The Us. Vs. Andres Castillero, New Almaden, Transcript of the Record

The Us. Vs. Andres Castillero, New Almaden, Transcript Of The Record by P. Della Torre is a documentary record of a 19th-century U.S. land-claims case concerning the Santa Clara–New Almaden mining region in Upper California. The volume assembles petition materials, Mexican archival documents, depositions, and the Board of Commissioners’ initial legal analysis to illuminate Castillero’s mining claim and adjoining land. It traces the mid-1840s Mexican possession and grant process, the transition to U.S. adjudication in the 1850s, and the complex interplay between mining rights and surface land ownership. Core participants include Andres Castillero, Forbes and associates, Mexican officials, and U.S. commissioners and witnesses. The text details possession acts, boundary surveys (notably the Lyman 1848 survey), and verbatim depositions examining boundaries, productivity, signatures, and authenticity of documents. It also presents international archival evidence, consular attestations, and notarial certifications to establish title. The Board’s opening analysis distinguishes mining rights from colonization grants and analyzes jurisdiction under Mexican law and U.S. procedures, framing ongoing litigation about mineral rights, land claims, and boundary issues.