Pedro SERRANO and Catalina FERNANDEZ, Residents of Jerez de Badajoz, in the Province of Extremadura, West Central Spain, were the parents of two soldier sons who came to the new world with their wives. It is belived that Pedro SERRANO, also a soldier, had fought in the armies of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand against the Moors during the early 1480's and into the mid 1490's. The two sons were named Martin SERRANO and Bartolome FERNANDEZ. By 1519 Martin SERRANO had joined the forces of Hernan CORTES, serving under the command of Don Cristobal de ONATE. His first born son also named Hernan also known as Hernando, received his first name after the conqueror of Mexico. Hernan CORTES and his middle name Martin after his father. His full name was Hernan Martin SERRANO. Hernan Martin SERRANO also became a soldier under the command of Cristobal de ONATE and Later under Cristobal's son, Don Juan de ONATE. (see footnote 1)

Hernan Martin SERRANO was born Circa 1558 in the mining town of Zacatecas. At the age of about 40, he and his wife Juana RODRIGUEZ were among Don Juan de ONATE's Colonists. He was listed as a Sergeant, arriving at what is now San Juan de los Caballeros July 1598. Hernan MARTIN SERRANO and his wife Juana RODRIGUEZ eldest son named Hernan MARTIN SERRANO was born here in San Gabriel del Yunque between 1601 and 1608. Hernan and Juana had two other children; Maria MARTIN SERRANO who married Alonso MARTIN BARBA and was allegedly poisoned by his mistress. (2)

The other child was Luis MARTIN SERRANO, my Grandfather who married Catalina de SALAZAR. Over time these MARTIN SERRANO settled in Santa Fe, Santa Cruz Dela Canada y Chimayo. 3 Later settling other parts of Rio Arriba and Taos Counties. Luis MARTIN SERRANO, His wife and children lived in the Chimayo area where it is said that the MARTINEZ ditch may have been named for him or his son, also named Luis MARTIN SERRANO. The MARTIN SERRANOs lived as other vecinos did; Farming and raising some livestock and sometimes participating in military campaigns. Until the Pueblo Revolt of August 10, 1680, Dia de San Lorenzo. This revolt led to the death of hundreds of the colonists, the capture of some and the forcing of the rest to flee their homes. Luis MARTIN SERRANO had died in 1663, long before the Pueblo Revolt. He and his wife had three sons. Luis MARTIN SERRANO II who married Twice, Domingo MARTIN SERRANO who also married twice and My Grandfather Pedro MARTIN SERRANO y SALAZAR who married Juana de ARGUELLO.

Pedro MARTIN SERRANO y SALAZAR, his brothers and their families are listed as passing muster (inspections) before Governor Antonio de OTERMIN in September of 1680. Alferez Pedro MARTIN SERRANO passed muster September 29, 1680 at the age of 48, with three lean horses, personal arms and eight sons and daughters. He is listed in a later entry as having six gentle horses and four unbroken ones. (4)

His wife Juana de ARGUELLO is not mentioned but is entered 12 years later in the 1692 Census of Isleta, where she is listed as a widow. Juana de ARGUELLO and Pedro MARTIN SERRANO y SALAZAR had eight children:Antonio, Alego, Miguel, Juana, Josefa, arguable "the most famous MARTIN SERRANO, Sebastian, "and my Grandfather Francisco "El Ciego" MARTIN SERRANO.

Francisco "El Ciego" MARTIN SERRANO married Casilda CONTRERAS , daughter of Juan de CONTRERAS and Maria de CARAVAJAL. All the MARTIN SERRANO who had survived the 1680 Pueblo Revolt and the 12 years exile returned in 1692-1693 with Don Diego de VARGAS. In 1725 Francisco was one of the grantees of the Embudo Land Grant. In 1764 he made his last will and testament at his home en San Antonio De El Embudo, naming his 11 childrens, (4) among them Antonio MARTIN SERRANO, my Grandfather.
Antonio MARTIN SERRANO Married Catalina VILLALPANDO, daughter of Juan VILLALPANDO and Ana Maria ROMERO. They had 10 children. In 1744 his Primo "El Theniente Jacinto MARTIN, "had written "Don Joachin CODALLOS y RABEL, Gobernador y Capp. General de Dicho Reyno. Regarding some lands near his in San Lorenzo de Los Pecuries en el Puesto de Santa Barbara. "He, Jacinto, two of his Primos; Juan Francsico, Francisco's Brother, Antonio (Our Grandfather) and another Vecino, Felipe Bustamante all formerly of La Villa de la Santa Cruz de la Canada, had settled this lands in 1739. Some 57 years before this land were regranted to 70 settlers, one of them being Antonio MARTIN SERRANO's son Eusebio MARTIN. (5)

Eusebio MARTIN baptized the 13th day of November 1729 in San Juan de Los Caballeros, May have been born in the family home at El Embudo De San Antonio. Eusebio MARTIN Married Maria Antonia ARMIGO. Eusebio MARTIN, his first cousin Valentin MARTIN, Jose OLGUIN, Clemente MAESTAS and sixty seven other settlers were granted the Santa Barbara Land Grant in 1796. Eusebio MARTIN and his Wife Maria Antonia ARMIGO had 11 children; among them my Grandfather Juan Jose MARTIN who was baptised in Santa Fe the 6th day of January 1772.

