Land Records

The vara was an old Spanish unit of length that was equivalent to 33 inches. According to the length of the inch (in each region it could have had a different value) the vara could measure between 30 and 36 inches. The “vara castellana”, the most extended, measured 33 inches, and was divided into four handspans. In modern times, the vara castellana is usually assigned the measurement of 3 feet.

The Alpha/Numeric Codes noted are the file designations that are found in PARES (Portal de Archivos Españoles.)

The legend is:

• Cuba
• SD – Santo Domingo 
• U – Ultramar

• Arrendatario
  Someone who yields or acquires for a price the use or temporary use of things, works or services.
• Caballeria
  Land that was distributed to the men who had contributed to the conquest or the colonization of a territory.
• Corral
  A plot of land that is utilized as an orchard or for raising young animals.
• Cuje (Cuge)
  Strong sticks, about 12 feet long, where the tobacco leaves were placed. The leaves were placed, two by two, tied at the top with the veins upwards. There should have been no more that 150 leaves per stick so that the tobacco leaf would not be squeezed or damaged and its quality compromised. 
• Dueño
  Man who has domain or dominion on someone or something.
• Estancia
  Cattle ranch

• Hacienda
  Agricultural farm
• Hato
  A group or collection of large or small livestock.
• Ingenio (Ingenio azucarero)
  An old Spanish colonial hacienda with facilities to process sugar cane in order to obtain sugar, rum, alcohol and other products .
• Manojo
  A bundle
• Potrero
  Site for farming and grazing horses.
• Tazmía
  An estimate of a crop’s harvest.
• Vega
  Land used for the production of tobacco.