The University of New Mexico
Collection Summary | ||
| Title | Board of Trustees of the Sevilleta Grant Records | |
| Dates (Inclusive) | 1887-1939 | |
| Creator | Board of Trustees of the Sevilleta Grant | |
| Abstract | Collection contains various legal documents such as leases, options to buy land, quitclaim deeds, warranty deeds, tax receipts, etc. from the Spanish land grant, Sevilleta, located in Socorro County, New Mexico. Also includes minute book, June 15, 1921-September 14, 1938, of meetings held by the Trustees of the land grant community. | |
| Collection Number | MSS 688 BC | |
| Size | 1 box (.45 cu. ft.) + 1 oversize folder | |
| Repository | University of New Mexico. Center for Southwest Research. | |
| Languages | English , Spanish | |
The Sevilleta Land Grant was a community land grant located in northern Socorro County. It was granted on the 29th of May 1819 by the governor of the province of New Mexico, Governor Melgares. Miguel Aragon, Chief Alcalde of the jurisdiction of Belen notified the 67 original petitioners "that in order to enjoy the benefits of this grant they shall keep arms and horses..."
On December 4, 1893 the U.S. Court of Private Land Claims ruled the Grant as a valid claim. The grant was confirmed, plat and survey approved by the Court on December 12, 1901 totaling about 272,000 acres. There was a conflict with the Belen Grant over the boundary so it was re-surveyed. A grant board, Cuerpo de Fediscomisarios de La Merced de La Joya de Sebilleta, was elected. This board also known as the Board of Trustees of the Sevilleta de La Joya Grant, set up rules and regulations for governing the affairs of the grant. The first step was to decide how much land the descendants of each grantee was entitled to. Anyone in the community was permitted to sell whatever share he could definitely prove individual title to. There was a considerable amount of conflict and litigation among the villagers themselves before the matter of allotment was entirely settled. The unallotted portion of the grant was 216,000 acres, which remained communal lands.
In 1838, the Mexican Congress passed a law that gave tax-exempt status to common land and non-productive land. After New Mexico became a state, county taxes were levied against the Grant. No arrangement was provided whereby the taxes levied against the commonly owned portion of the grant could be paid. By 1920 the tax delinquency amounted to $23,000. Taxes for 1914-1922 were voided by the Court but beginning in 1923 the Grant was required to pay taxes. A tax judgement was rendered and at a public sale on August 14, 1928, the Sheriff of Socorro County sold the land to the highest bidder, which was the County. In 1934 the District Court ordered a sale of the property by the County, which was done through sealed bids on May 29, 1936. The highest bidder was Thomas Campbell, who bought it for $76,750. He acquired about 216,000 acres of the grant. Descendants of the original grantees retained land adjacent to the river normally used for growing crops. After the courts validated the sale of the grant to Campbell the villagers petitioned President Roosevelt and New Mexico Congressional representatives to intervene and assist them with a loan with which they could redeem the grant.
In 1973 the Nature Conservancy bought the 216,000 acres from the Campbell Family Foundation. The Conservancy deeded it to the U.S. Government as a wildlife refuge. Today it is known as the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge and has been declared a long-term ecological research site by the National Science Foundation and United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Documento de tierra en favor de Tomas Cordova, 1874 (Box 1, Folder 1)
The records of the Board of Trustees of the Sevilleta Grant consist of sales tax records, quit-claim deeds, warranty deeds, receipts, bonds, correspondence, lists of owners, mining, oil, gas and grazing leasing agreements, documents concerning water rights, petitions for land, options to buy land and ballots for the manager and commissioners of the acequia. This collection contains material in English and in Spanish. The material in the folders are arranged by date.
The records of the Board of Trustees of the Sevilleta Grant consist of sales tax records, quit-claim deeds, warranty deeds, receipts, bonds, correspondence, lists of owners, mining, oil, gas and grazing leasing agreements, documents concerning water rights, petitions for land, options to buy land and ballots for the manager and commissioners of the acequia. This collection contains material in English and in Spanish. The material in the folders are arranged by date.
The Book of Proceedings of the Joya de Cebilleta Land Grant Board of Trustees, dated June 18, 1921-September 14, 1938, is also included. The minutes for regular and special meetings are all in Spanish with the exception of two meetings. Tipped in the minute book are some documents in English. The members listed on the cover of the minute book are Abraham Baca, President, Pedro S. Contreras, Secretary, Procopio P. Armijo, Solomon Griego, Flavio Chaves. Pedro S. Contreras, a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives in the early 1930's, was secretary from 1921-April 1927, F.B. Baca began in May 1927, Antonio V. Tafayo, Ramon Torres, and Fred M. Romero were also secretaries.
In the documents are various names and spellings for the grant: Sevilleta Grant, Cebilleta de la Joya Land Grant, Cebiletta de la Joya Grant, La Sebilleta de la Joya Grant, Lajoya Grant, Cevilleta de la Joya, La Joya de Sebilleta Grant, and Cevilleta Grant. The name used in the Surveyor General records is Nuestra Se?ora de los Dolores de Sebilleta. The most commonly used name is La Joya Grant.
