Report to Congressional Requesters

United States General Accounting Office

GAO

September 2001 TREATY OF

GUADALUPE

HIDALGO

Definition and List of

Community Land

Grants in New Mexico

GAO-01-951
Page i GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Letter 1

Results in Brief 3

Background 3

The Concept of Common Lands Defines Community Land Grants 6

Approximately 52 Percent of All New Mexico Land Grants May Be

Classified as Community Land Grants 7

Public Comments 19

Appendix I Detailed Data on the 295 Spanish and Mexican Land

Grants in New Mexico 22

Appendix II Alternate Grant Identifiers 30

Appendix III Objectives, Scope, and Methodology 37

Appendix IV Public Comments 41

Appendix V Bibliography 52

Appendix VI Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments 59

Tables

Table 1: 78 Community Land Grants Identified Through Original

Grant Documentation 9

Table 2: 53 Community Land Grants Identified by Grant Heirs and

Others 13

Table 3: 23 Community Land Grants Issued to Indian Pueblos 17

Table 4: New Mexico Attorney General’s Task Force Major

Comments and GAO’s Responses 49

Contents
Page ii GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Figures

Figure 1: Territory Ceded by Mexico under the Treaty of

Guadalupe Hidalgo In 1848 and the Gadsden Purchase of

1853. 4

Figure 2: Community Land Grants Listed in Table 1, by County 12

Figure 3: Community Land Grants Listed in Table 2, by County 16

Figure 4: Community Land Grants Listed in Table 3, by County 19
Page 1 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

September 10, 2001

The Honorable Jeff Bingaman

The Honorable Pete Domenici

United States Senate

The Honorable Tom Udall

House of Representatives

From the end of the seventeenth century to the mid-nineteenth century,

Spain (and later México) made land grants to individuals, towns, and

groups to promote development in the frontier lands that now constitute

the American Southwest. In New Mexico, these land grants1

 fulfilled

several purposes: to encourage settlement, reward patrons of the Spanish

government, and create a buffer zone to separate hostile Native American

tribes from the more populated regions of New Spain. Spain also extended

land grants to several indigenous pueblo cultures, which had occupied the

areas granted long before Spanish settlers arrived in the Southwest. Under

Spanish and Mexican law, common land was set aside as part of the

original grant for the use of the entire community. Literature on land

grants in New Mexico and popular terminology generally distinguish

between two kinds of land grants: “community land grants” and “individual

land grants.” Our research identified a total of 295 grants made by Spain

and México during this period. Appendix I contains a list of these grants

and Appendix II contains a list of alternate grant identifiers.

The Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits, and Settlement of 1848, generally

known as the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, formally ended the MexicanAmerican War, and the United States assumed control over vast new

territories, including much of what is now the State of New Mexico. Under

the treaty, the United States agreed to recognize ownership of property of

every kind in the ceded areas. Over the next half century, the United States

developed procedures to validate land grants in the territory of New

Mexico in order to implement the treaty provisions. Whether the United

States carried out the provisions of the treaty, especially with regard to

community land grants, has been a controversial issue for generations.

Many persons, including grantee heirs, scholars, and legal experts, still

claim that the United States did not protect the property of Mexican-

 1

 In New Mexico, the term “land grant” is often referred to using the Spanish word merced.

United States General Accounting Office

Washington, DC 20548
Page 2 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Americans and their descendants, particularly the common lands of

community land grants. They charge that the common lands were lost in

many ways and that this loss threatened the economic stability of small

Mexican-American farms and the farmers’ rural lifestyle.

Concerned that the Congress and the courts have validated only about 25

percent of the total land grant claims in New Mexico and that most of the

lost lands stemmed from community land grants, you asked us to answer

several questions concerning community land grants and procedures

under the treaty. In this report, the first of two reports, we agreed to (1)

define the concept of community land grants and (2) identify the types of

community land grants in New Mexico that meet the definition.

Subsequently, we will describe the procedures established to implement

the treaty, identify concerns about how the treaty was implemented, and

what alternatives, if any are needed, may be available to address these

concerns.

To define community land grants, we reviewed land grant documents filed

with the U.S. government; Spanish colonial, Mexican, and current New

Mexico laws; federal, state, and territorial court cases; and the land grant

literature. To identify land grants meeting the definition of community

land grants, we reviewed U.S. records on Spanish and Mexican land grant

claims; literature on land grants, including materials on specific grants;

and federal court cases. We also spoke with scholars, legal experts, and

grant heirs familiar with the issues. For the most part, we relied on English

translations of Spanish documents in U.S. government files and other

sources. Our identification of a land grant as a community land grant in

this report, however, does not constitute our opinion as to the validity of

any land grant claim. Many of these land grants have already been subject

to congressional review or court adjudication. Appendix III contains a

complete description of our methodology.

This report was prepared after receiving comments and information on the

Exposure Draft issued in January 2001 in English and Spanish.

2

 The

Exposure Draft sought public comment on our definition of community

land grants, the three categories of community land grants we identified,

and the list of grants in each category. This report incorporates some of

the comments received during the comment period January 24 to May 2,

 2 GAO-01-330 (English) and GAO-01-331 (Spanish)
Page 3 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

2001. Comments were included when they were directly related to the

discussion in the report.

Land grant documents contain no direct reference to “community land

grants” nor do Spanish and Mexican laws define or use this term. We did

find, however, that some grants refer to lands set aside for general

communal use (ejidos) or for specific purposes, including hunting (caza),

pasture (pastos), wood gathering (leña), or watering (abrevederos).

Scholars, the land grant literature, and popular terminology commonly use

the phrase “community land grants” to denote land grants that set aside

common lands for the use of the entire community. We adopted this broad

definition in determining which Spanish and Mexican land grants can be

identified as community land grants.

We identified 154 community land grants (or approximately 52 percent)

out of the total of 295 land grants in New Mexico. We divided these

community land grants into three distinct types: 78 of these were grants in

which the shared lands formed part of the grant according to the original

grant documentation; 53 were grants that scholars, grantee heirs, or others

believed to contain common lands; and 23 were grants extended to the

indigenous pueblo cultures in New Mexico.

From the end of the seventeenth century to the middle of the nineteenth

century, Spain and México issued grants of land to individuals, groups,

towns, pueblos, and other settlements in order to populate present-day

New Mexico. Academic treatises and popular literature typically divide

these grants into two types: “individual grants” and “community land

grants.” Grants awarded to towns and other settlements were modeled on

similar communities created in Spain, where the king granted lands

adjacent to small towns for common use by all town residents. Under

Spanish and Mexican law in the territory of New Mexico, officials made

grants to towns and other communities. These grants usually contained

sufficient land and water resources to facilitate settlement and the

establishment of communities. Both land and water were essential

ingredients for sustaining agricultural communities in New Mexico. Such

grants were in keeping with Spanish laws, including the 1680 Recopilación

de las Leyes de los Reynos de las Indias, which was a compendium of

laws governing settlements in the New World. However, local laws,

practices, and customs often dictated how grants were made and

confirmed.

Results in Brief

Background
Page 4 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

After achieving independence from Spain in 1821, México continued to

adhere to Spanish law by extending additional land grants to individuals to

encourage settlements in unoccupied areas and to stave off U.S.

encroachment on Mexican territory. The Mexican-American War began in

1846 and formally ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe

Hidalgo in 1848. Under the treaty, México ceded most of what is presently

the American Southwest, including the present day states of New Mexico

and California, to the United States for $15 million. Figure. 1 shows the

territory ceded by México under the treaty.

Figure 1: Territory Ceded by Mexico under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo In 1848

and the Gadsden Purchase of 1853.

a

In 1845 when Texas became a state, both Texas and México claimed the area shaded in light gray.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo resolved this dispute. Texas still claimed ownership of this land. In

1850, Texas transferred part of this land to the federal government, which became the eastern portion

of the territory of New Mexico.
Page 5 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

While the treaty generally provided protection for property in the ceded

area, Article X expressly addressed land grant protection. However, U.S.

President James Polk objected to the provision, fearing that a revival of

land grant claims had the potential to jeopardize the grants already settled

in Texas. The Senate Resolution of advice and consent to ratification

contained several amendments to the treaty, including one that struck out

Article X. Subsequently, in 1848, the United States and México signed the

Protocol of Querétaro, which explained certain aspects of the treaty. In

Article 2 of the Protocol, the United States indicated in its interpretation

that the exclusion of Article X in no way meant that it planned to annul the

land grants. The Protocol specified the United States’ position that land

grant titles would be protected under the treaty and that grantees could

have their ownership of land acknowledged before American tribunals. In

the 1853 Gadsden Purchase,3 the United States purchased additional land

from México for $15 million, including the southwest corner of the present

State of New Mexico. The Gadsden Purchase incorporated by reference

the property protection provisions of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

To implement the treaties, the Congress enacted legislation in 1854 to

establish the Office of Surveyor General of New Mexico. The Surveyor

General was charged with examining documents and verifying the

ownership of land grants. The U.S. government required individuals or

towns and other communities to prove ownership or property interests in

grant lands. After reviewing the land grant documentation, the Surveyor

General was to recommend to the Secretary of the Interior whether a

grant should be rejected or confirmed. If the Secretary of the Interior

agreed with a recommendation to confirm, he, in turn, would recommend

that Congress approve the grant. Upon congressional approval of the

grant, the U.S. government usually issued a patent,4

 which conveyed the

property’s title to the owner. The Congress reviewed and confirmed 64 of

the surveyor generals’ recommendations, but in the late 1870s, the

congressional review of recommendations ceased.

 3

 The Gadsden Purchase was part of a larger treaty called the Treaty of Boundary, Cession

of Territory, Transit of Isthmus of Tehuantepec, which was signed on Dec. 30, 1853.

4

 The patent did not convey full title to the owner of the grant. Rather it was a “quit claim or

relinquishment on the part of the United States” of any interest in the land patented. The

patent further provided that “it shall not affect the adverse right of any other person or

persons whatsoever.” Thus, third parties could challenge a patentee’s right to the land

based upon a claim of superior title. In fact, this is what happened in some cases. Patents

were frequently issued many years after congressional approval.
Page 6 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

In 1891, the Congress established the Court of Private Land Claims to

adjudicate the outstanding claims that the surveyors general had reviewed

but the Congress had not yet approved , and other claims presented to the

court. In United States v. Sandoval et al., 167 U.S. 278 (1897), a case on

appeal from the Court of Private Land Claims, the Supreme Court held that

México, not the local community, held title to all common lands in

community land grants issued before 1848. Consequently, under the Treaty

of Guadalupe Hidalgo, México had transferred ownership of these

communal lands to the United States. Although the Sandoval decision did

not overturn previous court confirmations of land grants, it did affect all

subsequent claims adjudicated by the Court of Private Land Claims. In

1904, the court finished its work, approving claims and land surveys that

represented approximately 6 percent of the acreage claimed. The Congress

and the Court of Private Land Claims confirmed 155 grants of the total of

295 grants we identified, and patents were issued for 142 of these grants.5

Appendix I lists all the land grants that we identified, the years of grant

confirmation and patent issuance, and the acreage patented.

The completion of the Court of Private Land Claims’ work did not quell the

controversy surrounding the loss of the common lands. Many persons,

including grantee heirs, scholars, and legal experts, still claim that the

United States failed to uphold the provisions of the Treaty of Guadalupe

Hidalgo to protect the property of Mexican-Americans and their

descendants. They remain critical of the federal courts’ treatment of the

common lands and the failure to approve more of the acreage claimed.

They also assert that common lands were lost by other means, and that

this loss deprived many small Mexican-American farmers of their

livelihoods.

Land grant documents contain no direct reference to “community land

grants” nor do Spanish and Mexican laws define or use this term. Scholars,

land grant literature, and popular terminology use the phrase “community

land grants” to denote land grants that set aside common lands for the use

of the entire community. We adopted this broad definition for the

purposes of this report.

 5

 In some cases, no patent was issued. Individuals then had to rely on the legislation or the

Court of Private Land Claim’s decision confirming the grant as conveying the interest in the

property the United States possessed. (See previous footnote.)

The Concept of

Common Lands

Defines Community

Land Grants
Page 7 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

To determine the meaning of the term “community land grants,” we first

reviewed land grant documents, and found that grant documents do not

describe grants as community land grants. We also did not find applicable

Spanish and Mexican laws that defined or used the term. However, as a

result of our review of land grant literature, court decisions, and

interviews with scholars, legal experts, and grantee heirs, we found that

the term is frequently used to refer to grants that set aside some land for

general communal use (ejidos) or for specific purposes, including hunting

(caza), pasture (pastos), wood gathering (leña), or watering

(abrevederos). Our definition coincides with the way in which scholars,

the land grant literature, and grant heirs use the term.

