Published by Travis –

While doing text searches on FamilySearch, I discovered an interesting collection of documents concerning the relationship between Sebastián Pérez, Lázaro Ramos, and Juana Sánchez:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-XW95-88 (images 140–178)

The documents span the years 1709–1711 and center on the marriage of Lázaro Ramos and Juana Sánchez and the couple's relationship with Sebastián Pérez. Lázaro claimed to be the maternal half-brother of Sebastián Pérez—who was Juana's uncle by marriage as well as the father of her two children, Mateo and Magdalena.

I have read both the transcriptions and the original documents, but AI transcriptions are sloppy and the early 18th-century handwritten Spanish is challenging for me. I am struggling to fully understand the testimony.

The evidence presented in these testimonies is mostly hearsay and seems to be ambiguous.

Has anyone else studied this particular group of records? More specifically, does the testimony ultimately support the conclusion that Sebastián Pérez and Lázaro Ramos were in fact maternal half-brothers? My own reading leaves me thinking they probably were not, or am I missing something?

For those unfamiliar with the individuals involved, here are the principal figures mentioned in the proceedings. Nearly all were current or former residents of the Hacienda de San José de la Mololoa.

  • Sebastián Pérez (Español), born about 1652; husband of Josefa de Castañeda alias Sánchez; son of Sebastián Pérez and Leonor de Robalcava.
  • Josefa de Castañeda alias Sánchez (Española); wife of Sebastián Pérez; sister of the late Teresa Sánchez.
  • Juana Sánchez (Española); daughter of the late Teresa Sánchez; niece of Josefa de Castañeda alias Sánchez; later wife of Lázaro Ramos; raised in the household of Sebastián Pérez and Josefa Sánchez "as if their daughter."
  • Mateo Pérez and Magdalena Pérez; children of Juana Sánchez and Sebastián Pérez, resulting from what the documents describe as a five-year relationship.
  • Lázaro Ramos, alias Lázaro Piedra (Español), born about 1654; later husband of Juana Sánchez; claims to be the maternal half-brother of Sebastián Pérez.
  • Leonor de Robalcava; mother of Sebastián Pérez, Diego Pérez, Juan Pérez, and Inés Pérez by her first marriage; also alleged in the testimony to be the mother of Lázaro Ramos.
  • Diego Pérez, born about 1670; brother of Sebastián Pérez; son of Sebastián Pérez and Leonor de Robalcava.
  • Cristóbal Ortiz; son-in-law of Diego Pérez.
  • Juan Pérez; brother of Sebastián Pérez; son of Sebastián Pérez and Leonor de Robalcava.
  • Inés Pérez (Española); wife of Basilio de Valdés (Español); sister of Sebastián Pérez and daughter of Sebastián Pérez and Leonor de Robalcava.
  • Juan Pérez de Ornelas; second husband of Leonor de Robalcava.
  • "Don Diego" (deceased); identified in one testimony as the father of Lázaro Ramos.
  • Diego Gómez; foster guardian of Lázaro Ramos from childhood; husband of Isabel Varrón; both residents of the Pueblo de Mitique and witnesses in the proceedings.
  • Inés Gallardo; entrusted by court order with the custody and care of Juana Sánchez.
  • María Magdalena de Aguirre (deceased); previous wife of Lázaro Ramos.
  • Francisco de Aldana; Spanish resident of the parish of the Hacienda de San José, married to a niece of Sebastián Pérez.
  • Nicolás Preciado; raised in the household of Leonor de Robalcava and acquainted with Sebastián Pérez from childhood.

For context, I am not descended from either Sebastián Pérez or Lázaro Ramos. Our line descends from the elder Sebastián Pérez and Leonor de Robalcava through their other children. My interest is simply in understanding the truth behind these allegations after spending so much time reading through all the documents two and a half times.

Thank you,

Travis

Genealogy Research