The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 40, July 1936 - April, 1937 Page: 72
348 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
was actually confirmed to the Nolan heirs, or to their assigns, was
of little value for agricultural purposes without the outlay of a
large amount of capital for the construction of an irrigating canal.
For instance, the Bessemer Canal, constructed in 1890, cost
approximately a half million dollars. Furthermore, even at the
present time, a considerable portion, both of the original grant
and of the tract confirmed to the Nolan heirs, is without water
for irrigation purposes and consequently is not under cultivation.
It was, and is, valuable only for grazing purposes; and, as pointed
out in connection with the Vigil-St. Vrain grant, the herdsman
of the 1860's and 1870's did not need title to land which was
unfenced in order to allow his stock to graze upon it. Therefore,
it is reasonable to conclude that the factor which kept settlers
off the Nolan grant, in its original bounds, was not the question
of titles so much as the topography of the land and the aridity
of the soil.
Some of the transfers of the Nolan grant, or of parts of it, are
of interest, both from the standpoint of the character of the trans-
actions and with respect to the increasing value of the land in the
vicinity of Pueblo and its industrial environs. Pending the con-
firmation of the grant and the execution of an official survey, the
Nolan heirs and their assigns could dispose of their interests only
in terms of the boundaries specified in the original grant.39
On November 5, 1860, the entire grant with its original some-
what vague boundaries was conveyed by quitclaim deed to Annie
E. Blake for the consideration of ten thousand dollars. The deed
was signed by nine heirs of Gervacio Nolan, deceased.40 On Feb-
ruary 1, 1870, Annie E. Blake and her husband, Charles Blake,
deeded an undivided third of their interest to Charles Goodnight
for the consideration of five thousand dollars; and on February
14, 1870, the said Blakes deeded another undivided third of their
original interests (that is, of the entire grant) to Peter K. Dotson
and Jacob C. Dotson for the consideration of five thousand
probable action of Congress relative to confirming the Nolan grant, thus
encouraging settlers who might wish to locate within the original limits
of the latter grant.
'See page 62, above.
"Official Records of Pueblo County, Deed Book No. 2, p. 489, entered
January 26, 1870.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 40, July 1936 - April, 1937, periodical, 1937; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101099/m1/80/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.