COLONY OF NUEVO SANTANDER
COAST OF THE GULF OF MEXICO
The assistance of these poor ones I continue (as it is known) by dine of continual difficulties due
to the lack of the synod or assignment, sustaining myself with its fruit and herbs, at times, due to lack of
another measure, because although notice of all was given to the Honorable General Don José de
Escandón, His Lordship has not allowed the passing of the measures of this matter.
For land, the Captain Don Domingo assigned the place that the heathens themselves chose to their
taste near the Barrio of the Tlaxcaltecos in order to domesticate them with this and to attract them with the
trade of the Spaniards, the said Captain Don Domingo de Unzaga giving them their own fields to sow,
three "caballerias" of land, oxen, axes, plow-shares, and plows, a leader to direct them (subject to my
orders) and seeds to sow, corn to eat, and two Tlaxcalteco Indians to teach them; blankets, hats, trousers,
and overcoats for their pacification.
As to their continuation (though they are children of inconstancy) it seems that they give prudent
hope, since one of them said: that here they were well because here they can be punished if they
"malcaran" and somewhere else it could not be done.
It is true that the need or novelty makes them withdraw, as has been seen upon the entry of Your
Lordship, due to the multitude of people that you have seen with weapons, yet I am certain that they will
assemble as soon as they have experienced the tender treatment of Your Lordship. With respect to the
concept that I have formed from them by the experience of ten years when I was priest of Linares and of
two years and five months that I have been with them in this mission, I find in my conscience that they are
not the most perverse with respect to their not having damaged the Spaniards in anyway in this time and
last year having seen them plant and this present [year] arrange that which is necessary for future planting.
Many more could have assembled but the lack of funding does not allow it.
This is what in God's Law I have to express to Your Lordship so that, in his view, he may decree
what he thinks best.
San Pedro Alc�ntara de Tamaulipa and May 7 of 1757. - Fray José Díaz Infante - (rubric)
STATEMENT OF DON DOMINGO DE UNZAGA IBARROLA. In the town of Santo Domingo
de Hoyos in 7 days of the month of May of 1757 years, the said gentleman, for the information that he
attempts to collect in this town, conforming to the instruction and inquiry that appear in the previous
document and are found in the folder number one in the cited folios, had appear before him the captain
Don Domingo de Unzaga Ibarrola in whom resides the general jurisdiction of this town and its
jurisdiction [sic], from whom he received an oath by God and a cross in due fashion so that he speak the
truth in what might be asked and hold it and his response secret, and having offered it, as it is required,
and promised to tell the truth, he was interrogated in the questions that are ordered and he answered the
following:
To the first question he said: that the Sierra Gorda or Madre before the conquest was filled with
Indians in its center and more specifically in the outskirts that are situated towards this colony, and that the
established villages, he knows from reports and by the sight of some, which are the one of Santo Domingo
de Hoyos, G�emes, Aguayo, Padilla, Santander, and Burgos, since these are the ones which he has
frequented in his trips: and the others from their reports, the Real de los Infantes, Llera, Escandón,
Horcasitas, Altamira, La Marina, Santa B�rbara, Santillana, San Fernando, Camargo, Reinosa, Mier,
Revilla, that he has heard that there are some missions with different names of which he can give no
information, and that the conversion of heathen Indians that he knows there are up to the present are in this
town, which now begins in Aguayo, which are the two that he has seen and he has heard that there also
are some in Llera, in Santa B�rbara, in San Fernando, in Reinosa, in Camargo; and that in Santander he
has seen that many Indians come down, with the result that they set up a mission for them, but that he does
not know if there is one established or not, and that he has heard that in Santillana, Soto la Marina,
Horcasitas, y Altamira some allow friendly communication with the citizens of those villages, but that he
does not know if there is a formal congregation in them. That the names by which the Indians are known
in this colony are the Malincheros y Serranos from here, those of Aguayo with that [name] of Pisones,
those of Llera with that of Anambres, those of Santander with that of Bocas Prietas y Mezquites, those of
San Fernando with that of Pintos and in general they have such different names in the many areas that they
inhabit but that, in the general in the colony, they are known by that of Mecos; and that of the villages that
he has seen and has specified, he has ascertained them to be on a well organized footing observing good
customs and that, as to their establishments, he cannot give generally good information about all of them
nor about their lands but that the one of this town is a pleasant region that is a hilly woods in the banks of
the river called San Antonio, a distance of about three leagues on the southern part of the Sierra Gorda and
three and one-half leagues from the area of the same mountain to the west, and that the number of settlers
that currently exist there are that of 70 registered families, outside of these there are other several less
important inhabitants, and that the Indians that are beginning to be assembled and be converted in this
village, their number today reaches that of 400 persons young and old, male and female, that he does not
know if some may have been baptized but that, yes, it appears to him that they hear mass and pray under
the leadership of the missionary father Fray José Díaz Infante of the province of Zacatecas, and that he
believes the only motive that there might be for their not being baptized is the missionary father's carrying
out of prudent methods to avoid making them angry or violant.
To the second question he said: that the settlers of this town, that are the most contiguous to its
regions, are 11, having come or resettled from the ancient village of San Antonio de los Llanos and the
others from several parts of the borders and land outside, and that their establishment here, though he
cannot give the the exact time, he thinks began in the year of 1752, and that the costs of most of the
families established here were defrayed by the declarer at his own cost, lending them mules and horses and
servants for their conveyance and giving them some supplies for their transit and that, in that beginning,
he supported them giving some corn to plant to many in order that they begin a state of subsistence, a
means which was not needed at that time for assembled Indians because there were none but that, in reality,
with those who presently are beginning to assemble, he gives all his attention to giving them some supplies
and clothes once in a while with which to harbor them and to attract them and that, in the expenses that
he has made and is making, he has not kept nor keeps an account nor report because he has done it only
with the end of its having this merit.
To the third question he said: that, although at the founding of this village they did not consider
the designation of lands for the Indians that would be assembled nor a site for their quarters because at that
time there were none, having prepared themselves now for their conversion, the declarer has assigned a
site of land which was assigned for his tillage for this purpose at a distance from this town of about two
shots of a rifle where they have built their huts and their type of chapel, also like a hut, which they attend
separated from these settlers.
To the fourth question he said: that no possession of lands with title has been given to the apostolic
ministers of converted Indians, nor has there been any other circumstance than that of the declarer having
delivered to the said reverend ministers those which are expressed in the previous response, along with the
presented Indians so that they care for them and keep them there until the Superior Government order what
it thought most suitable, and that the Missionary Father that tends these Indians, in respect to his having
no synod, the declarer has tried to help him in as much as has been possible in their subsistence and in the
relief of giving him a house in which to live; and that, by governmental route, the declarer has indicated
to the settlers and residents of this town, in particular, the lands that he thought suitable for each one to use
and that they all have already put these into fields and cultivation except for some pieces that they have
been reserving.
To the fifth question he said: that he knows from reports about the river that they call el Jaumave,
that he has heard that it has its origin near the Sigué and crosses through Sierra Gorda and continues along
near Llera, Escandón and Horcasitas, collects with other creeks and passes by the front of Altamira to end
at the sea and Barra de Tampico. Another principal river called la Purificación, which begins in the Sierra
Madre at the foot of the hill called el Viejo and runs three leagues from this village and, gathering the
waters of the rivers San Felipe, San Pedro, and Santa Engracia, passes through the edge of Padilla about
one league more or less and at a short distance it connects to that of el Pilón Grande which has collections
from other various creeks and springs and, passing close to Santillana and through the village of Soto la
Marina, it ends at the same bank of the port that they call Santander. Another principal river called
Conchas, which has its origin in the Sierra Gorda in the site that they call Pablillo and runs by the environs
of Linares and, entering into the colony after having gathered other several waters, passes just by San
Fernando and continues to the east finishing its course in some large lagoons that there are at the seacoast.
Another principal river which is the one that they call Río Bravo del Norte, whose origin is ignored, runs
inside this colony by the environs of Mier at a short distance from Camargo close to Reinosa and, flowing
to the eastern part, continues dividing into two arms before arriving at the sea, both ending there. Another
small river, called San Marcos, is the one which maintains the village of Aguayo and begins in the Sierra
Madre or Gorda and, fertilizing the said village, runs to the eastern part and ends in the marsh of the
environs of Mesas Prietas. There are other small rivers that also have their births in the Sierra Gorda, such
as those of San Diego and that of Caballeros, that end in the San Felipe, which is the one that runs by
G�emes and ends immediately in that of Santa Engracia. Another small river called the San Antonio,
which is the one that runs through the center of this village and fertilizes it, begins at the Sierra Madre
above the site that they call the Perico Quemado and runs sort of between east and south to incorporate
itself with the Río de la Purificación, a distance from this town of about three leagues, and it ends there.
To the sixth question he said: that he knows that the canal of this town has been taken from the
river called San Antonio, from which the irrigation of the land of their fields is achieved in general, with
which they obtain the fertility and pleasantness of their village, and that the Aguayo and the Santander
achieve the same thing for his having seen it and, although Burgos enjoyed the same benefit, he has heard
they lost it during a flood last year and that he has heard that Llera has this same comfort and he does not
know about others.
To the seventh question he said: that he did not know if in the other villages there are springs or
water sources with which they could achieve the effects of the benefit of irrigation but that he believes that
G�emes and Padilla can obtain it from its immediate rivers.
To the eighth question he said: that the use which is made of the irrigation of the lands is for the
planting of corn, beans, cane, cotton, peppers, vegetables, and fruit trees, but for these last two items there
is little application because the whole of the effort is in the corn and cane, their being the most accredited
of the products and the most necessary for consumption and being that to which, in the most part, the lands
are suitable.
To the ninth question he said: that it makes sense that all of the annual planting in this town shall
be about 70 measures, notwithstanding its lands being in a fitness to be suitable for up to three hundred,
all able to be irrigated by this river and by other creeks and springs that its boundary comprises, and it
averages, through the experience that it has from its fields and crops, that each measure of planting
produces from 150 to 200 measures, assuming it is not prevented by some contingency of extraordinary
weather like a norther, hail, or other similar things, with which this village has had a sufficiency to
maintain itself and an excess to sell to several sheep haciendas and other villages of this colony and of the
borders without having needed anything from any other part for their subsistence.
To the tenth question he said: that the villages that are situated in what is the real coast of the Gulf
of Mexico are those that are expressed in his report in the first question of this, his declaration, and that
he does not know how far from the sea they are situated, without knowing either that at the coast there may
be more ports, bays, or anchorages, other than that which they call Santander, and that he does not know
what security there could be in it for vessels to enter because he has not seen it, nevertheless, that he has
heard that schooners enter which are those of the honorable General Escandón.
To the eleventh question he said: that the entire part of the north of which the declarer has
knowledge and experience, it is the most suitable land that can be desired for the raising and conservation
of major and minor livestock and that, in test of this report, the declarer, managing the haciendas of Casa
Loja and Casa Mortuoria de Canal, has managed to draw the livestock from its summer pastures to make
use of the common grasses and, regarding that which looks to the part of the south, he has heard that they
are also good. And that the haciendas that he knows are established there are the one which the declarer
has situated at the boundary of this jurisdiction, at a distance of three leagues from this village called San
José de la Mesa, the one of General Escandón at the bank of Río de la Purificación, jurisdiction of
Santander, called San Juan, and the one of the captain Don José Borrego near the Río Grande, boundary
of Dolores and that he has heard that in the jurisdiction of Camargo there are several others and that the
progress that they have in their benefit is so well known, as it appears to the declarer from experience,
since in the purchases that he has made in of livestock his administration he has found about a forty percent
[increase] per year from the beginning of the settlement until the present, the benefit, that the buyers now
find in the price which the abundance has brought about, being constant.
To twelfth question he said: that he knows and has ascertained that in the Cerro de Santiago,
immediate to the Real de Borbón, there is a mine that he knows about from the lawyer Don Diego Martín
de la Campa, resident of Real de Charcas, and of Don Miguel de C�rdova, resident of Matehuala, to
whom he remitted some portions of metal that were taken from the said mine so that they would test them,
and they wrote him telling him they were of good quality and that they were worthwhile, that they were
worthy of marketing and smelting, that which the declarer has not put into practice for his not having had
intelligent persons, for which reason it is neither registered nor running under anyone's name; and that in
the mountain named el Versebú, which is inside Tamaulipa, there is another tested mine without knowing
by whom, whose metals have been ascertained by the declarer sending them to the aforesaid Don Miguel
de C�rdova, who has given him the report that they can be advantageously financed because they produced
seven ounces per mixture and profit in weight, one which cannot be made use of due to the many heathen
Indians that inhabit that region. And usually he hears the intelligent ones say that the said Tamaulipa la
Nueva, the one which is situated in the north part of this town, is abundant in minerals. There are other
mines in el Dulce Nombre de Jesús situated in the Sierra Gorda and such mines have been beneficial where
silver was drawn abundantly and they were worked in the year of seventeen hundred forty-seven in the
name of Don Francisco S�nchez de Zamora, who today is captain in the town of San Fernando and he
left them and abandoned them due to the persecution that he experienced from the Sibullon Indians; there
is another mine, he has heard, is in Boca de Caballeros which is situated in the said Sierra Gorda, that he
also has heard it commonly said that it is ascertained by Don José Olazar�n, deceased, Don Joaquín de
Platas, and the deceased sergeant Don Fernando Zamora, and that its production is also stopped because,
he believes, the reason might be the Indians of the Sigué and the death of the cited Olazar�n; and he also
has heard that, in Tamaulipa la Vieja, there is another mine ascertained by Don Benito Casta�eda, of good
metal and that, because of the mischief of the Mecos Indians who occupy it, he withdrew from its
production; and that he knows of no others.
To the thirteenth question he said: that it appears to him that to one side of Soto la Marina there
are abundant salt deposits at the sea coast of very good quality and that there are also some in San
Fernando in its eastern part, and in the creek of San Lorenzo near Burgos and that, on the other side of
the Río Grande del Norte, there are other very abundant salt deposits which he believes, as he has said,
because the declarer sends about fifty or more mules to Soto la Marina annually which they have loaded
for their expense and he has seen that, from those of the north, they have drawn three hundred loads at one
time without noticing any lack in the principal due to the abundance with which they produce and that in
the boundary that the colony and frontiers are providing themselves, it is true that it is very useful to them
since it is transported to Guadalc�zar, as well as other minerals for the benefit of their metals, and to the
border provinces for the consumption of its haciendas and the subsistence of its villages because they are
so abundant that all of New Spain could support itself from them.
To the fourteenth question he said: that the colony in general, in that which concerns its settlements
today, is conserved in good relations and in tranquility and its settlers entirely peaceful and that, in
particular, this town is found quiet and sedated with no disagreement found within its inhabitants and that
in the assemblies of the settlements of this colony nothing notable is occuring at the present because, in
some desertions that are experienced in them, no particular document should be made due to the peculiar
inconstancy of their nature and inclination to novelties and, in credit to this support, although those of this
place today are found assembled, they are not among the most mischievous, although the entry of the
honorable inspector was moderate and of no note, nevertheless, it was sufficient seeing the people arm and
prepare themselves for the review to form their thoughts, and some having withdrawn, being equally
notable for the comprehension of their prophetic geniuses that, from only hearing at night the shout of some
singing bird or some other chance occurrance, it is sufficient reason to use their incidence directed to their
downfall and that the good appearance in which the Indians of this colony find themselves today
notwithstanding, one should not advisedly trust them due to their fickleness and barbarism, because of the
communication that the apostate Indians of the Nuevo Reino de León that desert the missions want to take
among themselves and, as better versed, they are the most mischievous such that the Indians of Tamaulipa
la Vieja, through the region that they call la Iglesia, are of a barbaric and cruel ferocity, just like the
Janambres and other hamlets that they have in those environs, the same happening in those which inhabit
the part of el Sigué which is in the Sierra Gorda, that gives us knowledge of the killing of Captain
Escajadillo and of others, wounding the missionary father in the town of Escandón before now, it has been
a little more than two years and lately that executed by the risen Indians of the mission el Jaumave, added
to those of el Sigué and also that committed by the Janambres, according to what the declarer has heard
said of deaths and thefts of all of which he conceives, that these are the most destructive and that the idea
that, in general has been formed, is that of their fickleness and a certain intimidation that they have
conceived of their wanting to dominate them in order to enslave them; they love freedom and hate all their
subjection, which only through time, the declarer judges, will they be able to begin to subdue them.
To the fifteenth question he said: that the Sierra Gorda and the Sierra Madre are one, known by
both names without difference and that it is the one which divides the colony of the borders on the southern
and western parts and that regarding that which concerns the proportions of the Sierra Tamaulipa la Nueva,
which is the one the declarer has traveled several times, he does not find it suitable for settlements there
because its mountainous, country grasses are not favorable for any quality of livestock and the springs are
very scarce and, regarding that which concerns Tamaulipa la Vieja, he cannot give a report because he has
not traveled those regions; regarding that which has to do with la Nueva Tamaulipa, he doubts that there
is anyone who would want to inhabit it for the resons he has given and that, evidently, it should be
surmised that, although there might be a settlement there, the increase in the Indians would not be avoided
totally because of the mountain being very large and what the settlement could dominate very small.
To the sixteenth question he said: that the settlements of the Nuevo Reino de León and borders to
this colony are Santa María de Río Blanco, town of Linares, San Mateo del Pilón, San Gregorio de
Cerralvo, and Real de Boca de Leones, the province of Coahuila and that of Texas; in the southern part,
he has heard, Tampico and all the Huasteca, San Pedro de Guadalc�zar, and others that he does not have
before him, and that he does not know of what distance it is composed. And that he is certain that the
benefits that the frontiers of the conquest of this colony enjoy today are much better because, besides the
profit that they receive from the commerce of pack animals and the sale of livestock and purchases of their
grains, they have been released from the vexations of deaths and misfortunes that its shepherds, inhabitants,
and the passengers experienced.
And, in consequence of the previous question, he was asked whether he believes they have
continued having problems at the frontiers from the removal of people that was made for the population
of this colony, or if the benefit that they enjoy is equal to this, and also which are the entrances of the
frontier provinces by which they could directly communicate with Mexico, he said: that he does not believe
any detriment to the settlements of the frontiers has followed from the withdrawal of the people with which
this colony was populated because those were some poor families that were gathered and loose in the
haciendas having various allowances and jobs that the owners imposed on them and that, had they not come
here, they would have gone to other provinces as it is being done in those parts and that, if some who had
some lands came, it was their poverty that compelled them to solicit a better fortune with the stimulus of
this financial help that was provided them and the obtaining of the lands that were promised but, in all this,
it should be reflected that no damage was suffered in their coming since, following this they are
experiencing new families from the frontiers and other parts coming every day without having such stimuli;
and concerning their being the entrances from this colony to facilitate trade with Mexico he says: that the
declarer, having the trade of sending mules and horses with his servants to sell to the Huastecas, knows
that they conduct them over flat, open land up to Guasalingo and Huejutla and that from there they pass
the Sierra Gorda and the said ones, his servants, have assured him that they have arrived there at eighteen
leagues distance from Mexico, that he can give no other report.
To the seventeenth question he said: that generally he cannot give a report of the total number of
captains and enlisted soldiers of which this colony is composed but that in the settlements that he has
traveled and has mentioned in the first question of this declaration, he knows that in each one there is a
captain, that he has heard that each one enjoys five hundred pesos salary per year and that the same lack
of information of the number of soldiers occurs to him, but that he knows that those confirmed enjoy two
hundred twenty-five pesos each, and that he does not know on what terms they are paid and that their
duties, he hears, that concerning the captains it being that of the command and government of the ordinary
jurisdiction in the settlements and being ready for sorties and expeditions that come up against the Indians
along with their soldiers and the rest of the residents who are not away from the settlements on which
occasions the declarer, although he has no salary nor in this town is there a soldier with salary, is ready,
nevertheless, to do the same service with his residents whenever it is necessary, as he has executed it and
is executing.
And in satisfaction of the second question in this declartion on whether he knows to what the
expenses made for the families' conveyance with which this colony was populated would rise in general
and in particular, as well as whether they had some financial help for their subsistence he said: that he does
not know exactly but that, yes, it appears that more than forty thousand pesos entered into the power of
Don Roque de la Barrera which the honorable General Escandón delivered to him and that these were
spent in giving one hundred pesos to each of the families that came to the settlement, favoring those of Soto
la Marina where two hundred pesos were given to each and that it seems to him that in the first year the
other settlements were aided with some corn by the said Honorable General, that he does not know the
quantity because he only had reports of this by having heard it, without anything having happened in this
town as is put forward in this, his declaration, and, in general, he knows that these expensess have been
made by the Royal Treasury. To the eighteenth question of the General Legal Data he said, that they
have nothing to do with him at all. And it having been read to him again orally ad verbum, all that he has
declared, so that he can see if he need to add or to remove anything or it be ratified, he said: that what is
written is the truth by the oath that he has made, that he sees nothing to add or remove and that this he
confirms, approves, and, it being necessary, he will say it anew and he signed it and said to be of the age
of thirty-seven years, the said honorable inspector signed it with the witnesses of his presence. -José
Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Domingo de Unzaga Ibarrola. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric)
-Francisco José de Haro. (rubric).
DOCUMENT. - In the town of Santo Domingo de Hoyos in seven days of the month of May of
seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, being informed that in
this town is found a resident magistrate of the town of Linares of the Nuevo Reino de León desirous of
confirming himself and justifying the assignments of his commission with the greatest clarity, especially
in the chapters that the instruction prepares regarding the frontiers, ordered that a declaration be taken from
him prepared for what is anticipated and that he be asked in the order of the inquiry that is cited in these
documents so that he may say what he knows and, for this purpose, he shall be summoned that he present
himself before said gentleman and thus he provided and signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. - (rubric) -
Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. (rubric) - Francisco José de Haro. (rubric)
STATEMENT OF DON ANTONIO CORTINAS. - In the said town of Santo Domingo de Hoyos
in 7 days of the month of May of 1757 years, before the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, the
resident of Linares, who was reportedly to be found in this settlement, presented himself by virtue of the
request that was made of him and, having ordered him to say what his name is, he said that he is magistrate
of the town of Linares of Nuevo Reino de León and that his name is Don Antonio Cortinas from whom
the said gentleman, having him make the sign of the Holy Cross, received his oath so that by God and it
he would tell the truth in what would be asked and also hold secret his responses and, having offered it and
promised it as is required, he was queried in the following manner:
To the first question he said: that the Sierra Gorda before the conquest was filled with Indians and
that, in everything that is today's colony, he does not know if there were more settlements at that time other
than that of San Antonio de los Llanos, reduced to five or six residents who several times thought of
abandoning it due to the continual vexations and risks in which they found themselves with the Indians and
that these no longer had an assembly in that settlement other than some who used to come and stay a little
time and then they would go again but that, afterwards, he knows that those residents of San Antonio de
los Llanos were added to this new settlement and with them five Tlaxcalteco Indian families that were
established in that settlement to where they had been brought in order to see if their treatment could convert
some of the others and that he also knows that in this colony there are several settlements because he has
been in this one, in G�emes, Padilla, Santander, Santillana, Soto la Marina, Burgos, and San Fernando and
he has heard that there are several other settlements and that all are attended by Franciscan Apostolic
Ministers.
To the second question he said: that he knows that the families that populated this new colony came
from several parts of the Nuevo Reino de León and from other provinces and that it has been about eight
years since they were established and that he think their conveyance was from the account of His Majesty,
since he knows that one hundred pesos was given to each family and two hundred to those who populated
Soto la Marina, and that he does not know what measures may have favored their subsistence afterwards
and that it appears to him that, for the conservation of the Indians assembled in San Fernando, Camargo,
y Reinosa y Santander, the honorable General Escandón has dispatched an order to his empowered
provider in the town of Linares who is Don Roque de la Barrera, so that he send the aid of corn for them;
and that he cannot say to what these expenses will rise in general or in particular; and, in consequence of
that which preceded, he was asked how many settlers or residents have increased up to the present, from
where they have come, and how they have been financed for their trip and establishment, he said: that he
knows that they have increased by several residents in the settlements of this colony, that he does not know
how many, that these have come from outside of it, paying their own costs, in order to obtain lands in
which to establish themselves and keep their livestock and as to that which pertains to this settlement of
Santo Domingo de Hoyos, he knows that the captain Don Domingo de Unz�ga is the one who has
contributed to their establishment, as much at the beginning of the arrival of its settlers as afterwards in
their subsistence.
To the third question he said: that it appears to him that in several settlements the assembled Indians
have huts, separated from the settlers, for their dwelling but that he does not know if the same occurs in
all of them.
To the fourth question he said: that he does not know if the missionary fathers may have lands in
the name of the converted Indians on which to establish their subsistence and that he does not know
whether they have made an apportionment of land to the settlers because he believes that all of them are
[owned] in common except those lots in which they place their houses and servants and, on these terms,
they have put into cultivation those that each one has been able to improve.
To the fifth question he said: that he knows, although he has not seen it, that there is a principal
river that they call the Río Bravo del Norte, that he does not know its origin, that its course is from west
to east, that it passes immediate to Reinosa and it continues on to end at the sea. He knows that there is
another river called San Juan that begins in the Sierra Madre, passes by Camargo, and ends in the Río
Grande. Another river called Conchas that begins in the Sierra Madre and passes by the settlement of San
Fernando and its mission and goes on to end at the salt mine of la Barra. Another river called el Pilón
Grande that begins in the Sierra Madre and passes near by the Cerro de Santiago and ends in that of la
Purificación. Another river called San Antonio, that is the one which waters and fertilizes this settlement,
that begins in the Sierra Gorda and ends in la Purificatión. Another principal river called la Purificación
that begins in Sierra Gorda, passes by Padilla and by Soto la Marina, and ends at the sea. Another river
called Santa Engracia that begins in the Sierra Gorda and passes immediate to the settlement of G�emes
y Padilla and ends in the Purificación. Another river called the San Felipe which begins at the Sierra
Gorda and, accompanied by the one of Caballero and San Diego which are introduced into it, passes by
the settlement of G�emes and at a short distance ends at that of Santa Engracia and that, although he had
heard that more to the south there are other rivers that pass by settlements of this colony and that in other
areas there are other rivers and creeks and springs, he has not seen them and, therefore, he cannot give
a report of its borders nor distances.
To the sixth question he said: that he knows that in this town of Santo Domingo de Hoyos they
have canals taken from its rivers with which are able to fertilize their lands and that he knows there is the
same in Santander and that he has heard that there is the same in Aguayo and that in Burgos one was lost
to them in a flood last year and that, currently, they are working in rebuilding it and that he has heard that
in Llera they have this same benefit and that he does not know about others.
To the seventh question he said: that he does not know if there are other settlements that could have
the use of its lands with springs or water sources.
To the eighth question he said: that the use that is made of the irrigation is for the benefit of the
corn, cane, beans, and cotton and some fruit-bearing trees and vegetables and the one of most assurance
and into which the most care is put is the planting of corn everywhere.
To the ninth question he said: that he does not know what measures of corn can be sown in the
settlements of this colony annually but that, from the experience that he has from the regions where there
is irrigation, it can be averaged from two hundred measures of reaping for each one which is sown, barring
any accidents which tend to occur in the sowings, and he knows for a fact that the settlements that have
irrigation do not need corn from the outside because they reap enough to maintain themselves and their
assemblies, but this cannot happen nor will it be obtainable from those which are exposed to the storms
since it is seen that, in all kinds of weather, they do not go out buying in the colony like they do at the
borders.
To the tenth question he said: that he knows that, in that which is the real Coast of the Gulf of
Mexico, are situated those settlements which he leaves expressed, as having seen, in this declaration in his
first question and the others, which he has has heard exist and that he does not know how far from the sea
they are, nor does he have a report that there may be more ports than the one they call Santander in which
their can be embarkations of major and minor vessels.
To the eleventh question he said: that he knows that all the land of the colony is suitable for the
raising and conservation of major and minor livestock and that he knows also that the honorable General
Escandón has established an hacienda of this type farther south from Santander on the road halv way to
la Marina and that in the territory of this town of Hoyos the captain Don Domingo de Unzaga has another
one of the same quality and that there are several others, that various residents of the colony have, in which
they experience increases and large benefits due to the lands being good for this.
To the twelfth question he said: that he knows that in Tamaulipa la Moza there is an open mine
from which General Escandón withdrew some metals which he knows he sent to have assayed to ascertain
their content, and that he heard that it would yield enough to be financially beneficial and that afterwards
he also heard that the capitan Don Domingo de Unzaga withdrew some ore from it that he also sent to
assay and that the declarar heard that they could be financially beneficial and that, currently, no one is
working it and he has heard that the said Tamaulipa is all pure mineral and he has checked it at times when
he has seen it because he has knowledge of the abundance of minerals, and that he knows that in the Cerro
de Santiago there are also mines ascertained by the captain Don Domingo de Unzaga and several others
which he has heard that in their tests of their worth[sic], but that currently it is stalled without anybody
working it and that he does not know of any others.
To the thirteenth question he said: that he knows that in the seacoast of this colony at the "barra"
there are salt mines that crystallize with abundance on the part of Soto la Marina and on that of San
Fernando and that on the part of the north of the Río Grande, before arriving at the sea, there are some
very abundant salt mines and in all the coast it is known that there is salt with abundance and it is evident
to him that the abundance of salt there is, is found to be sufficient for this colony, its borders, and many
other provinces.
To the fourteenth question he said: that he knows that this colony is preserved in peace and
tranquility and its settlements in good communication with one another and its assemblies at this time
without any problems although their inconstancies do not offer any safety because, with whatever
foreboding they conceive, they kill each other and they set out brutally and they leave and return when they
feel like it without the holy meditation and the hospitality making any impression on them, by which the
other heathens of the border mountains, being of this nature, one cannot leave off observing this continuous
care because they do not think about anything but of treason and theft, these territories which are situated
toward Tamaulipa la Vieja and that frontal portion of the Sierra Gorda and also by Tamaulipa la Nueva
being those most exposed to these contingencies.
To the fifteenth question he said: that the Sierra Madre or Sierra Gorda is one and the same known
by both names and that it is on the southwest, it has the colony at its edge on the north side and that the
Sierra Tamaulipa la Moza does not have areas in which to be able to put settlements, nor is its situation
suitable for this due to lack of water and niters (potassium nitrate or sodium nitrate) and that it seems that
if a presidio were set up there it would be very suitable so that the Indians be frightened away.
