Taming the Wild Horse Desert
Pobladores Database
Los Salinas
There was a ford on the Rio Grande at this location, and in the 19th century there was a ferry. The site of Rancho Salineño sits at the border of Mier porciónes 61 & 62. Porción 61 was granted to Maria Bartola Peña, the widow of Jose Salinas. Next door porción 62 was granted to her son-in-law Joaquin Garcia, who was married to daughter Rosalia Salinas. His ranch was located on the across the river on the other side of a pass called Los Arrieros. Maria Bartola's sons Joaquin and Juan Cristostomo Salinas were granted porciónes 70 and 71, though they sold these early on to Juan Angel Saenz.
Mier 1782 Padron
The following residents were listed at this place in the 1782 padron (church census) of Mier, Nuevo Santander (listed by household number):
94 Juan Jose Peña, español, married, age 41.
94 Margarita Salinas, española, married, age 25.
94 Pedro Jose Peña, español, a child, age 10.
94 Maria Petra Peña, española, a child, age 7.
94 Jose Marcos Peña, español, a young child, age 1.
95 Francisco Javier Vela, español, married, age 26.
95 Maria Feliciana Ramirez, española, married, age 19.
