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Land Policy in the Spanish Southwest, 1846–1891: A Study in Contrasts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2011

Howard R. Lamar
Howard R. Lamar
Affiliation:
Yale University
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Extract

In Choosing to discuss land policy in that part of the Spanish Southwest which comprises present central and northern New Mexico and most of southern Colorado, I would appear to be using a model area of the West to demonstrate once again that the Homestead Act and principle were unworkable. In actuality the purpose is to note generally what can happen when an American land system runs into an older and highly different Spanish-Mexican one. As Howard W. Odum has observed, “Here two great culture systems have met and clashed and fused and are still in process of clashing and fusing.”

Type
Farm Capital Formation and Resource Development
Information
The Journal of Economic History , Volume 22 , Issue 4 , December 1962 , pp. 498 - 515
Copyright
Copyright © The Economic History Association 1962

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References

1 Odum, Howard W., American Social Problems (New York: H. Holt & Co., 1939), pp. 128–29Google Scholar.

2 Leonard, Olen, The Role of the Land Grant in the Social Organization and Social Processes of a Spanish-American Village in New Mexico (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Louisiana State University [1940?]), pp. vii–ix.Google ScholarBlackmar, Frank W., Spanish Institutions of the Southwest (Baltimore, 1891), pp. 311–20Google Scholar.

3 Dunham, Harold H., Government Handout: A Study in the Administration of the Public Lands, 1875–1891 (Ann Arbor, Mich.: Edwards Brothers, Inc., 1941), pp. 215–16, 216 nGoogle Scholar.

4 Annual Report of the Secretary of the Interior for 1855 (Washington, 1856), pp. 433–39.Google ScholarCarr, Ralph, “Private Land Claims in Colorado,” The Colorado Magazine, XXV, No. 1 (Jan. 1948), 10Google Scholar.

5 Jaramillo, Cleofas, Shadows of the Past (Santa Fe, N. Mex.: Seton Village Press, 1941), p. 13.Google ScholarTwitchell, Ralph E., The Leading Facts of New Mexican History (Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Torch Press, 1912), II, 273Google Scholar. Carr, “Private Land Claims,” pp. 20–21.

6 Barret, O. D., The Mora Grant of New Mexico (Washington, 1884), p. 13Google Scholar (pamphlet in the Henry E. Huntington Library). Webb, James J., Adventures in the Santa Fe Trade, 1844–47 (Southwest Historical Series, Glendale, Calif., 1931), p. 74 nGoogle Scholar.

7 Hafen, LeRoy R., “Mexican Land Grants in Colorado,” The Colorado Magazine, IV, No. 3 (May 1927), 91. Dunham, Government Handout, pp. 215 ff.Google ScholarPearson, Jim Berry, The Maxwell Land Grant (Norman, Okla.: Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 1961)Google Scholar, ch. I.

8 A summary account is in Carr, “Private Land Claims,” pp. 10–30. Sec also Twitchell, Leading Facts, II, 451–81.

9 Lavender, David, Bent's Fort (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1954), p. 229Google Scholar.

10 See tables and dates in Annual Report of the Secretary of the Interior for 1855, pp. 433–39.

11 Governor Charles Bent's Letters to Manuel Alvarez, Dec. 1839 to June 1846 (microfilm in University of New Mexico Library). See especially Bent to Alvarez, Jan. 30, Feb. 19, 1841; Dec. 25, 1842; Nov. 12, 1844; March 30, 1845; March 4, April 6, 17, May 3, 1846.

12 Twitchell, Leading Facts, II, 214. Bieber, Ralph, ed., Gibson, George R., “Journal of a Soldier under Kearny and Doniphan, 1846–47” (Southwestern Historical Series, Glendale, Calif., 1935), p. 242Google Scholar.

13 Donaciano Vigil, History of New Mexico to 1851 (MS in the W. R. Ritch Collection, Box 8, Henry E. Huntington Library. Hereafter cited as HEH).