Under Spanish and Mexican law, common lands set aside as part of an

original grant could not be sold. Typically, in addition to use of common

lands, settlers on a community land grant would receive individual parcels

of land designated for dwelling (solar de casa) and growing food (suerte).

Unlike the common lands, these individual parcels could be sold or

otherwise disposed of by a settler who fulfilled the requirements of the

grant, such as occupying the individual parcel for a continuous period. For

example, the documentation for the Antón Chico grant, issued by México

in 1822, contains evidence that common lands were part of the original

grant. The granting document provided for individual private allotments

and common lands. Congress confirmed the Antón Chico grant in 1860 and

the grant was patented in 1883.

Using our definition, we identified three types of community land grants,

totaling 154 grants, or approximately 52 percent of the 295 land grants in

New Mexico. In 78 of the community land grants, the common lands

formed part of the grant according to the grant documentation. Scholars,

grant heirs, and others have found an additional 53 grants that they believe

contain communal lands; and we located 23 grants of communal lands to

the indigenous pueblo cultures in New Mexico.

The first type of community land grant we identified is a grant in which

common lands formed part of the original grant. From our review of grant

documents, Spanish and Mexican law, New Mexican law, and grant

literature, as well as interviews with grant heirs, scholars, legal experts,

and others, common lands were part of the original grant in the following

three instances:

Approximately 52

Percent of All New

Mexico Land Grants

May Be Classified as

Community Land

Grants

Common Lands Formed

Part of the Grant

According to Grant

Documentation
Page 8 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

• The grant document itself declares that part of the land be made available

for communal use, using such terms as “common lands” or “pasturage and

water in common.” We identified 29 grants that contain this or similar

language. For example, the 1815 Spanish Los Trigos grant, which was

issued to three individuals, made pasture available to the settlers of the

grant. Also, an 1846 Mexican land grant provided land to John Scolly and

several associates to set aside wood and common pasture for the use of all

the settlers. Current New Mexico law treats grants that make specific

reference to common lands as community land grants.6

• The grant was made for the purpose of establishing a town or other new

settlement. Spanish laws and customs concerning territories in the New

World provided that new settlements, cities, and towns would include

common lands. Although México obtained its independence in 1821,

Mexican land grants continued to follow Spanish laws and customs. We

identified 13 grants as Spanish and Mexican grants to towns. For example,

in 1768, Spain issued the Ojo de San José grant to six individuals for the

purpose of establishing a town. Similarly, México issued the Doña Ana

Bend Colony grant in 1840 to 116 petitioners to establish a town, which

would then set aside an area for the town commons. New Mexico law

currently considers grants to towns, communities, colonies, pueblos, or

individuals for the purpose of establishing a town to be community land

grants.7

• The grant was issued to 10 or more settlers. Spanish law governing

settlement in the New World stated that 10 or more married persons could

obtain a land grant, if they agreed to form a settlement indicating that a

grant would contain common lands. For example, the 1807 Spanish Juan

Bautista Valdez grant was made to 10 settlers and the 1842 Mexican

Angostura del Pecos grant to 54 settlers. We identified 36 grants of this

type.

Table 1 lists 78 grants in which common lands were part of the original

grant.

 6

 New Mexico law provides for the management of the common lands of Spanish and

Mexican community land grants by a board of trustees or a community land grant

corporation. N.M. Stat. Ann. 49-1-3 and 49-2-1 (2000).

7

 N.M. Stat. Ann. 49-1-2 (2000).
Page 9 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Table 1: 78 Community Land Grants Identified Through Original Grant

Documentation

Grant

Year

granted

Location by

countya

Abiquiú (Town of) 1754 Río Arriba

Álamitos 1840 Santa Fé

Albuquerque (Town of) 1706 Bernalillo

Alexander Valle 1815 San Miguel

Angostura del Pecos 1842 Guadalupe

Antón Chico (Town of) 1822 Guadalupe

Arroyo Hondo 1815 Taos

Atrisco (Town of) 1692 Bernalillo

Badito 1835 Santa Fé

Barranca 1735 Río Arriba

Bartolomé Trujillo 1734 Río Arriba

Belén (Town of) 1740 Socorro

Bernabé Manuel Montaño 1753 Sandoval

Bracito 1823 Doña Ana

Cadillal 1846 Santa Fé

Caja del Río 1742 Santa Fé

Cañada de los Álamos (1) 1785 Santa Fé

Cañada de los Mestaños 1828 Taos

Cañada de San Francisco 1840 Santa Fé

Cañón de Carnue 1819 Bernalillo

Cañón de Chama 1806 Río Arriba

Cañón de San Diego 1798 Sandoval

Casa Colorado (Town of) 1823 Socorro

Cebolla 1846 Taos

Cebolleta (Town of) 1800 Cibola

Chaperito (Town of) 1846 San Miguel

Chililí (Town of) 1841 Bernalillo

Cieneguilla (Town of) 1795 Taos

Cubero (Town of) 1833 Cibola

Domingo Fernández 1827 Santa Fé

Don Fernando de Taos 1796 Taos

Doña Ana Bend Colony 1840 Doña Ana

Galisteo (Town of) 1814 Santa Fé

Gervacio Nolan 1845 Mora

John Scolly 1846 San Miguel

Juan Bautista Valdez 1807 Río Arriba

Juan de Gabaldón 1752 Santa Fé
Page 10 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Las Trampas 1751 Taos

Las Vegas (Town of) 1835 San Miguel

Los Conejos 1842 Río Arriba`

Los Manuelitas 1845 San Miguel

Los Serrillos 1692 Santa Fé

Los Trigos 1815 San Miguel

Manzano (Town of) 1829 Torrance

Mesilla Civil Colony 1853bDoña Ana

Mesita Blanca 1843 Santa Fé

Mora (Town of) 1835 Mora

Nicolás Durán de Cháves 1739 Valencia

Nuestra Señora del Rosario, San Fernando, y

Santiago

1754 Río Arriba

Ojo Caliente 1793 Río Arriba

Ojo de San José 1768 Sandoval

Petaca 1836 Río Arriba

Pueblo of Quemado 1721 Santa Fé

Ranchito 1700 Sandoval

Rancho de Ysleta 1828 Otero

Rancho del Río Grande 1795 Taos

Refugio Civil Colony 1852 Doña Ana

Río del Picurís 1832 Taos

San Antonio de las Huertas 1767 Sandoval

San Antonio del Río Colorado 1842 Taos

San Antoñito 1840 Bernalillo

San Joaquín del Nacimiento 1769 Sandoval

San Miguel del Vado 1794 San Miguel

San Pedro 1844 Sandoval

Santa Bárbara 1796 Taos

Santa Cruz 1695 Santa Fé

Santa Fé 1715cSanta Fé

Santo Tomás de Yturbide 1853 Doña Ana

Santo Toribio dSandoval

Sevilleta 1819 Socorro

Socorro (Town of) 1817 Socorro

Tajique (Town of) 1834 Torrance

Tejón (Town of) 1840 Sandoval

Tierra Amarilla 1832 Río Arriba

Tomé (Town of) 1739 Valencia
Page 11 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Torreón (Town of) 1841 Torrance

Vallecito de Lovato (Town of) 1824 Río Arriba

Vallecito (de San Antonio) 1807 Río Arriba

a

By principal county.

b

México issued this grant from lands subsequently included in the Gadsden Purchase.

c

The only grant actually given to Santa Fé residents was for some common pastureland and water

(1715).

d

Prior to 1800.
Page 12 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Figure 2: Community Land Grants Listed in Table 1, by County
Page 13 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

The second type of community land grant we identified is a grant that a

person or persons stated included common lands. Our review of the

papers filed with each grant claim to the surveyors general and the Court

of Private Land Claims, and those of a legal scholar,1

 disclosed that, in

some instances, the only mention of common lands was found in a

claimant’s petition or other documents. In these cases, the files did not

contain any grant documents showing that the common lands were part of

the original grant.

We also identified grants in this category as community land grants after

interviewing grantee heirs, scholars, and others knowledgeable about a

grant’s history, and reviewing other information provided to us. Again, no

existing grant document supported the claim, although some claimants

stated that such documentation had been lost or destroyed. Furthermore,

some scholars raised the issue that, in some individual grants, common

lands had been set aside by the grantees, their heirs, or other grant settlers

to encourage additional settlement after the original grant was made. In

these instances, there would not be any supporting official documentation

because the grant predated the setting aside of common lands. For

example, one scholar believed that the Sangre de Cristo grant, which

México originally issued as an individual grant in 1843, later evolved into a

community land grant when an heir of the original grantee provided land

to new settlers and set aside additional land for communal use. Table 2

lists 53 grants identified by grantee heirs, scholars, or others as having

common lands but lacking grant documentation.

Table 2: 53 Community Land Grants Identified by Grant Heirs and Others

Grant

Year

Granted

Location

by county a

Alameda (Town of) 1710 Bernalillo

Antonio Baca 1762 Sandoval

Antonio de Salazar 1714 Río Arriba

Arkansas 1826 Colfax

Arquito bSandoval

Bartolomé Sánchez 1707 Río Arriba

Bernalillo (Town of) 1708 Sandoval

Black Mesa 1743 Río Arriba

Bosque Grande 1767 Sandoval

 1 J. J. Bowden, Private Land Claims in the Southwest (1969) (unpublished LLM. thesis [6

Vols.}, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas).

Grant Heirs or Others

State Grant Contained

Common Lands
Page 14 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Grant

Year

Granted

Location

by county a

Candelarios (Town of) 1600cBernalillo

Chaca Mesa 1768 Sandoval

Chamita (Town of) 1724 Río Arriba

Cristóbal de la Serna 1710 Taos

Cuyamungué 1731 Santa Fé

El Rito (Town of) 1780 Río Arriba

Embudo 1725 Río Arriba

Francisco de Anaya Almazán 1693 Santa Fé

Francisco Montes Vigil 1754 Río Arriba

Gijosa 1715 Taos

Gotera 1830 Santa Fé

Guadalupita 1837 Mora

Hacienda del Álamo dSanta Fé

Heath 1828 Doña Ana

José Ignacio Alarí 1768 Río Arriba

José Trujillo 1700 Santa Fé

Juan de Ulibarrí 1710 Río Arriba

La Majada 1695 Santa Fé

Las Lagunitas bBernalillo

Maragua 1826 Santa Fé

Mesita de Juana López 1782 Santa Fé

Montoya 1740 e

Ojito de Galisteo 1799 Santa Fé

Pajarito fBernalillo

Pedro Armendaris #33 1819 Socorro

Pedro Armendaris #34 1820 Socorro

Plaza Colorado 1739 Río Arriba

Polvadera 1766 Río Arriba

Rancho de Nuestra Señora de la Luz 1807 Santa Fé

Real de Dolores del Oro (Town of) 1830 Santa Fé

Río del Oso 1840 Río Arriba

Río Tesuque 1747 Santa Fé

San Clemente 1716 Valencia

San Cristóbal 1835 Taos

San Isidro (Town of) 1786 Sandoval

San Marcos Pueblo 1754 Santa Fé

Sangre de Cristo 1844 Taos

Sanguijuela 1843 San Miguel

Santa Rita del Cobre 1801 Grant

Santa Rosa de Cubero 1761 Sandoval

Santo Domingo de Cundiyó 1743 Santa Fé

Sebastián Martín 1705 Río Arriba

Tacubaya 1843 Santa Fé
Page 15 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Grant

Year

Granted

Location

by county a

Tecolote (Town of) 1824 San Miguel

a

By principal county

b

 No date specified.

c Approximate date.

d

 Prior to 1714.

e

 No county specified.

f

 Prior to 1746.
Page 16 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Figure 3: Community Land Grants Listed in Table 2, by County
Page 17 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

The third type of community land grants we identified encompasses grants

extended by Spain to the indigenous pueblo cultures in New Mexico to

protect communal lands that they had used and held for centuries before

the Spanish settlers arrived. For the most part, the pueblo settlements

these colonists encountered in the sixteenth century were permanent,

communally owned villages, where inhabitants engaged in agricultural

pursuits. Spain declared itself guardian of these communities, respected

their rights to land adjacent to the pueblos, and protected pueblo lands

from encroachment by Spanish colonists. Spain made grants to these

communities in recognition of their communal ownership of village lands.

México continued to recognize pueblo ownership of land and considered

pueblo residents to be Mexican citizens.

With the establishment of the Office of Surveyor General in 1854, the

Congress required the Surveyor General to investigate and report on

pueblo claims. The Congress subsequently confirmed 22 Spanish grants to

pueblos on the recommendation of the Surveyor General. The Court of

Private Land Claims confirmed one pueblo grant. Table 3 lists the pueblo

grants.

