Pueblo of Zia v. United States

This was a petition by the pueblos of Zia, Santa Ana, and Jemez for the confirmation of what is known as the 'Ojo del Espiritu Santo Grant,' containing about 382,849 acres.

The testimonio, or official copy of the proceedings, opens with the following petition to the governor and captain general, presented in 1766, by Felipe Tafoya, as the agent of these pueblos:

'His excellency the governor and captaingeneral: I, Felipe Tafoya, lawyer of this town of Santa F e, appear before your excellency, in full legal form, for and in the name of Cristoval, Indian governor of the pueblo of Zia, and Thomas, chief war captain of said pueblo, who come under appointment from their casique, and of the other inhabitants of their republic, and, sir, in the name of the aforenamed, and of the community of the pueblos of Santa Ana and of Jemez, do state that they, from their foundation, have considered as their pasture ground, in the vicinity of their said pueblos, a valley commonly called the 'Holy Ghost Spring,' and that in some urgent cases the same, as is known, is used as a pasture ground for the horses of this royal garrison, and the said parties being aware that the said valley has had, in its vicinity, some applicants to acquire the same by grant, which will cause them very great injury, as they have considerable cattle, sheep, goats, and horses for the royal service, and not having any other place in which to pasture them, particularly the people of the pueblo of Zia, the greater part of whose fields are upland, and some of them in the glens of said valley, adjoining their said pueblo. In consideration of all of which, I ask and pray that your excellency, in the name of his majesty (whom may God preserve), be pleased to declare said valley to be the legitimate pasture grounds and pastures of the pueblos, directing that the boundaries thereof be designated to them,-that is, on the east, the pueblos aforesaid; on the west, the summits of the Puerco river; on the north, a place called the 'Ventana,' where some Navajo Apaches reside; and on the south, the lands of the citizen settlers of said Puerco river. And, should your excellency order to be done as I have requested, the said parties, my clients, will receive grace with the justice which I ask, and declare in their name that this is not in dissimulation, and so forth.