14 Charles Bent, Proclamation, Santa Fe, Jan. 5, 1847 (broadside in HEH).

15 Twitchell, Leading Facts, II, 233–48.

16 Morrow, William W., Spanish and Mexican Private Land Grants (San Francisco, 1924Google Scholar; pamphlet in HEH). Brayer, Herbert O., “Pueblo Indian Land Grants in the Rio Abajo, New Mexico,” Univ. of New Mexico Bulletin (Albuquerque, 1938), p. 20Google Scholar.

17 Bancroft, H. H., History of New Mexico and Arizona (San Francisco, 1888), p. 643Google Scholar.

18 Morrow, Spanish and Mexican Land Grants, pp. 22–23.

19 John S. Watts to the Committee on Private Land Claims (printed pamphlet, Washington, 1871), pp. 1–2. See also compiled volume, Private Land Claims, in the Thomas B. Catron Law Library, HEH. For names of lawyers related to each case, see Private Land Claims, I, 1–38Google Scholar.

20 Ibid.

21 Keleher, William A., Maxwell Land Grant: A New Mexico Item (Santa Fe, N. Mex.: Rydal Press, 1942), p. 9Google Scholar.

22 Laws and Decrees of the Republic of Mexico in Relation to Colonization and Grants of Land (New York, 1871)Google Scholar in HEH, reprints most of the key documents regarding land grants. See also Dunham, Government Handout, pp. 219–20.

23 Brayer, Herbert O., William Blackmore: The Spanish Land Grants of New Mexico and Colorado, 1863–1878 (Denver: Bradford-Robinson, 1949), I, 19Google Scholar.

24 Keleher, Maxwell Grant, p. 19.

25 Dunham, Government Handout, pp. 219–22.

26 “Gilpin Interview,” Denver Daily Tribune, May 25, 1879Google Scholar. Gilpin's career in land grants is covered in Brayer, Blackmore, I, 65–96. See also Dunham, Harold H., “Coloradoans and the Maxwell Grant,” The Colorado Magazine, XXXII, No. 2 (April 1955)Google Scholar.

27 Keleher, William A., The Fabulous Frontier (Santa Fe, N. Mex.: Rydal Press, 1945), p. 104nGoogle Scholar.

28 Keleher, Maxwell Grant, pp. 36 ff. Pearson, Maxwell Grant, pp. 49–54.

29 Ibid., pp. 45–54.

30 Ibid., pp. 54–75 passim.

31 Dunham, Government Handout, pp. 223–24.

32 Ibid., pp. 222–25.

33 Ibid., pp. 227–28.

34 Ibid., pp. 230–31.

35 These are described in detail in Brayer, Blackmore, I, especially pp. 130 ff.

36 Ibid. I, 147 ff.

37 Julian, George W., “Land Stealing in New Mexico,” North American Review (July 1, 1887), pp. 20–25Google Scholar.

38 See note 23, above.

39 Hefferan, Vioalle C., Thomas B. Catron (unpublished Master's thesis, University of New Mexico, 1940), p. 156Google Scholar.

40 Santa Fe New Mexican, Oct. 31, 1894.

41 Dunham, Government Handout. Brayer, William Blackmore. Pearson, Maxwell Grant.

42 For a summary of the Ring's activities see Lamar, H. R., “Political Patterns in New Mexico and Utah Territories, 1850–1900,” Utah Historical Quarterly, XXVIII, No. 4 (Oct. 1960), 371–74Google Scholar.

43 Ross, Edmund G. to O'Grady, John, March 26, 1887 (MS letter in Edmund G. Ross Papers, Archives Division of the New Mexico State Records Center, Santa Fe)Google Scholar.

44 Julian, “Land Stealing in New Mexico,” pp. 28–29.

45 Undated manuscript commentary by L. B. Prince in T. B. Catron Papers, Coronado Room, University of New Mexico Library (Albuquerque).