Table 3: 23 Community Land Grants Issued to Indian Pueblos

Original Spanish Grants

Year

Granted

Location

by county a

Pueblo of Acoma 1689 b Cibola

Pueblo of Cochití 1689 bSandoval

Pueblo of Isleta cValencia

Pueblo of Jémez 1689 bSandoval

Pueblo of Laguna 1689 bCibola

Pueblo of Nambé c Santa Fé

Pueblo of Pecos e 1689 b San Miguel

Pueblo of Picurís 1689 bTaos

Pueblo of Pojoaque 1699 dSanta Fé

Pueblo of San Cristóbal 1689 bSanta Fé

Pueblo of San Felipe 1689 b Sandoval

Pueblo of San Ildefonso 1704 Santa Fé

Pueblo of San Juan 1689 b Río Arriba

Pueblo of Sandía 1748 Sandoval

Pueblo of Santa Ana c Sandoval

Pueblo of Santa Clara

 Cañada de Santa Clara

1699 d

 1763

Río Arriba

Río Arriba

Pueblo of Santo Domingo 1689 bSandoval

Pueblo of Taos cTaos

Common Lands of

Indigenous Pueblo

Cultures Antedated Arrival

of Spanish Explorers
Page 18 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Original Spanish Grants

Year

Granted

Location

by county a

Pueblo of Tesuque cSanta Fé

Pueblo of Zía 1689 bSandoval

Pueblo of Zuñí 1689 bMcKinley

Pueblos of Zía, Jémez, & Santa Ana (Ojo del Espíritu

Santo)

 1766 Sandoval

a

 By principal county.

b

The authenticity of the 1689 grants has been questioned.

c

 No date specified.

d

 Approximate date.

 e Abandoned in the late 19th century
Page 19 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Figure 4: Community Land Grants Listed in Table 3, by County

We issued an Exposure Draft in January 2001 to seek public comments on

our definition and identification of community land grants and to gather

information about community land grants not readily available to us in

public documents. In New Mexico, we distributed the English and Spanish

versions of the Exposure Draft widely to community groups, scholars,

Public Comments
Page 20 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

land grant heirs, and Indian pueblos and made copies available through

local governmental offices and libraries in 18 counties, as well as U.S.

Forest Service ranger stations located throughout the state. We sent

announcements to English and Spanish newspapers and radio and

television stations in the state. Copies of the Exposure Draft were also

available through the offices of the Senators Bingaman and Domenici and

Congressman Udall of New Mexico. In addition, the public could access

and comment on the report on the GAO web page. We also received

comments and documentation by fax, regular mail and e-mail. In March

2001, we held open forums at five New Mexico locations, including Santa

Fé and Albuquerque, to gather comments.

We received over 200 oral and written comments to the Exposure Draft

during the comment period, some of which included information not

readily available from the research sources we used. The comment period,

which was originally scheduled to end on April 2, was extended until

May 2. Most of the comments did not address our definition of community

land grants and the three types of community land grants that we

identified. A significant number of the comments concerned the history of

particular community land grants. This information will be reviewed in

preparation of our next report.

Most of the comments concerning our definition and lists of community

land grants were in agreement with our analysis. A few commentators

disagreed with the classification of particular land grants. Based on

information received, the Elena Gallegos grant, which was identified as a

community land grant in table 1, was redesignated as an individual grant

under the name Diego Montoya. During our New Mexico visit in March,

heirs identified two other grants, the Francisco Montes Vigil and the

Cristóbal de la Serna grants, as being community land grants. We added

these two grants to table 2, which contains a list of grants that heirs and

others have identified as containing common lands. We also added the

Cañada de Santa Clara to the list of Indian Pueblo grants in table 3, based

upon documentation provided during the comment period. See Appendix

IV for a more extensive discussion on the comments received.

We placed maps after each table that graphically depict the number of

grants principally in each county and added the classification as to type of

grant to Appendix I to help identify grants. Some grants have more than
Page 21 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

one name. To facilitate the identification of grants with multiple

identifiers, we added Appendix II, which alphabetizes these alternative

identifiers and links each to the appropriate grant in Appendix I.

As agreed with your offices, this report will be issued in English and

Spanish versions. We plan to send copies to the New Mexico

congressional delegation. We will distribute copies in both languages in

New Mexico and provide copies upon request. GAO contacts and key

contributors to this report are listed in Appendix VI.

If you have any questions about this report, please contact me at (202) 512-

7648. Key contributors to this report are listed in Appendix VI.

Susan A. Poling

Associate General Counsel

Natural Resources and Environment
Appendix I: Detailed Data on the 295 Spanish

and Mexican Land Grants in New Mexico

Page 22 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Grant Name

Date confirmed

or other actiona

Date

Patentedb

Acreage

patented

Types of

 Grantsc

Abiquiú (Town of) 1894 1909 16,547.20 C

Agapito Ortega Failed to pursue I

Agua Negra 1860 1900 17,361.11 I

Agua Salada 1893 1909 10,694.48 I

Alameda (Town of) 1892 1920 89,346.00 OI

Álamitos 1896 1914 297.55 C

Álamo Rejected I

Albuquerque (Town of) 1892 None specified Not specified C

Alexander Valle 1860 1927 1,242.00 C

Alfonso Rael de Aguilar (2) Failed to pursue I

Alphonso Rael de Aguilar (1) Failed to pursue I

Ancón Colorado Failed to pursue I

Angostura 1897 1906 1,579.48 I

Angostura del Pecos Failed to pursue C

Antoine Leroux 1869 1911 56,428.31 I

Antón Chico (Town of) 1860 1883 383,856.10 C

Antonio Armijo Failed to pursue I

Antonio Baca 1895 1902 47,196.50 OI

Antonio de Abeytia 1894 1910 721.42 I

Antonio de Salazar Failed to pursue OI

Antonio de Ulibarrí Failed to pursue I

Antonio Domínguez Rejected I

Antonio Martínez 1893 1896 61,605.46 I

Antonio Ortiz 1869 1877 163,921.68 I

Archuleta & González Failed to pursue I

Arkansas Rejected by the circuit

court

OI

Arquito Failed to pursue OI

Arroyo de San Lorenzo Rejected I

Arroyo Hondo 1892 1908 20,000.38 C

Atrisco (Town of) 1894 1905 82,728.72 C

Badito Rejected C

Baltazar Baca Rejected I

Barranca Rejected C

Bartolomé Baca Rejected I

Bartolomé Fernández 1894 1903 25,455.24 I

Bartolomé Sánchez 1897 1914 4,469.83 OI

Bartolomé Trujillo Rejected C

Belén (Town of) 1858 1871 194,663.75 C

Bernabé Manuel Montaño 1892 1908 44,070.66 C

Bernal Spring Failed to pursue I

Bernalillo (Town of) 1897 1900 3,404.67 OI

Black Mesa 1894 1907 19,171.35 OI

Bosque Del Apache 1860 1877 60,117.39 I

Appendix I: Detailed Data on the 295 Spanish

and Mexican Land Grants in New Mexico
Appendix I: Detailed Data on the 295 Spanish

and Mexican Land Grants in New Mexico

Page 23 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Grant Name

Date confirmed

or other actiona

Date

Patentedb

Acreage

patented

Types of

 Grantsc

Bosque Grande 1896 1925 2,967.57 OI

Bracito 1860 d dC

Cadillal e eC

Caja del Río 1893 1897 66,849.78 C

Cañada Ancha 1897 1917 200.82 I

Cañada de Cochití 1894 1901 19,112.78 I

Cañada de Los Álamos (1) 1893 1896 12,068.39 C

Cañada de los Álamos (2) 1894 1911 4,106.66 I

Cañada de Los Apaches 1892 1907 86,249.09 I

Cañada de Los Mestaños Rejected C

Cañada de San Francisco Rejected C

Cañada de Santa Clara 1894 1909 490.62 P

Candelarios (Town of ) f f fOI

Cañón de Carnue 1894 1903 2,000.59 C

Cañón de Chama 1894 1905 1,422.62 C

Cañón de San Diego 1860 1881 116,286.89 C

Cañón del Agua 1866 1896 341.04 I

Cañón del Río Rejected I

Casa Colorado (Town of) 1858 1909 131,779.37 C

Catarina Maese Failed to pursue I

Cebolla 1896 g gC

Cebolleta (Town of ) 1869 1882 199,567.92 C

Chaca Mesa 1895 1899 47,258.71 OI

Chamisos Arroyo Rejected I

Chamita (Town of ) 1860 1929 1,636.29 OI

Chaperito (Town of ) 1890 C

Chililí (Town of) 1858 1909 41,481.00 C

Chupaderos de la Lagunita Rejected I

Cieneguilla (Town of) Rejected C

Corpos Cristo Failed to pursue I

Cristóbal de la Serna 1892 1903 OI

Cristóval Crespín Failed to pursue I

Cubero (Town of) 1892 1900 16,490.94 C

Cuyamungué 1895 1909 604.27 OI

Diego Arias de Quirós Rejected I

Diego de Belasco Failed to pursue I

Diego Montoya 1893 1909 35,048.78 I

Domingo Fernández 1860 1880 81,032.67 C

Domingo Valdez Rejected I

Don Fernando de Taos 1897 1909 1,817.34 C

Doña Ana Bend Colony 1896 1907 35,399.01 C

El Pino Failed to pursue I

El Rito (Town of) Failed to pursue OI
Appendix I: Detailed Data on the 295 Spanish

and Mexican Land Grants in New Mexico

Page 24 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Grant Name

Date confirmed

or other actiona

Date

Patentedb

Acreage

patented

Types of

 Grantsc

Embudo Rejected OI

Estancia Rejected I

Felipe Pacheco Failed to pursue I

Felipe Tafoya (1) Failed to pursue I

Felipe Tafoya (2) 1895 1902 4,340.23 I

Francisco de Anaya Almazán 1897 1916 3,202.79 OI

Francisco García Failed to pursue I

Francisco Montes Vigil 1892 1899 8,253.74 OI

Francisco X. Romero Failed to pursue I

Galisteo (Town of) 1894 1927 260.79 C

Gaspar Ortiz 1860 h hI

Gervacio Nolan Rejected C

Gijosa 1893 1908 16,240.64 OI

Gotera Rejected OI

Guadalupe Miranda Failed to pursue I

Guadalupita Failed to pursue OI

Hacienda del Álamo Rejected OI

Heath Rejected OI

Jacona (Town of) 1893 1909 6,952.84 I

Joaquín (de) Mestas Rejected I

Joaquín Sedillo & Antonio Gutiérrez 1897 1909 22,636.92 I

John Scolly 1860 1893 25,000.00 C

Jornado del Muerto Rejected I

José Antonio Lucero Rejected I

José Antonio Torres Failed to pursue I

José de Leyba Rejected I

José Domínguez Rejected by the Surveyor

General

I

José García Rejected I

José Ignacio Alarí Failed to pursue OI

José Leandro Perea 1860 1877 17,712.00 I

José Manuel Sánchez Baca 1900 1902 3,530.60 I

José Rómula de Vera Failed to pursue I

José Sutton Rejected I

José Trujillo Failed to pursue OI

Juan Antonio Flores Failed to pursue I

Juan Bautista Valdez 1898 1913 1,468.57 C

Juan Cayentano Lovato Rejected I

Juan de Gabaldón 1893 1902 10,690.05 C

Juan de Mestas Failed to pursue I

Juan de Ulibarrí Failed to pursue OI

Juan Durán Rejected I

Juan Estevan García de Noriega Rejected I

Juan Felipe Rodríguez Failed to pursue I
Appendix I: Detailed Data on the 295 Spanish

