Biography

Details given for officials, Zuniga, Gonzales, Laso, Garcia Ruiz appointed to newly established presidios. Major topics adjustments and supplements to salaries for these four, showing amounts taken out for Invalidos and Monte Pio; travel expenses and dates. Other items concern cost of acquiring and transporting flour to several presidios. (J. M. Johnson, February 1989)

Correspondence of gobernador intendente Corbalan to comandante general de Croix deals with logistical questions of Rivera y transfer of military personnel and supplies, weapons and transportation of settlers. Departure of ship and postal service carrying supplies to California establishments. Accounts of Rivera detail weapons and clothing for members of expedition. Ff. Numbered 19-23 are of petition of Maria de Leon, wife of teniente at San Francisco who because ill could not accompany Husband Jose Joaquin Moraga. now asks to rejoin him. Corbalan approves and grants 200 pesos for her travel with Rivera y Moncada. (J. M. Johnson, November 1988)

Liquidation of accounts and salary of Rivera y Moncada by the contaduria mayor. Inclusive for years 1774 until his death in 1781 on California expedition, for service as capitan of presidio of Loreto and comandante of presidio of Monterrey. Purchasing, outfitting and maintaining horses, mules; weapons recruits and settlers on expedition with breakdowns of expenditures by amounts, dates and to whom or for what payments made. References made to many past reglamentos. Most interesting for internal discussions within real hacienda of problems reconstructing payments for reconciling salaries; and for details on career of Rivera y Moncada. (J. M. Johnson, November 1988)

Detailed accounts pertain to 1781 Rivera y Moncada expedition conducting soldiers, recruits, settlers and livestock to Nueva California. expenses listed for settlements at buenvavista, Tucson, Pitic, Nutrias, Altar and later for those in California. expenses provided for individuals in expedition, broken down into salaries, personal effects, clothing, weapons, etc. Lists of mules, horses, burros, etc. With numbers, costs, dates additional ones requested and where obtained; explanations of their distribution and use, acknowledgement of delivery. Lists of items and accessories used on expedition, utensils, tools, materials used for repair. Detailed discussion of adjustment of accounts by interviews with surviving desertors on salaries, items lost in massacre or recovered from survivors. Information on preparational organization and costs for expedition from Limon and Manuel Ruiz. Some biographical information provided on individuals participating in expedition. (J. M. Johnson, oct.1988)

Heirs of Rivera y Moncada in 1796 use procurador to form strongly worded petition to be presented to king to speed their claims for payment of inheritance, pension and past due salary of captain massacred by Yumas in expedition to California with recruits and settlers in 1781. Delays in processing blamed on bureaucracy and unrealiable testimony from survivors and prisoners. Palou certifies legitimacy of three sons; testimony also taken from neighbors and past military officials to determine inventory of personal effects and amount of past salaries for various positions he held in New Spain. Many references to past reglamentos in determining amount due heirs of salary and Monte Pio militar. Final determination of claim made in Spain and Mexico in 1798; authorized to be paid in 1800. Interesting review of Rivera y Moncada's service record with amount of salary for each advancement. Emotional appeal describing hardships on widow and sons due to lengthy delays in process to recover funds owed them.(J. M. Johnson, October 1988)

This Series of documents contains interrogatories of Crouset and his responses to the halting of the construction been enough money for materials, workers, etc. Ff. 121 & 122 contain biographical information on Vedia y Pinto, Bengochea and Crouset. (S. Langmack, April 1990)

Series of traslados of short documents concerning career of Martin de Alarcon between 1715 and 1723. His main services have been in the colonization of Texas, establishing new settlements (E.g., San Antonio de los Llanos, presidio de San Antonio de Valero) and reducing many Indian groups, and as a military officer in different companies (training soldiers, equipping entire companies at his expense, and fighting against French smugglers in the northern frontier). (A. Nielsen, November 1989)

Diary from Massanet to virrey describing his expedition into the provincia of the Techas Indians, giving the Indian and Spanish names for every River, Paraje, road, Loma , etc. And his nomination of a Saint name for each. He also gives the place and he nominates with a Saint name. He describes how many Leguas they walked in the day. (D. Bautista, July 1990)

Military personnel and civilians are sworn to testify in response to questions on; how they heard of the French trespassing the Colorado River into Spanish territory; when they first heard of it; how much land they believe the French have occupied; and what outposts or presidios the French may have built on said land (ff. 163 - 171). Ratifications (ff. 171 - 180). Indian interpreter relates French trade activity with the Indians. Spaniards describe black slave mistreatment by the French and consider their potential to become loyal Spanish subjects. Junta de guerra y hacienda considers weight of testimonies and action to be taken, if any (ff. 208 - 215). French crown has paid multilingual spies planted, which the Spaniards condemn. (E. Wilson, December 1989)

Manuel de Escandon (the son of the colonizer of seno Mexicano) asks the king to intervene in Nuevo Santander, where the situation has become very unstable after the demise of his Father. He blames the jueces pesquisadores for the present situation. They retrieved from the soldiers the land his Father had given to them, provoking their migration and consequently abandonment of the frontier. In his answer, the king awards Manuel de Escandon the title of count (which his Father formerly had) and the government of Nuevo Santander. Finally, a full account of his career is attached. (A. Nielsen, November 1989)