The Maldonado branch of my family tree has been fairly easy to track, even when hitting a brick wall. The records have made themselves available for the last five generations. I ran into some trouble with my 4th great Maldonado grandparents due to a name change. My 4th great grandmother, Teresa, used her paternal and maternal surnames interchangeably. In the post below I’m arguing that Maria Teresa Rico, Maria Teresa Centeno, and Leuteria Teresa Zenteno are the same person.
Background
The marriage informational record of two confirmed ancestors (meaning I have sufficient evidence to support their inclusion in my tree), Adrian Maldonado and Emiliana Lara, list the names of my 3rd great grandparents, thus allowing me to go back another generation. Adrian and Emiliana were married in Tarimoro, GTO in 1874. Adrian’s parents were listed as Yndalesio Maldonado and Manuela Martinez. The uniqueness of the name Yndalesio made it easy to find his marriage records.
Yndalesio and Manuela were married in Salvatierra, GTO in 1839. In their marriage testimonial, Yndalesio was listed as a 19 year old bachelor from San Nicolas de la Condesa. His parents were identified as Ignacio Maldonado and Maria Teresa Rico (difunta/deceased). In the marriage record for Yndalesio & Manuela, the padrinos were listed as Guadalupe Allala & Ma. Loreto Maldonado. The names of the padrinos is an important piece of information that supports my argument, but more on that later.
Armed with this information, I went looking for the baptism record of Yndalesio and the marriage records of his parents. My research came-up empty and I hit a brickwall.
Breakthrough
In my research, I found a close match - Jose Ignacio Maldonado and Leuteria Teresa Centeno. I also found about six baptism records for children where the parents were listed as Jose Ignacio Maldonado and Maria Teresa Centeno. As this point I began to wonder if Teresa varied her name throughout her life. I decided to investigate the records I could find between Ignacio Maldonado and Teresa Centeno to look for clues.
Below are the particulars of the marriage event between Jose Ignacio and Leuteria Teresa:
Name: Jose Ygnacio Maldonado & Leuteria Teresa Zenteno
Event Date: 16 May 1797
Event Place: Salvatierra, Salvatierra, Guanajuato, Mexico
Father's Name: Jose Lorenzo Maldonado
Mother's Name Maria Getrudes Azevedo
Spouse's Father's Name: Domingo Zenteno
Spouse's Mother's Name: Juana Antonia Loreto Rico
Evidence
I will argue that Maria Teresa Rico, Maria Teresa Centano, and Leuteria Teresa Zenteno are the same person. Here is why.
2. The earliest record I have for Jose Ignacio Maldonado and Maria Teresa Rico is a death record for their child. The death of Maria Josepha de la luz Maldonado was recorded on January 28, 1798 in Salvatierra, GTO. This lets me know that its possible, timeline wise, that Ignacio and Teresa Rico could have been married in 1797 in Salvatierra. The marriage record for Ignacio & Leuteria Teresa was in 1797 in Salvatierra.
3. Ignacio Maldonado and Maria Teresa Rico baptized Maria de Jesus Loreto Maldonaldo on April, 7, 1809, in Salvatierra. Loreto Maldonado married Guadalupe Ayala on Sept 24, 1831. Her parents were listed as Ignacio Maldonado and Maria Teres Centeno, both living.
a. This record is important because Loreto and Guadalupe were listed as the padrinos on the marriage record for Yndalesio and Manuela. The facts that they are from the same rancho (San Nicolas) and have the same surname, demonstrates a possible blood relationship. Family members often serve as padrinos.
3. Ignacio Maldonado and Maria Teresa Rico baptized Maria de Jesus Loreto Maldonaldo on April, 7, 1809, in Salvatierra. Loreto Maldonado married Guadalupe Ayala on Sept 24, 1831. Her parents were listed as Ignacio Maldonado and Maria Teres Centeno, both living.
a. This record is important because Loreto and Guadalupe were listed as the padrinos on the marriage record for Yndalesio and Manuela. The facts that they are from the same rancho (San Nicolas) and have the same surname, demonstrates a possible blood relationship. Family members often serve as padrinos.
b. The second reason why this record is important is because it lets us know that Ignacio and Teresa were alive in 1831. Teresa was listed as deceased in Yndalaceo’s 1839 marriage record. Its gives us a time period for Teresa’s death.
4. I have a record showing that Joe Ignacio Maldonado remarried on November 6, 1833. The marriage document mentioned that he is a widow of 14 months to Teresa Rico. The death date of Teresa, approximately August 1832, is consistent with the marriage informational records of Loreto and Yndalesio. The marriage informational for Ignacio and his new wife (Caterina Garcia) mentioned that Teresa was buried at the Church of Santo Domingo.
5. I was unable to find a death record for for Teresa Rico in the Salvatierra records around August 1832, but I did find a death record for Teresa Centeno. Look at the record at the top left hand corner of the link below. It list her widow as Ignacio Maldonado. She was buried in the Santo Domingo Parish cemetery. This record exactly matches the information for Teresa Rico’s passing in Don Igancio’s marriage informational to Caterina Garcia.
