Regular Monthly Meeting Announcement

La Merced de Cristobal de la Serna is settled under well-established

principals of Laws and a series of documented historical events:

A. In 1710 Governor Jose … y Villasenor (the Marques de Penuela) Cristobal de la Serna’s request for a tract of land in the Taos Valley which had, previous to the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, belonged to Captain Fernando Duran Y Chavez.

B. On May 31, 1715, Cristobal de la Serna petitioned the Governor’s successor, Juan … Mogollon requesting that the Merced be REVALIDATED and that he be placed in possession of La Merced (i.e. ownership of the land).

C. On June 15, 1715 Cristobal de la Serna performed the ritual act of possession of La Merced before Lieutenant Alcalde Juan de la Mora Pineida, and several from the Taos Pueblo.

D. In August 1724, four years after Cristobal de La Serna’s demise, his sons Juan and Sebastian sold the entire Merced to Diego Romero. In November of this same year Romero presented the Merced documents to a Royal reviewer of documents, Juan Paez Hurtado, who declared the title to be sufficient (bastante).

E. Diego Romero made his will in 1742 and devised the entire Merced to his three children by his first marriage: Andres, Francisco, and Ana Maria.

F.  In 1764, upon Diego’s demise the Merced was partitioned into three sections of 1388 VARAS each to his dons and heirs of Ana Maria who was also deceased. The remainder of the Merced was recognized as being held in common. Common lands were to be owned by the community and could not be sold.

G. The lands held in common comprised of the largest portion of La Merced to be continued to be used by the Romeros and other settlers within the borders of La Merced for pastos (pastures), abrevaderos (watering places), lena y madera (firewood and building materials), tierra vaillita, tierra blanca, arena piedras (different colored dirt, sand, gravel, and rocks).

H. In January 17, 1876 a petition for confirmation of La Merced was filed before Surveyor General Henry M. Atkinson, by Samuel Ellison a person in charge of the archives in Santa Fe. This petition for un-named heirs and legal representatives was not acted upon.

I.        On December 13, 1887, a supplemental petition was filed before Surveyor General George Washington Julian by Santiago Valdez and Alexander Gusdorf as hired agents for La Merced. Mr Julian recommended to Congress that the Grant be confirmed however Congress failed to act on the recommendation.

J.   June 1892, New Mexico Surveyor General Caz. Easley recommended after his survey that La Merced be approved.

K. July 18, 1892, a petition for confirmation was filed with the Court of Private Land Claims by Juan de Dios Romero, Jose Dolores Mondragon, Lorenzo Lobato, and Vicente Martinez on behalf of the original settlers.

L. August 30, 1892, the Merced was confirmed only to the heirs and assignees of Cristobal de La Serna by the Court of Private Land Court Claims.

M.   On April 16 Through April 21, 1894, Deputy Surveyor John H. Walker found that the Merced contained 22,232 acres.

N. On January 19, 1903, A patent signed by President T. Roosevelt was issued by the Court of Private Land Claims.

O. In February 1903, the patent was delivered to a paid representative.