Online Status

By Rose Hardy |

I was wondering if anyone who can read Spanish help me out on something?

I am looking at the Informacion Matrimonial films and doing an extraction of my ancestors. I have come across the film 1739 at the Family Search Pilot site and what is listed are not marriages but are list of daughters and their parents....about image 15 starts with Asientos and now I'm at image 43 which appears to list daughters from Lagos. I have never seen anything like this before in all the records I've ever looked at, and it's been too numerous to count.

I hope you can help me solve this mystery.....my research colleague is out of town with no access to the internet.

Thank you

Rose
Fresno

Online Status

Bill Figueroa

15 years 2 months ago

Permalink

Hi Rose,

An explanation is in the first few pages of the Record Book of Informaciones Matrimoniales (No. 54/55). The title on pg. 1 (Image 2 of 432) reads as follows:

"Año de 1739
Autos sobre la dotación de las huérfanas que fundó para esta Villa de Aguas Calientes, la de Lagos, y Real de los Asientos, Don Ylario González.
Superintendente de ellas y demás Dotaciones Piadosas el Dr. D. Manuel Colón de Larreategui, Cura Beneficiado y Vicario Juez Eclesiástico de dicha Villa"

The freelance translation of this title is as follows:

"Year of 1739
"Proceedings about the endowment for orphans founded for the town of Aguas Calientes, and those of Lagos and the Real de los Asientos by Mr. Ylario González.
The Superintendent of these and other pious causes Dr. Don Manuel Colón de Larreategui, Clergyman and Vicar, Judge of Ecclesiastical Affairs of said village."

The introduction explains that Mr. Ylario González, obviously a wealthy man, left a substantial amount of money for charity and other pious causes, which were written in his final will and testament. He left R. 2,000 (reales oro) for a "capellanía" or fund for the Church administered by Miguel Ylario González as Chaplain; R. 2,000 for another "capellanía" administered by the sons of D. Joseph Palacios; R. 2,000 for the festivities of Ntra. Sra. de los Dolores in the Parish of Asientos; R. 1,000 for an ornament for the Virgin Mary; and the remaining 16,000 reales for the orphan found. Mr. González stipulated that the orphan fund was for the legitimate daughters of the poorest families of the area. They had to be of Spanish descent, i.e. "españolas" and that the winner(s) would be selected by a draw method (sorteo). Obviously the intention was that the selected girl(s) would become nuns.

Hope this gives you a better idea of these few pages in the book. I've found similar unrelated items in other books, usually the founding of "capellanías" or chaplainships, church visits by higher Church authorities, inspections, decrees and various other religious matters.

Rgds,

BILL FIGUEROA

I thought a dote was for marriage, a dowry. I might be mistaken but I
thought it that was the meaning of dote. If that is the case then these poor
orphaned daughters are being given the opportunity to marry by means
of raffling their names. They would then be provided with a sum sufficient
to cover the expenses of the marriage. In essence they would be able to
bring some money to the marriage thus being a more attractive companion.

On Thu, Sep 3, 2009 at 6:27 AM, Bill Figueroa wrote:

