Manuel Ricardo Romero (?Marquez)  born about 1772 in New Mexico and died before  1847,  son of Juana Gertrudis Romero /
  father unknown.
.  He married Maria Paula Valdez May 02, 1792 in San Ildefonso, New Mexico, daughter of Juan Valdez and Maria Lucero.  She was born in San Ildefonso, New Mexico, and died before 1847 in New Mexico.

The following paper by Patricia Sanchez Rau best addresses the ambiguous status of Manuel Ricardo's unknown father.

Manuel Romero and Manuel Marques

Are they the same person?

By Patricia Sanchez Rau

Several years ago when I began my genealogy research, I concentrated my search in the Santa Cruz area where it appeared that the majority of my ancestors were from. My mother had quite a bit of information on the Ortiz family and had always told us that her four grandmothers had been related through the Ortiz side.

As you know, genealogy research has a backward progression; so I started going through Volume 3 of the Santa Cruz baptisms. I was very naive and after finding the first few entries I actually assumed it was going to be a very easy task. As the research progressed I encountered a very curious problem with the parents of Maria Alvina Romero and her brother Jose Rafael Romero, two of my direct ancestors who had married into the Ortiz family. Their parents Manuel Romero and Maria Paula Valdez had 10 known children.

1. Juana Maria Romero born May 22,1795 in Nambe, NM
2. Maria de la Encarnación born March 27, 1799 in Pojoaque, NM
3. Maria Albina Romero born about 1801
4. Jose Rafael Romero born about 1796
5. Maria Guadalupe Romero born 1816 Pojoaque, NM
6. Maria Ygnacia Romero born about 1815
7. Jose Maria Romero born Nov. 1808, Pojoaque, NM
8. Jesus Maria born April 24, 1806, Pojoaque, NM
9. Maria Venancia born Jan 20, 1804, Pojoaque, NM
10. Maria Basilia born April 14,1816, Pojoaque, NM

Going through the index of Santa Cruz Baptisms Volume 3, I listed all the page numbers where the name of Maria Paula Valdez appeared and was reviewing each page. On one entry it indicated the grandparents for one of the grandchildren as Maria Paula Valdez and Manuel Marques (instead of Manuel Romero). I just assumed that Manuel Romero had died and she had gotten married again and indicated that fact on my family group sheet. Then I found another entry at a later date with the grandparents listed as Manuel Romero and Maria Paula Valdez. Now I started thinking that there were two individual families instead of one. In order to separate them, I knew I would have to list each known child of Manuel Romero and Maria Paula Valdez and proceed from there.

By this time, I had found the Hispanic Genealogy Research Center and the Great New Mexico database. I wrote down the information on the Romero and Ortiz children including their spouses then began to recheck the information with the Santa Cruz baptisms so I could determine where the discrepancies occurred and separate the Manuel Marques Family from the Manuel Romero family. Instead of locating two distinct families, there were no entries for Manuel Marques and Maria Paula Valdez as a separate family however, there was seven entries where the known children of Manuel Romero and Maria Paula Valdez were either listed as having Marques as a last name or listing grandparents as Manuel Marques and Maria Paula Valdez. Listed below are the children and grandchildren of Manuel Romero and Maria Paula Valdez – where the discrepancies occur; I have listed the entire birth record and translation.

A. Jose Rafael Romero married Maria Estefana Ortiz daughter of Jose Miguel Cayetano Ortiz & Juana Sandoval on December 16, 1825 in Nambe, NM.

