Collection Summary
José Ignacio Rodríguez Papers
1860-1907
1860-1907
MSS38158
Rodríguez, José Ignacio, 1831-1907
25,000 items
65 containers
26 linear feet
Spanish
English
Collection material in Spanish and English
Manuscript Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Cuban-American lawyer and writer.
Correspondence, legal papers, notes, drafts, and other literary papers, newspaper
clippings, and miscellany relating to his work before various Latin American claims
commissions and other legal work involving Latin American governments, and materials
pertaining to his writings on Latin American history.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Mestre, José Manuel, 1832-1886. José Manuel Mestre papers. circa 1860-1870.
Mora, Antonio Maximo, 1818-1897.
Ponce de León, Néstor, 1837-1899.
Rodríguez, José Ignacio, 1831-1907.
Sanguily, Julio.
Organizations
Bureau of the American Republics (Washington, D.C.)
Chile. Embajada (U.S.)
Colombia. Embajada (U.S.)
El Salvador. Legacíon (U.S.)
French and American Claims Commission.
Joint Commission of Costa Rica and the United States.
Junta (New York, N.Y.) Junta (New York, N.Y.) records. 1868-1870.
Real Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País (Cuba). Real Sociedad Económica de Amigos del Pais (Cuba) records. 1863-1869.
United States and Mexican Claims Commission.
Uruguay. Legacíon (U.S.)
Subjects
Diplomatic and consular service, Salvadoran--United States.
Practice of law--Cuba.
Practice of law--Washington (D.C.)
Refugees--El Salvador.
Places
Costa Rica--Claims.
Cuba--Claims.
Dominican Republic--Claims.
France--Claims.
Latin America--Claims.
Latin America--Foreign relations--United States.
Latin America--History.
Mexico--Claims.
Spain--Claims.
United States--Claims.
United States--Foreign relations--Latin America.
Occupations
Authors.
Lawyers.
Acquisition Information
The papers of José Ignacio Rodríguez, Cuban-American lawyer and writer, were given to
the Library of Congress by his niece, Katherine Fisher, through David Rubio of the
Hispanic Division of the Library in 1939.
Processing History
The papers of José Ignacio Rodríguez were initially processed in 1939. The finding aid
was revised in 2006, 2010, and 2012.
Transfers
Items have been transferred from the Manuscript Division to other custodial divisions of
the Library, including the Geography and Map Division, Prints and Photographs Division,
Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Serial & Government Publications
Division, and the general collections.
Other Repositories
Other papers of José Ignacio Rodríguez can be found in the University of Florida,
Smathers Libraries, Gainesville, Fla.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of José Ignacio Rodríguez is
governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The Rodríguez Papers are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the
Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and
advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information:
Container number, José Ignacio Rodríguez Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
José Ignacio Rodríguez (1831-1907) was a Cuban-American lawyer, writer, and teacher.
Rodríguz left Cuba for political reasons, became an American citizen, and established
himself in Washington, D.C., as a lawyer specializing in Latin American affairs. He
studied law under Caleb Cushing and was admitted to the bar of the District of Columbia
and the Supreme Court. He held the post of chief translator for the Bureau of American
Republics and librarian of the Columbus Library. He served in various capacities for
Mexico before the United States and Mexican Claims Commission, acted as secretary for
the United States delegation to the International Congress of American States in Mexico
in 1902, and was counsel for many claimants before several Spanish and American claims
commissions, notably in the Antonio Mora, Julio Sanguily, and Delgado cases, and that of
the
Virginius
affair.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of José Ignacio Rodríguez (1831-1907) span the years 1860-1907 and consist of
correspondence, legal papers, notes, drafts, and other literary papers, newspaper
clippings, and miscellany. The papers are in Spanish and English. The papers are
organized into the following series: [ Correspondence ](corresp), [ American Spanish Claims Commissions ](amerspanclaims), [ United States and Venezuelan
Claims Commission ](usvenclaims), [ Claims Against the Dominican Republic ](claimsdompub), [ Costa Rica and the United
States Joint Commission ](coricausjoint), [ American-French Claims Commission ](amefreclaim), [ Claims Against the Military
Government of Cuba ](militgovcubaclaim), [ Bureau of American Republics ](bureauamerepub), [ Legal Cases and Clients ](legalcases), [ Puerto Rico ](rico), [ Writings ](writ), [ Personal ](persona), [ Newspaper Clippings ](newclip), and
[ Other Papers ](othpaper).
