6 Baptismal Records along the Colonial Rio Grande
These are some of the baptismal records of the colonial Catholic Church of Mier, Nuevo Santander, now Tamaulipas. This is adjacent to Roma, Texas and its residents lived across the region now in south Texas and northeastern Mexico.
Joseph Ponciano Benavides
En esta Parrochia de Nra. Sra. de la Ima. Concepn. De Mier en el mes de Diciembre de este presente año de sesenta y ocho (1768) yo Fray Francisco Pérez mtro con veces de cura, Bap’te Solemnémente, puse los Santos oleos, y chrisma a Joseph Ponciano, mulato, nació el día Beinte y uno de Nob’re. Hijo leg’mo de Ysidro Benavides y de María Olaya Rubio, vecinos de Revilla, fueron sus padrinos Antonio Gregorio Sánchez, hijo de Francisco Sánchez y de Lugarda Solis y Gertrudis Lerma, hija de Lisandro Lerma y de Thomasa Solis, ya quienes les adverti sus oblig’n y para que conste lo firme enesta fue dicha villa, dicho dia mes, y año ut supra. Fr. Francisco Pérez
In this Parish of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception of Mier, in the month of December of this present year of sixty eight (1768), I Friar Francisco Pérez, minister occupying the post of curate (he is a Franciscan missionary acting as a priest in a parish as opposed to a strictly missionary role), solemnly baptized, anointed with holy oils and chrism Joseph Ponciano, mulato (half African half Spanish), born the twenty-first day of November. Legitimate son of Ysidro Benavides and María Olaya Rubio, vecinos (literally neighbors, but more akin to “citizens” of a specific town) of Revilla, his godparents were Antonio Gregorio Sánchez, son of Francisco Sánchez and Lugarda Solis and Gertrudis Lerma,, daughter of Lisandro Lerma and Thomasa Solis, whom I have informed of their obligations and in order to enter this into the record, I signed this in aforesaid town, on the day, month, and year that appears above. Fr. Franscisco Pérez.
María López
En esta yglesia…mes de diciembre. Yo Francisco Pérez mntro de ella bap’té…María López (española) Yndia, de cinco años nacida, y de padres Gentiles, criada, y educada en las Casa de Don Luis López y de Doña Juana Rodríguez, fueron los padrinos Prudencio Garcia y Santos Garcia, su hermana, todos becinos de esta jurisdiccion, ya quienes les advertí su oblig’n y parentesco espiritual y para que conste….Pérez
In this church…., I Francisco Pérez, its minister…baptized… María López (Spaniard is crossed out) Indian, five years of age, of Gentile (non-Christian Indian) parents, criada (a criado/a was a servant – this girl was likely taken as a captive during conflicts with groups such as Lipan Apache or Coahuilteca bands) and “educated” in the home of Don Luis López and Doña Juana Rodríguez (Don/doña were titles of social respect). The godparents were Prudencio García y Santos García, his sister, todos, all vecinos of this jurisdiction (Mier), who I have informed of their obligations and their spiritual relationships (to the baptized girl)… Pérez
Andrea Sánchez Rendón
En esta yglesia…mes de Diciembre….bap’te…Andrea, española, nacio el día diez de dicho mes, hija lég’ma de Miguel Sánchez, español, y de Efigenia Rendón, coyota, fueron sus padrinos, Prudencio Garcia y Santos Garcia, su hermana…
In this church….I Francisco Pérez its minister….baptized…Andrea, Spaniard, born the tenth of December, legitimate daughter of Miguel Sánchez, Spaniard, and Efigenia Rendón, coyota (a woman with a Native American parent and a Mestizo parent), the godparents were Prudencio García and Santos García, his sister (the same as the godparents for María López)….
Francisco Xabier González
En esta Yglesia…. Francisco Xabier González, español, nació el día tres de dicho mes (Dic.), hijo l´g’mo de Juan Joseph González y de Clara Salinas, fueron sus padrinos Thomas Barrera y María Guadalupe Barrera su hija, todos españoles y becinos de esta jurisdiccion…
In this church…I Francisco Pérez its minister…baptized…Francisco Xabier González, Spaniard, born the third of December, legitimate child of Juan Joseph González and Clara Salinas, his godparents were Thomas Barrera and María Guadalupe Barrera, his daughter, all Spaniards and vecinos of this jurisdiction (Mier).
María Josepha García
En la yglesia…en tres de henero, año de sesenta y nuebe, yo Francisco Pérez mntro de ella Baptte….María Jospeha García, Yndia Gentil, de edad de dos años, hija de padres Gentiles y criada en la casa de Don Joseph García y de Maria Gertrudis Barrera, becinos de esta villa y jurisdicción, fueron Padrinos Joseph Antonio de la Garza y Maria Antonia Chapa, Becinos de Camargo….
In this church on the third of January year of sixty nine (1769)…I Francisco Pérez its minister…baptized…María Josepha García, “Gentiile Indian,” two years of age and a servant in the house of Don Joseph García and Maria Gertrudis Barrera, vecinos, of this town and jurisdiction (Mier), the godparents were Joseph Antonio de la Garza and María Antonia Chapa, vecinos of Camargo…
This is a frame from the microfilmed parish records. These can be accessed on the “Family Search” website.