Sargento Mayor Cristobal Nevares y Heredia - His Legacy
A young man, Cristobal Nevares y Heredia, of about 25 years old arrived at Santiago Papasquiaro from Parral Chihuahua to take position as ‘Sargento Mayor’ or main sargent of the Presidio of Tepehuanes. He was the first person in Durango named Nevares or Nevarez, the latter being the present spelling of the surname. He took ownership of the Hacienda previously owned by Juan de Herrera Mojarras who was moved to Cerro Gordo to be under General Juan de Barraza. The start of the colonization of Nueva Viscaya was stalled by the Tepehuan Revolt of 1616 . But after 1621, the municipality of Santiago Papasquiaro and later Tepehuanes was recolonized with the effort of several leaders whose history is not well known even to the present population of Durango. After 1621 a few men headed the campaign to colonize Santiago Papasquiaro and Tepehuanes. These leaders were military men and they were the “first” persons that brought the surnames that are well known in this area. Along with a han