Sharing Hispanic Genealogical History of New Spain, Mexico and the American Southwest
ABOUT THE BLOG
The initial focus of this space is unearthing genealogical information from the land grants made to Spanish citizens in New Mexico during the colonial period. These grants were supposed to have been recognized by the US Government under the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War. However, a review of how claims for land grants were adjudicated by US institutions and courts reveals that the US did not uphold the spirit of that aspect of the treaty. Fortunately, the claims process yielded a great deal of documentation and genealogical information that can help us better understand this history. The blog will also feature stories about New Mexico’s early colonists and genealogical resources.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Steven Perez Vigil began researching his family history in 2020 and is passionate about helping others discover the rich history and heritage of New Spain, Mexico and the American Southwest. He has published articles with the New Mexico Genealogical Society and UC Berkeley’s Cibola Project.
In a former life, he worked in international development, traveling extensively throughout Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. He is now based in New York City, where he lives with his husband, and currently serves on Manhattan Community Board Six.
PUBLICATIONS
Steven D. Perez and Jerry R. Craddock, "Statements of New Mexico colonists recruited and conducted to Santa Fe by Juan Páez Hurtado October 26, 1697 - January 17, 1698" Cibola Project, UC Berkeley: Research Center for Romance Studies, February 11, 2023. Available at: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8b07n3s4
Steven D. Perez, "The Ancestry of Juan de Góngora: The Husband of Petronila de la Cueva, a Velasco-Farfán Colonist," New Mexico Genealogist, June 2023, Vol. 62, No. 2, 51-58.
Steven D. Perez and Damien Aragon, "Tracing the Maternal Line of New Mexico Colonist José Vásquez de Lara: New Revelations about Juana Núñez de Soto," New Mexico Genealogist, September 2023, Vol. 62, No. 3, 122-131.
Steven D. Perez, Karen Bowman and Damien Aragon, "Corrections to the Genealogy of Juana Altamirano, Paternal Grandmother of Francisco Valdés Altamirano," New Mexico Genealogist, June 2024, Vol. 63, No. 2, 55-60.
Steven D. Perez and Damien Aragon, "The Search for the Possible Royal Lineage of José Vásquez de Lara," New Mexico Genealogist, December 2024, Vol. 63, No. 4, 166-172.
Steven D. Perez, "Documents Regarding the Founding of the Presidio at El Paso del Rio del Norte August 1682 - June 1683," Cibola Project, UC Berkeley: Research Center for Romance Studies, January 29, 2025. Available at: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/95m3d953
Steven D. Perez, "Who Were the Parents of Bernardo Mirabal? Breaking Through an Adobe Wall," New Mexico Genealogist, March 2025, Vol. 64, No. 1, 21-26.