Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle

Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle
48th Spanish Governor of New Mexico
In office
1754–1760
Preceded by Tomás Vélez Cachupín
Succeeded by Mateo Antonio de Mendoza
Personal details
Born near of July 12, 1722 (he was baptized in this date)
Villa del Lumbreras, Murcia, Spain
Died unknown
unknown
Spouse(s) Maria Ignacia Martinez de Ugarte
Profession Miner, merchant and Captain General and Governor of New Mexico
Signature

Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle (born near July 12, 1722 – ??) was Governor and Captain General of New Mexico (now a U.S. state), between 1754 and 1760.

Biography

Francisco Antonio Marin del Valle was baptized in the Villa del Lumbreras, Murcia, Spain, on July 12, 1722. He was the son of Francisco Marin del Valle and Manuela Saenz de Tejada. His Paternal grandparents were Mateo Marín del Valle and Catalina Fraile. His maternal grandparents were Blas Sáenz de Tejada and María Garcia Baquedano. His brother was Santiago Marín. All them were residents and natives of this village.

Map of New Mexico, 1760, drawn by Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco to Marín del Valle

When he came to Americas, he settled in the state of Potosí (in modern Bolivia), where he worked in the mines of Charcas. Later he emigrated to Mexico, where became a merchant. Marín del Valle became mayor of Mexico and between 1754 and 1760 was Governor and Captain General of Province of New Mexico.

In 1754, he commissioned Spanish engineer and cartographer Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco to make the new map of El Paso, where he had lived since 1743. His work was the first accurate and detailed map of southern New Mexico, in El Paso (in this time, El Paso was part of New Mexico, joining Texas in the second half of the nineteenth century).

As the Spanish had no churches in New Mexico, Marin del Valle ordered the construction of one church for the 1000 men living there with their wives. He named the church as Nuestra Señora de la Luz (Our Lady of Light). It was basically a military chapel, so later was called "La Castrense" (The Military).

Francisco Marin del Valle formed two brotherhoods: Nuestra Señora de la Luz and the Nuestra Señora de Valvanera.[1]

He was replaced by Mateo Antonio de Mendoza in 1760.

Legacy

The altarpiece of Nuestra Señora de la luz was moved to the Cathedral of Santa Fe in 1859,[2] because the military chapel had fallen to ruin. It was taken in 1939 to the Iglesia de Cristo Rey (Church of Christ the King), where it currently resides.[1][2]

Personal life

Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle married Maria Ignacia Martinez de Ugarte (who was a wealthy aristocrat), in 1754.[1] While he ruled New Mexico, he bought land facing the Palace of the Governor, located between two settlements. He established a chapel there.[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Magazine´s article. Hijos ilustres del Valle Lumbreras: Francisco Marin del Valle (In English: Lumbreras Valley illustrious sons: Francisco Marin del Valle). Retrieved June 24, 2012, to 12:55 pm.
  2. 1 2 "Defining the Colonial World: Don Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco Explorer, Scientist, Santero and More". New Mexico Museum of Art. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  3. ↑ Treib, Marc (1 January 1993). Sanctuaries of Spanish New Mexico. University of California Press. pp. 112–. ISBN 978-0-520-06420-1.
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