> Hi Rose,
>
> An explanation is in the first few pages of the Record Book of
> Informaciones Matrimoniales (No. 54/55). The title on pg. 1 (Image 2 of
> 432) reads as follows:
>
> "Año de 1739
> Autos sobre la dotación de las huérfanas que fundó para esta Villa de
> Aguas Calientes, la de Lagos, y Real de los Asientos, Don Ylario González.
> Superintendente de ellas y demás Dotaciones Piadosas el Dr. D. Manuel
> Colón de Larreategui, Cura Beneficiado y Vicario Juez Eclesiástico de dicha
> Villa"
>
> The freelance translation of this title is as follows:
>
> "Year of 1739
> "Proceedings about the endowment for orphans founded for the town of Aguas
> Calientes, and those of Lagos and the Real de los Asientos by Mr. Ylario
> González.
> The Superintendent of these and other pious causes Dr. Don Manuel Colón de
> Larreategui, Clergyman and Vicar, Judge of Ecclesiastical Affairs of said
> village."
>
> The introduction explains that Mr. Ylario González, obviously a wealthy
> man, left a substantial amount of money for charity and other pious causes,
> which were written in his final will and testament. He left R. 2,000
> (reales oro) for a "capellanía" or fund for the Church administered by
> Miguel Ylario González as Chaplain; R. 2,000 for another "capellanía"
> administered by the sons of D. Joseph Palacios; R. 2,000 for the festivities
> of Ntra. Sra. de los Dolores in the Parish of Asientos; R. 1,000 for an
> ornament for the Virgin Mary; and the remaining 16,000 reales for the orphan
> found. Mr. González stipulated that the orphan fund was for the legitimate
> daughters of the poorest families of the area. They had to be of Spanish
> descent, i.e. "españolas" and that the winner(s) would be selected by a draw
> method (sorteo). Obviously the intention was that the selected girl(s)
> would become nuns.
>
> Hope this gives you a better idea of these few pages in the book. I've
> found similar unrelated items in other books, usually the founding of
> "capellanías" or chaplainships, church visits by higher Church authorities,
> inspections, decrees and various other religious matters.
>
> Rgds,
>
> BILL FIGUEROA

Thank you Bill for your help....and everyone's input....I noticed that Ylario Gonzalez' name was mentioned in every document and thought it strange.....since I don't read spanish very well.....it's always good to have another set of eyes. I'm excited about this find....I'm thinking of extracting the names for future use....I may need it later.

As far as the Calvillo genealogy, I have 3 branches of Calvillo's, none that are related to date and I've taken them back into the early to mid 1700's. I'll have to look at that genealogy again once I finish looking for missing ancestors on this film.

Thanks again all

Rose
Fresno

To Eduardo:

The secondary meaning of "dotar" is to donate funds to an institution or a beneficent organization. Francisco Xavier Rincon Gallardo's family was immensely wealthy. I read a few of the entries in the online entries. A gift of about 23,000 pesos was parceled out to "huérfanas, españolas, hijas legítimas” who could prove their lineage. The prize for the winner of the lottery was to carry a lighted candle and a lamp in a procession. The observance was to take place on Feb. 2 in honor of the Virgin Mary’s suffering. The winner also had to attend a three-hour Mass.

The lottery was to be held in Aguascalientes, Lagos, and Real de Asientos. There are about 40 – 50 letters of application/interest in the first 75 images. I didn’t translate the records nor read them carefully. I can’t say whether or not there was some cash prize for the winners. The Calvillo family was singled out for special treatment. There are more than twenty letters detailing who is descended from either Pedro or Juan Marcelino Calvillo. I became curious because my wife is Calvillo. It is a very interesting glimpse into how a certain segment of society did things.

Nowhere in the records did I see that the money was intended to send anyone to a religious order or promote marriage. But I read quickly.

