Translation of Elkanah Brush Spanish Land Grant

(transcriber's note: the applicant changes his request from singular to plural in the first sentence and does so several times throughout the request. This has not been done in the translation except in last sentence of request.)

Senior Commissioner

Citizen Elkanah Brush and my two sons, Gilbert Russell and Bradford, native of the United States of the North and residents of the new villa, before you the highest Proceda in law, say that four months ago I came to this colony with the purpose of belonging to it in agreement with the Emprearios and having confidence in this I selected a sitio and two cuartos for my unmarried sons adjacent to the upper part of the land of Smith, Walmsley, Smiley and Winchester. We ask that you may be pleased in order that in this same land where I have privelege, may be given to me as a married man and to my sons as unmarried men what we are entitled to according to the law of colonization and being so the justice that I pray. I swear.

Refugio October 7, 1834

Elkanah Brush

Refugio October 9, 1834

I pass this request to the Empresarios in order that they might advise about the civil and moral habits of the applicant and express their knowledge with respect to admission. I decree, order and sign with the attendant witnesses. I certify.

Jose Luis Vidaurri

Refugio, October 13, 1834

We are instructed that the applicant is a native of the United States of the North, of the Catholic faith, of good habits and conduct and therefore we grant it in this new colony and consider him worthy of the land that he seeks and we inform you in execution of the preceding plea.

In the same villa and on the 30th day of the same month and year the precited commissioner in execution of the business that precedes and in the knowledge delivered by the Empresarios, grants in due for to Citizen Elkanah Brush the sitio of land that he has requested and include a provisional labor that according to the methods practiced by one of the named surveyors is composed of 3326 Mexican varas fronting on the Arroyo Sarco on the left bank or side and of depth on the lower part of 7,912 varas and that of the higher 7,531, nothing on the north but unoccupied lands, to the south with those of his sons and of those of Citizens Winchester and Smiley, and on the east those of Citizen Pedro Villa. Both quarter Sitios of his unmarried sons, Gilbert Russell and Bradford, are of 2,380 varas on their front and are contained on said arroyo and 7,223 varas indepth on the lower part and on the upper 6080 varas, to the northeast by more unoccuppied lands, to the southeast by Citizen Murphy, to the southwest by the land of Winchester and to the northeast against Citizen Brush. In virtue of which, using my powers in the name of the supreme power of the Mexican nation and of the state, I give him posession of it and those lands which for him and in the name of his sons --- ---- without any condition and carrying out all of the acts of truth he has posession, in which knowledge and knowing all of the obligations for acquiring, I sign it with the rest of the attendant witnesses.

Jose Luis Vidaurri

(This is not a reliable translation because of the illegibility of some words and construction of sentences in the original document. Signed John V. Clay, translator)

[In preparing this page, all spelling is exactly as it occurs in the translation. No changes from the format of the translation occurred if it could be helped. Lois Rasure, WebsByLois.]

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