To the sixteenth question he said: that the borders of the Nuevo Reino de León to this colony are
San Felipe de Linares, which is a distance of about ten leagues, Valle del Pilón y Mota that is a distance
from the limits of this colony of about forty leagues, the town of Cerralvo that should be about twenty-five
to thirty leagues distant, and that he does not know about other regions that might be frontiers and that the
benefits received by the borders of Nuevo Reino de León after the conquest are of sufficient consideration
because they have achieved their not being pursued by the heathen Indians, the avoidance of the killing of
the shepherds and stockowners that kept the livestock in the colony and their pastures and, because of the
traffic and trade that they have achieved in livestock and grains, buying and selling the harvests that their
fields produce to each other and this is well known in the said borders.
To the seventeenth question he said: that he knows that in the settlements where he has been, there
is a captain who manages the ordinary jurisdiction and that these enjoy five hundred pesos salary each per
year, and that he knows that the enlisted soldiers also earn two hundred twenty-five pesos each but he does
not know the actual number of enlistees that are paid in all the colony and that he does not know how or
in what terms the payment is made to them nor what affairs might be their charge other than that of the
expeditions when they are needed against the Indians.
To the eighteenth question of the General Legal Data he said: that they have nothing to do with him
at all and it having been read to him again orally ad verbum all that he has declared so that he can say if
he has anything to add or to remove or it be approved in this, he said that what he has said is the truth by
the oath made and that he has nothing to add or delete and that instead he confirms and approves it and it
being necessary he will say it anew and he signed it and that he is of the age of fifty-two years, the said
honorable inspector signed it with the witnesses present. -José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Antonio
Cortinas. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. (rubric).
In the town of Santo Domingo de Hoyos, in eight days of the month of May of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, having had word that Cerro de Santiago
is a distance of about seven leagues from this settlement, decided to travel to it in the company of Don
Agustín López de la Cámara Alta, prepared to do at that site the necessary business for its inspection and
condition and command that those which would be made be put in continuation of these documents in this
same folio for whatever might be suitable and thus he decreed, ordered, and signed. -Tienda de Cuervo.
-(rubric) - Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) - Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
In the site of Cerro de Santiago, alias Real de Borbón on nine days of the month of May of
seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, having come to this site
for the inspection of its state, after having made a visit by sight to it and an exploration of its site and an
entry into its mountain, climbing it for this end, he found in it four veins of minerals somewhat deep,
although some more than others, the one which penetrates most to the bottom being about eight stages
[some measurement] more or less and it being known also that the mountain must be about one league in
length more or less and about one half in width from one edge to the other and desirous of acquainting
himself also on the exact point of the population and families of which these rancher are composed, the
condition in which they are found and what the distinction is of the livestock that they keep here, on whose
account they run and how are they protected; whether they are persecuted by the hostile Indians or if they
are found in peace without experiencing harassments, if they can subsist in the terms they find themselves,
and what minerals are manifested up to the present in this mountain and on whose account do they run;
I sent that the stewards, or person in whose charge the care and administration of these ranches are, appear
before the said gentleman to swear and declare that which in this affair and in the others might be suitable
be asked of them. And that it be made know to them for what reason they should present themselves and
thus he decreed, ordered, and signed. -José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
WITNESS LUIS DE JASO. - In the said site and Cerro de Santiago, Real de Borbón, in nine days
of the month of May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, having appeared before the said honorable
inspector, Luis de Jaso, steward of Hacienda de Ovejas at this site, from whom he received an oath by
God and a cross so that he tell the truth in whatever he would be asked and having done it as is required,
interrogated about that which the previous document contains he said: that the sixty-eight wood and straw
huts of which this settlement is composed, include other several residents, fathers of families, and that the
number of persons should be composed of more than four hundred persons children and adults, that all the
others are servants of the haciendas of ewes and rams that are pastured in this jurisdiction in those which
belong in Nuevo Reino de León to the Casa Mortuoria of Don Manuel de la Canal and that all are under
the command of the captain Don Domingo de Unzaga, as empowered of said "casa mortuaria", who has
them there protected and aids them with what they need and have been wanting but that their principal
accounts of adjustments and wages continue in Nuevo Reino de León with the manager Don Juan Antonio
Yerno, in Trancas de Palencia, who is the one who operates in these haciendas and that, although in the
previous years they have suffered some inconveniences with the heathen Indians, from one year ago to
now, beginning with the month of October of the last year, they have not given any problem nor caused
any harassments, because they presented themselves at the site of la Mesa with the owner Don Domingo
de Unzaga and they talked about peace and preserving good relations. And that he has no safety in the
subsistence knowing the fickleness of the nature of the Indians concerning the peace, but that concerning,
the conservation of their establishment in this site, he has the assurance of their being able to preserve
themselves as they have been preserved up to now, even when they violated something else, and much
better and with more effort if they verify that which their owner Don Domingo would promote and bring
to it the people of the ranches of Guadalupe de Vallecillo, as he has heard its owner say and he has
communicated it to this witness. And that the mines that currently are opened in this hill are six, the one
belonging to its owner, Don Domingo de Unzaga, which is called la Mina de Loreto, from which there
has been made inspection of an assay, and silver was drawn from it, but that he does not know of what
quality nor of what production; another ore vein that belongs to Father Bernardo S�nchez, that he does
not know if it has been tested or if some silver has been drawn from it; another two ore veins that belong
to this witness with the name, one of las Animas and another el Anima Sola, that he has not made an assay
nor test of it due to lack of alloy; another ore vein that belongs to Manuel Delgado, to whom the other one
that is included in the number of the six also belongs, that they are both situated in Loma del Armadillo,
that he already has made tests from them and in three tons of metal he drew a "marco" of silver.
Asked again if the land of this site and its environs are suitable for planting, that he explain what
production and if there is a river with which it could be watered and canals be drawn for its benefit he said:
that the lands of this site and its environs are very suitable for all types of planting such as corn, beans,
cane, cotton, fruit trees and all vegetables and herbs, except for wheat because this is not productive and
that it has been about 32 years that there was sowing in this site and a ranch in which the lands were
cultivated and corn and everything else which has been referred to were harvested in abundance and a cane
mill from which piloncillo was made and smelting of the metals that were drawn from this hill, that he
saw it all as a young man in the beginning when he entered these rural areas and at that time vestiges of
everything reported were found and he found out that it was depopulated and ruined by the heathen
Indians. And that by the edge of this hill there is a creek with the name of Santa Lucía that begins in la
Boca del Valle de María and it passes by these ranches and goes to end at the river el Pilón and, from it,
the the witness is building a canal seven hundred forty paces in length, which he already has working, in
the same region where long ago there was a canal, with the aim of irrigating and improving some plowed
land in which to sow two measures of corn which is the first attempt that is made here in this improvement
and he believes that, although it be only with the season rains, it can be expected, from the experience that
last year a resident of this area tried with a "cuartilla" and he gathered some very large ears and huge
gourds.
Questioned again that he say whether he knows that by having taken the families of Nuevo Reino
de León to populate this colony some damage has resulted at its borders he said: that he has not heard that
the lack of those families may have been damaging that it seems to him that those haciendas immediate to
Nuevo Reino de León, since this colony was populated, experience a total benefit in the tranquillity of the
Indians who, before that, bothered them and that in twenty-nine years that it continues in the practice of
cultivation, he has not seen such tranquillity as that which is enjoyed today and that what he has stated he
said to be the truth by the oath that he has given, he did not sign because he declared not knowing how,
that he is of the age of fifty years. And it having been read to him again orally ad verbum for his
ratification or that he might say if he has anything to add or to remove, he said, that he can think of nothing
and that he approves and confirms what he has said by the oath that he made for it, the said honorable José
Tienda de Cuervo it with the witnesses present. -José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez
Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. (rubric).
WITNESS MARCOS JAVIER DE ALVARADO. - In the said site, in the said day, month, and
year, the said gentleman, for the knowledge and justification of what the previous document expresses
having manifested himself in their presence Marcos Javier de Alvarado, steward of the Hacienda de
Carneros de la Casa Mortuoria de Don Manuel de la Canal, from whom said gentleman received an oath
by God and a cross so that he tell the truth in what would be asked and having done it as is required, he
offered it to the order of what the document contains that gives origin to the formalities practiced in this
site that preceeds, he said : that he does not know the exact number of huts of which this site is composed
because he has not counted them, nor the number of families, but that which concerns the part of the
ranches, under the charge of this witness, on the another side of the river, he believes there are more or
less about thirty-five families, that he does not make a document of the persons that might compose it and
that the position, in which they are found, is in caring for the livestock of the said Casa Mortuoria in the
charge of its empowered Don Domingo de Unzaga, who aids them with that which they might need, and
that for the present it has been about a year since they suffer any vexation whatsoever from the heathen
Indians, that instead some tend to come in peace to exchange ideas in these ranches and they tend remain
several days and they come and go, and that they can subsist in the terms that these ranches find themselves
today, even when the Indians would strengthened themselves to want to give them some trouble and with
greater effort, if that which its owner Don Domingo be verified, [i.e.] he brings the people of the ranches
of Vallecillo, as he has heard the said Don Domingo say; and that the mines that currently are opened in
this hill are seven, the one belonging to the honorable Captain Don Domingo de Unzaga, that is called
Mina de Loreto, and that he knows they have been digging and drawing ores but that he does not know
whether they have been ascertained, another ore vein that belongs to Father Bernardo S�nchez whom he
has heard said, communicating in this matter with the witness, in support that its mine produced silver,
showing him a cross that he wore around his neck about four fingers in size, this cross and another two
have been made with the silver of my mine; another two ore veins that belong to Manuel Delgado that are
situated in the Armadillo, that he also told this witness that he had made an assay of its ores in Real de
Charcas and that he had drawn silver of good quality and that he saw him make an assay for lead of about
an "arroba" or a little less in this site and that it produced about one real of silver; another two mineral
veins that belong to Luis de Jaso, that he does not know their names, that they are at the same rise of the
hill and that the witness saw that he made an assay for lead of about one "arroba" and that it did not
produce anything; another ore vein which Don Manuel de Sagasola worked and left it and that he does
not know if there are other open mines.
Asked again if the land of this site and its environs is suitable for planting, that he explain which
produce and if there is a river with which it could be irrigated and canals built for that benefit he said: that
the lands of this site and its environs are for all types of planting that they might want to make on them,
except wheat, because experience has shown it, immediatly next to the Río Blanco where the land is more
moderate, and that he has heard that, immediately contiguous, there was a ranch and a field which the
heathen Indians destroyed and that at the edge of this hill there is a creek that begins in Boca del Valle de
María and is called the Santa Lucía, it passes by these ranches and, at about eight leagues it ends in the
Pilón and that currently they are building a canal with which to irrigate the lands that will be put into
cultivation and that he knows that last year about a "cuartilla" of corn was sown and reaped that he believes
yielded about twenty measures.
Asked again if knows that by having taken families from the Nuevo Reino de León for the
settlements of this new colony some damage may have resulted to those borders, he said: that he has not
heard that they may have had any problem in this matter, that rather he is sure that the haciendas are more
alleviated of the troubles of the Indians here and there and that he has never seen the country quieter from
Indians than at the present; and what he has said already, he said to be the truth by the oath that he has
made and he signed it, that he is of the age of thirty-seven years. And it having been read to him again
orally ad verbum for his ratification or that he might say if he has
anything to add or to remove, he said, that he can think of nothing and that he approves and confirms what
he has said by the oath that he made for it, the said gentleman inspector signed it. -José Tienda de Cuervo.
-(rubric) - Marcos Javier de Alvarado. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de
Haro. (rubric).
DOCUMENT. - In the said site of Cerro de Santiago (alias Real de Borbón) in nine days of the
month of May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, having
found the declarations and formalities practiced in the inspection of this site sufficient for his reports,
ordered that, to better make evident his desire of its justification, the number of families of which these
ranches are composed be made known and, in consequence, he had the captain Don Domingo de Unzaga
appear before him, in whom resides the ordinary jurisdiction of the said site and he ordered him to make
a list of the number of said families and, his having accomplished it and presented it to said gentleman, it
was found to be that of sixty-four families whose justification appears to be thus from the census which
appears in these documents, given by the Reverend Father Fray Fernando Ruiz Junco, Missionary Priest
of the town of Hoyos, in the folio eighteen, beginning the districts from the twenty-third by Luis de Jaso,
up to the note that begins with Rancho de Alvarado, in whose midst they are found, related to the number
belonging to the ecclesiastic complement but, of the said list and its inhabitants, it results in there being five
hundred twenty yount and adult persons in said site, and for its evidence the said gentleman ordered it to
be put in this proceeding for whatever effects would be suitable and he signed it. -José Tienda de Cuervo.
-(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. (rubric).
REPORT. - On the 6 of February of 1758, testimony was taken from this folder to give an account
to His Majesty.
--------------------------------
TOWN OF AGUAYO.
DOCUMENT. - In the Town of Aguayo, in twelve days of the month of May of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, Gentleman of the Order of
Santiago, Captain of Dragoons of the new city of Veracruz and Inspecting Judge for the most excellent
Honorable Viceroy, Marquis of las Amarillas, for the inspection of the Gulf of Mexico, as it appears in
the dispatch that was intrusted to him, its date in Mexico on the twenty-ninth of March of this present year,
which is found at the head of the number one folder, that is formed about these formalities. Having arrived
today, the day of the date, at this settlement at about nine in the morning, he found it suitable to continue
the formalities of his assignment, according to what the instructions contain which were conferred for this
purpose and it is set in the cited folder number one, from the fourth folio up to the said one. He ordered
that, according to it and in continuation of this, his document, the formalities, which in this town might be
found to be suitable, be made and that the declarations or examinations of witnesses, which would be made,
be according to the inquiry that is found in said folder number one in the folio fifty-four, everything being
done in presence of witnesses nominated in said folder number one and thus he provided, ordered and
signed it. -José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de
Haro. (rubric).
DOCUMENT. - In the said town of Aguayo on the said day the twelfth of May, of seventeen
hundred fifty-seven years, the said gentleman, in continuation of the formalities that he intends to make
in this settlement, ordered that a general review of its inhabitants be passed, comunicating an order to the
captain who has the ordinary jurisdiction in it, so that he give a list of the residents, settlers, and inhabitants
in it, in which are to be included the officers and soldiers of which it is composed, its women, children,
families, and names of all, and what goods, haciendas, and livestock they have, placing at its conclusion
an expression of the salaries which those who are enlisted earn, and in what manner they do their service,
passing on a copy of this document to the aforesaid captain so that he cite its residents, settlers, and
inhabitants, with the aim that tomorrow, which will be counted the thirteenth of the current month at nine
o'clock, all be together with their weapons in the square of this town to perform this action with the
necessary seriousness and thus he provided, ordered, and signed it. -José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. (rubric).
REVIEW. - In the town of Aguayo, in thirteen days of the month of May of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, having received the list of the
inhabitants and settlers of this town delivered by the captain Don Juan de Astigarraga, directed that the
review which is ordered be passed and that, for its major justification, a supplicatory message of request
and commission be taken to the Apostolic Missionary Father Fray Antonio Javier de Aréchiga so that he
be served to attend this action and be able to have the suitable reports and, this request having been
communicated to the said reverend father, he concurred with the said gentleman and, on these terms, the
said review was begun, calling each one by name, registering their weapons that are composed of rifles,
sword, and shield and some pistols and, posing the questions that they held to be suitable, it was executed
in the following manner.
REVIEW.
Captain Don Juan de Astigarraga, present, native of San Lucar de Barrameda
in the Kingdoms of Castilla, bachelor, all arms, 14 horses, with two servants.
FIRST SETTLERS
1.- Patricio de Sepúlveda, lieutenant of this town, present, native of the town of León, married to Feliciana del Castillo, has one son Isidro of seven years, all arms, six horses.
1.- Salvador de Casta�eda, sergeant, present, resident who was from the jurisdiction of Lagos, married to Ana María de Sandoval, mestiza, has one daughter, Lorenza, of fifteen years, all arms, four horses, one married servant.
1.- Doña Tomasa Guerrero, widow, has three children, Manuel of 7 years, Francisco of 4, and Nicolasa of one, 30 horses and she has 17 servants, three married.
1.- Juan B autista Olazar�n, noble, present, resident who was from la Sierra Gorda, married to María Guerrero, has 4 children, María Tomasa of 6 years, María Josefa of 5, María del Refugio of 4, and Juan José of one, has all arms, eight horses and two servants, one married with three children.
1.- Juan Diego Guerrero, mestizo, present, native of the city of Querétaro, married to Juana Antonia de Sandoval, Spaniard, has 5 children, Miguel of 12 years, María Francisca of 9, José of 5, José Tom�s of 2, and María at breast, a ll arms, 6 horses, four servants, two married with ten persons.
1.- Felipe Casta�eda mestizo, resident who was from Río Blanco, married to María Perales, Spaniard, has seven children, Felipe of 15 years, María of 12, Joaquín of 9, Simón of 3, Tom�s of 2, and María Gertrudis at breast, all arms, 6 horses.
1.- Eugenio de Casta�eda, mestizo, present, resident who was fro m San Luis Potosí, married to Josefa de Ibarra, mulatto, has 3 children, Pascual Bernardino who is married and has one son and is part of his father's house hold and family due to serving as superintendent of Hacienda de Californias, María Catarina of two years, and Manuel at breast, all arms, 6 horses.
1.- José Antonio Gonz�lez, noble, present, resident who was from Río Blanco, married to María Efigenia, has two children, María of 4 years and Juan at breast, all arms, 4 horses.
1.- Antonio de Casta�eda, native of Lagos, mestizo, present, married to María de la Cruz, has one son, Justo, at breast, all arms and 4 horses and his goods with those of his father.
1.- Antonia de Escobedo, Spaniard, widow, has two children, Eugenia Martina of 10 years and Alejandro of 6 years, 20 horses and seven servants, five married with 17 persons.
1.- Juan Antonio Rodríguez, present, son of the antecedent [fem.], married to Felipa Ruiz, mestiza, has 4 children, Ignacia of 21 years, Josefa of 17, Rafaela of 14, Manuel of 10 years, all arms, his property with that of his fath er and has a married servant with one son
1.- Ana de Oliva. widow, has one son called Vicente of 8 years, three horses, no arms, has one servant.
1.- Bernardo Jaramillo, married to María, mulatta, has all arms, three horses.
1.- Juan Antonio Velasco, Spaniard, resident from los Asientos de Ibarra, present, married to Juana Montelongo, mulatta, with three children, Quiterio of 11 years, Francisco of 8, Salvador of 7, and Maríaof 12, all arms, two horses.
1.- Juana María Estéfana, widow, with four children, María of 11 years, Ventura of 8, Sebastiana of 6, and one at breast.
1.- José Nicasio Barrón, mestizo, native of Linares, married to Juana Mancha, Spaniard, has five children, Paula of 14 years, Josefa of 8, José of 6, María of 2, and Juan at breast, all arms and two horses.
1.- Nicol�s de Huerta, mulatto, resident who was from Valle del Maíz, present, married to Paula de Reyes, has four children, Paula of 12 years, Basilia of 11, Simón of 9, and Santos of 7, all arms and four horses.
1.- Pedro V�zquez, native of outer lands, present, married to Marta Francisca, has three children, Juan of 8 years, María of 4, and Francisca at breast, 5 horses, one blunderbuss, knife and shield.
1.- José de Ibarra, resident of Querétaro, married to Juana María García, mulatta, has four children, Vicente, married who has one son, Rosalía of 14 years, Antonio of 13, and Victoriano of 11, all arms and eight horses.
1.- Pedro Joaquín de Vargas, present, resident who was from Celaya, married to María Antonia Jiménez, all arms, four horses.
1.- Nicol�s de Casta�eda, mestizo, present, resident who was from Zacatecas, married to Melchora de la Cruz, Indian of reason, all arms, eight horses.
RESIDENTS WHO HAVE COLLECTED AND REGISTERED
AFTER THE FIRST SETTLEMENT
1.- José Isidro Casta�eda, resident who was from Río Blanco, mestizo, present, married to María Rosa de Huerta, has one son breast feeding, his goods are with those of his father.
1.- José Jaramillo, native of San Miguel el Grande, married to María Magdalena, mulatta, has one daughter Hilaria of two years, all arms, four horses.
1.- Manuel de Medina, mestizo, present, native of Pénjamo, married to María Duran, has four children, José of 14 years, Leonardo of 12, Luciano of 9, and Antonio of 6, all arms, two horses.
1.- Juan José Rodríguez, mulatto, present, resident who was from los Asientos de Ibarra, married to María Isabel Spaniard, has four children, Javier of 14 years, Lucas of 8, Rosa of 9, and María of 7, has arms without sword, two horses, shoemaker.
1.- Valentín de Sepúlveda, native of el Rincón de León, present, married to María Morales, has arms less a sword, four horses.
1.- Marcelo de los Santos Pizaña, mestizo, present, native of Santa María del Río, married to Josefa Sandoval, all arms with a sword, four horses.
1.- Antonio Pizaña, present, married to Juana de la Cruz, has one son, Crist�bal at breast, and two brothers, Antonio of 7 years and Felipe of 9, has arms without a sword, four horses.
1.- Francisco del Castillo Escobedo, native of Querétaro, married to Polonia de Torres, has one daughter Guadalupe of 16 years, married and has one son, all arms, five horses.
1.- Josefa Jaramillo, widow, has four children, Olaya of 14 years, Pascuala of 9, Gertrudis of 6, and Antonia of 4, has five horses.
1.- Crist�bal Toribio, civilized Indian, present, resident of Zacatecas, married to Antonia de la Cruz, has one daughter María of 8 years, all arms, four horses.
1.- Matías Zurita, mulatta, resident who was from Sombrerete, present, married to María Marcela, Indian, has one son José of 11 years, all arms, six horses.
1.- Juan Antonio Casta�eda, mestizo, present, native who was from Zacatecas, married to María Aldape, mestiza, all arms, two horses.
1.- Cayetano Vel�squez, resident who was from Real de Monte, present, married to Juana Casta�eda, has three children, Gertrudis of 11 years, María of eight, and Francisco of five, all arms, six horses.
1.- Nicol�s de Casta�eda, present, resident who was from Zacatecas, married to Petra Zaldivar, Spaniard, has four children, Pedro Antonio of 15 years, Feliciano of 10, José Rafael of 9, and Marcela of 16, arms, three horses.
1.- Juan Bautista de Soto, resident who was from Río Blanco, present, married to María Cipriana, Indian, has one daughter called María of nine years, all arms, four horses.
1.- Juan de Santiago, Indian, present, native of the town of Venado, widower, has four children, Bernardino of 18 years, Hilaria of 14, Gertrudis of 11, and Vicente of 9, all arms and two horses.
1.- Francisco Regalado, mestizo, present, native of Río Blanco, married to Josefa de la Cruz, mulatta, has two sons, Antonio of 18 years and José of 10, all arms, two horses.
1.- Lorenzo Rodríguez, present, resident who was from Río Blanco, married to Juliana Olazar�n, has three children, María of 19 years, Juan of 8, Tom�s of 5, all arms, 10 horses.
1.- Antonio Amador, mestizo, present, resident who was from Río Blanco, married to María Perales, has two children, María of three years, Candida at breast, all arms, eight horses.
1.- Pedro Dur�n, present, resident who was from Real de Bolaños, married to María García, has seven children, Juan of 18 years, José of 15, Vicente of 2, Juan José of 6, María Anastasia of 9, and María Guadalupe of 8, and Ana of two, all arms, two horses.
1.- Nicol�s Marroquín, mestizo, present, resident who was from Pilón, married to Catarina Guillén, has five children, Pedro of 10 years, Isidra Josefa of 5, Ana of 3, María, and one at breast, all arms, four horses.
1.- Bernardo Gonz�lez, Indian, present, resident who was from Tula, married to Petra Ibarra, has four children, José of 12 years, Basilio of 8, Antonia of 6, and Aparicio of 4, all arms, 10 horses.
1.- Juan Manuel Maldonado, present, resident who was from Tula, married to Gertrudis Ibarra, mulatta, has three children, Gertrudis, Dolores, and Luis, all arms, five horses.
1.- Lucas Barbosa, mestizo, present, resident who was from Sierra de Pinos, married to Rosa María, Spaniard, has five children, Pedro Antonio of 18 years, José of 5, Alejandro of 6, María of 3, and María Francisca at breast, all arms, 10 horses.
1.- Juan Lucas, Indian, present, resident who was from Jerez, married to María Francisca, Indian, has one son José of 24 years, arms, a knife and a shield, and one horse.
1.- José Nicol�s, mulatto, present, resident who was from Jerez, married to María Josefa, has one son, Pedro José at breast, all arms, two horses.
1.- Juan Bernardo Martínez, present, resident who was from Armadillo, married to María de la Cruz, has seven children, Feliciano of 19 years, Antonio of 18, Anastasio of 12, Valentina of 14, Juana of 13, María of 7, and Ber nardo of 3, of arms only a sword, two horses.
1.- Isidro Anselmo Zamurio, mulatto, present, resident who was from San Miguel el Grande, married to Ana María de Porras, has one daughter, María at breast, all arms, 6 horses.
1.- Fernando Velasco, mulatto, present, resident who was from San Salvador el Verde, married to Lorenza García, has three children, Fernando of 10 years, María of 4, and Alfonso of 14, all arms six horses.
1.- Antonio Montelongo, mulatto, present, resident who was from Zacatecas, married to Bernarda Rodríguez, has four children, Juan of 13 years, Feliciana of 8, Marcos of 4, Isabel of two, all arms and two horses.
1.- José Manuel Ventura, civilized Indian, present, resident who was from la Frontera de Pablillo, married to María Gregoria, Indian, has one son, Juan Pablo of two years, all arms, four horses.
1.- Juan José Martínez, mulatto, present, resident who was from Aguascalientes, married to Margarita Quiteria, mulatta, has five children, Pedro of 14 years, Petra of 10, José of 8, María Feliciana of 5, and Antonia of 4, arms , a sword and a shield, without a rifle, four horses.
1.- Alejandro Zaldivar, mulatt, present, resident who was from San Luis de la Paz, married to Asencia Casta�eda, civilized Indian, has two children, Pedro of 15 years and María of 12, arms, a flintlick and a shield, has no horses.
1.- Ferrer Guerra, Spaniard, present, resident who was from the town of San Felipe, married to Antonia Jaramillo, all arms, two horses.
1.- Juan Dionisio Gonz�lez, civilized Indian of San Luis Potosí, married to María de Luna, has all arms and three horses.
1.- Miguel de Sotelo, civilized Indian, present, resident who was from San Miguel el Grande, married to Ana María S�nchez, arms, a knife and a shield, has no horse or rifle.
1.- Pascual Rodela, mulatto, present, resident who was from Matehuala, married to Salvadora de Jesús, Indian, arms, a rifle and a shield, three horses.
1.- José Simón Sepúlveda, present, native of the town of León, married to Rosa Hern�ndez, Indian, has all arms and four horses.
1.- José Cayetano de Avalos, present, bachelor, resident who was from la Frontera de Río Blanco, has all arms and five horses.
1.- Luis Antonio Rondalo, present, mestizo, bachelor, from la Frontera de Río Blanco, all arms and four horses.
1.- Juan de los Santos Regalado, present, bachelor, absent with permission, native of the town of el Venado, all arms, four horses.
NOTE
Also added in this town there are twenty families with eighty-six persons, the major part are
occupied in the service of the settlers and are not included among the servants that are already named.
That according to the review made in these boundries, the number of families of this vicinity is
composed of fifty-eight and that of its persons four hundred eight in this manner: the twenty-one families
coming for its initial establishment and the thirty-seven proceeding from the increase who have come
afterwards from several areas and they have been introduced into its settlement, without including another
hundred families with fifty persons of both sexes and of all ages, that on the outskirts of this said town they
live in the shepherd ranches of two sheep haciendas belonging to the Missions of Californias, which they
enter in the pastures of its environs to winter from October until the end of May, because these are
considered as inconstants, and the actual goods that exist of the residing families that are mentioned in this
town are one thousand three hundred ninety-six equine breeding livestock, fourteen pack mules, eighty-seven pairs of oxen, three thousand eight hundred twenty-five heads of sheep, and eight hundred five heads
of livestock of breeding cattle, without including three hundred one horses that its residents keep and
maintain allocated for their service and use, as it appears in the same entries of this review. And regarding
that, for the justification of it, the very reverend father Fray Antonio de Aréchiga, Apostolic Missionary,
was asked to attend in order to concur with the reports that would be suitable and his having attended
vouching for, when necessary, the existence of the families and their goods, and also for those which are
included being with permission, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo requested of him, that
he serve to concur to sign this proceeding in faith of it, that which said reverend father executed and,
concluded in these terms, he ordered it be put at the end of the documents. -José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Fray Antonio Javier de Aréchiga. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. (rubric) -Francisco José
de Haro. (rubric)
Fray Antonio Javier de Aréchiga, of the Order of O.H.F. San Francisco, Son of the Apostolic
Association of Our Lady of Guadalupe of Zacatecas, Apostolic Father and Missionary Minister of the
mission of San Pedro de Alc�ntara Trespalacios.
In response to the brief that Your Lordship presented to me on the twelfth of May of this present
year of seventeen hundred fifty-seven, in which you order me, as Inspecting Judge of this colony, to certify
the state, land, number of settlers, and whether they have financial aid, whether sufficient seeds are reaped
for their subsistence, and when this town was established, who has favored or established it, importance
of this and that of the assembled Indians; what synod I have indicated here, what beginnings the ornaments
and sacred glasses of the church of this town had, to what the value of said ornaments might rise, whether
the Indians have their mission separate and at what distance it is from this town and whether possession
of the lands has been given to them upon which their subsistence from said mission is founded, whether
the fortunes of the lands put into work and cultivation are extended to the settlers, how long it has been
since the Indians were assembled, and what measures are ordained for their subsistence, how many
measures of grain they sow in this town each year, and how many each measure produces, whether these
have been cultivated by irrigation and rains and whether they are sufficient for the subsistence of these
settlers, whether the land is suitable for livestock and sheep raising and what haciendas are found
established in its environs and what progress they find from their gains and also whether its land is suitable
for vegetables and the planting of trees for the subsistence of its inhabitants, whether I know that after the
establishment and population of this colony they have experimented some benefit from the hostilities that
they had suffered before, whether this settlement and its immediate haciendas are found entirely peaceful,
whether I have reports that some provinces and borders may have been injured in the removal of people
and families to populate this colony; and what hopes I conceive about the subsistence and increase of this
settlement.
