Hola prim@s,

This is from a correspondence I had with Mary Lou Montagna, which I thought I would share here, since some of you might descend from these people. It’s regarding some discoveries I made through the Santo Oficio (Holy Inquisition) archives of Mexico, about some personalities from early Sierra de Pinos.

The first is a letter, that Gines de Carrion had written to the Santo Oficio, dated 20 Aug 1622.

Carrion starts off by describing himself as the great-grandson of Pedro de Mata, “Alcaide que fue del Castillo de Triana, Alguacil Mayor de la Santa Inquisicion por nombramiento del Sˢ Archobispo de Toledo don Fray Francisco Jimenez, los quales oficios tuvo mas tiempo de quarenta años, hasta que murio…”

Wow. I believe he’s referring to the Castillo de San Jorge, which was the HQ & prison of the Inquisicion in Sevilla. It’s interesting how he’s establishing his pedigree, and his family’s history with the Santo Oficio, even signing his name “Jines de Carion Mata,” as if to emphasize the link. Pedro de Mata was apparently a very scary man: Chief Constable of the Inquisicion and warden of its prison? I shudder to think!

Carrion goes on to declare, “en estas minas de sierra de pinos esta un portugues llamado domingo diez minero en ellas el qual a mas tiempo de seis años que esta amansebado con una muxer cazada ausente de su marido llamada Juana martel en quien tiene tres yjos…”

“In these mines of Sierra de Pinos, there is a Portuguese [man] named Domingo Diez, miner, who, for more than 6 years, has been living with a married woman named Juana Martel, whose husband is absent, and with whom he (Domingo Diez) has had 3 children.”

Scandalous! Not only was the man portugues (an unclean barbarian!), he was an adulterer! I checked the early San Matias archives, and sure enough:

- 14 Sep 1614, baptized was Maria, hija de Andres Perez y de Maria Alzola, fueron sus padrinos Domingo Dias e Isabel Sanchez su muger.
- 6 Oct 1620, baptized was Domingo, hijo de Maria Martel No se le conoce padre; fue su padrino Domingo Dias.
- 29 Jun 1621 En el Real de La Pendencia Frai Antoño Ramires con mi lisensia baptizo a Juª India hija de Veatris India no se le conoce pᵉ criada de Domingo Dias Fue su madrina Juª Martel - Pº Lazaro
- 25 Aug 1621 En el Real de la Pendencia en la asienda de Domingo Dias despose y vele a Jů Miguel con Ana Indios Fueron sus padrinos Domingo Dias y Mª Martel Testigos Melchor Dias y Francº de Cardona - Pº Lazaro
- 14 Nov 1621 case y bele a Jů Peres con Madalena Garcia Mestizos Fueron sus padrinos Miguel Dias y Maria Martel Testigos Francisco de Cardona Diº Delgado - Pº Lazaro

Not like they’re trying to hide it, right? The “Domingo Diez” spoken of is Domingo Diaz de Argandoña, owner of the Pendencia (as late as 1662), who was married to Isabel Sanchez. According to Carrion (who owned the hacienda called La Sauseda), Diaz and Juana Martel had been carrying on for about 6 years (since 1616), so Isabel Sanchez died after Sep 1614, and before 1616. Diaz, when this letter was written, had apparently left Pinos and had retired to las Minas de Comanja.

It’s interesting that Carrion would mention that Domingo Diaz was Portuguese, while giving his own “cristiano viejo” pedigree. I’m wondering if this was during any of the wars between Portugal and Spain? It’s gotta be a personal vendetta, I mean, why else would he rat him out to the Inquisicion? A power struggle between 2 of the region’s earliest hacendados? Too bad there are no follow-up records available online, nor are any indexed; I’d love to know if and how this turned out!

Now we have a clue to the origin of this Gines de Carrion: Sevilla. And we know the origin of the surname, “Mata,” used by his daughter, Doña Ynes de Carrion - which I had thought originated with the family of her mother, Doña Francisca de Temiño, but apparently, not. And speaking of Doña Francisca de Temiño:

There is a letter indexed from the Comisario de San Luis Potosi, dated 1630, and accompanied by the following 3 denunciations from Pinos: “Fray Alonso de Siguenza por solicitante - Francisca Tremiño, porque tuvo amarrado a un hombre porque no queria tener acceso carnal con ella, y por testigo falso - Fray Pedro Lazaro, por quebrantar el sigilo de la confesion y haber obligado a una penitente le revelara lo que habia declarado en el Santo Oficio-30 fojas.”

WHOA!! Did I read that right?? Unfortunately, the document is not available online, so we’re unable to view any details.
- Fray Alonso de Siguensa appears throughout the early San Matias-Pinos archives, acting as a padrino, testigo, or officiating over baptisms.
- The only Francisca Tremiño I know of, living in Sierra de Pinos in 1630 was the wife of Gines de Carrion. If this is the same woman, where was Gines? Had he already died? Or was he a witless cuckold? Whatever the case, this Francisca Tremiño can compete with Glenn Close!
- Padre Pedro Lazaro was the first vicar of San Matias, Pinos, and remained there from 1613 til at least, 1645. What an interesting offense to be accused of: making a penitent confess what she had told the Santo Oficio! I wonder if it was about him?

This early Sierra de Pinos is really starting to look like a mexican colonial Peyton Place! But wait: there’s more!

PROCESO CONTRA FRAY CRISTOBAL DE CABRERA

Fray Cristobal de Cabrera was the guardian del Convento de San Francisco, in Sierra de Pinos. On 21 May 1618, he was accused by Clemencia Farfan, age 25, wife of Juan Gutierrez, of soliciting sex from her during confession.  Among the other accusers was Doña Catalina de Temiño, widow or Francisco de Orozco, of Zacatecas.

Saludos!
Manny Diez Hermosillo