[PDF]Colorado Inventory Of County Archvies

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1938
NE: I
Jh Luther H, Evans, National Director
Clifford M, Sublette, State Director


The Historical Records Survey


Division of Women's and Professional Projects


Ellen S5, Woodward, Assistant Administrator
Margaret Se. Reef, State Director j


WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION


Harry Le Hopkins, Administrator
Paul De Shriver, State Administrator


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Greed [Bu iw FOREWORD
Ciit


e an of County Archives of Colorado is one of a number of
bibliographies of historical materials prepared throughout the United
States by workers on the Historical Records Survey of the Works Progress
Administration. The publication herewith presented, an inventory of the
archives of Conejos County, is number 1] in an alphabetical listing of
sixty-three Colorado counties.


The Historical Records Survey was undertaken in the winter of
1955-36 for the purpose of providing useful employment to needy unem-
ployed historians, lawyers, teachers, and research and clerical workers.
In carrying out this objective, the project was organized to compile
inventories of historical materials, particularly the unpublished gov-
ernment documents and records which are basic in the administration of
local government, and which provide invaluable data for students of
political, economic, and social history. The archival cuide herewith
presented is intended to meet the requirements of day-to-day administra-
tion by the officials of the county, and also the needs of lawyers,
business men and other citizens who require facts from the public
records for the proper conduct of their affairs. The volumo is so de-
_; Signed that it can be used by the historian in his resoarch in unprinted
* Sources in the samo way he uses the library card catalogue for printed
1. SOurces,

1 The inventories produced by the Historical Records Survey attompt
, to do more than givo morely & list of records - thoy attempt further to
> sketch in the historical background of the county or other unit of

- government, and to describo precisely and in detail the organization and
q functions of tho government azoncies whose records they list. The

.county, town, and other local inventories for tie entiro country will,

_swhen conpletod, constitute an encyclopedia of local government, as well
.j&s & bibliography of local archivos.


ji The successful conclusion of the work of the Historical Rocords
~ Survey, even in a singlo county, would not be possible without the sup-
; port of public officials, historical and legal specialists, and many
other groups in the community. Thcir cooperation is gratefully
acknowledged.


The Survey was organized and has boen directed bx Luther He . vans,
and opcrates as a nation-wide project in tho Division of Vomen's and
Professional Projects, of which Mrs, Ellen S., Woodward, Assistant
Administrator, is in chargo.


HARRY L.e HOPKINS
Administrator


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PREFACE


In order to obtain adequate knowledge bf county history, historians
must be in & position to study individual county offices from the records
of that office that they m&y be &ble to determine the origin and develop-
ment of the county office &s & political unit, The most important source
materials from which to get a true history of any one county are the re-
cords of the county offices. Much of this archival material has been
lost or destroyed, and the balance of such material which is not current
lies forgotten and uninventoried in dusty vaults and basements, where it
is rapidly deteriorating through lack of care. The recognition that this
basic material, so necessary for historical research, be discovered and
inventoried led to the organization of a federal project, The Historical
Records Survey,


This survey beran operations in Colorado in February 1936 under the
administrative supervision of the Federal lViriters' Project. In July 1936,
mainly because of the impossibility of simultaneously placing local units
of the two projects in the same communities, the Survey commenced to
function independently of the Writers! Project. In November 1926 the
Historical Records Survey of Colorado became an independent part of
Fedoral Project No. 1 with Preston B, Albright as state director, On
July 16, 1937, Preston B. Albright was succceded as state director by
C. iie Sublette, At the same time, tho Colorado Springs office secured
space donated by El Paso County on tho third floor of the oourthouso,
while the city and countv of Denver provided for & six months period the
rooms located at 307 Police Building for the project in Denver; after
this pcriod, the National Parks Service furnished space at 108 Old
Custom House Building. At the end of six months the sity and sounty of
Denver asain prowided an office, this timo in thc City and Count; Building,


Tho Inventory of County Archives of Colorado when comploted will con-
sist of a book for oacn of the sixtv-threo counties withi: the statc.
Zach publication is divided into an historical skotch, an essay on novcorn-
mental organization, an essay on carc and housing of records which pic-
tures the conditions under which rocords are preserved, and is followcd by
tho inventory proper arranged by office and bureau. The records aro ar-
ranged with those of the administrative branches of the county goverment
first, followed by land, judicial, law onforcemcnt, fiscal, cducational,
and misccllancous arcncics. lLiinor agencics are placod in the gencral ar~
rangomont according to function, rather than according to constitutional
or statutory responsibility to a major subdivision. The legal status of
cach office or agoncy has boon troatod in a prefctorv scction precoding
the inventory of the rocords of the office,


The Historical Records Survey in Conejos County was begun on Junc 29,
19373; and on August $0, 1937 tho ficld invontory was completed by the
project personnel in Conejos County, under the local supervision of
Robort He Crow, ficld supervisor. For the accuracy of the inventory, the
project personnel in Conejos Count: is entirely rcsponsible. lLMembers of


the state cditorial staff of the Historical Rocords Survey, undor the
suporvision of Cyril Coatcs, editorial director, in charso of cditorial


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Preface


details, and Elda !:. Sanborne, editor, compiled, arranged, indexed,
edited, and produced the volume. Grateful acknowledgment is made to the
officials of El Paso County for the use of their equipment in mimeograph-
ing this book; to the Adult Education Project of Works Progress Admini-
stration in Colorado Springs, who designed and printed the covers; and

to others who have rendered assistance.


