<p><strong>https://sites.google.com/site/beyondoriginsofnmfamilies/nm-families-a-z/abeyta</strong></p><p><strong>ABEYTA</strong> -Promising Lead</p><p>Diego de Vectia (also known as Diego de Beitia and Diego de Abeytia; <em>ONMF: 119</em>) described himself as <em>español</em>, a native of Durango in Nueva Vizcaya, and the natural son of Diego de Ribera and Juana de Abeytia, both Durango natives, when he sought to marry Juana Torres at Santa Fe in 1696 (a marriage which apparently never took place, as he was still single in May 1697 when he was given livestock by Governor don Diego de Vargas —<em>SANM II: 63</em>). He gave his age as sixteen, indicating he was born circa 1680, and was a soldier of the Santa Fe Presidio at the time. Diego was recruited at Durango by Governor Vargas as a settler in the recolonization of New Mexico. In January 1698, at Santa Fe, he declared he had left Durango as a single man on 18 June 1693 and was given 70 pesos (approximately $210).</p><p>A search of the International Genealogical Index (IGI) reveals that the Abeitia family was residing in the City of Durango as early as 1624. This family name appears in the marriage and baptismal records of El Sagrario Metropolitano and San Juan Bautista de Analco (churches located in Durango) as Veitia, de Veitia, Veytia, de Veytia, Abetia, Abeytia, Abitia, Beitia, de Beitia, Beytia and de Beytia. The variation in spelling of this surname provides particular challenges for researching the genealogy of this family.</p><p>A review of the IGI for Durango shows baptismal records for two females with the name of Juana de Veitia. The first was Juana de Veitia Montealegre, baptized 21 March 1658 (Sagrario Metropolitano<em>, </em>Durango), the daughter of Martín de Veitia and Mariana de Montealegre. The second was Juana de Veytia Egurralo, baptized 22 July 1668 (Sagrario Metropolitano, Durango), the daughter of Martín de Veytia and Mariana Egurralo. A question that comes to mind is whether the parents of these two Juana's are the same couple. More research is needed to determine the answer. In addition, further research is needed to determine if one of these two Juana's was indeed the mother of Diego de Beitia, the progenitor of the Abeyta family of New Mexico.</p><p>The IGI provides this information on the Abeitia/Veitia family of Durango:</p><p>Martín de Abetia and Ana de Frías had two children baptized at the Sagrario Metropolitano, Victoria de Durango: María de Abetia Frías, baptized 3 June 1624, and Martín de Abetia Frías, baptized 30 April 1626.</p><p>____________________</p><p>Antonia de Abetia married 16 July 1626, Sagrario Metropolitano, Victoria de Durango, with Diego Núñez.</p><p>____________________</p><p>Anna de Veytia married 20 February 1645, San Juan Bautista de Analco Church, Victoria de Durango, with Tomás Mena.</p><p>____________________</p><p>Pedro de Veitia married 4 February 1652, San Juan Bautista de Analco Church, Victoria de Durango, with Beatriz Rodríguez. There is a second entry for this couple, most likely a veiling record among the marriage records, dated 6 November 1654, San Juan Bautista de Analco Church, Victoria de Durango.</p><p>____________________</p><p>Martín de Veitia (possibly the son of Martín de Abetia and Anna de Frías), married 29 April 1652, San Juan Bautista de Analco Church, Victoria de Durango), with Mariana de Montealegre. This couple had four known children baptized at the Sagrario Metropolitano, Victoria de Durango: Ana María de Veitia Montealegre, baptized 28 July 1653; María de Veitia Montealegre, baptized 20 September 1655; Juana de Veitia Montealegre, baptized 21 March 1658; and, Pedro de Veitia Montealegre, baptized 18 July 1661.</p><p>____________________</p><p>Antonia de Veitia married 21 December 1665, San Juan Bautista de Analco Church, Victoria de Durango, with Alonso Muñoz. There is a second entry for this couple, most likely a veiling record among the marriage records, dated 11 July 1667, San Juan Bautista de Analco Church, Victoria de Durango. In this second record, Antonia's surname is given as “de Abeita.”</p><p>____________________</p><p>Martín de Veytia and Mariana Egurrola (perhaps the same couple named as Martín de Veitia and Mariana de Montealegre) had this one daughter baptized at the Sagrario Metropolitano, Victoria de Durango: Juana de Veytia Egurrola, baptized 12 July 1668.</p><p>____________________</p><p>Ana de Veytia (possibly the daughter of Martín de Veitia and Mariana de Montealegre) married 18 December 1673, San Juan Bautista de Analco, Victoria de Durango, with Gabriel de Aragón. There is a second entry for this couple, most likely a veiling record among the marriage records, 9 January 1674, San Juan Bautista de Analco Church, Victoria de Durango.</p><p>____________________</p><p>Antonia de Veytia married 3 November 1680, Sagrario Metropolitano, Victoria de Durango, with Gerónimo Sorantes.</p><p>____________________</p><p>Martín de Veytia married 13 June 1694, Sagrario Metropolitano, Victoria de Durango, with María Leal. This may actually be a record of veiling since there is a baptismal record for two children of this couple: Antonia Margarita de Veytia Leal, baptized 4 November 1693, Sagrario Metropolitano; and, Joseph Caietano Abeitia Leal, baptized 11 November 1695, Nombre de Dios.</p><p>____________________</p><p>Some diligent research into these church records and other historical documents pertaining to the City of Durango in the seventeenth century may eventually lead to revealing the lineage of Diego de Beitia, progenitor of the Abeyta family of New Mexico.</p><p><strong>Researchers: José Antonio Esquibel and John B. Colligan</strong></p><p><strong>Sources: Chávez, New Mexico Roots, Ltd.&quot;, page 1 (DM 1696, Jan. 24, no. 21, Santa Fe); John B. Colligan, &quot;Vargas' 1693 Recruits for the Resettlement of New Mexico,&quot; in Genealogical Journal: Society of Hispanic Historical and Ancestral Research, Vol. II, 1995, 202; Spanish Archives of New Mexico (SANM) II, no. 63; International Genealogical Index (IGI), Family History Library (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).</strong></p>