Drought

Documents contain information resulting in formal establishment of Padilla. Escandon and others conduct review of area. Description of well-drilling and associated difficulties. experiencing severe lack of rain. Discusses also land, climate, other advantages, need for mission, and distances to other Villas. Contains complete list of families and members of Escuadra including names, ages and property owned. Discusses conditions and obligations of residency. In general has sufficient water, good land, abundant timber and fish. Ciprian says need to give Indians corn, clothes, and tools to keep pacified because generally untrustworthy. says good idea to build separate mission where water plentiful. Reports by others contain similar information. Escandon gives instructions for upcoming year concerning Villa, Indians, cattle and property. Includes city plan with surrounding rivers. (M. Dannemiller, April 1989)

Concerns Indian incursions as recounted by 'comandante de milicias' and 'justicia,' who detail attacks and killings, many of which involved 'pastores' and their cattle, also recount taking of captives and theft of animals; officials and virrey discuss military actions to avenge depredations and defend troops, citizens against further violence; 3 'companias volantes' assigned to defense of 'frontera'; in several attacks, Indians killed and burned all inhabitants of area, slaughtered all animals; 4 year drought not helping situation. (L. Kerr, March 1989)

Ugalde informs virrey of conditions of area after nine months of his command. says further developments would have been made if not for Mescaleros. Has followed objectives of comandancia general and knows land, its fertility, size and enemies surrounding area. Provides description of troops, troop reformation and relocation of two companies from Nuevo Leon. Other plans being delayed due to severe drought at frontera. says will receive assistance from Lipiyan capitan for those operations. Virrey requests documents concerning troop reform and conditions. Orders campaign against Mescaleros. (M. Dannemiller, December 1988)

Concerns request for peace made by Lipan capitan to Munoz after suffering attacks in Coahuila and Texas. Lipanes pleased with agreement but inform Munoz of separate groups of Lipanes along border who will continue hostilities. Due to request, virrey orders release of several prisoners. Munoz accepts Canoso's gratitude for release. Virrey relates additional conditions of agreement and requests informe on whether Lipanes are living according to conditions. Virrey also says Ugarte to take trip beginning in Nueva Vizcaya to give instructions on best methods of defense and to encourage cultivation. Virrey notices that price of maiz is high due to drought. Munoz relates incidents of raids but says no large incursions have taken place. Informs virrey that Lipanes never returned to complete agreement instituting peace. Munoz includes requested informe regarding murder and theft in the area. says Ranchos are being deserted and resulting difficulties in moving cattle has forced him to temporarily prohibit their movement. says this destruction and hostility due to peace broken by Ugarte causing retribution by Indians. Munoz sends message to different tribes telling them not to trade with Apaches. Munoz sends Gutierrez to force Sas to meet with Ugarte to finally discuss peace. (M. Dannemiller, November 1988)

Concerns alleged mistreatment of Pisones by missionaries at Ygollo; presentation, verification of charges a lengthy process, issue continues in sequences 3 and 4. Gimenes, captain of Pisones, outlines poor administration of mission, mistreatment of Pisones who inhabit area and care for mission livestock. Beseeches governor to finish construction on church first promised them in 1749. Informs him that Indians started building church years earlier, also do mission farming, but that reverand fathers have them working 'enero a enero' without payment, assistance or food, only reward is death. One Father left with large sum of mission's money. Gimenes has instructed Indians to cease construction of church until conditions improve; Ramirez sent by governor to investigate situation; in subsequent autos, other sides of issue heard. Fathers offer defense in missives to pizzaro; following autos, various inventories made over years of ecclesiastical and secular goods at Ygollo, testimonios verifying information; individuals testify to treatment of Pisones, knowledge of inventory, quality and quantity of harvests, livestock at mission. (L. Kerr, July 1989)

Main theme of documents is secularization of missions, positive, negative effects of it. First group of folios, however, concerns construction of church at Ygollo, project commissioned to several craftsmen whose work is later found shoddy; governor demands revision of architectural plans, assessment of work to date; new master 'albaniles' hired; new plans (folio 3), itemized cost of supplies, salaries submitted; Pison Indian, Balthasar de la Cruz, major proponent of project; he and Young Boy only Pisones remaining at mission, Pames in area not interested in church. Topic of documents shifts as discussion turns to inventorying of 'temporalidades' at several abandoned/secularized missions, including that at Ygollo, now controlled by 'justicias'; 'frayes' assigned to travel to missions and inventory goods, including cattle, furniture, tools, etc.; delayed by severe drought; inventories finally taken; also included are accounts of cattle, etc. Received, purchased from missions by 'ministros.' following inventories, discussion of decadence suffered by missions since their secularization ensues; no longer able to convert, 'reduccir' Indians, buildings in poor physical condition. Final folios include 'memorias' dealing with issues mentioned above. (L. Kerr, June 1989)

19 P. Numbered indices of correspondence from Gonzalez de Santianes to Galbez for period January-October 1786 some with orders concerning establishment of compania de comercio de las Filipinas y Asia; Bula de la Santa Cruz and priest's solicitation of funds; extension of repatriation of old coinage for one year; institution of semi-annual provincial harvest reports (continuing drought has reduced crop yields and heavy losses of horses and cattle); causes of problems in collection of Diezmos; immunity from arrest for agents of real hacienda; routing of shipments from Spain to Jalapa; opening interior rivers and lakes to commercial fishing; shipment of private assets on the warship San Felipe; bounty paid to persons capturing deserters; celebration of wedding of Senores Infantes of Spain and Portugal; sealed paper shortage; marriage of Cueto to Quintana; Mendimieta appointed to sub inspector; no military or other employee of realm may Lower payments to family in Spain without royal dispensation; corn shipment to assist Mazapil; Indian desertions during calamities; soldiers petitions to virrey handled through Superior officers; abolition of practice of marking black slaves on back and face; suspension of the manda forzosa for beatification of Gregorio Lopez; taxation of pulperias; Sonora la Gracia granted right to sign with stamp; Ugalde appointed sub inspector of troops; arrest order for Andres de Pedro. (J. Higgins feb, 1989)

Letter to rengle concerning pardon of Aduna, desertor from drought affecting cattle and harvests (brief); Cueto's salary and requested leave to settle Brother's estate; Fato's request for permission to possess, transport and use 2 mortars at Mamulique in light 15 servants killed in Indian raids; discussion of Cueto's credentials re promotion to alternate commander of companias presidiales in event of illness or death teniente and of commander; Chichimecos false accusations against Bartolome; Alferez vacancies in compania de Caballeria presidaria de Punta de Lampazos and Rio Salado. Letter to Gonzalez de Santianes concerning armament obtained by Cueto for companias provinciales. (J. Higgins February 1989)