David in Albany, CA
-----Original Message-----
>From: Eduardo Seoane
>Sent: Sep 3, 2009 6:37 PM
>To: research@nuestrosranchos.org
>Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] Aguascalientes, Sagrario Informacion Matrimonial 1739
>
>I thought a dote was for marriage, a dowry. I might be mistaken but I
>thought it that was the meaning of dote. If that is the case then these poor
>orphaned daughters are being given the opportunity to marry by means
>of raffling their names. They would then be provided with a sum sufficient
>to cover the expenses of the marriage. In essence they would be able to
>bring some money to the marriage thus being a more attractive companion.
>
>On Thu, Sep 3, 2009 at 6:27 AM, Bill Figueroa wrote:
>
>> Hi Rose,
>>
>> An explanation is in the first few pages of the Record Book of
>> Informaciones Matrimoniales (No. 54/55). The title on pg. 1 (Image 2 of
>> 432) reads as follows:
>>
>> "Año de 1739
>> Autos sobre la dotación de las huérfanas que fundó para esta Villa de
>> Aguas Calientes, la de Lagos, y Real de los Asientos, Don Ylario González.
>> Superintendente de ellas y demás Dotaciones Piadosas el Dr. D. Manuel
>> Colón de Larreategui, Cura Beneficiado y Vicario Juez Eclesiástico de dicha
>> Villa"
>>
>> The freelance translation of this title is as follows:
>>
>> "Year of 1739
>> "Proceedings about the endowment for orphans founded for the town of Aguas
>> Calientes, and those of Lagos and the Real de los Asientos by Mr. Ylario
>> González.
>> The Superintendent of these and other pious causes Dr. Don Manuel Colón de
>> Larreategui, Clergyman and Vicar, Judge of Ecclesiastical Affairs of said
>> village."
>>
>> The introduction explains that Mr. Ylario González, obviously a wealthy
>> man, left a substantial amount of money for charity and other pious causes,
>> which were written in his final will and testament. He left R. 2,000
>> (reales oro) for a "capellanía" or fund for the Church administered by
>> Miguel Ylario González as Chaplain; R. 2,000 for another "capellanía"
>> administered by the sons of D. Joseph Palacios; R. 2,000 for the festivities
>> of Ntra. Sra. de los Dolores in the Parish of Asientos; R. 1,000 for an
>> ornament for the Virgin Mary; and the remaining 16,000 reales for the orphan
>> found. Mr. González stipulated that the orphan fund was for the legitimate
>> daughters of the poorest families of the area. They had to be of Spanish
>> descent, i.e. "españolas" and that the winner(s) would be selected by a draw
>> method (sorteo). Obviously the intention was that the selected girl(s)
>> would become nuns.
>>
>> Hope this gives you a better idea of these few pages in the book. I've
>> found similar unrelated items in other books, usually the founding of
>> "capellanías" or chaplainships, church visits by higher Church authorities,
>> inspections, decrees and various other religious matters.
>>
>> Rgds,
>>
>> BILL FIGUEROA

Thank you, David,
I on the other hand have not even looked at the context of the letters
therefore my comment was from the information that had been provided at the
time that I made the comment.

A dote in my studies has come up as a dowry. I imagine that an individual
who is providing the dote is in actuality providing a dotacion as apposed to
a donacion. A donacion being a donation. The dotacion specifies the perpouse
for which the sum is to be used, a dote (dowry).
Why else would so many families and young women want to participate in this
event other than the money that was going to be given to the winner or
winners of the sorteo (raffle). Let's face it, it was expensive to get
married and the father of the bride provides the dowry; for that matter it
is still expensive. I am just suggesting that their might be an opportunity
for these doncellas huerfanas (female orphans) to receive some assistance
with their marriage since they were fatherless and motherless. 16,000 R was
a lot of money especially if the establishment of a capellania was only
2,000 Reales. I might be wrong, I will have to do some more studying to come
to a conclusion that is more fact based and less supposition.

On Thu, Sep 3, 2009 at 7:41 PM, David P. Delgado wrote:

