Descriptive Summary
Minas de Sombrerete Collection
1797-1851
1825-1851
3.5 inches
30152219
Benson Latin American Collection,
General Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin
Records documenting the history and operations of mines in Sombrerete (Zacatecas, Mexico).
Spanish or Castilian.
Historical Note
The mines in the district of Sombrerete, Zacatecas, are believed to have been discovered by Captain Juan de Tolosa in 1555. During the 17th century they were owned by the Marqués de Fagoaga. The mines were located in the three departamentos of Pabellón, Betanegra, and Cañada.
The mines were acquired in 1815 by the brothers Pedro and Narciso Anitúa; after the division of their business interests, the mines were operated by Narciso alone. In 1821, he transferred the mines of Cañada to Guadalupe Chavez and Manuel Mena, who operated them until 1825, when they were abandoned. In 1829, José María Bracho, Guadalupe Chavez, and Salvador Morillo formed a company to work the mines of Cañada; it operated until 1832.
Apparently having abandoned operations in the departmentos of Pabellón and Betanegra in 1821, Narciso Anitúa resumed operations there in 1825 in concert with the Compañía Unida de Minas Mexicanas. After litigation over the closing of the San Lucas mine, Narciso Anitúa regained full control of the mines in April 1833. He formed another company, whose operations were suspended in August 1833. Narciso Anitúa died in 1839; in June 1841, the enterprise was abandoned entirely in consequence of a suit over demolition. At that point, the mines were acquired by group of citizens of Sombrerete. Nine months later, however, the mines were again abandoned because of Indian disturbances. In 1851 sporadic work continued in the departmentos of Pabellón and Betanegra, but the departamento of Cañada had been completely abandoned.
Chronology
1555
mines “discovered” by Captain Juan [de] Tolosa
1815
tomaron los Sres. D. Pedro y Narciso Anitua las minas de la Cañada, que antes esplotada la casa de Tagoaga igualmente que las de Pabello y Vetanegra; began drainage... brothers separated their business interests and Narciso continuó por si solo el giro de las minas
1821
Narciso dejó las minas de la Cañada traspasándolas á D. Guadalupe Chavez y D. Manuel Mena, quienes las poseyeron hasta 825...
1821
Narciso desistido del negocio de las departamentos de Vetanegra y Pabellón
1825
Cañada abandoned and inundated by Chavez and Mena
1825
minas... quedaron desiertas por las Sres. Anitua, Chavez, y su socio Mena
1829
José Ma Bracho, Guadalupe Chavez y Salvador Morillo invitaron al año de 1829 para la formacion de una compañía a fin de emprender los trabajos de las minas de la Cañada...
1829-1831
Una compañía emprendió de nuevo el laborio de la Cañada en 1829 a 1831, y en 1832 se abandonó el negocio
11 Jan. 1829
riot destroyed businesses and fine houses in town
1832
se abandonó el negocio
1825
Anitua que, como se ha dicho habia desistido en 1821, del negocio de las departamentos de Vetanegra y Pabellón, lo emprendió de nuevo en 1825 y mediante un contrato con la compañía unida mexicana, comenzó los trabajos llevandose parados los de cada departamento,...
1833
Anitua received control again in 1833, after litigation over closing of S. Lucas
En este estado se hallaba la negociacion cuando su director quizo que se abandonarse, y así lo anunció á la compañía que, por desgracia tal vez que convino en ella; y despues de un litigio suscitado sobre desamparo de la mina de S. Lucas, volvieron todas al Sor. Anitua, cuyo apoderado las recibió en Abril de 1833.
1833
formó una compañía
August 1833
compañía suspended
hecho el reparto de existencia á los accionistas...
June 1841
abandonaron del todo la empresa á consequencia de un pleito sobre derrocar; en seguida se posesionó de las minas una compañía de vacinos de esta ciudad,... y nueve meses mas tarde, á causa tambien de disturbios, se desistió resultando una pérdida...
1851
mines deserted; en realidad, desde que la compañía entregó las minas, no han sido esplotadas; Sres. Chavez y Cervantes trabajan algunas minas de Pabellón y Vetanegra; el de Cañada está completamente desierto.
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, financial documents, literary productions, and legal documents concerning the mines operated in Sombrerete by the Anitúa family. Correspondence includes letters from Lucas Alamán to José María Bracho, a participant in a company formed to operate the Cañada mines, and a letter book (filed as G446 Ms.) containing copies of letters written by Martín Gracia, business manager. Primary recipients of Gracia's letters were Miguel and Angel de Anitúa and José Ynés Alvarez, representative of Miguel de Anitúa.