and Mexican Land Grants in New Mexico

Page 25 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Grant Name

Date confirmed

or other actiona

Date

Patentedb

Acreage

patented

Types of

 Grantsc

Juan G. Pinard No action taken by the

Surveyor General

I

Juan José Archuleta Rejected I

Juan José Lovato 1894 1902 205,615.72 I

Juan José Moreno Failed to pursue I

Juan José Sánchez Rejected I

Juan Manuel Córdova No action taken by the

Surveyor General

I

Juan Montes Vigil 1931 by the district court i379.36 I

Juan Tafoya Failed to pursue I

Juana Baca Rejected I

La Majada 1894 1908 54,404.10 OI

La Nasa Failed to pursue I

Las Lagunitas Not acted on OI

Las Lomitas Failed to pursue I

Las Trampas (Town of) 1860 1903 28,131.67 C

Las Vegas (Town of) 1860 1903 431,653.65 C

Lo de Básquez Failed to pursue I

Lo de Padilla 1896 1908 51,940.82 I

Los Conejos Rejected C

Los Manuelitas Rejected C

Los Serrillos 1894 1897 1,478.81 C

Los Trigos 1860 1909 7,342.00 C

Luis de Armenta No claim filed with the

Court

I

Luis María Cabeza de Baca 1860 j198,578.78 I

Maes & Gallego k k kI

Manuel Tenorio Failed to pursue I

Manuela García de las Ribas Failed to pursue I

Manzano (Town of) 1860 1907 17,360.24 C

Maragua Rejected OI

Maxwell Grant 1860 1879 1,714,764.94 I

Mesilla Civil Colony 1899 1909 21,628.52 C

Mesita Blanca Failed to pursue C

Mesita de Juana López 1879 OI

Montoya l l l OI

Mora (Town of) 1860 1876 827,621.10 C

Nepumecina Martínez de Aragón Failed to pursue I

Nerio Antonio Montoya Rejected I

Nicolás Durán de Cháves 1896 No indication of

issued patent

C

Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Mine Rejected I

Nuestra Señora del los Dolores Mine Rejected I

Nuestra Señora del Rosario, San Fernando

y Santiago

1892 1905 14,786.58 C
Appendix I: Detailed Data on the 295 Spanish

and Mexican Land Grants in New Mexico

Page 26 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Grant Name

Date confirmed

or other actiona

Date

Patentedb

Acreage

patented

Types of

 Grantsc

Ocate Rejected I

Ojito de Galisteo Failed to pursue OI

Ojito de los Médanos Rejected I

Ojo Caliente 1894 1894 2,244.98 C

Ojo de Borrego 1894 1913 16,079.80 I

Ojo de la Cabra Rejected I

Ojo de San José 1894 1912 4,340.28 C

Ojo del Apache Rejected I

Ojo del Espíritu Santo 1869 1916 113,141.15 I

Orejas del Llano de los Aguajes Rejected I

Ortiz Mine 1861 1876 69,199.33 I

Pablo Montoya 1869 1877 655,468.07 I

Pacheco 1892 1913 500.00 I

Pajarito 1894 1914 28,724.22 OI

Paraje del Punche Failed to pursue I

Pedro Armendaris #33 1860 1878 352,504.50 OI

Pedro Armendaris #34 1860 1878 95,030.00 OI

Peralta (1) (La) Rejected I

Peralta (2) Rejected I

Petaca 1896 1901 1,392.10 C

Piedra Lumbre 1893 1902 49,747.89 I

Plaza Blanca 1894 1914 8,955.11 I

Plaza Colorado 1893 1907 7,577.92 OI

Polvadera 1893 1900 35,761.14 OI

Preston Beck Jr. 1860 1883 318,699.72 I

Pueblo of Acoma 1858 1877 95,791.66 P

Pueblo of Cochití 1858 1864 24,256.50 P

Pueblo of Isleta 1858 1864 131,495.30 P

Pueblo of Jémez 1858 1864 17,510.45 P

Pueblo of Laguna 1897 1909 17,328.91 P

Pueblo of Nambé 1858 1864 13,586.33 P

Pueblo of Pecos 1858 1864 18,763.33 P

Pueblo of Picurís 1858 1864 14,953.39 P

Pueblo of Pojoaque 1858 1864 13,520.38 P

Pueblo of Quemado Failed to pursue C

Pueblo of San Cristóbal m m mP

Pueblo of San Felipe 1858 1864 34,766.86 P

Pueblo of San Ildefonso 1858 1864 17,292.64 P

Pueblo of San Juan 1858 1864 17,544.77 P

Pueblo of Sandía 1858 1864 24,034.87 P

Pueblo of Santa Ana 1869 1883 17,360.56 P

Pueblo of Santa Clara 1858 1864 17,368.52 P

Pueblo of Santo Domingo 1858 1864 74,743.11 P
Appendix I: Detailed Data on the 295 Spanish

and Mexican Land Grants in New Mexico

Page 27 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Grant Name

Date confirmed

or other actiona

Date

Patentedb

Acreage

patented

Types of

 Grantsc

Pueblo of Santo Domingo & San Felipe 1898 1905 1,070.68 I

Pueblo of Taos 1859 1864 17,360.55 P

Pueblo of Tesuque 1858 1864 17,471.12 P

Pueblo of Zía 1858 1864 17,514.63 P

Pueblo of Zuñí n n nP

Pueblos of Zía, Jémez, & Santa Ana Rejected P

Ramón Vigil 1860 1908 31,209.52 I

Ranchito 1897 1909 4,250.63 C

Rancho de Abiquiú Failed to pursue I

Rancho de Coyote Failed to Pursue I

Rancho de Gigante 1860 1884 25,233.18 I

Rancho de la Gallina Failed to pursue I

Rancho de la Santísima Trinidad Rejected ; Failed to

pursue

I

Rancho de los Comanches Failed to pursue I

Rancho de los Corrales Failed to pursue I

Rancho de los Rincones Failed to pursue I

Rancho de Nuestra Señora de la Luz 1860 1874 16,546.85 OI

Rancho de Paguate 1860 75,406.27 I

Rancho de Río Arriba Failed to pursue I

Rancho de Río Puerco Failed to pursue I

Rancho de San Juan 1860 1884 25,233.18 I

Rancho de Santa Ana 1860 1884 871.33 I

Rancho de Ysleta Rejected C

Rancho del Río Grande 1892 1901 91,813.15 C

Rancho el Rito 1860 1884 25,233.18 I

Real de Dolores del Oro (Town of) Rejected OI

Refugio Civil Colony 1901 1910 11,524.30 C

Río de Chama Failed to pursue I

Río del Oso Failed to pursue OI

Río del Picurís Rejected C

Río Tesuque (Town of) 1897 OI

Rito de los Frijoles Rejected I

Rómulo Barela Rejected I

Roque Jacinto Jaramillo Rejected I

Roque Lovato Rejected I

Salvador Lovato Failed to pursue I

San Acasio Failed to pursue I

San Antonio de Las Huertas 1897 1907 4,763.85 C

San Antonio del Río Colorado Rejected C

San Antoñito Rejected C

San Clemente 1896 1909 37,099.29 OI

San Cristóbal Rejected by the Surveyor

General

OI
Appendix I: Detailed Data on the 295 Spanish

and Mexican Land Grants in New Mexico

Page 28 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Grant Name

Date confirmed

or other actiona

Date

Patentedb

Acreage

patented

Types of

 Grantsc

San Isidro (Town of) 1860 1936 11,476.88 OI

San Joaquín del Nacimiento Rejected C

San Marcos Pueblo 1892 1896 1,895.44 OI

San Mateo Spring(s) 1895 1907 4,340.276 I

San Miguel del Vado 1894 1910 5,207.73 C

San Pedro 1860 1875 31,594.76 C

Sangre de Cristo 1860 1880 998,780.46 OI

Sanguijuela Rejected OI

Santa Bárbara 1894 1905 30,638.28 C

Santa Cruz 1899 & 1900 1910 4,567.60 C

Santa Fé 1894 o oC

Santa Fé Cañón Rejected I

Santa Rita Del Cobre Rejected by the

Commissioner of the

General Land Office

OI

Santa Rosa de Cubero 1898 OI

Santa Teresa 1900 1909 8,478.51 I

Santiago Bone Failed to pursue I

Santiago Ramírez 1897 1912 272.17 I

Santo Domingo de Cundiyó 1900 1903 2,137.08 OI

Santo Tomás de Yturbide 1900 1905 9,622.34 C

Santo Toribio Rejected C

Sebastián De Vargas 1893 1900 I

Sebastián Martín 1860 1893 51,387.20 OI

Sevilleta 1893 Dispersals begun in

1915

Not specified C

Sierra Mosca 1896 p pI

Sitio de Juana López 1894 1897 1,108.61 I

Sitio de Los Serrillos 1894 1897 572.04 I

Socorro (Town of) 1892 1896 17,371.18 C

Tacubaya Failed to pursue OI

Tajique (Town of) 1860 1912 7,185.55 C

Talaya Hill 1895 1917 922.52 I

Tecolote (Town of) 1858 1902 48,123.38 OI

Tejón (Town of) 1860 1882 12,801.46 C

The Baird’s Ranch Rejected I

Tierra Amarilla 1860 1881 594,515.55 C

Tomé (Town of) 1858 1871 121,594.53 C

Tomás Tapia Rejected I

Torreón (Town of) 1860 1909 14,146.11 C

Uña Del Gato Rejected by the Secretary

of Interior

I

Vallecito de San Antonio Failed to pursue C

Vallecito de Lovato (Town of) Rejected C
Appendix I: Detailed Data on the 295 Spanish

and Mexican Land Grants in New Mexico

Page 29 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Grant Name

Date confirmed

or other actiona

Date

Patentedb

Acreage

patented

Types of

 Grantsc

Vertientes de Navajó Rejected I

a

Grant confirmed by the Congress or Court of Private Land Claims.

b

A patent conveys legal title to the grant. (See fn. 4, letter report.)

c

“C” refers to community land grants identified through original grant documentation as listed in Table

1. “OI “ refers to grants identified by grant heirs, scholars, or others as having common lands, but

which lack supporting grant documentation, as listed in Table 2. “P” for pueblo refers to grants made

by Spain to indigenous pueblo cultures as identified in Table 3. “I” refers to grants made to

individuals.

d

The Court of Private Land Claims recognized the grant as valid and ordered it surveyed and

partitioned. However, problems arose when attempts were made to identify the common boundary

with the Santo Tomás Yturbide Grant. A patent was not issued because claimants argued the

Confirmation Act of 1860 conveyed the title; a final survey yielded 14,808.075 acres.

e

The grant was located within the confirmed Domingo Fernández grant, so no action was taken on the

claim.

f

Although a petition was filed in 1872, no further action was taken by the claimants to pursue

recognition of the claim. Therefore, there is no formal decision on the matter.

g

Based on a U.S. Supreme Court decision that found, among other things, that the grant had not been

given in accordance with Mexican law.

h

The grant apparently lies within the Pueblo of Nambé grant and has not been patented.

i

No actual claim was presented to the Court, and therefore no actual confirmation was made by either

the Congress or the Court. When the La Majada grant was confirmed, this was apparently sufficient

for the Town of Peña Blanca residents. In 1931, the New Mexico Federal District Court confirmed

acreage not previously part of the Pueblo of Cochití lands.

j

The Town of Las Vegas grant was apparently in conflict with the Baca grant. The Congress

recognized the conflict and allowed the Baca heirs to obtain equivalent acreage elsewhere in the

Territory. Of five tracts selected two were in New Mexico, known as Float # 1 (Sandoval County) and

Float # 2 (San Miguel County), each containing 99,289.39 acres.

k

The claimants probably obtained title through the Act of March 3, 1891. This act allowed each of

those settlers, who had lived on the land for more than 20 years before an official survey of a

township was conducted, to a patent of up to 160 acres of land. There was no documentation of the

grant, and no claim was submitted to the Court of Private Land Claims.

l

No specific information available.

m

The purported grant document was filed with the Office of the Surveyor General, but was later

proven to be fraudulent.

n

As the result of the establishment of a reservation in 1877, as revised in 1883, 1885 and 1917, the

pueblo’s claim was not presented to the Court of Private Land Claims.

o

The only grant actually given to Santa Fé residents was in 1715 for some common pastureland and

water. The Congress ultimately granted to the City of Santa Fé all lands not already used by the

United States or confirmed private land grants. The confirmed amount is based on the Surveyor

General’s preliminary survey of 4 square leagues.

p

The U.S. Supreme Court found the Court of Private Land Claims to be in error and directed a

reversal. The grant was rejected in 1900.
Appendix II: Alternate Grant Identifiers

Page 30 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Alternate Identifiers Grant

