Cazares

It appears from the documentary evidence in this case that James Dawson, the deceased husband of the present claimant, on the twenty-seventh of December, 1837, presented a petition to the commanding general, setting forth that he, together with McIntosh and one James Black, had obtained a grant for the place called “La Punta del Estero del Americano:” that he had built a house upon it, and planted a large vineyard and an orchard with more than two hundred fruit trees, and had placed *353 upon it cattle, horses, &c. He further represented that the grant had been obtained in partnership with the two persons mentioned, but that McIntosh was attempting to eject him. He therefore prayed that he might be protected in his rights. The petitioner, though he had long resided in thé country, does not appear to have been naturalized at the time of making this petition, but the documents- show that letters of naturalization were obtained by him on the twenty-ninth of December, 1841. On the eighteenth of September, 1843, he renewed his application to be put in possession of the land, and the governor to whom this second petition was addressed referred it to the secretary for information. By the…