The collection contains Rodríguez's legal papers and correspondence mostly concerning
claims against the governments of Cuba and the Dominican Republic and cases involving
individuals and governments before claims commissions. They include the Spanish and
American Claims Commission, the French and American Claims Commission, the Joint
Commission of Costa Rica and the United States, the United States and Mexican Claims
Commission, and the Bureau of the American Republics. Case files in the American-Spanish
Claims Commission treat Cuban political figures such as Néstor Ponce de León and Julio
Sanguily and cases involving confiscation by Latin American governments of property of
wealthy individuals such as Cuban immigrant Antonio Maximo Mora.
Other files pertain to individual litigations stemming from the legations of Chile,
Colombia, Salvador, and Uruguay. Also in the collection are papers of the Legation of
Salvador relating to the establishment of a legation in Washington, D.C. (1894), and to
the extradition of Salvadorean refugees (1894-1895). The [ Other Papers ](othpaper) series includes the papers
of José Manuel Mestre (circa 1860-1870), the archives of the Real Sociedad Económica de
Amigos del País, Cuba (1853-1869), and material relating to the Cuban Junta of New York
(1868-1870).
Arrangement of the Papers
The collection is arranged in fourteen series:
-
[ Correspondence ](corresp)
-
[ American-Spanish
Claims Commissions ](amerspanclaims)
-
[ United States and
Venezuelan Claims Commission ](usvenclaims)
-
[ Claims Against
Dominican Republic ](claimsdompub)
-
[ Joint Commission of
Costa Rica and the United States ](coricausjoint)
-
[ French and American
Claims Commission ](amefreclaim)
-
[ Claims Against
the Military Government of Cuba ](militgovcubaclaim)
-
[ Bureau of the
American Republics ](bureauamerepub)
-
[ Legal Cases and Clients
](legalcases)
-
[ Puerto Rico ](rico)
-
[ Writings ](writ)
-
[ Personal ](persona)
-
[ Newspaper Clippings ](newclip)
-
[ Other Papers ](othpaper)
Container List
Box
Contents
1-12
Correspondence
Letters sent and received.
Primarily arranged alphabetically
1
A-Ci
2
Cl-Ci
3
F-G (part 1)
4
G (part 2)-J
5
K-Ma
6
Mestre family-Mu
7
Muñoz, Edmund A. (Parts 1-2)
8
N-Q
9
R
10
S-V
11
W-Z, bound volume, cartas
12
Calendar drafts
13-27
American-Spanish Claims Commissions
Writings about the commissions and their rules and regulations, a case file, and
Spanish claims.
Arranged by type of material and alphabetically therein.
13
Rodríguez, draft of the “History of the Spanish
Treaty Claims Commission,” chapters VI-XVII
History, including a memoranda, drafts,
etc.
14
Miscellaneous
Rules, regulations, orders
Correspondence with client
Some general correspondence
Cases
Battle, Pablo
Buzzi, Pedro
15
Belleau D'Hamel, Enrique v. Spain
Bellido de Luna, Francisco, No.
138
Bonau, Gerardo, No. 25
16
Cabias, Theodore, No. 10
Camejo, Agustín
Carillo y O'Farrell, Isaac
Casanova, Luciano
Castillo y Agramante, Martin v. Spain,
diplomatic case
17
Delgado, José Gregorio, No. 12, “Old Claim
Settled by the Strobel Figueta Protocol, 3 May 1887"
Delgado, José Manuel, No 151[?], “Personal
Injuries by the Spanish Authorities”
Delgado, José Gregorio, and José Manuel
Delgado, No. 151
18
Del Monte, Leonardo
Díaz y Zayas Bazan, Pedro Nolasco No.