Type of

Granta

Abo Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe

Mine

I

Anastacio Romero Juan de Mestas I

Andrés Montoya Francisco de Anaya Almazán OI

Andrés Montoya Rito de los Frijoles I

Antonio Cano Ortiz Mine I

Antonio Chávez Arroyo De San Lorenzo I

Antonio Elias Armenta Cañón Del Río I

Antonio Joseph Ojo Caliente C

Antonio Lucero Cañada de Cochití I

Antonio Martínez Estancia I

Antonio Ortiz Lo de Básquez I

Antonio Ortiz Ojo del Espíritu Santo I

Antonio Salas Rito de los Frijoles I

Antonio Sandoval Bosque Del Apache I

Antonio Sandoval Estancia I

Antonio Sandoval Las Lagunitas OI

Antonio Sedillo Cañada de los Apaches I

Apache Spring Ojo del Apache I

Apolonio Vigil Los Manuelitas C

Arroyo Seco José Trujillo OI

Baca Location #1 Luis María Cabeza de Baca I

Baltazar Cisneros Antonio de Abeytia I

Barrancas Joaquín Sedillo & Antonio

Gutiérrez

I

Bartolomé Fernandez de la Pedresa Bartolomé Fernandez I

Bartolomé Marques Chamisos Arroyo I

Basilio González Juan Manuel Córdova I

Bautista Llara Juan G. Pinard I

Beales Colony Arkansas OI

Beaubien & Miranda Maxwell Grant I

Bentura Truxillo Ojo del Apache I

Bishop John Lamy Rancho de Nuestra Señora de

la Luz

OI

Bishop’s Ranch Río Tesuque OI

Borrego Spring Nerio Antonio Montoya I

Borrego Spring Ojo De Borrego I

Bosque de los Pinos Joaquín Sedillo & Antonio

Gutiérrez

I

Brazito Bracito C

Cañada de las Mestenas Cañada De Los Mestanos C

Cañada de los Álamos Vertientes de Navajo I

Cañón de Carmel Cañón de Carnue C

Cañón de Carnuel Cañón de Carnue C

Appendix II: Alternate Grant Identifiers
Appendix II: Alternate Grant Identifiers

Page 31 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Alternate Identifiers Grant

Type of

Granta

Cañón de Pecos Alexander Valle C

Cañón de Pedernal Juan Bautista Valdez C

Carlos Salazar Juan G. Pinard I

Casa de José Riano Piedra Lumbre I

Casa de Riano Piedra Lumbre I

Cevilleta Sevilleta C

Chama River Cañón Cañón de Chama C

Ciénega Francisco de Anaya Almazán OI

Cieneguilla Francisco de Anaya Almazán OI

Cition de Juana López Sitio de Juana López I

City of Albuquerque Albuquerque (Town of) C

City of Socorro Socorro (Town of) C

Cristóbal de Torres Juan José Lovato I

Cristóbal Jaramillo San Antoñito C

Cristóval de la Serna San Cristóbal OI

Cubero Land Cubero (Town of ) C

Diego Gallego Pueblo of Santo Domingo &

San Felipe

I

Diego Lucero Godoi Estancia I

Diego Padilla Lo De Padilla I

Diego Velasco Diego de Belasco I

Domingo Romero Ojo De Borrego I

Donaciano Gurulé Diego Montoya I

El Badito Badito C

El Bracito Bracito C

El Coyote Rancho de Coyote I

Elena Gallegos Diego Montoya I

El Ranchito Ranchito C

El Rillito Rancho El Rito I

El Rito (Colorado) Rancho El Rito I

El Tajo Lo De Padilla I

Elisha Whittlesey Ortiz Mine I

Embudo of Picures Embudo OI

Encinas Juan Bautista Valdez C

Estanislado Sandoval Santiago Bone I

Ethan W. Eaton Domingo Fernández C

Father José Antonio Martínez San Cristóbal OI

Feliciano Montoyo Francisco de Anaya Almazán OI

Felipe Delgado Caja del Río C

Felipe Gonzales Bernalillo (Town of) OI

Felipe Gutiérrez Bernalillo (Town of) OI

Felipe Medina Arroyo Hondo C

Fernando de Taos Don Fernando De Taos C

Francisco Almazán Galisteo (Town of) C
Appendix II: Alternate Grant Identifiers

Page 32 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Alternate Identifiers Grant

Type of

Granta

Francisco Antonia de Gijosa Gijosa OI

Francisco Montes Vigil Alameda (Town of) OI

Francisco Ortiz Ortiz Mine I

Francisco Padilla Chamisos Arroyo I

Francisco Sandoval Rancho De La Santísima

Trinidad

I

Franz Huning Lo De Padilla I

Fray Cristóbal Pedro Armendaris #33 OI

Gabriel Quintana José Ignacio Alarí OI

Gaspar Ortiz Arroyo Hondo C

Gerónimo Martin Barranca C

Gerónimo Martin Juan Estévan García de

Noriega

I

Gijosa Pancho de Taos Gijosa OI

Gregorio Dabolas Doña Ana Bend Colony C

Guadalupe Bartolomé Fernández I

Hugh Stephenson Bracito C

Ignacio Cano Ortiz Mine I

Ignacio Chávez Chaca Mesa OI

Ignacio de Roibal Jacona (Town of) I

Ignacio Sánchez Vergara Rancho De La Santísima

Trinidad

I

Isabel Jaramillo de Romero Nuestra Señora del Rosario,

San Fernando, y Santiago

C

Isabel Montoya Manuela García de las Ribas I

Jacinto Peláes Juan Montes Vigil I

James Boney Santiago Bone I

Jesús Crespín Cristóval Crespín I

Joaquín García El Rito (Town of) OI

John Heath Heath OI

José Antonio García Petaca C

José Antonio Valdez Río del Oso OI

José Antonio Vigil Santo Domingo de Cundiyó OI

José Dolores Fernández Río Del Picurís C

José Francisco Baca y Pino Maragua OI

José Francisco Baca y Terrus Cañada de San Francisco C

José Francisco Durán Juan Manuel Córdova I

José Ignacio Alarid José Ignacio Alarí OI

José Ignacio Martínez Arroyo Hondo C

José Manuel Córdova Santiago Bone I

José R. Zamora Vallecito de Lovato (Town of ) C

José Salazar y Ortiz Vallecito de Lovato (Town of ) C

José Serafin Ramírez y Casanova Cañón del Agua I

Jose Tapia Juan Manuel Córdova I
Appendix II: Alternate Grant Identifiers

Page 33 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Alternate Identifiers Grant

Type of

Granta

Joseph Pacheco Pacheco I

Juan Antonio Archuleta Archuleta & Gonzáles I

Juan Antonio Quintana José Ignacio Alarí OI

Juan Bautista Vigil y Alarid Jornado Del Muerto I

Juan Benabides Río Tesque (Town of) OI

Juan Carlos Santistevan Cebolla C

Juan Cruz Aragón Ojito de Galisteo OI

Juan de Dios Peña Alexander Valle C

Juan de Jesús Lucero Orejas del Llano de los

Aguajes

I

Juan Estevan Pino Preston Beck Jr. I

Juan Fernández de la Pesnera Juan Montes Vigil I

Juan Gid Heath OI

Juan José Gallegos Angostura I

Juan Luis Ortiz Sierra Mosca I

Juan Manuel de Herrera Rómulo Barela I

Juan Martín Juan Manuel Córdova I

Juan Miguel Maes Maes & Gallego I

Juan Ortiz Galisteo (Town of) C

Juan Ortiz Badito C

Juan Otero Ojo De La Cabra I

Juan Pablo Martín Polvadera OI

Juan Salas Álamitos C

Juan Salas Santa Cruz C

La Joya (Town of) Sevilleta C

La Junta de los Ríos Mora y Sanello John Scolly C

La Peralta Peralta (1) I

La Petaca Petaca C

La Talaya Arroyo Hondo C

Laguna Pueblo tracts Rancho de San Juan I

Laguna Pueblo tracts Rancho de Gigante I

Laguna Pueblo tracts Rancho de Paguate I

Laguna Pueblo tracts Rancho de Santa Ana I

Laguna Pueblo tracts Rancho El Rito I

Las Cieneguitas Maes & Gallego I

Las Lamitas Las Lomitas I

Las Manuelitas Los Manuelitas C

Leonardo Gonzáles Archuleta & Gonzáles I

Lorenzo Lobato Salvador Lovato I

Lorenzo Marquez Cañada De Los Álamos (1) C

Los Cerrillos Los Serrillos C

Los Luceros Antoine Leroux I

Los Padillas Lo de Padilla I

Los Ranchos Diego Montoya I
Appendix II: Alternate Grant Identifiers

Page 34 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Alternate Identifiers Grant

Type of

Granta

Los Ranchos de Taos Cristóbal de la Serna OI

Lucero de Godoi Antonio Martínez I

Lucero Spring Ojito De Los Médanos I

Luis Jaramilo Agua Salada I

Luis María Baca Ojo del Espirítu Santo I

Manuel Álvarez Ocate I

Manuel Bustos Plaza Blanca I

Manuel Fernández Arroyo Hondo C

Manuel Hurtado Cañada de Cochití I

Manuel Ortiz Ojo de Borrego I

Manuel Trujillo Talaya Hill I

María Cleofás Bone Santiago Bone I

Medina Black Mesa OI

Merced de Fernándes de Taos Don Fernando de Taos C

Meregildo Guerra Mesilla Civil Colony C

Mesilla of San Ildefonso Tract José Trujillo OI

Mesilla Tract José Trujillo OI

Miera y Pacheco Cañada de los Álamos (2) I

Miguel Chávez Arroyo Hondo C

Miguel Montoya Bosque Grande OI

Miguel Ortiz Ojo De Borrego I

Miranda Guadalupe Miranda I

Nacimiento San Joaquín del Nacimiento C

Nacimiento del Rio Puerco San Joaquín del Nacimiento C

Nazario Gonzáles Cañada de San Francisco C

Nereo (Nerio) Antonio Montoya Ojo de Borrego I

Nuestra Señora de la Luz de las

Lagunitas

Antonio Baca OI

Ojo de Borrego Nerio Antonio Montoya I

Ojo del Espíritu Santo Pueblos of Zía, Jémez &

Santa Ana

P

Ojo de San Juan Ojo de San José C

Padilla Cañada de los Álamos (2) I

Pedro Gallego Maes & Gallego I

Pedro José Perea José Leandro Perea I

Pedro Martín Serrano Piedra Lumbre I

Pedro Sánchez Ramón Vigil I

Pedro Montes Vigil de Santillana Antoine Leroux I

Peña Blanca (Town of) Juan Montes Vigil I

Peñasco Largo Santiago Ramírez I

Plaza Colorado Valdez Plaza Colorado OI

Plaza of the Santa Bárbara Santa Bárbara C

P.M.Thompson Doña Ana Bend Colony C

Polvareda Polvadera OI
Appendix II: Alternate Grant Identifiers

Page 35 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Alternate Identifiers Grant

Type of

Granta

Pueblo Colorado Antonio de Ulibarrí I

Pueblo de Quemado Pueblo of Quemado C

Pueblo de San Antonio de Isleta Rancho De Ysleta C

Pueblo de San Cristóbal Domingo Fernández C

Pueblo de Santiago Juan Manuel Córdova I

Pueblo of Cochití Pasture Juana Baca I

Pueblo of San José Ojo de San José C

Rafael Armijo Vertientes de Navajo I

Rancho de Coyote Rancho de Abiquiú

Rancho de Coyote Nepumecina Martínez de

Aragón

I

Rancho de Coyote Rancho de la Gallina I

Rancho de Coyote Rancho de Los Rincones I

Rancho de Coyote Rancho de Río Arriba I

Rancho de Coyote Río de Chama I

Rancho de Galvan Rancho de la Santísima

Trinidad

I

Rancho de la Merced del San Joaquín

del Río Chama

Río de Chama I

Rancho de los Comales Rancho de los Corrales I

Rancho de los Esteros José Leandro Perea I

Rancho Las Truchas Nuestra Señora del Rosario,

San Fernando y Santiago

C

Rancho Río Arriba Rancho de Río Arriba I

Ranchos de Albuquerque Diego Montoya I

Ranchos de Chino Tejano The Baird’s Ranch I

Reavis Peralta (2) I

Refugio Colony Refugio Civil Colony C

Río de las Gallinas Antonio Ortiz I

Río del Pueblo Río Del Picurís C

Rito Quemado Pueblo of Quemado C

Rómulo Varela Rómulo Barela I

Roque Lobato Roque Lovato I

Rumaldo Archiveque Arquito OI

S. Endicott Peabody Vallecito de Lovato (Town of ) C

Salvador Gonzáles Cañada Ancha I

Salvador Montoya et al. Tecolote (Town of) OI

San Antonio & Rancho del Río

Colorado

San Antonio del Río Colorado C

San Clemente Joaquín Sedillo & Antonio

Gutiérrez

I

San Diego de Jémez Cañón de San Diego C

San Fernando de Taos Don Fernando de Taos C

San Joaquín del Nacimiento Chupaderos de la Lagunita I

San Joaquín Río de Chama Cañón de Chama C
Appendix II: Alternate Grant Identifiers

Page 36 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Alternate Identifiers Grant

