Juan Domínguez de Mendoza: Soldier and Frontiersman of the Spanish Southwest, 1627–1693

Introduction

1 Introduction France V. Scholes, Marc Simmons, and José Antonio Esquibel From Merchant Family to Frontier Soldiers, 1625–1658 Juan Domínguez de Mendoza is worthy of an honored place in the ranks of Spanish soldiers and settlers who helped defend the borderlands province of New Mexico in the seventeenth century. He was born in Mexico City in 1627, receiving the sacrament of baptism on May 30 of that year, with Hernán Vásquez and María de Villegas as his godparents.1 Juan’s father, Tomé Domínguez, in 1625 was a merchant in Mexico City in partnership with his brother Juan Matheo, who was mentioned shortly afterward as vending wine in the Calle de Tacuba.2 It is perhaps a safe guess that Juan Domínguez de Mendoza was named for his uncle Juan. One source of evidence points to the father, Tomé, as being about forty-six years of age in 1633. Juan’s mother, Elena de la Cruz, also known as Elena Ramírez de Mendoza, came from a good family, resident in the port of Veracruz on the Mexico Gulf Coast. Her parents, Benito de París and Leonor Francisca de Mendoza, at an unknown date left their native Spain and immigrated to New Spain. In 1625 Elena received formal certification as to her limpieza de sangre, that is, that her ancestry was untainted by non-Christian blood, an important qualification for her sons should they ever aspire to high government or ecclesiastical posts. That document was issued nine years after her marriage to Tomé Domínguez, which occurred on August 29, 1616.3 Ultimately, the couple had fourteen children, the first born near Puebla, and the remainder in Mexico City, where they moved by 1623. At least three of the sons—Tomé Jr. (usually called el mozo, meaning “the younger”), Juan, and Francisco—would relocate in New Mexico with their parents, as did four of the daughters, Damiana, Leonor, Francisca, and Elena, the last one named for her mother.4 2 Introduction During the decade 1620–1630, New Mexico affairs were receiving widespread attention in the viceregal capital, especially the rapid progress of the Franciscan doctrinas within numerous Pueblo communities, including the building of conventos and churches. Merchant Tomé Domínguez apparently became interested in trade with that province, and what followed would change the course of his family history. By the early 1630s, Tomé established a close relationship with veteran New Mexican missionary fray Estéban de Perea, who had first gone to the Upper Rio Grande in 1610. The Spanish-born friar became the first head (custos) of the Franciscan order in New Mexico in 1617, serving a five-year term. The years 1627–1628 found him in Mexico City, purchasing and assembling provisions for shipment north on the next Franciscan supply caravan. It is thought that Tomé Domínguez may have initially made Perea’s acquaintance at that time, but if he sold him wine or other supplies, the specific records that might confirm this have not yet been found.5 Since the royal treasury was funding New Mexico’s booming evangelization program and expending large sums on food, clothing, hardware, medicines , books, paper, and ecclesiastical furnishings, as well as on wagons and draft animals, opportunities were plentiful for enterprising businessmen to become involved and reap profits. Not only could they expect to make large sales to purchasing agents, such as Perea, but they could also attach their own wagon loads of merchandise to the Franciscans’ northbound caravans, which were protected by a military escort. That is what Tomé Domínguez did in 1631. So far as we know, it was his first venture into the New Mexico market, and he found the commercial possibilities attractive. When he returned home in the second half of that year, he carried a packet (pliego) of official dispatches consigned to his care by Father Perea and destined for the Holy Office of the Inquisition. Perea was the agent for the Inquisition in New Mexico. Tomé’s role as a messenger can be interpreted as a measure of the confidence placed in him by the Franciscan priest. Indeed, in a letter, Perea identified him as “a trustworthy resident of Mexico City.”6 By 1633, Domínguez was back in New Mexico, where he spent several months before joining the return caravan. Once more Father Perea placed important documents in his hands for delivery to the Inquisition. Their friendship, now firmly established, was no doubt...