The Mexico/Arizona Database
The history of Mexican Americans in Arizona has been buried, obscured, erased, and all
but forgotten. After 1850, there are very few written records of Hispanic people in
Arizona. The documents of the Territorial Period -- newspapers,
business records and government correspondence -- tended to list full names for Anglos,
but everybody else was just "Indian" or "Mexican." Early
historians failed to mention that a Latino population even existed; instead, they offered
the theory that every town had a white founder and every Mexican was an
immigrant. However, Federal census manuscripts -- one of the few inclusive records
-- show an entirely different view. From 1860 to 1880, 60% to 95% of the people
living in the farming communities of southern Arizona had Spanish surnames, including most
of the land owners and business owners, and most were born in Arizona or Sonora.
The goal of this project is to provide comprehensive documentation of the
people of Mexican ancestry who were living in Arizona in the 19th century. The
biographical and genealogical database now has records of more than 18,000
individuals.
The survey is based primarily on original archival sources and public
documents. Key documents that the current database records are based on include:
- Federal Census, 1860 and 1870
- Territorial Census, 1864 (Arizona State Archives)
- Tucson census, c.1797 (Collins, Journal of Arizona History vol.
11, no. 1, c.f. vol. 13, no. 3)
- Santa Cruz Valley Census, 1831 (McCarty, Copper State Bulletin vol.
16, no. 1 and 2, vol. 17, no. 1, 2, and 3)
- Most published sources on Arizona History, including Bancroft, Dobyns,
Farish, Luckingham, McClintock, Officer, and Sheridan
- Family genealogies contributed by individuals (mostly from Tempe)
- Partial survey of Maricopa County records
- Partial survey of obituaries, archival collections, and journal and
magazine articles
- Complete survey of all records for Tempe, c.1870-1920
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There is still much more work to be done. Additional documents that must be
examined to complete the project include:
- Federal Census, 1880 and 1900
- Records of U.S. Court of Private Land Claims, Arizona District
- Records of county recorders, assessors, and probate courts in southern
Arizona, c.1865-1900
- Catholic Church records, c.1785-1912
- Edward Soza's Hispanic Homesteaders in Arizona, 1870-1907
- Collections of Arizona Historical Society in Tucson and Yuma
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Many people are interested in this project because it provides information
about specific individuals and families, but ultimately, the real goal is to
offer a broader understanding of Arizona's history. When the database is
completed, analysis of the data will yield statistical information on birth
places, occupations, and land ownership, and provide a context for understanding
complex issues such as patterns of migration and settlement, immigration, and
ethnic identity. When the database is completed, it will be published on CD-ROM.
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Family historians, genealogists, and researchers are
invited to submit their own biographical entries and family histories
for inclusion in this project. For more information, contact Scott
Solliday.
email: mexicoarizona@ix.netcom.com
mailing address:
Mexico Arizona Research
P.O. Box 24812
Tempe, AZ 85282
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