Introduction
The cave snuff is located in Gatuño Town in the city of Matamoros, Coahuila. It is named like this becuase of the surrounding area had a type of wild snuff. This cave was the place where Benito Juarez saved the national documents when the french invaded Mexico.
On August 27, 1843, Benito Juarez reached the town of Parras, where he met the brothers Vicente and Timoteo Ramirez who were peasants and became friends of Benito Juarez which he leaves them to take care the national documents. They believed it was safe to hide the national documents in cave snuff.
Direction: East Highway Matamoros - Saltillo (15 Km. from Matamoros).
History
In 1864, some marked laguneros staged the custody of the General Archive of the Nation in Cave Snuff commissioned by President Benito Juárez. The President instructed them to guard eleven carts loaded with a selection of valuable documents that were of the greatest importance for the Liberal Party and for the cause of Juárez, by then struggling against the empire of Maximilian. These laguneros faithfully fulfilled the order, even at risk of torture and death at the hands of the French.
Among the names of these brave laguneros is, first, Don Juan de la Cruz Borrego, the leader of them all. The other mighty ones Julian Argumedo, Angel, Vicente, Cecilio and Andres Ramirez, Diego de los Santos, Epifanio and Ignacio Reyes, Matthew Guillen Francisco, Julian and William Caro, Telésforo and Geronimo Reyes, Marino Ortiz, Guadalupe Sarmiento, Pablo and Manuel Arreguin and Geronimo Salazar.
16 years before the events of 1864, that is, in 1848, John Joseph of the Cross Borrego, then 30, was living quietly in "The Gatuño", a tiny community of only 31 homes. This place is now called "Congregación Hidalgo" and is located in the town of Matamoros, Coahuila.
With his wife, Benita Rodriguez, 25, had fathered two Juan José Agustín (baptized in Viesca in September 7, 1844) and Gabriel, both surnamed Rodriguez Borrego children. Juan José and Benita were a young married couple, as were married in 1843, November 25, in the parish of Viesca, Coahuila. Between 1843 and January 30, 1848, had fathered her two sons But after this date they had others that were: José Felipe and María Rosa, twins, (baptized on the 11th March 1848).
The birth certificate of Juan José and Benita, transcribes: “In this saint parish church of the Álamo of Parras, to the 25 days of the month of November of the year of the Lord of 1843, having preceded the three canonical monitions in three Holy Mass, that they were on thirty October, first and six of November, I, the presbyter Anacleto Lozano, curate, and watched in facie eclesie by words of present, asking them his mutual consent, to Juan José Borrego, of twenty and five years, single, from the point of Saint Sunday of the Tip of this jurisdiction, adoptive son of Francisco Borrego and of Inés of the Crag, with Benita Rodríguez, of 20 years old, resident of the Ovens, legitimate daughter of José Antonio Pío Rodríguez and of María Eulogia Salazar. Witnesses: Onofre Hernández and Guadalupe Muñoz, for proof sign it. [Rubric]”. Viesca. Book Fourth of Marriages 1828-1844. Copy in the center of Historical Investigations in the UIA-Torreón.
For being Juan José de la Cruz Borrego, adoptive son, this chronicler could not track his ascending genealogy. However, we will mention the one of Benita Rodríguez Salazar, his wife. His parents married on the 29th July 1821, in the church of the Álamo. Pío Quinto Rodríguez, of 25 years old, son of Francisco Rodríguez and of María Catarina Cifuentes, It married with María Eulogia Salazar, daughter of José María Salazar and of María Jacinta Estrada, already deceased.
Another of the men that participated in the custody of the General Archive of the nation was Guadeloupe Sarmiento Espino (or Espinoza). He was from Mapimí, where was born in 1822. He got married with María Inocencia Salazar, from the Inland Revenue of The Ovens (Viesca’s jurisdiction) on 10th February 1844.
When the census of the jurisdiction of Viesca began (1848), Guadeloupe Sarmiento and María Inocencia were in his house at the Ranch of Matamoros (Coahuila), with their one-year old daughter, Matiana Sarmiento.
