Finding Aid to the Documentos para la historia de California, 1827-1873
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University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720-6000
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© 1996
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Finding Aid to the Documentos para la historia de California, 1827-1873
Collection number: BANC MSS C-B 67
The Bancroft Library
University of
California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Contact Information:
- Processed by:
- The Bancroft Library staff
- Encoded by:
- Padma Rubiales
© 1996 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Collection Summary
Collection Title: Documentos para la historia de California
Date (inclusive): 1827-1873
Collection Number: BANC MSS C-B 67
Creator:
Avila, Miguel
Extent:
Number of containers: 1 box
Repository: The Bancroft Library
Berkeley, California 94720-6000
Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please
consult the Library's online catalog.
Abstract: Letters, legal documents, land papers, accounts, proclamations, etc., relating
primarily to Avila's position as alcalde and as juez at San Luis Obispo and to his claims for extensions
to his grant of Rancho San Miguelito.
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in Spanish
Information for Researchers
Access
Collection is open for research.The original documents have been withdrawn from use and may be
consulted only by permission of the Director. Either microfilm or photocopy may be used instead.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish or
quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services. Permission for
publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not
intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the
reader.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Documentos para la historia de California, BANC MSS C-B 67, The Bancroft
Library, Universtity of California, Berkeley
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
The collection was given to H. H. Bancroft by Miguel Avila's widow.
Biography
Miguel Avila, born at Santa Barbara, in 1796, son of José de Santa Ana Avila,
was educated in San Francisco. He later served as a copyist at Monterey. Enlisting in the army, in the
Monterey Company in 1816, by 1824 he was corporal of the troops at San Luis Obispo. He was alcalde at
San Luis Obispo in 1849, and was a grantee of Rancho San Miguelito. He died in 1874.
Scope and Content
This small collection of documents, given to H. H. Bancroft by Avila's widow, deals mainly with Avila's
position as alcalde and justice at San Luis Obispo, and relates also to his claim for extensions to his
grant of Rancho San Miguelito.
H. H. Bancroft's arrangement and numbering of the documents (which were originally bound) have been
retained. The calendar, which follows, describes each item in the collection. Following that is a list
of correspondents and/or signers of documents, which serves as a name index.
folder 1-2.
Bonilla, José Mariano, 1807-1878:
Additional Note
Letter to Miguel Avila, Apr. 29, 1842, concerning land claim by
José Ortega.
folder 5-14.
Halleck, Henry Wager, 1815-1872:
Additional Note
Circular, Mar. 31, 1849, and 3 letters to Avila, May 15-23, 1849.
Translations into Spanish by W. E. P. Hartnell.
folder 16.
Printed document removed for separate cataloging.
folder 17-20.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Draft of complaint against John Price for theft of a calf, and request for justice. [
1850] See also
125-128.
folder 21-24.
Pico, José de Jesús, 1807- :
Additional Note
Letter to Miguel Avila, Oct. 18, 1846, requesting Avila to turn over to
José García hide and tallow belonging to William Dana and William
Howard.
folder 25-28.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Statement, May 12-18, 1849 re Mariano Bonilla's conduct towards him and
action taken.
folder 29-32.
Price, John Miguel:
Additional Note
Letter to Miguel Avila, n. d., requesting accounts and ordering him to pay a fine of fifty
pesos.
folder 33-34.
Bonilla, José Mariano, 1807-1878:
Additional Note
Letter to Miguel Avila, Nov. 16, 1849, requesting vouchers to document
accounts.
folder 37-38.
Bonilla, José Mariano, 1807-1878:
Additional Note
Letter to Miguel Avila, Jan. 3, 1850, requesting Avila to turn documents
over to the ayuntamiento.
folder 41-44.
Price, John Miguel:
Additional Note
Letter to Miguel Avila, Feb. 8, 1850, requesting that order of February 7,
1850, be complied with by February 15.
folder 45-46.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Sentence, May 1, 1849, a fine of 100 pesos imposed on Mariano Bonilla, and a
note stating that on the 17th of the month, Bonilla left for Monterey without permission of the
jusgado and without having paid the fine. See also
no. 25-38.
folder 49-50.
Accounts,
1844-1845:
Additional Note
Mutilated and incomplete.
folder 51-52.
Accounts,
n. d.
Additional Note
Mutilated and incomplete.
folder 53-54.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Draft of document, n. d.Mutilated.
folder 55-56.
Castro, Manuel de Jesús, 1821- :
Additional Note
Proclamation, Sept. 29, 1849. Incomplete and damaged.
folder 57-60.