Juan Jose MARTIN married Maria Antonia SENTENO, Feb 11, 1793 In Las Trampas. (7) She was the daughter of Leonisio Jose SENTENO and Maria Antonia VARELA from La Villa de Alburquerqe. Juan Jose MARTIN and Maria Antonia SENTENO had at least 5 offsprings, one of them was my Grandmother Maria Catalina MARTIN, born Sunday December 16, 1804.

Maria Catalina MARTIN married Juan Dela Cruz MARTIN, hijo de Ramon MARTIN y Matiana CORDOVA; after Juan Dela Cruz MARTIN's death Maria Catalina MARTIN Married Felipe Del Carmen MARTIN Friday, 6 January 1837. Juan Dela Cruz MARTIN and Maria Catalina MARTIN had two children. One of them was my Grandfather Jose Antonio MARTIN.

Jose Antonio MARTIN Married Maria Albina VIGIL, daughter of Marcos Vigil and Maria De Los Reyes DeHERRERA. Jose Antonio MARTIN and Maria Albina VIGIL had 9 Offsprings. One of them being my Grandmother Maria Juliana MARTINEZ.

Maria Juliana MARTINEZ married Jose Leon ROMERO , He was the son of Juan Cristobal ROMERO and Maria Francsica BACA. (6) Jose Leon ROMERO was a viudo at the time of his marriage with Maria Juliana MARTINEZ 10 Sept 1883. (7) Jose Leon ROMERO and Maria Juliana MARTINEZ had three children. Only one survived childhood his name was Tranqulino ROMERO, my Grandfather. (8)

Tranqulino ROMERO Married twice. His first wife Isidora MARTINEZ and Tranqulino ROMERO had two sons, both of whom died in infancy. He than married Matilde Martin ORTEGA. (9) The daughter of Juana Maria MARTIN LEYVA. Tranqulino and Matilde had 5 children, only two that survived childhood; one was named Adelina and the other was my Mother Alice ROMERO born in Llano De San Juan, New Mexico. Thursday July 12, 1923.

Alice ROMERO married Juan VIDAURRE, Wednesday March 15, 1944 in Bingham, Utah. Juan VIDAURRE was the son of Alberto Sabino VIDAURRE "Un Basco Frances, "and Maria Ramoncita HERNANDEZ, "Una India." Juan VIDAURRE and Alice ROMERO had 4 children. Juan VIDAURRE died January 13, 1984, Alice ROMERO died 12 January 2002.

Footnotes:
1-Los Martinez 1598-1900. Compiled, Written and Edited by:Roger D. Martinez, J. Michael Gaddis. January 26, 1992
2-Origins of New Mexico Families, A Genealogy Of The Spanish Colonial Period. By:Fray Angelico Chavez. Published By The Museum Of New Mexico Press. Revised Edition.
3-POBLADORES, A Hispanic American Of the Ute Frontier. By:Francis Leon Quintana. Published by The University Of Norte Dame Press. Second Revised Edition of Los Pobladores.
4-Revolt Of The Pueblo Indians Of New Mexico And Otermin's Attempted Reconquest 1680-1682. By:Charles Wilson Hackett, PH. D. Translations of Original Documents By:Charmon Clair.
5-Microfilm Reel # 3 Spanish Archives Of New Mexico. Twitchell Number 565, Frame 1134, Date 1764.
6-Santa Barbara Land Grant. January 11, 1796. Surveyor General Case 114. Microfilm Reel # 23.
Private Land Claims 96. Microfilm Reel # 43.
7-Microfilm Reel # 28 AASF, Frame 0271, Picuris Marriages.
8-Microfilm Reel # 93 AASF, Frame 0265, 17 April 1852. Santa Cruz Dela Canada Baptisms.
9-Microfilm Reel # 48A AASF. 10 Sept 1883. Penacso Marriages.
10-Microfilm Reel # 48A AASF, Page 183. 18 April 1866. Penasco Baptisms.
11-Microfilm Reel # 50A AASF, Page 130, 29 October 1918. Penasco Marriages
Submitted by Alberto Vidaurre 2/25/2002
©2005