From the moment I started researching the history of Aguascalientes, I realized that most of the large haciendas owned by our ancestors were land grants (mercedes de tierras) awarded by the Spanish crown to the early settlers and those who participated in que conquest of Mexico. Land grants were intended to promote agriculture, cattle breeding and mining in the area.
From the moment I started researching the history of Aguascalientes, I realized that most of the large haciendas owned by our ancestors were land grants (mercedes de tierras) awarded by the Spanish crown to the early settlers and those who participated in que conquest of Mexico. Land grants were intended to promote agriculture, cattle breeding and mining in the area.
What I would like to know is where documentation on the early land grants is archived. Is it at the Archivo General de la Nación in Mexico City, at the Archivo Histórico de Nueva Galicia in Guadalajara, or at the Archivo General de Indias in Seville? I would like to know if Lope Ruiz de Esparza’s “Estancia de Morcenique” was a land grant or if he actually purchased it from someone else. Lope was one of the early settlers of Aguascalientes. Other haciendas and ranches of interest are “San Bartholome” (aka San Bartolo) owned by Luis Tiscareño de Molina, Estancia de “El Agostadero” owned by Pedro Fernández de Vaulus, Labor de Chapultepeque” owned by Miguel López de Elizalde, “San Lorenzo” owned y Juan Bautista Ponce, “San Gerónimo” owned by Gerónimo de Orosco, “La Ciénega de Xiconaque” owned by Christóbal Lozano, Labor de “Los Gallos” owned by Pedro Macías Valadez, “Estancia de San Jacinto del Rincón” owned by Vicente Zaldívar y Mendoza, “El Picacho” owned by Salvador Ruiz de Esparza, etc. etc.
Any information will be greatly appreciated.
Bill Figueroa
Bill:
This is a very good question. In answering this question it is very important to understand Mexican colonial history and particularly the history of the political divisions within Mexico during Spanish colonial times.
As you probably know all of Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Jalisco and Nayarit were part of the Viceroyalty of Nueva Galicia. The viceroyalty had its own audencia (court) and government based in Guadalajara. Other than the indigenous towns in the region of Colotlan and Bolanos which were directly ruled by the Viceroy of New Spain in Mexico City, the government in Guadalajara handled all land matters for Nueva Galicia.
I know that for the region around Jerez, Tlaltenango and the surrounding areas in Zacatecas, most of the land grants are found in Guadalajara in the Archivo Historico del Estado de Jalisco in their “Tierras y Aguas” collection. There are subsquent transactions (sales, mortgages, etc.) found in Zacatecas in the state archive in Guadalupe (as this was the closest financial center and likely place for recordation of notarial documents such as these).
I know this is somewhat vague but I am largely speaking from heresay, as I have never seen any of these documents, except in extracts nor have I been able to visit either of these archives.
Bill:
This is a very good question. In answering this question it is very important to understand Mexican colonial history and particularly the history of the political divisions within Mexico during Spanish colonial times.
As you probably know all of Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Jalisco and Nayarit were part of the Viceroyalty of Nueva Galicia. The viceroyalty had its own audencia (court) and government based in Guadalajara. Other than the indigenous towns in the region of Colotlan and Bolanos which were directly ruled by the Viceroy of New Spain in Mexico City, the government in Guadalajara handled all land matters for Nueva Galicia.
I know that for the region around Jerez, Tlaltenango and the surrounding areas in Zacatecas, most of the land grants are found in Guadalajara in the Archivo Historico del Estado de Jalisco in their “Tierras y Aguas” collection. There are subsquent transactions (sales, mortgages, etc.) found in Zacatecas in the state archive in Guadalupe (as this was the closest financial center and likely place for recordation of notarial documents such as these).
I know this is somewhat vague but I am largely speaking from heresay, as I have never seen any of these documents, except in extracts nor have I been able to visit either of these archives.
Hi Arturo!
Glad you are back!