I say, thus, that I certify with the truth that my state permits, that according to what experience has
taught me, as First Ministry that I have been of this town from the year of fifty-one until the present, I
know that the town grows each day, as much in its crops as in number of settlers, since, according to my
judgement, they will plant from eighty to ninety corn measures in which, according to my experience, each
measure will produce about two hundred, since I make the judgement that cultivating the lands they will
produce more, since they are suitable for all types of seeds, beans, vegetables, and cane of Castilla since
it produces with abundance since, with the fertility and beauty of the land and an abundant drawing of
water with which said town is benefitted, early and seasonal plantings are facilitated for them, for which
they are always supplied with seeds, then I have experienced they not only reap that sufficient for their
subsistence but they also sell to the other settlements as well; due to which, many attracted by the land,
there is an increase in the settlers of this town for, according to the census of this present year of fifty-seven which I have from confession and communion, there are four hundred eighteen persons in all to
which are added two sheep haciendas of the Reverend Fathers de la California that should be composed
of five hundred persons to whom I administer the holy sacraments; and as to my being questioned
regarding whether they are useful to this town, I say that I know great usefulness continues and has
continued, for they are always ready to leave on campaigns at those times that are necessary to give help
to this said town and the said haciendas also serve as security, not only to this settlement, but to those
immediate to it; when these settlers came, as it appears to me, was from the year of fifty from the lands
of which they might be natives, according to how they themselves have informed me, they have come from
different places which can be known from the Royal Book; the goods that these residents have among
themselves of equine livestock, would compose about two thousand and more heads; of major livestock,
it seems to me, it would come to one thousand and more, of sheep, I judge them to have about two
thousand eight hundred; the most of them are poor and they support themselves helping one another; these
said settlers have served from the beginning of its establishment at their own cost and mention [sic] without
causing expenses to the Royal Coffers; the one who has protected them and protects as a father in whatever
they need has been the honorable General Don José de Escandón, helping them and entrusting his wealth
to them to supply them. The lands are, up to now, designated to said settlers in common which they work
and cultivate according to their ability and, at present, it seems to me they have not been assigned to them
in particular; the land for the raising of livestock of all kinds, as experience has taught me, cannot be
improved, I do know, according to what I have known before this land was populated, that the hostility
that was suffered was large, whereas today, with the populating of this colony, most of it is found almost
peaceful, such that, from its conservation with the coming times, I trust in God it be completely pacified;
this is my belief.
This settlement at the present, as experience has shown me, is seen to be very peaceful since they
are harassed only by a few Indians immediate to this mountain whom they call Chiguillones.
Of the ornaments and sacred vessels that serve this town, they were financed from the Royal
Coffers, along with two bells for said mission, adding field equipment and convent furniture with other
types for the Indians, I judge they would have a cost of about two thousand pesos more or less.
And because also requested of me is a report that certifies of the mission that I have established
and whether I found said Indians assembled and whether I recognize it be necessary for its establishment,
whether it has been formalized, giving them possession of its lands (I say what I believe), whichis that from
the year that I entered into this town and colony which was that of fifty-one, I found, assembled in said
town, these Indians who were maintained until the year of fifty-four and a region was assigned to them in
the entrance that they call San Felipe, a distance from this town of a little more than a league, where twelve
"caballerías" of wheatland were indicated for them and eight sites for minor livestock, from testimony that
I have taken from the honorable General Don José de Escandón, the ones which have not yet been
measured nor possession given and I have not protested until a more opportune time arrive.
These Indians are of a good nature, well applied to their work, then they themselves worked on
a copious drawing of water with which the cultivation of lands and early plantings are facilitated, then in
my concept they will be able to plant from fifty to sixty measures of corn, incorporated a planting of beans
and cane of Castilla, that which produces in abundance, like all the other seeds and all kinds of vegetables,
since the lands are very suitable for this, for according to what I know, the fields put into the proper order,
they be maintained with ease and it be a means that they might live and improve themselves because, up
to the present, they have maintained themselves from what they sow since the seeds are enough for the
year, even rationing them, and I have the freedom to sell some seeds for their clothing, the number of these
Indians including young and adults of both sexes, I believe, comes to one hundred fifty and of these I have
baptized fifty-three, with one female Indian married by Our Holy Mother Church, that which I have not
executed in the others so that they thus receive the sacrament of the baptism as well as that of marriage,
due to their being adults and not having perfected themselves in the christian doctrine, a fault of their little
capacity and perhaps my little zeal.
Of these there are some ten or twelve that are away, those which raised up with the Indians of the
Chiguí in an uprising that the Indians of the Jaumave had and, in their example, these executed the same
thing; this happened the last year of fifty-six, those which under the honorable general and at present are
found in peace and tranquillity and I recognize that, for their subjection and stability, it is necessary and
suitable that they put six paid soldiers with them and in this manner they can indoctrinate them with
complete freedom, then the most times I excuse myself of doing it, as is my obligation due to lacking the
said escort; I also recognize that, through God's volition, the above said Indians can be assembled in this
mission; thus raised, they both have a relationship, then they have the denomination of Pisones who,
attracted by the country and land and products that are reaped, I expect other immediate tribes, whom they
call Janambres, to assemble.
In addition to that to which I have referred as being supplied them from the Royal Coffers, the
honorable general of this colony has encouraged them, at the beginning, with one hundred fifty measures
of corn, without others whose number I do not know, which the deceased Captain Olazar�n gave them
by the account of said gentleman, in the same manner he gave them some goats and cows which I do not
know how many they might be, as well as workshirts and blankets and, up to the present, he generally
makes them these same gifts.
The financial aid that was supplied for this mission has been sent to me with it and I have used it
for livestock, tilling equipment, a windmill for sugar and "piloncillo" and other things relative to the
addition of the mission.
The synod that is indicated for this mission is three hundred fifty pesos, which will be submitted
to me annually from my college, which corresponds to my maintenance and that of the Indians.
This mission has one hundred seventy beef cattle, three hundred heads of sheep and a herd of
savage mares that is composed of twenty-four heads with another ten tame horses for their service.
This is what I believe as far as I know and the experience has taught me about the land of the
aforesaid town and mission and things having to do with its stability. And this being the truth of everything
informed according to what I find in my conscience, I gave this following that which was presented to me,
town of Santa María del Refugio de Aguayo and May thirteenth of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years.
And I signed it said day, month, and year. -Fray Antonio Javier de Aréchiga - (rubric).
DOCUMENT.- In the town of Aguayo in fourteen days of the month of May of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo said: that regarding that in the interim in this
town they have performed the formalities of review and responses by the requisition of the Missionary
Reverend Father, the reports have been made, and the declarations received which have been necessary
to become acquainted with the state of this town and its jurisdiction in conformity to the instruction to
which it is committed, in order not to waste time and to avoid the expenses of the Royal Exchequer that
follow with its delay, he was in charge and he ordered that the said declarations, acted upon in this matter,
be put and filed in this these documents at the continuation of this for the desired effects and he signed it.
-José Tienda de Cuervo .- (rubric) - Roque Fern�ndez Marcial.- (rubric) -Francisco José de Haro.-
(rubric)
STATEMENT OF JUAN DIEGO GUERRERO. - In the town of Aguayo in twelve days of the
month May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, continuing
the formalities of these documents for the most justified inspection of his assignments, prepared for the
instruction and questionnaire that appears in the first folder number one, had appear before him Juan
Diego Díaz Guerrero, resident of this town, from whom he received an oath by God and a cross so that
he would tell the truth in what would be asked and, his having done it as it is required, he offered it and
under it he said the following:
To the first question he said: that he knows, by his having seen it and his having lived in Valle de
San Antonio within this colony, that the Sierra Gorda, before the conquest, was full of Indians who were
situated in its center and in its outskirts toward the colony and that these caused continual harassments to
the stock owners and haciendas that pastured livestock in this colony and that the settlements and converted
Indian villages, that he knows of and has heard are established at present, are this one of Aguayo, which
has an assembly and converted Indians, the one of Hoyos that also has converted Indians. G�emes, which
does not have an assembly, Padilla, which does not have one either, Santander, which also has an
assembly; Llera, which also has one, Santa B�rbara, that it also has an assembly, Altamira, the same, la
Marina, that it also has converted Indians as also in San Fernando, in Camargo and in Revilla and he also
knows, from having heard it, that there are some in Burgos, Reinosa, Horcasitas, Dolores, Santillana and
that he does not know if there are any other settlements and that the Indians are distinguished by the names
of Malincheros, Serranos, Pisones, Janambres, Mezquites, and several others who, among themselves,
remain in connection with their settlements, but the general name by which they are called is Mecos and
that the position in which they are found to be established is, their settlers and residents observing
organized customs and the Indians being domesticated and instructed in the christian doctrine as he sees
it practiced in this town by the same missionary father then, although this one does not know the language,
the most of them are cunning and understand the Spanish through the communication that they have had
with el Nuevo Reino de León, and that this town is situated immediate to Sierra Gorda in the site that they
call la Boca de San Marcos and that it seems to him that the number of settlers from the beginning and
residents that have increased after the first ones would be more than sixty, and that, regarding the
assembled and converted Indians that are found in the mission today, he does not know exactly how many
they can be because everyday some come and others leave for which one cannot calculate their count and,
therefore, he does not know either how many are baptized nor how many are without this benefit nor for
what reason and that, thus, the settlers and residents as well as the Indians are attended by an apostolic
missionary called Fray Antonio Javier de Aréchiga.
To the second question he said: that the first settlers of this town, who were about fifteen, the most
of them proceed from the shepherds that were in the ranches of the ancient settlement of San Antonio de
los Llanos and the others from land outside and that it has been about five years, more or less, that they
are found established in this town and that they financed themselves, without their having been given
anything for their conveyance and establishment and that there have not been any other means to favor their
subsistence other than that of having given them, in general, fifty corn measures after one year of having
been here in relief of the needs that they suffered and that, at that time, the Indians were living in peace
in the environs of this town in the site of Santa Lucía and that also the said general Don José de Escandón
aided them with one hundred corn measures to keep them in the good relations for which, thinking back
that at that time the corn cost twelve reals, these expenses would come to two hundred twenty-five pesos.
And in continuation of the preceding, he was asked how many settlers or residents have been
increased up to the present, from where they have come and how they have been financed for their trip and
establishment, he said: that it seems to him that the settlers or residents that have increased up to the
present would be about forty-five, more or less, who have come, some from land outside and others from
soldiers of the haciendas and others from ranches, that they were financed by themselves and were added
to this town to the gain of its good lands.
To the third question he said: that he knows that the Indians of this assembly have quarters, huts
for their living, separate from the settlers about two leagues more or less from that settlement.
To the fourth question he said: that what he knows is that a site and lands for fields has been
indicated for the converted and assembled Indians with water canals for their irrigation and that these have
been turned over to the missionary father so that he care for them and cultivate them and, in fact, he knows
that this person is cultivating and improving them with the work of the same Indians for their subsistence,
and that he does not know whether the execution of this arrangement may have any other formality but that
he believes it is not be with formal possession, with respect to the settlers not having been given more than
an assignation of those which they should cultivate either, but ownership of them has not been declared to
them because in the rest of the boundary of this town, that extendes to about five leagues on the side of
Tamaulipas le Vieja, two and one half toward G�emes and another five by San Pedro, and about one league
toward the Sierra Gorda, all is in common and each one has taken, and is taking, the lands that he likes
for his cultivation, this being understood to be, in general, of irrigation and seasonal rains, the rest being
used in common for pasture for the livestock.
To the fifth question he said: that the rivers that he knows and has knowledge of are that of San
Antonio that begins at the mouth of the same name[sic] in the Sierra Gorda and comes by Santo Domingo
de Hoyos and ends in that of la Purificación and this one begins in the Sierra Gorda, passes by Padilla and
on one side of la Marina, and ends at the sea; another river called Santa Engracia which also begins in the
Sierra Gorda, passes one-half league from G�emes and ends in the one of la Purificación; another called
Caballeros which begins in the mouth of its name in the Sierra Gorda and ends in that of San Felipe and
this one begins also in said Sierra Gorda, passes by G�emes, and ends in that of Santa Engracia at a
distance of a little more than one-half league of that settlement; another called San Marcos which is the one
which irrigates and fertilizes this town of Aguayo, that begins in the mouth of its name in the said Sierra
Gorda and ends, after passing by the ranch of San José, in that of Santa Engracia and that in Llera he
knows that there is another river that fertilizes and irrigates that settlement, that he knows that it begins in
the Sierra Gorda and comes from the Jaumave and goes on to end at the sea, passing by Escandón and
Horcasitas and that, although he has heard that there are several other rivers, water sources, and springs,
he cannot himself give knowledge of them nor the distances of the settlements from their banks.
To the sixth question he said: that he knows that the irrigation canal of this town has been drawn
from its river called San Marcos from which it obtains the irrigation of the major part of its lands, being
able to fertilize them and to make its settlement pleasant and that Santo Domingo de Hoyos and the mission
of this town of Aguayo, the settlement of Santa María de Llera, Santander, and Burgos enjoy the same.
To the seventh question he said: that he does not know what settlements there are that, with water
sources or springs, could obtain irrigation and cultivation but that he believes that the one of Revilla could
obtain this benefit because before the site, in which the declarer is going around today, was populated, he
saw that there was a water source in its livestock pastures which can be used for their irrigation.
To the eighth question he said: that the use, which the benefit of the irrigation serves, is to plant
corn, beans, cotton, peppers, vegetables, and fruit trees and that the most assured are the corn, cane, and
beans and that the lands are suitable for everything that is sown in them, as they have experienced in all
the lands that they have already put into use, and that, having had the experience of sowing a little wheat
that the honorable general sent for the testing of its product, it was successful and it grew until it became
very leafy but, some cows having entered into it, they ate it and the experiment that was wanted could not
be verified and that it has not been repeated.
To the ninth question he said: that, as he figures it, the entire annual sowing in this town, which
regards corn, would be about one hundred measures in all the lands that they have put into cultivation
which, in the crops, they experience they reap up to two hundred measures for each one in cultivation in
the irrigated lands and in that of seasonal rains the same, if some accident does not prevent it and that,
regarding other seeds, there are few set out in use up to the present, but regarding beans, the little that is
sown is twice a year and in both they have a good harvest and that in particular with the corn that is
harvested here the have enough with which to maintain their residents and assemblies and they have a
surplus to sell to the other immediate settlements.
To the tenth question he said: that the settlements situated in what is the real coast of the Gulf of
Mexico are those which the declarer knows, as he has explained in this, his statement to the first question,
that he does not know its distances to the sea but that, from this town of Aguayo to la Barra del Puerto de
Santander, he judges there should be from thirty-eight to forty leagues, and that he does not know which
ports, bays or, anchorages there could be in which minor or major vessels could be sheltered.
To the eleventh question he said: that he knows and it is evident, from his having served the office
of shepherd in the the pastures of this colony many years, that all its land is very suitable for the raising
and keeping of major and minor livestock and that for that regarding this town in its borders, the major
part of its residents have established their "chinchorros" of major and minor livestock in which they
experience great progress and increases in sheep, horses, goats, cows, and all types of livestock as well
as pigs, etc.
To the twelfth question he said: that he knows that in Boca de Caballeros, a distance of about five
leagues from this settlement, there is a mine that was opened and worked two years ago by the captain Don
José Luis de Olazar�n and, due to this person having died, it has remained still and without any use, but
that he knows that an assay of its metals was made and that silver was drawn, although he does not know
what quantity of metal was put to the test nor how much silver was drawn and that he has heard several
residents of this settlement and even the Indians assembled within it give a report that, in one the hills of
the Sierra Gorda that they face and is about one league distance, there are several mineral veins and that
he does not know anything else in this particular.
To the thirteenth question he said: that he knows that in Soto la Marina and the seacoast of
Santander there are salt deposits and in many other parts he has heard that there are also some and that he
has seen it driven in packs to supply all of this settlement and for the border provinces and also for
Guadalc�zar, Saltillo, Parras, and Masapil, city of San Luis and Huasteca and for many other parts, and
that he is assured that although it be for all the Kingdom of New Spain it can be provided from that which
the coast of this colony produces.
To the fourteenth question he said: that this town is found in tranquility and peaceful
communication with its surrounding neighborhoods and its settlers in a very good union, its assembly
preserving tranquility at present and in its haciendas they experience the same, also without any discomfort
being experienced from the heathen Indians at present; but in those of the assembly and in the others, there
is little reason to count on their tranquility and subsistence due to the brutal inconstancy of their nature
since, with whatever reason that their ideas are objected to, they rise up and disturb, as they have done
several times and, lately, those from around here did it, uniting with those of Llera and those of the
Jaumave and they committed several deaths, thefts, and other excesses and afterwards they were converted
again and, one should expect they will always live in this manner until time converts them to another
thinking; and that regarding the heathen Indians of that not conquered, the idea that has been formed about
them is that they be maintained in the impentrable and extensive areas of the hills that they occupy in
Tamaulipa and other areas, performing their thefts, until the time might come to convert them.
To the fifteenth question he said: that the Sierra Madre or Sierra Gorda is one and the same known
by both names and that this is the one which divides this colony on the part of the south and of the west
and that he has heard that in Tamaulipa la Nueva there is good opportunity for settlements in the site that
they call the Nueces and also in other parts of it, like in the site that is called la Salada, Río de Conchas
and Río Pablillo, that the declarer has seen these regions and they have good lands and grasses and that,
from the experience that he has from having traveled in those pastures, it appears to him that, putting in
a settlement in the site of the Nueces and another one in la Salada, they could not only contain the heathen
Indians but also cast them from those hiding places which are the most secure refuge that they have and,
curtailed, they might be converted to the assemblies and missions.
To the sixteenth question he said: that the town of Linares of Nuevo Reino de León is a border of
this colony at a distance of three or four leagues and Valle del Pilón and Mota, also of the said Nuevo
Reino, are also borders of this colony at a distance of three or four leagues, also the town of Cerralvo, also
of said Nuevo Reino, at a distance from the limits of this colony of about forty leagues, la Bahía de Espíritu
Santo, that is a presidio and mission of the province of Tejas, a distance from the boundaries of this colony
of about thirty-six leagues more or less, the town of San Antonio de Béjar in the said province, of which
he does not know the distance and that he does not have information of others; and that he knows for
certain they enjoy much benefit after the conquest, in regard to the harassments that they used to suffer
from the Indians that occupied it and it is known for the freedom with which they enter to graze, with their
haciendas in the pastures of this colony, and the major tranquility that they enjoy from them in that area.
To the seventeenth question he said: that he does not know what number of captains, corporals,
and soldiers are found enlisted nor what salaries they enjoy but that the captain Don Juan de Astigarraga,
who is the one who ministers in this town and has the command of the ordinary and military jurisdiction
of it, enjoys five hundred pesos per year and that he has heard that, where there are enlisted soldiers, the
sergeants enjoy two hundred fifty and the others two hundred twenty-five, and that several are paid in
goods and reales and that the service that they do is to go in detachments throughout the settlements and
unpopulated areas, seeing to it that the Indians do no damage.
To the eighteenth question of the General Legal Data he said: that they do not concern him in
anyway and all that the declarer has said having been read to him again orally ad verbum, he said that he
only needs to add that its general Don José de Escandón, as soon as the establishment of this settlement
was put into effect, gave to its settlers about four hoes, a crowbar and one-half dozen machetes and to the
peaceful Indians of this assembly he gave clothes to all, young and adult, and that he does not know the
value that all this could have. And that to the other he has nothing to add nor anything to delete for all of
this being the truth by the oath that he has made and he asserts and approves this and, it being necessary,
he will say it anew and he signed it and said to be fifty years of age, the said honorable Don José Tienda
de Cuervo signed it with the witnesses present. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Juan Diego Díaz
Guerrero. -(rubric) Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
STATEMENT OF DON JUAN BAUTISTA OLAZARAN. - In the town of Aguayo in thirteen
days of the month of May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the said honorable Don José Tienda de
Cuervo, continuing the formalities of his inspection and assignments by the cited instruction and inquiry
that is found in the first folder number one, he had appear before him Don Juan Bautista de Olazar�n,
resident of this town, of whom he received an oath by God and a cross so that he tell the truth in what
would be asked and, his having done it and promised as it is required, he said the following:
To the first question he said: that the Sierra Gorda, before the conquest, was inhabited by heathen
Indians, among whom there were some that preserved peace with the stockowners and people that cared
for the haciendas who entered these pastures but that most of them gave many problems in the settlements
of the borders and in that of San Antonio de los Llanos, which was the only one in this colony then of
which the declarer has individual news because for some years his father managed the haciendas, which
today are of the missions of Californias, whose pastures they had, and have, in this colony and that the
settlements and converted villages that he knows to be established at the present are this one of Aguayo
which has an assembly and a converted Indian village, that of Llera that also has them, and that he knows
that there are some in G�emes, Padilla, Santander, Escandón, Altamira, Santa B�rbara, Santillana, Soto
la Marina, San Fernando, Camargo, and several others that he has heard exist, but he is not sure of the
assemblies that they could have at the present nor the condition in which they are found, only that of this
town of Aguayo can he give a report that the Indians of its assembly are Pisones, by which name they are
distinguished and they are situated in the land called San Felipe, that he does not know the actual number
of which said assembly is composed, and that he knows that there are still no baptized ones because they
are waiting for them to begin getting used to the doctrine and becoming domesticated in order to give them
this benefit, and that the number of residents of which this village must be composed today, should be
about fifty, more or less, of which the first settlers that came to this establishment would be about fourteen
and they were situated where this village today subsists which is immediate to the Sierra Gorda at the site
that they call la Boca de San Marcos and that the condition in which they find themselves is in the
observance of good habits, governed by the captain Don Juan de Astigarraga who has the command of
the ordinary and military jurisdiction and its inhabitants and assembly are found ministered by the apostolic
missionary father Fray Antonio Javier de Aréchiga.
To the second question he said: that most of the first settlers of this town proceed from the
shepherds who were in the ranches of the old village of San Antonio de los Llanos and the others from los
Asientos de Ibarra and from Reino de León and that it has been about five years, more or less, that they
were established in this town and that they financed themselves and nothing was given to them for their
establishment and that the measure that has favored their subsistence and that of the Indians who, at that
time, were found in peace in the sites of Santa Lucía and Boca de San Marcos, is the aid given to them by
the general Don José de Escandón on two occasions with corn and clothes for the Indians; that he does
not know the value that these expensess might have had.
And in consequence of the antecedent he was asked how many settlers or residents have been
increased up to the present, from where have they come, and how they have been financed for their trip
and establishment, he said: that the residents that have increased, up to the present, should be about from
thirty-five to forty, more or less, and that these have come, some from lands outside and others from
soldiers of the haciendas and settlements, and they have been financed by themselves, adding to it only
from the benefits of the good lands which they enjoy here.
To the third question he said: that he knows that the Indians of this assembly have huts for their
homes, separate from the residents at about two leagues in the site called San Felipe.
To the fourth question he said: that what he knows is that the site and fields are indicated for the
assembled and converted Indians, with a water canal for their irrigation, and that these have been turned
over to the missionary father so that he care for them and cultivate them and he knows that he is effectively
cultivating and improving them with the labor of the same Indians and he believes that there is not another
formal possession, since, with the settlers and residents, they use the same method of having indicated the
lands for them that they consider each one could improve, but they have not been given property of them
and, regarding that which concerns the rest of the boundary of this town that extendes about five leagues
on the side of Tamaulipa la Vieja, two and one-half on the G�emes side and another five by San Pedro and
one toward Lierra Gorda, all this [is] in common and each one has taken, and takes, the lands that he has
needed, and needs, for his cultivation and all the rest is general for pasture for the livestock.
To the fifth question he said: that the rivers that he knows and has knowledge of their sites are that
of San Antonio which begins at la Boca of the same name at la Sierra Madre, waters and fertilizes Santo
Domingo de Hoyos, and ends at that of la Purificación and this one begins at la Sierra Gorda, passes
through Padilla and by one side of la Marina, and finishes at the sea; another river called Santa Engracia
which also begins at said Sierra Gorda, passes about three-fourths league from G�emes and stops at that
of la Purificación; another river called San Pedro that begins at the aforesaid sierra and ends at that of
Santa Engracia; another called Caballeros which begins at la Boca of its name at Sierra Gorda and ends
at that of San Felipe, and this also begins at said Sierra Gorda, passes through G�emes, and ends at that
of Santa Engracia at three-quarters of a league from that village; another called San Marcos, which is the
one that waters and fertilizes this village of Aguayo, that begins at the mouth of its name in the said Sierra
Gorda, passes through this village, crosses the ranch of San José, and that he does not know where it
terminates and that he knows that there is another river in Llera which fertilizes and waters that village,
that it comes along la Sierra Gorda, waters that village, and he does not know what benefit it might have
to others nor where it ends; and that, although he has heard that there are several other rivers, he cannot
give a report of knowledge of them, their distances, nor their shores.
To the sixth question he said: that he knows that the canal of this town has been drawn from its
river called San Marcos from which this village procures the irrigation of the major part of its lands and
that the same is obtained by Santo Domingo de Hoyos and the mission of this town of Aguayo, the village
of Llera and Santander and that he has no report of other parts.
To the seventh question he said: that he does not know what villages there might be that, with
ground water sources or springs, could obtain irrigation and cultivation, but he believes that la Revilla can
obtain this benefit from its ground water source that it has immediate to its site.
To the eighth question he said: that the use that the irrigation serves is to sow corn, beans, cotton,
chile, vegetables, fruit-bearing trees, other vegetables and cane and that the most assured of these are the
corn and beans and the lands are suitable, as they have experienced for whatever is planted; that he does
not know exactly what quantity they have in this application and the father of the declarer, having had the
experience of sowing a little wheat to see if it would grow to establish its planting, found that it sprouts and
begins to get leafy up to a certain state about one-third of the height but it does not grow a head nor is it
fruitful, which the declarer knows by having seen and observed this experiment.
To the ninth question he said: that he does not know exactly the annual sowing of corn that is done
in this village in the lands of their fields nor what they produce in their crops with irrigation or seasonal
rains due to the little experience that he has and that, regarding the other seeds, there are few set into use
and that, with the corn that is reaped in this village when it is obtained without storms, it is sufficient for
its inhabitants and its congregation to maintain themselves without needing to be provided from other parts.
To the tenth question he said: that the villages that he knows are situated at the coast of the Gulf
of Mexico are those which he has stated in the first question of this his declaration, that he does not know
its distances to the sea and that he only knows that there is the port and barra, which they call Santander,
near Soto la Marina; that he has heard that small vessels of the honorable General Escandón enter into it
and that he has not heard, nor knows, that there could be other ports along the entire coast.
To the eleventh question he said: that he knows that all the land of this colony is very suitable for
the raising and conservation of major and minor livestock and that regarding this town and its boundary,
the major part of its residents have already established their herds of major and minor livestock in which
they experience large increases.
To the twelfth question he said: that he knows that in la Boca de Caballeros, a distance of about
five leagues from this village, there is a mine that was discovered and put into work by the captain Don
José Luis de Olazar�n, brother of the declarer, who put his hacienda and establishment in those environs
to improve them and he began to draw ores from it and made an assay and, from the test, it appears to him
that he drew about one and one-half ounce of silver and, the death of the aforesaid captain having occurred,
it remained stalled and without use and there has not been anyone afterwards to continue it and that he does
not know of other mines in this jurisdiction and that he hears that there are some in Cerro de Santiago and
that he is working in it or they run in the name of Don Domingo de Unz�ga, captain of the village of
Hoyos, and that he has heard also that there are other mines in Tamaulipa la Vieja and that he does not
know of others.
To the thirteenth question he said: that he knows that in Soto la Marina and in many other parts
of the seacoast there are salt deposits, that the declarer has seen it being driven in packs for the supplying
of this village and of the land outside and that it is certain that it is abundant and sufficient to maintain this
colony and other parts and that in the jurisdiction of this town there are also some creeks that crystallize
and produce salt deposits that serve for the livestock.
To the fourteenth question he said: that this town is found quiet and in peaceful correspondence
with the others immediate to it and its settlers without disturbance, its congregation having the same at the
present, its haciendas experiencing the same without any inconvenience from the heathen Indians, for the
moment, and the same he hears of the other villages but in the subsistence ofthe tranquility of these, there
is very little knowledge due to the fickleness that they maintain and the propensity that they have for clear-sightedness[sic] and restlessness with no more reason than their trivial fault findings, as they have done
several times, and the assembled ones in this village did lately[sic], uniting with those of Llera and those
of Jaumave, and they caused several deaths and thefts and other excesses for which no good concept can
be established from these nor from the unconquered Indians, nor to expect anything else other than the
effects time.
To the fifteenth question he said: that the Sierra Madre or Sierra Gorda he has always held as one
and the same and he has heard it call by other names assured that it has no other distinction than these
names and that this one is the one which divides this colony from the border provinces from the south to
the west and that he does not know what proportions the Sierra Tamaulipa has to place villages nor does
he know of the effect that could be obtained with their establishments in its lands and the containment of
the Indians, because he has no experience of the situation of those regions.
To the sixteenth question he said: that it has not news nor does he know what villages of the Nuevo
Reino de León nor of other provinces would be borders of this colony nor how far they are situated,
because has not gone to those regions nor has he had the curiosity to be informed about them; and that he
knows for certain that the said borders get much benefit since the conquest of this colony in regard to what
they suffered before from the Indians that occupied it because, now, they enter its haciendas to graze in
the pastures without those risks that they suffered before and they have obtained tranquillity in their
villages.
To the seventeenth question he said: that he does not know what number of captains, corporals,
and soldiers might be those enlisted in all the colony but that he knows that the salary that they enjoy is five
hundred pesos for each captain and two hundred twenty-five for each soldier of those enlisted and that these
are paid by the general Don José de Escandón in supplies and in reales, and that the captains are allocated
in the command of the ordinary jurisdiction of the villages and the soldiers in going in detachments from
one place to another observing that the Indians not commit hostilities and, regarding this town of Aguayo,
its captain has five hundred pesos salary, but its soldiers, that are composed from all its inhabitants, have
no salary whatsoever and they concur and serve in all that is necessary, as much in this jurisdiction as in
the others of the colony.