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"México, Guanajuato, registros parroquiales, 1519-1984," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GG2N-4N4?cc=1860831&wc=3VHD-JWL%3A167585501%2C167585502%2C171375001 : 20 May 2014), Salvatierra > Salvatierra > Matrimonios 1831-1839 > image 319 of 338; parroquias Católicas, Guanajuato (Catholic Church parishes, Guanajuato).
México, Guanajuato, registros parroquiales, 1519-1984, database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKZX-DHV8 : 17 February 2017), Jose Ygnacio Maldonado and Leuteria Teresa Zenteno, 16 May 1797; citing Marriage, Salvatierra, Salvatierra, Guanajuato, Mexico, parroquias Católicas Guanajuato (Catholic Church parishes, Guanajuato); FHL microfilm 643,222.
"México, Guanajuato, registros parroquiales, 1519-1984," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9GR2-L2D?cc=1860831&wc=3VHY-4W5%3A167585501%2C167585502%2C169528701 : 17 February 2017), Salvatierra > Salvatierra > Defunciones 1685-1807 > image 367 of 416; parroquias Católicas, Guanajuato (Catholic Church parishes, Guanajuato).
"México, Guanajuato, registros parroquiales, 1519-1984," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9G2N-CHP?cc=1860831&wc=3VHD-JWL%3A167585501%2C167585502%2C171375001 : 20 May 2014), Salvatierra > Salvatierra > Matrimonios 1831-1839 > image 87 of 338; parroquias Católicas, Guanajuato (Catholic Church parishes, Guanajuato).
"México, Guanajuato, registros parroquiales, 1519-1984," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9GRK-483?cc=1860831&wc=3VHT-BZ9%3A167585501%2C167585502%2C168928601 : 20 May 2014), Salvatierra > Salvatierra > Información matrimonial 1833-1834 > image 268 of 454; parroquias Católicas, Guanajuato (Catholic Church parishes, Guanajuato).
"México, Guanajuato, registros parroquiales, 1519-1984," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GGT7-5KG?cc=1860831&wc=3VCS-HZ9%3A167585501%2C167585502%2C169680201 : 20 May 2014), Salvatierra > Salvatierra > Defunciones 1807-1835 > image 238 of 292; parroquias Católicas, Guanajuato (Catholic Church parishes, Guanajuato).
My research suggests that Teresa Rico and Teresa Centeno are the same person. The marriage and death dates all line up. Additionally, all the records are from the same geographical area.
My areas of concern.
- Yndalesio was born in the rancho of San Nicolas de la Condesa, while Ignacio was from San Nicolas de la Marqueza. I think these two ranchos might be the same place, or near each other. I have located San Nicolas de la Condeasa. I’ve never heard of San Nicolas de la Marquesa.
- I have no Idea why Teresa used the name Zueteria in her marriage to Ignacio.
- Don Ignacio and Caterina had a child as late as 1850. Its possible that this is another Ignacio and Caterina, but I haven't researched it further. This would mean that Ignacio was nearly 70 years old when this child was born. I know its possible for a 70 year old man to father a child, but it gives me some pause.
For now, I will add Ignacio & Teresa to my family tree.
"México, Guanajuato, registros parroquiales, 1519-1984," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GG2N-4N4?cc=1860831&wc=3VHD-JWL%3A167585501%2C167585502%2C171375001 : 20 May 2014), Salvatierra > Salvatierra > Matrimonios 1831-1839 > image 319 of 338; parroquias Católicas, Guanajuato (Catholic Church parishes, Guanajuato).
México, Guanajuato, registros parroquiales, 1519-1984, database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKZX-DHV8 : 17 February 2017), Jose Ygnacio Maldonado and Leuteria Teresa Zenteno, 16 May 1797; citing Marriage, Salvatierra, Salvatierra, Guanajuato, Mexico, parroquias Católicas Guanajuato (Catholic Church parishes, Guanajuato); FHL microfilm 643,222.
"México, Guanajuato, registros parroquiales, 1519-1984," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9GR2-L2D?cc=1860831&wc=3VHY-4W5%3A167585501%2C167585502%2C169528701 : 17 February 2017), Salvatierra > Salvatierra > Defunciones 1685-1807 > image 367 of 416; parroquias Católicas, Guanajuato (Catholic Church parishes, Guanajuato).
"México, Guanajuato, registros parroquiales, 1519-1984," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9G2N-CHP?cc=1860831&wc=3VHD-JWL%3A167585501%2C167585502%2C171375001 : 20 May 2014), Salvatierra > Salvatierra > Matrimonios 1831-1839 > image 87 of 338; parroquias Católicas, Guanajuato (Catholic Church parishes, Guanajuato).
"México, Guanajuato, registros parroquiales, 1519-1984," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9GRK-483?cc=1860831&wc=3VHT-BZ9%3A167585501%2C167585502%2C168928601 : 20 May 2014), Salvatierra > Salvatierra > Información matrimonial 1833-1834 > image 268 of 454; parroquias Católicas, Guanajuato (Catholic Church parishes, Guanajuato).
"México, Guanajuato, registros parroquiales, 1519-1984," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GGT7-5KG?cc=1860831&wc=3VCS-HZ9%3A167585501%2C167585502%2C169680201 : 20 May 2014), Salvatierra > Salvatierra > Defunciones 1807-1835 > image 238 of 292; parroquias Católicas, Guanajuato (Catholic Church parishes, Guanajuato).