What a great question that Bill has asked. I do not know the answer, perhaps my friend Martha in Aguascalientes can answer some of the questions. There has to be a book somewhere that can answer at least some of the questions, don’t you think? I will let you know if I get an answer next week or rather this week.
Arturo, do you know what the “AGN Vinculos” refers to? Does this have anything to do with property? Land? What are vinculos? I looked it up….an entail..an estate entailed. Bill; have you tried the University of Texas Library, they have a lot of documents. maybe the Nettie Benson, Latin American collection.
Bye, Mickey
—–Original Message—–
From: arturo.ramos2@gmail.com
To: research@lists.nuestrosranchos.org
Sent: Sun, 14 Jan 2007 9:43 PM
Subject: [Nuestros Ranchos] Land Grants in Nueva Galicia
Bill:
This is a very good question. In answering this question it is very important
to understand Mexican colonial history and particularly the history of the
political divisions within Mexico during Spanish colonial times.
As you probably know all of Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Jalisco and Nayarit were
part of the Viceroyalty of Nueva Galicia. The viceroyalty had its own audencia
(court) and government based in Guadalajara. Other than the indigenous towns in
the region of Colotlan and Bolanos which were directly ruled by the Viceroy of
New Spain in Mexico City, the government in Guadalajara handled all land matters
for Nueva Galicia.
I know that for the region around Jerez, Tlaltenango and the surrounding areas
in Zacatecas, most of the land grants are found in Guadalajara in the Archivo
Historico del Estado de Jalisco in their “Tierras y Aguas” collection. There
are subsquent transactions (sales, mortgages, etc.) found in Zacatecas in the
state archive in Guadalupe (as this was the closest financial center and likely
place for recordation of notarial documents such as these).
I know this is somewhat vague but I am largely speaking from heresay, as I have
never seen any of these documents, except in extracts nor have I been able to
visit either of these archives.
Hi Arturo!
Glad you are back!
What a great question that Bill has asked. I do not know the answer, perhaps my friend Martha in Aguascalientes can answer some of the questions. There has to be a book somewhere that can answer at least some of the questions, don’t you think? I will let you know if I get an answer next week or rather this week.
Arturo, do you know what the “AGN Vinculos” refers to? Does this have anything to do with property? Land? What are vinculos? I looked it up….an entail..an estate entailed. Bill; have you tried the University of Texas Library, they have a lot of documents. maybe the Nettie Benson, Latin American collection.
Bye, Mickey
—–Original Message—–
From: arturo.ramos2@gmail.com
To: research@lists.nuestrosranchos.org
Sent: Sun, 14 Jan 2007 9:43 PM
Subject: [Nuestros Ranchos] Land Grants in Nueva Galicia
Bill:
This is a very good question. In answering this question it is very important
to understand Mexican colonial history and particularly the history of the
political divisions within Mexico during Spanish colonial times.
As you probably know all of Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Jalisco and Nayarit were
part of the Viceroyalty of Nueva Galicia. The viceroyalty had its own audencia
(court) and government based in Guadalajara. Other than the indigenous towns in
the region of Colotlan and Bolanos which were directly ruled by the Viceroy of
New Spain in Mexico City, the government in Guadalajara handled all land matters
for Nueva Galicia.
I know that for the region around Jerez, Tlaltenango and the surrounding areas
in Zacatecas, most of the land grants are found in Guadalajara in the Archivo
Historico del Estado de Jalisco in their “Tierras y Aguas” collection. There
are subsquent transactions (sales, mortgages, etc.) found in Zacatecas in the
state archive in Guadalupe (as this was the closest financial center and likely
place for recordation of notarial documents such as these).
I know this is somewhat vague but I am largely speaking from heresay, as I have
never seen any of these documents, except in extracts nor have I been able to
visit either of these archives.
arturoramos wrote:
> Bill:
>
> This is a very good question. In answering this question it is very important to understand Mexican colonial history and particularly the history of the political divisions within Mexico during Spanish colonial times.
