Hello everyone!
Does anyone know who Gerónima de Ornelas (widow) is?
Gerónima is noted in the household of Antonia de Villegas in the 1669 Padron of Lagos:
Casa de Antonia de Villegas mestissa [alias Mendoza b. before 1629, widow of Juan de Santoyo alias Pérez]
Geronima de Ornelas Viuda ++ [Unknown]
Antonio de Santoyo casado con ++ [son, alias Mendoza]
Melchora Basques mestissa ++ [daughter-in-law, alias de los Reyes]
Angelina Peres mestissa soltera ++ [daughter]
Ysidro de Santoyo + [grandson?]
Juan de Santoyo + [grandson]
I have not identified the location of this home, but it is somewhere south of Lagos; probably close to Los Jacales.
I cannot find any information about Gerónima de Ornelas, but Antonia de Villegas is an ancestor thrice over and two women with whom I believe she may be closely related are both also ancestors (María de Villegas alias de Rodas alias González b. c1630 who married Juan de Saavedra; and María de González alias de los Reyes b. c1610 who married Domingo de Espinosa alias Vasquez). So Gerónima's identity may be an important clue to our ancestry.
The Mendoza surname is repeatedly used by Antonia and her descendants, male and female, for successive generations leading me to believe there was some importance attached to it for them. Maybe Antonia de Villegas alias Mendoza is related to, or descended from, Álvaro de Ornelas and Isabel de Mendoza?
Any information or thoughts on this are welcome.
Thank you,
Travis