448 M atamoros 
ARCHIVO DEL AYUNTAMIENTO. 
(ARCHIVE OF THE AYUNTAMIENTO. ) 
This archive contains fairly complete records of the local civil government 
since 1797. The principal series of legajos are: before 1832, “ Justicias y 
Alcaldes ”, 1797-1816, one legajo; “ Ayuntamiento y Alcaldes ”, 1816-1832, 
several legajos; after 1832, “ Ayuntamiento”, “ Alcaldes 1%”; “ Alcaldes 
2% y 3%”: and “ Juzgados 1° y 2° de Paz”’, numerous legajos. The bundles 
contain indices by years. 
The contents of the early legajos in the different series are quite similar, 
and may be summarized together. The principal classes of documents noted 
were: correspondence of the president of the ayuntamiento with various 
authorities, records of concessions and litigation concerning land and water 
rights, notaries’ protocol books, oficios of the juzgados, causas, libros de 
conciliaciones en juicio brebe, collections of royal cédulas, communications 
and proclamations of the provincial governors and the commandant-general, 
padrones (censuses), lists of taxpayers, of electors, of persons subject to 
military service, election reports, etc. 
ITEMS OF INTEREST. 
The early records throw interesting light on the settlement of the lower 
Rio Grande region. Those after 1810 are of value for frontier conditions 
during the War of Independence. Individual items of interest before 1825 
noted are the following: 
“ Justicias y Alcaldes, 1797-1816.” 
Documents relative to land rights on both sides of the Rio Grande. 
Book of royal orders and proclamations during the revolution. 
1812-1813. 
Proclamations and communications of the commandant-general, 
Arredondo, relative to the revolution. 1814. 
Surety for the good conduct of a “ European ” of the Congregacion 
del Refugio. 1810. 
Instructions for the government of the provinces. 1814. 
Similar documents for 1815-1816. 
“ Ayuntamientos y Alcaldes. Afios 1817 al 1822.” 
Orders of local military commandant looking to the exclusion of 
Americans from the Ysla de Corpus Christi. 1817. 
Carpeta concerning danger of Indian attack from the north. Feb.- 
Apr., 1821. 
“ Ayuntamientos y Alcaldes. 1823 al 1824.” 
Note on the Indians of the “ Villa del Refugio ”. 
Census of the district. 1824. 
Correspondence of the president of the ayuntamiento concerning 
contraband trade on the border. 
Confiscation of tobacco and other contraband goods. 
Communication of José Bernardo de Gutiérrez de Lara, from Pa- 
dilla, to the alcalde primero of Refugio, regarding 2000 fusils 
purchased of a Mr. Esmit [Smith]. Dec. 22, 1824. Carpeta 8. 
For the period of the Texas Revolution and the War with the United 
States the correspondence becomes of increasing interest. 
“Ayuntamientos y Alcaldes. 1825 al 1826.” 
Lists of persons to be banished from the district. 