To the eighteenth question of the General Legal Data he said: that they do not concern him at all
and, it having been read again to him ad verbum, all that the declarer has said, in case he need to add or
remove anything or that he approve it, he said: that he has nothing to add nor anything to remove for all
that he has said being the truth by the oath that he has made and he asserts and approves this and he said
to be of the age of twenty-seven years, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo signed it with the
witnesses present. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Juan Bautista Olazar�n. -(rubric) -Roque
Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
DOCUMENT. - In the town of Aguayo in fourteen days of the month of May of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, having seen the formalities performed up
to this time in this town for its inspection and of its state and jurisdiction, considering them sufficient,
desirous of not losing time and avoiding the expenses to the Royal Treasury, in order to continue the others
that are found essential, he ordered that everything corresponding and acted upon in this village be put in
a separate folder to facilitate its information with more clarity each one that be necessary and he signed it. -
José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
TOWN DE LLERA
DOCUMENT.- In the town of Llera in sixteen days of the month of May of seventeen hundred
fifty and seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, Gentleman of the Order of Santiago,
Captain of Dragoons of the New City of Veracruz and Inspecting Judge for the most excellent honorable
Viceroy Marquis of las Amarillas, for the inspection of the Gulf of Mexico, as it appears in the dispatch,
which was entrusted to him, its date in Mexico on the twenty-ninth of March of this present year, that is
found as head of the folder number one that was begun to be formed on these formalities. Having arrived
at this town yesterday the fifteen of the current [date] at seven in the evening, he found it suitable, in
continuation of his assignments, to continue, without time loss, that which in this village should be
organized according to the instructions given for this purpose and set in the cited folder number one from
folio four up to eight and, for this, he ordered that, as it is prepared at the continuation of this document,
the suitable formalities be made and that the declarations and examinations of witnesses that are to be made
be according to the inquiry that is found in said folder number one in folio fifty-four, everything being
acted upon in the presence of elected witnesses for the formation of these documents who are Don Roque
Fern�ndez Marcial and Francisco José de Haro, whom said gentleman has nominated for this purpose
and by this, his document, he thus provided, ordered, and signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric)
-Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
DOCUMENT.- In the said town of Llera on the said day the sixteenth of May of seventeen
hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, Gentleman of the Order of
Santiago, Captain of Dragoons of the New City of Veracruz, and Inspecting Judge for the most excellent
honorable Viceroy in continuation of the formalities that he intends to undertake in this village, ordered
a general review of its inhabitants and settlers to be passed, communicating the order to the captain Don
José Ignacio de Ordiozola, in whom is found the ordinary and military jurisdiction of it, so that he give
a list of the residents, settlers, and inhabitants that are found in it, in which are included, with particular
note, the officers and enlisted soldiers with salary, their number and annual amount that they enjoy, with
the names of the wives, children, and families of one and another, and what goods, haciendas, and
livestock they have and of what species and at its conclusion the report of the service that the officers and
enlisted soldiers do, sending a copy of this document to the aforesaid captain so that he cite his residents,
settlers, and inhabitants such that tomorrow, that shall be counted the seventeenth of the current [month]
at nine, they be all together with their weapons in the square of this town to perform this deed with the
necessary reliability and thus he provided, ordered, and signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
REVIEW. - In the town of Llera in seventeen days of the month of May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, by virtue of that ordered in the document
of the sixteenth day of the current, in order to pass the review in this town, having received the list of its
inhabitants delivered by the captain Don José de Ordiozola, arranged it be passed as it is ordered and that
for its major justification it have a message of appeal to the very reverend father Fray Tom�s Cortés,
apostolic missionary in this village, so that he be served to attend this act and to be able have from his
holiness the suitable reports and, this motion being communicated to the said reverend father, he concurred
with the said gentleman and in these terms the said review was begun, calling each one by name,
registering the weapons that are composed of rifle, sword, and shield and some pistols and, posing the
questions to them that were held to be suitable, it was executed in the following form:
REVIEW
SQUADRON OF OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS
ENLISTED AND WITH SALARY
1.- Capitan Don José Ignacio de Odriozola, native of Azcoitia, province of Guipúzcoa, married to Doña Leonarda de Rivera y Zúña, all arms, forty horses, enjoys five hundred pesos salary per year paid by His Majesty, has one servant and three orphans.
1.- Sergeant, present, José Antonio López, Spaniard, native of Rincón de León, married to Josefa López, Spaniard, has all arms, eight horses and enjoys two hundred fifty pesos per year salary.
1.- Drummer, present, Francisco Javier Zertuche, resident who was from San Luis Potosí, married to Juana Cadena, has two children, all arms, without horses, enjoys two reales every day.
1.- José Ignacio Rodríguez, soldier, present, married, has one daughter, all arms, seven horses, enjoys the salary of two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
1.- José Gómez, present, married, has two children, all arms, five horses, enjoys two hundred twenty-five pesos salary per year.
1.- Francisco Gómez, present, Spaniard, married, has all arms, ten horses, enjoys two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
1.- Casimiro Macías, present, married, has four children, all arms, five horses, enjoys two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
1.- Jorge Macías, present, married, has two children, all arms and five horses, enjoys two hundred twenty-five pesos salary per year.
1.- Don Agustín Menchaca, present, bachelor, has all arms and eight horses, enjoys two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
1.- Salvador Cosío de Mata, present, married, has two children, all arms, six horses, enjoys two hundred twenty-five pesos salary per year.
1.- Luis de Miranda, present, married, with five children, all arms, five horses, enjoys two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
1.- Alejandro Cadena, present, married, has all arms, five horses, enjoys two hundred twenty- five pesos salary per year.
1.- Juan Antonio Martínez, present, has all arms, seven horses, enjoys two hundred twenty- five pesos per year and is a bachelor.
SETTLERS OF THE FIRST ESTABLISHMENT
1.- Juan José de Salas, present, resident who was from Guadalc�zar, married to Salvadora de la Cruz, has three children, all arms, six horses.
1.- Juan Antonio Cadenas, resident who was from the jurisdiction of San Luis Potosí, married to Justa Rufina, has six children, all arms, four horses.
1.- Juan de los Santos Cadena, married to María Francisca Pérez, who is absent with permision, was a native of San Luis Potosí, has three children, all arms, six horses.
1.- Gregorio Pecina, resident of Armadillo, married to Josefa, Indian, has two children, all arms, one horse.
1.- Rafael Ignacio de Leiva, resident who was from the jurisdiction of San Luis Potosí, married to Juana Rodríguez, has all arms, three horses.
1.- Juan de Guadalupe, resident of Real de Charcas, married to Dorotea Magdalena, has three children, has arms, without horses.
1.- Domingo Antonio Cabrera, resident who was from the jurisdiction of San Luis Potosí, married to Tomasa Ruiz, has three children, all arms, six horses.
1.- María Antonia Pecina, widow of Faustino Gonz�lez, has four children.
1.- Marcos Alejandro Cadena, married to María Francisca Alvarez, has two children, all arms, eight horses.
1.- Hilario José de Silva, resident who was from the jurisdiction of Guadalc�zar, married to Isabel de San Diego, has four children, without arms, no horses and is sick.
1.- Tomasa Méndez, widow of Antonio Casiano Palomo, has three children.
1.- Pedro Serrano Muñoz, resident who was from the ranches of San Isidro, married to María Rosa Palomo, has one son, all arms, five horses.
1.- José Santos de Ortega, resident who was from Guadalc�zar, widower, has one son, all arms, four horses.
1.- Bernardo Pérez, married to Francisca Antonia Méndez, resident who was from Nombre de Jesús, has one son, all arms, fifteen horses and four female donkeys.
1.- Cayetano Cadena, resident who was from San Luis Potosí, married to María Baltazara Liscano, has four children, without arms, two horses and two female donkeys.
1.- Nicol�s de Herrera Sandoval, widower, has arms, without horses.
1.- Juana Nicolasa López, widow of Anastasio de la Cruz, has two children, four horses.
1.- Antonio Pérez de la Cruz, resident who was from Río Verde, married to Isabel Montoya, has all arms, four horses.
1.- Nicol�s de Arria, resident who was from Tula, married to Lucrecia de la Concepción, has four children, without arms or horses.
1.- Felipe Rodríguez, resident who was from the ranches of San Isidro, married to María Guadalupe, has five children, arms, and six horses.
1.- José Antonio Ortiz, resident of Querétaro, married to María Magdalena Sansón, without arms or horses.
INCREASE OF REGISTERED RESIDENTS
1.- Martín de Trejo, resident who was from Guadalc�zar, married to Juana Antonia Ceballos, has four children and one orphan, all arms, two horses.
1.- Hilario de Santiago, married to Pascuala Francisca, has five children, without arms or horses.
1.- Felipe Cadenas, married to María Picina, has two children, all arms and one horse.
1.- Nicol�s Antonio Rendón, resident who was from Armadillo, married to María Francisca de Salas, has one daughter, all arms, six horses.
1.- José Antonio García, married to Juana Tomasa five children, without arms or horses.
1.- José de la Encarnación, resident of the jurisdiction of Río Verde, married to María Nicolasa Pérez. has two children, arms, without horses.
1.- María de Chavarría, wife of Asencio de Mora, deserter. Francisco Rendón, bachelor, has no arms, but two horses.
1.- Sebasti�n Grimaldo, resident of Querétaro, married to María de la Encarnación, has five children, without arms or horses.
1.- Juan Lucas de Cepeda, of the jurisdiction of Armadillo, married to María Gertrudis, has one son and arms, without horses.
1.- Juan Felipe de la Encarnación, resident who was from Parras, married to María Rosa, has four children, arms and two horses.
1.- Ignacio de Mata, resident who was from Venado, married to María del Carmen, all arms, four horses.
1.- Juan Antonio Ord��ez, resident who was from Matehuala, married to Isabel de Olvera, has three children, arms without rifle, two horses.
1.- Ignacio Ord��ez, resident who was from Matehuala, married to Manuela de Alamilla, has three children, arms and two horses.
1.- Crist�bal Ord��ez, resident who was from Matehuala, married to Francisca de la Cruz, one daughter, one horse, without arms.
1.- José Antonio Vel�squez, resident of Guadalc�zar, married to Petra Cadena, has one horse, without arms.
1.- José Ignacio Brutón, resident of Querétaro, married to María Pérez, has two children, all arms, seven horses.
1.- Miguel de Rivera, resident of Querétaro, married to Matiana Cadena, with four children, all arms, eight horses.
1.- Mateo de la Trinidad, resident of Peotillos, married to Antonia Hermenegilda, without arms or horses.
1.- José Cadena, married to Isidra Pérez de la Cruz, has four children, all arms and three horses, is absent with permission.
1.- Bernardo Rodríguez, married to María Rosalía Rendón, has one daughter, all arms, four horses.
1.- Francisco Pecina, married to Antonia Cadena, has one son, without arms or horses.
1.- Eugenio Antonio Guevara, resident who was from Guadalc�zar, married to María de la Concepción, has four children, without arms or horses.
1.- Juan Bautista de Vargas, resident who was from Charcas, married to María Ignacia, has all arms and two horses.
1.- Juan de Torres, of the juristiction of Potosí, married to Antonia Cadena, has one daughter, all arms, four horses.
1.- Benito Cadena, married to Sebastiana Macías, has one female orphan, all arms, four horses.
1.- Juan Dolores de Torres, resident of Guadalc�zar, married to Juana Alberta, has eight children, all arms, twelve horses.
1.- Leonardo de Torres, resident who was from Guadalc�zar, married to María de Asua, has all arms, three horses.
1.- Felipe de la Cruz, resident of Valle del Maíz, married to Juana Francisca, has three children, all arms, two horses.
1.- Francisco de Arria, resident of Pueblo de Tula, married to Juana, has two children, one horse, knife, and shield, without rifle.
1.- Cornelio Cadena, married to Petra Olguín, has two horses, without arms.
1.- Crist�bal Pérez de la Cruz, absent with permission, married to Cayetana de Jesús, has one daughter, all arms, without horses.
1.- Francisco López, native of Río Verde, married to Juana Cadena, has all arms, without horses.
1.- Juan Ignacio de Leiva, married to Rosalía Cadena, two horses, a knife and shield.
1.- José Antonio Sepúlveda, native of el Rincón de León, married to Josefa Gómez, without arms, no horses and is absent with permission.
1.- José Cadena, married to Lucrecia Méndez, has all arms, three horses, absent with permission
1.- Lucas Cadena, maarried to Jacinta Rendón, has two children, all arms, seven horses.
1.- José Manuel Dimas, married to Gregoria Torres, arms, rifle, and shield, one horse.
1.- Felipe de Santiago, resident of Río de Nazas, married to María de Rivera, without arms or horsees.
1.- Toribio Picina, married to María Claudia, has one son, without arms or horses.
1.- José Pérez de la Cruz, married to María Guadalupe, without arms or horses.
That, so it seems from the review made in this conformity, the number of families of this area is
composed of seventy-one and that of its persons two hundred seventy-nine in this manner: The eleven of
the squadron of officers and soldiers enlisted and with salary, the twenty of old settlers established in the
first foundation with the cost of one hundred pesos each. And the forty residents increased and registered
after the establishment, coming from various parts; and the goods that exist belonging to these families
residing in this village are six hundred and twelve breeding horses; fifty-nine mules, fifty-seven pairs of
oxen, two hundred ninety-seven heads of sheep, and four hundred eleven heads of breeding cattle, without
including two hundred sixty-one horses which its residents kwwp and maintain, allocated for their service
and use, as is seen in the same items of this review, and six female donkeys. And regarding the justification
of it, it was petitioned to the reverend father Fray Tom�s Cortés, apostolic missionary, that he assist with
the reports that would be suitable and, his having attended, given those which were necessary in proof of
the existence of families and their goods and also of those who appear to be there with permission, the said
honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo requested him to serve in signing in faith of this affair and the said
reverend father executed it and, completed in these terms, he ordered it put in the folder of documents of
this town of Llera and the said gentleman signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez
Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
PROCEEDING OF THE REVIEW OF INDIANS. In the said town of Llera, in seventeen days
of the month of May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the said honorable Don José Tienda de
Cuervo, to acquaint himself of the state of the mission and the assembly of Pisones Indians converted in
this village, situated immediate to the village of this town at about two blocks approximately, had appear
before him the collection of them and, having devoted himself to go about asking them whatever might
serve for this purpose, he found that they are composed of about forty families, with one hundred sixty-six
adult and young persons of both sexes and among them, nominated for their management, a governor,
three mayors, a magistrate, and a prosecutor. And after having admonished them through the interpreter
about that which was suitable, the subordination that they should observe, and that they be prudent in that,
if up to now they had been tolerated in their uprisings and lack of obedience, in the future they try not to
commit similar excesses because the most excellent honorable Viceroy would take it very badly and would
make his rigor and punishment known; that they be subjects to the missionary father, to the captain of the
town and humble to the settlers, that they apply themselves to the cultivation and work of their lands, and,
above all, to observe the christian doctrine, being instructed in it and that, doing this, they would
experience the affection of His Excellency, of which they made a demonstration of having understood it
and gave gestures that they would do it thus. And wanting, in the same terms, to acquaint himself of the
state of the Janambres Indians connected to the village of this town, it was proposed to said gentleman the
difficulty that there was in being able to assemble them because these do not yet accept an assembly and
they maintain themselves scattered, with which the said gentleman found it sufficient to inform himself
about what there could be in this particular matter by means of the missionary father of whose report he
ascertained that they should be composed of from sixty to seventy families with two hundred fifty to three
hundred persons of both sexes young and adult, divided into four companies with the respective captains,
and having concurred to all that the reverend missionary father Fray Tom�s Cortés said, the said
gentleman requested him to serve in faith of its having happened thus and his having accompanied in this
proceeding to sign it for its better witnessing. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) Fray Tom�s Cortés. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
Fray Tom�s Cortés Apostolic Preacher of the college of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de
Zacatecas and Minister of this town of Santa María de Llera and Missionary of their Misión de Peña
Castillo, its dedication la Divina Pastora. In accomplishment of the requirement under request and
assignment that precedes, I pass to Your Lordship the census of the resident and inhabitant citizenry of this
said town with the expression of their names, those of their wives and children and I certify it in the most
sufficient form:
That the Indians assembled in the said mission are forty families with one hundred sixty-six
persons, among them there are only eight persons of the Janambre tribe, four of the Marihuana of both
sexes and all the remaining complement to the one hundred sixty-six persons are from the Pisona tribe as
is noted on the census of them that I also deliver to Your Lordship. They are all found baptized and
married according to the order of Our Holy Mother Church, subject to bell and doctrine, well instructed
in it, dedicated to the work, cultivation, and improvement of the lands that are planted on account of this
mission, from which they harvest products to maintain themselves, such that for this and other works that
I might need, I need no other peons and they are very obedient to all, of course, although the Indians of
the mission of the Jaumave rose up and disquieted others not of this mission, they brought them down from
the hill during the month of February, and afterwards they have shown themselves ashamed and remorseful
and still with more obedience than before, since they withstand the correction that I give them with much
humility, which did not happen before when they were offended simply because I scolded them. They are
found situated bordering the houses of the settlers in the site that is allocated for them where they have their
little huts in a manner of a republic with their governor, mayors, and officers and attorney general.
The settlers in its beginnings of this town, were come for its establishment, according to the reports
I have, from Real de Guadalc�zar, San Luis Potosí y Río Verde and their number, as I also have reports
due to my not being then the minister, were forty and thirteen enlistments of soldiers; the others, who
afterwards have been increased, appear in the number that the census contains which I deliver.
The measures, that have favored the subsistence of said settlers and assembled Indians, were the
financial aid of a ration of corn with which they were assisted in the first four years of their establishment,
considering that they could not plant it due to the neighboring war that occurred there.
The stipend assigned annually to this mission and its ministry is three hundred fifty pesos which
are remitted on the part of my apostolic college in whatever is needed for my subsistence, and whatever
is surplus I distribute among the same Indians. The financial aid that was consigned for this mission, was
received by my antecedent, the one which was distributed in major livestock which this mission has today.
The ornaments and sacred urns that the church of this town has today came consigned for the mission; they
were from the account of Your Majesty, they all exist, the charge of whose subsistence I have had and have
by means of the sexton; their value, it appears to me, would be that of one thousand pesos about which I
have no information whatsoever.
Concerning the quarters of the assembled Indians for their abodes, I have already spoken of in the
second point of the exhortation. In the year of seven hundred fifty[sic], a site for the mission was assigned
of which the reverend father Fray Ignacio Cipri�n, who was president of these missions, and the father
Fray Lorenzo Medina, who was minister of this at that time, took possession; I have not cultivated its
lands and I have maintained myself planting in those of the settlers because those assigned to the Indians
do not seem to please them and it is treated thus, bartered with said settlers and, so that it be cleared, it
awaits only that the honorable general Don José Escandón come to this town.
The lands assigned to the town have been enjoyed in common by the settlers who, in those regions
that have pleased them, have opened fields, cultivated lands, and made their plantings. The Indian
assembly had its beginning at the same time that the town was established, which was at the end of the year
of seven hundred forty-eight because, their having maintained themselves in peace in those regions which
they inhabited, they happened then to assemble themselves. They have been maintained with the affection
and hospitality that has been given them, ministering to them, in several occasions, by the honorable
general Don José Escandón, the reward of blankets, workshirts, and other clothes which he has given
them when he has come on his visits, plus the ration of corn that I have given them and am giving them
for their subsistence and all that to which my strength has reached. Concerning their continuation and
subsistence, there are certain hopes for the reasons that I have expressed in the second point of this
registration.
The establishment of this town, as I have already said, was made at the end of the year of seven
hundred forty-eight. This region was called that of the Rusias; from its establishment it is called Santa
María de Llera, afterwards it was given Nuestra Señora del Rosario as a patron.
The measures of corn that I figure are planted in this town between the mission and the settlers are
about forty, the measure under irrigation produces up to one hundred measures, the one of seasonal rains,
I have experienced, produces more than two hundred at its best; what has been harvested from said
plantings has been very competent for the subsistence of settlers and Indians, therefore the said settlers,
reserving that which is essential for them, have sold that which was left over, with the exception of the year
just past since, with the stout and continual storms of rains and wind, the maize fields were lost, they
harvested very little, and it has been necessary to bring it from the outside at their own cost.
The land in the jurisdiction of this town is very suitable for the raising and conservation of all types
of livestock which would be found with much increase had it not been for such continuous hostilities that
were experienced from the rebellious Janambres in the previous years; its land is also very suitable for all
types of seeds, vegetables, and trees as they have experienced in what has been sown and planted.
The benefit from the establishment and populating of this new colony that has come to the borders
that surround it is public and known, since before [it] they experienced many attacks and vexations from
the Indians that inhabited it, which does not happen today, since they find themselves in great peace and
tranquillity. This ridge of mountains of the south is found today completely peaceful from this town to the
one of Altamira, inasmuch as since failure of the rebels Janambres, since they were the ones who made
war and caused disquiet to those who are found today in peace in this town of the same tribe and even with
other tribes, there is peace and quiet in it and in the other aforesaid towns and their assemblies.
The frontier provinces have experienced no injury from the populating of this colony but instead
much benefit, as I have already said, nor has any of these places been depopulated by these settlers having
come from several parts and from the other established towns.
The hope that I have for the continuation and permanency of the congregation of Indians is that
of these being found today in the manner to which I have referred, very obedient and applied to the law
of God, to the work, and very concerned with society and the communication with the Spanish and that,
with the application that they have to the tillage, this seed will produce, not only for their subsistence, but
also that it can be sold and, with the product, to give them that which is necessary for their clothing.
Found on the outside of this peaceful town are about eighty families of Janambre Indians ready and
desirous of being assembled who would be, of all sexes and ages, about three hundred persons; those who,
it seem suitable to me, should be assembled in the mission that was assigned to the rebels who died for
there have not being any in it and this tribe not getting along with that of the Pisones that are in this
mission, the one which does not suffice to be able to maintain some and others and when the said Pisones
see they are treated kindly by me, the said Janambres express displeasure and they are rather jealous of
these demonstrations and because, being as they are in possession of the goods of this mission, since thay
lived here from the beginning, it would work out very badly for the said Janambres to be assembled here
and be maintained from the same goods. And so that it appears where it would be suitable by the virtue
of the exhortation of You Majesty, I give the present one in this said town of Santa María de Llera in
seventeen days of the month of May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years.-Fray Tom�s Cortés
DOCUMENT, In the town of Llera in eighteen days of the month of May of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo said that, with respect to the formalities of
review and response of the exhortation of the reverend missionary father having been performed in this
town in the interim, they have taken the information and received the declarations that have been necessary
to become acquainted withthe state of this town and its jurisdiction and to justify the chapters of the
instruction to which it is committed in order not to waste any time and to avoid the expenses to the Royal
Treasury which would follow in delaying them so that, in registering them the irregularity of its date causes
no doubt, he ordered this prevention to be put in for their information and that everything acted upon in
this matter be put and accumulated in these documents at the continuation of this one and thus he ordered
and signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José
de Haro. -(rubric).
STATEMENT OF JOSE DE LOS SANTOS ORTEGA In the town of Llera in 16 days of the
month of May of 1757 years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, for the justification of the
formalities that he intends to make in recognition of his assignments, according to the instruction that is
found in the folder number one of those which in this matter are being practiced, from folio four up to
eight and from the inquiry that is found in the same folder in the folio fifty-four, had appear before him
José de los Santos Ortega resident of this town, one of the first settlers of it, of whom he received an oath
by God and a cross so that he tell the truth in what would be asked and, having done it as it is required,
he was interrogated in it and he answered the following:
To the first question he said: that the Sierra Gorda before the conquest was inhabited by one or
another band of Indians in Santa Clara, Monte Alberna, la Garita, and las Ajuntas and la Boquilla, all sites
of the Sierra Gorda, and among them there were some baptized Indians, that these had been from the old
mission that was there in the region that they call Santa Rosa, about two leagues or a little more from the
Jaumave toward the skirt of the mountain which today is the hacienda of los Padres del Carmen and,
because that mission was removed, whose reason he truly does not know, some withdrew to the mountain
and others went to el Jaumave, so that it resulted in having some baptized among the heathens at the time
of the conquest and that the villages that are established in it at the present are those of Santa María de
Llera, Escandón, Horcasitas, Altamira, Santa B�rbara, Aguayo, G�emes, Padilla, Santander, Santillana,
Soto la Marina, San Fernando, Burgos, Reinosa, Camargo, Mier, Revilla, Dolores, Hoyos; that these are
the ones which he knows and he has news of and not of others, and that the Indians are distinguished by
their names of Pisones, Janambres, Pasitas, Malincheros, and many other names, that they mutually keep
a correspondence from their hamlets, the assemblies and converted villages of which, that the declarer
knows are presently established, are the one of this town of Llera which currently has one hundred forty
among yount and adults of the Pisones caste in its mission, established from the beginning of this village
and, at the same time, added to this town are about one hundred Janambres Indians among young and
adults, who maintain themselves in the assembly of this town outside of the mission because they are
opposed to the Pisones and that, of these last ones which are those who are gathered in the mission, only
seven or eight might be ready to baptize because they express doubt in their explanation of whether they
could be or not in another area and that, of the Janambres collected in this village, there are some baptized,
although they are few and that he does not know why the rest are not but he believes it is due to the lack
of subsistence that they observe since they go and come every day, from which one cannot make sense of
them; and that he also knows that there is a Janambre Indian assembly in Santa B�rbara, in Aguayo,
Horcasitas, and that he does not know of others. That of the number of settlers, the first that he knows
came to this town were forty and that the condition in which they are found is in that of being ordered and
governed by a captain who performs the ordinary jurisdiction and attended by an apostolic minister called
Fray T�mas Cortés who is the one who educates them in the christian doctrine and this same person cares
for and attends the mission of the Indians.
To the second question he said: that the first settlers that were established in this town proceed
from; Guadalc�zar, jurisdiction of Armadillo, and that of San Luis del Potosí; that it has been about eight
and one-half years that they were established and that their conveyance was financed by the colonel Don
José de Escandón, with a hundred pesos that were given to each one for their coming and that in the first
and second year the said colonel favored their subsistence giving them some portions of corn for them to
maintain themselves and to plant; that he does not know the number of measures that were given to all the
residents but that to the declarer, in the said two years, there were about six measures which were given
to him and to the others, he believes, might be proportionate more or less, according to the families, but
that his was not more than three persons and that nothing else has been given them, nor does he know that
any other thing has been given to the other settlers. And that he knows that, on the order of the said
Colonel Escandón, corn, blankets, cotton shirts, and other clothes like flannel, cotton shirts and mufflers,
rosaries and beads for necklaces have been given to the said assembled ones; that he can give no report
of the importance of that which has been given.
And in consequence of the antecedent he was asked how many settlers and residents have been
increased up to the present, from where have they come, and how they have been financed, he said: that
they must have been increased as he can judge, more or less about twenty residents up to the present and
that he does not know that these may have had any financing for their trip and establishment because some
have come voluntarily from several parts and others have married with the families of the same settlers.
To the third question he said: that the Indians of this mission have huts for their assembly and
abodes separate from the settlers at a distance of two shots of a rifle from this town.
To the fourth question he said: that he does not know if the lands and sites allocated for the
subsistence of the Indians are given in possession to the apostolic ministry that attends them, but that this
declarer, on the order of the said father, is attending to them as steward of them and seeing that the Indians
work and cultivate them for the producing of their fruits, and that these serve for their subsistence and that
these lands are situated about two and one-half leagues from this village, and that to the settlers there has
not yet been given formal possession of lands, but instead each one has taken those which he has been able
to cultivate in the regions that they have found to be more suitable and they are working in these
boundaries; and that the other boundary of this town that extends about six leagues toward Santa B�rbara,
three toward Escandón, three toward las Ajuntas, and that he does not know how many toward Aguayo,
but that, in general, for that regarding pastures, they are in common.
To the fifth question he said: that he knows that there is the river that they call el Jaumave that
begins in Palmillas in the small hill called San José, enters through the Sierra Gorda, passes through el
Jaumave and crosses it all, incorporating itself with el Sigué and it come to this village, fertilizes and
waters it, and continues doing the same through Escandón and Horcasitas until ending at la Barra de
Tampico. Another river called that of los Sabinos which begins at la Sierra Gorda and ends in that of el
Jaumave, farther down from the village of Escandón. Another river called Río Frío that begins at said
Sierra Gorda and he knows that it ends at Río del Jaumave, but he does not know at what distance from
Horcasitas; an other river called San Marcos which serves and fertilizes the town of Aguayo begins at la
Sierra Gorda and he does not know where it ends; another river called the one of la Purificación, which
begins at la Sierra Gorda, passes near Padilla and ends at the sea at Barra de Santander. Another river
called San Antonio which begins at the Sierra Gorda, waters and fertilizes the town of Santo Domingo de
Hoyos, passes by Padilla and ends at that of la Purificación. Another river called that of el Pilón, which
begins at la Sierra Gorda and ends at that of la Purificación and that although he has heard that there are
several other rivers, he cannot give a report of them nor the distances from the villages of their shores.
To the sixth question he said: that he knows that in this town there is an irrigation canal with
which, from the Jaumave River that passes by the margins of this village, they irrigate and fertilize their
working lands, those which are in their plots as well as the rest that are in its environs and meadow and
that he knows that, in Aguayo, there is the same benefit and in Santander, and that he does not know in
what other parts of the colony they may have equal benefit.
To the seventh question he said: that he does not know if there are or are not some other villages
that with water sources or spring with which they could irrigate their lands, reap these benefits.
To the eighth question he said: that the use that the benefit of the irrigation serves is for the
planting of corn, beans, cotton, chile, cane, vegetables, and fruit-bearing trees, and that the most assured
in the crops are corn and cane and that the lands of this village are suitable for all these plantings and part
of them already have this application.
To the ninth question he said: that he judges that the annual planting of irrigated and seasonal corn,
which is done in this town, is about thirty-five measures which are as much as they are able to and they
have under improvement in their land, although there are many other convenient ones if they had the
strength to work them, those crops which they regularly experience that for each one of planting in the
irrigated lands, they harvest up to one hundred measures and in the seasonal ones one hundred forty, this
is in the case that some accidents that could prevent it do not occur and that, of the other seeds, there are
few set into improvement, and that up to now, since the planting has been reduced and the years have been
deadly with storms and bad weather, the crops have not been as regular because they have been lost in
several regions and it has been necessary to bring corn from the outside, from Palmillas and Jaumave, the
residents buying it, each one as he has been able, some in the exchange for salt of which this colony
produces and others taking advantage of the diligence and goods which they have with which to buy it, and
that the assembly and mission of Indians from two years until the present, in which this date is counted,
they have had completely all that necessary for their rations, but that, this week, that which there was for
their subsistence has been ended, and that he does not know what measures will be taken for that in the
future until the harvesting of the crops.