1. Pablo Eufemio Romero bapt. 3-22-1829, Pojoaque
2. Maria Rosa del Refugio Romero bapt. 8-1-1831, Pojoaque
3. Crisanto Romero
4. Maria Juana Andrea Romero bap.2-9-1834, San Ildefonso (listed on Pojoaque film 16870)
5. Paula Romero
6. Maria Encarnación Romero

B. Maria Alvina Romero married Jose Miguel Cayetano Ortiz (she was his second wife). They were married April 30, 1826. His first wife was Juana Sandoval. Miguel was the son of Gaspar Ortiz and Maria Francisca Martin. Maria Alvina Romero and Miguel Cayetano Ortiz have the following children:

1. Maria De La Paz Ortiz
2. Antonio Toribio Ortiz - 12-8-1828
3. Juana Maria Ortiz - 8-16-1829
4. Maria Antonia Ortiz - June12, 1831
5. Jose Ramon Placido Ortiz June 22,1832
6. Maria Eulogia Ortiz - March14, 1834
7. Maria Florentina Ortiz – 10-9-1835 – Her birth record was located in San Yldefonso even though she was born in Pojoaque. Her birth record lists parents as Miguel Ortiz and Albina Marques and grandparents: Paternal – Gaspar Ortiz and Francisca Martin; Maternal – Manuel Marques and Maria Paula Baldes. Godparents Jose Alexandro Gonzales and Maria Luisa Belarde
8. Maria Yldefonsa Ortiz - 2-2-1837
9. Jose Gabriel Ortiz – baptized at Santa Cruz on March 18, 1839 age 3 days – Vecinos from Pojoaque – to Miguel Ortiz and Albina Marques. Paternal Grandparents – Gaspar Ortiz and Francisca Martin(es) Maternal Grandparents – Manuel Marques and Maria Paula Valdez. Godparents Manuel Rivera and Peregrina Pacheco of Santa Fe.
10. Maria de San Felipe Fernando Ortiz baptized 5-30-1841 at Santa Cruz child of Miguel Ortiz and Maria Marques. Grandparents: Paternal – Gaspar Ortiz and Maria Francisca Martin(es); Maternal: Manuel Marques and Maria Paula Valdez. Godfather Mauricio Areva of Pojoaque.
11. Maria Ruperta Ortiz - 3-29-1843

C. Maria Guadalupe Romero married Jose Miguel Ortiz – son of Jose Miguel Cayetano Ortiz and Juana Sandoval. Maria Guadalupe Romero and Jose Manuel Ortiz have the following known children:

1. Maria Ramona Benigna Ortiz baptized Feb. 16, 1845
2. Jose Bitor Ortiz b. 10-18-1850 Santa Cruz – Grandparents named.
3. Jose Manuel Ortiz bt. 11-11-1846 baptized in San Yldefonso age 4 days Grandparents listed in this record.
4. Jose Sebero Ortiz – bt. 11-11-1846 age 4 days Santa Cruz –grandparents named in this record. Godfather – Miguel Quintana of Pojoaque
5. Maria Ramona Vitoria Ortiz bt. 12-22-1839
6. Maria Rufina Ortiz – bt. 6-4-1841 age 3 days daughter of Jose Manuel Ortiz and Maria Guadalupe Romero – record has the grandparents reversed – shows paternal as Manuel Marques (sic) and Pabla Valdez; maternal – Miguel Ortiz and Juana Sandoval.
7. Jose Julian Ortiz bt. Jan. 9, 1843 age 2 days son of Jose Manuel Ortiz and Maria Guadalupe Romero; grandparents listed – paternal Ga(illegible) Ortiz and Maria Paula Valdez – Maternal - Manuel Marques and Maria Paula Valdez. Godparents Juan Jose
   
   
    
   1. Ortiz and Maria Altagracia Romero of Pojoaque. I believe the paternal grandparents portion of the record is incorrect
   
   
   D. Maria Ygnacia Romero married Pedro Ortiz – son of Jose Miguel Cayetano Ortiz and Juana Sandoval. No children are found for this couple in the Santa Cruz, Pojoaque, Nambe or San Ildefonso baptisms.
   
