William Gillet Ritch Papers: Finding Aid
Processed by Huntington staff; encoded finding aid created by Xiuzhi Zhou in 2004
and Brooke M. Black in 2017.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2017
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Overview of the Collection
Title: William Gillet Ritch Papers
Dates (inclusive): 1539-1901
Bulk dates: 1845-1882
Collection Number: mssRI 1-2270
Creator:
Ritch, W. G. (William Gillet),
1830-1904.
Extent:
Approximately 2,390 pieces in 41 boxes and 24 volumes (29.97 linear feet)
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection contains the personal and professional papers of
historian and New Mexico territorial governor William G. Ritch (1830-1904) and his
collection of historical manuscripts, documents, and maps related to the history of New
Mexico.
Language: English and Spanish.
Access
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department.
For more information, contact Reader Services.
Administrative Information
Publication Rights
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from
or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The
responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining
necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item]. William Gillet Ritch Papers, The Huntington Library, San
Marino, California.
Provenance
Acquired from Watson L. Ritch, May 1923.
Processing Information
Collection was cataloged by Huntington staff after May 1923. In July 1998, Jennifer L. Martinez and Peter Blodgett created
a finding aid. Xiuzhi Zhou encoded the finding aid in 2004 and Brooke M. Black edited the encoding in 2017. In June 2019,
Gina C Giang added clippings, scrapbooks, and printed matter (Boxes 35-41) to the collection and finding aid, which had previously
been separated and handled as ephemera.
Separated Material
Biographical Note
William Gillet Ritch (1830-1904) was territorial secretary of New Mexico from 1873 to 1885
and authored several books about New Mexico history. He was a native of New York who moved
to Michigan in 1855 and later settled in Wisconsin. After serving in the 46th Wisconsin
Cavalry in the Civil War, Ritch returned to Wisconsin and was elected state senator. He was
later proprietor and editor of the Winnebago County Press. Failing health forced Ritch to
seek a better climate, and in 1873 he was appointed secretary of the Territory of New
Mexico. He served in this capacity until 1885, with the added responsibility of serving as
acting territorial governor in 1875. He was active in the establishment of a public school
system in the Territory and became a regent of the State Normal School. He developed an
interest in the history of New Mexico and began collecting historical documents in hopes of
circumventing their destruction or dispersal. He was elected as the first president of the
New Mexico Historical Society in 1880.
Scope and Content
The collection contains clippings, correspondence, manuscripts, documents, maps, and scrapbooks in both English
and Spanish related to the history of early and territorial New Mexico collected by William
G. Ritch. The very early portion of the collection (1539-1700) contains original
manuscripts, contemporary copies, and later translations of official documents and journals
of explorers, correspondence, papers of various governors, court records, church
inventories, and passport lists of American traders. The papers for the years 1846-1873
cover the American military occupation, New Mexico politics and government, New Mexico
during the US Civil War, and Indian affairs relating to the Navajo, Apache, Comanche, and
Pecos tribes. Items after 1873 tend to be the personal papers of William G. Ritch, including
biographical sketches of significant New Mexicans, drafts of articles, and notebooks of
research materials (including the biography of Father Antonio Jose Martinez by Santiago
Valdez).
Correspondents include Manuel Armijo, William Frederick Milton Arny, James Henry Carleton, Miguel Antonio Otero, Donaciano
Vigil, and others.
Arrangement
Arranged in two series: Bound Volumes and Boxes. Boxed materials are chiefly arranged chronologically in Boxes 1-31, followed
by newspaper clippings (Boxes 32-33), oversize materials (Box 34), and additional clippings and scrapbooks (Boxes 35-41).
Indexing Terms
Personal Names
Abert, J. W. (James William),
1820-1897
Abbreu, Santiago
Allen, William S. (William
Stickney), 1805-1868
Alvarez, Manuel, 1794-1856
Armijo, Manuel
Arny, W. F. M. (William
Frederick Milton), 1813-1881
Axtell, Samuel B. (Samuel
Beach), 1819-1891
Baca, Ramon
Baird, Spruce M. (Spruce McCoy),
1814-1872
Baker, Grafton
Bandelier, Adolph Francis
Alphonse, 1840-1914
Beall, Benjamin Lloyd
Beaubien, Carlos
Beck, Preston
Becknell, William, 1787 or
1788-1856
Benedict, Kirby, 1810-1874
Blumner, Charles
Buell, Salmon A.