Type of

Granta

San José de García Bartolomé Trujillo C

San José del Encinal Baltazar Baca I

San José y Santo Toribio de Jémez Ojo de San Jose C

San Marcos Springs San Marcos Pueblo OI

San Miguel de Laredo Cañón De Carnue C

San Miguel del Bado San Miguel del Vado C

San Pablo y Nacimiento San Joaquín del Nacimiento C

Sánchez Juan José Sánchez I

Santa Cruz Francisco X. Romero I

Santa Cruz de la Cañada Santa Cruz C

Santa Rita Mine Santa Rita del Cobre OI

Santa Teresa de Jesús Joaquín (de) Mestas I

Santiago Bone Juan Manuel Córdova I

Santiago Durán y Chaves San Mateo Spring(s) I

Santiago Montoya Bosque Grande OI

Santo Domingo de Maragua Maragua OI

Santo Tomás Apóstal del Río de Las

Trampas

Las Trampas (Town of) C

Santo Tomás de Iturbide Colony Santo Tomás de Yturbide C

Santo Tomás del Río de Las Trampas Las Trampas (Town of) C

Santo Toribo Ojo de San José C

Santo Toribo de Jémez Santo Toribo C

Sitio de Juana López Mesita de Juana López OI

Sitio de Parajito Pajarito OI

Sitio del Navajo Vertientes de Navajo I

Sitión de Los Cerrillos Sitio de Los Serrillos I

Tajaque Tajique (Town of) C

Tomás Cabeza de Baca Ojo del Espíritu Santo I

Town of Río San Antonio del Rio Colorado C

Town of Río Tesque Río Tesuque OI

Tres Álamo Álamo I

Tungue Tejón (Town of) C

Úrsula Chaves Agua Negra I

Vallecito de Lobato Vallecito de Lovato (Town of ) C

Valverde Cristóbal Pedro Armendaris #33 OI

Villa de Albuquerque Town of Albuquerque C

Vincente Durán de Armijo Gaspar Ortiz I

Vincente Romero Alfonso Rael de Aguilar (2) I

William T. Russell Juan de Gabaldón C

a

“C” refers to community land grants identified through original grant documentation as listed in Table

1. “OI ” refers to grants identified by grantee heirs, scholars, or others as having common lands, but

which lack supporting grant documentation, as listed in Table 2. “P” for pueblo, refers to grants made

by Spain to indigenous pueblo cultures as identified in Table 3. “I” refers to grants made to

individuals.
Appendix III: Objectives, Scope, and

Methodology

Page 37 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Concerned about whether the United States fulfilled its obligations under

the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo with regard to community land grants

made by Spain and México in what is now the State of New Mexico,

Senators Jeff Bingaman and Pete Domenici asked us to study numerous

issues regarding the treaty and its implementation. Subsequently, New

Mexico Congressman Tom Udall joined in the request. We plan to answer

their questions in two reports. This first report defines the concept of

community land grants, identifies three types of grants that meet this

definition, and lists the grants that we identified in each category. The

second report will review the United States legal obligations under the

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo to protect community land grants and the

procedures established to implement these obligations.

In accordance with the request, we limited our review to community land

grants made by Spain or México between the end of the 17th century and

1846 that were wholly or partially situated within the present State of New

Mexico and subject to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. We also included

grants in what is now New Mexico that were made until the 1853 Gadsden

Purchase, since they too were made subject to the treaty. We analyzed

land grants in New Mexico for which we could find evidence to identify

community land grants.

To respond to this request, we collected and reviewed documents from the

U.S. National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C.;

the National Archives and Records Administration in Denver; the New

Mexico State Records Center and Archives; archives at the U.S. Bureau of

Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service; various libraries, including

the Center for Southwest Research at the University of New Mexico

Zimmerman Library and the Special Collections at the University of New

Mexico Law School Library; the U.S. National Park Service’s Spanish

Colonial Research Center at the University of New Mexico; scholars, land

grant heirs, lawyers representing land grant interests; and other

individuals or entities associated with land grants in New Mexico.

We researched, collected, and reviewed published and unpublished

material on land grants, including books, articles, monographs, and

unpublished theses. Our search for relevant materials included a search

for articles published in México that address the issues in this report. A list

of materials that we consulted can be found in Appendix V.

During the course of our review, we interviewed dozens of land grant heirs

in New Mexico and contacted the Governors of Indian pueblos; historians,

researchers, and other academicians studying land grant issues, including

Appendix III: Objectives, Scope, and

Methodology
Appendix III: Objectives, Scope, and

Methodology

Page 38 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

scholars in México; lawyers representing the interests of land grant heirs

and an Indian pueblo; officials at the U.S. Bureau of Land Management

(BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service; local government officials with the

State of New Mexico, including the Office of the Attorney General, and

with several counties in which land grants exist; and various

representatives of other entities or interests associated with land grant

issues in New Mexico to gain a better understanding of community land

grant issues.

To determine how community land grants are defined, we reviewed

numerous documents that addressed land grants in New Mexico, including

English translations of original grant documents; English translations of

Spanish and Mexican laws; federal, state, and territorial court decisions on

land grants; scholarly articles describing customs associated with land

grants; and various academic materials analyzing land grants. In interviews

with academicians and other experts on land grants, lawyers dealing with

land grant issues or cases, land grant heirs, and other observers of land

grants (e.g., federal employees, librarians, graduate students at the

University of New Mexico Law School Library and University of New

Mexico Library), we asked for their views on defining community land

grants. We also asked several experts to comment on our preliminary

definition of community land grants. We received over 200 oral and

written comments and documentary evidence related to Spanish and

Mexican land grants during the comment period from January 24 to May 2,

2001. The scope and nature of these comments and our responses can be

found in Appendix IV, “Public Comments.”

To identify the universe of Spanish and Mexican land grants in New

Mexico, we used a variety of historical data. We started with an

unpublished Master of Laws (LLM.) thesis by J. J. Bowden at Southern

Methodist University Law School, entitled Private Land Claims in the

Southwest, to develop our initial list of Spanish and Mexican grants. This

six-volume thesis describes 280 grants, made in what is today the State of

New Mexico, in great detail and includes English translations of parts of

the granting documents. The work also identifies many of the different

names for the grants. We next examined documents on file at various

archives from the Office of the Surveyor General and Court of Private

Land Claims -the two entities responsible for carrying out the legal

processes set in place in the nineteenth century to implement the treaty.

Where possible, we reviewed English translations of the original granting

documents. We also used other sources of information, including those

provided by land grant heirs. If discrepancies were found among various

documents, we deferred to the archived files of the Office of the Surveyor
Appendix III: Objectives, Scope, and

Methodology

Page 39 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

General or Court of Private Land Claims. Our research identified 295

Spanish and Mexican land grants made by Spain and Mexico in the area,

which now comprises the State of New Mexico.

To distill community land grants from this universe of land grants, we

applied our definition, searching for clues in the granting documents and

other sources. For example, some grants contained the following language

and would be considered community land grants: “pasturage and watering

places shall be in common” (Caja del Río), the “pastures and woodlands in

common” (Barranca), “the public square is also common among all”

(Cañón de Carnue), and “set aside for the commons of the town” (Doña

Ana Bend Colony). Criteria for inclusion as a community land grant

included not just language denoting common lands but language indicating

that a grant had been made to a town or settlement, since under Spanish

and Mexican law and custom, grants to towns included common lands. We

also included grants made to 10 or more people, since Spanish law states

in the Recopilación de las Leyes de los Reynos de las Indias that a grant

could be made to 10 or more married persons to form a settlement,

indicating that the grant was a community grant.

Historical treatises and interviews with scholars and grant heirs alerted us

to the possibility of additional community grants. Although grants may

have originally been issued to individuals, sometimes land was

subsequently set aside for common use and thus these grants should be

considered community land grants. Such evolutions are not captured in

grant documents. Other grant heirs and advocates assert that certain

grants are community land grants, but we do not know the basis for the

assertion. We included grants identified by heirs and others as being

community land grants in a second list. We make no judgment as to the

efficacy of these assertions but list them for the Congress’ consideration.

We also found that Spain issued land grants to indigenous pueblo cultures

already resident in the colonial territories. According to scholars, these

cultures held the lands communally and did not have a concept of private

ownership of real property. We list these grants separately because the

lands in common existed before Spanish settlement and because of the

unique relationship between Native Americans and the Spanish, Mexican

and United States governments. We used surveyor general documents and

public laws to ascertain the number of grants made to Native Americans.

To list each land grant by county, we compared county data in several

federal, state and independent databases listing New Mexican land grants

to determine the level of reliability of the databases. We also recognized
Appendix III: Objectives, Scope, and

Methodology

Page 40 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

that the county boundaries have changed markedly since 1850. We found

significant discrepancies among the various databases because of, in part,

conflicting interpretations of which county contained the largest area

when a grant straddled county lines. This is particularly problematic in

unsurveyed grants. In an effort to maintain consistency in listing counties

and to minimize errors, we used official federal, state and county

government maps and J. J. Bowden’s thesis. The maps relied on actual

survey data of certain land grants. We visually reviewed the maps to

determine the primary county for each of the land grants illustrated.

However, we recognized that the maps contained limited information. We

therefore used Bowden’s thesis—one of the more thorough reports on

land grants in New Mexico—to complete the county listings. We did not

verify the accuracy of either the official maps or of Bowden’s thesis.

In creating the map to represent the location of each land grant, we

learned that no map illustrating all grants existed. Officials from federal

and state agencies, as well as independent researchers, told us that current

maps only listed certain land grants, such as those grants that had been

confirmed and surveyed.

It should be noted that we relied on published and unpublished documents

and archives, primarily in New Mexico, Colorado and Washington, D.C.

The quantity, quality, availability and reliability of the evidence for the

many grants varied considerably. For example, the Doña Ana Bend Colony

files contain extensive documents pertaining to the establishment of the

colony and the location of tracts, while the Hacienda del Álamo file

contains only the claimant’s petition with no original grant documents to

verify the claim. We relied on official translations of the original granting

documents wherever possible. Documents from the Office of the Surveyor

General included the name of the individual who was responsible for

translating the submitted documents. However, we did not independently

assess any translation. We also note that the names of some grants in

Bowden’s thesis, the documents of the Office of Surveyor General, and the

Court of Private Land Claims’ files are not always consistent. We have

identified the other names of grants in Appendix II.

We conducted our review from April 2000 through August 2001, in

accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.
Appendix IV: Public Comments

Page 41 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

We received over 200 oral and written comments concerning the Exposure

Draft during the comment period. The period was originally scheduled to

end on April 2, but was extended until May 2. This allowed more time for

presenting information and documentation. We received comments

electronically via the GAO Web page, e-mail, fax, regular mail, and

meetings in New Mexico held from March 23 through March 28, 2001.

Some of the comments received asked for information about our study

and particular land grants and how to find out whether the persons

commenting were heirs to particular grants.

We received documentation submitted in support of suggested changes to

the Exposure Draft by fax and regular mail and in our meetings. Most of

the comments did not address the definition and list of community land

grants. We obtained information about many grants, including the detailed

histories of some, which will be reviewed in our future work. The

comments on the definition and lists generally agreed with both. We made

some changes in the background and categorization of four land grants in

response to specific comments, and the changes are discussed below.

Many suggested changes did not include supporting documentation.

Generally, we made only those changes for which there was documentary

support. Our analysis of the public comments to a large extent follows the

order of the report:

1. Background. We received comments concerning the legal background

for community land grants. Some individuals stated that the report did not

contain enough detail about Spanish and Mexican laws applicable to

community settlements. One letter cited the influence of Roman law on

the development of Spanish towns and settlements both in Spain and New

Mexico. It also discussed the different kind of lands that belonged to a

community that the author of the letter believed the Supreme Court did

not recognize in United States v. Sandoval, 167 U.S. 278 (1897). The

Sandoval case concluded that the common lands of community land

grants belonged to the sovereign and in this case to the American

government as the successor sovereign to Mexico under the Treaty of

Guadalupe Hidalgo. Because this initial report deals with the definition of

community land grant and the kinds of community land grants, we decided

not to include a detailed description of Spanish and Mexican law affecting

community land grants and the types of lands that were part of a

community settlement in this report. We defer consideration of this

information in connection with our next report. We made several technical

changes at the suggestion of the Department of State.

Appendix IV: Public Comments
Appendix IV: Public Comments

Page 42 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

2. Concept of Community Land Grants Defines Community Land Grants.

Some commentators said that it was important that we include additional

terminology to help define community land grants . They also emphasized

the importance of water as a community resource and the importance of

custom and tradition in community grants. Our definition of “community

land grant” is very broad and identifies all grants that have land for

communal use. The Exposure Draft already makes reference to the

significant role of local laws, custom, and practices in the making and

confirmation of grants. We have added a statement on the important

linkage between land and water in communities.

