Autos and peticiones to viceroy from settlers in regards to equitable division of water for presidios, settlers and missions. Settlers say their use is low but missionaries do not want to share water. Also, settlers want to be able to sell their crops of grains, vegetables and fruits to presidio as viceroy ordered but presidio captains refuse to buy them. Viceroy orders presidio captains and governor of province to comply with orders given. (A. Dell'acqua, January 1988)

Entry consists of list of contents of documents found in box. These cuadernos are numbered, dated, physically described and summarized. Topics are principally of judicial and legal nature donations and use of lands; donations to missions and colegios; demandas; taxes (Alcabala); debts; legal disputes. Documents date from 1613 to 1763. (J. M. Johnson, October 1989)

Chronological record of land titles from 1540 - 1760 sent to viceroy Croix and consejo real de las indias, including land and haciendas acquired by California missions. Details include changes in ownership and boundaries from inheritance, gifts, judicial disputes, sales, auctions, embargos against taxes and debts from rents. Geographical boundaries specified, census data referred to and some information on judicial and transference procedures. Interesting for discussion of actos taken by Jesuits against religion belemitica, I.e. Another order; Indians and establishment and demolition of boundary markers (mojoneras) during incorporation of lands into larger hacienda holdings. Cuadernos numbered and sometimes cross referenced to other ones. (J. M. Johnson, October 1989)

Armesto instructs Landazuri, Aguilar and Barajas to put up boundary posts (mojones) for defining taxable lands belonging to California missions. Bermudez had usurped land for cattle, sheep and horse haciendas. Ladron de Guevara carefully chronologically traces ownership of parcels in question from original grants by viceroy in 1613. Detailed information on surveying geography, and inheritance, land use, rents and improvements through 1765 to disprove Bermudez' claim of possession. Bermudez ordered to effects, etc. Found acting in bad faith; ordered to return all property illegally obtained and fined 3000 pesos. Moctezuma provided costs of damage incurred to lands by Bermudez' misuse. Interesting primarily because of prominence of several major women heirs and for extracts of 17th century land documents. (J. M. Johnson, August 1989)

Padres address auto to capitan comandante Rivera that Osio took cattle belonging to mission, killed and sold them. Money should be recovered and returned to them. Osio says cattle were on disputed land, geographical boundaries in error and were his. Osio ordered for further testimony before justicia mayor Rivera. Determines number of cattle owned by mission since 1734 and concludes Osio guilty. Traces sale of cattle by Osio and fines him 1000 pesos. Osio appeals claiming can determine his family's right of ownership. (J. M. Johnson, July 1989)

Begins with review of previous testimonies and conclusions drawn. All witnesses believe Colorado River to be the boundary between the two territories. Barrio believes Misisipi (Sic) River to be boundary. Testimonies are considered hearsay and not conclusive. Governor of Texas deems necessary to establish boundary between territories and move French presidios from la Isleta to Nachitos. Questions discussed; engineer to survey boundaries, squadron of 20 soldiers and one official to observe the French, wine and aguardiente trade with French, 36 French companies each of 50 men and 100 swiss men, slaves fleeing French masters, Frenchman San Denis bestowing titles of rank on Indians in Spanish territory, French lenguarazes in Spanish territory. French are described as machinaciones, wanting to trade with anyone and that the only way to control them is by populating presidios with more Spaniards. Ff. 253 - 264 junta de guerra y hacienda discusses same as aforementioned including; one-third advance on pay to soldiers; governor of Texas to determine amount of land usurped by French, names of French towns and presidios established on Spanish territory. All witnesses believe the French occupied lands from 1734 - 36, no new towns have been built, French trade gunpowder, clothing, etc.., with Indians in Texas. Many Indian tribes ally with the Texas Indians and the French. These same Indians consider the Spanish the enemy. Ff. 264 - 275 junta de guerra y hacienda discuss and resolve the following eight points. The governor of Texas should inform commander of Nachitos to return to his Side of the Colorado River, the boundary. The governor will not be sent engineers to map and restore usurped land. A twenty-man squadron with one official will not be sent to the San Pedro River to observe the French. No decision yet as to whether the Texas squadron will be reinforced as the Nueva Veracruz squadron, only a break in relations could decide that. Wine and aguardiente trade with the French desired due to the cold winters is prohibited. Decree proclaiming black French slaves free is prohibited as provocation of the French. Spanish Indians in Texas are not prohibited to trade with the French as the Spanish want to keep the Indians happy and possibly sway the Indians to trade with the Spanish. The second part of this point decides to prohibit the French from bestowing titles of rank on Spanish Indians. The final point permits the French lenguarases to remain in Spanish territory so as not to provoke the French. (E. Wilson, January 90)

Manuel de Escandon (the son of the colonizer of seno Mexicano) asks the king to intervene in Nuevo Santander, where the situation has become very unstable after the demise of his Father. He blames the jueces pesquisadores for the present situation. They retrieved from the soldiers the land his Father had given to them, provoking their migration and consequently abandonment of the frontier. In his answer, the king awards Manuel de Escandon the title of count (which his Father formerly had) and the government of Nuevo Santander. Finally, a full account of his career is attached. (A. Nielsen, November 1989)

The administrator of hacienda de Californias warns the authorities that if no action is taken to provide estate more lands for grazing, a significant share of the state sheep herds (90,000 animals in the whole) under his care will die during the present year. He answers the contention of some of the preceding reports, that the hacienda de Californias still has plenty of land, arguing that most of it is sterile. A short report written by Mangino indorses Valiente's request and sends the whole expediente to the viceroy. (A. Nielsen, October 1989)

All the antecedents of the land conflict between misiones de Californias and villages of Hoyos, Cerro Santiago and Padilla are reviewed, pointing mistakes in the procedures of land division that, had they not been committed, the conflict would not have arisen. (A. Nielsen, October 1989)

In this report, Coronel Escandon, founder of Villa de Hoyos, describes the steps followed to found this village, Padilla and Cerro Santiago. He underlines importance of these settlements for the consolidation and expansion of the frontier over Indian territory. Based on the remarkable effort invested by their inhabitants, on the fact that all the legal procedures were properly followed at the time of the foundation and distribution of land, and in the negligence of the administrador of hacienda de Californias to set his request at that moment, he recommends to maintain everything in the present situation. (A. Nielsen, October 1989)