Burnside, Ambrose Everett,
1824-1881
Bustamante, Anastasio, 1780-1853
Calhoun, James S., 1803?-1852
Carleton, James Henry, 1814-1873
Carson, Kit, 1809-1868
Chandler, Zachariah,
1813-1879
Clark, William,
1770-1838
Clever, Charles P., 1830-1874
Concha, Fernando de
la
Cooke, Philip St. George,
1809-1895
Ewell, Richard Stoddert,
1817-1872
Fernandez de la Cueva Enriquez,
Francisco, duque de Alburquerque, 1666-1733
Gregg, Josiah,
1806-1850
Houston, Sam,
1793-1863
Howe, Timothy O. (Timothy Otis),
1816-1883
Houghton, Joab,
1810-1876
Jones, Anson,
1798-1858
Kearny, Steven Watts,
1794-1848
Kennedy, John Pendleton,
1795-1870
Lamy, John Baptist, 1814-1888
Lane, William Carr, 1789-1863
Leavenworth, Henry,
1783-1834
Mackenzie, Ranald Slidell,
1840-1889
Martínez, Antonio José,
1793-1867.
McMullen, William, 1824-1901
Magoffin, James Wiley, 1799-1868
Maxwell, Lucien Bonaparte,
1818-1875
Meriwether, D. (David),
1800-1893
Messervy, William S.
Otermin, Antonio de, active
1678-1682
Otero, Antonio Jose
Otero, Miguel A. (Miguel
Antonio), 1829-1882
Paredes y Arrillaga, Mariano,
1797-1849
Philip III, King of Spain,
1578-1621
Prince, L. Bradford (Le Baron
Bradford), 1840-1922
Rencher, Abraham, 1798-1883
Riley, Bennett,
1787-1853
Ritch, W. G. (William Gillet),
1830-1904.
Robidoux, Antoine, 1794-1860
Rynerson, William Logan
Salcedo y Salcedo, Nemesio,
1754-1814?
Santa Anna, Antonio Lopez de,
1794?-1876
St. Vrain, Ceran, 1802-1870
Sturgis, Samuel Davis, 1822-1889
Sumner, Edwin V. (Edwin Vose),
1797-1863
Vargas, Diego de, 1643-1704
Vigil, Donaciano, 1802-1877
Vigil y Alarid, Juan
Bautista
Waldo, Jose David
Wallace, Lew, 1827-1905
Washington, John Macrae,
1797-1853
Watts, John S. (John Sebrie),
1816-1876
West, J. R. (Joseph Rodman),
1822-1898
Corporate Names
New Mexico. Secretary of the Territory --
Archives
Subjects
Apache Indians -- History -- Sources
Comanche Indians -- History --
Sources
Indians of North America -- New Mexico --
History -- Sources
Manuscripts -- Collectors and collecting -- New
Mexico.
Mexican War, 1846-1848 -- New Mexico --
Sources
Navajo Indians -- History -- Sources
Geographic Areas
New Mexico -- History -- 19th
century -- Sources
New Mexico -- History -- Civil
War, 1861-1865 -- Sources
New Mexico -- Politics and
government -- 19th century -- Sources
Genre
Clippings (information artifacts) -- United States --
19th century
Letters (correspondence) -- United States --
19th century
Maps -- New Mexico -- 19th century
Journals (accounts) -- Kansas-- 20th
century
Personal papers -- New Mexico -- 19th
century
Professional papers -- New Mexico -- 19th
century
Scrapbooks -- New Mexico -- 19th
century
RI 66
Fernando VII, King of Spain.
Death Warrant for Antonio Carbojal... Apr.
5, 1809.
Valdez, Santiago.
Biografía del Reverendo Padre.
1877 [3 volumes].
RI 2210 vol. 1
Valdez, Santiago.
Biografía del Reverendo Padre.
1877.
RI 2210 vol. 2
Valdez, Santiago.
Biografía del Reverendo Padre.
1877.
RI 2210 vol. 3
Valdez, Santiago.
Biografía del Reverendo Padre.
1877.
Valdez, Santiago.
Biografía del Reverendo Padre...
1877 [2 volumes].
RI 2211 vol. 1
Valdez, Santiago.
Biografía del Reverendo Padre...
1877.
RI 2211 vol. 2
Valdez, Santiago.
Biografía del Reverendo Padre...
1877.
Ritch, William Gillet.
Notebooks. c. 1890 [7 volumes].
RI 2212 vol. 1
Ritch, William Gillet.
Notebook. c. 1890.