To the tenth question he said: that the villages which he knows are situated in what is the real Coast
of the Gulf of Mexico are those which he has explained in the first question of this declaration, that he does
not know their distances to the sea but that, from this town of Llera to Barra del Puerto de Santander,
which is the closest, there should be about fifty leagues more or less and that he does not know that there
might be other ports, bays, or anchorages into which major and minor vessels could enter, other than the
one of Santander, where he has heard the schooners of the general Don José de Escandón enter and leave.
To the eleventh question he said: that he knows and it is evident that all the land of this colony is
to suitable for the raising and conservation of major and minor livestock and that, concerning this town,
the captain and another resident of it have their ranches in the boundary and, although he has heard that
in various parts of this colony there are different haciendas, he cannot give a report of them nor of the sites
in which they might be established and that regarding what he has ascertained, in the management of this
mission, of the livestock that it has, he sees some large increases since he experiences that since two years
ago the cows have begun to foal.
To the twelfth question he said: that he knows that in the mountain of San José near the Tamaulipa
Mountain, a distance of this settlement of about twenty-five leagues, there is a mine in which Juan
Dolores, Captain Puga, and other residents of this settlement drew a load of ores and they brought them
to this town with the desire of recognizing them, from which the declarer took some stones which, after
they were ground, they were reduced into what fits within the two hands and, taking it to Guadalc�zar, he
made an assay and tests and got about two reales of silver, and that it has not been improved further due
to their not having had the strength for it, with which to finance it, and because the risk of the Indians that
are situated in that Tamaulipa la Vieja Mountains is known, and that he does not know of any other mines.
To the thirteenth question he said: that he knows and it is evident that in the coastline of the sea
of Soto la Marina there are salt deposits that crystallize good salt in such abundance that, on one occasion
that the witness went to bring salt, he saw so much that it seemed there was enough to maintain all the
Kingdom of New Spain and other many provinces, and that he has heard that in other parts of that coast
there are many other salt deposits, and that he knows and it is evident that it is carried in packs to sell to
Guadalc�zar and to many other parts, and the declarer has carried it and dealt with it on several occasions.
To the fourteenth question he said: that all the villages of this colony find themselves in tranquility
and in good communication, one with the other, and their settlers in good union and that the assemblies
and the missions, for the time being, are quiet without experiencing now any discomfort from the savage
Indians, although one must place little faith in some of them due to their being fickle and somewhat
inconstant, as was experienced in the month of January of this year that, those of el Jaumave having risen,
they came and dwelt upon these pisones and, about forty recruited to their side, passing Aguayo, they did
the same with those of that mission and, all united, they committed some excesses, but their governor in
this town and the others remained in communication in their converted village; they were always against
those who had left, which was very suitable so that those repented ones who had left could return to the
mission of this village, having found out that from that time they manifest a type of humility and subjection,
because punishing them for the excesses committed, they carry the punishment with somewhat more
tolerance and [act] as if they recognize their sin, all of which the declarer reports with the experience that
he has of having managed them; and that because now there is no reason that would cause a fear of the
unconquored Indians, because it has been a long time that they have caused any vexations, and that the idea
that has been formed about these is that their intention is no other than that of using their wanton liberty
in those asperities in which thay have been reared until time offers something else.
To the fifteenth question he said: that the Sierra Madre or Sierra Gorda is one and the same known
by both names and that this one is the one that divides this colony on the southern and western part and that
at its skirts in its plains are situated all the settlements established on the coast that they call the Gulf of
Mexico and that in the Sierra de Tamaulipa la Vieja, at its skirts in the site called Tetillas, there are
possibilities for a village with good pastures, planting fields, and spring water, and that it is very fit and
suitable to put in a village there to enjoy its good lands as well as to contract the barbaric Indians and
compel them to start delivering themselves up to the missions, because those Indians are Marihuanes,
Pasitas, Anacanais, Palihueques, and other docile and convertible castes.
To the sixteenth question he said: that he has not been through the borders of Nuevo Reino de
León, Texas, nor those parts for which he can give no report of the distances and that he is certain that said
borders enjoy great benefits in the conquest of this colony regarding the vexations they used to experience
in the haciendas to the livestock that they brought and now bring to these summer pastures because they
experienced that the Indians were continually stealing and killing many shepherds, even with the costly
escorts with which they guarded them, and now they experience no such extortions and, if once in awhile
they steal something, it is light and they are now maintained with less costs for escorts and some without
any because they make use of some residents who serve in this guarding.
To the seventeenth question he said: that he does not know the number of all the captains,
corporals, and soldiers that are found enlisted and with salary in all the colony, nor on what terms their
detatchments and guards are satisfied but, regarding this town, he knows that there is one captain, in which
the political and military jurisdiction is found, who has five hundred pesos salary per year and that there
is also one sergeant with two hundred fifty pesos, but that in this he is not sure; that there is also one
drummer with two reales per day salary and ten soldiers, also enlisted, who earn two hundred twenty-five
pesos per year each, and that all these salaries are paid from the account of the king, and General
Escandón makes the payment, by means of the captain, in goods and silver and that the service and destiny
of these are, the captain in the government of this village, also the sergeant and six soldiers for the
excursions that might be needed and escorting of passengers, one of which is destined for the service and
attendance of the mission for the fields, livestock, and whatever the priest might need and the other four
are destined for the continuous exercise of guarding the horses of the residents which they call a post.
To the eighteenth question of the General Legal Data he said that they have nothing to do with him.
And it having been read again to him orally ad verbum all that the declarer has said so that he may say if
there is anything to add or delete, or that it be approved, he said: that what he has said is the truth by the
oath he has made and that, in it, he affirms himself and approves it and that, it being necessary, he would
say it anew and he did not sign because he stated not knowing how, he is of the age of fifty years, rather
more than less, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo signed it with the witnesses present. - José
Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
STATEMENT OF BERNARDO DE LA CRUZ. - In the said town of Llera in the said day,
sixteenth of May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the said gentleman, continuing the the justification
of his reports, had appear before him Bernardo Pérez de la Cruz, resident of it from whom he received
an oath by God and a cross so that he tell the truth in that which might be asked, and having done it and
offered as is required, he was asked persuant to the questionaire that is found in the folder number one in
folio fifty-four, and he responded the following:
To the first question he said: that the Sierra Gorda before the conquest was inhabited by heathen
Indians, that it was almost impassable since only when many passengers got together were they able to
penetrate up to Guadalupe which is at one of its skirts near la Boca del Jaumave, and that he knows that
the villages that are established in this colony at present are that of Santa María de Llera, Escandón,
Horcasitas, Altamira, Santa B�rbara, Aguayo, G�emes, Hoyos, Padilla, Santander, Santillana, la Marina,
San Fernando, Burgos, Reinosa, Camargo and that these are the ones he knows and has seen, although he
has heard that there are others and that the converted Indian villages established up to the present are those
that the declarant knows, that of this town of Pisones Indians assembled in its old mission who must be
somewhat more than one hundred among young and adult, men and women, and that also found added to
this village there are about one hundred fifty Janambre Indians, that these cannot be added to this said
mission because of the opposition that they have to the Pisones and that the site in which the old Pisones
of the mission are established is about two shots of a rifle from this village but that the land that is indicated
for their fields is a distance from this town of about one-half league, more or less, and that the number of
settlers of the first establishment in it were forty plus ten soldiers who came at the same time and remain
in the same establishment; that the Indians that might be baptised from the assembled ones in the mission,
he does not know how many they are, nor does he know how many of the Janambres [are] added to this
town, and that the state in which its settlers are established is in that of being governed by a captain who
has the political and military command of this town, directed by an apostolic missionary priest who
educates them in the christian customs and that they offered them, when they came of this establishment,
that they would be given two sites for minor livestock and six "caballerias" for each one, and that they
would be aided in all those comforts that are more available.
To the second question he said: that the first settlers of this town came and proceeded from the
jurisdiction of San Luis Potosí, of that of Guadalc�zar and that it has been about a little more than eight
years that they have been established in this village and that their conveyance was paid by the king with
one hundred pesos which was given to each family and delivered by Don José Escajadillo on the order
of the honorable General Escandón and that, for their establishment and subsistence in those first years,
the said General Escandón favored the settlers and the assembled Indians giving them about three hundred
measures of corn and some clothes for the Indians for their maintanence and support, that it seems to him
that one or anothers of these expenses could be worth about six hundred seventy pesos, more or less, in
respect to the cost of a measure of corn being two pesos at that time.
And in consequence to the antecedent, he was asked how many settlers or residents have increased
to the present, from where they have come, and how they were financed; he said that the increased
residents to the present are twenty-two, that some of these have come from the outside from various parts
voluntarily, financed by themselves and the others proceeded from children of families who have married
and to some and others nothing has been given them for their establishment.
To the third question he said: that the assembled Indians in the mission of this town have huts
where they reside separated from the settlers a distance of about two shots of a rifle from this settlement.
To the fourth question he said: that he does not know whether the lands and sites, indicated for the
subsistence of the Indians, have been given in possession to the apostolic minister who cares for them but
that he believes they might simply be designated and delivered to said priest so that the Indians may work
and cultivate them and their production and fruits serve for their maintanance and that these land are
situated about one-half league from this settlement on the north part and that this same rule is followed with
the settlers to whom formal possession of farm land has not yet been given because, up to now, each one
has taken that which he can cultivate in the regions they have held as most suitable, and in these terms they
are working in those within the border that extends about six leagues towards the Santa B�rbara area and
about another six toward Escandón and toward Aguayo another few, and about three, more or less, toward
las Ajuntas, all which these residents enjoy in common for the conservation of their livestock.
To the fifth question he said: that he knows there is a river that they call el Jaumave that begins
near Palmillas, enters through the Sierra Gorda, passes through el Jaumave incorporating itself with el
Sigué, comes to this settlement and fertilizes and irrigates it, and passes by Escandón and Horcasitas and
goes to end at the sea at the barra de Tampico. Another river called los Sabinos which begins in the Sierra
Gorda and, farther down from Escandón, ends at the Jaumave. Another river called Río Frío which begins
at the said Sierra Gorda and goes to end at the aforementioned el Jaumave also farther down from
Escandón and that, although he has heard that there are several others, he has no individual report of them
nor of the settlements of their banks.
To the sixth question he said: that in this settlement there is a canal taken from the river with which
they enjoy irrigation and fertility of their land, that he has understood and experienced that, with its water,
they can irrigate about fifteen measures of sown land in its environs and that the settlements of Aguayo,
Hoyos, and Santander enjoy the same benefit of canals from their rivers and that he does not know if, in
other parts, they have the same convenience.
To the seventh question he said: that in Santa B�rbara and Altamira there is a spring from which
they could make a canal for irrigation but that they have not made use of this work because the lands are
fertile enough and they do not need it.
To the eighth question he said: that with the benefit of irrigation they cultivate the crops of the
seeds which are planted in this town, such as corn, beans, cotton, chile, cane, vegetables, and fruit trees
and that the most fruitful of the crops are corn, cane, and chile since the lands of this settlement are very
appropriate for the planting of these types, and for the others already mentioned that are already put into
application and in the position of being used in these productions at present, [there are] about up to thirty
measures of planting.
To the ninth question he said: that he judges that the annual planting of irrigated and seasonal corn
that is done in this town from three years ago to now is, in each one, thirty measures from which, in the
regular crops, they experience that for each one of planting they reap, in the seasonal crops, about one
hundred fifty measures and, in the irrigated ones, around one hundred, and this he knows with credible
experience because he does planting of one or the other, this being understood in the cases that no
accidents, which impede it, occur and that of the rest of the seeds there are few put into use, since they
normally only plant some of them in the gardens and that the corn crops that they have reaped here from
three years ago to now have been sufficient to maintain its settlement and the Indian assembly without
having to supply themselves from any other place, but that the residents, as it is the quickest refuge in their
necessities, sell it to the settlements of this colony and afterwards they find themselves in the necessity of
buying it again and that in the previous years, the beginning of their establishment, they were not able to
have these comforts of crops; the one because the canal took some time before putting it into use and the
other because the Janambre Indians kept them in continual discomfort stealing their livestock, their corn
fields and crops, such that they were obligated to be continually with their arms in hand, night and day,
to guard against them without being able to attend to the work because they gave no time for anything; of
that which resulted in those beginnings, the settlers had many problems, but now, thank God, they have
a rest since for more than a year they experience no vexations.
To the tenth question he said: that the settlements that he knows are in what is the true coast of the
Gulf of Mexico are those, which he leaves explained in his first question of this declaration, whose
distances to the sea he does not know but, from this one of Llera, there are about fifty leagues, more or
less, to the barra and the port that they call Santander which is the most immediate and that he knows that
there is another port, bays, or anchorages in which large and small ships can enter because, only in having
seen it does he know that the sailing ships of the honorable General Escandón enter into that one.
To the eleventh question he said: that he knows that all the land of this colony is very suitable for
the raising and conservation of major and minor livestock and that he knows that various haciendas of this
type are found already established in Santander by its General Escandón at the site of San Fernando and,
in other regions of that jurisdiction, others of several of its residents and in that of Hoyos, the one of Don
Domingo de Unzaga and that, in this town, its residents also have their fishing boats and that in other
parts they experience many increases and benefits in these livestocks.
To the twelfth question he said: that he knows that at la Sierra San José, at the same edge of that
of Tamaulipa Vieja, that that area was called el Malinche in olden times, a distance from this settlement
of about thirty leagues more or less, there is a mine in which Juan Dolores, accompanied by Puga,
extracted a lode of ore and they brought it to this town from where they took it to Guadalc�zar and he does
not know what resulted from it and that the working of it has not been continued due to the lack of wealth
with which to finance it and because of the fear of the Indians that are situated in that region and that he
does not know of any others.
To the thirteenth question he said: that he knows and is assured that at the shores of the sea near
Soto la Marina there are salt mines that crystalize good salt in such abundance that the whole of New Spain
can maintain itself with it, which this witness knows by having seen it and loaded his mules with it several
times and also that he has heard that in the shores of Altamira there are others and that there are also some
in Horcasitas.
To the fourteenth question he said: that the district of this colony in which these settlements,
assemblies, and haciendas are situated are at present in tranquility and good communication with one
another and in good unity, its residents quiet, its missions without experiencing either any disturbance from
the hostile Indians for now, although there is little to trust in the stability of these because from night to
morning they normally tend to have trouble with only their quibbling, as it was experienced in those of the
mission in the month of January of this year, that having persisted with those who rose from el Jaumave,
this being the way they had remained for many years without trouble and in tranquility and application in
this town, they allowed themselves to be taken from those "instancias" and the greater part of them, or
almost all of them, followed that party with which they committed some excesses and they gave enough
to do to this settlement; which, having followed them, was able to deter them and deprive them of several
thefts of livestock that they had made, from which chastisement resulted the Pison Indians, who had left
this mission, returning to it, converting themselves to this assembly in which they experience that they
continue meeker and, moved away from the error that they committed, they seem to be more humble and,
in castigating their faults, more amenable to suffering.
To the fifteenth question he said: that the Sierra Madre or Sierra Gorda is one and the same and
that it is the division of this colony on the south and on the west and that in the plains of its skirts towards
the seaside is where the plains are situated where the new settlements are, and that in the Sierra Tamaulipa
la Vieja, at its skirts, there are several sites of lands very suitable to be able to place settlements by their
having good wheatlands, water, and territories for livestock in the site they call Tetillas, Cañada Honda,
and San José and Mesas Prietas and that he is very certain that if they placed settlements there, they would
be able to have, completely with everything, that which the others would have, a complete quiet and
tranquility, because it would stretch to the B�rbaro, Marihuan, Janambre, Pasita, and Anacana Indians that
refuge themselves there and they would find themselves compelled to become converted to the misions and
subject themselves to the settlements.
To the sixteenth question he said: that the settlements of Nuevo Reino de León, that he knows
might be borders of this colony, are the town of Linares which is at a distance from its boundries of about
five or six leagues and the city of Monterrey, which is also of the same kingdom, that he does not know
how many leagues away it is, and that he also has no information which settlements of the other provinces
might be borders, and that he knows for certain that said borders, with the conquest of this colony, enjoy
many benefits in respect to the vexations that they used to experience from the heathen Indians, since they
continually robbed the haciendas that they had in these summer pastures and killed their shepherds,
obliging them to have costly escorts for the protection of their livestock, from which they are now free
because, not only do they barely have shakedowns, but they save much on the escorts since they are safe
with much less.
To the seventeenth question he said: that he knows that in each one of the settlements of this colony
there is a captain, but that he does not know the number of all of them, and the same happens in that which
concerns the corporals and soldiers in general but that, in this town of Llera, there is a captain, a sergeant,
a drummer and ten soldiers, all enlisted and with salary from the king which they earn per year, the captain
five hundred pesos, the sergeant two hundred fifty, the drummer two reals per day, and the soldiers two
hundred twenty-five each one per year, and that these are paid by the honorable General Escandón in
forms of merchandise like fine linen, cloaks, bleached cottons, serges, cloth, and printed cottons and other
such things, and that he has heard that he gives them to them at prices of moderate cost and expenses and
that the service and destinies and cares in which these occupy themselves are, the captain in command and
government of the ordinary and military jurisdiction of this establishment, the sergeant in serving as
overseer to aide in the governing of the soldiers and residents, and the soldiers, one destined for the aide
to the mission and assembly of Indians, five in the guarding and custody of the horses of the residents, and
always four as a detachment to escort passengers, take letters of the royal service, and others that come
up, and to run other errands and all of them, as well as the residents, are ready for whatever functions are
needed.
To the eighteenth question of the General Legal Data he said: that they have nothing to do with him
and having again read everything that he had declared so that he state whether he had anything to add or
remove or that he approve it, he said: that what he has said is the truth by the oath that he has made and
that he affirms and approves it without needing to change or remove anything because instead, if it were
necessary, he would say it anew, and he signed it and stated being of the age of fifty-four years, the said
honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo signed it - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Bernardo Pérez de
la Cruz -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
DOCUMENT.- In the town of Llera in eighteen days of the month of May of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo having seen the proceedings practiced up to
now in this town for the inspection of it and of its state and jurisdiction, arranged to the chapters of the
instruction that begins the folder number one of its commissions, considering these sufficient, desirous of
not wasting time, and avoiding the expenses to the Royal Exchequer, in order to continue those which are
deemed necessary, ordered that everything corresponding and acted upon in this settlement be put in the
folder set aside to facilitate its account with more clarity whenever it is necessary and he signed it. - José
Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
_______________
TOWN OF ESCANDON
DOCUMENT. - In the town of Escandón in nineteen days of the month of May of seventeen
hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, Gentleman of the Order of
Santiago, Captain of Dragoons of the New City of Veracruz and Inspecting Judge for the most excellent
honorable Viceroy Marquis of las Amarillas for the inspection of the Gulf of Mexico as appears in the
dispatch which was committed to him, its date in Mexico on the twenty-ninth of March of this present year,
which is found at the head and beginning of the folder number one that began to form in this affair.
Having arrived in this town today at one o'clock in the afternoon he found it suitable, in continuation of
his charges, to lose no time and to continue the proceedings that he attempts to do there in order to set
himself in the best justification of his commissions, according to the instruction which was given to him
and is set in the cited folder number one from folio four to eight, and for it he ordered that the pertaining
proceedings be made in the continuation of this document, and that the declarations and examinations of
the witnesses, that shall be made, be according to the questionaire that is found in said folder number one
in the folio fifty-four, acting with the attendance of witnesses elected for the formation of these documents
who are Don Roque Fern�ndez Marcial and Don Francisco José de Haro, whom said gentleman has
nominated for this effect from the first proceedings of his commission and thus he provided, ordered, and
signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de
Haro. -(rubric).
DOCUMENT. - In the said town of Escandón in nineteen days of the month of May in seventeen
hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo Gentleman of the Order of Santiago,
Captain of Dragoons of the New City of Veracruz and Inspecting Judge for the most excellent honorable
Viceroy for the inspection of the Gulf of Mexico in continuation of the proceedings which he attempts to
do in this settlement, ordered that a general review of its settlers and residents be passed, communicating
this disposition to the captain Don Antonio Puga, in whom is found the political and military jurisdiction
of it, so that he give a list of the settlers, residents, and inhabitants with which it is found, in which is
included, as well, a particular note of the officers and soldiers enlisted and with salary that are found there,
their number and annual salary which they enjoy and the names of the wives, children, and families of
some and others, and what goods, haciendas, and livestock they have and what type and also the report
of service which the officers and soldiers do, giving a copy to the said captain of this document so that,
approved by him, he comply with what is ordered of him; and that in order to perform the action of
review, he cite the aforesaid settlers and residents so that tomorrow, which will be counted as the twentieth
of the current [month], at nine o'clock they all present themselves with their arms in the plaza of this said
town in order to execute it with the necessary formality and thus he provided, ordered, and signed it. -
José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
REVIEW - In the town of Escandon in twenty days of the month of May of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, in virtue of that ordered to make the
review in this town, having received the list of its citizenry given by its captain Don Antonio de Puga,
ordered it be done as it is ordered and that, for its best justification, a suplicatory note be given to the Most
Reverand Father Fray Rafael Borunda, apoltolic minister in it, so that he serve to concur with this action
and to have the suitable reports of his fathership and, this request having been communicated to said
reverand father, he concurred with the said gentleman and, in these terms, the said review was begun,
calling each one by name, registering the arms which are composed of a rifle, a sword, a shield, and some
pistoles and, asking them the questions found suitable, it was executed in the following way:
REVIEW
SQUADRON OF OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS ENLISTED
AND WITH SALARY
1.- Antonio de Puga, captain, present, resident who was from el Jaumave, married to María Antonia Rodríguez, has ten children, all arms, six horses and enjoys five hundred pesos salary per year paid by His Majesty.
1.- Juan Antonio de Landaverde, sergeant, present, orginally from the town of Cadereita, married to María Margarita Jaso, has three children, all arms, twelve horses and earns two hundred fifty pesos per year paid by His Majesty.
1.- Lorenzo Manuel de Urías, resident of Río Verde, married to María Gertrudis, has three children, all arms and eight horses with two hundred twenty-five pesos.
1.- Lorenzo Camacho, resident of the town of los Valles, married to María de la Cruz, has two children, all arms, ten horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
1.- José Cano, resident who was from Palmillas, married to Antonia Silveira, has one daughter, all arms, eight horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
1.- Antonio Favi�n de Puga, married to María Josefa García, has one son, all arms, nine horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
1.- Francisco V�zquez, resident who was from Tula, married to Antonia Martínez, all arms and six horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
1.- Miguel Martínez, resident who was from Palmillas, married to Catarina Ortiz, has six children, all arms, six horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
José Antonio de Vera, resident of Sierra de Pinos, bachelor, all arms and five horses, earns one hundred twenty pesos per year.
SETTLERS OF THE FIRST ESTABLISHMENT
1.- Antonio Manuel García, married to María Josefa del Castillo, has seven children, arms, a shield, and three horses and one donkey.
1.- Felipe Rodríguez, married to Sebastiana Rodríguez, has six children, all arms, five horses.
1.- José Francisco Padrón, married to Justa Rufina, has four children, all arms, without a rifle, one horse.
1.- Isidro Mancilla, married to Estefamía de los Dolores, has three children, all arms, without a rifle, five horses.
1.- Pedro Rodríguez, married to Josefa del Castillo, has three children, all arms, three horses.
1.- Nicol�s Martín, married to Basilia Galv�n, has six children all arms, three horses.
1.- José Miguel S�nchez, married to Prudencia Gómez, has five children, all arms, without horses, is absent with permission.
1.- Juan Francisco Gómez, married to María del Carmen, has one son, all arms with a sword, two horses.
1.- José Roberto, married to María Guadalupe, all arms and five horses.
1.- Blas de Aranda, married to Doña María Micaela de Hincapié, has three children, all arms, three horses, one donkey.
1.- José Bernardino, married to Micaela Gonz�lez, has three children, arms, a shield, without horses.
1.- Florencio de la Cruz, married to María Martínez, has three children, a shield without other arms, one horse.
1.- José Hilario, married to Paula Marcela, has six children, a shield without arms, two horses.
1.- Esteban Olayo Rodríguez, married to María de la Asunción Padrón, has three children, a rifle and a shield, two horses.
1.- Juan Manuel de Mata, married to María de la Encarnación, has one son, a rifle and a shield, six horses.
1.- Guillermo Escol�stico, married to Gregoria Padrón, has two children, all arms and four horses and in his home María Juliana, his niece.
1.- Juan Toribio de Céspedes, married to María de la Paz, has four children, two donkeys, without arms or horses, and is blind.
1.- Miguel Cayetano de Céspedes, married to María Mónica, has four children, only a shield, two horses, one donkey.
1.- José de Torres, married to María Gonz�lez, absent with permission, all arms without a rifle, three horses, one daughter.
1.- Antonio de Avalos, married to María Barbosa, arms, a short sword and a shield, one horse.
1.- Pedro José, married to María de la Encarnación, has two children, one horse, without arms.
1.- Pablo Barbosa, married to Isabel de la Cruz, has six children, all arms and four horses.
1.- Francisco de Aguilar, widower, without arms or horse.
1.- Santiago Montelongo, married to María de la Trinidad, has one daughter, arms without a rifle and two horses.
SETTLERS WITH FINANCIAL AID
1.- José Barrón, married to María Moreno, has a son, is absent with permission, does not have arms or horses.
1.- Juan Ramírez, married to María Dolores, has two orphans, four donkeys, all arms and eight horses.
1.- Antonio de los Santos, married to María Antonia, has two children, arms without a sword, one horse.
1.- Juan de Dios Cayetano, married to Catarina, Indian, has one son, all arms, three horses.
1.- José Antonio de la Puente, absent with permission, married to Quiteria S�nchez, has two children, all arms, three horses.
1.- Pascuala Nicolasa García, widow, one donkey.
1.- Domingo de Silos, married to María Teresa, has two children, all arms, has no horses.
1.- Fernando Bermúdez, married to María de los Dolores, has four children, all arms, two horses and two donkeys.
1.- José Bernardo de Salas, married to Juana Coronel, has one son, all arms, four horses.
1.- Justo Victorio, married to Nazaria Feliciana, has two children, all arms, without horses.
1.- Juan Barrón, married to Antonia Norberta, has two children, all arms, four horses.
1.- Anselmo del Castillo, married to Matría de los Dolores, six children, all arms, two horses.
1.- Juan Alejandro Mancilla, married to María Dionisia García, has four children, all arms, two horses.
1.- Antonio Mateo de la Cruz, married to María de Ch�vez, has two children, all arms, one horse.
1.- José Benito de Soto, married to Lorenza de la Cruz, has one son, all arms, without a sword, one horse.
1.- Domingo Rafael de Araujo, married to Petra Verónica, has five children, all arms and nine horses and three female donkeys.
1.- José Antonio Amaro, married to María Guadalupe, arms without a sword, two horses, present.
1.- Miguel Hern�ndez, married to María Nieto, all arms, three horses.
1.- Juan Javier S�nchez, married to Juana de Dios, has two children, all arms, without horses.
1.- Domingo Guevara, married to Francisca Rodríguez, has three children, arms without a sword or horses.
1.- Felipe Rodríguez, married to María de la Concepción, has three children, all arms, four horses, is absent with permission.
1.- Crist�bal Guzm�n, married to María Gertrudis, has one son, arms with a sword, four horses.
1.- Luis Antonio Barrón, absent with permission, married to Josefa de los Reyes, has two children, all arms, two horses.
1.- José Antonio Gonz�lez, married to Feliciana, all arms, three horses.
1.- Nicol�s Antonio, married to María Juliana, has three children, arms without sword, three horses.
1.- Francisco Javier Cano, married to María Urbana, has one son, arms without a sword, two horses.
1.- Don Joaquín Rodríguez, married to María Magdalena, has three children, arms without a sword, eight horses.
1.- Bernardo Nieto, married to Juana Antonia Reyes, arms without a rifle, two horses.
INCREASE OF REGISTERED RESIDENTS
1.- José Manuel Pardo, married to Isabel, has two children, without arms or horses.
1.- Asencio José S�nchez, married to María Díaz, has two children, arms without a rifle, four horses.
1.- Felipe Reina, married to Juana Rosa, has five children, arms without a sword, six horses.
1.- Francisco Javier S�nchez, married to María Manuela, has one son, without arms or horses.
1.- Francisco Fermín, absent with permission, married to María Dolores, has one son, arms without a rifle, two horses.
1.- Andrés de la Cruz, married to María Francisca Martínez, without arms or horses.
1.- Francisco Javier V�squez, married to María Guadalupe, has three children, arms without a sword, three horses.
1.- Pedro de Avalos, married to María Jacinto, without arms or horses.
1.- José Manuel de Lugo, married to María de los Reyes, without arms or horses.
1.- Antonio Javier Moreno, married to María Juliana, without arms or horses.
1.- José Juli�n de Puga, married to María de las Nieves, without arms or horses.
