Civil Archives 449 
REYNOSA. 
ARCHIVO DEL AYUNTAMIENTO. 
(ARCHIVE OF THE AYUNTAMIENTO. ) 
The villa of Reynosa is within the jurisdiction of the district of Mata- 
moros, not of the city of Matamoros. 
The archive of the ayuntamiento contains relatively complete records of the 
local government since about 1760. The classes are similar to those noted for 
Matamoros, but for the earlier years they are arranged chronologically in 
legajos without classification. Among the papers are to be found interesting 
documents bearing on the early history of the border, especially on Indian 
relations and local justice. 
RECORDS AT THE PARISH CHURCH. 
1. MISSION RECORDS. 
Some distance above the present town of Reynosa there was established in 
the middle of the eighteenth century the mission of Sefior San Joachin del 
Monte de la Villa de Reynosa. It evidently ceased to operate in 1816, for 
the existing mission records end at that date, while thereafter there are 
numerous entries in the parish church records of persons “ of the mission ”. 
For the mission there remain the following records: 
Baptismal records. One book. 1790-1816. The latter portion of it is 
used for matrimoniales of persons of the villa. 
Marriage records. One book. 1790-1816. In bad shape. Twelve used 
folios. | 
(The principal tribes entered in these two books are the Mulatos, Tejones, 
Pintos, Mayapemes, Casaschiquitas, Campaquases, Carrizos, Comosella- 
mas, Cotonames, Comecrudos, Negros, Malahuitas, Salapaguemes, 
Pames, Anda el Caminos. The records contain interesting data con- 
cerning the use of Indians as slaves on the frontier. An occasional entry 
is made of persons “ of the mission of Palmitos”, above Reynosa.) 
2. RECORDS OF THE PARISH. 
Marriage records. Apparently complete from 1790. 
Baptismal records. Apparently complete from 1800 to date, except for 
the period 1814-1820. For these years none were found. 
Burial records. Before 1850 only one book was found, covering the 
years 1830-1845. 
“Diligencias de Matrimonio ” in the Juzgado Eclesiastico of the villa. 
Miscellaneous expedientes, dating as far back as 1762. Some for 1787 
are entered in the back of the book of mission baptismal records. 
(See above.) 
“ Libros de Governacion.” Miscellaneous, and probably incomplete, rec- 
ords of superior orders for the government of the parish church, 
beginning as early as 1790 and extending to 1827. 
(Like the parish records of Matamoros, these records shed interesting 
light on the social structure of the frontier village. The conclusion is 
that the majority of the inhabitants were mulattoes (free and slave), and 
mestizoes. The first thirty entries in the earliest baptismal records, 
which are typical, contain sixteen mulattoes, two mestizoes, ten Span- 
iards, and two not designated.) 
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