>
> As you probably know all of Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Jalisco and Nayarit were part of the Viceroyalty of Nueva Galicia. The viceroyalty had its own audencia (court) and government based in Guadalajara. Other than the indigenous towns in the region of Colotlan and Bolanos which were directly ruled by the Viceroy of New Spain in Mexico City, the government in Guadalajara handled all land matters for Nueva Galicia.
>
> I know that for the region around Jerez, Tlaltenango and the surrounding areas in Zacatecas, most of the land grants are found in Guadalajara in the Archivo Historico del Estado de Jalisco in their “Tierras y Aguas” collection.
So are these the Tierras and Aguas films that the LDS has available that
I was asking about awhile back? Or are these records about something else?:
Title Tierras y aguas, 1584-1866
Notes Microfilme de manuscritos en el Archivo de Instrumentos
Públicos y en el Archivo de Gobierno del Estado de Jalisco,
Guadalajara.Incluye índices.Land and water rights records from
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
Subjects México, Jalisco, Guadalajara – Land and property
Format Manuscript (On Film)
Language Spanish
Publication Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmados por la Sociedad
Genealógica de Utah, 1959-1960
Physical 294 carretes de microfilme ; 35 mm.
For a printable version of this record click here then click your
browser’s Print button.
© 2002 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
==========================
Title Tierras y propiedades, 1691-1898
Authors Iglesia Católica. Diócesis de Guadalajara (México) (Main Author)
Notes Microfilme de manuscritos en el Archivo de la Sagrada Mitra en
Guadalajara.Documents maintained by the Roman Catholic Diocese of
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico regarding land and property.
Subjects México, Jalisco – Land and property
México, Jalisco, Guadalajara – Land and property
Format Manuscript (On Film)
Language Spanish
Publication Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmadas por la Sociedad
Genealógica de Utah, 1958
Physical 20 carretes de microfilme ; 35 mm.
For a printable version of this record click here then click your
browser’s Print button.
© 2002 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
=========================================
joseph
===================
Joseph Puentes
http://H2Opodcast.com (Environment Podcast)
http://NuestraFamiliaUnida.com (Latin American History)
arturoramos wrote:
> Bill:
>
> This is a very good question. In answering this question it is very important to understand Mexican colonial history and particularly the history of the political divisions within Mexico during Spanish colonial times.
>
> As you probably know all of Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Jalisco and Nayarit were part of the Viceroyalty of Nueva Galicia. The viceroyalty had its own audencia (court) and government based in Guadalajara. Other than the indigenous towns in the region of Colotlan and Bolanos which were directly ruled by the Viceroy of New Spain in Mexico City, the government in Guadalajara handled all land matters for Nueva Galicia.
>
> I know that for the region around Jerez, Tlaltenango and the surrounding areas in Zacatecas, most of the land grants are found in Guadalajara in the Archivo Historico del Estado de Jalisco in their “Tierras y Aguas” collection.
So are these the Tierras and Aguas films that the LDS has available that
I was asking about awhile back? Or are these records about something else?:
Title Tierras y aguas, 1584-1866
Notes Microfilme de manuscritos en el Archivo de Instrumentos
Públicos y en el Archivo de Gobierno del Estado de Jalisco,
Guadalajara.Incluye índices.Land and water rights records from
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
Subjects México, Jalisco, Guadalajara – Land and property
Format Manuscript (On Film)
Language Spanish
Publication Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmados por la Sociedad
Genealógica de Utah, 1959-1960
Physical 294 carretes de microfilme ; 35 mm.
For a printable version of this record click here then click your
browser’s Print button.
© 2002 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
==========================
Title Tierras y propiedades, 1691-1898
Authors Iglesia Católica. Diócesis de Guadalajara (México) (Main Author)
Notes Microfilme de manuscritos en el Archivo de la Sagrada Mitra en
Guadalajara.Documents maintained by the Roman Catholic Diocese of
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico regarding land and property.