> To Eduardo:
>
> The secondary meaning of "dotar" is to donate funds to an institution or a
> beneficent organization. Francisco Xavier Rincon Gallardo's family was
> immensely wealthy. I read a few of the entries in the online entries. A
> gift of about 23,000 pesos was parceled out to "huérfanas, españolas, hijas
> legítimas” who could prove their lineage. The prize for the winner of the
> lottery was to carry a lighted candle and a lamp in a procession. The
> observance was to take place on Feb. 2 in honor of the Virgin Mary’s
> suffering. The winner also had to attend a three-hour Mass.
>
> The lottery was to be held in Aguascalientes, Lagos, and Real de Asientos.
> There are about 40 – 50 letters of application/interest in the first 75
> images. I didn’t translate the records nor read them carefully. I can’t
> say whether or not there was some cash prize for the winners. The Calvillo
> family was singled out for special treatment. There are more than twenty
> letters detailing who is descended from either Pedro or Juan Marcelino
> Calvillo. I became curious because my wife is Calvillo. It is a very
> interesting glimpse into how a certain segment of society did things.
>
> Nowhere in the records did I see that the money was intended to send anyone
> to a religious order or promote marriage. But I read quickly.
>
> David in Albany, CA
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: Eduardo Seoane
> >Sent: Sep 3, 2009 6:37 PM
> >To: research@nuestrosranchos.org
> >Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] Aguascalientes, Sagrario
> Informacion Matrimonial 1739
> >
> >I thought a dote was for marriage, a dowry. I might be mistaken but I
> >thought it that was the meaning of dote. If that is the case then these
> poor
> >orphaned daughters are being given the opportunity to marry by means
> >of raffling their names. They would then be provided with a sum sufficient
> >to cover the expenses of the marriage. In essence they would be able to
> >bring some money to the marriage thus being a more attractive companion.
> >
> >On Thu, Sep 3, 2009 at 6:27 AM, Bill Figueroa
> wrote:
> >
> >> Hi Rose,
> >>
> >> An explanation is in the first few pages of the Record Book of
> >> Informaciones Matrimoniales (No. 54/55). The title on pg. 1 (Image 2 of
> >> 432) reads as follows:
> >>
> >> "Año de 1739
> >> Autos sobre la dotación de las huérfanas que fundó para esta Villa de
> >> Aguas Calientes, la de Lagos, y Real de los Asientos, Don Ylario
> González.
> >> Superintendente de ellas y demás Dotaciones Piadosas el Dr. D. Manuel
> >> Colón de Larreategui, Cura Beneficiado y Vicario Juez Eclesiástico de
> dicha
> >> Villa"
> >>
> >> The freelance translation of this title is as follows:
> >>
> >> "Year of 1739
> >> "Proceedings about the endowment for orphans founded for the town of
> Aguas
> >> Calientes, and those of Lagos and the Real de los Asientos by Mr. Ylario
> >> González.
> >> The Superintendent of these and other pious causes Dr. Don Manuel Colón
> de
> >> Larreategui, Clergyman and Vicar, Judge of Ecclesiastical Affairs of
> said
> >> village."
> >>
> >> The introduction explains that Mr. Ylario González, obviously a wealthy
> >> man, left a substantial amount of money for charity and other pious
> causes,
> >> which were written in his final will and testament. He left R. 2,000
> >> (reales oro) for a "capellanía" or fund for the Church administered by
> >> Miguel Ylario González as Chaplain; R. 2,000 for another "capellanía"
> >> administered by the sons of D. Joseph Palacios; R. 2,000 for the
> festivities
> >> of Ntra. Sra. de los Dolores in the Parish of Asientos; R. 1,000 for an
> >> ornament for the Virgin Mary; and the remaining 16,000 reales for the
> orphan
> >> found. Mr. González stipulated that the orphan fund was for the
> legitimate
> >> daughters of the poorest families of the area. They had to be of
> Spanish
> >> descent, i.e. "españolas" and that the winner(s) would be selected by a
> draw
> >> method (sorteo). Obviously the intention was that the selected girl(s)
> >> would become nuns.
> >>
> >> Hope this gives you a better idea of these few pages in the book. I've
> >> found similar unrelated items in other books, usually the founding of
> >> "capellanías" or chaplainships, church visits by higher Church
> authorities,
> >> inspections, decrees and various other religious matters.
> >>
> >> Rgds,
> >>
> >> BILL FIGUEROA
> >> -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
> >> Nuestros Ranchos Research Mailing List
> >>
> >> To post, send email to:
> >> research(at)nuestrosranchos.org
> >>
> >> To change your subscription, log on to:
> >> http://www.nuestrosranchos.org
> >>

Rose, Eduardo, David,

The draft to select a winner at the Real de Asientos was conducted on 17 September 1739. The results were announced the following day and are in Images 35 & 36. The award was Rs 200 (two hundred reales) to be withdrawn from the orphan fund of Rs 16,000 left by Don Hilario González. Here is a transcription of that announcement with words spelled according to modern usage and most abbreviations expanded for easy reading:

Nota al margen: "Elección y Sorteo / María Michaela de Chávez / en 17 de Octubre de 1739 (transposed numbers, reads 1793) se le entregaron a la contenida en este auto los doscientos pesos de su dote, como consta de el recibo de su .... que se halla en el 3er. cuaderno a hoja 19 y para que conste pongo esta razón. [firma] Roxas.

