Publication Date
6-18-2008
Abstract
The Vargas family played an important role in the politics of the Ciudad Juárez – El Paso area during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Well-known family members include Sebastián Vargas (padre) and his son, Sebastián Vargas (hijo). The elder Vargas belonged to the Republican Party and served as secretary for the political leadership of Paso del Norte in 1865 and 1866. He also served as a representative to the XXVIII local legislature. He died on November 9, 1912 in El Paso, Texas. His son, Sebastián Vargas (hijo) was elected tax collector for income tax in Juárez in 1910. He was reelected in 1911 and 1912, and served as a member of the Constitutional Assembly of El Paso. Through his position he authorized and managed the issuing of paper currency in the town. Sebastián Vargas (hijo) died in 1946. The Acosta Solís-Vargas papers date 1752 – 1927, bulk 1821 – 1912. Types of records include government documents, certificates, property deeds, land sale and government documents, wills, and correspondence. Arranged in one series (Family, land, and government documents), these papers document the family’s history, land and property transactions, and the political activities of Sebastían Vargas, Sr. and Sebastían Vargas, Jr.