Daily Life

Letters to governor requesting permission by Alcalde mayor of San Fernando to travel to Mexico or Saltillo to seek medical aid due to sickness and lack of doctor in area. (A. Dell'acqua, January 1988)

Documents relating to events in transporting families from canary islands to settle in Texas, lists of materials in clothing and all kinds of tools needed. Lists of supplies of foods, salary to be paid to guide, increase of daily maintenance for every person, census of families with physical description of every individual in expedition, proposals by church to marry every girl from 12 to 18 years of age and every Boy from 24 to 12 years of age. Appointment of priest to cure families, itinerary of trip. Also, lists of expenses incurred in transportation from Veracruz to San Antonio. Maps with planned areas in which such families could settle near San Antonio without conflicting with other settlers in area drawn by marquez de Aguayo in ff. 187. A plan to scale and drawing of proposed Villa to be established in ff. 201 and orderly issuing of lands to be given to families for planting. (A. Dell'acqua, January 1988)

Letters concerning expenses of San Francisco's factory for years 1789-1794. Documents and letters related to deliveries made by presidios in California to ships and individuals. Commissioner of San Blas promises to pay immediately his debt and ask in the future to send him an invoice with the goods. Letters mentioning amount of money alloted to each presidio. Document containing detailed accounting of San Francisco's factory, presidio and church. Letters concerning expenses of presidios Santa Barbara, San Diego, San Francisco and Monterrey. Letter explaining extra expenses incurred in Monterrey due to fire in presidio and detailed description of repair work and daily life of Indians employed to do it (folio 335-337). (T. Kahana September 1989)

Letters concerning hiring two blacksmiths in San Blas to work on fragata Concepcion and decisions about sending them to Monterrey or San Fransisco. Letter describing every day life in small towns San Jose and Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe and a number of missions in California. (T. Kahana, August1989)

Informe concerning complaints from Concepcion against a number of frays from misiones fernandinas. Complains include doctrination of Indians in their own languages, baptism without previous instruction, economic inequality between missions, and a number of petty complaints, Concepcion is accused of being crazy, and transfering him to another colegio is recommended. Follows letter from Concepcion asking for audience from virrey and detailed account of situation. Questionnaire sent by Borica to comandantes of presidios asking about situation in misiones; answers describe in some detail every day life of converted Indians including housing, daily diet and clothing in misiones (folios 10-41). Follows copy of informe previously sent to Branciforte by Borica, and now sent to Azanza. Letter from Buenaventura describing in detail con un Muchacho y Le mando que Se Vaya a fornicar. Borica certifies Arenaza's good record in official document. Follows summary of book-keeping in missions of Nueva California. History of religious, military and civil dominance in California since 1772 is described in some detail by Lull, asking to clear the name of the Missiones in California. Fiscal de la real hacienda suggests sending Concepcion back to Spain to avoid scandals. Unsigned document explaining how missions in California should be divided among different orders. In a long document Laruen summarizes in detail everyday life in missions in California special detail on punishment to Indians, number of lashes, instrument etc, claiming that if something, the treatment to Indians is very soft (mui blando el trato), also very detailed account of aranceles of all missions in California. Laruen asks to dismiss the whole incident with Concepcion, explaining that it is all based in anger of neighbor misiones and presidios due to his bad attitude toward them, follows similar detailed account on housing including measurements of dwellings, materials of clothing, money allocated. This informe and particularly the one that follows are an answer to accusations made by Borica and a number of captains of presidios in the area. (folios 63-101, 104-111). Following is a long document from Arillaga explaining discrepancies between reports from missionaries and military personnel, he explains cada uno dice de la Feria, como Le fue en ella. (folios 112-119). Letters from fiscal de la real hacienda clear the misiones from any fault, concluding the expediente

Cuenta general for Villa puente detail expenses from 1737 until 1746. Accounts examined and approved by Armesto and Jesuits in 1753. (J. M. Johnson, July 1989)

(J. M. Johnson, July 1989)

Folios 334-336 from Fages to Bucareli concerns question of distribution of land and furnishing of cattle to settlers who marry Indian women converts in Monterrey jurisdiction. Remaining supplies and cattle for Lower California missions and presidios; of necessary personnel, food, cattle and arms for their defense; advises of shipments and receipts of items to same by paquebots San Carlos, el Principe and San Antonio. 2) ff. 341-344 are 1770 instrucciones from Croix to the Cabo of the Escolta de la mision in 16 capitulos including regulations for distribution of weapons, defensive measures to be taken, treatment and punishment of Indians, care of horses and cattle, food supplies and rations, relations with missionaries and Gentiles, punishments for contraband and illicit sexual relations with Indians. (J. M. Johnson, July 1989)

Most important documents will be referenced below by folio no. Most unusual document is letter to Pison signed and likely written by his wife regarding his importance to family (f. 308). Incredibly filthy swear words attributed to him, directed against priest during mass, quoted and underlined in ff. 244-245. Useful diagnosis of ailment (sinocat putrida) and simple treatment prescribed of better diet, sleep, exercise by surgeon (f. 316 ?) Traces processes of judicial procedure in determination of charges of other bad conduct on Pison's part, brought by teniente de gobernador Moreno in Loreto. Included is detailed service and conduct record and witnessed testimonies of Pison's past military service; and other biographical information. Accused of years of drunkenness, womanizing, thievery, setting bad examples for mission Indians. Jailed at mission; some witnesses testify that he reacted to provocation by others; Pison requests change of venue for unbiased trial and accessibility to witnesses for his defense who are themselves in prison in Guadalajara. Released by authorities on bail paid by Ramon Espinosa; although his mine personal effects are kept. At trial, jailed prisoners clear him of murder of Osio, by swearing latter died by drowning. Pison countercharges Moreno with beating and refusal to allow his case to go before Barri. Provides motive for Moreno's silencing him by citing evidence of Former's absconding with treasury funds and illegal trade in alcoholic beverages. Missionaries and Armona testify to his generally good character, despite drinking bouts. Final decision, however, by Valcarcel; approved by viceroy is that Pison must be punished by losing personal effects, mine, military title and lifetime banishment from Californias. Ff. 328-331, when punishment given, Pison petitions Bucareli to allow him for temporary stay in Loreto with family to make financial arrangements before his expulsion. (J. M. Johnson, July 1989)