   
   E. Maria Gracia Romero married Juan Jose Ortiz – son of Gaspar Ortiz and Francisca Martin. Juan Jose is the brother of Jose Miguel Cayetano Ortiz. Maria Guadalupe Romero and Jose Manuel Ortiz have the following known children:
   
   
8. Maria Rufina Ortiz – bt. 6-4-1841 age 3 days daughter of Jose Manuel Ortiz and Maria Guadalupe Romero – record has the grandparents reversed – shows paternal as Manuel Marques (sic) and Pabla Valdez; maternal – Miguel Ortiz and Juana Sandoval.
9. Jose Julian Ortiz bt. Jan. 9, 1843 age 2 days son of Jose Manuel Ortiz and Maria Guadalupe Romero; grandparents listed – paternal Ga(illegible) Ortiz and Maria Paula Valdez – Maternal - Manuel Marques and Maria Paula Valdez. Godparents Juan Jose Ortiz and Maria Altagracia Romero of Pojoaque. I believe the paternal grandmother listed on this record is incorrect.
10. Maria Ramona Benigna Ortiz –bt. 2-16-1845
11. Jose Manuel Ortiz bt. 11-11-1846 baptized in San Yldefonso age 4 days Grandparents listed in this record.
12. Jose Sebero Ortiz – bt. 11-11-1846 age 4 days Santa Cruz –grandparents named in this record. Godfather – Miguel Quintana of Pojoaque
13. Maria Ramona Vitoria Ortiz bt. 12-22-1839
14. Jose Bitor Ortiz b. 10-18-1850 Santa Cruz – Grandparents named.

F. Jose Maria Romero married Maria Estefana Gallegos daughter of Juan Gallegos and Ana Maria Salas. They are parents of the following children:

1. Juan Relles Romero
2. Juana Francisca Romero bt. 2-2-1840
3. Jose Demetro de Jesus Romero bt. 12-25-1844
4. Maria Desideria Benigna Romero bt. 2-13-1849 – Santa Cruz
5. Jose Andres Marques bt. 2-7-1847 in San Yldefonso age 3 days son of Jose Maria Marques and Maria Estefana Gallegos – paternal grandparents – Manuel Marques and Maria Paula Valdez; maternal grandparents – Juan Gallegos and Maria Sandoval. Godparents – Francisco Garcia and Maria Rosa Marquez. I believe this record actually for Jose Maria Romero and Maria Estefana Gallegos.

A seed of doubt entered my mind. Especially after finding entries for Maria Alvina Romero where she is listed under two names Marques & Romero. I started wondering if Manuel Marques and Manuel Romero were one and the same person. The problem with an idea such as this; is that I couldn’t let it go. I kept looking for clues to see if I could find something to indicate that the two Manuels were one and the same person.

There was one book written about “The Ortiz Family” by Virginia Olmstead that I had heard of so I started asking everyone I knew where I could find a copy. Finally after many inquiries, I was able to purchase a copy of the book. On page 53 Ms. Olmstead lists a son of Miguel Ortiz and Juana Sandoval named Manuel who indicated during a land transaction that his father-in-law Manuel Romero was also known as Manuel Marques. Ms. Olmstead indicated that Juan Manuel’s wife was not named; but I felt that on the strength of that entry I should go back and research the family once more.

I concentrated my search in Nambe and Pojoaque, as that was where some of the Romero children had been born. This time, I searched for any Marques entry. I have been able to locate birth records for Jose Rafael, Maria Alvina, Maria de Altagracia and Maria Venancia, four known children of Manuel Romero and Maria Paula Valdes. The entries I located however, are for children of Manuel Marques and Maria Paula Valdes. The birth years for these Marques children coincide with ages known for Jose Rafael and Maria Alvina.

Record # On July 6, 1796, I baptized and put sacred oils onto Jose Rafael legitimate son of Manuel Marques and Maria Paula Valdez, landowners from this jurisdiction. Godfather was Jose Francisco Trujillo.

