Board of Trustees of the Sevilleta Grant Records
Collection
Identifier: MSS-688-BC
Scope and Content
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 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.
Dates
- 1887-1939
Language of Materials
English Spanish
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
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.
Institutional History
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.
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.
Extent
1 box (.45 cu. ft.) + 1 oversize folder
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.
Relevant Secondary Sources
- Calkins, Hugh G. Notes on Community-owned Land Grants in New Mexico. UnitedStates. Soil Conservation Service. Region Eight. (Regional Bulletin (United States. SoilConservation Service), no. 48), (Conservation Economics Series, no. 2) August, 1937.
- The Documents Relating to Land Claims in New Mexico : as printed by order of theCongress 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, SurveyorGeneral Records and the Records of the Court of Private Land Claims. [Santa Fe, N.M. : NewMexico State Records Center and Archives, 1987], reels 22 and 38.
General
Contains a map of the Sevilleta Grant (also includes parts of the Belen Grant and the Town of Socorro Grant)
- Title
- Finding Aid of the Board of Trustees of the Sevilleta Grant Records, 1887-1939
- Status
- Approved
- Author
- Processed by T.S. Reinig
- Date
- ©2002
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Revision Statements
- June 28, 2004: PUBLIC "-//University of New Mexico::Center for Southwest Research//TEXT (US::NmU::MSS 688 BC::Board of Trustees of the Sevilleta Grant Records)//EN" "nmu1mss688bc.sgml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15).
- Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.
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
cswrref@unm.edu
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
cswrref@unm.edu