Don Guadalupe was the son of José María Sarmiento and María Eugenia Espino, married in the parish church of Santiago of Mapimí on the 15th of February in 1820, and the grandson of Martín Sarmiento and Úrsula Vargas, Félix Espino and Bernarda Silva, on the maternal line.
The father of María Inocencia Salazar, wife of Guadalupe, was Ignacio Salazar, the one who was born in the Real of Cuencamé in 1795. Being resident at that place, got married in Viesca on the 30th January 1820 with María Paulina Montoya, who was born in 1797. Inocencia was the granddaughter father sides of José Maria Salazar and of María Jacinta Estrada, and granddaughter on the mother sides, of Máximo Montoya and María Clara de los Reyes.
Guadalupe Sarmiento's father and mother in law were neighbors of the "Gatuño" (congregacion hidalgo, matamoros coahuila) at 1848. They lived with their sons, Geronimo Salazar (15 years old), Roberto Salazar (14 years old), Longinos Salazar (11 years old), Maria Catarina Salazar ( 9 years old) and Bonifacio Salazar (7 years old). All of them were Guadalupe's Brothers and sister in law.
Geronimo Salazar Montoya, Juan De La Cruz Borrego's brother in law, was one of those men who became custodian of the "Archivo general de la nacion en la cueva o gruta del tabaco" 16 years later. January 7th of 1856, Geronimo married Maria Benedicta Salazar at the Santiago apostol church, in viesca coahuila. Maria was born at saucillo, she was Enrique Salazar and Maria Guillermina Baltara's daughter. The Marriage certificate said:
"At the year of the lord, january 30th of 1820,me, the parson Mariano del Riaño, married Jose Ignacio Salazar, 25 years old man, native from Real del Cuencame and resident in Hacienda de los hornos since he was born, he is son of Jose Ma. Salazar and Ma. Jacinta estrada (passed away) to Maria Paulina Montoya, 23 years old woman, native from parras de la fuente. She is daughter of Maximo Montoya (passed away) and Ma. Clara De Los Reyes. Her god parents were Andres Adame and Maria Simona Lerna.
The articles series named "Guardianes del archivo general de la nacion" has as it purpose to honor the memory of those laguneros who were involved during the french invasion to mexico, in order to keep in secret the location of the books and files that Mr. Benito Juarez gave them to custody.
This article is dedicated to Mateo Guillen, he was a custodian of the Archivo general de la nacion files at 1864. Mateo Guillen Espino was born in 1824 at Mapimi, Durango, 24 years later he moved to Matamoros Coahuila. His parents got married in january 2nd of 1820 at Mapimi, They were Jose Vicente Guillen y Maria Josefa Espino. Mateo's grandparents were Jose Guillen, Eufrasia Reyes, Felix Espino y Ma. Fernanda Silva.
Mateo Guillen got married at Viesca, Coahuila in february 26th of 1854, with Marta Severiana Guerrero, daughter of Felix Guerrero and Ma. Regina Chacon. From this marriage was born Genoveva Guillen Guerrero, march 1st of 1856 at Viesca Coahuila.
The birth certificate of Juan José and Benita, transcribes: “In this saint parish church of the Álamo of Parras, to the 25 days of the month of November of the year of the Lord of 1843, having preceded the three canonical monitions in three Holy Mass, that they were on thirty October, first and six of November, I, the presbyter Anacleto Lozano, curate, and watched in facie eclesie by words of present, asking them his mutual consent, to Juan José Borrego, of twenty and five years, single, from the point of Saint Sunday of the Tip of this jurisdiction, adoptive son of Francisco Borrego and of Inés of the Crag, with Benita Rodríguez, of 20 years old, resident of the Ovens, legitimate daughter of José Antonio Pío Rodríguez and of María Eulogia Salazar. Witnesses: Onofre Hernández and Guadalupe Muñoz, for proof sign it. [Rubric]”. Viesca. Book Fourth of Marriages 1828-1844. Copy in the center of Historical Investigations in the UIA-Torreón.
