Indian Affairs Collection

Collection

Identifier: MSS-16-BC

Staff Only

Scope and Content

This collection contains correspondence and documents relating to Indian affairs in New Mexico, during the Territorial Period. Most of the materials either originated in Santa Fe, or were sent to Santa Fe from Pueblos including Laguna, Cochiti, Isleta, Zia, Santa Ana, Sandia, San Felipe, Nambe, Jemez, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Santo Domingo, and Taos. Thematically, land issues, specifically, boundary questions, predominate the collection. Controversies concerning water rights, livestock trespassing, and railroad right of ways (including issues between the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Company and the Pueblos of Isleta and Santo Domingo) are documented via correspondence with Indian agents (N.C. Walpole, C.J. Crandall), legal petitions, original Spanish land grant documents (sometimes with English translations), records from the U.S. Court of Private Land Claims, and abstracts and translations from the archives of the Surveyor General of New Mexico. Complaints from various Pueblos and individuals concerning encroachments by Mexicans, other Indians, Italians, and Anglos form another significant part of the collection. A glimpse into the workings of the Indian schools, specifically, the Cochiti Day School, is seen through correspondence between the supervising teacher, the superintendent in Santa Fe, and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs in Washington D.C.

Box 2, Folder 15 of this collection contains material which was stolen in 1972 and returned in 1989. The majority of these items pertain to Laguna, Nambe, Santa Clara, and Santo Domingo. There is also some miscellaneous correspondence with Indian agents.

Dates

1684-1903
Majority of material found in 1872-1903

Language of Materials

English.

Access Restrictions

Researchers should use digital documents. Contents list contains links.

Copy Restrictions

These documents are made available online for research purposes only. 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 publiation or distribution.

Extent

2 boxes

Additional Description