Record #2 In this parish of Our Lady of Pojoaque on March 6, 1807 I baptized solemnly a child named Maria Alvina legitimate daughter of Manuel Marques and Maria Paula Baldez. Godparents Mariano Trujillo and Andrea Lucero who accepted this obligation of spiritual parenting (unsure of rest of translation.

Record #3 – On June 13, 1811 I baptized a child, three days old that I named Maria de Altagracia Romero legitimate daughter of Manuel Marques and Maria Paula Baldez. Padrinos - Juan de Jesus Baldez and Maria Barbara Armijo.

Record #4 On Jan 28, 1804, I baptized solemnly and placed sacred oil and chrism on Maria Venancia, three day old legitimate daughter of Manuel Romero & Maria Paula Baldes, landowners from this parish. Godparents Rafael Martin and Maria Sisneros, landowners from Chama.

The other part that I noted that both in the HGRC database and all other sources is that no personal information was listed about Manuel Romero and Maria Paula Valdes. On one of the baptismal records of the Romero children it listed Manuel Romero as “Jose Manuel” Romero. I have searched all the communities for any information on a Jose Manuel Romero and to date have found no information.

In researching another branch of my family I ordered the book “The Descendents of Lucero de Godoy” by Margaret Buxton. The family I was researching was Marcos Lucero de Godoy and his wife Maria Antonia Gomez del Castillo. This family had a daughter named Maria Andrea Lucero married to a Juan Domingo Valdes. On pages 89 and 172 Margaret Buxton indicates that Juan Domingo Valdes and Maria Andrea Lucero had a daughter named Maria Paula Valdes married to a Manuel Ricardo Romero. Was this a coincidence? Marriage information listed indicated a marriage in 1792 in San Ildefonso.

Before going any further I checked the godparents listed on all the Romero children looking for clues that might establish any other family members for Manuel Romero and Maria Paula Valdes. On Maria Alvina’s birth record, the padrinos were Andrea Lucero and her second husband Mariano Trujillo. On the birth record of Maria de Altagracia, the padrinos were Juan de Jesus Baldes and Maria Barbara Armijo. This Juan de Jesus was a known son of Juan Domingo Valdes and Andrea Lucero as indicated on page 137 in the book “The Spanish Re-colonization of New Mexico” by Jose Esquibel and John Colligan. Generally, the tradition is that the grandparents would baptize one child and then some of the brothers and/or sisters might be padrinos for another child.

In checking San Ildefonso’s marriage records I have located the marriage record of a Maria Paula Baldes daughter of Juan Domingo Baldes and Maria Andrea Lucero and Manuel Ricardo de Jesus Romero son of father unknown and mother Juana Getrudes Romero on May 2, 1792.

The fact that there is no father listed for Manuel Ricardo de Jesus Romero might explain the usage of both the Marques and the Romero last name.

Manuel Romero and Maria Paula Valdez baptize their first known child in May 1795, which would indicate that they had to have gotten married at least in 1793 or 1794. Unfortunately the early films of San Ildefonso are practically illegible has probably prevented me from finding any other children this couple might have had.

I am not yet convinced that the marriage record listed above is indeed the same Manuel Romero and Maria Paula Valdez. There are quite a few indications that it might be the same people especially with the custom of having close family members baptize your children, then it is very likely that Maria Paula Valdez is the daughter of Juan Domingo Valdez and Maria Andrea Lucero.
if in at least one of the baptismal records of the children, Manuel would have been listed as Manuel Ricardo Romero. I leave this question open to some other researcher in the hopes that some other document will be forthcoming to finally resolve this question.

CONCLUSION: After researching this family for the past year I believe that Manuel Marques and Manuel Romero are one and the same person. There are too many instances when the interchanging of the names occurs to the same family members. The fact that I have located birth records for four of the known children of Manuel Romero being baptized using the Marques last name is an indicator that the names were used interchangeably.

Though our ancestors left us a multitude of records to help in our genealogy searches – there are still a great many dead ends and a lot of questions for researchers.