"En el Real de los Asientos, en diez y siete de Septiembre de mil setecientos treinta y nuebe años el Sr. Don Miguel de la Vega, Cura Beneficiado de este dicho Real con asistencia del Sr. Dn. Manuel Colón de Larreategui Cura Beneficiado Juez Eclesiástico de la Villa de Aguas Calientes, y el Sr. Dn. Rodrigo de Guzmán y Prado Vicario de este dicho Real y otras varias personas que concurrieron al son de la campana, con que se convocó al sorteo, estando juntos y congregados en la Iglesia Parroquial de este dicho Real, se pusieron en dos urnas, o tibores, en una las cédulas de las personas que se echaron en suerte, contenidas en la nómina que recibió dicho Sr. Cura, y en la otra otras tantas en blanco, y en solo tres de ellas escrita la suerte; y haviendo movido las urnas o tibores, llamó a dos niños, de poco mas de ocho años, el uno sacaba una cédula de una urna y otro de otra, y reconociéndose una por una le cupo la suerte primera a Anna María de los Dolores de Estrada, a Michaela de los Dolores Chávez, y a Da. Antonia Gervacia Díaz de León, y segregadas éstas de las demás que habían salido, y quedaron dentro de las urnas o tibores, se volvieron a echar en una las cédulas de las tres referidas, y en otra [algunas] blancas y una con la suerte, y volviendo a moverlas la sacaron los mismos niños, una por una, y tocó y cupo la suerte a la dicha Michaela Dolores de Chávez, hija legítima de Manuel de Chávez, difunto, y de Da. Francisca de Sousa, por quien se declaró la elección, y en su conformidad están en la obligación de asistir el día de Ntra. Sra. de los Dolores, con vela y ... a la Misa y tres horas horas, que en esta dicha Iglesia Parroquial se celebran, y para que esté en ....da mandó el dicho Sr. Dn. Manuel Colón, .... de nombramiento en forma, para que en vista de él, y con certificación que a su pie ha de poner dicho Cura de haber cumplido dicha asistencia, luego que tome estado [concu]rra con haberlo tomado a dicho Sr. [para] que se le entreguen los doscientos pesos en [que] está dotada. Así lo proveyó, mandó y [firmó] con dicho Sr. Cura. De que doy fée [firma] Miguel de la Vega [firma] Dr. Don Manuel Colón de Larreategui"

The winner was supposed to collect the Rs. 200 prize money "luego que tome estado". Without further explanation, this could be interpreted as "estado matrimonial" i.e. after she got married, or "estado religioso" if she decided to enter a convent and become a nun. However, the winner Michaela de los Dolores Chávez got married and collected her Rs. 200 a month after the drawing (Image 17 of 232 shows a marginal note that reads "Casó y recibió su Dote"). So apparently Mr. Hilario González established the fund to help poor orphans with money for their marital expenses.

How much money was two hundred reales in those days? Well, in the late 1600s in Aguascalientes you could buy an african slave for 150-450 pesos depending on age, sex, fitness, etc. of the individual. That was quite a bit of money. You could also buy a piece of undeveloped land or a few heads of cattle. Enough for a young couple to start in life. Wealthy people received a much larger "dote" from their parents, i.e. 1500-2000 reales. An interesting window to the past, as this happened nearly 300 years ago.

BILL FIGUEROA

Online Status

Angelina Markle

15 years 2 months ago

Permalink

Hi Rose,

I took a peek at these records and I think they might be referring to young
women that entered a religious order -

"para ser admitida al (Sorteo)..." means to be admitted to something
"las pobres guerfanas se sorten en la Parrochial deste Real, siendo una
pobre guerfana con las calidadades que dicha obra pia pide...." here it goes
on to say that poor orphan girls with the necessary qualities can sign up
(sorten) at the church.