That, as it appears in the review made in this agreement, the number of families of this vicinity are
composed of sixty-nine in this form: the eight of the squadron of officers and soldiers enlisted and with
salary, the twenty-three of settlers that remain from the first establishment and the beginning of its
foundation, brought by Don Nicol�s Alvarez, Don Miguel de Cepeda and the others that had obligated
themselves to populate it, and the thirty-eight increased and registered with the financial help of one
hundred pesos each, after the establishment, coming from various parts, whose cost was made from the
fines that were taken from those said Alvarez, Cepeda and the others who were lacking in that stipulated
in this affair. And the goods that exist, property of these families moved to this settlement, are two
hundred sixty breeding horses, twenty-two mules, forty-six heads of oxen, five hundred twenty-five heads
of sheep, and two hundred fifty-seven of breeding bovine livestock, without including two hundred thirteen
horses that its residents keep for their service and use and fifteen donkeys, as it all appears in the sections
of this review and, the total number that exist in this said settlement being three hundred ten persons, young
and adult, of both sexes. And in regard to the justification of it, it was asked of the Missionary Reverend
Father that he might attend to give the necessary reports and, having attended, giving those which were
necessary as authorization of the existence of families and their goods and also of those which it is evident
are absent with permission, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo asked him to serve to sign this
prodeeding in faith of it and the said Reverend Father performed it and, it being finished in these terms,
he ordered it be put in the folder of documents of this town of Escandón and the said gentleman signed it
with the witnesses present. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Fray Francisco Rafael Boronda -(rubric)
-Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
PROCEEDING. - In the town of Escandón in twenty-one days of the month of May of seventeen
hundred fifty-seven years, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, to acquaint himself of the state
and footing of the old christian Pame Indians in this town attached to the missionary father, had them
appear before him and, having dedicated himself to listening to them, asking them what might serve to set
about the inspection, he found that it is composed of thirteen families with fifty-four persons of both sexes,
that they have come voluntarily as christians to seek shelter and the doctrine of the missionary father, to
whose good intentions the said Señor José appealed, whose reconvening they extended because they speak
Spanish and, the said priest having concurred in all that was said, the said gentleman asked him to serve
in faith of it to accompany this proceeding with his signature, which he did and, for its immutability, it is
thus set in. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Fray Francisco Rafael Boronda -(rubric) -Roque
Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
DOCUMENT.- In the said town on the said day, the twenty-first of May of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, having received the certification and
register which, by his letter of entreaty he had requested of the very reverand father Fray Francisco Rafael
Boronda, Apostolic Missionary in this settlement and, after having recognized its contents, noticing the
lack of reporting of the said priest about the goods which exist belonging to and destined for an assembly
of Indians, he again verbally required the said priest that he inform him of what goods there were in order
to attend to this end, he said: that there exist, for the work and support of them, one hundred fifty heads
of branded cattle, fifteen pair of oxen, twelve yoked and the rest without yokes, one hundred forty goats
and fifty sheep, whose report the said gentlemen sent to be put in as a proceeding and he asked the said
reverend father to serve to sign in it the immutability of its existance and the said gentleman also signed
it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Fray Francisco Rafael Boronda -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez
Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
Fray Francisco Rafael Boronda of the Regular Observance of Our Father San Francisco,
Apostolic Missionary F. and Minister of the town of Dulce Nombre de Jesús, etc. In view of the previous
letter of entreaty in which the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, Gentleman of the Order of
Santiago, Captain of Dragoons of the New City of Veracruz and Inspecting Judge of this colony in which,
on the part of the King Our Lord, he orders me and of yours he asks me to inform him of the truth
concerning the interrogation that he makes of me to which I respond:
Honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, in respect to the commission that Your Lordship [sic] and
having made myself charge of its questions that are included for the establishment of this colony, expressed
through the honorable general Count of la Sierra Gorda Don Jose Escandón, I should say to Your
Lordship with the frankness to which the truth is accustomed I feel, in the first clause Your Lordship asks
me for the register of my parishioners which I turn over to Your Lordship faithfully and legitimately.
Your Lordship asks me for a report of the number of Indians assembled in this mission, those
which I do not have, barbarians, for their having arisen and burned the mission, killed Captain Escajadillo
and shot the Missionary Minister, my predecessor, with an arrow and the Indians that I have in my charge
are some Pame Indians that, although old christians, were out in the woods, these I have assembled
subjecting them to prayer and to explain to them the mysteries of Our Holy Faith, and with this exercise
I remain comforted; the number of them is fifty-six, they live away from the town a distance of two rifle
shots on a hill they we call el Refugio.
Your Lordship tells me to inform him of the settlers; of the first ones that there were in this town,
the report follows; they were natives of Río Verde who came at their own cost to serve Your Majesty,
who, not prompt in their militia for fear of the Indians who advised them, deserted and all of them fled
and, afterwards, I know that the honorable count Don José de Escandón returned to populate with
financial help, so they tell me as I was not present, with sixty families and I have seen three or four paid
from the King's account; this is what I know of this matter.
About the measures that have favored the residents in their subsistence, I shall give no report since
I came not long ago and what I have always seen is they themselves knowing how to defend themselves
from the enemy.
The synods assigned by Your Majesty are three hundred fifty pesos that they pay annually in the
Royal Treasury; our brother treasurer Don Jacinto Martínez charges them, he reduces them to the
accounts that we send and, by the hand of our guardian, it is sent to us at these missions. I know the my
predecessor was given, on account of Your Majesty, financial assistance, the one who died in the uprising
of the Indians, their burning the convent and taking all the goods except ninety-eight head of cattle and
eighteen mares fit to breed that they left by accident.
Originally the ornaments proceeded from the King Our Lord and the sacred urns, which were
totally destroyed in the fire and we were only able to collect the melted silver from which we had a chalice,
a cup, and wine vessels made, making use of a benefactor who was the captain Dion Francisco de
Zamora, so that he would pay their construction and they are the only existing ornaments, therefore I
celebrate with great indigence the terrible sacrifice of the mass because of the lack of ornaments.
Regarding the Pame Indians who live in this mission, they have their quarters on their own and
they live with me alone; Title to lands has not been given either to me or to my predecessors.
Regarding the lands, I know that, for now, the settlers have their grant in common, although they
have not been distributed to them individually, but they all enjoy and improve them for their farming
without any problems; the assembly of Pame Indians was begun the last year of fifty-six around the month
of April and, for their support I have been the one who, bothering my benefactors, have maintained them,
and the only means that I find for its establishment is to work.
The formal establishment of this town was made two years ago due to the first settlers having
deserted the region; its old name of the heathen Indians is Guayalejo.
About the seeds I shall give no report since last year when we planted about thirty measures and,
the seasonal crops going well, there was such a strong hurricane that it destroyed them, and the river
leaving its banks, inundated that planted sweeping off what had been left, and I know that the squadron has
been maintaining itself for two years at the King's cost, the residents and I at the cost of our labor.
The land is suitable for the subsistence of the town, its lands are suitable for seeds since, although
the harvesting of seeds has ceased, I see that any plant grows abundantly, and they are suitable for the
raising of major and minor livestock, I saw no hacienda established in its environs.
I know that, after the establishment of this colony, total tranquillity has resulted in la Huasteca,
Valle del Maíz, and other parts adjacent which used to experience damages from the enemies and the
rebellious Janabres.
I know that the colony is found in tranquility, especially since the captain Don Antonio de Puga
put an end to the rebellious Janabres who were at war with all this frontier.
I do not know that any settlement has had any damages due to the removal of people for the
establishment of this colony, instead it has resulted in the benefit of containing the enemy.
Finally, regarding the continuation of this colony, it appears to me, according to the present
circumstances, it could result in the service of both majesties, this is, sir, what appears to me unless it seem
otherwise due to what Your Majesty can, as inspector, see and report that which, God knows, he might
find.
Mission of Nuestra Señora de la Luz de Ruboroso and May 20 of 1757 years. - Fray Francisco
Rafael Boronda. - (rubric)
DOCUMENT: - In the town of Escandón in twenty-two days of the month of May of seventeen
hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo said that in respect to the
proceedings of review and the answers to the letter of entreaty having been practiced in the meantime in
this town, the account having been made, and the necessary declarations received to inform himself of the
state of this town and its jurisdiction, in order not to waste time and avoid the expenses to the Royal
Treasury that would follow the two days that would pass in effecting its execution, so that the dates of the
said account do not disagree in placing them following this and the preceeding ones nor that they offer any
doubt, he ordered its account explained with this preparation and that all action in this affair be put and
accumulated in these documents at the continuation of them and this one for whatever is needed and he
signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de
Haro. -(rubric).
STATEMENT OF ANTONIO MANUEL GARCIA. - In the town of Escandón in twenty-two
days of the month of May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de
Cuervo, for the justification that he attempts to make of his charges prepared to the instruction that is found
in the folder number one of those that in this affair are being practiced, from the folio four to eight of the
questionaire that is found in the same folder in the folio fifty-four, it being suitable to make the accounts
and take the necessary information of the settlers, he had appear before him Antonio Manuel García,
settler and resident of it from whom he received an oath before God and a cross so that he tell the truth in
what would be asked and also that he keep secret of it and his answer; and having done it and offered it,
as it is required, he was interrogated in compliance with the cited questionaire and he responded the
following:
To the first question he said: that he had never crossed nor passed through the Sierra Gorda before
the conquest, but that he had commonly heard that it was the region in which the heathen Indians lived,
and that the settlements, that he has traveled within the colony, are only the one of Escandón, Horcasitas,
Santa Barbara, and Llera, and that, although he has heard that there are others, he has not been in them
and in the same manner he doubts the converted Indian villages in general because he only knows of the
one of Llera, Santa B�rbara, and Horcasitas and that in this settlement, at the present time, there is no
converted Indian village because, although several Janambre Indians with their families of wives and
children were converted twice to this mission, in both they have rebelled and they have left to go to the
mountains and from about the time of two years that they left the last time they have not returned, neither
these nor the others, and that the condition in which this settlement is found established is that of being
ruled by a captain called Don Antonio de Puga who performs the political and military jurisdiction in it
and assisted by an apostolic missionary father of el Colegio de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Zacatecas,
and that it seems to him that the number of settlers of which the first establishment should have consisted
according to the obligation of it that the captain Don Nicol�s Alvarez, Don Miguel de Cepeda, and other
residents of Río Verde had made, there were of seventy families, that he does not know if they may have
come all togther because it is believed that not even thirty families, of those that came at that beginning,
arrived and these and all the rest that are found in this town today are planting and cultivating the lands that
each one can improve, because the promise of sites and tracts of land for planting and livestock raising that
was made to them has not yet been honored, because until today everything is in common in the boundary
of the five leagues which he has heard said it comprises from each direction.
To the second question he said: that the first settlers that came to this settlement proceeded from
the jurisdictions of San Luis Potosí and that it has been about six years that they came to this establishment
and that the costs of those first thirty families that came, he thinks, were paid by the captain Don Nicol�s
Alvarez, Don Miguel de Cepeda, and the others that had set themselves up in the obligation of forming
this settlement, which the declarant renders evident because he came at the same time with his family
serving Don Miguel de Cepeda, who maintained him until arriving here without his knowing that he was
coming on other terms than that of serving him because at removing him from the town of Santa Teresa,
jurisdiction of Río Verde in one of his haciendas where he was serving him, he did not forsee anything else
than that of bringing him so that he might serve, notwithstanding that he gave him the warning that if he
pleased him he would stay and if not he would leave again; and the declarant, having arrived at this site
after about fifteen days, said that he did not like it, that he wanted to return and he was able to disuade him
with hopes of his protection and in a few days he told him that he already had him registered as a settler
and that it was so that he would settle all his family, which he executed although without understanding the
obligation that he was contracting of remaining here. And that the means, that at that time were favorable
for subsistence, were paid by the said Cepeda and his friends, supplying, at their expense, the corn and
the rest that was necessary, that this lasted about one year and that afterwards the settlers stayed, liable for
their own maintenence as each one could, and at that time they already found two hamlets of Janambre
Indians converted, in peace, situated in the immediate area of these settlers, who should be, among young
and adults, about fifty, that these maintained themselves and from that which the residents could give them
and that he does not know to what the cost of the expenditures could come which the said Alvarez,
Cepeda, and the others made, only that he is certain that they put in quite a bit of cost in livestock and they
introduced a lot of mules laden with corn for the families.
And in consequence of the preceeding, he was asked how many settlers or residents have increased
up to the present, from where they have come, and how they have been financed for their trip and
establishment, he said: that he judges that they have increased about thirty-three residents, up to the
present, some coming from Palmillas, others from el Jaumave, others from Santa B�rbara and from
different places, without those that have married here, and that about twenty of these were financed with
one hundred pesos each one which was given them for their coming and that although there may be some
more that might have had this assistance in costs, he cannot assure it because he does not know it, but he
does know that these one hundred pesos given to each family came from the fine that was taken from said
Don Nicol�s Alvarez, Don Gregorio Alvarez, Don L�zaro Guillén, and the others that had obligated
themeselves to complete this establishment and several quantities were taken from them to complete it for
their having failed in it. And that the others have come voluntarily and financed themselves, but that from
this establishment there have resulted considerable losses of wealth, deaths of settlers, and several disasters
caused by the continual war of the Indians, floods, and tempests since it was thus that the said Don Nicol�s
Alvarez, Don L�zaro Guillén and the others entered with abundant goods with the belief of great
progress, and, in the same way, others settlers found it necessary to leave after having consumed the major
part of their wealth and, continually antagonized by the Indians, also terrorized at seeing the deaths that
they caused them in stealing their livestock, the settlers deserted and left, especially all those most rewarded
and with the most possibilities, the rest remained, reduced to maintaining themselves here in continual
assaults.
To the third question he said: that in this settlement there is a site separate from the settlers at about
two shots of a rifle in which there are some shacks of some civilized Indians of the Pison caste, servants
of the missionary priest of this town to whom they are united, who are old christians, natives of Valle del
Maíz and of those surroundings where they had been in missions which they abandoned and they have
come to live here, in which site, made by a hill, the missionary priest has set the church of this settlement
and the house of dwelling, motivated by the flood which this town experienced last year in which its church
and the house, that the said priest had here, were destroyed; and that there is no other congregation since,
in the one that they found in its first establishment, as he has stated, they rose up twice and since the last
one in which they killed the captain Don José Escajadillo with another three settlers and two women, they
shot the missionary priest in an arm with an arrow, and they burned the convent, all ornamentations and
holy vases, they have not been christianized again, instead they have continued having many hostilities
against this settlement until, finally, the last month of April of this year, having had news that they were
attempting to attack and surprise this town, its captain Don Antonio Puga with the people from here and
help from that of Santa B�rbara, Horcasitas, and Llera, went out to look for them taking an Indian
interpreter with which to explore their intention and having found them and asking them if they wanted
peace or war, they responded with war, with which he fell on them and they were able to kill them all after
a great battle that lasted about one hour, thirty-one of the male Indians and six female Indians being killed
and three older women, four Indian boys, and two babies at breast being taken, they were sent to Mexico,
four male Indians with several female Indians escaped, so there has been a report, only one of ours having
died and seven having been wounded.
To the fourth question he said: that in this settlement there are no land sites designated for the
Indians and for that same reason none has been given to the apostolic missionary priest, nor has this had
any formal regulation, there having been no case for it; and that the settlers have also not been given
possession of lands nor have they designated any property to them because those that they have in
cultivation have been improved wherever each one has deemed most appropriate.
To the fifth question he said: that he knows that through this settlement passes the river whose first
name is el Jaumave which crosses the Sierra Gorda after beginning in Palmillas and continues up to this
site, which, because of being called el Guayalejo, it takes this name, fertilizing this town and passes on to
Horcasitas and near Altamira and goes to end at la Barra de Tampico at the sea, and that although he has
heard that there are other various rivers in the colony, he cannot give a report of their origin, where they
end, what they are called, nor of the settlements at its banks and the distances.
To the sixth question he said: that he knows that it has been about one year, more or less, that in
this town its settlers decided to build a canal from its river, and in fact, they worked and apparently were
able get one in operation and useful at which time there was a flood of the Río Grande which destroyed
it for them, such that all the work was lost and it made it impossible for them to ever get water from that
canal, and thus they have remained without this benefit, not withstanding that he believes that, working
it from other larger parts, they could obtain its use, and that he also knows that in Horcasitas they have
attempted to build a canal, drawing it from the site that they call Tamat�n and that he also knows that in
Llera they enjoy irrigation for their lands with a canal and in Aguayo and in Santander.
To the seventh question he said: that he does not know if there are other settlements which can
obtain the same benefits with water sources or springs.
To the eighth question he said: that in this settlement no use is made of irrigation in the sowing of
seeds, plants, vegetables, and fruits because, in the application which it already has of cultivated lands in
which to be able to plant their crops of corn, which is the most suitable in that they should be to be able
to improve twenty measures, it is seasonal.
To the ninth question he said: that from the beginning of this settlement they began to plant some
small amounts of corn but that they always experienced very little harvest, sometimes due to drought,
others due to northerns, and others due to floods, but from two years ago to now finding themselves with
a few more pieces of land in use they have planted about up to twenty measures in each one and they have
the misfortunes, the first drought and the second flood and northerns, such that in all this settlement the
declarant believes that they may have reaped only one hundred fifty measures of corn each year, about
which no judgement can be made concerning what each measure could produce in crops, it being evident
from their not having had enough for the subsistence and maintenance of this vicinity for which it has been
necessary to supply themselves from the immediate settlements of the border provinces, the residents
financing them in these needs with the sales of their livestock to have the wherewithal to be able to attend
to their needed maintenence.
To the tenth question he said: that the settlements, which he knows are situated in what is the true
coast of the Gulf of Mexico, are those he has stated in the first question of this his declaration and the rest,
that he has heard exist but that he does not know at what distances from the sea they might be, neither some
nor others. And that he also does not know of one that might be from this one of Escandón [sic] nor the
ports, nor the bays or anchorages that there might be for major or minor embarkations.
To the eleventh question he said: that the land of this town, which is what the declarant has seen
and experienced, is suitable for the raising and conservation of major and minor livestock and that within
its borders there are no established haciendas of this type whatsoever and that of the little that this area has,
they observe, it could increase, were it not necessary to sell it to remedy their needs and lack of corn, for
whose remedy they have nothing else to use, for which this settlement is making no progress in these
goods.
To the twelfth question he said: that he hears it commonly said that in the Cerro de San José, a
distance of about seven or eight leagues from this settlement immediate to the Sierra Tamaulipa la Vieja,
there is an ore mine which is said to have silver and he does not know if they have assayed or tested it and
that he cannot report about it and that he does not know of other mines nor of this one does he knows that
no one works it[sic].
To the thirteenth question he said: that he has heard that there are copious salt deposits at the sea
coast before Altamira and Soto la Marina and he has seen a great many loads that are brought which they
sell in this colony and they take some to the outside, but that since he has not been there, he cannot say
anything else.
To the fourteenth question he said: that the settlements, converted villages, and haciendas are quiet
and totally peaceful and their settlers in good communication. And, concerning the heathen Indians of the
not yet conquered, they are causing no disturbance, nor is there hesitation, at the present, in fear of them,
regarding that concerning here after the happening, which has been mentioned, which occurred last month,
because they were the only ones that, from the first establishment of this settlement, were found dedicated
to invading them, inciting other to it.
To the fifteenth question he said: that he has heard it commonly said that the Sierra Gorda and
Sierra Madre is all one and the same without difference and that he has not traveled it more than in his
traversal when he entered in this settlement and that he cannot give a report of the proportions that the
Sierra Tamaulipa might have to set in settlements because he has not traveled those regions.
To the sixteenth question he said: that cannot give any report about what this question contains,
because he has never been at the borders, since in the jurisdiction of San Luis de la Paz, where he is a
native, he had no information about this nor after he came did he inform himself about any of this.
To the seventeenth question he said: that he does not know the number of captains, corporals, and
soldiers that the whole colony has enlisted and with salary, but he is sure that the captain of this settlement,
Don Antonio de Puga, earns five hundred pesos salary per year, a sergeant two hundred fifty, that
regarding the drummer they have he does not know whether he earns anything and that he knows that there
are also seven enlisted soldiers with salary, that six earn two hundred twenty-five pesos each year and the
other one hundred twenty. And that this the declarant knows for having helped clean up the accounts of
the captain's book, and also knows that these salaries are paid by the honorable General Escandón, sending
goods for the jurisdiction of the captain so that he pay his balance of accounts with them and that the
service of the captain is to carry the ordinary and military jurisdiction of this town, the sergeant acts as
lieutenant in these occupations, one soldier effectively assisting the missionary priest in his house, which
is the one who enjoys the one hundred twenty pesos, and the other six in the care and the guarding of the
horses of the area that they call the post, traveling the lands and observing the passes, carrying letters of
the honorable general and in escorting passengers and going out on campaigns, when it is necessary, in
the urgencies of this town or in assistance of the other settlements when they ask for it.
And in consequence of everything reported in order to better inform himself, the said Inspector
General asked him what mutations this town has had since its first settlement, what has motivated them,
and what its residents think of the region, what they wish so its establishment could be more suitable to
them, he said: that this settlement had its first seat in the site in which it is found today where its settlers
maintained themselves about fifteen days, and seeing the immediacy of the Indians of peace that were
established in this same site, they decided to distance themselves about one quarter league down river
where they built their shacks and put their houses, in which they stayed about eight and one-half months,
from where they found it necessary to leave because of it having flooded and they went on to the Río Frío
where they lived two years, and they could not last longer because the plague of mosquitos and vexations
from the Indians put them in such a consternation and trouble that it was necessary to go live in Santa
B�rbara where they stayed one year, resolving themselves finally lately to return to occupy the land that
they have today, which is the first of its establishment in which they have lived a little more than two and
one-half years. And having experienced, in the last year, the great flood of its river in which their church,
houses, and goods perished, they find themselves determined to elect a region free of these risks, as they
have discussed in a meeting of residents with the aid of their captain, whose deliberation they
communicated to their General Escandón asking for his permission to go to occupy a site about one league
from this town down river, which has seemed more convenient and suitable to them because of the
experience they have that, even though there have been several risings of the river and it has flooded many
other regions, that one has always remained free and without possibilities of such a risk, but they have not
had, until now, any provision from their said general and they remain waiting since the most they have
known is that he is ready to come to this settlement and they believe that then he will give some disposition.
To the eighteenth question of the General Legal Data he said: that they have nothing to do with him
and it having been read again ad verbum that which he had declared so that he state whether he had
anything to add or remove or that he approve it, he said: that what he has said is the truth by the oath that
he has made, without needing to change or remove anything, and that he affirms and approves it and if it
were necessary, he would say it anew, and he signed it and stated being of the age of thirty-six years; the
said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo so signed it with the witnesses present. - José Tienda de
Cuervo. -(rubric) -Antonio Manuel García -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José
de Haro. -(rubric).
STATEMENT OF DON ANTONIO PUGA. - In the said town of Escandón, in twenty days of
the month of May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo,
continuing the justification of his charges, had appear before him the captain Don Antonio de Puga in
whom is found the government of this settlement, from whom he received an oath by God and a cross so
that he would tell the truth in what he would be asked and having done and offered it, as is required he was
asked according to the interrogation which is in the documents of the folder number one, folio fifty-four,
to which he responded the following:
To the first question he said: that the Sierra Gorda, before the conquest, was inhabited by heathen
Indians who were always disquieting the borders of Huasteca and Nuevo Reino de León, robbing the
haciendas and livestock and doing much damage to the haciendas of minor livestock that entered to graze
in the summer pastures of this colony in which, he knows, there are several settlements established that are
this of Escandón, Horcasitas, Altamira, Santa B�rbara, Llera, Aguaya, G�emes, Hoyos, Padilla, Soto la
Marina, Santillana, Santander, San Fernando, Burgos, Reinosa, Camargo, which are the ones he knows
by having been in all of them, and although he has heard that there are others, he has not seen them and
that he also know that the converted Indian villages, that at present there are in the areas that he has
traversed, are Santa B�rbara, Horcasitas, Altamira, Llera, Aguayo, in Hoyos, in Santander, la Marina, San
Fernando, in Camargo, and in Reinosa and that he does not know if in other parts of the colony there might
be some, but that in this town of Escandón there are none because, although a portion of Janambre Indians
and their families who, he has heard said, were more than forty were twice converted to it, subjecting
themselves to its mission and both times they rose up and lately they have not returned to these or others
and that the condition in which these settlers are found established is in that of being under the command
of the declarent who carried its political and military government assisted by an apostolic missionary priest
called Fray Francisco Rafael Boronda of el Colegio de Guadalupe de Zacatecas, and that he does not
know the number of settlers of the first establishment nor the conditions and favors that were offered them
for their coming, but that he knows that they came conducted under the patronage of Don Nicol�s Alvarez,
Don Miguel de Cepeda, and other residents of Río Verde, that he does not know what agreement or
obligation they might have made for this end but that he is certain that, after their coming, he helped them
with the cost of oxen yokes and other aids to the families who came so that they would register and that,
afterwards, they were offered six lots of land and the pertaining plot to build their houses, which has not
yet been completed nor anything else other than the boundry of the settlement being designated which are
six leagues on the south, two on the north, five on the west, and three on the east, that everything until now
is maintained in common, from which each settler and resident has taken and is cultivating whatever each
one has wished of his own volution without any property.
To the second question he said: that the first settlers who came to this settlement proceed from Río
Verde and its surroundings, that it has been about six years since they came to this establishment, that he
does not know on what terms they were financed by the captain Don Nicol�s Alvarez, Don Miguel de
Cepeda, and the others who had offered to form this settlement, nor does he know anything else in this
affair, only that in that beginning they encouraged and favored them for their subsistence with some pairs
of oxen and cows, nor does he know in what way they maintained themselves afterwards because it has
been a little more than a year and one-half that the declarant has not been in this town, or two years at the
most, for which reason he has no report of what had happened previously nor does he have full knowledge
of the first establishment.
To the third question he said: that in this settlement there is a site separated about two shots of a
rifle in which some Jacal Indians of reason of the caste of Pame are situated, servants of the missionary
priest of this town, who are old christians natives of Valle del Maíz and from those surroundings in whose
mountains, they say, they had maintained themselves proceeding from some extinguished missions and the
came to live here in whose site, which makes a hill, the missionary priest has the church of this settlement
and the house of his abode due to the flood experienced las year in which he lost the church and his house
and that there are no other converted villages, since [in] that one of Janambres that there was in the first
establishment with the title of peace, they rose up and taking themselves towards the mountain they
committed grave robberies in Santa B�rbara and also of thos settlers that in that season were found situated
in Río Frío, for whose remedy the declarant, who was found as lieutenant in Llera, went out with the
soldiers of that settlement, those of Santa B�rbara and Horcasitas and and he went in persuit of them and,
having reached them in the pasture of the minas, Sierra de San José, he presented himself to them and
immediately they received the declarant shooting all his people with arrows, and having managed to kill
an Indian they were discouraged and converted that they would return to the mission, and with the
consequence that they went down and put the homes in the region that they had before. And their having
lived a year in this state, they again revolted, attacked this settlement, killed its captain Don José de
Escajadillo, two settlers, and three women and one soldier who was at the horse corral taking all the
horses, they shot the missionary priest with an arrow wounding him in an arm, burned the convent, the
ornaments, and sacred urns, and since then there have been no more Indians in this settlement, instead
these said Janambres continued robbing and causing hostilities on the roads to this town as they did with
this declarant going out on the road to Llera where he was going to take his wife so that she would be in
el Jaumave during Holy Week, and they killed her, doing the same to a resident settler that they had in
their company, wounding the declarant and one of his sons and after having recovered he had an order
from his general to search for said Indians and see to the best measure to quiet or content them and, with
that effect, accompanied by forty men, he spent about three months looking for them and urging them and
he caught up with them in Cañada Honda near the Sierra de San José where he was able to enter,
frightening them, which they resisted with their arrows and, our having killed one of their Indians, they
fled and the declarant continued following them with his people, and after two days he again met up with
them in the same Sierra de San José and then they penetrated into the woods, the declarant, again following
them, caught up with them at el Puerto de San José where he admonished them that if they wanted to
convert themselves to peace he would no longer persue them and he would bring them to the mission, to
which they responded affirmatively but that he drop his arms and remove himself from his people and come
alone to speak to them, which the declarant did, as they proposed it and, having walked a piece toward
them, he observed that some of the Indians were closing his path of retreat at which time the interpreter,
that he took with him, told him of the treason that they were preparing, with which he yelled to his people
and, these advancing, the declarant taking his horse and arms, they fell on them who also resisted and
defended themselves without wanting to cede to any agreement for which boldness it was necessary to use
all rigor killing six Indians and one female Indian and one little one who was taken alive and died shortly
after being baptised, and the rest fled and went into the woods, the declarant leaving with his people for
the settlements to get supplies and equip themselves of that necessary to continue the pursuit, knowing the
traitors of this caste and that this would serve them as the greatest reason to continue their hostilities, and
the declarant with his people, having returned to continue their search for them, spent several days
following their footsteps and finally got a report of other Indian friends, which are those of Altamira, those
that were being sought were with the Martínez Indians, which is a site at la Sierra Tamaulipa which gives
this name to the Indians that live there, to where the declarant took himself and, having arrived at that site,
he encountered the Martínez Indians to whom he spoke through his interpreter telling them that he came
on the order of his general in search of the Janambre Indians and that they had committed the misdeeds of
thefts and deaths, that they should set themselves apart from them, that it was not his desire nor did he have
the order to cause aggravation to any others, but that if they united with them they would experience the
punishment, at which they sent someone to call the Janambres and these, having come, united some with
the others and without anymore reason they began shooting arrows at the declarant and his people who,
setting themself to the defense, the battle having lasted about three hours, they managed the death of about
seven Indians and because, of the incomodiousness, large rocks, and thickets of the area they could not kill
more, and those who remained alive having fled to the woods, the declarant and his people returned to their
homes; and it having settled down in these boundaries for the time of one and one-half years, in the
following month of April of this present year, at the border of this settlement, the mentioned Janambre
Indians came and talked to some shepherds to relay to the declarant that they wanted peace and this news
having been given to him, he went to see them at the site of Cañada Honda accompanied by his soldiers
and other various residents and, having arrived where there were about fifteen of them, he declared peace
and, asking them about the others, they told him that they were in Tamat�n where he went, taking a guide
from the same Indians and, having arrived at the river that divides that site, they could not cross it; the
interpreter swam across giving them the security of peace from the declarant, and they accepted it with a
few Indians who said that they would accept it and that they would tell the others that were running around,
presenting themselves to the declarant on the other side of the river, and with this the declarant returned,
although with little confidence that they would observe it, as it was verified with several reports that he had
from the missionary priest of Horcasitas that the Janambres, under the pretext of peace, tried to kill the
declarant because they considered him being the major opposition for their misdeeds and, having
experienced that despite this treaty, they continued making raids in the rural areas, the declarant decided
to go out on the 13th of April of this present year, at night, and he went to conceal himself very close to
la Cañada Honda where they were found and, having managed to be hidden very close to the sheep, it
being about eight of the following day, the said Indians went out to strike against the shepherds and
livestock at which time the declarant, with his people, presented himself to them and through the interpreter
he asked them whether they wanted peace or war and they responded war with which, falling in, one
against the other in hard combat about three hours, thirty-one Indians and six Indian women having died
and six male and female Indians being taken alive which were sent to the honorable Judge Advocate of War
in Mexico, seven of the soldiers that the declarant had taken having been wounded of which one died.