148
Escato, Antonio E.
19
Echarte de Farres, Enrigueta , No.
30
Farress, Ricardo, and Alberto de
Goicuria
Fogarty, James H. , No. 195
Fritot, Henry, No. 35
Fernandez Criado y Gomez, Ramón, No. 29
(correspondence)
20
Fernandez Criado y Gómez, Ramón, No. 29
21
Gonzalez, José, No. 194
Govin y Pinto, Felix, No. 9
Govin, Amalia Tejada de, No. 28
Guillermo, Juan
Harrison, Henry
Izguierdo, Francisco, No. 7
Johnston, James, No. 42
22
Llandera (creditors) v. José M. Macias, No.
52
Mary Felice, No. 67
McCullock, Annie, and Arent and
others
23
Machado, John A., No. 84.
Machado, Miguel, No. 150
Martínez, Frederick, No. 135
Montego, Manuel Antonio, No. 115
Miranda de Colas, Garnen
Maine cases, Catherine Burns, no.
31
24
Mora, Fausto, No. 50, and Aurelio
Arango
Mora, Antonio Maximo, No. 48
Correspondence
Mora-Rodríguez
1872-1882
1872-1882
1883-1896
1883-1896
25
Nathaniel Page with Rodríguez and
others
Mainly with United States Department of
State, 1878-1888
1878-1888
1778-1880, Hall, Durant
Marquis Chamburn, Miguel Gonzalez, Dionisio Cruz Alvarez, R. L.
Miranda, and E. V. Smalley
1778-1880
1893-1895, Crammond
Kennedy
1893-1895
1886-1889, Barlow and
Trescott (Shaeffer incident)
1886-1889
1888-1889, W. D.
Shipman
1888-1889
1893-1895, 1884-1887,
Hamilton Fish, Jr.
1893-1895, 1884-1887
1881-1882,
Russell
1881-1882
26
Agreement of fees, Mora, Rodríguez, Paige,
and others
History of the case by documents, letters,
drafts, etc.
Vol. I
Vol. V
27
The case
Claims against award: Arangureny, Mara
Arnabile Dent, Iwinnelle, Fraser, Gimbernat, Govin y Pinto, Menoal,
Miranda, Fausto Mora, M. F. More, and Ponce de León
28
Claims against Mora by his nephew, José
Manuel Mora
John W. Foster and the Mora
claim
Bustillo incident
Findley
Rice
Aurelio Mora
Indemnification, record of
Printed copies of case
29
Final settlement
Distribution of money, assignments,
etc.
Will
Settlement of estate
Newspaper articles
Printed papers in the diplomatic
case
Other papers not printed relating to same
case
30
Mueses, Martin
Nada, Ricardo
Nenninger, Vincent
Nolasco Valdes, Pedro, No. 395
Ortega, José Maria, No. 91
Poey, Gonzalo, No. 66
31
Ponce de León, Néstor, No. 132 (dv. Nos. 128
and 133)
Powers, James E., No. 106
32
Perez, Mateo Luis, No. 83
Pinto, Cesar, No. 83
Prieto, Manuel, No. 54
Puente, José A., No. 54
Puente, Avelino, No. 54
Reyes Gúzman, Fancisco, intended
claim
Rodríguez, Martin C., & Co., No.
72
Rodríguez Ruíz, Tomas
Romero, Santiago
Ruíz, Francisco M.
Ruíz, Mrs.
Sanguily, Julio
33
Sanguily, Julio, newspaper clippings
etc.
San Pedro, Juan, No. 188
Simon, J. R., No. 133 (see also Nos. 128 and
132)
34
Suavez, Geferino, Guatemala, two
claims
Seiglie, Francisco
Socarro, Cayetano de, No. 192
Saler y Martínez, María
Stocker, Luis
Story, Henry
Thorne, William G.
