A study in the pitfalls and frustrations of Genealogy and Family History

Early in my Lincoln Co studies I put 1870 and 1880 Censuses into a spreadsheet to facilitate my explorations. As I was trying to boil the various things down and try to make sense of it all, one of the entries that I couldn't figure out were the ones for Dolores Sanchez. She was listed with the Missouri Plaza folk in 1870 which is a pretty strong indicator that she was from the Manzano area. I kept going through the Tome Baptisms and Marriages looking for matching Sanchez families and could not figure it out, this went on for a lot of years; one of many mysteries.

From the 1870 Census, Lincoln Co. Pct. 3(Missouri Plaza), Family 53
53 Sanchez, Dolores 46 f Keeping House New Mexico
53 Sanchez, Antonio 16 m Farm Hand New Mexico
53 Sanchez, Bonifacia 7 f New Mexico
53 Sanchez, Victoriano 8 m New Mexico
53 Sanchez, Patricio 12 m New Mexico

From the 1880 Census, Plaza San Patricio, Family 35
35 Sanches, Dolores f 57 Keeping House NM
35 Sanches, Patricio m 24 Son Laborer NM
35 Sanches, Victoriano m 22 Son Laborer NM
35 Sanches, Bonifacio m 20 Son Laborer NM

Then a few years ago I was contacted by Dave Trujillo who has roots in San Patricio and the fog lifted. Dave was trying to fill in some blanks in his stuff and we compared notes. Dolores was part of his family, she was a widow and like most women of her time she used her birth name; when the Census Enumerator was taking information he assumed (like a good Anglo) that the kids had her last name.

Finally I got around to the 1900 Census and that confirmed everything.

From the 1900 Census LC, Pct.2 San Patricio, Family 50
50 Trujillo, Patricio Head w m Apr 1860 40 s NM Day Laborer
50 Sanchez, Dolores Mother w f Mar 1830 70 w/? NM

That allowed me to fill in a lot of blanks:

José Manuel Trujillo Son of Cristobal Truxillo (Trujillo) and Josefa Otreo2 (mother's surname in his baptismal record, she was Olgin in other records)
Born 12 May 1809
Baptized 15 May 1809, age 3 days in the Tomé Parish
Godparents were Toribio Truxillo and Andrea Lucero
Died before 1870
María de los 'Dolores' Sanches Married, 9 Feb 1835
He was from Ysleta and she was from Tomé
Witnesses: Diego Baca and Anto. Samora
Dolores: Daughter of Domingo Sanches and Tomasa García
Born 12 Mar 1822
Baptized 17 Mar 1822, age 5 days in las Mansanas (Manzano)
Godparents were Bisente Zamora and María Petra Baca

Children of Dolores and José Manuel:
(This is not necessarily a complete list of children)
Antonio José Trujillo b. 12 Apr 1850
Bapt. 14 Apr 1850, age 2 days, in Peralta
Godparents, José Ma. Otero and Margarita Otero
Patricio Trujillo b. 20 Apr 1855
Bapt. 22 Apr 1855, age 2 days in Valencia
Godparents, Antonio Rafael Otero and Ana Ma. Otero of Valencia
Bonifacio Trujillo b. 1859
Bapt. 15 May 1859 in Peralta
Godparents, José Castañeda and Mariana Trujillo
Dionisio Trujillo b. 6 Oct 1861
Bapt. 9 Oct 1861 in Peralta
Godparents, Benito Trujillo and Dolores Trujillo
Dionisio Trujillo b. 28 Jan 1863
Bapt. 2 Feb 1863 in Valencia
Godparents, Anto. Trujillo and Refugio Trujillo

From the Tomé and Belén Marriages 1783-1856 by the NMGS
From the Tomé Baptisms Vol. I or Vol. II, 1793-1881 by the NMGS