Los Libros de Hijuelas de Michoacán de Ocampo

The Libros de Hijuelas (deed books, in English) record the state-wide privatisation of indigenous lands in 19th century Michoacán, Mexico. The collection consists of 196 leather-bound volumes containing 45,000 folios dating from 1713‐1941. All the documents pertain to, or are precursors of, the process of dissolution and privatisation of indigenous corporate property under 19th‐century liberal governments, in the state of Michoacán, Mexico. In terms of content, the hijuelas books contain legal acts, cadastral surveys, village censuses, hand‐tinted maps, and letters, many of the latter written by indigenous michoacanos of Purépecha (Tarascan), Nahua, Mazahua, Matlatzinca, or Otomí descent.

The Libros de Hijueals are held by the Archivo General e Histórico del poder Ejecutivo de Michoacán (AGHPEM), the state archive of Michoacán. They form part of the Secretaria de Gobierno (Secretariat of Government) fonds. The Secretariat was first formed in Michoacán in 1825, to carry out the administration of executive power in the state.

Libros de Hijuelas are organized into 17 series, representing the 16 political districts into which Michoacán was divided, plus one miscellaneous series, and are further ordered numerically. It is important to note that the books are not necessarily arranged chronologically, and that the enumeration is occasionally inaccurate, with some numbers either skipped, missing, or repeated within some districts.

This collection contains the following series.

  • EAP931/1/1: Serie 1: Distrito de Apatzingán, 1840-1909;
  • EAP931/1/2: Serie 2: Distrito de Ario de Rosales, 1868-1908;
  • EAP931/1/3: Serie 3: Distrito de Coalcomán, 1870-1911;
  • EAP931/1/4: Serie 4: Distrito de Huetamo, 1831-1912;
  • EAP931/1/5: Serie 5: Distrito de Jiquilpan, 1830-1914;
  • EAP931/1/6: Serie 6: Distrito de La Piedad, 1814-1912;
  • EAP931/1/7: Serie 7: Distrito de Maravatío, 1809-1910;
  • EAP931/1/8: Serie 8: Distrito de Morelia, 1714-1994;
  • EAP931/1/9: Serie 9: Distrito de Pátzcuaro, 1844-1921;
  • EAP931/1/10: Serie 10: Distrito de Puruándiro, 1856-1913;
  • EAP931/1/11: Serie 11: Distrito de Tacámbaro, 1869-1910;
  • EAP931/1/12: Serie 12: Distrito de Uruapan, 1813-1929;
  • EAP931/1/13: Serie 13: Distrito de Zacapu, 1828-1908;
  • EAP931/1/14: Serie 14: Distrito de Zamora, 1713-1941;
  • EAP931/1/15: Serie 15: Distrito de Zinapécuaro, 1863-1914;
  • EAP931/1/16: Serie 16: Distrito de Zitácuaro, 1719-1917;
  • EAP931/1/17: Serie 17: Varios, 1719-1911;