Nicolas de Quintana
(1712 - after 1790)
Maria Antonia de Herrera
(abt. 1724 - after 1790)
Nicolás de Quintana
and María Antonia de Herrera were
the parents of Gregorio Anselmo Quintana
[1748-after 1822]. We know this from
Gregorio’s baptismal record at Santa Cruz de la Cañada, Santa Fe County, New
Mexico.
Nicolás
lived his entire life in the Santa Cruz
area. He was one of the youngest
children of Miguel de Quintana
[1677-1748] and Gertrudis Moreno
Trujillo [1675-after 1757], who had been among the Vargas colonists from
Mexico
City who arrived in New Mexico
in 1694. Because his father was a
literate man in a time when that was a rarity, the family prospered more than
their neighbors, although New Mexico
was a very poor province. The family,
like other Northern New Mexicans of the “Río Arriba” [Upper
Rio Grande Valley],
probably traded with the Utes and fended off Apaches, Comanches, and Navajos.
Until the governorship of Juan Bautista de Anza, the Comanches were perhaps the
most feared enemies of the New Mexicans.
After de Anza subdued them, the Comanches and New
Mexico maintained a peaceful relationship during the
latter years of Nicolas and Antonia and for the rest of the time our family was
in New Mexico. [The Comanches continued
to raid the other northern provinces
of Mexico,
however] The Apaches and Navajos were
still bitter enemies of the New Mexicans.
The Utes and the Comanches were bitter enemies of each other and would
sell captured children of their enemy to the New Mexicans and other Indian
tribes as slaves. Some of these children ended up as servants in homes of our
Quintana ancestors.
Our
Quintanas appear to have maintained upper-class status in New
Mexico during the five generations that they lived
there, although Nicolás’ father was examined by the Inquisition in Mexico
City on a charge of heresy during his old age.
Antonia
was the daughter of Francisco Xavier de Herrera
[abt.1684-abt.1716] and Francisca de
Mestas [abt.1700-abt.1760].
Francisco had been born in the El Paso
area during the Spanish exile from New Mexico
[1680-1693]. He came to New
Mexico with his parents in 1693 during the
Reconquista. Francisca was born in New Mexico
after the Reconquest. The families of
both had lived in New Mexico
before the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. Antonia
probably grew up in Santa Cruz,
where her husband lived.
The
couple married about 1740 and appear to have lived quiet lives. They do not show up in the Spanish Archives
of New Mexico. Our last record of them
at Santa Cruz was in the 1790 Spanish
Census. Nicolas was listed as age 70 and
as a farmer. He was actually seventy-eight, but people didn’t often know their
exact age in those times. Antonia was
listed as “Maria,” age 66. A 36-year-old
unnamed nephew lived with them. Presumably the couple died and was buried in
Santa
Cruz. It is interesting that the first four
generations of Quintanas in New Mexico
and their spouses lived to old age, remarkable during those times.
CHILDREN OF NICOLÁS QUINTANA AND MARIA ANTONIA HERRERA
[1] Hilario
Quintana was baptized 10 January
1743 in Santa Cruz. He later lived in Chama, Rio
Arriba County, New Mexico. While serving there as “comisario,” he was
suspended from his job for running afoul of the government [along with others].
[Archive #1462, Vol. II, p.399, Spanish
Archives of New Mexico].
[2] Simón
Tadeo Quintana was baptized at Santa Cruz
on 7 November 1745. He was married to María Concepción Torres. Among his children was a Gregorio Quintana, named for his
brother Gregorio Anselmo Quintana.
[3] Gregorio
Anselmo Quintana, our ancestor, was baptized at Santa
Cruz on 14
May 1748. He married María Concepción Valdéz and lived near
Abiquiú, Rio Arriba County, New
Mexico thereafter.
[4] María
Carmen Quintana was baptized at
Santa
Cruz on 2 February
1750.
[5] Santiago Quintana, born about 1751, was listed on an Internet file as being
a child of Nicolás and Antonia. More
documentation is need to include him in certainty.
[6] Maria
Juana Juliana Quintana was baptized at Santa Cruz
21 February 1753.
[7] María
Antonia Quintana was baptized 31
July 1756 in Santa
Cruz.
[8] Juan de la Cruz Quintana was baptized 4
May 1760 in Santa Cruz.
[9] María
Nicolasa Quintana was probably a child of Nicolas and Antonia, but more
documentation is needed.
Submitted by Donald Rivara, June 23, 2009.
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