Valle Iznaga, Francisco L. del
No. 388,
La grande
No. 399, La chica
Vega, Miguel de la, No. 193
35
West, James H., No. 60
West Indian Oil Refining Co, No.
110
Wilson, Joseph O., No. 121
Zaldivar, Miguel, No. 127
36
Zeneo, Luisa M. de, No. 136
Spanish claims
Virginius
indemnity
Alfaro, Pedro
Ayala, Henry
Boza, John N.
Corvizon, Parfirio
Duenas, Ignacio
Mola, Arthur
Pinedo, Salvador
Rizo, Leopold
Trujillo, Francisco
Varona, Oscar de
37
Miscellaneous and printed
articles
Schooner
La Amistad
Bark Rebecca J. Moulton
37
United States and Venezuelan Claims
Commission
Awards, settlements, and case files.
Unarranged.
37
Awards and settlements
José Lamar
Mme De Sala
Francisco Arteagay Piña
38
Claims Against Dominican Republic
Legal papers.
Unarranged.
38
Legal papers
38
Joint Commission of Costa Rica and the United States
Case materials of Medina and Sons.
Unarranged.
38
Case of Medina and Sons
38-39
French and American Claims Commission
Legal papers.
Loose papers followed by notebooks.
38
Loose papers
39
Bound material
(2 vols.)
39
Claims Against the Military Government of
Cuba
Case material concerning the tug
Catalina
in the port of Havana in 1889.
Unarranged.
39
Don José Cagigas
Tug
Catalina
, port of Havana, Nov. 1889
Nov. 1889
39
Bureau of the American Republics
Papers concerning reforms in the bureau.
Unarranged.
39
Reforms in the Bureau of American
Republics
39-46
Legal Cases and Clients
Material relating to legal cases and clients handled by Rodríguez.
Arranged by files for the legations of Chile, Colombia, Salvador, and Uruguay,
followed by an alphabetical case file.
39
Legation of Chile (French spoilation claim),
case of Josefina Carvallo, Chilean granddaughter of James H. Causten, American
citizen and original claimant
Legation of Columbia (Señor Bercerra),
miscellaneous, including letters from Ricardo Bercerra and family, case of D.
Ramón Arjono, and case of escaped convict Foyer
Legation of Salvador (Señor Velasco)
Miscellaneous
Letters from Miguel Velasco y Velasco
(1887)
1887
40
Legation of Uruguay, regarding guardianship of
Uruguayan orphan, John Preston Ames y Harrique
L. V de Abad, attorney, including claims of José
Lopez and Luis Arteaga for duties demanded on books in violation of the treaty
of peace (1900-1901)
1900-1901
“A” miscellaneous
Adamson, Annie, investigation of inheritance in
Ireland, circa 1885
circa 1885
Alfaya, Luis Francisco, estate of Manuel José de
Rojas, Cuba, 1898
1898
Anderson, Mrs. John, power of attorney,
1903
1903
Avila, Elevterio, agent for Mexican government
in United States and Mexican Claims Commission (suit by London, N.Y. &
Hartford Pub. Co., 1876)
1876
“B” miscellaneous
Betancourt, Frank A., disagreement with wife,
1892-1894
1892-1894
Boutwell, Lieutenant E. B., United States Navy,
investigation of accident at Navy Yard, Nov. 1849
Nov. 1849
Brown, W. A., investigation of title to town lot
in San Juan del Norte or Greytown
“Ca” miscellaneous
Cantera y Clark, María de la Concepción, claim
to her paraphernalia in Cuba, 1897
1897
Cartaya, Dr. Pedro and wife, embargo of
property, Matanzas, Cuba, 1873
1873
