Agricultural Methods

Concerns autos, plans and conditions for establishment of Reynosa by Escandon. Area first populated to pacify Indians, become familiar with the land and to test feasibility of irrigation in area. Escandon provides instructions for agricultural methods until construction of well completed. Escandon conducts, with assistance of others, review of population, property, land, Esquadra and Indians. Asks for reports regarding probability of permanence of Indians in area and need for new mission. Contains list of families including marital status, name, age and property. Contains list of Esquadra with same information. States conditions for population and Esquadra and their obligations to the town. Provides information on all Indian nations, whether armed or not, name of capitan, where raised, if baptised and likelihood of remaining peacefully in area. Mentions food supplies and basic sustenance. Contains list of property in town including horses, cattle and mules. Includes detailed description of land and digging of well. Mentions which lands need irrigation, which are fertile. Indians working for Spanish are given clothing and dry-goods. Includes city plan with provisions for church and convent and drawing of rivers around location. (M. Dannemiller, March 1989)

Concerns all info regarding population and land pertaining to decision to formally establish Camargo. Date of establishment by Escandon. says people sent to area to pacify Indians, build azequias and plant crops. Perez suggests methods of agriculture pending construction of well. Escandon, assisted by others, performs inspection of land, climate, and Indians. Provides information on Indians congregated in area and probability of permanence at mission. Contains list of families including all names, marital status and age. Also, list of animals owned by each and Villa as whole. Describes different tribes in area, saying they are armed, some are baptised and most are peaceful. Contains list of Esquadra, their families and property. States conditions for residents and soldiers and their obligation to remain in Camargo. Description of land and availability of maiz and Trigo. Autos by others containing similar evaluations. Includes planned layout of city identifying Plaza, church, convent, distance from other Villas and surrounding rivers. Mentions use of special paper for autos. (M. Dannemiller, March 1989)

Documents concerning Tarahumaran conspiracy to revolt and subsequent investigation carried out by Gutierrez. Many autos of fairly redundant testimony given by Indians, non-Indians regarding events leading up to apprehension of conspirators; also, yllin's petition to viceroy requesting greater military assistance to Jesuit missionaries in Sierra. Concluding documents concern fiscal's suggestions, viceroy's decision regarding issue.

Rodriguez Gallardo's deposition and remarks to informe written by visitor of Jesuit missions in Sonora. Issues discussed include consolidation of dispersed pueblos de indios; military escort for religious entradas into frontier areas; definition of indios vagantes; reasons for Pueblo desertion. Cites various articles from recopilacion de Leyes de las indias concerning reduction of Indians to mission life. author suggests that 2,000 pesos be sent to governor of Sinaloa to combat Apaches and that Barrancas of Sierra Madre be cleared of small Tarahumaran rancherias, and Indians gathered to be settled in larger pueblos. Also discussed are issues of election of Indian civic officials, regional officials to oversee Indian communities, Indian labor at missions, and punishment of mission Indians. Included is definition of siembras de comunidad versus siembras de Iglesia; number of Indians needed for a Pueblo to be legally recognized. Also, suggestions concerning land tenancy, education and repartimiento system in Sonora. (J. H. Ochs, November 1987)

Includes Escandon's 14 point informe detailing colonization in and around Burgos 1750. Peace established in Padilla, Reynosa, Aguayo, Guemes, evidenced by planting and military control. Includes details of Indian movements around Nuevo Santander. Describes passivity of Indians under mission Cabezon de la Sal, and excellence of Rancheria in Burgos. Burgos further described as well-irrigated, easy to execute (saca de agua, and having sufficient timber and other building materials. Notes that despite loss of corn, Indians were still faithful to farms. Altamira recounts attempt to segregate Apostate Indians in Burgos; Indian Villanueva pledges to further colonization process. (S. Gibbs, October 1989)

Altamira verifies Escandon's autos concerning Nuevo Santander colonization 1750-1; relates money given to Escandon for colonization expenses; describes content of preceding expedientes (in this volume) written by Escandon concerning population structure of Villas in Nuevo Santander. Escandon summarizes effect of his colonization success; reports peace and maize production in Padilla, Guemes, Aguayo, Llera, Reynosa, Camargo;reports success of saca de agua and Indian peace in Reynosa. (S. Gibbs, October 1989)

In travel brief, Escandon and Valcarzel briefly describe overall stability of Santander, Dolores, Revilla, Mier, Camargo, San Fernando. Agricultural success, revealed through high numbers of healthy cattle, good rangeland, successful commerce, compliments Indian pacification. Escandon's Rancheria set up at Santander notes as instrumental in reduccion. Unzaga mentions Tanambre Indian murders near Hoyos; Escandon notes positioning of Escuadra de San Gregorio in Camargo; Altamira testifies to validity of preceding autos. (S. Gibbs, October 1989)

Escandon mentions peace on Mexican coast 1755. Mentions autos about Indian pacification and reduccion in Nuevo Santander. Notes that current reduccion efforts targeted towards the Chichimecos. Briefly mentions local and regional organization of reduccion. Records routes of Chichimec depredations; remarks on difficulty of converting Chichimecs due to corazones del gentilismo. Recalls precedent of Indian reversion to gentilismo in Nuevo Reino de Leon after conquest in 1599. Details include number of Indian families affected by reduccion. Escandon suggests that a permanent reduccion entails control of land east of Sierra Gorda. Escandon inspects targeted poblaciones; mentions peso amount of reduccion effort (salaries of soldiers, synods, missionaries, and recompense for families). Notes that successful reduccion force must have mutual amistad, suavidad, Amor and caricias. Agricultural details include amount pesos for a saca de agua and fund for old people in Santa Barbara; the fertility of land for corn, Chile, cotton in salltillo, Masapil, and Nuevo Reino de Leon (F 68); appropriateness of climate for agriculture (F 76r). (S. Gibbs, September 1989)

Escandon reports visits to Padilla, Quemes, Aguayo, Liera, Horcasitas. Notes good corn crops in towns (except Horcasitas); reflects that saca de agua responsible for crop success. Reports Tanambre murders, thefts of horses and goods which threatened saca de Agua and Tanambre attack on envoy officials and soldiers. Ruiz Junca testifies that Unzaga y Barrota knows location of springs; these springs have potential to water half of Hoyos district without work. (S. Gibbs, September 1989)

Towns need be established to support troops in presidios in order to counter Indian hostility; areas sought with water, farmland and nearby woodland; line of frontier towns proposed for depopulated Conchos regions; 200 people of 41 families established; some irrigation undertaken, but lack of rain caused poor harvests; re-establishment at Pilar de Conchos advised for ease of reconstruction of dam and plentiful irrigable land; notice of establishment of population received; includes unrelated claim by Apache Indian (Manuel) concerning civil case; repetitive and superficial. (p. Coyle, November 1989)