Months ago I came across a great resource to search for Spanish Colonial Documents of Northern New Spain. I have personally found records for Texas, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Chihuahua.
Let me just warn you, the records are not online. You do have to either send emails, call, and or write to the source repository to obtain more information or a copy of documents.
This resource is the DRSW Master Index hosted by the University of Arizona.
What is the DRSW Master Index?
DRSW Master Index is a computerized guide to several collections of Spanish colonial documents. The guide has been compiled and analyzed from microfilm copies of documents, indexes, persons, places, ethnic groups, and keywords, which are cross-referenced to a precise document and the location of the original. Although the database does not include transcriptions or translations of the documents, it is a finding aid or research tool to allow the investigator to know which documents and/or archives may have pertinent documents. Most of these documents are on microfilm collections held in major research libraries. – http://uair.library.arizona.edu/
Screen Shot of Website:
To conduct a search just enter your ancestor’s name in the search bar. For example, I searched for Diego de Montemayor and Alberto del Canto and both came out. This resource also contains many military records of the presidios and rolls of military companies. One example it the Rolls for Nuevo Santander cavalry for July through Sept, 1773; each is signed by officers or justicias; monthly wages listed.
Just keep in mind this is just an index designed and made to help the researcher find the needed documents in the following collections:
Archival collections covered by the database are:
- Provincias Internas, Archivo General de la Nación, Mexico City, Mexico
- Spanish Archives of New Mexico, Series II, Santa Fe, Mexico
- Bexar Archives (to 1790), University of Texas, Austin, Texas
- Archivo de Parral, Parral, Chihuahua
- Selected other documents from European and Mexican archives.
Visit Website/Resource:
I hope that you find your ancestors using this resource to find Spanish Colonial Documents of Northern New Spain. Or at least that it may assist you while doing research for friends or clients. Let me know in the comments of your experiences using this resource.
