Preservation Project

REQUIRED BY LAWNew Mexico A Code:1.19.3.101-106

WHY PRESERVE THE RECORDS?

AS RECORD KEEPER IT IS THE DUTY OF THE COUNTY CLERK TO PRESERVE OUR HISTORY

The New Mexico Administrative Code 1.19.3.102

DOCUMENT AND INSTRUMENT FILE:

Description: Instruments recorded or documents filed by the general public. File may include Deeds, liens, lien releases, mining claims, labor records, oil and gas leases, certificates of incorporation, transcripts of court judgments, lis pendens, military discharges, orders for change of name, continuation certificates, contracts of sale and purchase, real estate contracts, right of way easements, assignment of contracts, notices of disclaimer, patents, power of attorneys, probate files, bonds, wills, mortgage records, plats and maps, marriage records.

Retention: PERMANENT

DOCUMENTS FILED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC

The Library of Congress, in its Preservation FAQs, warns that some tapes and adhesives will stain the paper and may cause inks and colors to bleed.

TOP IMAGE MARRIAGE RECORD DATED 1887BOTTOM LEFT MARRIAGE RECORD DATED 1941BOTTOM RIGHT MARRIAGE RECORD DATED 1951

INDEX THAT LISTS ALL INSTRUMENTS RECORED AND FILED IN THE COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE

The New Mexico Administrative Code 1.19.3.103

DOCUMENT INSTRUMENT INDEX

Description: index that lists all instruments recorded and documents filed in the county clerk’s office

Retention: PERMANENT

Indexes sent for preservation: Grantor/Grantee Indexes, Mining Indexes, Mortgage Indexes, Deed Indexes from 1887-1928

NEWSPAPER PUBLICATIONS

The New Mexico Administrative Code 1.19.3.106

NEWS PAPER PUBLICATIONS:

Description: copy of newspapers published in the county.

Retention: PERMANENT

Newspaper Publication sent for preservation include RIO GRANDE REPUBLICAN dated 1888-1889 and RIO GRANDE REPUBLIC dated 1919

Advertisement/Oversize Newspaper copy RIO GRANDE REPUBLIC from 1919

Part of Phase 3 of Preservation Project

Various Record Books including Index books from 1887-1919; Territory of NM Account of

Delinquent Taxes dated 1889; Index to Mining Books 1-3; Original Articles of

Incorporations from 1885; Commission Minutes Journal dated 1913.

MISCELANOUS GROUP OF RECORDS RANGING FROM 1854-1963

Documents will be part of Phase 3 of the Preservation Project.

On August 1, 1861, Colonel John Robert Baylor proclaimed the creation of the Confederate Territory of Arizona. So, from 1861 Until Abraham Lincoln created the Territory of Arizona out of the Territory of New Mexico in 1863, Doña Ana County had two identities:

From the Union’s point of view, it remained a territory in the United States and stretched to the California border, from the point of view of the Confederacy, New Mexico south of the 34th parallel formed part of the Confederacy of Arizona with its capital in Mesilla.

The Estate of Thomas J. Mastin

Doña Ana County

Probate Records

Thomas J. Mastin was a native of Mississippi. He relocated to California in 1857. Within three years, Mastin was living in Pinos Alstos, practicing law and operating a Mercantile Business.

In December 1860, Mastin Discovered a quartz lode,

which he called the Pacific Mine. The following year he became a partner in a ranching operation. By the early 1860s, Mastin was one of the most prominent and well-respected men in Doña Ana County. The Mesilla Times bestowed on him the honorary title “colonel” in 1861, rather remarkable recognition for a young man of twenty-three.

•In July 1861 Mastin formed the so-called Arizona Guards. The guards, charged with protecting the Pinos Altos mining district from the Apaches, was mustered into the Confederacy army in August 1861 and headquartered at Fort Filmore.

•The guards, under Mastin’s command, carried out numerous forays against the Apaches.

•In March of that year, as a delegate from Pinos Altos at a Convention of county residents, Mastin voted to secede from the Union and apply to the Confederacy for admission as a territory.

Then, on September 27, 1861, Mastin and a detachment of fifteen men faced three hundred Apache warriors under the command of Cochise and Mangas Coloradas. The vastly outnumbered guards successfully repulsed the Apaches and thereby saved Pinos Altos, both the town and the mines,

But Mastin died as a result of wounds received in the battle. As a result, Doña Ana County lost a promising citizen who was described by one contemporary as

“young, bold, chivalrous, and talented.

WHAT THE RECORDS REVEAL

Thomas J. Mastin’s brother Virgil Mastin applied for Administrator of the estate of Thomas J. Mastin. This document reveals Thomas J. Mastin died “in battle with Apache Indians on the 27th day of October 1861

Several documents depict aspects of Mastin’s estate and provide information about a typical mercantile in southern New Mexico at the middle of the nineteenth century.

Among the assets of Mastin’s estate were quartermasters’ vouchers, accounts due, payments due, interests in mining companies, half interest in a ranch, and livestock.

Also listed among the assets of Mastin’s estate are items that give an indication of goods that could be purchased at his mercantile: axes, picks, scales, tin pans, nails, fry pans, jars, and chafing dishes.

Another document lists items provided to Mastin by William B. Rhoman, which were also stocked in Mastin’s store:

MISCELANOUS GROUP OF RECORDS RANGING FROM 1854-1963

Documents will be part of Phase 3 of the Preservation Project.

1 of 605 Plat Maps. in the process of being preserved/Removing

Tape.

History of Paper in U.S. Government Record Keeping

COTTON WOOD PULP COMBINATION

1624 1850 1994 2013

Good Bad Good

County Clerk’s Preservation Project

•Every day use

•Condition of the record

•Historical value

WHAT WILL IT COST?

•So Far the Clerk’s Office has spent $99,883.50 on the first phase of the preservation

• Phase 2 which will be done this fiscal year is estimated to cost $99,723.36

• The documents that have been selected so far for Phase 3/fiscal year 2015 have been quoted at $16,992.29

The goal is to spend $100,000.00 a year until our preservation Project is complete.

•Debinding•Surface Cleaning•Removal of old repairs•Flattening and Humidifcation•Deacidification•Imaging•Microfilming

AS RECORD KEEPERS IT IS THE DUTY OF THE COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE TO PERSERVE OUR

HISTORY

3 Forms of MediaLife Expectancy Purpose

1. Paper 300-500 years Info & Retrieval Back up

2. Microfilm 50-100 years Info & Retrieval Back up

3. CDs Digitial 2-10 years Info & Retrieval Only “With the longevity of digital archival storage media

still in question, protection of original sources remains the priority!” Library of Congress

BEFORE AFTER

Preservation Project