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Border History Manuscript Collections
The following is a selected list of the approximately 565 manuscript collections held in the Special Collections Department of the University of Texas at El Paso Library. Over 185 manuscript collection records can be found in NUGGET, with more in the process of being cataloged online. A complete list of the library's manuscripts can be found in the manuscripts database.
Calleros, Cleofas. Cleofas Calleros papers. MS 231
Calleros was the director for many years of the El Paso offices of the National Catholic Welfare Conference, a group which provided assistance to immigrants. He was an amateur historian who wrote newspaper columns on El Paso history and also taught citizenship and English classes to immigrants. Date range: ca. 1917 - 1980.
Chisos Mining Company records, 1909-1932. 9 linear in. MS 14 and 1907-1942 2.5 linear in. MS 44
Consists of correspondence, receipts, time books, communication logs, company store accounts, money orders sold at the Terlingua Post Office, supply catalogs, and an alien registry card. Messages to and from Howard Perry were often in code. One file relates to the wrongful death of a mine worker, Matías Martínez. Names of mine management staff are on many receipts, orders, and pieces of correspondence. Some of these names include Wayne R. Cartledge, Robert Cartledge, Arthur Ekdahl, and C. A. Hawley. Lawyer Eugene Cartledge is another correspondent. Some of the materials are in Spanish.
Cox Family. W. W. Cox Family papers 1.5 linear in. MS 28
Deeds (1893-1961). Consists of photocopies of deeds, land patents, mining claims, and transfers of land belonging to the W. W. Cox family, who owned the San Augustine Ranch.Pamphlets (1967, n.d.) Consists of two printed pamphlets titled: "Mining in the Organ and San Andreas Mountains, New Mexico," published by the Organ Mountain Mining Association; and "Profiles of the Southwest from Nike News," published by the Information Office at the White Sands Missile Range. Photocopies (n.d.) Consists of photocopies of two articles titled: "Historical Background of White Sands Missile Range Area," and "The Story of San Augustine Ranch," by Katherine D. Stoes, of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Mrs. Stoes' story was published in the March 1957 edition of the New Mexico Stockman. Photographs (ca. 1905, ca. 1908, 1910, n.d.) Consists of black-and-white photographic prints pertaining to the following subjects: 1) the marching band at New Mexico A&M (now New Mexico State University); 2) Ruidoso and Las Cruces, New Mexico; 3) Oliver Lee's Dog Canyon Ranch House and the Blazer House; 4) Charles Logan, postmaster at Organ, New Mexico; 5) El Paso Military Institute and Fort Bliss; 6) the Cox family and their homes. Miscellaneous (n.d.) Consists of correspondence, a photocopy of a magazine article, handwritten and typewritten notes, and a black-and-white film photographic negative.
El Paso County Records. MS 132
The University Library has these by virtue of its status as a Regional Historical Resources Depository. El Paso County records include jail logs with separate listings for immigration and federal prisoners. Also of interest are probate files, deed records, criminal and civil cases, and tax rolls. We also have some records from other west Texas counties, including Hudspeth, Brewster, and Jeff Davis.
International Boundary and Water Commission records. 29 linear in. MS 42
Consists of selected records of the International Boundary and Water Commission relating to various projects and activities in the United States and Mexico. Materials include proceedings, journals, minutes, brochures, maps, reports, photographs, and press releases. Subjects covered include the Rio Grande, Tijuana, and Colorado Rivers, the Chamizal, the Amistad Dam, and water rights along the United States-Mexico border. Some materials are in Spanish. Record dates range from 1848 to 1976.
Mescalero Apache Tribe Collection. 25 linear ft. MS 95
Consists of one typewritten letter and one pamphlet concerning a proposed transfer of National Forest lands to the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Apparently, a proposal had been made by the Tribe to exchange certain land owned by them for land owned by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service so that the Sierra Blanca Ski Run (operated by the Tribe) could be enlarged and therefore would bring in greater revenue. The Forest Service was opposed to this for ecological reasons and published the pamphlet inviting comments from the general public and several institutions. The geographical area in question was southern New Mexico near Ruidoso in Lincoln County.
National Catholic Welfare Conference case files. MS 173
Materials relating in large part to immigrants and problems they had with government agencies. Restricted: no use of personal names and no photocopying. Date range ca. 1928 - 1952.
Phillips, Mary Dowell. Mary Dowell Phillips memoirs. 3 items MS 31
Mary Dowell Phillips was the daughter of Benjamin Dowell, El Paso's first mayor. She came to the area with her father in 1855. Consists of a photocopy of a typewritten manuscript composed of the following: 1) "Mary Dowell Phillips' Memoirs;" 2) "Statement of Mrs. Mary M. Phillips on Early Days in El Paso, Texas, as Given to Major
Richard F. Burges on May 26, 1934;" 3) "Newspaper Articles."
Sonnichsen, C.L. C.L. Sonnichsen papers, 1861-1991, bulk 1921-1991 74.5 linear ft. MS 141
Educator, author, public speaker, and historian. Born in 1901, Charles Leland Sonnichsen earned his BA in English from the University of Minnesota in 1924. He went on to Harvard for his Masters (1927) and Ph.D. (1931) before taking a position as Associate Professor of English at the Texas College of Mines and Metallurgy. In 1933, he became Head of the English Department until 1960 when he became Graduate Dean. He retired from UTEP in 1972 as Professor Emeritus and died in 1991 at the age of 89. There is also a Finding Aid available.
Southern Pacific Railroad, Rio Grande Division, records. MS 77
Contains records of predecessor lines such as El Paso & Southwest, which had some rails in Mexico. Records include some dealing with the railroad's use of the Bracero Program. Date range of bracero materials: ca. 1945-1952.
Thomason, Robert Ewing Robert Ewing Thomason papers. 9.2 linear ft. MS 140
Born in 1879, Robert Ewing Thomason was a lawyer and former mayor of El Paso, Texas, for two terms (1927 and 1929, respectively). He served as a United States Congressman from the 16th District of Texas from 1930-1947, and he was also a United States District Judge of the Western District of Texas from 1947-1963. He died in 1973.Consists of materials relating to the legal and political career of Robert Ewing Thomason. Materials include biographical information, newspaper clippings, correspondence, photographs, scrapbooks, a bible, notebooks, legal records, and a typed, unpublished manuscript of a book written by Thomason titled "Noted Cases I Have Tried." Also included are reports and photographs documenting the findings of a congressional delegation that investigated Nazi war crimes at the end of World War II.
Timmons, Wilbert H. W. H. Timmons papers. 12.6 linear ft. MS 41
Consists of the personal papers of Dr. Wilbert H. Timmons concerning his life and career as professor of history at the University of Texas at El Paso. Subject focus is predominantly on the history of El Paso, Texas as well as the Southwest and Mexico. Mexican-American borderlands studies are also a major theme. Materials include correspondence, books, maps, research notes, dissertations and theses, newsletters, realia, photocopies of articles from both periodicals and encyclopedias, historical documents, faculty and seminar papers, computer diskettes, photographs, and microfilm. There is also a Finding Aid available.
Wilson, Hugh Bascom. Hugh Bascom Wilson railroad collection. 1 linear ft, 3 in. MS 58
Consists of materials relating to the history of the El Paso Division of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. Materials include books, photographs, maps, periodicals, blueprints, blue line drawings, reports, bulletins, and correspondence. Also included is a copy of a manuscript that was written in 1923 by Clifford R. Morrill and then revised in 1970 by Hugh B. Wilson titled "Railroad History: El Paso Division, Southern Pacific."