Subjects México, Jalisco – Land and property
México, Jalisco, Guadalajara – Land and property
Format Manuscript (On Film)
Language Spanish
Publication Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmadas por la Sociedad
Genealógica de Utah, 1958
Physical 20 carretes de microfilme ; 35 mm.
For a printable version of this record click here then click your
browser’s Print button.
© 2002 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
=========================================
joseph
===================
Joseph Puentes
http://H2Opodcast.com (Environment Podcast)
http://NuestraFamiliaUnida.com (Latin American History)
Thanks for your prompt answer and very useful information. I suppose that the official documents pertaining to land grants in Nueva Galicia are at the “Archivo Historico del Estado de Jalisco” in their “Tierras y Aguas” section. I will contact my relatives in Guadalajara to see if they can help. Incidentally, I have spent many hours checking subsequent transactions at the Archivo Histórico de Aguascalientes, but the “Protocolos Notariales” start around 1650 and I could not find any land grants. Hopefully the Dallas Public Library will have some books that can shed some light on this subject. The DPL is one of the top genealogy libraries in the nation. Thanks again.
Bill
Thanks for your prompt answer and very useful information. I suppose that the official documents pertaining to land grants in Nueva Galicia are at the “Archivo Historico del Estado de Jalisco” in their “Tierras y Aguas” section. I will contact my relatives in Guadalajara to see if they can help. Incidentally, I have spent many hours checking subsequent transactions at the Archivo Histórico de Aguascalientes, but the “Protocolos Notariales” start around 1650 and I could not find any land grants. Hopefully the Dallas Public Library will have some books that can shed some light on this subject. The DPL is one of the top genealogy libraries in the nation. Thanks again.
Bill
Joseph,
That’s a good question. I doubt that any of these microfilms include land
grants. It seems like the documents listed under “Tierras y Propiedades,
1691-1898″ are deeds of land owned by the Catholic Church. “Tierras y
Aguas, 1584-1866″ seems to indicate land and water rights for the public
lands and bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, canals, etc. Maybe other
members of the group have checked these records before…?
Bill
——————————————————————————
Title Tierras y aguas, 1584-1866
Notes Microfilme de manuscritos en el Archivo de Instrumentos
Públicos y en el Archivo de Gobierno del Estado de Jalisco,
Guadalajara. Incluye índices. Land and water rights records from
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
Subjects México, Jalisco, Guadalajara – Land and property
Format Manuscript (On Film)
Language Spanish
Publication Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmados por la Sociedad
Genealógica de Utah, 1959-1960
Physical 294 carretes de microfilme ; 35 mm.
For a printable version of this record click here then click your
browser’s Print button.
© 2002 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
==========================
Title Tierras y propiedades, 1691-1898
Authors Iglesia Católica. Diócesis de Guadalajara (México) (Main Author)
Notes Microfilme de manuscritos en el Archivo de la Sagrada Mitra en
Guadalajara.Documents maintained by the Roman Catholic Diocese of
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico regarding land and property.
Subjects México, Jalisco – Land and property
México, Jalisco, Guadalajara – Land and property
Format Manuscript (On Film)
Language Spanish
Publication Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmadas por la Sociedad
Genealógica de Utah, 1958
Physical 20 carretes de microfilme ; 35 mm.
For a printable version of this record click here then click your
browser’s Print button.
© 2002 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
=========================================
Joseph,
That’s a good question. I doubt that any of these microfilms include land
grants. It seems like the documents listed under “Tierras y Propiedades,
1691-1898″ are deeds of land owned by the Catholic Church. “Tierras y
Aguas, 1584-1866″ seems to indicate land and water rights for the public
lands and bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, canals, etc. Maybe other
members of the group have checked these records before…?