These frases were repeated in almost all the records I looked at. These are
definitely not baptimal or marriage records - the only thing I can think of
is that these women were to become nuns.

I'll keep reading - maybe there are more clues

-Angelina-

Thanks Angelina....that's what I was thinking also....only because my research colleague just recently bought a book from a book seller in Mexico regarding the genealogy of nuns from Santa Maria de los Lagos.

The marriage informacions don't begin until about page 80 and there is a 1736 on this. If anyone is looking for Maria Antonia Carrillo de Sandi the daughter of Alexo Carrillo de Sandi and Margarita Murillo de Peralta, she is on image 90.

Thanks again
Rose

Hi Rose ,

Is it possible for you to scan the page and post it here ?

Welester G. Alvarado

> Thanks Angelina....that's what I was thinking also....only because my research colleague just recently bought a book from a book seller in Mexico regarding the genealogy of nuns from Santa Maria de los Lagos.
>
> The marriage informacions don't begin until about page 80 and there is a 1736 on this. If anyone is looking for Maria Antonia Carrillo de Sandi the daughter of Alexo Carrillo de Sandi and Margarita Murillo de Peralta, she is on image 90.
>
> Thanks again
> Rose

To Rose:

I became curious about your "discovery" in the 1739 Informacion matrimonial, Ags. If you read through images #50-75, inclusive, you will find genealogical info about a Calvillo family. Many descendants of Pedro Calvillo and Juan Marcelino Calvillo are named in the communications- grandchildren, brothers, etc. I think you were or are researching a Calvillo family. If I am mistaken just disregard the intrusion.

David Delgado in Albany, CA

-----Original Message-----
>From: Bill Figueroa
>Sent: Sep 3, 2009 10:27 AM
>To: research@nuestrosranchos.org
>Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] Aguascalientes, Sagrario Informacion Matrimonial 1739
>
>Hi Rose,
>
>An explanation is in the first few pages of the Record Book of Informaciones Matrimoniales (No. 54/55). The title on pg. 1 (Image 2 of 432) reads as follows:
>
>"Año de 1739
> Autos sobre la dotación de las huérfanas que fundó para esta Villa de Aguas Calientes, la de Lagos, y Real de los Asientos, Don Ylario González.
> Superintendente de ellas y demás Dotaciones Piadosas el Dr. D. Manuel Colón de Larreategui, Cura Beneficiado y Vicario Juez Eclesiástico de dicha Villa"
>
>The freelance translation of this title is as follows:
>
>"Year of 1739
>"Proceedings about the endowment for orphans founded for the town of Aguas Calientes, and those of Lagos and the Real de los Asientos by Mr. Ylario González.
> The Superintendent of these and other pious causes Dr. Don Manuel Colón de Larreategui, Clergyman and Vicar, Judge of Ecclesiastical Affairs of said village."
>
>The introduction explains that Mr. Ylario González, obviously a wealthy man, left a substantial amount of money for charity and other pious causes, which were written in his final will and testament. He left R. 2,000 (reales oro) for a "capellanía" or fund for the Church administered by Miguel Ylario González as Chaplain; R. 2,000 for another "capellanía" administered by the sons of D. Joseph Palacios; R. 2,000 for the festivities of Ntra. Sra. de los Dolores in the Parish of Asientos; R. 1,000 for an ornament for the Virgin Mary; and the remaining 16,000 reales for the orphan found. Mr. González stipulated that the orphan fund was for the legitimate daughters of the poorest families of the area. They had to be of Spanish descent, i.e. "españolas" and that the winner(s) would be selected by a draw method (sorteo). Obviously the intention was that the selected girl(s) would become nuns.
>
>Hope this gives you a better idea of these few pages in the book. I've found similar unrelated items in other books, usually the founding of "capellanías" or chaplainships, church visits by higher Church authorities, inspections, decrees and various other religious matters.
>
>Rgds,
>
>BILL FIGUEROA

Genealogy Research