Financial documents include valuations made in 1825 of the haciendas Nuestra Señora de la Soledad and Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción (on which the mines were located), accounts of operating expenses, statements of production, and miscellaneous accounts. Literary productions include in an 1836 report on the state of mining and the economy in the district of Sombrerete, Zacatecas, and
<emph render="doublequote">El Mineral de Sombrerete, </emph>
a detailed historical analysis of the mines, written in 1851. Legal documents consist of a notice regarding suspension of operations of the San Lucas mine in 1838, a contract, and a document concerning power of attorney.
Arrangement
Materials in the Archives subgroup are arranged chronologically within folders. Manuscript number G446 is filed numerically.
Acquisition Information
The Minas de Sombrerete Collection forms part of the Genaro García Collection, which was purchased by the University of Texas in 1921 from the heirs of Genaro García.
Processing Information
The Minas de Sombrerete Collection was arranged into Archives and Manuscripts subgroups by earlier library staff. The Mexican Archives Project staff, which completed the processing of the collection in February 1994, created the series.
Finding aid initially prepared by the Mexican Archives Project, February 10, 1995.
Preferred Citation
Minas de Sombrerete Collection, 1797-1851, Benson Latin American Collection, General Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin.
The collection is also available on microfilm in the Benson Collection.
Index Terms
Subjects
Anitúa, Narciso de, d. 1839.
Mines and mineral resources--Mexico--Zacatecas (State) --History--19th
century--Sources.
Haciendas--Mexico--Zacatecas (State)--History--19th
century--Sources.
Zacatecas (Mexico : State)--Economic conditions--19th
century--Sources.
Sombrerete (Zacatecas, Mexico)--History--Sources.
Hacienda de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (Zacatecas, Mexico)--History--Sources.
Hacienda de Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción (Zacatecas, Mexico)--History--Sources.
Other Entries
Alamán, Lucas, 1792-1853
Alvarez, José Ynés
Anitúa, Angel de
Anitúa, Miguel de
Gracia, Martíin
Other Finding Aid
The following guide is available in the Benson Collection Rare Books Reference:
Castañeda, Carlos Eduardo, 1896-1958.
<emph render="italic">Guide to the Latin American Manuscripts in the University of Texas Library. </emph>
Cambridge, Mass.,
Harvard University Press,
1939.
Related Material
García, Genaro, 1867-1920.
Genaro García Collection, 15-- - 1920?,
Benson Latin American Collection, General Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin.
Bibliography
<emph render="doublequote">El Mineral de Sombrerete </emph>
in the Minas de Sombrerete Collection.
Heldt, H. L.
<emph render="italic">Historical sketch of the Sombrerete mines. </emph>
Sombrerete, Mex. :
P. S. Nunez,
1911.
Subgroups and Series
I. Archives
1. Series, Correspondence, 1797-1833.
Includes letters from Lucas Alamán to José María Bracho, a participant in a company formed to operate the Cañada mines.
2. Series, Financial documents, 1825-1841.
a. Valuations of the haciendas N.S. de la Soledad and Purisima Concepción, 1825.
b. Reconocimiento... de todas las existencias de las minas Pavellon y Veta-Negra..., 1825.
c. Memoria de los gastos de la negociacion de Vetanegra, 1830.
d. Estado de metales de fuego y patio, 1830-1831.
e. Accounts of the Hacienda Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, 1831.
f. Accounts of the Hacienda Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción, 1831-1841.
g. Miscellaneous accounts, 1831.
3. Series, Literary productions, 1836 and 1851.
a.
<emph render="doublequote">El Mineral de Sombrerete, </emph>
1851. A detailed historical analysis of the mines.
b. Informe on state of mining and economy in the district of Sombrerete, Zacatecas, 1836.
4. Series, Legal documents, 1825-1838.
Documents consist of a notice regarding the suspension of operations of the San Lucas mine in 1838, a contract, and a document concering power of attorney.
II. Manuscripts
G446
Letter book of Martín Gracia, 1839-1850.
Copies of letters written by business manager, Martín Gracia. Primary recipients of the letters were Miguel and Angel de Anitúa and José Ynes Alvarez, representative of Miguel de Anitúa.