Caso Calvo, Marques de, land claim in Louisiana
and Florida, 1891-1901
1891-1901
41
“Co-Cu” miscellaneous
Commercial Warehouse Co., N.Y., claims against
D. José Lopez Rodríguez and Modesto Crespi, 1885-1887
1885-1887
Cowan, Luis, American citizenship,
1896
1896
Curbelo, José Gonzalo, trial for complicity in
insurrection of Nov. 1897, Pinar del Rio, Cuba
“D” miscellaneous
Dunbar, Richard, claim v. Western Railroad Co.,
of Havana, Cuba, 1875-1876
1875-1876
“E-F” miscellaneous
Emmanuelli, Michel, claim v. United States for
60-70 lighters seized in Puerto-Rico, July 28, 1898
July 28, 1898
Fernandez, Lucas, of Costa Rica, inheritance of
a minor daughter in Texas, 1903
1903
Florida claims
42
“G” miscellaneous
Gaillard, E. D., and Joseph d'Eslainvilla,
drafts for powers of attorney in Spain, 1892
1892
Green, H. A., site on Dominquez grant,
1831
1831
“H” miscellaneous
Harvard
, auxiliary schooner, Captain S. Cotton, commander,
1898
1898
Haza, Francisco,
1898-1906
1898-1906
Hevia, Francisco Emeterio, land claim, Mobile,
Ala., 1887
1887
“J” miscellaneous
Jesuit fathers of Baltimore, Md., property in
Cuba, 1896
1896
Jiménez, Emilio, estate of uncle, Jorge
Jimenenz, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1898
1898
“K” miscellaneous
Kennedy, Crammer, attorney
Oil Manzanilla case, Cuba,
1898
1898
Frederick Henry Helmes v. Argentine Republic,
1892
1892
“L” miscellaneous
Lamar, Emilia True de, land claim, Alabama,
1886
1886
Lloy, Nicolas, Alexander S. Merchant as suitor
for daughter, 1903
1903
Lemore v. Louisiana State Bank
“M” miscellaneous
Menendez, Emilio, Los Procuradores de
Cienfuegos, 1899-1901
1899-1901
Mestre, Aurelin E., passport,
1890-1891
1890-1891
Montalvo, Da Dima Leblanc, power of attorney,
1898
1898
43
“O” miscellaneous
Orta Estate, Cuba,
1824-1859
1824-1859
Patents
Armas y José de Céspedes, copyright,
1887
1887
Alfonso de Armas y Herrera, Dr. Telesforo,
1887-1888
1887-1888
Galvez y Guillen, Dr. Feliqe and Jorga Funes,
1887
1887
Messrs. Lopez y Delmas,
1890
1890
Pimiento, Octavio,
1889
1889
Safely, John J.,
1889
1889
Prieto, Demetrio,
1889-1901
1889-1901
44
“P” miscellaneous
Padro Serra, mercantile firm, Cuba
Pedroso, Clodoves, reinstatement of civil
rights, 1878-1879
1878-1879
Peralta, Manuel G. de, imprisonment, Yucatan,
1803
1803
“S” miscellaneous
Santa Gertrudis Plantation, Cuba, Antonio G.
Mendoza, agent, claim for reduction of duty on sugar, 1880, includes
manumission of slaves, 1879
1879
Silvero, Aurelio A., divorce,
1883
1883
“V” miscellaneous
Verderaux, A. E., claim for services as vice
consul
Vidal, Luis, bill of lading,
1903
1903
Viond; Miguel, for C. Torrienle and J. Toscaro,
establishment of a mortgage bank in Cuba, 1900-1901
1900-1901
Volio y Tinaco, Federico, land claim,
Maryland
“W” miscellaneous
Weil, Edward H., point of Spanish law,
1893
1893
Wilson, Franklin W., maritime law; Spanish
steamer
Lolis
, 1888
1888
45
Homicide before Cuban courts,
1855-1857
1855-1857
In Cuba
Prior to 1870
46
Prior to 1870
46
Puerto Rico
Miscellany.
Unarranged.
46
Movement initialed, 19 Apr., 1899,
notes by Rodríguez and correspondence, etc., with M. Zeno Gardia and J. J.