For being Juan José de la Cruz Borrego, adoptive son, this chronicler could not track his ascending genealogy. However, we will mention the one of Benita Rodríguez Salazar, his wife. His parents married on the 29th July 1821, in the church of the Álamo. Pío Quinto Rodríguez, of 25 years old, son of Francisco Rodríguez and of María Catarina Cifuentes, It married with María Eulogia Salazar, daughter of José María Salazar and of María Jacinta Estrada, already deceased.
Another of the men that participated in the custody of the General Archive of the nation was Guadeloupe Sarmiento Espino (or Espinoza). He was from Mapimí, where was born in 1822. He got married with María Inocencia Salazar, from the Inland Revenue of The Ovens (Viesca’s jurisdiction) on 10th February 1844.
When the census of the jurisdiction of Viesca began (1848), Guadeloupe Sarmiento and María Inocencia were in his house at the Ranch of Matamoros (Coahuila), with their one-year old daughter, Matiana Sarmiento.
Don Guadalupe was the son of José María Sarmiento and María Eugenia Espino, married in the parish church of Santiago of Mapimí on the 15th of February in 1820, and the grandson of Martín Sarmiento and Úrsula Vargas, Félix Espino and Bernarda Silva, on the maternal line.
The father of María Inocencia Salazar, wife of Guadalupe, was Ignacio Salazar, the one who was born in the Real of Cuencamé in 1795. Being resident at that place, got married in Viesca on the 30th January 1820 with María Paulina Montoya, who was born in 1797. Inocencia was the granddaughter father sides of José Maria Salazar and of María Jacinta Estrada, and granddaughter on the mother sides, of Máximo Montoya and María Clara de los Reyes.
Guadalupe Sarmiento's father and mother in law were neighbors of the "Gatuño" (congregacion hidalgo, matamoros coahuila) at 1848. They lived with their sons, Geronimo Salazar (15 years old), Roberto Salazar (14 years old), Longinos Salazar (11 years old), Maria Catarina Salazar ( 9 years old) and Bonifacio Salazar (7 years old). All of them were Guadalupe's Brothers and sister in law.
Geronimo Salazar Montoya, Juan De La Cruz Borrego's brother in law, was one of those men who became custodian of the "Archivo general de la nacion en la cueva o gruta del tabaco" 16 years later. January 7th of 1856, Geronimo married Maria Benedicta Salazar at the Santiago apostol church, in viesca coahuila. Maria was born at saucillo, she was Enrique Salazar and Maria Guillermina Baltara's daughter. The Marriage certificate said:
"At the year of the lord, january 30th of 1820,me, the parson Mariano del Riaño, married Jose Ignacio Salazar, 25 years old man, native from Real del Cuencame and resident in Hacienda de los hornos since he was born, he is son of Jose Ma. Salazar and Ma. Jacinta estrada (passed away) to Maria Paulina Montoya, 23 years old woman, native from parras de la fuente. She is daughter of Maximo Montoya (passed away) and Ma. Clara De Los Reyes. Her god parents were Andres Adame and Maria Simona Lerna.
The articles series named "Guardianes del archivo general de la nacion" has as it purpose to honor the memory of those laguneros who were involved during the french invasion to mexico, in order to keep in secret the location of the books and files that Mr. Benito Juarez gave them to custody.
This article is dedicated to Mateo Guillen, he was a custodian of the Archivo general de la nacion files at 1864. Mateo Guillen Espino was born in 1824 at Mapimi, Durango, 24 years later he moved to Matamoros Coahuila. His parents got married in january 2nd of 1820 at Mapimi, They were Jose Vicente Guillen y Maria Josefa Espino. Mateo's grandparents were Jose Guillen, Eufrasia Reyes, Felix Espino y Ma. Fernanda Silva.
Mateo Guillen got married at Viesca, Coahuila in february 26th of 1854, with Marta Severiana Guerrero, daughter of Felix Guerrero and Ma. Regina Chacon. From this marriage was born Genoveva Guillen Guerrero, march 1st of 1856 at Viesca Coahuila.
