Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle


Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle was Governor and Captain General of New Mexico, between 1754 and 1760.

Biography

Francisco Antonio Marin del Valle was baptized in the Villa del Lumbreras, Murcia, Spain, on July 12, 1722. He was the son of Francisco Marin del Valle and Manuela Saenz de Tejada. His Paternal grandparents were Mateo Marín del Valle and Catalina Fraile. His maternal grandparents were Blas Sáenz de Tejada and María Garcia Baquedano. His brother was Santiago Marín. All them were residents and natives of this village.
to Marín del Valle
When he came to Americas, he settled in the state of Potosí, where he worked in the mines of Charcas. Later he emigrated to Mexico, where became a merchant. Marín del Valle became mayor of Mexico and between 1754 and 1760 was Governor and Captain General of Province of New Mexico.
In 1754, he commissioned Spanish engineer and cartographer Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco to make the new map of El Paso, where he had lived since 1743. His work was the first accurate and detailed map of southern New Mexico, in El Paso.
As the Spanish had no churches in New Mexico, Marin del Valle ordered the construction of one church for the 1000 men living there with their wives. He named the church as Nuestra Señora de la Luz. It was basically a military chapel, so later was called "La Castrense".
Francisco Marin del Valle formed two brotherhoods: Nuestra Señora de la Luz and the Nuestra Señora de Valvanera.
He was replaced by Mateo Antonio de Mendoza in 1760.

Legacy

The altarpiece of Nuestra Señora de la Luz was moved to the Cathedral of Santa Fe in 1859, because the military chapel had fallen to ruin. It was taken in 1939 to the Iglesia de Cristo Rey, where it currently resides.

Personal life

Francisco Antonio Marín del Valle married Maria Ignacia Martinez de Ugarte, in 1754. While he ruled New Mexico, he bought land facing the Palace of the Governor, located between two settlements. He established a chapel there.