Friar José María Pavón y Araguro acknowledged many sources of information for his books: untraceable informants, unknown documents and authors who were were already deceased or not even born yet or who, due to other circumstances, could not have written the documents that were ascribed to them. Thus, it is no small coincidence that Pavón's own life story, as described in his manuscripts, was equally dubious.
Kinilala ni Prayle José María Pavón y Araguro ang maraming pinanggalingan ng kaniyang mga kabatiran: mga taong hindi matunton, mga di-kilalang kasulatan at mga manunulat na patay na o hindi pa ipinanganganak o, sa ibang kadahilanan ay, hindi maaaring naging may-akda ng mga sulatin na taglay ang kanilang panagalan. Kaya hindi nakapagtataka na ang sariling talambuhay ni Pavón, iyong inilarawan sa kaniyang mga sulatin, ay nakapagdududa rin.