Maria Clara Sanchez

  General Notes:

The evidence connecting Clara to Ygnacio Sanchez and Pasquala Vigil as their daughter is circumstantial. It begins with the Aug. 24, 1791 marriage between Cristoval Vigil and Juana de Luna. In the record, the padrinos are identified as "sus yerno (son-in-law) Juan Nepomuceno Chaves y su nieta (granddaughter) Clarita Sanches." Since Juan Nepomuceno and Clarita are unquestionably man and wife, the pronouns imply a relationship to either the groom or the bride. The marriage record names Cristoval Vigil's previous wife as Teodora Medina, so Clara could be his granddaughter through a daughter married to a Sanchez man. The marriage record names Juana de Luna's two previous husbands as Bernardo Vallejos and Mariano Aragon, so Clara could only be her granddaughter through a Vallejo or Aragon daughter married to a Sanchez man. Juan Nepomuceno was not married previous to Clara, so he could not be Cristoval Vigil's nor Juana de Luna's son-in-law. Indeed, the word "son-in-law" was most likely used because there is no way to say "grandson-in-law" in Spanish. So, I had to find a Sanchez man whose wife's last name was either Vigil, Vallejos, or Aragon. I found Juan Ygnacio Sanchez and Pasquala Vigil. There seems to be sufficient evidence showing that Clara Sanchez was closely associated with Juan Ygnacio Sanchez and Pasquala Vigil, and very probably, was their daughter. Most likely, they are the ones who link Clara Sanchez to Cristoval Vigil and Teodora Medina.

Juan Ygnacio Sanchez and Pasquala Montes Vigil married in Santa Cruz on 23 Sept. 1762. So, they were married early enough to accommodate Clara's approximate birth year of 1769. Neither one's parents were named in the marriage record. But, Christoval Vigil and Teodora Medina did have a daughter named Pasquala, whom they baptized in Santa Cruz in 1744.

In a 20 Apr. 1783 Santa Cruz baptism record, a Juan Ynacio Begil and Maria Clara Sanches appear together as the padrinos. Cristoval Vigil and Teodora Medina did have a son named Juan Ygnacio. Probably, this is him appearing with his niece. Our Clara would have been about fourteen years old. The Santa Cruz church records show two other women named Clara Sanchez around this period of time. One married Juan Antonio Lujan and baptized two children, but apparently died and was buried 6 Aug. 1765. Another appears once as a single mother, baptizing her son on 2 June 1776. Our Clara Sanchez would have been too young to be bearing children by 1776.

In a 10 Mar. 1787 Santa Cruz baptism record, Juan dela Cruz Vegil and Maria Clara Sanchez appear together as the padrinos. Miguel Vegil and Ana Maria Vallejos were baptizing their son, Juan Christoval. Juan dela Cruz Vigil and Miguel Vigil are known sons of Cristoval Vigil and Teodora Medina and therefore, would be Maria Clara's uncles.

In a partially torn entry which appears above the 26 April 1789 entry in Taos, Ygnacio Duran and Maria Antonia Sanches, also known as Antonia Gertrudis Sanches, baptized their son, Gregorio de los Dolores. The padrinos were Juan Nepomuceno (page torn) and his wife, Maria Clara Sanches. Maria Antonia aka Antonia Gertrudis was a known daughter of Juan Ygnacio Sanchez and Pasquala Vigil, so she and Maria Clara would be sisters.

On 24 June 1791 in Taos, Juan Ygnacio Sanchez and Pasquala Begil baptized their son, Jose Antonio. Apparently, he was their last child. The padrinos were Juan Nepomuceno Duran and Clara Sanchez.

On 17 Feb. 1793 in Taos, at a double baptism, Juan Ygnacio Sanches and Pascuala Vegil were the padrinos for the first one. The second baptism was for Juan Cristoval, son of Juan Nepomuceno Chaves and Maria Clara Sanches. The Padrinos were Juan de la Cruz Vegil and Maria Clara Fernandes. Pasquala Vigil and Juan dela Cruz Vigil would be sister and brother, the children of Cristoval Vigil and Teodora Medina. It would seem that Juan Cristoval Chaves was named after his great grandfather, Cristoval Vigil.

On 9 June 1795 in Taos, Juan Nepomuceno Chaves and Clara Sanches baptized their daughter, Maria Teodora. The padrinos were Jose Aragon and Maria Antonia (no surname). It would seem that Maria Teodora Chaves was named after her great grandmother, Teodora Medina.

On 28 April 1805 in Taos, Pablo Duran and Margarita Sanchez baptized their daughter Maria Rafaela. The padrinos were Juan Chaves and Clara Sanches. Margarita Sanchez was a known daughter of Juan Ygnacio Sanchez and Pasquala Vigil. So, Margarita and Clara would be sisters.

Maria married Juan Nepomuceno Duran Y Chaves, son of Eusebio Duran Y Chaves and Vibiana Martin Serrano, on 2 Dec 1788 in Taos, New Mexico. (Juan Nepomuceno Duran Y Chaves was born about 1768 in Alameda, New Mexico.)