Castro, José, 1810-1860:
Additional Note
Letter to Manuel Castro, Sept. 30, 1845, commenting on Manuel Castro's
proclamation of Sept. 29, 1845. Copy. Damaged.
folder 61-62.
Alvarado, Juan Bautista, 1809-1882:
Additional Note
Order, Sept. 30, [1845], stating that proclamation published on this date
has not been recognised by the comandante general. Copy. Damaged.
folder 63-68.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Expediente, concerning request for some land in extension of Rancho San Miguelito, with
annotations by José de Jesús Pico and Anastasio Carrillo. Copy in Avila's
hand.
folder 71-72.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Unsigned draft of letter to William Dana, n. d. Complete?
folder 73-76.
Pico, Pío, 1801-1894:
Additional Note
Letter to Miguel Avila, May 7, 1846, stating that Avila's request for land
seems to be going well.
folder 77-80.
Obligaciones de los alcaldes,
n. d.
Additional Note
Statement of duties of alcaldes.
folder 81-84.
[Obligaciones] de los ayuntamientos,
n. d.
Additional Note
Statement of duties of ayuntamientos.
folder 85-86.
Halleck, Henry Wager, 1815-1872:
Additional Note
Letter to Miguel Avila, May 19, 1849, concerning legislation re land titles.
Translation into Spanish, with certification of copy by José Maria Villavicencio.
folder 89-90.
Mesa, Francisco:
Additional Note
Account with José Maria Avila, Aug. 3, 1827: Copy. With this, copy of José
Maria Avila's power of attorney to Nicolás Alvisu, Aug. 6, 1827, and note, Oct. 28,
1827, that account has been settled.
folder 91-98.
Accounts for income and expenditures of the Juzgado of San Luis Obispo for the year
1849.
Additional Note
Draft and fair copy (2 items).
folder 99-102.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Protest, Feb. 21, 1850, against John Price and Mariano Bonilla in the matter
of his position as Juez de la Instancia.
folder 103-106.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Deposition, Dec. 31, 1849, of Isidoro Villavicencio in his case against
Luciano Féliz re the sale of a house and a lot.
folder 107-108.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Draft of a notice, n. d., stating he wishes his records to be made
public.
folder 109-110.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Receipt, May 14, 1853, for 25 heads of cattle and a promise to pay Joaquin
Estrada. Draft.
folder 113-116.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Drafts of documents as alcalde and Juez de la Instancia of San Luis Obispo, Dec. 23 and 31, 1849,
concerning José María Quintana's request for land.
folder 117-120.
Sepúlveda, José L. de:
Additional Note
Letter to Miguel Avila, July 4, 1852, concerning horses and livestock.
folder 121-124.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Letter to the Juez of the district, Apr. 2, 1851, concerning litigation with
John Wilson over land.
folder 125-128.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Drafts relating to his complaint against John Price, Jan. -Feb. 1850. See
also
no. 17-20.
folder 129-130.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Draft of letter to William Dana, 1850?
folder 133-134.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Incomplete draft of petition, n. d.
folder 135-136.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Draft of complaint against John Price who has been persecuting him about the payment of some
fines, n. d.
folder 139-140.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Draft of document, July 1, 1849, concerning a dispute between Father
Gómez, Vicente Féliz and Mariano Bonilla re some mill wheels.
folder 143-148.
Pico, Pío, 1801-1894:
Additional Note
Letter, June 12, 1849, transmitting copy of a communication from the Mexican
Minister of Foreign Relations re Michel-torena's rule in Alta California. Copy of a copy.
folder 149-152.
Sepúlveda, José L. de:
Additional Note
Letter to Miguel Avila, Aug. 2, 1852.
folder 153-154.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Copy of document, Jan. 12, 1854, stating that his daughter Rafaela has
permission to build a house on his property. Original also signed by María Inocenta
Pico Avila, and witnessed by William Bollard and Bartólo
Zúñiga.
folder 155-156.
Jimeno Casarín, Manuel, d. 1853:
Additional Note
Letter, June 12, 1844, stating that by decree of the governor, Miguel Avila
has been granted the land he requested.
folder 159-160
San Luis Obispo Co., Calif. County Clerk:
Additional Note
Certificate, Sept. 16, 1854, stating that Mariano Bonilla received the
highest number of votes for the office of supervisor. Signed by D. F. Newsom.
folder 161-164.
Decree of confirmation for Rancho San Miguelito, Dec.
