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California - Volumes, 1739–1842

 File — Vols: 2-17

Scope and Contents

From the Series: The license for the conquest of the Californias (Baja and Alta California) was granted February 6, 1697 by viceroy Don Jose Sarmiento Valladares to padres Juan Maria de Salvatierra and Eusebio Kino. This ramo includes correspondence, reports and important documents from the exploration and founding of the Californias, as well supplies for the missions and presidos. There is information on the foundation of missions, schools and presidios, collection of revenues, appointment of administrators, priests of the different missions and officers for companies in the presidios, and prisons. Included are reports of expeditions by the Russians and English. The documents include official decrees and letters between various people including viceroys, officials of the Internal Provinces, priests, and others in California. There are also documents in this collection related to New Mexico and other parts of the Internal Provinces. References are also made to Antigua California (Baja California) and Nueva California (Alta California).

Among the themes - administration, appointments, personnel, finances, salaries, shortages. Supplies, trade, ships, packet boats, purchase of horses, mules, shipments of weapons, gun powders, defense materials. Pearl diving. Trade and transportation of food, wood, iron, tools, tallow, wool, otter skins, cheese. Shortage of ships which meant lack of food, and supplies to help settlers, poor conditions of Indians. Cattle, branding, rodeos, killing unbranded cattle for food. Fire in Monterrey Presidio, storms in San Francisco 1804, earthquake 1812, damages, suffering, conditions. California census 1796. Reports on various presidios, lists of troops. Catalonian volunteers. Life, health of soldiers, families, conditions, medicine. Presidios, defense, preparedness of soldiers, maintenance of fortifications of coast, ports. English pirates, English attacks, British ships in San Francisco Bay. Russians in California. Foreign vessels in Spanish territory. Expedition, establishing route between Santa Fe, New Mexico and Monterrey, Sonora, Yuma, Colorado River, Gila River, Fray Francisco Garces, De Anza, diaries. Recruiting, contracts, settlers, craftsmen, teachers, shoemakers, leather smiths, carpenters, stone masons, bricklayers, blacksmiths, potters, tailors. Orphans (huerfanos or expósitos) brought from La Casa de Cuna in Mexico to settle in California (remission) - could not be Negros, Mulatos or mestizos, age requirements, how they could travel, health, clothes, shoes, and other supplies, escorts, their route from Mexico, lists of the children, instructions from the viceroy. Missionaries, money, escorts, passports to travel, discussions about who should pay the priests when they travel to the missions. Funding for founding of new missions, rations, shortages, Reports, history, inventories for the missions. Converting missions to towns. Regulations and instructions on establishing missions, towns. Miserable conditions of missionaries in Baja California. Indian attacks on missions. Church state conflicts, instructions for establishing harmony between the state and church. Reduction of Indians. Health, sickness of Indians. Indians in Baja California dying of syphilis, medicine. Soldiers in the missions. Treatment of Indians, defense of Indian rights.

New Mexico - missionaries, need for more priests; plans for missions, map of New Mexico province. Jurisdiction between Franciscans and the Bishop of Durango Land route between Santa Fe and Monterrey, California. Exploration of Rio Colorado and Rio Gila. Francisco Garces. De Anza.

Map of Nuevo Leon. Missions of Sonora. Missions of Texas.

People - Agustin de Ahumada (Marques de las Amarillas), viceroy; Matias de Armona, governor of California; José Joaquín de Arrillaga, governor of Alta California; Miguel José de Azanza, viceroy; Phelipe (Felipe) Barri, governor of Baja California (Loreto); Juan Bautista de Anza, governor of New Mexico; Fray Juan Bernejo; Fray Josef María de Béxar (Béjar); Diego de Borica, governor of Californias; Marques de Branciforte, viceroy; Antonio Bucareli y Usúa, viceroy; Fernando de la Concha, governor of New Mexico; Teodoro de Croix, commander general of Internal Provinces; Fray Francisco Atansio Dominguez; José María Dominguez; Manuel Echeagaray, military commander of Sonora; Pedro de Fages, governor of California; Manuel Antonio Flores, viceroy; Pedro Galindo Navarro, auditor; José de Galvez, inspector; Fray Francisco Garces; Rafael Pedro de Gil, supply officer of Internal Provinces; José de Iturrigaray, viceroy; Martin de Mayorga, viceroy; Fray Juan Manuel Menchero, attoryney fro New Mexico and its missions; Mateo Antonio de Mendoza, governor of Nueva Vizcaya; Fray Vicente de Mora; Fray Nicolás Muñoz; Pedro de Nava, commander of Provincias Internas; Fray Francisco Paulou; Fellipe (Phelipe) de Neve, governor of California; Pedro de Neve, commander general of Provincia Internas del Poniente; Conde de Revillagigedo, viceroy; Hermenegildo Sal, supply officer of Presidio of San Francisco; Fray Josef Salcedo; Mateo Sastre, governor of Sonora; Fray Junípero Serra, president of the missions of Californias; Jacobo Ugarte y Loyola, commander general. Places- Arispe, Carrizal, Chihuahua, Durango, Guadalajara, Presidio of Loreto, Mexico, (San Carlos de) Monterrey, Mission of La Purísima Concepción, Mission of El Rosario de Víñadaco, San Antonio de Béjar (Béxar), San Blas, San Buenavista (Nueva Vizcaya), San Diego, San Francisco, Convento de San Francisco de Mexico, San Ildefonso, Mission of San Juan de Capistrano, San Luís de Potosí, Santa Bárbara, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Tampico, Tepic, Villa de Valles.

Dates

  • 1739–1842

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English, Spanish, French, Mayan, Latin

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Extent

From the Collection: 23 boxes (16.5 cu. ft.), 267 volumes, 322 microfilm reels (masters in cabinets), 322 CDs

General

(Located second floor of CSWR Anderson Reading Room)

Creator

Repository Details

Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository

Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451