3. Common Lands Formed Part of the Original Grant According to Grant

Documentation (Table 1). We made one change to Table 1, which is a list

of community land grants identified through original grant documentation.

As a result of a review of documentation obtained subsequent to the

January 24 issuance of the Exposure Draft, it appears that the Elena

Gallegos grant does not fit any of the three criteria that we developed to

identify the first category of community land grants. The three criteria are:

(1) the original grant document declares part of the lands be made

available for communal use; (2) the grant was made for the purpose of

establishing a new town or settlement; and (3) the grant was made to 10 or

more settlers. Consequently, we removed the Elena Gallegos grant from

the community grants listed in Table I and identified it as an individual

grant in Appendix I under the name “Diego Montoya.” The Court of Private

Land Claims decision confirming the petition of several hundred

individuals to parts of the Elena Gallegos grant set out the history of the

grant.1

 The grant had been originally made in the latter part of the 17th

century and then reissued in 1716 to Diego Montoya as a private grant.

Subsequently, the grant was conveyed to Elena Gallegos. Later, a large

number of individuals settled on the grant and small communities

(ranchos) developed. Because the grant was originally made to Diego

Montoya, an alternate identifier for this grant in the Exposure Draft,

“Diego Montoya,” will now become the name of the grant in Appendix I

and “Elena Gallegos” will become an alternate identifier in Appendix II.

 1

 See Report to the Attorney General by Mathew Reynolds, United States Attorney and

Joseph R. Reid, Chief Justice, Court of Private Land Claims, concerning Tomas C.

Gutierrez v. United States, Los Ranchos Tract No. 106 and Donaciano Gurule v. United

States, Elena Gallegos or Ranchos de Albuquerque.
Appendix IV: Public Comments

Page 43 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

We also received a comment that the Tierra Amarilla grant did not belong

in Table 1 as a community land grant since it is a private grant. The

commentator cited several federal and New Mexico cases that have held

that the Congress confirmed the Tierra Amarilla grant as a private grant

rather than as a community one. 2 We recognize that Congress confirmed

the Tierra Amarilla grant in 1860 by statute as a private grant and that its

determination is legally conclusive of this question under present

American law. However, the purpose of our report is to define the types of

“community land grants” associated with both Spain and Mexico and also

to identify the grants that are included in each type. This identification is

not a legal determination as to whether a particular land grant is a private

or community one. Rather, it provides a framework for our ongoing work.

We are presently examining the United States implementation of its

obligations under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo concerning community

land grants. We have identified grants in which common lands formed part

of the original grant. Such grants must meet one of three criteria to be so

included. One of these criteria is that the original grant document

“declares part of the land be made available for communal use.” The

document creating the Tierra Amarilla grant contains such language. The

grant document provided that “pastures, watering places and roads remain

free according to the customs generally prevailing in all settlements.”

3

4. Grants Identified by Grant Heirs and Others (Table 2). This category

includes grants that heirs, scholars, and other persons knowledgeable

about a grant’s history have stated contained common lands. Also, it

includes some individual grants where, according to such persons,

grantees, their heirs, or other grant settlers, certain lands were set aside

for common use as an inducement to attract new settlers to the grant. In

other cases, we were told that settlements arose on individual land grants

that contained some of the features of community land grants, e.g., a

common area for grazing livestock. These grants are also reflected in

Table 2.

 2

 See Martinez v. Rivera, 196 F.2d 192, 194 (10th Cir. 1952), cert. denied, 344 U.S. 828

(1952); Flores v. Bruesselbach, 149 F.2d 616 (10th Cir. 1945); and Rio Arriba, New Mexico

Bd. of County Comm. v. Acting Southwest Reg. Dir., Bureau of Indian Affairs, 36 IBIA 14

(2001).

3

 Report of the Secretary of the Interior, H.R. Exec. Doc. No. 1, 34th Cong., 3rd Sess., 1856–

1857, pp. 489–90.
Appendix IV: Public Comments

Page 44 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

We received a comment that we remove both Pedro Armendaris grants,

Numbers 33 and 34, from table 2 because they were private land grants.

We received materials supporting this request, which included copies of

Surveyor General documents and two United States patents for private

grants issued by President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878. These materials

recite the history of the grants as presented to the Surveyor General and

that formed the basis of congressional confirmation of these grants as

private grants in 1860.4 These documents establish that the Spanish

officials made grants to Pedro Armendaris in 1819 (No. 33) and 1820

(No.34).

However, our purpose in this report is to be as comprehensive as possible

in identifying the universe of community land grants. We wanted to

identify grants that fit certain evidentiary criteria, as well as grants that

heirs and others identified as containing common lands. This selfidentification is important because adequate grant documentation is often

lacking. In the case of these two grants, the documentary evidence shows

that the grants were made to Pedro Armendaris. However, some persons

have identified the grants as having common lands set aside for the use of

settlers. This characterization does not affect their legal status as

individual grants. As stated above, this report makes no legal

determinations. The grants are included in Table 2 because someone has

identified the grants as containing common lands. We make no

determination of whether the assertion is true.

We also added two grants to Table 2: Francisco Montes Vigil and Cristóbal

de la Serna. During our March interviews in New Mexico, heirs to these

grants stated that they were community land grants, but provided no

evidence that common lands formed part of the original grant. However,

since identification by grant heirs was sufficient for a grant to be included

in the second category of community land grants, these grants are listed in

Table 2. We are aware that in several instances courts in the New Mexico

Eighth Judicial District have concluded that the Cristóbal de la Serna grant

was an individual land grant, based on a detailed examination of its

 4

 The Congress also approved grants to communities. For example, Congress confirmed a

grant to the Town of Las Vegas in 1860, ch. 167, 12 Stat. 71 (1860), H.R EXEC. DOC. NO. 14,

36TH CONG. 1ST SESS. 45 (1860).
Appendix IV: Public Comments

Page 45 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

history. 5 As stated previously, our inclusion of this grant in Table 2 does

not affect this conclusion.

We received two different comments that the Tecolote land grant did not

belong in Table 2. One comment would place the grant in Table 1 as a

community land grant for which allegedly there is documentary support.

The other comment suggested that the grant be listed in Appendix I as an

individual grant. Originally, we had included it in Table 2 because an

individual had identified it as a community land grant. These different

views reflect the positions taken in current litigation in New Mexico State

court.6

 The issue in the litigation is whether the heirs of the original

grantee have a superior right to part of the grant than the Town of

Tecolote. According to the parties to the litigation, a Mexican court in 1838

divided the grant between the heirs of the original grantee, Salvador

Montoya, and the settlement of Tecolote. The Town of Tecolote received a

patent (title) from the United States in 1902 covering the acreage of the

original grant. The patent provides that it should only be construed as the

relinquishment by the United States of any claim to the land in question.

The patent further provides that it does not adversely affect the rights of

any other person to the land. In the litigation, heirs of the original grantee

are claiming that they have a superior right than the Town of Tecolote to

about one-half of the grant. To be included in the first category of

community land grants, original grant documentation is necessary and in

this instance none was provided to us. However, to be included in the

second category, someone only has to identify a grant as having common

lands. We take no position on the litigation.

We also received comments that the Alameda, Embudo, La Majada, San

Marcos Pueblo,7

 Sebastían Martín, and Gijosa grants did not belong in

Table 2. However, we had previously received information that others had

identified these as community land grants. This information was sufficient

to include these grants in Table 2.

 5

 See Kristen Selph a/k/a Christine Padilla v. Alger, No. 79-223-CV (8th D.C. N.M. 1984);

Selph v. Armijo, No. 7928 (8th D.C. N.M. 1968), Kiraly v. Trujillo, No. 96-331-CV (8th D.C.

N.M. 2000); and Adams v. Abeyta, No. 96-285-CV (8th D.C. N.M. 2000). 

6 Montoya v. Tecolote Land Grant and Bd., No. 99-322-CV (4th D.C. N.M. 1999).

7

 One scholar prepared a history of the grant to show that the grant belonged in Appendix I

as a individual grant, but it did not include original documentation. Consequently, the grant

is in Table 2 because someone had previously identified it as a community land grant. We

are not making any determination about which of the two assertions is true.
Appendix IV: Public Comments

Page 46 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

5. Common Lands of Indigenous Pueblo Cultures (Table 3). An official

from the Santa Clara Pueblo wrote that we had omitted from Table 3 the

Cañada de Santa Clara grant, which is contained only in Appendix I. He

provided an English translation and a copy of the original 1763 Spanish

grant. The grant provides that the whole of the Valley of Santa Clara “shall

be for cultivable and common lands of the said Pueblo for their flocks and

horses with all its pastures and waters.” We have added this grant to table

3 because of this documentary evidence. Table 3 consists of grants made

directly to the Indian pueblos. It does not include the subsequent purchase

or acquisition by an Indian pueblo of a grant from the grantee or any other

person who has the right to dispose of it.

We also received a request from representatives of the Ysleta del Sur

Pueblo, which is located in Texas, to be included in our review of

community land grants. According to the request, following the Pueblo

Revolt in 1680, the Spaniards moved the ancestors of the present tribe

from Isleta Pueblo, near modern day Albuquerque, to the El Paso, Texas

area, where they remain today. The Ysleta del Sur Pueblo received a grant

from the Spanish Governor of New Mexico in 1751. At the time of the

signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, the area the Pueblo

occupied was located in New Mexico. However, it became part of Texas

two years later, as a part of the Compromise of 1850.8

 Neither the Surveyor

General of New Mexico nor the Court of Private Land Claims approved the

Spanish grant because the Pueblo was located in Texas. The Pueblo

believes it should be included in the GAO study because it has a common

basis for complaint with the individuals and tribes that comprise it.

Our requestors have asked that we examine the United States obligations

under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and its implementation with

reference to community land grants in New Mexico. In the Exposure Draft,

which defines “community land grant” and identifies such grants in New

Mexico, we included the Indian Pueblos that fit our definition and criteria

for community land grants. Because the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo is located in

Texas, however, it does not fall within the ambit of our study.

We received a letter from Taos Pueblo expressing concern about the lack

of attention given to Pueblo grants in our study. The letter noted that

 8

 The Compromise of 1850 refers to legislation that among other things, admitted

California as a state and added part of Texas to the New Mexico territory at a price of $15

million.
Appendix IV: Public Comments

Page 47 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

dozens of land grant heirs and governmental officials were interviewed,

but only a few individuals involved with the problems of one Pueblo were

interviewed. We provided copies of the Exposure Draft to the Governors

of each of the New Mexico Pueblos and held open forums in 5 locations in

the state. The Taos Pueblo also stated that without a comprehensive study

concerning Indian Pueblo lands, the Pueblo would be unable to accept the

findings of the GAO study. We are aware that problems over land

ownership have frequently arisen between settlers and the Pueblos. As

Taos Pueblo recognizes, our congressional requestors specifically asked

GAO to assess the United States legal obligations under the Treaty of

Guadalupe Hidalgo and their implementation with respect to community

land grants. In the event that we identify potential options for resolving

any U.S. failure, the congressional requestors want GAO to discuss the

potential effects of these options on tribal land claims. The treatment of

the pueblo grants in the second report will depend on the factors

mentioned in the response to comment (b) in Table 4 below.

The Taos Pueblo letter did not contain any comments about Table 3 of the

Exposure Draft, which lists all the Pueblo grants and the dates they were

made. The Exposure Draft showed that the Taos Pueblo had received its

grant in 1815, which was much later than the dates for the other Pueblos.

We reviewed our work papers and concluded that the date was not

accurate. We spoke with an employee of Taos Pueblo familiar with its

history. The employee indicated that little information could be found that

established a date certain for the original Spanish grant. Accordingly, we

have left the space for the grant’s date blank and added a footnote

indicating that the date of the grant is uncertain.

6. Detailed Data on the 295 Spanish and Mexican Land Grants (Appendix

I). On the basis of comments received, we realized that some grants listed

in Appendix I overlap or are included in other grants. For example, we

received information that the Juan Montes Vigil grant listed in Appendix I

was part of the La Majada grant. Neither Congress nor the Court of Private

Land Claims confirmed the Vigil grant, although it was presented to the

Surveyor General for his approval. However, the Court of Private Land

Claims confirmed the La Majada grant in 1894 with a patent issued in 1908.

