Ortiz Mine Land Grant, New Mexico

About 69,458 acres in Santa Fe County were granted in 1833 to Jose Francisco Ortiz and Ignacio Cano. The latter in 1836, conveyed to Ortiz all his title and interest in the grant. Ortiz died in 1848, leaving the grant in possession of his widow, Maria Inez Montoya, who, in 1853, conveyed it to John Grenier. August 19, 1854, Grenier conveyed it to Charles E. Sherman and his associates, who, July 10, 1864, conveyed it to the New Mexico Mining Company. The grant to Ortiz was confirmed by Congress in 1861, and the United States government gave a quit claim to the New Mexico Mining Company May 20, 1876, "not affecting the adverse rights of any other person." In a suit growing out of contested water rights on this claim, carried to the New Mexico Supreme Court in 1891, it was shown that the claim had been made that Ortiz died intestate in 1848, leaving no direct heirs, but that prior to the suit referred to the collateral heirs had sold the property to Elias Brevoort. Suit was instituted in 1883 and ran through the courts eight years. It was shown that the widow of Ortiz remained in actual possession until 1853, when Grenier took possession and held it until he conveyed to Sherman et al., and then to the New Mexico Mining Company.

June 28, 1819, the governor of New Mexico, then a province of Mexico, granted to Antonio Ortiz a large tract of land on the Gallinas River, in San Miguel County, containing 163,921.68 acres. March 3, 1869, the United States Congress confirmed the grant to Ortiz' heirs; patent issued to them by the United States in 1883. Future conveyances gave land to Wilson Waddingham, of Connecticut. Louis Sulzbacher, T. B. Catron, John Dold, Henry Dold and Mary Dold, all in undivided interests. Some of the assignees of the heirs of Antonio Ortiz, claiming interest in the whole grant, occupied it almost continuously from about 1860, having permanent ranches and buildings.

Back

Source: History of New Mexico, Its Resources and People, Volume I, Pacific States Publishing Co., 1907.