Spanish & Mexican Colonial Research by Virginia Olmsted; Denver '84 Tape; Spanish government demanded detailed records. People would write on slips of paper and then give those slips to the clerks so while the amount of record keeping is impressive, not always 100% perfect. Records through 1954 have been microfilmed by the Mormon church but there are gaps from records in private ownership or else destroyed via time. Marital Investigations and parish records some of the most important resources for tracing genealogy in New Mexico. De la Hensias (Marriage investigations) records found at UNM date from 1678-1850. The Parish records date from 1690-1850 (some are hopelessly lost) include parents of bride and groom, former marriages either bride or groom may have had, witnesses for bride and groom- ages of witnesses. The handwriting of the earlier records have very clear ink and penmanship- as time went on and clerks had less education, closer to 1850, records are harder to read. Archaic spellings, month appreviations, maiden names are all things to keep in mind when doing this work. Records are often discarded, misplaced, destroyed, etc. during changes of government/leadership especially in years past early in New Mexico's history. Archives from the Spanish records include government reports of officials, papers of a judicial nature- litigation proceedings of civil and criminal cases- wills, and probate actions. Military records include muster rolls, enlistment papers, censuses, retirement papers, and campaigns against nomadic Indians. Some gilas- passports- to and from Mexico, and naturalizations. These records came back to New Mexico in 1923 to the State Museum, and then in 1960 to the State Record Center was opened. These physical archives are retired, but microfilmed versions of them are available (at time of this recording). Mexican and Spanish archives have been turned into calendars. 84 volumes of Spanish records. Genealogy; MP3 Converted, undated

Spanish & Mexican Colonial Research by Virginia Olmsted; Denver '84 Tape; Spanish government demanded detailed records. People would write on slips of paper and then give those slips to the clerks so while the amount of record keeping is impressive, not always 100% perfect. Records through 1954 have been microfilmed by the Mormon church but there are gaps from records in private ownership or else destroyed via time. Marital Investigations and parish records some of the most important resources for tracing genealogy in New Mexico. De la Hensias (Marriage investigations) records found at UNM date from 1678-1850. The Parish records date from 1690-1850 (some are hopelessly lost) include parents of bride and groom, former marriages either bride or groom may have had, witnesses for bride and groom- ages of witnesses. The handwriting of the earlier records have very clear ink and penmanship- as time went on and clerks had less education, closer to 1850, records are harder to read. Archaic spellings, month appreviations, maiden names are all things to keep in mind when doing this work. Records are often discarded, misplaced, destroyed, etc. during changes of government/leadership especially in years past early in New Mexico's history. Archives from the Spanish records include government reports of officials, papers of a judicial nature- litigation proceedings of civil and criminal cases- wills, and probate actions. Military records include muster rolls, enlistment papers, censuses, retirement papers, and campaigns against nomadic Indians. Some gilas- passports- to and from Mexico, and naturalizations. These records came back to New Mexico in 1923 to the State Museum, and then in 1960 to the State Record Center was opened. These physical archives are retired, but microfilmed versions of them are available (at time of this recording). Mexican and Spanish archives have been turned into calendars. 84 volumes of Spanish records. Genealogy; MP3 Converted, undated, Box: 1. Albuquerque Bernalillo County Special Collections Library.

Spanish & Mexican Colonial Research by Virginia Olmsted; Denver '84 Tape; Spanish government demanded detailed records. People would write on slips of paper and then give those slips to the clerks so while the amount of record keeping is impressive, not always 100% perfect. Records through 1954 have been microfilmed by the Mormon church but there are gaps from records in private ownership or else destroyed via time. Marital Investigations and parish records some of the most important resources for tracing genealogy in New Mexico. De la Hensias (Marriage investigations) records found at UNM date from 1678-1850. The Parish records date from 1690-1850 (some are hopelessly lost) include parents of bride and groom, former marriages either bride or groom may have had, witnesses for bride and groom- ages of witnesses. The handwriting of the earlier records have very clear ink and penmanship- as time went on and clerks had less education, closer to 1850, records are harder to read. Archaic spellings, month appreviations, maiden names are all things to keep in mind when doing this work. Records are often discarded, misplaced, destroyed, etc. during changes of government/leadership especially in years past early in New Mexico's history. Archives from the Spanish records include government reports of officials, papers of a judicial nature- litigation proceedings of civil and criminal cases- wills, and probate actions. Military records include muster rolls, enlistment papers, censuses, retirement papers, and campaigns against nomadic Indians. Some gilas- passports- to and from Mexico, and naturalizations. These records came back to New Mexico in 1923 to the State Museum, and then in 1960 to the State Record Center was opened. These physical archives are retired, but microfilmed versions of them are available (at time of this recording). Mexican and Spanish archives have been turned into calendars. 84 volumes of Spanish records. Genealogy; MP3 Converted, undated, Box: 1. Albuquerque Bernalillo County Special Collections Library. https://nmarchives.unm.edu/repositories/9/archival_objects/536123 Accessed November 22, 2024.