RI 2212 vol. 2
Ritch, William Gillet.
Notebook. c. 1890.
RI 2212 vol. 3
Ritch, William Gillet.
Notebook. c. 1890.
RI 2212 vol. 4
Ritch, William Gillet.
Notebook. c. 1890.
RI 2212 vol. 5
Ritch, William Gillet.
Notebook. c. 1890.
RI 2212 vol. 6
Ritch, William Gillet.
Notebook. c. 1890.
RI 2212 vol. 7
Ritch, William Gillet.
Notebook. c. 1890.
RI 2213
Ritch, William Gillet.
Topical Index to his own Works. c.
1890.
RI 2214 (vol. 1-8)
Ritch, William Gillet.
Topical Index to his own... c.
1890 [8 volumes in 1 box].
RI 2215
New Mexico. Board of Commissioners...
Letterbook. Jan. 19, 1853-Nov. 28,
1854.
RI 2216
Arny, William F. M.
Letterbook. General correspondence... Dec.
4, 1863-May 18, 1867.
Roll RI 2269
New Mexico. Valencia County.
Libro de Matricula de la Eleccíon...
[oversize rolled document] Sept. 4, 1865.
Boxes
Note
This list is by no means comprehensive and does not include all
subjects, persons, or geographic locations in each box. Its purpose is to provide access
to broad topics and also to point out interesting or unique items in the
collection.
Box 1
Mar. 7, 1539 -Dec. 31, 1694
Scope and Content Note
Early documents (1539-1694) concerning the history of Spanish exploration and
settlement in New Mexico, many translated by Samuel Ellison. Many of these documents
discuss events in the wake of the public uprising and the reconquest.
Of special note:
RI 1: 19th century translation of A relation...touching his discovery of...Cibola...by
Marcos de Niza. March 7, 1539.
Box 2
1696, Mar. 22 - 1789, Dec. 9
Scope and Content Note
Early documents concerning Spanish resettlement and governance of New Mexico (1696-)
and letters by the Duke of Albuquerque.
Of special note:
RI 55: Journal of events & operations against the Moqui. May 14 -Oct. 18, 1716.
[extract]
Box 3
June 21, 1794 -Dec. 31, 1830
Scope and Content Note
Commerce and trade with the United States.
Of special note:
RI 70: Record of vaccinations, giving names of fathers and children. [summer 1815]
RI 74: Contemporary copy of treaty of Cordova between Spain and Mexico, establishing
Mexican independence. Aug. 24, 1821.
RI 81: Customs house, New Mexico. Jan. 1 -July 15, 1825.
Box 4
Jan. 1, 1831-Dec. 31, 1838
Scope and Content Note
Americans adopting Mexican nationality, passports, petitions for naturalization, fur
traders from Taos, customs and commerce with the US including Josiah Gregg, and the
Revolution of 1837.
Box 5
Feb. 9, 1839 -July 9, 1846
Scope and Content Note
American commerce, abortive Texan invasion of 1841, conflict between Texas and Mexico
in NM, 1841-43.
Box 6
Aug. 1, 1846 -Dec. 31, 1847
Scope and Content Note
Documents related to the conquest of New Mexico and the operation of local courts in
1846-47 under American rule.
Box 7
Jan. 1, 1848 -Dec. 31, 1850
Scope and Content Note
Assumption of American control over New Mexico, including letters of Governor Vigil and
military affairs. Also Indian trading licenses (RI 365, 366, 368, 371, 367, 374, 375,
376, 389, 400, 402, 404, 406, 407).
Box 8
Jan. 1, 1851 -Nov. 31, 1851
Scope and Content Note
Territorial government and legislative activities of New Mexico. Also contains a
document related to Indian trading (RI 1415).
Box 9
Dec. 1, 1851 -Apr. 30, 1852
Scope and Content Note
Territorial legislative activities and courts, and Indian affairs.
Of special note:
RI 493 & 494: Receipts for return of captive Hispanic children from Indians and
Indian trading bonds. 1852.
RI 2150: Statement in regard to buying and selling Paiute children.
Box 10
May 1, 1852 -Apr. 30, 1853
Scope and Content Note
Indian affairs, including statements of supplies and services provided to the Navajos
on their reservation in 1852.
Box 11
May 1, 1853 -Apr. 30, 1854
Scope and Content Note
Work of the Territorial Commission on Public Buildings (June 1853), complaint about
election fraud, and the US Army.
