Documentation of Petronila (Gabadi) Moctezuma

The parentage of the Gabadi sisters continues to be a subject of much discussion. I do not have any answers, but I do have much of the documentation that is discussed on the Research List. 

ITEM (1) of Armando's post: I have no knowledge of this document. 

ITEM (2) of Armando's post: This document, alleged to be from 1574, can be found at PARES . If you want to find it the long way, go to PARES . Select "Busqueda Avanzada" on the button bar. Go down to FILTRO POR ARCHIVO and select "Archivo General de Indias" from the pull-down menu. A second pull-down menu will appear beneath the first. Select "Mapas y Planos" from the second pull-down menu. Now go to the section just below, FILTRO POR SIGNATURA, and enter "MP-ESCUDOS,211" in the text field. If that doesn't work, click on the Seleccionar button. Once you get to the next page, go to the bottom of the list and click on the tiny red down-arrow to scroll the list. Click the "+" button next to MP-ESCUDOS. A list of document numbers will appear below MP-ESCUDOS. Use the red arrow again to scroll down until you see 211 and click on
211. That will take you back to the search page. Click on the Buscar button at the bottom of the page. That will bring up a page with the document listed. You can get document information by clicking on the title. You can view the document by clicking on the little camera icon in the DIG. column. MP-ESCUDOS,212 is another genealogy, principally for Isabel Moctezuma. MP-ESCUDO,197 is a general chart dated 1817 depicting Moctezuma's descendants. Mariana is listed, but none of her descendants are listed. MP-ESCUDO,211 would be a natural continuation of this chart.

ITEM (3) of Armando's post: Mariana Moctezuma, child of Moctezuma II and Acatlan, was married to Cristobal Valderrama. Mariana and Cristobal had one child, Leonor. Leonor married Diego Arias Sotelo. Diego was exiled to what is now Algeria for his role in the Avila-Cortes Conspiracy (his brother was executed). According the "Moctezuma's Children" by Donald E. Chipman (2005), Leonor Valderrama and Diego Arias Sotelo had 3 children: Fernando (the only one to have children), Ana (a nun), and Cristobal. If Petronila Moctezuma is a descendant of Moctezuma II and Acatlan, Her parents would have to be Leonor Valderrama Moctezuma and Diego Arias Sotelo. According to Chipman, the children of Leonor were constantly in court trying to win control of their grandmother's encomiendo. I suppose that there are reasons that Petronila might not have been mentioned in these proceedings (Leonor willed her estate to her 3 children equally), but it seems odd. The children also
fought among themselves for control of the encomiendo. Ana, a nun, gave control of her third to Fernando. Cristobal's widow fought for his third, plus half of Ana's. Having gotten full control of the encomiendo, Fernando's children sold it, so that it passed out of the family completely.

ITEM (4) of Armando's post: The dispensation referred to is widely available in the ether and can be found at the FamilySearch.org site (Film Number 168605 - FamilySearch.org: Mexico, Jalisco, Catholic Church Records, 1590-1995, Guadalajara, Diócesis de Guadalajara, Matrimonios 1700-1705, Image 316 of 625). One other document, the 1677 will of Juan Siordia, daughter of Maria Gabadi and Pedro Fernandez de Vaulus, gives Maria's name as Maria Gabai Moctezuma. The will is available from the Digital Archives of Aguascalientes . Click the Login button. Enter sigue.publica as the User Name and publica as the Password. Click the Login button. In the index that comes up, right-click (two-finger-click on Mac) on the entry SSG-ARCHIVO-HISTORICO - ACERVOS COLONIALES SIGLOS XVII A XIX to get a pop-up menu. Select New Query from the menu. In the page that comes up next, enter JUANA DE SIORDIA in the text field for
CONTRATANTES. Click the Submit button and you will be taken to the first page of the will.

To me, the question of Petronila's ancestry is still up in the air. I'm with the camp that says that unless I have hard documentation on the subject, I remain skeptical.

Scott Stockwell