This book contains land grant (Sesmaria) records from 1704, 1708 to 1713, and 1723 to 1725. Petitioners include: José da Luz Soares; Cypriano Gomes Ferreira; Lieutenant Francisco Fernandes de Souza, Reverend and Missionary Priest Antonio de Lima Caldas; Sergeant-Major André de Souza; Captain Constantino de Oliveira Ledo; Luiz Pereira de Miranda; Manoel Martins Grangeiro; Bartholomeo Duarte Pereira; Sergeant-Major (Sargento-mor) Manoel Marques de Sousa; Ms. Izabel da Camara; Maria de Figueiredo; Assistant Luiz Quaresma Dourado and Salvador Quaresma Dourado; Captain Pascacio de Oliveira Ledo; Count Alvor; Ms. Rosa Maria Dourado de Albuquerque; and others. The requests came from the Capitania of Paraíba; residents in the backlands (sertão) between Cariry and Piranhas; the mission of Quincú Pequeno on the Rio do Peixe; the City of Nossa Senhora das Neves/Paraíba (modernday João Pessoa); and Mamanguape. Reasons provided for requesting the land grants include the discovery of lands through personal expense; a need for more land to accomodate livestock; free land close to that already occupied; services provided by the petitioner or his/her ancestors to the king and without compensation; free land to be tilled; services provided to conquer the backlands (sertão) and battle the pagans; and aid provided to the Capitania by way of soldiers at personal expense. Plans for using the land requested include: populating with livestock; constructing houses; planting crops for residents and slaves; and other crops. The lands were located in the Sertão do Cariri; sertão das Piranhas; along the shores of the Sabugi river; the embankment of Riacho Quixará; Riacho das Pedras; the city of Parahyba (modernday João Pessoa); Mamanguape; Cabeceiras do Piranhas; sertão do Curimataú; Serra do Bodopitá; Seridó River; and Olho d’agua do Cuité. Land grant sizes ranged from 3 leagues wide and one long; twelve palms long; two leagues wide and one long; two leagues wide, and 400 fathoms to the east and 1,000 to the west. Lands were described as fallow or possessed by way of purchase. Donations and confirmations were carried out under the administations of João de Abreu Castello Branco (1723-1725); João da Maia da Gama (1708-1713); Fernando de Barros e Vasconcellos (1704).
Created by the Paraíba Captaincy's Government.
Extent and format of original material: 1 manuscript volume of 158 folios, in addition to front and back cover. Manuscript book, with non-original hardcover which is inappropriate for preserving brittle paper. Severely damaged by acidity of the paper ad iron gall ink. Folios 1-9, 38-39, 41-58 are missing. Volume is numerated through folio 187.
Creator (Author): Capitães mores da Paraíba: João de Abreu Castello Branco; João da Maia da Gama; Fernando de Barros e Vasconcellos.