All of the officials of Conejos County and their deputies cooperated
in every way with the field workers and their aid is gratefully appre-
ciated. Elective and constitutional officials at the time of the survey
in the county were: J. Ae Rivera, recorder; Reginaldo Garcia, treasurer;
Victor Carcia, assessor; Amado Trujillo, sheriff; J. Fidel Chavez, county
judge; Je Fidcl Chavez, clerk of county court; J. Ke EcGregor, clerk of
district court; Harry Thomas, sunerintendent of schools; Earl H. Haynic,
coroners; lianucl Chavoz, Frank *. Russell, and 5, A, Mestas, county com-


missioncrse


Various units of tho Invontory of County Archives of Colorado will
be issued in mimeographod form for frcco distribution to state and local
officials, public librarics in Colorado, and to a limited number of li-
brarics and covernmentel agencies outside the stato. Requests for in-
formation concerning the particuler units of tho invontorvy should bo
addresscd to tho Stato Dircctor, Historical Records Survey, 414 City ond
County Building, Donvor, Colorado,


Ce Me SUBLETTE


State Diroctor
Denver, Colorado The Historical Rocords Survey
July 16, 1938


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TABLES OF CONTENTS


Ae Conejos County and its Records System Page


lə Historical Sketch of Conejos County e 4 è> >o èe è « » œ 4

Ze Governmental Organization and Records E e © «© > è oœ 10

Chart of County Government . . œ © © o o o 28

Se Housing, Care, and Accessibility of the Records o o o o oœ 29

4e List of Abbreviations, Symbols, and Explanatory Notes . . . l
Be County Offices and their Reaords

Ie Board of County Commissioners . e ə « è> © èe v» © >è œ 54


Minutes. Receipts and Disbursements: accounts; claims; dis-
bursementse Reports; Officials. Taxes, Roads, Irrigation
Districts. Drainage Districts. Welfare, Bonds: funding
bonds; public responsibility; contractors bonds, Licenses.
County Officials: bonds; appointments, County Property.
Correspondence.


II, County Clerk . . e e e. ° é ° e ə ® e e e e e ° 50
Elections, Vital Statistics; census-civil; census-military;
marriages, kotor Vehicle Department, Intoxicating Liquor
Records, Bonds, Licenses: hunting; transient dealer. Re-
ceipts and Disbursements, Correspondence,


Lids Recorder of Deeds e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e 60
Reception Records, General Index. itiscellaneous. Real
Estate: patents; warranty deeds; quit claim deeds; sheriffs
deeds; treasurers deeds; estate deeds; trustee deeds; trust
deeds, releases, and foreclosures; mortrases and releases;
judgmonts and liens; attachments and executions; tax salcs;
estates; land registration (Torrens); leases; plats and maps.
Irrisation, Hines. Roads. Personal Property: chattel mort-
gages; livestock; motor vehicles. Corporations. Vital
statistics. Bonds: official; butchers. Notaries Public.
Soldiers Discharge, M NMiscollenoous.


IV. District Court e * e e e e e e . e ° e e e e e 82
General Indoxcs. Civil: minutos; caso files; actions filed;
schedule for trial; judgments and executions; bonds; feos,
roccipts, &nd disbursomonts, Criminal: dockots; caso filcs,
Water Decrecs, Naturalization. Coroners Inquests. Jurors
and Witnessos. Appointments. Roports, Correspondence. Nis-
collaneous,


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Table of Contents | Pago


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VI,


VII,


VIII.


Xe


XIe


XIIe


XIII.


XIVe


County Court . . > > è «© è > è èo è © © o © o o 93
Probatc: indcexos; minutes; casc papors; actions filod; schod-
ulc for trial; administration of estates; fccs, costs, and
disburscmonts, Civil, Criminal, and Juvcnile: general ine
dexos; caso papers; schedule for trial; judzmonts and execu-
tions; fecs, roccipts, disbursononts, Lunacy. Naturalization.
Yolfaro, Reports.


Justico of the Pcaco . . . è è è >o >o «© «© > «© e» e» 103
Wage Claims Court 4. e e « © © © è è © © > © ọ e 105
District Attorney . e .« . +« 6 «© ^ «© © >» è> > «© e 105
County Attorney o o oè o >o o eae 106


Shoriff. e e e e e e e e e e . e e e e e e e 107
Civil: dockcts; court ordors; focs, Criminal: prisoners;
court ordors; idontification, Reports. Roquisitions, Mis-
cclloncous,. Correspondenco,


Constable e e e e e e e e e e 2 e e e e e e . 111
Coroner . e e e e e e e e ° e e ° e e ° ° e e 112


Asscssor e e ° e è e e e e e e e ° e e e e 113
Tax Schedules. Tax Lovy Rates. Asscssmonts. Ownership:
rcal cstate; personal propertye Maps. Hail Insurance. Crop
Reporting Sorvico, Corrospondoncc.