Box 12
May 1, 1854 -Dec. 31, 1854
Scope and Content Note
New Mexican militia affairs, including muster rolls (RI 1624, 2134, 643, 1622, 1623,
649, 689).
Box 13
Jan. 1, 1855 -Nov. 30, 1855
Scope and Content Note
Territorial administration, including letters from Elisha Whittlesey, call for
volunteers by governor, and an Indian raid (RI 701).
Box 14
Dec. 1, 1855 -Dec. 31, 1856
Scope and Content Note
Scope and Content Note
Construction of public buildings for the Territorial government.
Of special note:
RI 2257: List of inhabitants and property for Indians in New Mexico towns. [c.
1855]
Box 15
Jan. 1, 1857 -June 30, 1858
Scope and Content Note
Many statements and bills related to the costs of the territorial government.
Correspondence of Miguel Antonio Otero to Charles Clever.
Box 16
July 1, 1858 -Feb. 28, 1860
Scope and Content Note
Expenses of per diem and mileage for legislators and descriptive list of paid Treasury
warrants. Territorial politics and national politics. Correspondence of Miguel Antonio
Otero to Charles Clever.
Box 17
Mar. 1, 1860 -Aug. 31, 1861
Scope and Content Note
Correspondence of Miguel Antonio Otero to Charles Clever.
Box 18
Sept. 1, 1861 -Oct. 31, 1862
Scope and Content Note
Map of the military district of New Mexico, per diem of legislative officers, New
Mexico militia, New Mexico politics and elections, Indians (Apache & Navajo).
Of special note:
RI 2159: Libro de Matricula de la eleccíon. Sept. 1, 1862. Berrdillo County.
RI 1126 & 1127: Kit Carson. New Mexico Militia. Sept. 27, 1862.
Box 19
Nov. 1, 1862 -Feb. 28, 1863
Scope and Content Note
Civil War in New Mexico, legislative affairs, applications and recommendations for
militia officers.
RI 1193: Petition to President and Sec. Of War concerning Indian depradations by
county. Jan. 26, 1863.
Box 20
Mar. 1, 1863 -Sept. 30, 1863
Scope and Content Note
Territorial politics and government, including some election returns, Civil War in the
West, military officers, and Navajo campaign.
Box 21
Oct. 1, 1863 -June 30, 1864
Scope and Content Note
Territorial politics and government, Civil War in the West, and Indian affairs.
Box 22
July 1, 1864 -Dec. 31, 1864
Scope and Content Note
Mexico, territorial politics and government, including election returns.
Box 23
Jan. 1, 1865 -Mar. 31, 1866
Scope and Content Note
Territorial politics and government, including legislative actions and election
returns, as well as Indian affairs.
Box 24
Apr. 1, 1866 -Mar. 31, 1875
Scope and Content Note
Territorial politics and government, land holdings and population figures, and Indian
affairs.
Of special note:
RI 1486: Report of a Comm. on the Indians of the Bosque Redondo. 1866.
RI 2151: Enumeration of inhabitants of County of Taos. 1866.
Box 25
Apr. 1, 1875 -June 30, 1877
Scope and Content Note
Territorial politics and government.
Box 26
July 1, 1877 -Aug. 31, 1878
Scope and Content Note
Territorial politics and government, Indian affairs, education, Lincoln County War, and
Colfax County War.
Box 27
Sept. 1, 1878 -Nov. 30, 1880
Scope and Content Note
Affairs in Lincoln County, Roman Catholicism in New Mexico, including the role of the
Jesuits, public education, the penitentes, and Indian affairs.
Box 28
Dec. 1, 1880 -Dec. 31, 1881
Scope and Content Note
Politics and government, Indians (Utes), education, land, mines and mineral resources
(coal & iron), education, disturbance in Socorro.
Of special note:
RI 2234: Free public schools. c. 1880.
Box 29
Jan. 1, 1882 -Nov. 30, 1882
Scope and Content Note
Biographical notes about various individuals compiled by William G. Ritch.
Box 30
Dec. 1, 1882 -Dec. 31, 1883
Scope and Content Note
Biographical sketches, Indian affairs, Civil War, and R.S. McKenzie.
Box 31
Jan. 1, 1884 -Dec. 31, 1900
Scope and Content Note
Lists of biographical notes by individuals and Revista Catholica -"A School Law" (March
9, 1884).
Box 32
Newspaper clippings arranged chronologically, 1856-1885
Box 33
Newspaper clippings arranged chronologically, 1886-1901 and undated
Box 35
Books, clippings, and printed matter, 1857-1897, undated