To the fourth question he said: that they have not yet turned over or given any lands or sites in
name of the congregated Indians to the missionary priests of this settlement because, since they have not
had any here nor have they any, the end of this affair has not been formalized, but he does know that to
the present missionary priest they have passed, from the time of his antecedent, fifty heads of breeding
cattle by order of the honorable General Escandón to begin to encourage said mission for whenever the
time might come for a converted village. And the same lack of possession of lands occurs with the settlers
because, up to now, they have no property nor have they been given any more than the lots where they
have built their houses and regarding the fields, each one has taken what he can, continuing in common
and that the lands that these residents have in cultivation at the present are about up to thirty-nine measures
of planting.
To the fifth question he said: that he knows that the river called el Jaumave which passes through
this settlement begins in Palmillas and, in passing through this settlement, it takes its name and it continues
to Horcasitas and to Altamira and passes to end at the sea; another river called Sabinos which begins in
the Alberna woods in the Sierra Gorda and comes to join itself with el Jaumave two leagues farther down
from this town; another call Río Frío which begins at the same Sierra Madre from a spring and comes to
join the aforesaid Jaumave at about five leagues from this settlement; another river called el Monte which
begins in la Sierra Gorda and, flowing to this colony also unites with the one of el Jamauve and that he
does not know of others in these environs nor the borders of settlements that could situate themselves in
others[sic].
To the sixth question he said: that he knows that there are irrigation canals taken from its rivers
in Llera, Aguayo, Hoyos, and Santander from which they obtain the irrigation of their lands obtaining the
fertilization of their crops, seeds, and fruits with all success and convenience and that, in this settlement
of Escandón, they were able to have this same benefit and, in fact, they were able to take it from their river
and send it a long distance, such that they experienced having succeeded in their work but, a flood having
occurred, it destroyed it and it was put in such a state that in that region they can no longer draw [water]
because of the ravines and the broken ground that were made in it, but they are consoled in that, farther
down, they obtain this benefit and they only wait to harvest the crop of this year to return to work on this
project.
To the seventh question he said: that he knows that in Horcasitas there is a creek called San Juan
from which, at about one league or a little more, they were able to obtain irrigation with which they
fertilized part of their lands. And that he does not know of other settlements that could have the same
benefits with springs and water sources.
To the eighth question he said: that the use that is made of the benefit of irrigation is for the
planting of corn, cane, beans, vegetables, and other fruits and seeds and, regarding that pertaining to this
settlement, there is no other planting other than corn and some beans because, since there is no irrigation,
they have not put any effort into any other application. And that the most accredited and into which they
put more work is corn as most suitable for their maintenance .
To the ninth question he said: that the experience that the declarant has in this settlement is from
two and one-half years ago to now and that in those years he knows that in the year of fifty-five the
planting of corn was very short, that it was done very late, but in all, having planted about eight almudes
of corn on his part in company with another, they harvested from it about one hundred measures and that
last year they had twenty-nine measures of corn planted and they were able to see it in a successful state
with no more benefit than the seasonal rains that promised a great harvest, but a furious hurricane having
occurred in the state in that season, it destroyed the entire crop and the flooding of the river finished it off
and took everything. And that in this present year they are planting at the moment and he considers that
it will come to around forty measures which will be put down for the seasonal benefit and he is sure that,
if they could succeed, their harvest would be sufficient to maintain this settlement and there should be much
left over to sell to others, but up to now it has been necessary to supply themselves from the borders and
some parts of this colony in order to maintain themselves, the settlers and residents making use of selling
their livestock to make the purchases of corn.
To the tenth question he said: that the settlements, which he knows are in what is the true coast of
the Gulf of Mexico, are the ones to which he has referred in the first question of this declaration, that he
does not know how many leagues from they sea they are situated but that from this town of Escandon to
the coast from the Altamira side there should be about twenty-five leagues and that he does not know if
there might be another port, bay, or anchorages other than the one that they call Santander into which the
schooners of the honorable general enter.
To the eleventh question he said: that he knows that the land of all this colony is very suitable for
the breeding of major and minor livestock and that he knows that in Camargo Captain Blas María and in
Reinosa several residents and in Santander, Hoyos, San Fernando and in other parts their residents have
established several haciendas in which they experience large increases.
To the twelfth question he said: that, in the bounderies of this town at the foot of Mesa Sola about
one league from this settlement, there is a mine discovered by some residents a year ago from which they
have drawn some rocks that manifest a good quality but they have not made an assay of them nor do they
know what they might produce and that, in the Sierra de San José, a distance of five leagues from this
settlement, there are some mines within the mountain, that the declarant has seen some twelve openings
in several regions, that there are some up to ten or twelve rods deep and others less from which they have
made various tests burning and grinding some pieces that manifest silver and some, who understand it, say
that they also have gold but [due to] the expanse of the country and the poverty of these settlers, they have
not had the money to be able to begin working them, and that at a distance of about three leagues farther
ahead of these towards Tamaulipa Vieja in the mountain they call San Andrés, there are another three mine
openings from which they have also drawn ores and they have made the same experiment like with the
previous one and they have found it to be a very black and heavy metal which indicates it being of good
quality to produce silver and that he does not know of any other.
To the thirteenth question he said: that on the coast of the sea toward Soto la Marina, Altamira,
San Fernando, and other parts there are salt deposits of good quality from which this colony supplies itself
and its frontiers, carrying it in carts to all areas and, at the one the declarant has seen at Soto la Marina,
the abundance is so great that he is sure that it would be enough for the whole of New Spain.
To the fourteenth question he said: that this settlement is found tranquil, peaceful, and quiet among
its settlers, conserving good correspondence with the other immediate settlements without hearing anything
about that which concerns the conversion of Indians in other settlements, nor their having the smallest
problem in any region of the colony for the present, nor any displeasure with the heathen Indians, nor do
they fear their restlessness in that it has been some time since they have caused any vexations, although
it is true that with the little immutibility that these people observe there could be some trouble in the future.
To the fifteenth question he said: that the Sierra Madre and the Sierra Gorda are all one and the
same without division or difference because their union is never separated, although it has some passes and
glens in several parts, its mountain ridges are always connected and continuous without any break, which
experience and knowledge the declarant has because of having traveled it at various parts where they call
it Sierra Madre, and that he has lived in el Jaumave which is the center of said mountain ridge and, having
asked several times of old people why they gave it two names, that mountain ridge being only one, they
answered that some had called it Gorda and others Madre and that the ones who first began to populate that
region, at seeing such large promontories and continuous and exalted mountains and ridges, they took the
name of its distinction calling it Sierra Gorda and afterwards, those who continued settling farther along,
seeing its continuation with the same imponderable mountains, named their area that of Sierra Madre, that
this is what he has generally heard the old people say and he has imagined the same that he has
experienced. And that the Sierra Tamaulipa la Vieja furnishes lovely sites in which to place settlements,
especially the one called los Martínez, where there are plains and very large lands to plant, beautiful
summer pastures, and water available in abundance in a posture to be able to irrigate with it naturally
without the work of a canal, all of which the declarant has seen and it appears to him to be very suitable
that a settlement be put there better than any other part of all of Tamaulipa, partly because it is immediate
to some salt deposits from the coast of Altamira as well as because it was the only means to drive away the
Indians that take refuge there, or to convert them to congregate themselves in the missions, which he thinks
would not be very difficult in that those are the one who cause less problems to the settlements because they
are very intent on the plantings and instructed in cultivation and they harvest many cornfields, sweet
potatoes, beans, gourds, and chile, everything which the declarant saw at the penultimate war which he
had with the Janambres that had siezed that region.
To the sixteenth question he said: that the settlements of Nuevo Reino de León, that he knows are
frontiers, are Linares, a distance of which he is unsure, and that he has not traveled that part of the north
nor does he know which of the other provinces can also be those and that, on the southern part in the
province of la Huasteca, he knows that the town of Valles is a frontier about twenty leagues from this
colony and Guadalc�zar which is a distance of about fifty leagues. And that the benefit that the frontiers
reap after the conquest of the colony is true and public, for its no longer having those continuous damages
with which the Indians robbed and bothered them incessantly, their launching themselves as far as their
own settlements in which they now experience a total tranquility and no vexations.
To the seventeenth question he said: that he cannot exactly say the number of captains, corporals,
and soldiers there are in all the settlement but, in this town of Escandón the declarant finds himself its
captain in a non-enlisted position with five hundred pesos salary and, at the same time under his command
in enlisted posts with salary, there are a sergeant with two hundred fifty pesos and seven soldiers, six with
two hundred twenty-five pesos each and the other one with one hundred twenty pesos per year and that the
method by which these salaries are satisfied is that they go to their general asking him within the year for
the goods that they need for themselves and the provisions for their homes, which end in the power of the
declarant who distributes them to the individuals keeping their account with moderate prices and at the end
of the year they are all adjusted and they send the power to Mexico to Don Agustín de Iglesias,
empowered by the honorable general so that he charge his property and, with that, make payments of that
which they have taken. And that the destinies, services, and cares which they practice are, the declarant
as captain, who has the political and military command of this settlement, its government, and that of the
soldiers; the sergeant acts as a lieutenant in whatever is needed of one or another charge. The soldier who
has one hundred twenty pesos salary is destined only for the assistance and service of the missionary priest
and of those few goods that are assigned to the mission, and the other six soldiers care for the horses of
the residents, the one which is called that of the post[sic], and to guard the land, deliver letters of the
general, escort passengers, and give aid to the other settlements when necessary.
And in consequence of all the aforementioned, in order to better inform himself, the honorable
inspector asked him what changes this town has had since its first population, what has motivated them,
and what do the residents think of the region in which they desire to establish themselves; he said: that this
settlement, from the beginning to now, has had four mutations caused by the trouble with the Indians and
the epidemic of mosquitos and lately it is considering moving from the land where it is because of the flood
that it experienced last year in which the church, many houses, and goods were lost, for which they have
alrealy elected the region about a distance of three-fourths league from this town and have informed their
general so that he grant them permission to be able to move, which disposition they are awaiting
To the eighteenth question about the General Legal Data he said that they do not concern him in
anything. And, all that he has declared having been read again to him ad verbum so that he say whether
he needs to add or remove anything or that he approve it, he said: that he only needs to add that, the one
regarding the means that have favored the subsistence of these settlers and residents, which the declarant
has contributed giving them some measures of corn of about thirty to the most needy so that they could
maintain their livestock, which supplement he has made them of corn which they have destined in his
power by the honorable general for the maintenance of the soldiers, whose share he will place on account
so that he can charge it and, if he would like, that he forgive it as he has done in other parts. And in
everything else he approves and ratifies it and if necessary he will say it anew for it being the truth by the
oath that he has made and he signed it and that he is of the age of fifty years, the said honorable Don José
Tienda de Cuervo signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Antonio de Puga. -(rubric) -Roque
Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
DOCUMENT. - In the town of Escandón in twenty days of the month of May of seventeen
hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, having seen the proceedings
practiced up to now in this settlement for the inspection of it and of its state in conformity to the chapters
of its instruction, considering them as sufficient, desirous of not wasting time on the ones that should
continue on and to avoid the costs that could follow with delays for the Royal Exchequer, he ordered that
everything done and corresponding to this settlement be put in a separate book to facilitate its more clear
information and thus he decreed and signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez
Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
--------------------
CITY OF HORCASITAS
DOCUMENT. - In the city of San Juan Bautista de Horcasitas, in twenty-three days of the month
of May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, Gentleman
of the Order of Santiago, Captain of Dragoons of la Nueva Ciudad de Veracruz and Inspecting Judge for
the most excellent honorable Viceroy Marquis of las Amarillas, for the inspection of the Gulf of Mexico,
as it appears in the dispatch that was entrusted to him, its date in Mexico on the twenty-ninth of March of
this present year, which is found as head of the folder number one that was begun to be formed in these
formalities. Having arrived at this said town today at eleven-thirty in the morning, he found it suitable in
the continuation of his commissions not to waste any time in continuing what he intends to do in the town
in order to inform himself, in the best justification, of its state according to the instruction that was
committed to him, and it is located in the stated book number one from folio four to eight and, for it, he
ordered that they place the related proceedings immediately following this document and that the
declarations and examination of witnesses that might be done be through the interrogation that is found in
said book number one in the folio fifty-four, everything being done with the aid of elected witnesses for
the formation of these documents who are Don Roque Fern�ndez Marcial and Don Francisco de Haro,
whom said gentleman has nominated for this deed from the first proceedings of his commission and so that
everything be done as it is ordered and it have the most proper completion, he thus decreed and signed it. -
José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
DOCUMENT. - In the said city of Horcasitas in twenty-three days of the month of May of
seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, Gentleman of the Order
of Santiago, Captain of Dragoons of the New City of Veracruz and Inspecting Judge for the most excellent
honorable Viceroy Marquis of las Amarillas, for the inspection of the Gulf of Mexico, continuing the
proceedings which he expects to perform in this settlement in discussion of its state, ordered that they make
a general review of its settlers and surrounding area and that this disposition be communicated to the
captain Don Esteban Saavedra in whom its political and military jurisdiction is found, so that he give a
list of the resident settlers and inhabitants with which it is found, including a particular note in it of the
officers and soldiers enlisted and with salary that there are in this settlement, with expression of the annual
salary that they enjoy and the names of wives, children, and families of one and another, what goods,
haciendas, and livestock they have and of what species; reports of the service the officers and soldiers do,
in order to pass a copy of this document to the said captain so that, as ordered, he comply with that which
is ordered of him and that, to perform the act of review, he summon the related settlers and citizenry so
that tomorrow, that shall be counted as the 24th of the present, at nine o'clock, everyone present himself
with their arms in the plaza of this said city to execute it with the necessary formality and thus he decreed,
ordered, and signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
REVIEW - In the city of Horcasitas in twenty-four days of the month of May of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, in virtue of the order to make a review
of the settlers, area, congregation, and converted Indian village. Having received the list which was
requested of the captain Don Esteban Saavedra, he ordered that they do as is ordered and that for its best
justification that a suplicatory note be given to the very reverend father Fray Miguel de Jesus Rada,
apostolic minister of it, so that he serve to assist in this act and to have the suitable reports from his
Holiness and, this request having been communicated to the said reverand father, he concurred with the
said gentleman and, in these terms, the said review was begun, calling each one by name, registering the
arms composed of a rifle, a sword, a shield, and some pistols and posing the questions that were found
suitable, it was executed in the following way:
REVIEW
SQUADRON OF OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS ENLISTED
AND WITH SALARY
1.- Captain Don Esteban Saavedra, Spaniard, married to Doña Micaela Moctezuma, all arms,
twenty-six horses, enjoys five hundred pesos salary per year.
1.- Sergeant Juan Antonio S�nchez, married to Isabel V�zquez, has seven children, all arms,
eight horses, enjoys two hundred pesos per year.
1.- Juli�n Antonio S�nchez, married to Eugenia Barrón, has three children, all arms, ten horses, enjoys two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
1.- Alberto S�nchez Bello, married to Antonia L�rraga, has all arms, five horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
1.- Francisco Galv�n, married to María de Villasana, has one son, all arms, five horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos.
1.- José Contreras, married to Rita Medina, has seven children, arms without a pistol, eight horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos.
1.- Juan Manuel de Mata, married, has one daughter, all arms, six horses, enjoys two hundred twenty-five pesos.
1.- Esteban Flores, married, has five children, all arms, five horses, enjoys two hundred twenty-five pesos.
1.- Aparicio V�zquez, married, all arms, six horses, enjoys two hundred twenty-five pesos
1.- Bernardo Gómez, married has three children, all arms, six horses, enjoys two hundred twenty-five pesos per year, is absent with permission.
1.- José Enríquez, married, has four children, all arms, five horses, enjoys two hundred twenty- five pesos per year, is ill.
REFORMED
1.- Reformed captain Don José Antonio Oyarvide, native of la Provincia de Guipuzcoa,
married to Doña María Teresa García, has five children, enjoys no salary whatsoever, all arms, five horses.
SETTLERS OF THE FIRST ESTABLISHMENT
1.- Second lieutenant Don Juan Ignacio Fajardo, married to Eugenia Díaz, all arms, sixteen horses, two male donkeys, one female donkey, has a servant with two sisters and the
aforementioned second lieutenant did not wish to receive the one hundred pesos of
financial assistance which, as such a settler, would be given to him as financial assistance
for his travel and he ceded them in favor of His Majesty.
1.- Lorenza Morales, widow, has four children, three horses.
1.- Bernardo Gómez, married to Rita Enríquez, has three children, all arms, four horses.
1.- Catarina de L�rraga, widow, has six children, arms without a sword for one of her sons, and three horses.
1.- Miguel Gómez, married to María Candelaria, has three children, all arms, three horses.
1.- María de Ahumada, widow, has five children, all arms, her eldest son and three horses.
1.- Joaquín Morales, married to Juana L�rraga, has five children, all arms, four horses.
1.- Juan Antonio Enríquez, married to María Antonia Morales, all arms, two horses.
1.- Manuel de Horta, married to Eulogia Gonz�lez, has one son, all arms, without horses, is ill.
1.- Juan Manuel de los Angeles, married to Juana María de Ontiveros, has six children, all arms, without horses.
1.- Rosa Valladares, has four children and the eldest [has] all arms, two horses.
1.- Efigenia Queira, widow, has four horses.
1.- Francisco Rodríguez, married to Teresa Rita, has six children, all arms without a sword, seven horses.
1.- Juan V�zquez, married to Josefa García, has two children, all arms, two horses.
1.- Martín García, married to Antonia Juliana, has one daughter, all arms, and two horses.
1.- Antonio Pecheco, married to María Josefa de la Cruz, has five children, without arms or horses.
1.- Cayetano Izaguirre, married to Juana Leiva, has two children, all arms and four horses.
1.- Juan Crist�bal de Izaguirre, married to Isabel Rodríguez, has four children, all arms and two horses, is absent with permission.
1.- Santiago Benito, married to María de L�rraga, has three children, without arms or horses, ill.
1.- Antonio Ju�rez, married to Magdalena Rodríguez, has two children, all arms and one horse.
1.- José Mateo Gonz�lez, married to Paula María, has four children, without arms or horses.
1.- Tom�s Elías, married to Juana Ponce, has four children, all arms and eight horses.
Valeriano García, widower, all arms without sword, two horses, absent for medical treatment.
1.- Antonio Lorenzo, married to Josefa Alvarez, has two children, all arms, eight horses.
1.- Gerardo Lorenzo, married to María Concepción, has one son, all arms and one horse.
1.- Manuel Rosalino, married to María Antonia, all arms and three horses, is ill.
1.- Sebasti�n Delgado, widower, all arms and three horses.
Estanislao Resendi, married to María Magdalena, has four children, without arms, two horses.
Diego Díaz, married to Jerónima de N�jera, has four children, all arms, eight horses.
Antonio Díaz Valera, married to María Espinosa, all arms, two horses.
1.- José Jerónimo Ponce, married to María Clara, has three children, all arms, seven horses.
1.- José Antonio Maldonado. married to Efigenia Pizaña, has seven children, all arms, five horses.
1.- Manuel V�zquez, married to María Casilda, has twelve children, all arms, six horses.
1.- Miguel Hern�ndez, married to Petra de Alc�ntara, has four children, arms without a rifle, two horses.
1.- Juan Antonio V�zquez, married to Florencia de Andrade, has seven children, all arms, seven horses.
1.- Juan José Pérez, married to María López, has four children, arms without a sword, two horses.
INCREASE OF REGISTERED RESIDENTS
1.- Don Sebasti�n de Salazar, married to Teresa de Ch�vez, has six children, arms without a sword or horses.
1.- Felipe de Escobar, married to Sebastiana de Torres, has three children, arms without a rifle, one horse.
1.- Joaquín Izaguirre, married to Antonia Martín, has two children, all arms, four horses.
1.- Juan Pablo Pedrosa, married to Antonia de L�rraga, has one daughter, arms without a rifle, one horse.
1.- Pedro Nolasco, married to María Candelaria, has six children, one (male) married; with three persons, all arms, three horses.
1.- Pedro del Castillo, married to María Dolores, without arms or horses.
1.- Tom�s de Aguilar, married to Rafaela de los Angeles, has ten children, all arms and four horses.
1.- L�zaro de Molina, married to Petra Pérez, has three children, all arms, without horses.
1.- Marcelo Enríquez, married to Marcela de Villasana, all arms, two horses.
1.- Antonio Ignacio, married to Petra de Lara, has two children, arms without a sword or horses.
1.- Juan Hern�ndez, married to Lorenza Paulina, has one son, all arms, two horses, and is absent with permission.
1.- Diego José Chagoy�n, married to Cecilia Gonz�lez, has one daughter, arms without a rifle or horses.
1.- Antonio Vicente, married to Juana Brígida, has four children, without arms, one horse.
1.- Francisco Javier Royolo, married to Marciala de L�rraga, has three children, arms without a sword, four horses.
1.- Juan Nicol�s Botello, married to María Teresa, has one son and one male orphan, arms without a sword or horses.
1.- Lorenzo de Aguilar, widower, has one son, without arms or horses.
1.- Juana de Ibarra, widow with three children and four horses.
1.- Juan Alvarez Cardiel, married to Ignacia Gonz�lez, all arms and one horse.
1.- Miguel Molina, married to Pascuala Lorenza, has two children, all arms, without horses.
1.- Hilario Pérez, married to María de la Concepción, has one daughter, without arms or horses.
1.- Matías Ju�rez, married to Francisca de Leiva, has one son, arms without a sword or horses.
1.- Salvador V�zquez, married to María de la Concepción, has one horse, withour arms and is ill.
1.- Pedro de los Santos Gonz�lez, married to Pascuala de la Cruz, without arms or horses.
1.- José Ramón, married to María V�zquez, has one son, without arms or horses.
1.- Juan Valentín Balderas, married to Teresa V�zquez, has one son, two horses, without arms.
1.- Andrés de L�rraga, married to Antonia M�xima, all arms, five horses.
1.- Hermenegildo V�zquez, married to Tomasa Rodríguez, all arms, absent with permission.
1.- Don Antonio de Oyarvide, married to Do�� Juana Jonguitud, all arms, ten horses.
That as it is written according to the related agreement, the number is composed of seventy-three
families with three hundred sixty-three persons in this form: The eleven of the squadron of officers and
soldiers enlisted and with salary, the one reformed captain, thirty-three of the settlers of the first
establishment, and the twenty-eight increased and registered; and the goods there are, belonging to these
families, are three hundred forty-nine equine beasts for breeding, forty-nine mules, forty-eight pairs of
oxen, two hundred twelve head of minor livestock, and four hundred five of bovine livestock, without
including two hundred sixty-two horses that its residents keep for their use and service and two "master"
donkeys and one female donkey, as it is set in the entries of this review. And, concerning what was asked
of the missionary reverend father, that he attend it [the review] to give his reports and, his having done it
giving those which were necessary in accreditation of the existance of families, those which it is clear are
absent with permission, and the goods of everyone, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo asked
him to serve in signing, in faith of it, the said review and the said father executed it and, completed in these
terms, he ordered it be put in the book of documents formed in this city of Horcasitas and the said
gentleman signed it with the witness in attendance. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Fray Miguel de
Jesús Rada -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
REVIEW OF THE FRIENDLY AND CONVERTED INDIANS
In the said city of Horcasitas, on the said day twenty-fourth of May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, continuing his proceedings to acquaint himself
in the most perfect state and inspection of all of this settlement, ordered that they make a review and a
scrutiny of the Olive and Huasteco Indians that are established there in two factions, subjects of the mission
and subordinates of the apostolic missionary father Fray Miguel de Jesús Rada, those who were conducted
to this settlement from the beginning of its establishment with the financial help of ten pesos each one,
twenty for their captains and fifteen for their lieutenants, and having them appear before him with their
families, they found that the said Olives compose twenty-one families, including two widows and within
them, seventy-one adult and young persons of both sexes among which there is one captain and one
lieutenant who commands them and is in charge in whatever is needed; and the Huastecos [have] thirty
families with one hundred seven adult and young persons of both sexes with their captain and lieutenant,
and in some and others he found and observed their being many of reason, for which reason the said
honorable Don José urged them to work and apply themselves for the purpose of their conservation and
that they look, subjected and humble, to the doctrine of the missionary father and the obedience of the
justice and principally in the holy fear of God, in which compliance they demostrated good faith and the
said missionary father having concurred with all this, the said gentleman asked him to serve to present the
Palag�eque Indians to him who are at this time congregating in this mission, which he did and, having
collected them, they placed themselves in his presence and it was found that there are ninety-six persons
of both sexes between young and adult ones including two captains who reside among them, who, although
some understand a little of the Spanish language, most of them are inexperienced in it and nevertheless the
said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo was able, through the priest, who speaks their language, to
make them understand how they would be cared for and helped if they remained true to the christian
religion and they fulfilled their obligation in the obedience to the priest and to the justice, that this would
be the means of keeping the favor of the honorable Viceroy who would care for them, and with this they
were dismissed and the said gentleman asked the said missionary priest that he serve to add his signature
to this proceeding in faith of having been present in everything that he executed and so that it be clear that
it is set. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Fray Miguel de Jesús María Rada -(rubric) -Roque
Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
Fray Miguel de Jesús María Rada, apostolic preacher and missionary minister in this city of San
Juan Bautista de Horcasitas, its town of the Huastecos, village of the Olives, and congregation of the
Palag�ques, etc.
The preceding letter of entreaty having been read, I say: that concurring with the relief of His
Majesty and responding to the questions that are made of me in the mentioned letter of entreaty, I had a
register made of all the settlers with their families, the one in which there is only that of the persons who
confess and receive the sacraments.
To the second I say: that I have a congregation of Chichimeco Indians that they call Palag�eques,
whose number is thirty-two vagabonds and 65 rabbles, most of them are not baptised due to not being able
to support them, for which reason the catechism has been delayed.
Regarding the settlers, I have no report of those who came nor what the financial aid that they
received was.
The synod assigned to the minister priest is three hundred pesos that are charged by the hand of
our syndic brother who provides the record of what he remitted. Regarding financial aid to my
predecessors for their coming, I know not which or what it might be, I only say that my Sacred College
put me in this colony with the necessary provision of which I do not know from where or how it came.
Since I came after the presidio was established, I do not know the origin that the sacred ornaments
had, I have heard that our King donated them, but neither do I know their cost nor is there anyone on this
land intelligent enough to evaluate them, nor [is there] a paper of what they cost, because a furious
hurricane destroyed the office in which I had the archives and I saved nothing more than my life, losing
all the proceedings that were written to the tremendous rain that came with the hurricane, I did save all the
ornamentation and sacred urns; I attend to its maintenance.
I have not read any document that shows any possession of lands, much less has one been given
to me, it is true that the Indians live at a distance of one quarter of a league from the settlers, the goods that
I administer, which are theirs or are to maintain them, are three hundred cows, four hundred head of
sheep, thirty-eight mares for breeding, twelve tame mules, fourteen horses, paying cowboys from this
because the Indians do not want to help with the work.
Regarding the planting, I have only made one on this land (I do not know about those that my
predecessors made.) and it was of seven and one-half measures, one which I did not succeed in since the
flooding of the river drowned it.
Regarding the lands, I believe they are in common. I do not know with certainty the time that the
congregation of Indians was established, an expectation that I do not have for its continuation, it is simply
to try to maintain them, something which the honorable colonel Don José de Escandon did during the first
year of my coming, giving them four "almudes" of corn each day.
Regarding the plantings of the settlers, I have had no personal information of what they might
plant, I do know that everything is seasonal, none is irrigated.
The land, as far as I know, seems to me to be very suitable for the settlement, especially for the
breeders.
I know for certain that with the populating of this colony those which were frontiers before have
especially benefitted and I do not know that there has been any continuing injury with the removal of
residents.
And finally, honorable captain, the concept that I have formed about the subsistence or stability
of this place is that if they could reap grains or seeds for the daily provisions and maintenance of the
families, it would endure, if they are lacking or might be lacking in the future, I do not know the end nor
do I concieve where it will go.
I wish to conjecture correctly in the questions that Your Majesty poses to me. I do not know if I
have accomplished it. The lack of experience and information has bothered me for my not expounding
with more individuality; but it goes in God and by God with the candor that is proper for my state, with
which I say in conclusion that the lands on their own are good, apt for planting.
Horcasitas and May 25 of 1757 years. -Fray Miguel de Jesús María Rada. -(rubric).
Having arranged to give the fixed number of baptised Chichimeco Indians, it was requisite for me
to say about this notation that it is twelve, an it being true I signed it on said day. -Fray Miguel de Jesús
María Rada. -(rubric).
Giving the proper completion as captain of this city of San Juan Bautista de Horcasitas to that
which is prepared for me and ordered of me by Your Majesty in his document which preceeds, I deliver
the list which contains the settlers who exist in this city, their wives, children, and goods, with a report of
the Huasteco and Olive Indians who also came as settlers since its foundation and live immediate to it in
a ward that is assigned to them, and of the heathen Indians congregated to its mission of San Francisco
Javier Puente de Arce. Expressed also in the said list are the soldiers of this royal squadron made up of
eleven posts which are, the one which I have of captain, that of sergeant and nine soldiers in which some
settlers serve so that said posts always be complete; their ministry and task is that of being ready with their
weapons and horses continually to all that occurs of the royal service for the campaigns that are needed,
mainly for the guarding and keeping of this city against the rebel Janambres who have brought so much
war to it, to the town of Escandón, and to that of Llera, by which means the Indians of this mission are
docile and assembled by the fear of the weapons and through this they will not experience the inconstancies
to which they are so prone, all those of their nature.
No haciendas have been established, due to the small abilities of these settlers who continually have
been harassed by the said Janambres and lost their various goods, as well as by the horror that they have
had of them without daring to extend themselves, but now that this tribe has been subdued with the blows
that they have been given, they will be able to have goods, to increase them and extended themselves with
them to enjoy the lands that are assigned to this city.
The salary that the Royal Squadron provides annually is five hundred pesos [for] the rank of
captain, two hundred fifty that of sergeant, and two hundred twenty-five each one of the soldiers which
seems to come to two thousand seven hundred seventy-five pesos.
I have already summoned these inhabitants and prepared the said Royal Squadron so that they
appear before Your Lordship to pass review; if Your Lordship would serve to order me to conduct
anything else, I am ready to execute it.
City of Horcasitas and May twenty-four of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years. - Esteban Manuel
de Saavedra.-(rubric)
DOCUMENT.- In the said city of Horcasitas in twenty-five days of the month of May of seventeen
hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo said that in respect to the interval
between the expediting of the answers of the letter of entreaty and document in this city that appear to have
been sent to its missionary father and to its captain, they have received the necessary declarations to be
instructed of its state and that of its jurisdiction, with the aim of not wasting time and avoiding those
expenses of the Royal Treasury in the days that would pass without its execution so that the dates of the
said information do not disagree in placing them following these and the preceding ones, he ordered that
they be put immediately following this document so that it have the desired effects that may be suitable and
he signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de
Haro. -(rubric).
