Finding Aid of the Title Papers of San Pedro and Cañon del Agua Grants, 1844-1880

The University of New Mexico, University Libraries, Center for Southwest Research

Center for Southwest Research
Zimmerman Library
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-1466
Phone: 505-277-6451
Fax: 505-277-0530
Email: cswrref@unm.edu
URL: http://www.unm.edu/~cswrref/



©2000

The University of New Mexico



Collection Summary

Title Title Papers of San Pedro and Cañon del Agua Grants
Dates (Inclusive) 1844-1880
Creator San Pedro and Canon del Agua Company
Collection Number MSS 75 BC
Size 1 volume
Repository University of New Mexico. Center for Southwest Research.
Language English.

History

Jose Serafin Ramirez was a lawyer from Bernalillo County, New Mexico. He served in the New Mexico Territorial Legislature from December 1853 to January 1857 and later in December 1863 to January 1865. He filed a private land claim for the San Pedro Grant, located in Bernalillo County. He gave the boundaries on the north as the Pueblo of San Felipe, on the south, the Cañon del Agua, on the east, the Ojo del Tuerto and on the west, banks of the Rio Norte. He also petitioned for the Cañon del Agua Grant, located in Santa Fe County, east of the San Pedro Grant, since it was "vacant and without owner." He received both grants. Thereafter this these two grants have also been called the "Ramirez Grant." There was alleged fraud concerning the boundaries established for the grants and subsequent litigation. In 1866, Ramirez and his wife, Maria Antonio Sandoval, sold the grants to a group of investors for $30,000. The group consisted of Asa B. Carey, Corydon E. Cooley, Hampton B. Denman, Charles S. Hinckley, Charles W. Kitchen, and John C. McFerran. In 1888 the grants were sold to the San Pedro and Cañon del Agua Company, who brought litigation for title to mining lands within the limits of the grants. It was ruled that Ramirez only had surface land rights since the Spanish and Mexican governments reserved the rights to the minerals.


Scope and Content

Cover of the "Title Papers to San Pedro and Cañon del Agua Grant."

This incomplete, bound, printed volume contains copies of various legal documents showing the history of ownership of the San Pedro and Cañon del Agua Grants from 1844 to 1880. There are deeds, field claims, briefs, decisions of the Surveyor General of New Mexico, descriptive notes of surveys, petitions of Jose Serafin Ramirez y Casanova, title of the San Pedro and Cañon del Agua Company, quitclaim deed from owners of Ortiz Grant and other legal documents.


Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Copy Restrictions

Limited duplication is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.


Preferred Citation

Title Papers of San Pedro and Cañon del Agua Grants (MSS 75 BC), Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections, University of New Mexico Libraries.


Related Material

Thomas B. Catron Papers, Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico

Thomas D. Campbell Papers, Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico

Indian Affairs Collection Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico


Access Terms

Cañon del Agua Grant

Land grants - - Law and legislation - - New Mexico

Land grants - - New Mexico - - Bernalillo County

Land grants - - New Mexico - - Santa Fe County

Ramirez, Jose Serafin

San Pedro Grant

San Pedro and Cañon del Agua Company


Contents List

Description Container

Title Papers San Pedro & Cañon del Agua Grants, 1850-1880.

152 pages

(Some of the final pages appear to be missing.)

Volume 1  

Relevant Secondary Material

Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Surveyor General Records and the Records of the Court of Private Land Claims.[Microfilm edition]