1853:
Additional Note
Translation into Spanish, in Avila's hand.
folder 165-168.
Norton & Olvera:
Additional Note
Letter to J. R. Hardenberg, Sept. 18, 1873, re Avila's claim for San
Miguelito. Copy. Also included, copy of J. R. Hardenberg's reply.
folder 169-170.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Claim, Apr. 14, 1844, re his property, with annotations by Manuel Jimeno
Casarín and M. Micheltorena. Copy, certified by R. de Zaldo.
folder 173-174.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Land grant of a lot in San Luis Obispo, Dec. 5, 1849, to José María
Covarrubias.
folder 181-182.
Printed document.
Additional Note
Removed for separate cataloging.
folder 183-184.
Quintana, José María:
Additional Note
Petition for a lot in San Luis Obispo, Dec. 22, 1849Also signed by
Jesús Luna.
folder 187-188.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Document, May 12, 1849, concerning title of certain buildings to Father
Miguel Gómez, also signed by Diego Quintana, Juan Matias Sánchez,
José Manuel Múñoz and Ignacio Atencio.
folder 191-192.
Avila, Miguel, l796-1874:
Additional Note
Letter to Father Miguel Gómez, June 5, 1849, concerning
clarification of title to property. Copy.
folder 193-196.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Letter to Mariano Bonilla, Nov. 23, 1849, concerning Bonilla's quarrel with
him.
folder 197-200.
Halleck, Henry Wager, 1815-1872:
Additional Note
Letter to Miguel Avila, May 15, 1849, translated into Spanish, concerning
the powers of the alcalde and the governor's choice of Avila as alcalde of San Luis Obispo.
Certified by Tomás de Herrera.
folder 201-202.
Villavicencio, José María, 1800- :
Additional Note
Statement, Mar. 22, 1844, concerning a horse.
folder 205-206.
Halleck, Henry Wager, 1815-1872:
Additional Note
Letter to Miguel Avila, May 23, 1849, translated into Spanish, requesting
Avila to suspend the sentence against Mariano Bonilla until further investigation has taken
place. Certified by José María Villavicencio.
folder 209-212.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Request for an extension to his ranch, Sept. 14, 1845.
folder 213-216.
Pico, Pío, 1801-1894:
Additional Note
Grant of extension of Rancho San Miguelito to Miguel Avila, Mar. 17, 1846
(Another copy. See also
no.
177-178.
)
folder 217-218.
Clarke, Jeremiah:
Additional Note
Letter to Miguel Avila, Dec. 9, 1853, stating that two of Avila's titles
have been confirmed, but the third granted by Pío Pico is still before the
commissioners. He suggests that Avila come to San Francisco.
folder 221-224.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Letter to William Dana, Jan. 30, 1845, stating he regrets not being able to see Dana because of
his illness.
folder 225-226.
Printed document removed for separate cataloging.
folder 227-230.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Document, Nov. 28, 1851, in which he yields to his wife and children all his property. Also
signed by Bartólo Zúñiga as witness.
folder 231-234.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Request for extension of property, n. d.
folder 235-238.
Avila, Miguel, 1796-1874:
Additional Note
Grant of a lot in San Luis Obispo to José Antonio de 1a Guerra, Dec. 23,
1849.
folder 239-240.
Quintana, José María:
Additional Note
Request for a lot in San Luis Obispo, Dec. 26, 1849
folder 243-246.
Jimeno Casarín, Manuel, d. 1853:
Additional Note
Letter to Miguel Avila, July 13, 1849, concerning the house granted to
Father Gómez.
folder 247-248.
Bonilla, José Mariano, 1807-1878:
Additional Note
Order, Jan. 6, 1848, to appear before John Price in action concerning a
calf belonging to Miguel Avila.
folder 249-252.
Hartnell, William Edward Petty, 1798-1854:
Additional Note
Letter to Miguel Avila, Dec. 12, 1849, concerning accounts.
folder 253.
Printed document removed for separate cataloging.
Note
(References are to document numbers)
Alvarado, Juan Bautista, 1809-1882
Avila, María Inocenta (Pico)
Bonilla, José Mariano, 1807-1878
Castro, Manuel de Jesús, 1821-
Halleck, Henry Wager, 1815-1872
Hardenberg, James Richmond, 1814-
Hartnell, William Edward Petty, 1798-1854
Jimeno Casarín, Manuel, d. 1853
Micheltorena, Manuel, d. 1853
Pico, José de Jesús, 1807-
Villavicencio, José María, 1800-