The Spanish and Mexican Land Grants in South Texas not only go hand in hand with history but also with Genealogy.
Land was the reason that many of our ancestors followed Jose de Escandon to populate what is now Northeastern Mexico and South Texas.
Later on the Mexican Government gave more land grants stretching up to the Nueces River and beyond.
The book “New Guide to Spanish and Mexican Land Grants in South Texas” by Galen D. Greaser will be your go to book when it comes to land grant information.
Cover of Book:
This book contains a wealth of information. Below, I have copied the contents of the book just so you get a general idea of what you will be able to find within the pages of this book.
Contents
Part 1: The History
Once Upon a River: Spanish and Mexican Land Grants in South Texas
– Villas del Norte
– The Visita General of 1767: The Porciones Grants
Laredo
Hacienda de Dolores
Revilla
Lugar de Mier
Camargo
Reynosa
– Large Land Grants North of the Rio Grande (1777-1800)
– Policy Reforms: Royal Grants, 1802-1812
– Unsettled Times: 1810-1821
– Independent Mexico
– The Public Lands ofTamaulipas: The Laws
– Land Grants in Northern Tamaulipas
– A Flood of Fire on the Rio Grande: Change in Sovereignty and Boundaries
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and Texas
-Confirmations
Appendix I: The “Blood” Title: Andres Bautista Pereda and Jose Manuel Pereda’s
Spanish Grants
Appendix II: The Jose Francisco Balli “La Barreta” Grant: A Case Study
Appendix III: “Sal del Rey” and Mineral Rights in Texas
Appendix IV: Opinion on Several Points Related to Real Property in Mexico
Glossary
Bibliography
Part II: The Land Grants
Explanatory Note for Entries in this New Guide
Entries A-Z
General Index
I really enjoyed reading this book and getting the information that I needed about my ancestor’s land Grants on both sides of the Rio Grande.
This Book also lists all the porciones awarded on the Mexican side and not just South Texas.
Luckily for me my local university UTPA had a copy of this book and I was able to borrow it for a couple of weeks. Bellow I will list several places where you can get a copy of this book.
Where to find this book:
- My local University UTPA, check availability.
- Amazon.com, Check if there is a copy on Amazon.
- Look for a library Near You, Check WorldCat.org.
In the comments section of this post please let me know what you find within the pages of this book. Have fun.
I need help with my geneology and heritage.my name is james micheal ariola my great grampa was montezuma ariola we were told we had a huge spanish land grant.
Sign up to the free email series “Meet Yoru Ancestors” to learn how to do Mexican Genealogy Research. Here is the link https://mexicangenealogy.info/meet-your-ancestors/
after discovering that my family on my mother’s side probably got land grants. I wonder if those can be reclaimed. I know there was an issue with a childless widow inheriting all my mother’s family’s lands when my uncle died. is that contestable . I know it is a long shot. this is land in candela , salinas victoria area. After geology research i learned I was a direct descendent of Blas Maria De La Garza Falcon
I have no idea, I think you need to consult an attorney.
I want to put my 2 cents worth. If the land is in Mexico, it has a lot of red tape for many reasons. My father had a big tract of land in northern Mexico and when he died, we had our share of problems, as we had the right to inherit but not to hold the land. This of course was before NAFtA in 1984. There has been many changes since then. Once you sell it, It is hard to bring a large amount across the border as there is only a certain amount of money that can be crossed over and has to be declared. There were many headaches involved. If it is oil producing, that is a horse of a different t color. We interviewed two attorneys and ended up hiring one.
Margaret
Picon 18 n19 is my grandfather’s six times back or generations
Thank you for your research! This is all so amazing. I am an heir to 5 porciones/land grants, from the Rio Grand, South Texas and Coast. Our families won Land Grant Rights in the early 2000’s and still in litigation, over the Mineral Rights. Distant cousins of ours, Won Mineral and Land Grant in about 1996. For a Beach, across the street from me, Called Bali Park, on Padre Island, in Corpus Christi. I would love to speak to you. Today, is the anniversary of “The Wreck of the 300”. A wreck of Spanish treasure ships, on our coastlines. April 29, 1554. Artifacts are displayed in our Local Museum.
Hello,
My family also has land grants in Texas. I would love to hear your experience. [email protected]
My husband’s 3rd grandfather was Jose Maria Aldrete, grandson of Martin de Leon. Jose Maria owned 5000+ acres in Refugio County. When his uncle Agapito de Leon was murdered by Mabry Gray, Jose Maria fled to Mexico with his aunt (Agapito’s widow) and two of his brothers.
Taxes came due for his property but he was in Mexico. The property was supposed to be put up for auction, but it was sold instead for $4.40 ($.28 county; $1.12 state; $3.00 fees). We obtained a copy of that transaction from Refugio County. That property still has the name Jose Maria Aldrete and is loaded with oil wells.