Martin Balderas

Martin Balderas is known in various entries in the Canonical books of St. John the Baptist Parish in Banate, Iloilo, Philippines. These documents identifies him as husband of Doña Apolonia Baviera y Barte. The Municipality of Banate, Iloilo lists him among the Gobernadorcillos of the town during the Colonial Period.

The registry of burial of his wife in the Cemetery of St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Parish in Banate (entry no. 107 of the Burial Registry from 1910 to 1935) mentions his wife as the granddaughter of Don Felix Baviera, who was the first Gobernadorcillo of the town in 1837. The Parish Canonical Books also record the baptism, marriage and burials of their children, and grandchidren. Don Martin Balderas and Doña Apolonia Baviera had 11 children, the eldest of whom is Doña Maria Balderas y Baviera, married to Don Marcelo Madrid of Barcelona, Spain.

(Cf. also Principalía.)

Children
The Canonical Books of St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Parish in Banate register the burials of the following children of Don Martin Balderas and Doña Apolonia Baviera. All of which mention the name of the spouses as their parents:


 * [Maria Balderas (1857-1934)], married to [Marcelo Madrid (1859-1921)] of Barcelona, Spain. Died at the age of seventy-seven years, and was buried in Banate Roman Catholic Cemetery, on 16 September 1934.
 * Luisa Balderas y Baviera (1863-1913) married to Wensislao Maravilla, buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery of Banate, on 17 March 1913.
 * Simplicio Balderas y Baviera, married to Isabel Fuentes (cf. Burial Register, dated 4 October 1919, of Jesusa Balderas y Fuentes, aged 20 years).
 * Estemidada Balderas y Baviera, died on 28 September 1948 at the age of 86 years old, and buried on 6 October 1948.
 * Maxima (a.k.a. "Ima") Gonzalez née Balderas y Baviera, buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery of Banate.

Religious and Cultural Legacy
Don Martin Balderas handed down to his descendants the centuries-old image of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, popularly known in Banate as "The Dolorosa". It is an important religious and cultural legacy he left to his family and to the town of Banate. Originally given to the care of Doña Maria, his firstborn, the image was jointly taken cared of by his granddaughters Josefina Madrid (1902-1976) the youngest daughter of Doña Maria, and Luz Gonzalez y Balderas (daughter of his daughter Maxima Gonzales née Balderas). During the war, Luz took care of the image, saving it from damage. Remaining unmarried until her death in 1998, she gave properties to the Luz Balderas Gonzales Foundation, which has as one of its main benefaction the preservation and maintenance of the Dolorosa for the Viernes Santo procession the Banate.

Notes and references
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