Board of Equalization 4. . e e > > è «© © ə «© > >o e. 118


TroüsurOT a ^». ^. è è © © © © © © © e» © > > > >o ALLY
Rocoipts and Disbursements: rccoiptss accounts; worrants;
bank statcncnts. Foes. Reports. Bonds: county; irrigation
districts. School Districts: rocoipts and disbursements;
warrants; bonds; quarterly report roccipts; misccllancous.
Bountios, Correspondonce,


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Table of Contents Page


XVI. Collector of Taxes . . 6 è 6 © è è © > © © © «© e. l27
Assessment Rolls: county; irrigation and drainage districts;
motor vehicle. Tax Receipts. Delinquent Taxes: receipts;
sales record; sales notices; certificate of purchases; redenp-
tions; deeds; certificates of purchase, Reports. Fees,

Real Estate Ownership.


XVIIe. Public Trustee e e e e e e e e e e e e e ° e e 134
Trust Deeds, Releases. Foreclosures: record; notices;
sales; returns; redemptions. Correspondence.


XVIII. Superintendent of Schools e e ee è > > « © © > e œ 138
General Business. Financial. School Districts: boundaries;
directors, Teachers. Pupils.


XIX. Land Commissioner . . . . « © © © 2. © © > o eo e i149
XXe Water Commissioner e e e e | e e e e e e e " e e e 149
XXI. Surveyor 4. əs © èe © © © © © © © © © # «© œ œ œ 150


XXII. Board of Health . è è e . © © > © e.» e © © © >o >o lol
Minutes, Vital Stetistics. Reports,


XXIII. Physicien to the Board of Health e e è è >» « > >» > œ> 152


XXIV. Department of Public Welfare "uM.
Caso Records, Reports. Correspondence,


XXV. Agriculturcl Extonsion Agent 4. . . è >è œ > >o e o eo 156


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(First entry pe 41)
le HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CONEJOS COUNTY


The plain of the San Luis Valley was once the bed of a great primeval
sea or lake and is extremely level and threaded by great irrigation ccnals
to which are owed most of the agricultural fruitfulness of this region.
Supplementing the irrigation canals, cre numerous streams which flow
through the valley and are tributaries of the Rio Grande River, The avere
age elevation of the valley is 7,500 feet above sen level and it is cntirely
surrounded by lofty mountains which reach a height of from 13,000 to 14,000
feet and are crowncd with snow most of the year,


The earliest. known written record of the country which now comprises
Conejos County is that made by the explorer, Zebulon M, Pike, who wrote
that in 1807 during his ecrly trovels through the Rocky Mountains upon
reaching a point on Conejos River near the present town of Sanford, on
Jenuary 3, he planted the first Amorican flog cnd built a fort on the
land which later became known as the San Luis Valley in the State of
Colorado (Colorado hiagazine, 8:137, Pamphlet C. P. 978.8, 175, Denver


Public Library).


This land wes originally granted to Jose Marie Martinez and Antonio
Martinez of El Rito, Mexico, and Julien Gallegos and Seledon Valdez of
Taos, Northorn Department of Mexico, October 12, 1842, The manner of
bestowing this grant, with a description of its boundcrios, are vaguely
described in the original documont now on file with the Gencral Lond Officc,
Denver, Colorado, parts of which are quoted as follows: "On the north by
La Gerita Hill, on tho south by tho San Antonio Mountcins, on the oast
by Rio Del Norto, and on the west by timbered mountains embraced by tho
tract". Thon follows an account of how the lands were allotted to the
Original colonists: "By measuring off to them the planting lots from
the plateau Bend, thoro foll to cach one of the settlors 200 varas in
a straight line from tho San Antonio Rivor and its adjoining hills and
its margins, to the La Jara River inclusive, there being eighty-four
fcmilios, c surplus in tho upper portion toward tho canon of said river
romnining for sottloment of others, from where tho two separate upward,
cnd in tho lowor portion from tho bend aforesaid to the Del Norte River,
notifying the colonists that the pastures and watering places romein in
common as statod, and tho roads for cntcring and lcaving tho town shall
remc.in open cnd froe whorever they may be, without anyone boing authorized
to obstruct thom. And be it known henccforth, that Messrs. Antonio Mar-
tinez and Julian Gallogos arc the privileged individuols, thoy having
obtained the said grant to the land on the Concjos, and thoy should bo
troetod as they morit. And, in ordor that all the foregoing mey in all
times appear, I signed the grant with the witnossos in my attondanco, with
whom I act by appointment for want of a public or national notary, thoro
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