Land Grants through the centuries of New Mexico History
by J. J. Bowden The Village of Refugio de los Amoles, like Mesilla and Santo Tomas, was established in 1850 by fifty families of Mexican citizens, who elected to be repatriated after their native lands were ceded to the United States under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Shortly after…
by J. J. Bowden Sometime prior to the year 1790, a four‑league tract of land situated on the west bank of the Rio Grande River, the southeast corner of which was located about seven miles northwest of El Paso del Norte, Mexico, was granted to Francisco Garcia, the military…
by J. J. Bowden The Doña Ana Bend Colony and its land grant has played a leading role in the history of the Mesilla Valley of New Mexico. Doña Ana, the initial settlement on the grant and the oldest permanent settlement in the valley was founded in 1843, upon…
by J. J. Bowden El Bracito, an extremely fertile tract of bottom land situated within a prominent horseshoe bend of the Rio Grande is one of the best known natural landmarks in the Mesilla Valley. It is located approximately thirty‑three miles north of El Paso del Norte. For…
By J. J. Bowden Under the provision of the Eighth Article of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the residents of New Mexico were given the choice of retaining their Mexican nationality or becoming citizens of the United States. In an effort to encourage and assist any loyal Mexicans who…
by J. J. Bowden Until the advent of the automobile, travelers using the Camino Real between El Paso del Norte and Santa Fe faced the torturous trip through the dreaded Jornada del Muerto with a great deal of awe and hesitancy. The Jornada del Muerto, one of the true…
by J. J. Bowden While Don Juan de Onate was marching northward during the conquest of New Mexico in 1598, he found the Piro Indians to be peaceful and receptive to the extension of Spanish control over their dominion, Onate was especially gratified with the friendly reception he received…
Doña Ana County is in south-central New Mexico bordering Texas and Mexico. The county is reputed to be named for the legendary Doña Ana Robledo who was renowned for her charitable acts in the 17th century. However, some records indicate that the true origin of the name is Doña…
by J. J. Bowden A fancied resemblance to the Spanish town of Seville prompted Governor Juan de Onate to name the most northerly Piro pueblo Nueva Sevilla when he visited it during his Conquest of New Mexico in 1598, Nueva Sevilla was situated on the east bank of the…
by J. J. Bowden About the same time that he was requesting the additional lands covered by the Fray Cristobal Grant, Pedro Armendaris was also seeking a grant covering a tract of land lying northwest of his original grant at Valverde In this petition, which was dated May 1,…
