplied the complete armor for himself and his horse.  He was “of a good stature” and “red-bearded.” He was a brother to Alonso Varela.    From Don Juan de Onate, Colonizer of New Mexico 1595-1628, Vols. I & II:      Statement of what I, Pedro Varela, am taking to serve his majesty in the Indies in New Mexico: One set of armor consisting of a coat of mai, cuisse, and beaver of mail One strong buckskin jacket One harquebus with its equipment One hooked blade One sword One pound of powder One set of horse armor One leather shield Ten horses and one donkey Half a dozen pairs of horseshoes with nails Two jineta saddles with all their trappings and bridles I am taking all of this to serve his majesty, and I swear by God and this cross that everything contained herein is mine. Done on this day, December 7, 1597, Pedro Varela [There was a similar list for his brother Alonso, but Alonso had 12 horses and 2 mules. Alonso was sworn in on the same day as Pedro.] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      With Juan de Onate in 1598 when he conquered New Mexico and established a Spanish colony there was a Gonzalo Varela, born in Portugal, who came to America in 1530.  Gonzalo would have been a very old man at the time of Onate’s conquest because by these dates he would have been in Mexico 68 years already.  Other notes say that Gonzalo’s parents were Juan de Porto de Zodecada and Teresa de Ramil.  He eventually settled in the city of Michoacan.  There are clearly two Gonzalos.  One served with Hernan Cortez. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      A Juan Varela Valladolid served with Hernado Cortez in the conquest of Mexico. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------       Cristobal de Varela de Losada was mentioned in Revolt of the Pueblo Indians, Volumes  I & II, Hackett & Shelby, Coronado Historical Series, Vol. VIII and Vol. IX, University of New Mexico Press, 1942:  In Vol. II, pp.138-139 & 115:       In 1680, he was a native of New Mexico, a bachelor, good physique, fair complexion, good features, no beard, long chesnut-colored hair, nineteen years old.  He enlisted to fight in the war against the Pueblos as a soldier of the presidio.  He was paid in one payment on September 28, 1681. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      In the early period of the Recolonization of New Mexico [It was recolonized in 1693], there were criminal proceedings brought against Agustin Saes and Luisa Varela in Sant Fe in October of 1701.  The charges were threats.  There are writs and testimony, etc. in the Santa Fe archives. Submitted by Donald Rivara, June 23, 2009. Copyright © Genealogy Trails All Rights Reserved with Full Rights Reserved for Original Contributor