The collection is open for research.
Limited duplication of CSWR material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.
Board of Trustees of the Sevilleta Grant Records (MSS 688), Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections, University of New Mexico Libraries.
Thomas D. Campbell Papers, Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.
Thomas B. Catron Papers, Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.
Contains a map of the Sevilleta Grant (also includes parts of the Belen Grant and the Town of Socorro Grant)
Spanish Archives of New Mexico I, New Mexico State Records Center and Archives, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Spanish Archives of New Mexico II, New Mexico State Records Center and Archives, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Land Grant Collection, New Mexico State Records Center and Archives, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Board of Trustees of the Sevilleta Grant
Land grants -- New Mexico -- History
Land titles -- Registration and transfer -- New Mexico -- Socorro County
Mining leases -- New Mexico -- Socorro County
Oil and gas leases -- New Mexico -- Socorro County
Sevilleta Grant (N.M.) -- History
Socorro County (N.M.) -- History
| Description | Container | ||||
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"Documento de tierra en favor de Tomas Cordova, " February 25, 1874.
An agreement between the representatives and Tomas Cordova to build an acequia so the people of La Joya de Sevilleta Land Grant can use it to farm the land. The representatives had met with Cordova to reach the accord. A law was passed on January 1, 1874 that authorized this acequia on the grant. The direction and lands through which the acequia will run are given in the letter. It will intersect with the acequia madre, filed with Socorro County on December 20, 1887. |
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August 20, 1910-April 8, 1918.
Most of the material in folder 2 is in English. There are two documents in Spanish transfering land ownership from individuals to the Board of Trustees. Contains several mining leases, one for 99 years to G. L. Rule in 1911, a second mining lease to T.B. Everheart and J. H. Batchelder, 1917, and a third mining lease in 1918. Includes an option to buy 16,000 acres for $2.00/acre to H.O. Bursum in 1911 and another to Jose Epitacio Torres in 1914 to buy 20,000 acres at $1.85/acre. Also Trustees' deed for land purchased by James H. Batchelder, Jr. in 1911. Some of the Trustees who signed these documents are Sylvestre Esquibel, Leopoldo Contreras, Abran Barela, Rev. A. R. Cordova, and Alejo Gurule. |
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January 14, 1921-August 1, 1929.
Agreement between Trustees and Engineer Louis R. Goldbaum for a mining lease for gold, silver, zinc, coal, natural gas, etc. Redemption certificate receipts from the Office of Treasurer and Collection, Socorro in 1921 for taxes for 1912, 1913, and 1914. An agreement extending a lease for oil and gas with H.O. Bursum. Official complaint, asking for $200 against Juan De Dios Griego for trespassing sheep, damaging grass and grain and using the waters on the Grant without permission. Another mining lease for lead, copper, but no gas, oil or coal with 6% of the net profits going to the Grant. Petition of Intervention from O. A. Larrazolo and A.B. Renehan vs. the Trustees for 20,000 acres or $10,000. List of owners of the Grant, quit-claim deed, letters, official bonds, etc. Some of the Trustees who signed the documents are Pedro S. Contreras, Santiago G. Lucero, Solomon B. Griego, Abrahan Baca, F. B. Baca and Procopio P. Armijo. |
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October 23, 1930-May 17, 1939.
This folder contains a quit claim deed, letters on various topics such as payment for allowing grazing and bees on the Grant and the 1931 election of trustees, land lease contract to pasture sheep, petitions to Trustees to claim land on the Grant, warranty deeds, etc., also includes a document listing a tax by the Trustees to raise money for legal costs to challenge in Federal Court Thomas Campbell's purchase of the grant community land. Some of the Trustees listed on these documents are Ramon Torres, Pedro S. Contreras, Fred M. Romero, Arsenio Baca, Santiago G. Lucero, Alfredo Baca, and E. E. Esquibel. |
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Undated.
Partial list of documents in collection, miscellaneous notes and correspondence, ballots for manager and commissioners of the acequia, and ink blotter. |
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Libro de Procedimientos de La Merced de La Joya De Cebilleta, June 15,
1921-September 14, 1938. Minutes are in Spanish except for a couple meetings,
inserted documents are in English.
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Plat of land purchased by J. S. Baca in the Sevilleta Grant, Socorro Co. New Mexico,
surveyed by W. H. Herrick, June 19-23, 1916.
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Calkins, Hugh G. Notes on Community-owned Land Grants in New Mexico. United States. Soil Conservation Service. Region Eight. (Regional Bulletin (United States. Soil Conservation Service), no. 48), (Conservation Economics Series, no. 2) August, 1937.
The Documents Relating to Land Claims in New Mexico : as printed by order of the Congress of the United States between 1854-1891, v.3. Washington, D.C., 1891.
Land Records of New Mexico] : Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Surveyor General Records and the Records of the Court of Private Land Claims. [Santa Fe, N.M. : New Mexico State Records Center and Archives, 1987], reels 22 and 38.