Bill
——————————————————————————
Title Tierras y aguas, 1584-1866
Notes Microfilme de manuscritos en el Archivo de Instrumentos
Públicos y en el Archivo de Gobierno del Estado de Jalisco,
Guadalajara. Incluye índices. Land and water rights records from
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
Subjects México, Jalisco, Guadalajara – Land and property
Format Manuscript (On Film)
Language Spanish
Publication Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmados por la Sociedad
Genealógica de Utah, 1959-1960
Physical 294 carretes de microfilme ; 35 mm.
For a printable version of this record click here then click your
browser’s Print button.
© 2002 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
==========================
Title Tierras y propiedades, 1691-1898
Authors Iglesia Católica. Diócesis de Guadalajara (México) (Main Author)
Notes Microfilme de manuscritos en el Archivo de la Sagrada Mitra en
Guadalajara.Documents maintained by the Roman Catholic Diocese of
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico regarding land and property.
Subjects México, Jalisco – Land and property
México, Jalisco, Guadalajara – Land and property
Format Manuscript (On Film)
Language Spanish
Publication Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmadas por la Sociedad
Genealógica de Utah, 1958
Physical 20 carretes de microfilme ; 35 mm.
For a printable version of this record click here then click your
browser’s Print button.
© 2002 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
=========================================
Hi Mickey,
I think you’re right. There has to be a book that lists some of the early
land grants. Searching through the first books of baptisms (1616-1670) and
marriages (1601-1662) from Aguascalientes, I discovered that by the early
1600s these haciendas were already in full swing. Some of the land grants
were handed by the Spanish Crown 75 years earlier, right after the conquest.
No, I have not checked the UT library in Austin. My son Gabriel graduated
from UT Austin and works at Dell Computers, so maybe one of these days will
go visit him. It’s a four hour drive. I always wanted to see the Nettie
Benson, Latin American collection. Regarding your question about VINCULOS,
the word in English is LINKS.
Rgds, Bill
Hi Mickey,
I think you’re right. There has to be a book that lists some of the early
land grants. Searching through the first books of baptisms (1616-1670) and
marriages (1601-1662) from Aguascalientes, I discovered that by the early
1600s these haciendas were already in full swing. Some of the land grants
were handed by the Spanish Crown 75 years earlier, right after the conquest.
No, I have not checked the UT library in Austin. My son Gabriel graduated
from UT Austin and works at Dell Computers, so maybe one of these days will
go visit him. It’s a four hour drive. I always wanted to see the Nettie
Benson, Latin American collection. Regarding your question about VINCULOS,
the word in English is LINKS.
Rgds, Bill
Tierras y Aguas refers to land grants and land disputes. I know for certain that all of the early land grants from the Tlaltenango and Jerez area are in the Fondo de Tierras y Aguas of the Archivo Historico del Estado de Jalisco, which seems to be what these films refer to. The problem is that there are so many films, I wouldn’t know where to start. I imagine it may be worth ordering the film with the index and then you might be able to get an idea of what other films you might have to look through.
If the Archivo General de la Nacion has land grant documents from Nueva Galicia they would likely be the same microfilms of the Jalisco archives that are available through the family history library. I don’t know if such films are indexed in ARGENA. I believe that ARGENA only indexes the archive’s own documents. I know that when I search for the grants that I know exist in the Jalisco archives in ARGENA, they do not show up.
Tierras y Aguas refers to land grants and land disputes. I know for certain that all of the early land grants from the Tlaltenango and Jerez area are in the Fondo de Tierras y Aguas of the Archivo Historico del Estado de Jalisco, which seems to be what these films refer to. The problem is that there are so many films, I wouldn’t know where to start. I imagine it may be worth ordering the film with the index and then you might be able to get an idea of what other films you might have to look through.
If the Archivo General de la Nacion has land grant documents from Nueva Galicia they would likely be the same microfilms of the Jalisco archives that are available through the family history library. I don’t know if such films are indexed in ARGENA. I believe that ARGENA only indexes the archive’s own documents. I know that when I search for the grants that I know exist in the Jalisco archives in ARGENA, they do not show up.
