Gold

Index to 68 letters and expedientes from legajo containing different subjects pertaining to Coahuila and Sonora in years 1760-1761. Indexed material includes conduct of Ravago; instructions to Cancio regarding administration of Sacramento; petition that Barrios give his youngest son to service of king as soldier; hostilities of Apache and Julimenos against livestock; presentation of papers against Ravago; need for arms in Santa Rosa; naming of Tierda de Cuervo as governor of Sonora and Sinaloa; Montesinos' declination of governor position; establishment of a presidio near San Antonio de la Huerta; decree granting justicias book which notes registering of claims for mines in their jurisdictions; discovery of gold in Bacuachi; establishment of various postal services (J. Hiller, July 1989).

Letters to Corbalan regarding Neve's papers and receipt of goods received and price paid, and attempts to distinguish Neve's belongings from those of Cavallero de Croix. Medina to Galindo Navarro regarding receipt of copy of Neve's will and plans for making inventories and auction. Corbalan to Galindo Navarro Corbalan's being chosen as executor of Neve's will and duties transactions; commissions. Dongo to Galindo Navarro regarding selection of Neve's executors and news of Neve's death. Autos concerning choice of executors and plans for auction, Corbalan is organizing auction in Arispe; 7 receipts for purchases by Neve presented by Fernandes, and paid by executors as stipulated in will, including payment for mules stolen by Apaches, and payment to doctor. Account of auction of Neve's belonging (household goods, clothing, weapons, livestock), with buyer and purchase price provided for each item conducted by Fernandes; autos attest that auction was carried out by Fernandes according to request in will. Price of gold Chapa evaluated by silversmith. Rengel to Sal regarding Neve's papers. Ugarte y Loyola to Galvez regarding autos of inventories of Neve's belongings. List of Neve's belongings with value not sold at auction; list of belongings of gold and silver with price appraisal; belongings not sold in Chihuahua due to high prices, in Mexico prices are Lower according to Cervantes; Dongo expresses difficulty selling furniture. Accounts of funds spent according to requests in Neve's will for bills (copies of bills and receipts included) including funeral expenses, doctors, medicine, services, masses, household goods, transportation of goods and funds, servants' salaries, legal fees and appraisers' fees. Neve's belongings (including description and value) sent to Dongo in Mexico by Fernandez; acknowledgement of receipt of objects. Documents concerning final accounts of the auction, deductions from Neve's wealth, and that executors carried out functions satisfactorily, including final remittances of funds and uniforms to heirs and to Caxa de Bienes de difuntos de Cadiz. (L. L. Woodward, July 1989)

General account of Neve's wealth compiled by Corbalan including liquid assets, salaries, and account of Neve's expenses owned to various individuals; salary of Neve with deductions for Monte Pio, Invalidos, Media anata, and conduccion a Espana. Account of transport costs for goods bought from Neve's estate (receipt of muleteer). Account of Neve's expenses, costs of food items and household goods bought and services provided (carpentry, transportation, laundry); Series of receipts of money paid out by Neve's executors and funds deposited in Rosario treasury. Neve's widow prohibited from receiving the sum of inheritance Neve indicated in his will. List of gun powder and household goods for sale left at Neve's hacienda by Croix. Dongo and Corbalan correspond regarding freeing Neve's funds to pay Neve's debts, including debt to late doctor sales. Medina's letter introduces inventories and auction sales of Neve's belongings. Autos by Galindo Navarro regarding Neve's executors and funds they administered. Corbalan relates to virrey that he has paid the heirs of Neve's doctor and describes transactions of Neve's wealth liquidated through auction; virrey(?) Acknowledges receipt of letter. Galindo Navarro in auto describes death of Neve and his duties to make an inventory of Neve's belongings, put his papers in order, identify corpse, and gather keys. Copy of Neve's will (ff. 145-159). Autos and diligencias referring to choice of executors of Neve's will, Neve's keys, and papers, requests in will concerning belongings, making inventories, choice of accountants and expert assessors of Neve's belongings, as well as description of religious sacraments given to his corpse. Administrative proceedures for assembling paperwork concerning Neve's will. Inventory and value of Neve's gold and silver belongings. Inventory of clothing and value accessed, description of cloth and colors used, and origin of many items. Inventories of linen, food, weapons, misc. Belongings, livestock, documents (bills of purchase, debts, letters, orders). (L. L. Woodward, July 1989)

Tueros reports on discovery of new gold placeres in Palo Ensebado area. Relates richness of area; influx of miners into area and resulting depopulation of nearby areas; request for troops to protect area from rebel Indians. Copy of letter from of these troops protecting Palo area. (D. Uhlman, February 1988)

Fueros reports very rich gold deposit at Cieneguilla. Too hot, not enough water to work claims in June, July, but plans to have workers in mine 24 hours a day when conditions improve. Corbalan dispatches troops to Chihuahua apparently to guard transport of gold. Mentions establishing Villa at Cieneguilla with church, houses, jail, etc. Discusses costs of operation. (A. Dean, August 1989)

Documents concerning transportation of gold from Cieneguilla to Ciudad de Mexico. Shipment papers, specifics on exact quantities, payment for transportation, logistics, signed affidavits to amounts. F.233 is conversion table for weight values of silver, gold to pesos. (A. Dean, August 1989)

Documents concerning formation of stockholders' company to mine gold in Sonora, Sinaloa. Mention rich mineralization, but no locations. Letters of intent from people interested in buying in. List of stockholders. (A. Dean, August 1989)

Lizassoain writes detailed overview of states of Indians, missions of Sonora, Sinaloa, Nueva Vizcaya. Papagos, Pimas, Seris have apparently banded together in rebellion. Some detail about Indians of San Xavier (f.72); after death of Phelipe nearly all Papagos leave, most Pimas stay for fear of mentions gold found at Soyopa, pearls at Tepoca. Description of how Indians mined gold (f.74). Mentions fertility, abundance of Casas Grandes Valley. Description of Spanish gold mining with native labor (f.77). Logistics of transporting (by sea) families to populate valuable land. Folios 69, 71 concern Gonzales, belongs with documents beginning on F.83. (A. Dean, August 1989)

Soto registers (tomar Razon) as administrador of tobacco, gambling (Naypes), and gunpowder of Guarisamey. F. 287-288 is list of rules for process of registration and assuming of office. Other documents concern tomar razon of Bustamente as treasury official of real hacienda of Arispe.

Series is a reiteration of previous sequence concerning Castro's transfer from Veracruz to become governor of puerto Rico, his previous salary, his rights to export goods and money from Mexico to puerto Rico. Document extremely valuable for its descriptions of regulations concerning inter-Colonial trade such as movement of gold from Peru to Acapulco and on to Spain. F. 65 mentions real Orden of 1785 regulating transfer of money between colonies and F. 66 refers to real Orden of 1777 which treats same topic and describes Spain's policy of mercantalism - preventing said money from entering foreign markets through rigid export laws and decrees. Last folio of Series (82-83) not related to earlier ones. These folios deal with lieutenant Letrado, of Sonora, and his dispatching of important expediente. expediente's content never described. (P. Lenz, March 1990)