Henna
19 Apr., 1899
46-52
Writings
Drafts and notes by Rodríguez.
Arranged by topic.
46
“Vida de Don José de La Luz y Caballero,” notes
and drafts
47
“Vida del presbitero, don Felix Varela,” notes
and drafts
48
History of Cuba
Cuba, miscellaneous
History of slavery in Cuba
“The Church in Cuba, a Historical
Study”
Monastic institutions in Cuba
Republics of South America
49
History of the movements toward political and
commercial union in America
Miscellaneous
Education
Labor
Religion, etc.
50
Draft for a book on women
Spanish Treaty Claims Commission
51
Commercial treaty with Spain
(1884-1887)
(1884-1887)
Arbitration or question of validity of treaty of
limits between Costa Rica and Nicaragua of Apr. 15,
1858
Apr. 15, 1858
Miscellaneous unsorted
Notes and notebooks on various
subjects
52
Miscellaneous unsorted
52-55
Personal
Estate papers, family correspondence, and other personal papers.
Arranged alphabetically by type of material.
52
Career: naturalization; admission to bar;
appointments; honors; etc.
Career, miscellaneous
53
Estate papers, will, etc.
Family correspondence
Letters to Mrs. Rodríguez
Letters from sisters, nieces,
etc.
Household matters, bills, etc.
54
Household accounts, bills receipts
etc.
Settlement of estate of John J. Joyce,
Rodríguez's father-in-law
Settlement of estate of Ann Joyce, Rodríguez's
mother-in-law
55
Settlement of estate of Ann Joyce, Rodríguez's
mother-in-law
Settlement of estate of father-in-law, equity
suit of Andrew Joyce v. Mary White
56-59
Newspaper Clippings
Clippings and miscellaneous cards, invitations, and printed matter.
Arranged partially by subject matter; the remainder is unarranged.
56
By subject
57
Unsorted
58
Miscellaneous and unidentified
59
Miscellaneous, cards, invitations, programs,
etc.
60-65
Other Papers
Papers from other sources collected by Rodríguez including the legation of
Salvador, José Manuel Mestre, and various Cuban reform organizations. Also
included is a list of materials transferred to other divisions of the Library and
a biographical memorandum.
Unarranged.
60
Junta Superior de Instrucción publica de la isla
de Cuba, 1806, 1868
1806, 1868
Universidad de la Habana,
1866
1866
61
Legation of Salvador
Establishment of legation in Washington,
D.C., in 1894
1894
Papers relative to extradition of General
Antonio Ezeta and other Salvadorean refugees,
1894-1895
1894-1895
Papers of José Manuel Mestre
Correspondence
Nicolas Azcarate
Miguel de Aldama
José A. Echevarría
Cristobal Madan
José Morales Lemus
J. A. Saco
José Valdes Fauli
Juan Clemente Zenea
62
Letterbooks
1860-1866
1860-1866
(2 vols.)
1866-1872
1866-1872
(2 vols.)
63
“Political Papers of Secondary
Importance”
Collection of “La Revolutión de
Cuba”
Newspaper clippings
Bulletin de Junte Cubaine
Notes, drafts, etc.
64
Papers relating to the reclamación de
Paulina
Papers and documents belonging to José Mestre
y Cot, native of Sitges, 1862
1862
Papers on slavery and trade
Important papers: Centrega de los bonos and
others
Papers relating to Reformista movement in
Cuba
Real Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País
(Cuba) Papers, 1853-1869
1853-1869
65
Cuban Junta of New York
Papers and correspondence,
1868-1870
1868-1870
“Political Cuba en general,” circa
1869-1871
circa 1869-1871
Sociedad Cubana v. Benefinencie de Nueva
York
Additions
Letter from Fidel G. Pierra to W. Dawson
Johnston regarding Cuban affairs, 1897
1897
Lists of materials transferred to other
divisions in 1940 and biographical memorandum