(Hernandez, Isidro and Ana Sanchez)

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1794 Jan. 13

H(e)rn(ande)z, Isidro

to Father (Patrick Walsh)
(New Orleans, Louisiana)

Isidro H(e)rn(ande)z, a native of the Canary Islands and resident of this city, appears and states that: In May, 1785 he was married to Ana Sanchez of the Canary Islands, daughter of Gaspar Sanchez and Beatriz Hela, by Father Salvador de Esperenza, O.Merced., chaplain of the Royal Hospital, now deceased. Therefore Hernandez would like to have the declarations of the witnesses he will present who will swear to the following: 1. That he is a native of the Canary Islands, son of Gonzalo H(e)rn(ande)z and Maria Josefa Gonz(ale)z, that he married the said Ana Sanchez in May, 1785, that Father Salvador performed the ceremony in the house of his wife, situated at the English "Turn", five leagues from the city down the river, where there is no parish; 2. That before marrying Ana Sanchez he was the widower of Barbara Pedron and was a soldier of this regiment from whose Colonel he had permission to marry; 3. That before marrying Ana Sanchez he had had a son by Juliana Hela, aunt of Ana, who is in Havana and is more than eight years old; 4. That before marrying Ana there were no proceedings to free him nor paternal permission nor dispensation; 5. That he and his present wife have not lived together. With this information Walsh might declare the marriage null so he asks him to examine it and decree what is just. He also asks Walsh to order Father Mariano de Brunete, (O.M.Cap.), pastor of St. John Baptist of the second German Coast who was pastor of St. Bernard of the "Turn," (New Galvez), to certify if he remembers seeing in the parish books the entry of their marriage; to order the present pastor of the "Turn," Father Jose(f) de Villaproveda, (O.M.Cap.), to certify after examining the parish books of his church, ten years back, whether there is an entry of his marriage with Ana Sanchez and if so to make a copy of it; to order Father Augustin Lamare, (O.F.M.), present chaplain of the Second Battalion to certify after having examined the books of both battalions whether there is an entry of marriage and if so to send a copy; and that he order Father Joaq(ui)n de Portillo, (O.M.Cap.), pastor of this parish of St. Luis (New Orleans) to examine the books of this parish and certify whether there is an entry of this marriage and if there is to make a copy of it. In a note at the beginning of the document (Estevan de) Quinones, as notary, certified that (Hernandez) appeared and was unable to sign.
D. (Spanish)

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(1794) (Jan. 14)

Walsh, Father (Patrick)
(New Orleans, Louisiana)

The information is to be received and the witnesses to appear in the case of Isidro Hern(ande)z and Ana Sanchez in compliance with the above petition. The present notary will examine the archives of this vicariate to see if there are any proceedings for this marriage and bring them. Quinones certifies that Walsh, Vicar Forane, Ecclesiastical Judge of the Province for the Bishop of Havana, signed the document. In five notes following Quinones also certifies that he notified Her(nande)z, Ana Sanchez, Portillo and Lamare of the decree and sent the order to Villaprovedo and Brunete.

D.S. (Spanish)

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1794 Jan. 31

Quinones, Estevan de
New Orleans, (Louisiana)

Ana Sanchez appeared before Walsh and swore in answer to the first question that her husband, Hern(ande)z was a native of the Canary Islands but she did not know his parents, that she had been married to him in the year and month cited by Father Esperanza in her own home at the "English Turn" six miles down the river from New Orleans; that she did not know whether father Esperanza was Chaplain of the Regiment or of the Hospital and that there was no parish there at that time; that the second and third statements were true; that she had seen the son, named Antonio Dionesio(?) who had gone with his mother to Havana to live and is more than eight years old; that he had been conceived by Juliana Perez, alias Helas, with a promise of marriage which never occurred; that it is true that no proceedings took place to obtain her parents; consent nor that of the Colonel nor a dispensation; that she had married Isidro but they had not lived as man and wife because of the repugnance she felt toward him because of his relationship with her aunt; that the marriage was performed while she was ill in bed, they came in and took her unawares and she being confused at seeing Don J(ose)ph Pontalba and Don Pedro de Marigny former Commandant of the "Turn," and a sergeant named Matias, answered yes to Father Salvador's questions. She will be 25 years old her next birthday. She did not know how to sign; the Vicar signed.

A.D.S. (Spanish)

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1794 Jan. 31

Quinones, Estevan de
(New Orleans, Louisiana)

Beatriz Flores appeared before (Walsh) as a witness and swore to the truth of (essentially the same statements as given above) about the marriage of Ana Sanchez, her daughter, (adding that) she had not known about this marriage beforehand, that she had heard Father Salvador from the next room and came in but Father had finished, and that Hern(ande)z had never seen her daughter since. Biatriz Flores is 45 years old; she does not know how to sign, the Vicar signed.

A.D.S. (Spanish)

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1794 Feb. 1

Quinones, Estevan de
New Orleans, (Louisiana)

Isidro Hern(ande)z appeared before Walsh and swore to the truth of all the statements in his petition (of January 13), and that he was about 35 years old. Walsh also signs this.

D. (Spanish)

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1794 Feb. 14

Lamare, (O.F.M.) Father Augusta
New Orleans, (Louisiana)

to Father (Patrick Walsh)
(New Orleans, Louisiana)

Lamare, Chaplain (of the Regiment) has done everything possible to carry out (Walsh)'s order sent by Quinones about the record of the marriage of Isidro Hernandez and Ana Sanchez but he has not been able to verify it because it is not in the books of the first and second battalions of the Regiment of Louisiana in his charge.

A.L.S. (Spanish)

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1794 Jan. 26

Villaprovedo, O.M.Cap., Father Joseph de
New Galvez, (Louisiana)

to Father (Patrick Walsh
New Orleans, Louisiana)

As pastor of St. Bernard's of New Galvez, in obedience with the Vicar's order under the date of the 14th, has not found the record of the marriage said to have been contracted between Hernandez and Ana Sanchez. The only book of the marriages of whites of this parish which begin on page 99, start with January 8,
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1786.

A.L.S. (Spanish)

IV-4-o D., A.D.S. A.L.S. 21pp. 4to. (1p. 8vo.) (Spanish)
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