Miguel and Domingo Romero, brother’s lawsuit over lands 1765

Year of April 11, 1765

Subject:  El Cauplin

Lawsuit:  Cochiti Pueblo vs. Miguel Romero and his brother Domingo over lands.

Year of 1766

The alcalde mayor, Bartolome Fernandez from Queres Pueblo is sent by the Governor to investigate lands that the Romeros have taken over without any grant being given.

April 13, 1765

Fernandez informs Los Romeros that they need to move out and they identify themselves as residents of Santa Fe from the settlement of La Cienega.  They immediately obey but they have been there for 5 ½ years and no one has hindered them until now.  He has evidence of prior ownership and he supports that with his grandfather’s will, Andres Montoya.

The have a copy of the will of Andres Montoya (Twitchell #526), which shows some land ownership.

Final outcome:  The grant to Andres Montoya was in 1739 and Miguel Romero was trying to settle this in 1765, the grant was declared of no value and no heirs had received lands known as El Capulin.

Reference:  Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series I, Twitchell 1352, Reel 6, Frames 1563-1587.