Also, we received information that the José Domínguez grant and the

Sebastían Martín grant covered the same area. In fact, Sebastían Martín

purchased the grant from José Domínguez’s daughter and son-in-law.
Appendix IV: Public Comments

Page 48 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Congress confirmed the Sebastían Martín grant in 1860 and a patent issued

in 1893. The Surveyor General rejected the Domínguez grant.9

We also made changes to Appendix I to make it easier to use. First, it

proved difficult to identify grants that had other names, which we had

included as alternate identifiers in Appendix I. We removed the column in

Appendix I designated as “Alternative grant identifiers” and replaced it

with a new Appendix II that alphabetizes all the alternate identifiers and

links each identifier to a particular grant in Appendix I. Second, we added

a column to Appendix I, which identifies what kind of a grant it is for the

purposes of this report: (1) “C” for community grants with original

documentation listed in Table 1; (2) “OI” for community land grants

identified by grant heirs and others listed in Table 2; (3) “P” for Indian

Pueblo grants listed in Table 3; and (4) “I” for “individual grants.” Third,

instead of one New Mexico map showing the grants identified in Tables 1

through 3 by county, we created three separate New Mexico county maps

in the report showing the location of grants in each table. Lastly, in Table

1, as well as in Table 2 and Appendixes I and II we have removed the

words “Town of” from the name of certain grants and placed these words

in parentheses after the name of the grant. We then realphabetized each

list. We made these changes to make it easier to locate the name usually

associated with these grants.

7. New Mexico Attorney General’s Task Force. We received oral and

written comments from New Mexico Attorney General’s Task Force set up

to assist GAO in its study of community land grants. Table 4 summarizes

their major comments, some of which we have grouped together, and our

responses.

 9

 We received several comments that we had failed to list certain grants. These grants were

actually alternate identifiers for another grant. 
Appendix IV: Public Comments

Page 49 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Table 4: New Mexico Attorney General’s Task Force Major Comments and GAO’s

Responses

Comments Responses

(a) The definition of “community land grant”

should reflect the communal uses of property

set out in the original Spanish and Mexican

laws, the important role of water, and local

custom, culture and tradition.

We define “community land grant” as a

grant that had common lands, which

reflects their communal use. We have

added to the background section

sentences that point out the importance

of land and water, the essential

ingredients for developing sustainable

agricultural settlements and communities

in New Mexico. The report already refers

to the important role of practices and

customs in the granting and confirmation

of grants.

(b) Individual and Pueblo land grants

encountered many of the same problems that

faced community land grants and their

problems should be addressed in the GAO

study.

In keeping with the congressional

request, our study focuses on community

land grants that were used to establish

new settlements and communities in New

Mexico. The problems encountered by

individual grants as a result of the United

States’ implementation of the Treaty are

outside the scope of our study. The

Pueblo grants have differed from the

other community grants in New Mexico

since their inception. During the 20th

century, the resolution of pueblo land

claims differed from the other community

land grants in New Mexico because of

their unique Indian status. Treatment of

the pueblo grants in the second report will

depend on (1) the problems encountered

by the pueblos as a result of the United

States’ implementation of the Treaty and

(2) the extent to which those problems or

their resolution differ from the other

community land grants.

(c) The use of English translations of Spanish

and Mexican documents is unreliable and the

Spanish translation of the Exposure Draft

was done by someone unfamiliar with the

Spanish spoken in New Mexico.

We relied on the English translations of

Spanish and Mexican documents that

were used by the surveyors general, the

Court of Private Land Claims, scholars,

legal experts, and historians. We do not

have the resources and expertise to read

the original Spanish documents, even if

they were available. For the purposes of

the Exposure Draft this was not essential

because our definition of “community land

grant” and the three categories of such

grants were very broad. In addition, our

listing of a grant is not a determination as

to the grant’s legal status. We used

Department of State translators since

State is the agency responsible for
Appendix IV: Public Comments

Page 50 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Comments Responses

translating official United States

government documents.

(d) Future GAO reports should discuss the

issues that affected Hispanic ownership of

land grants, including conflicts of interest,

crooked lawyers, adverse possession laws,

state taxation, fraud, misinterpretation of

Spanish and Mexican land laws, lack of

fluency in English, and racism.

GAO’s next report will concern the United

States implementation of its obligations

under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. It

will discuss these obligations and how

they were carried out. The report may

also describe what persons have said

these obligations included.

(e) GAO staff should continue to consult with

scholars, legal experts, and historians.

GAO plans to continue to consult with

scholars, legal experts, and historians, as

the next report is prepared.

8. Taos County Community Centers. We received several comments and

materials from Taos County Community Centers Association, Inc. One of

these comments claimed that the 295 grants listed in Appendix I of the

Exposure Draft covered only one third of the grants made in New Mexico

and that there were 719 grants that had not been accounted for. The

comment was based on a statement in a book by a New Mexico historian

that the Surveyor General in his 1856 report to Congress indicated that he

had received “a collection of 1,014 grants and documents relating to land

titles of which (197) were private grants” (emphasis added).10 The

Association sponsored a New Mexico House Joint Memorial, stating that

there were 719 grants unaccounted for in the GAO Exposure Draft.11 The

1856 Surveyor General’s report showed, as the quoted passage from the

history book stated, that indeed there were 1,014 grants and documents

given to the Surveyor General. This number refers to other documents too,

not just grants, including conveyances and wills. The 1856 Surveyor

General’s report lists fewer grants than the 295 that we found.

9. Identification of Source Materials. We were asked why the Exposure

Draft does not, as scholarly articles do, cite the specific support or source

for statements or information in the report. GAO reports are not scholarly

studies, but are prepared for the use of the Congress and they should be

written in a clear and concise manner. Consequently, it is not our usual

practice to footnote each statement in our reports. Both Appendixes III

 10 See letter, dated January 19, 2001, from the Executive Director, Taos County Community

Centers Association, Inc. to the U.S. General Accounting Office, quoting from Leading

Facts of New Mexican History, Spanish and Mexican Land Grants, Ralph Emerson

Twitchell, Cedar Rapids, IA: Torch Press, 1911–1912, p. 459-60.

11 H.J. Memorial 45, 45th Leg., 1st Sess. (N.M. 2001).
Appendix IV: Public Comments

Page 51 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

and V list the materials used in the preparation of this report. These

Appendixes contain more detailed information that we usually provide in

reports so that scholars and others could see what information we used to

develop the definition and lists of community land grants.

To assure report accuracy, GAO staff, which have not been involved in a

study, independently review the sources for each statement and the

information in the report. Our process of quality control requires that each

statement be supported by appropriate and valid documentation and that

the person performing the quality control checks must independently

assess the adequacy of the support. When a study is completed, the

documentary sources for the report, as well as any data bases developed,

will usually be available to the public upon request.

10. Spanish Version of Exposure Draft.- A few commentators noted that

the translation of the English version of the Exposure Draft into Spanish

did not reflect the Spanish used in New Mexico. Specifically, it used

technical terms that are not familiar to New Mexican Spanish speakers.

For example, the Exposure Draft uses the word “concesión” for a “grant”

made by Spain and Mexico while the word for a Spanish grant in New

Mexico is “merced.” We added a footnote regarding “merced.”
Appendix V: Bibliography

Page 52 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

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Bradfute, Richard Wells. The Court of Private Land Claims: The

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Appendix V: Bibliography
Appendix V: Bibliography

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_____. Land Grants and Law Suits in Northern New Mexico.

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_____. ed. Spanish and Mexican Land Grants and the Law. Manhattan,

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 1

 The microfilm archives were accessed at the New Mexico State Records Center and

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D.C.
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Page 54 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

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_____. The Tierra Amarilla Grant: A History of Chicanery. Santa Fé, NM:

The Center for Land Grant Studies Press, 1993.

Espinosa, Gilberto. “New Mexico Land Grants.” The State Bar of New

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Forrest, Suzanne Sims. “A Trail of Tangled Titles: Mining, Land

Speculation, and the Dismemberment of the San Antonio de las Huertas

Grant.” New Mexico Historical Review, Vol. 71 (Oct. 1996), pp. 361-393.

Gates, Paul W. and Robert W. Swenson. History of Public Land Law

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Gomez, Placido. “The History and Adjudication of the Common Lands of

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Guadalupe Hidalgo Treaty of Peace 1848 and The Gadsden Treaty with

Mexico 1853. Seattle, WA: Tate Gallery Publisher, 1963.

Hall, G. Emlen. Four Leagues of Pecos: A Legal History of the Pecos

Grant, 1800-1933. Albuquerque, NM: The University of New Mexico

Press, 1984.

 . “ San Miguel del Bado and the Loss of the Common Lands of New

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_____. “Tularosa and the Dismantling of New Mexico Community

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Jenkins, Myra Ellen. “The Baltasar Baca ‘Grant’: History of an

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Knowlton, Clark S. Land-Grant Problems Among the State’s Spanish

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_____. “The Mora Land Grant: A New Mexican Tragedy.” Journal of the

West, Vol. 27, No. 3 (undated), pp. 189-218.

_____. “The Study of Land Grants as an Academic Discipline.” The Social

Science Journal, Vol. 13, No. 3 (1976), pp. 3-7.

Kutsche, Paul and John R. Van Ness. Canones: Values, Crisis, and

Survival in a Northern New Mexico Village. Salem, WI: Sheffield

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Lamar, Howard R. The Far Southwest 1846-1912. A Territorial History.

New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1966.

Land Title Study Prospectus: Prospectus No.2. Santa Fé, NM: State

Planning Office, 1969.

Leonard, Olen E. The Role of the Land Grant in the Social Organization

and Social Processes of a Spanish-American Village in New Mexico.

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AZ: Northern New Mexico Stockman’s Association and the Institute of

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345.

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Nabokov, Peter. Tijerina and the Courthouse Raid. Albuquerque, NM:

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“New Mexico Land Grant Claims.” AMIGOS—Quien junto al agua tiene

su tierra, primero riega, Vol. 7, Nivel 2, No. 6 (undated).

Poldervaart, Arie W. Black-Robed Justice. Santa Fé, NM: Historical Society

of New Mexico, 1948.

Remote Claims Impact Study: Lot II-A, Study of the Problems that Result

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Natural Resources Center, University of New Mexico School of Law, 1980.

Reynolds, Matthew G. Spanish and Mexican Land Laws. St. Louis, MO:

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Southwest. Albuquerque, NM: The University of New Mexico Press, 1998.

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Sanchez, George I. Forgotten People: A Study of New Mexicans.

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Simmons, Marc. Spanish Government in New Mexico. Albuquerque, NM:

The University of New Mexico Press, 1968.

Smith, Andrew T. “The Founding of the San Antonio de las Huertas Grant.”

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The Lands of New Mexico Supplement. No city indicated, NM: Museum of

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Land Grant. Albuquerque, NM: New Mexico Legal Rights Demonstration

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Torrez, Robert J. “‘El Bornes’: La Tierra Amarilla and T.D. Burns.” New

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 . “From Empire to Statehood: A History of New Mexico’s Spanish

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_____. “Sale Burro y Entre Burro.” A Historical Perspective on the Tierra

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 . The Enduring Legacy of Spanish Land and Water Policy in New

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189-218.

_____. Mercedes Reales: Hispanic Land Grants of the Upper Rio Grande

Region. Albuquerque, NM: The University of New Mexico Press, 1983.

_____. The Public Domain in New Mexico 1854-1891. Albuquerque, NM:

The University of New Mexico Press, 1965.

_____. Thomas Benton Catron and His Era. Tucson, AZ: The University

of Arizona Press, 1973.

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Appendix VI: Contacts and Staff

Acknowledgments

Page 59 GAO-01-951 New Mexico Land Grants

Susan A. Poling and Alan R. Kasdan, (202) 512-7648

In addition to those named above, Robert C. Arsenoff, John C. Furutani,

Robert E. Sánchez, José Alfredo Gómez, Barry T. Hill, Jeffrey D. Malcolm,

David A. Rogers, James R. Yeager, Jonathan S. McMurray, Carol

Herrnstadt Shulman, Alice A. Feldesman, William D. Updegraff, Stephen F.

Palincsar, Etana Finkler, Veronica C. Sandidge, Randy Byle,

Heather Taylor, Bridget Beverly, Tonya Ford, Wanda Okoro, Susan

Conlon, Oliver H. Easterwood, Robert G. Crystal, Margie Armen, James M.

Rebbe, Jessica A. Botsford, Amy Webbink, Moza Al-Suylaiti, and Heather

Tierney made key contributions to this report. We also wish to

acknowledge the following staff of the GAO Library, whose research

assistance and help in locating materials and court cases greatly facilitated

our work on this report: librarians, Rennese D. Bumbray, Maureen K.

Cummings, Eunhwa Kim, Bonita L. Mueller, Audrey L. Ruge, Kimberly R.

Walton; and technicians, Patricia A. Givens, William R. Haynos, Geraldine

B. Howard, Edna Legrant, Alice E. Paris, and Ester L. Saunders.

Appendix VI: Contacts and Staff

Acknowledgments

GAO Contacts

Staff

Acknowledgments

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