46 Ross to O'Grady, March 26, 1887. Ross Papers.

47 Brayer, Herbert O., William Blackmore: Early Financing of the Denver and Rio Grande Railway and Ancillary Land Companies, 1871–78 (Denver: Bradford-Robinson, 1949), II, 18–19Google Scholar.

48 Hon. Romero, Trinidad, “Settling Private Land Claims.” Speech to U. S. House of Representatives, Dec. 17, 1878 (printed pamphlet in HEH)Google Scholar.

49 Pearson, Maxwell Grant, pp. 67 ff., 88–93, 137–39; Keleher, Maxwell Grant, pp. 68 ff.; Stanley, F., The Grant that Maxwell Bought (Denver: privately printed, 1952)Google Scholar, all cover this in great detail. For a similar feeling in Colorado see Brayer, Blackmore, I, 135–36, 142–44.

50 See, for example, Keleher, Maxwell Grant, pp. 97–106.

51 Dunham, Government Handout, p. 180. Robbins, Roy M., Our Landed Heritage; The Public Domain, 1776–1936 (Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 1942), pp. 291 ffGoogle Scholar.

52 Lamar, H. R., “Edmund G. Ross as Governor of New Mexico Territory: A Reappraisal,” New Mexico Historical Review, XXXVI, No. 3 (July 1961)Google Scholar. Portions of this paper have been used throughout the present paper.

53 Ibid., pp. 181–84.

54 Julian, “Land Stealing in New Mexico,” pp. 20–25.

55 Ibid., pp. 27–30.

56 Ibid., pp. 27–30.

57 Plumb, Preston B. to Ross, July 9, 1886Google Scholar. Ross Papers.

58 Lamar, “Ross: A Reappraisal,” p. 191.

59 Ross's successor, L. B. Prince, had much to do with the creation of this court. See Prince, L. B., A Concise History of New Mexico (Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Torch Press, 1912), p. 207Google Scholar. Robbins, Our Landed Heritage, pp. 296–97.

60 Hammond, G. P. and Donnelly, T. C., The Story of New Mexico: Its History and Government (Albuquerque, N. Mex.: Univ. of New Mexico Press, 1936), p. 137Google Scholar.

61 Report of the Governor of New Mexico … 1885 (Washington, 1886), pp. 7–8Google Scholar.

62 Albuquerque Morning Democrat, Sept 21, 1887.

63 Lamar, “Ross: A Reappraisal,” pp. 207–8.

64 Keleher, Maxwell Grant, p. 9.

65 Springer Banner (New Mexico), Oct. 17, Nov. 7, 1889Google Scholar; Jan. 23, 1890. A good account of the 1894 Populist Convention in New Mexico is in The Western Liberal (Lordsburg, New Mexico), Oct. 12, 1894Google Scholar.

66 Leonard, Olen and Loomis, C. P., “Culture of a Contemporary Rural Community, El Cerrito, New Mexico,” Rural Life Studies (Washington: U. S. Agriculture Dept., 1941).Google ScholarMaes, E. E., “The World and the People of Cundiyo,” Land Policy Review (Washington: U. S. Agriculture Dept.), March 1941.Google ScholarJohansen, Sigurd, Rural Social Organization in a Spanish-American Culture Area (Albuquerque, N. Mex.: Univ. of New Mexico Press, 1948)Google Scholar.

67 Jenkins, Myra E., “The Baltasar Baca ‘Grant’: History of an Enroachment,” El Palacio, Vol. LXVIII number (Spring 1961)Google Scholar.

68 Keleher, in The Fabulous Frontier, p. 117, remarks that when T. B. Catron died he left behind a quarter of a million dollars in outlawed and uncollectable promissory notes. “The evidence of so many outstanding loans indicated Catron's method of doing business, and furnished a key to the source of at least some of his political power and prestige.”

69 Brayer, Blackmore, I, 17. Leonard, Role of the Land Grant, pp. 180 ff.