STATEMENT OF THE REFORMED CAPTAIN DON JOSE ANTONIO DE OYARVIDE. -In
the city of Horcasitas in twenty-four days of the month of May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the
honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, for the justification which he attempts to make of his duties in the
inspection of the state of this settlement, in conformity with that which is ordered of him by the instruction
that was committed to him for this end, which is found in the book number one of these proceedings from
folio four to eight and of the questionnaire that is found in the same book in the folio fifty-four, finding it
suitable to give the accounts or to bring to light that which corresponds, he had appear before him Don
José Antonio de Oyarvide, resident of this city and reformed captain of it from whom he received an oath
by God and a cross so that he tell the truth in whatever he would be asked and equally keep secret in it and
his response, and he having done it as it is required he was interrogated pursuant to the cited questionnaire
and he responded the following:
To the first question he said: that the Sierra Gorda before the conquest was inhabited by Indians
who caused continuous vexations on all parts of the frontiers and that the settlements that there were at that
time within the said sierra were Jalpa in the middle and center of the said sierra road from la Huasteca to
Querétaro where there were some civilized people who lived from their fields, keeping a missionary priest
who helped them, with a small Indian congregation, that he does not know what government they observed
within themselves having to do with justice, and that there was also the settlement of Tula which is also
within the Sierra Gorda on the road that goes out from this colony by Santa B�rbara toward San Luis
Potosí, Guadalc�zar, etc., where civilized people also maintained themselves with the use of their fields,
also with a missionary priest helping them and some Indians in their congregation. He knows that there
was at that time another settlement already established that was call el Jaumave, composed of residents and
kindly people applied to the cultivation and mines from which they support themselves, that they also kept
their minister for the ecclesiastical and they had some Indians congregated, that he does not know the
names of the tribes any of them nor of those who might be baptized, and that he cannot say exactly either
the number of settlers of which the three settlements might be composed, and that these subsist today and
little increase in residents and, besides, there is the settlement of Palmillas within the same Sierra Gorda
whose establishment Don José de Escandón newly formed with the aim of having the passes of said sierra
better fortified against the Indians and to be able to better assure the subsistence of the old settlements with
their help and defence, and that he does not know the state of its establishment but that there are some
civilized residents and some Indians congregated. And that he also knows that the said Don José de
Escandón has established within the said Sierra Gorda the one they call Real de los Infantes, which is a
site where they have discovered some mines that are being worked although of poor quality and, at the
same time, in the cultivation and work of the lands whose labors are the ones that are fruitful and they have
only their necessities of life, that he does not know the number of its residents or whether there are some
congregated Indians within, that they have their minister who assists them spiritually. And that he also
knows that before the conquest of this new colony the site that they call Tanguinchín was populated and
it is the one that today they call Santa B�rbara, the one which used to be inhabited by heathen Janambre
and Pison Indians of whom there were some baptized with whom about four or five civilized families from
Río Blanco and other parts lived, the ones who lived from cultivation, who had no ecclesiastical minister
nor known domicile and that, every year or every two years, the priest of the town of los Valles used to
come with a company of fifty or sixty soldiers from those militias in which on some occasions the declarant
was included, and their coming to the said settlement was confined to minister a spiritual nourishment to
those people, to baptize and marry those who were prepared, and practice the other acts that could be
established in the advancement of our holy religion, whose residence would last about eight or ten days
and afterwards they would leave. And that he also heard that, also settled in that time in the area of this
colony bordering the Nuevo Reino de León, was the town of San Antonio de los Llanos which was subject
to the government of said kingdom of whose citizenry and circumstances he can give no report because
he did not travel through those regions nor has he any other information. And that he also knows that in
the Sierre Tamaulipa la Vieja, from a long time past, they had a congregation of Indians called the Olives
situated at the foot of the same mountains at a distance of about six leagues from the place this city of
Horcasitas occupies today, that there should be about thirty families who have a missionary priest who
helps them and two soldiers paid by the king for their defense, that these were subject to the subordination
of the chief mayors of Pánuconuco and Tampico, and the method of maintaining themselves was from the fruits
of their fields of corn and the agave, having nearby the convenience of salt deposits for their conservation
but, the communication with the rest of the heathen Indians having come to their causing continuous
disturbances and annoying them, they decided to leave that place and, in fact, it must be about thirty-five
years that they went to an area that they call Tancasneque which at that time was the jurisdiction of
Tampico and today is within the colony, having transported their goods, their bells, ornaments and sacred
urns there, and also having experienced the persecution of the heathen Indians in that place, they left it and
occupied that of San José which is immediate, at about two shots of a rifle, to that which today is the
settlement of Altamira and there the barbarians continued pursuing them and, although they had various
clashes with deaths from one place or another, they were not able to assure their peace, due to which they
left for Tampico and from there they began to divide, some to la Huasteca in the jurisdiction of the town
of los Valles and others stayed there, assisted by the minister who accompanied them, in which state they
remained until, the conquest of this colony having occurred, Don José de Escandón having, as a task, the
establishment of the settlement of this city, he found it suitable to place the aforesaid Olive Indians in it
from the beginning with its settlers, for which end he led them and situated them in it with the financial
aid which he gave them for their travel, assigning twenty pesos for their captain, fifteen for the lieutenant,
and ten for the others, that the number of those who had this assistance were about thirty to thirty-two.
And these [people] having left everything antiquated which they had pertaining to the ministry of the
church upon their departure from Tampico, the said honorable Don José de Escandón arranged to bring
them the bells, the silver reliquary, the incense burner, the chalice, the wine vessels of the same type and,
since they were his, to turn them over to them for the service of the new church that was being formed,
which is what now exists and serves in it.
To the second question he said: that the settlers of this city of Horcasitas from its first establishment
were about forty-six who proceeded from the town of los Valles and jurisdiction of la Huasteca, from el
Río Verde, San Luis Potosí, and several other parts; that it is almost nine years since they came to this
establishment, Mr. Escandón having given each settler one hundred pesos for the cost of their travel; and
that the means that have favored their subsistance and that of the congregated Indians have been that, by
the hand of the declarant on the order of the said Mr. Escandón in the time of three years, they supplied
about two thousand six hundred and more measures of corn in the rations that were distributed weekly to
the settlers and Indians. And that afterwards, in the year of fifty-two, having experienced a flood that
destroyed everything that was planted, about three hundred measures of corn were distributed to help this
settlement, that he knows that this number is exactly correct because the expense passed through his hands.
And that the heathen Indians, who have always shown themselves to be peaceful, have been helped with
the aim of attracting them with corn, meat, tobacco, sugarcane candy, and some clothes, that all the said
means that have gone through the hands of the declarant could come to seven thousand nine hundred fifty
pesos, more or less, without including other aids of corn that have been distributed to the Palagueques by
the hand of the ministers, that, in the time of two years, that is what he dispensed, at five "almudes" per
day, which comprise about three hundred-four measures, and the cloth and clothes that the honorable
General Escandón would send for them and also would give them when said gentleman would come to
this settlement, at what expense I cannot report.
And in consequence of the preceding he was asked how many settlers or residents have increased
up to the present, from where they came, who has financed their trip and helped their establishment [and]
he said: that it must have increased by twenty-four or twenty-five residents up to the present, that they have
come from various parts and others who have married from the same children of the settlers who have had
no financial aid whatsoever for their trip since they have come voluntarily without being solicited, but for
their subsistance they have had the same aid as the other settlers, whose encouragement was what moved
them to come to extricate themselves from the needs they had in their home.
To the third question he said: that the Olive and Huasteca Indians collected in this settlement have
quarters or huts where they live separate from the Spanish settlers at a distance of the shot of a pistol from
their settlement because, as their having been made docile and civilized, they do not mind their being
nearby but that the homes and huts in which the Palagueque Indians live, who are from the converted
Indian village subject to the mission, are situated about a quarter league from this city.
To the fourth question he said: that, up to now, no possession of lands and sites of this settlement
have been given to the apostolic missionary on which they are to found the conservation of the converted
Indians because they have only assigned the lands which he is cultivating with the said Indians so that he
support them with the crops and ministry and that this regulation continues with the settlers to whom they
have also not made formal assignment of lands, rather that each one has taken those which he has been able
to cultivate and in these terms they have them all in common.
To the fifth question he said: that he knows that passing through Escandón is the river called
Guayalejo that begins around el Jaumave, crosses the Sierra Gorda, passes through Llera, contines to the
related Escandón, continues in this immediate area of Horcasitas, and goes to end a few leagues before
arriving at la Barra de Tampico. And that he knows that several other rivers connected to this one which
also start at the Sierra Gorda and enter into this colony, as are the one of Sabinos, Río Frío, and el Monte;
that these do not pass through known settlements.
To the sixth question he said: that the canals that they have built for the irrigation of lands are that
of Santo Domingo de Hoyos, Burgos, Santander, Aguayo, and Llera and that in Escandón, finding
themselves already with the best success in the one they were working, it was destroyed by a flood, but
he hears that they subsist in the hope of putting it in use, and that in this city of Horcasitas they have some
hope of being able to have this benefit, whose practice they have not put into use, waiting for someone with
knowledge who can assure them whether they can have it.
To the seventh question he said: that the settlement of Santa B�rbara enjoys a spring with which
it can irrigate and fertilize its lands, and that in this present year they have set up some plantings for
irrigation. And that he does not know of other settlements with this comfort.
To the eighth question he said: that the use being made of the lands with irrigation is to plant corn,
cane, chile, vegetables, and other plants, and that the most creditable seed of the crops, in which the major
effort is put into its planting, is corn and that they must already have in application, cultivated for these
plantings, about up to fifty measures of planting.
To the ninth question he said: that in the first years of this establishment the planting that they were
able to do were of little consideration partly because it was necessary to cultivate and plow the lands with
much space as well as because the Indians caused continuous irritations such that the settlers found
themselves in the need of having their arms at hand without being able to help with the work, and in some,
after having experienced bad weather for which reason, up to last year, they had not formalized their
planting in which they put forty-three measures of corn into work, they managed to see it in an admirable
state promising a good crop but, a furious hurricane having occurred and their river leaving its banks, it
inundated the entire crop and they had them in the state mentioned; it left them totally ruined without
having left any crop and, nevertheless, they have continued planting in this present year, with the exception
of the missionary father who, fearful of the storms, has left the lands that were assigned for the Indians and
has taken others in other areas where he can do his planting, all of which, from knowing the extreme
poverty in which this area is found and that if the honorable general does not move to charitably give them
aid, they will not be able to plant as much as last year, knowing as he does for sure, that even if all of their
lands are seasonal ones, if the bad weather does not bother them, their good land is sufficient to harvest
that which they need for settlers and congregations to subsist from what they have planted since they have
experienced that it has been three years since, with only one-half measure of corn that the sergeant planted,
he was able to harvest one hundred measures in the crop in which respect, if they had the same amount,
what they could reap would be sufficient even to sell much to the immediate settlements but, up to the
present, it has been necessary to supply themselves from the other settlements of this colony, the residents
buying at their own expense, making use of going out to sell salt, brown sugar candy, and meat which are
the assets of their goods.
To the tenth question he said: that the settlements, that he knows are situated in that which is the
true coast of the Gulf of Mexico, are Altamira, this one of Horcasitas, Santa B�rbara, Escandón, Llera,
Aguayo, G�emes, Padilla, Santander, Santillana, Soto la Marina, San Fernando, Burgos, Hoyos, Camargo,
Revilla, and others that he does not remember, nor is he a knower of their distances to the sea, but that
from this one of Horcasitas there should be about twenty-five leagues, and that he does not know that there
may be any other port, bays, or anchorages in all the coast other than that which is called Puerto de
Santander into which he knows small ships like the schooners of the honorable general enter.
To the eleventh question he said: that he knows, from having found himself in the examination of
all this coast, that all its land is suitable for the breeding and keeping of major and minor livestock because
of the fertility of its pastures, springs, and its sodium nitrate in general. And that he knows that in
Altamira, Burgos, la Revilla, Camargo, Santander, San Fernando, G�emes, Hoyos, and in many other
parts there are various haciendas of this type already established and that he knows that, in them, they
experience great progress and growth.
To the twelfth question he said: that he knows that in the Cerro de Santiago, jurisdiction of Hoyos,
there are mines that go under the name of Don Domingo de Unzaga, that he has heard they have produced
some silver and that he has heard that in Boca de Caballero, jurisdiction of Aguayo, there is another mine
that he has not heard said of what quality it is. And that in the pasture area of la Concepción, eight leagues
distant from this settlement of Horcasitas, there are several open mineral veins and some of sufficient
depth, that the declarant has heard that the silver from which the Olive Indians had the reliquary, the
incense burner, the chalice, and the wine vessels made, which they have in the church of this city, is from
these and that in the mountain that they call las Minas de San Andrés, two leagues distant from the
antecedents, there are other mineral veins, but that he does not know if they have taken any silver from
them and that he does not know of others.
To the thirteenth question he said: that about one and one-half league from this settlement there
is an area called el Salitre produced by the same earth which the strength of the sun dries it and causes the
salt to surface such that the settlers of this city, working it and purifying it with water, are able to have
sufficient salt for their use with much abundance and that in Escandón they have the same benefit from
which they have been selling to other areas. And that he also knows that at the seashore, in front of
Tamaulipa Vieja, there are abundant salt deposits since he has seen them and brought plenty of salt from
them, and he has heard that around Soto la Marina and all that shore to the north they are very abundant
and there are many salt deposits with sufficient salt for this colony and for areas outside of it.
To the fourteenth question he said: that, in the circle that this colony forms, its settlements are
found congregated and haciendas totally peaceful and quiet and their settlers in good correspondence with
one another and that, at present, they have experienced no harassments whatsoever from the hostile Indians
for about a year for which they live in some confidence of continuing even more peace than up to now,
particularly because the last month of April they killed the rebellious Janambres, who were the ones who,
they experienced, would stir up all the other tribes to cause injury to these settlements and, from the same,
they infer they surely could be frightened and it might serve in containing them and that they could be
converted to the missions and to peace.
To the fifteenth question he said: that the Sierra Madre or Sierra Gorda is one and the same know
by both names with no other difference than that of beginning in those areas of the south up to the front
of Querétaro with large promontories of thick hills and, because of this, it has been given the title of Gorda
and then, continuing with no division or break, it is called Sierra Madre by which it is commonly known
because it is the one that divides the colony on the southern and western part and that the Sierra Tamaulipa
la Vieja is very spread out and encompasses beautiful valleys within it, that although the declarant has not
traveled in these, from what he has heard from the same Indians of the mountain range who have come in
peace, they are very suitable to put in settlements because of their fertility and good lands for all types of
seeds, since they have seen that, with the little work that the Indians who live there do, they raise corn,
beans, chile, yams, pumpkins, tomatoes, and other fruits that they generally bring whenever they come.
And he is very sure that it would be very suitable that they place settlements there to drive away the
Indians, since there are many that occupy those regions, and to intimidate them such that they will feel
obligated to subject themselves to the missions.
To the sixteenth question he said: that he knows that, within the province of Huasteca, the border
to this colony are Tampico, Pánuconuco, Tamaín, Villa de Valles, Tula, and, from the Nuevo Reino de León,
Villa de Linares, and that he does not know, about the other provinces, which settlements might be borders
nor the distance of any of them to the sea, and that he is very sure and certain that all the borders have
reaped a great benefit in the conquest of this colony, because of their being freed of the problems that they
had with the hostile Indians, as much in their settlements as in their haciendas, with livestock that they sent
to pasture in the summer pastures of this colony from which they have freed themselves and of the many
expenses that they had in the enlarged number of guards that they kept which have decreased in great
numbers.
To the seventeenth question he said: that he does not know the exact number of captains, corporals,
or soldiers enlisted and with salary that there might be in the entire colony, but that in this city he can give
a complete report that there is a captain who earns five hundred pesos per year, a sergeant with two
hundred fifty, and nine soldiers with two hundred twenty-five each, that these are satisfied in goods and
reales according to what each one requests and that these goods are given at moderate prices, which the
declarant knows from having this expense go through his hands and his general having confided this
account and report to him in which he has never heard any soldier complain nor has he every had any
losses or disputes, and that the service that they do is: the captain carries the political and military
command of this settlement administering justice in it, the sergeant acts as lieutenant here and there and
sees to it that the soldiers comply with their obligation, one soldier is assigned as the assistant and guard
of the mission for whatever is needed by the missionary father, and the other eight in the guarding,
devotion, and day and night care of this city and its goods, the guarding of its horses that are on the post,
delivering letters of their general, escorting passengers, going on campaigns, surveying the lands, and
giving aid to the settlers who need it.
To the eighteenth question he said: that in regard to the General Legal Data, they do not concern
him at all. And, it having been read again to him ad verbum, all that he has said and declared so that he
say whether he needs to add or remove anything or that it be approve, he said: that what he has said is the
truth by the oath that he has made, and that he affirms and approves it without needing to change or
remove anything, but rather if it be necessary, he would say it anew, and he signed it and stated being of
the age of sixty years; so signed it the said honorable inspector with the witnesses in attendance. - José
Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -José Antonio de Oyarvide -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
STATEMENT OF DON JUAN IGNACIO FAJARDO - In the city of Horcasitas in twenty-four
days of the month of May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the said gentleman, continuing these
proceedings, had appear before him Don Juan Ignacio Fajardo, resident and settler of this city and second
lieutenant of its militias, from whom he received an oath before God and a cross so that he tell the truth
in whatever he would be asked and that he keep it and the answers secret and, his having done it and
presented it as it is required, he was interrogated pursuant to what is contained in the questionnaire found
in the folder number one, folio fifty-four, and he answered the following:
To the first question he said: that the Sierra Gorda before the conquest had very perilous travel due
to the many Indians that inhabited it in one place or another, especially in that which today is a slope of
the colony on the side of la Huasteca and borders of el Nuevo Reino de León, with whom the immediate
settlements had continual wars in whose defence the declarant accompanied the militias and the people who
came from Tula, el Valle del Maíz, and other parts for the fighting. And that the settlements that the Sierra
Gorda or Madre had already established before the conquest were Tula, where they also had converted
Indian villages and a missionary priest who helped them and the civilized residents who lived there
dedicated to working their lands and supporting themselves with their harvests and the raising of cattle, and
that el Jaumave, populated by civilized residents who lived from the cultivation and farming, was also
formed and they also had a small mission with a minister in its attendance. And that later, in the said
Sierra Gorda, they established the settlement of Palmillas which also has a converted Indian village and
a minister, that all of them live from farming. And the same way, the mining city that they call Los
Infantes, that because of its mines there has been a settlement formed there and there are converted Indians
there, although few, and a minister to attend to them, that in one or another he does not know of what they
are composed in settlers or converted Indians nor which of these might have received holy baptism. And
that these last three settlements he knows were established by Don José de Escandón, the one of el
Jaumave before the conquest and the other two after it at the end of helping the others and containing the
fury of the Indians, and that he heard that in that time already populated was the site of San Antonio de los
Llanos bordering upon el Nuevo Reino de León to which government it was subject, and equally is it
evident to him that in the site that they called Tanguinchín, which is today called Santa B�rbara, there was
a resident of Tula living there called Feliciano who, with his family, had established a hamlet there in
which to make use of the good lands, to whom the commanding Captain Don Juan Francisco Barberena,
who lived in his hacienda in the jurisdiction of the town of Valles, province of la Huasteca, contributed
with all fervor possible for its conservation and he also knows [it]. And that the Janambre Indians who
helped in those areas used to communicate to them about peace, but they also committed a lot of thefts of
horses and caused a lot of harm to their corn. And it was in this state of maturity when the occasion
arrived to populate this colony and the honorable General Escandón formed the establishment of that site
with several families and encouragement. And that he has heard that when the state of this conquest came
to be there was established also, from many years back in the Sierra Tamaulipa la Vieja, a settlement of
Indians of the tribe of Olive at distance of six leagues of the site in which this city of Horcasitas is today,
who had a missionary priest with them who directed them, they had a church, bells, and sacred ornaments
and that, due to finding themselves totally fatigued from the hostilities caused by the Chichimeco Indians,
they abandoned that site taking with them their ornamentation and bells and they left for Tampico and from
there, a short time later, to la Huasteca from where, at establishing this settlement of Horcasitas, they were
brought by the honorable General Escandón giving the order for their conduct to the commander Captain
Barberena, by whose hand they were furnished, for the conduct and trip, twenty pesos to the captain,
fifteen to the lieutenant, and ten to each one of the others, that he believes that there were twenty-six
families that came, and that he knows and it is evident to him that the bells and reliquary belong to these
Indians, which, after they established themselves here, they brought from Tampico where they had them.
And that he has also heard that in the bay of Tampico, six leagues from this settlement to the west, there
was a settlement of immemorial times of civilized Spanish people and with a minister, the vestiges of which
remain today and the declarant has seen the foundations of houses and of churches, that it is said to be
called the town of Tanchipa, that it was ruined and destroyed by the hostile Indians, many of its inhabitants,
he has heard, were killed by the hostile Indians, and that also, their having killed the minister who attended
them and there being very few who escaped. And that in the same manner he has heard there was another
settlement in el Valle del Chamal, four leagues distant from the previous one from the same direction of
the west, which also died at the hands of the Indians, and that he knows of no other that there might have
been at that time.
To the second question he said: that the settlers of the first establishment of this city of Horcasitas
were thirty-six who proceed from el Valle del Maíz, Villa de Valles, and Pueblo de Tula, and that it has
been about eight years on the way to nine that they came, their having been given one hundred peses to
each settler for their conduct by the honorable General Escandon, which the declarant knows and it is
evident to him since he traveled with this commission in having given a receipt, signing for those who
could not, which he executed with the reason of having come at that same occasion as registered settler,
but without hving wanted to receive any help in cost because he came voluntarily to establish himself
bringing goods for that purpose, as he has made it evident by a certification of the captain Don José
Antonio de Oyarvide with the date of the sixth of November of seventeen hundred forty-eight years. And
that the measures that have favored the subsistance of this population and of the congregated Indians were
that which, during a time of three years more or less, on the order of the honorable General Escandon,
they furnished a ration of corn to the poor widows and to the needy so that they not desert and the
settlement end up without people, and the same assistance was made to the Indians of the two factions who
came with financial aid, following this same thing also with the Palag�eques of the mission, but that he
does not know to what amount these supplies come, but that the declarant, also on these occasions, did not
receive anything because he did not have the need of such supplies, instead he made various [supplements]
moved by the charity and that of acquiring some merit.
In consequence of the preceding he was asked how many settlers or residents have increased up
to the present, from where they have come, and how they were financed; he said: that the residents that
have increased up to the present from the first settlement would be about twenty-seven more or less, that
they have come from the jurisdiction of Río Verde and other parts, that he cannot report whether they have
been supported with any help in cost for their conduct.
To the third question he said: that the Olive and Huasteco Indians of this mission have their shack
homes, in which they live, separated from the Spanish settlers by a shot of a pistol of their communication,
because, since they are already civilized their treatment is not refused, but that the dwellings and shacks
in which the Palag�eques, which are the ones that at present are congregating and being indoctrinated in
said mission, live are situated about one quarter of a league from this city.
To the fourth question he said: that he knows that possession of the lands has not been given to the
missionary priest in the name of the Indians, but that he does not ignore those which have been assigned
to him that are between the Cerro de Bernal and the river that passes immediate to this settlement, those
which the priest has discontinued working and they have been introduced into others of those which the
settlers could improve from which they have had a known injury, but this arising from the the lack of
formalization of the execution of this agreement to the settlers to whom possession or ownership of lands
has also not been given, their lacking this in the offers that were made to them, the inducements which
originated their leaving their homes, the consumption of their goods that they brought having continued
without any gain whatsoever since the agreement with which they were encouraged was not fulfilled, and
finding themselves already finishing up the term of the royal franchises without having enjoyed any benefit.
To the fifth question he said: that he knows that the Río Jaumave that begins in Palmillas crosses
the Sierra Gorda, comes out to this colony, passes through Llera, Escandon, and this settlement of
Horcasitas and goes to end at la Barra de Tampico. Another river called that of Sabinos that begins in the
Sierra Madre. Another called Río Frío that begins in the same Sierra, and another called el Monte that
begins from a small hill broken off from the Sierra Madre on the west side six leagues from this city, and
another that, on the south side, begins at some marsh called Tamat�n from which they take their name, that
all of them come to end in the aforesaid Jaumave.
To the sixth question he said: that the irrigation canals, that he knows from having seen them, are
those of Aguayo and Llera, although he has heard that there are some in other settlements but he has not
seen them and that through them they water and fertilize the lands that they have destined for their
cultivation and plantings.
To the seventh question he said: that he does not know what settlements could have the comforts
of springs or water sources from which they could obtain their irrigation without canals.
To the eighth question he said: that the use that is made of these lands, with the benefit of
irrigation, is in the planting of corn, cane, cotton, beans, and chile; that this is in what he has had
experience and that the most accredited of the crops are corn and cane, these two being the ones placed
into cultivation in most abundance, for which reason they already have up to forty measures of
sowing,more or less,put into cultivation among all of the settlers and the mission.
To the ninth question he said: that from three years ago to now, when the effort was put into
making a splendid planting and in fact they planted from forty to fifty measures of corn with which they
expected to put themselves in an advantageous state with its crop; the first one was destroyed with the
overflowing of the Río Jaumave into its surroundings, the second by a considerable drought, and last year,
when the crop was in its best splendor just about to be harvested, there was a strong hurricane with much
rain which leveled it to the ground and it being inundated by the overflowing of the river it destroyed
everything leaving this settlement without hope. And that on some other occasions in the preceding years
in which they had made other small plantings, since the continual war with the Indians had not allowed for
anything else, and recently from its establishment, they experienced the production of one hundred plus
measures in the harvests for each measure of planting with only the benefit of the rains. And that the lack
that they have experienced in said crops have caused the necessity of supplying themselves with corn from
various settlements of this colony and of the borders of la Huasteca and especially from the settlement of
Santa B�rbara, which is a distance of fifteen leagues from this city, where they experience good crops.
To the tenth question he said: that the settlements, that he know are situated in that which is the
true coast of the Gulf of Mexico, are Altamira, Horcasitas, Santa B�rbara, Escandón, Llera, Aguayo,
G�emes, Padilla, Santillana, Santander, Soto la Marina; that these are the ones in which he has been,
although he has heard that there are others; that he does not know the distances that there might be from
each one to the sea for his not having been curious about it but that from this city of Horcasitas to the salt
mines of Tamaulipa, which is the beach of the sea, there are twenty-five leagues, so it appears to him more
or less, and that he does not know if there is another port, bays, or anchorages other than el Santander into
which major or minor ships can enter unless Tampico is not frequented by the colony, since small vessels
can enter there also.
To the eleventh question he said: that he knows that all the land of the colony is suitable for the
raising and conservation of major and minor livestock because of its good pastures, abundant water, and
salt deposits which results in there being many haciendas established with respect to the principal ones with
which its settlers, who are experiencing great increases in them, entered.
To the twelfth question he said: that at the border of this city at a distance of about six leagues in
the Sierra Tamaulipa la Vieja, there is a place that they name and call Mina de la Concepción of which he
has heard they have taken out silver and he commonly hears say that the reliquary that the Olive Indians
brought to the church of this settlement comes from that mine. And that there is another mine about one
league distant from the same place that is called San Andrés which they also say has had silver drawn from
it and that he does not know of any other.
To the thirteen question he said: that he knows that from Altamira toward the north along all of
the sea coast there are abundant salt mines of good salt deposits, with no more aid than that of weather,
from which the entire colony and its frontiers are provided and it is taken to sell in many other parts. And
that immediate to this city, about one league away, there is a crystallizing pond that, with the strength of
the sun, produces enough salt for this settlement with only the benefit of purifying it with water to remove
its mixture of earth and, put into heat, it crystallizes and becomes serviceable with no difference to that of
la Marina, of which the settlement of Escandón in the same boundaries makes use, and that although there
are other salt and "tequexquitosos"� areas, they only serve for the livestock and to make soap.
To the fourteenth question he said: that the circle that forms the colony is kept in complete peace
by its settlements, congregations, and haciendas and its settlers in good correspondence one with the other
and that, in regard to the heathen Indians, for now they do not experience any mischief, although they have
little security of its reliability due to the experience that this settlement has in the injuries and damagages
that it has received from them, since all the losses which they have had come from the thefts that they have
committed against them, the declarant being able to lament with greater cause than others since he counts
one hundred seventeen mares and about one hundred sheep, including fourteen pairs of oxen, that they
took, and in this respect, the other settlers have experienced according to how much each one has in goods,
for which, in order to free the little they had left, it was necessary to be always with arms in hand without
being able to tend to their fields nor other labors, and it has been about a year, thank God, that they have
experienced some tranquility and they promise it from now on with a little more confidence because of
their having managed, last April of this year, the destruction of the Janambre Indians who not only were
the ones who attempted the destruction of these settlements but they also urged the others to do the same,
their assaults of the roads being so frequent that the passes were being made impassable, which has ceased
with their end.
To the fifteenth question he said: that the Sierra Madre or Sierra Gorda is all one and the same
known by boths titles with no difference. And that the Sierra Tamaulipa la Vieja has very suitable
proportions and sites of lands, water, and pastures in which to put settlements as are the sites of el Río del
Cojo farther up from Chapopote in the rivulets of los Sabinos in the "presas" that they call el Rey
somewhat toward the northern part, that he finds very suitable in that, in populating those areas, it would
be useful to manage the containment of the Indians and to encircle them such that they would find it
necessary to convert themselves to the missions depriving them of that communication.
To the sixteenth question he said: that he has not traveled through the part of el Nuevo Reino de
León nor can he give a report of the frontier settlements of this colony nor of the other provinces of the
north, but that on the Huasteca side the frontier settlements are Villa de Valles which is a distance of about
thirty leagues, the town of Tamuy at twenty-five leagues, the town of Tanjuco which is a distance of
twenty-five leagues, Pánuco which is a distance of thirty leagues, Tampico at nine leagues, still being a
little doubtful of the distances from the frontiers to the edge of the colony.
To the seventeenth question he said: that he does not know exactly the total number of captains,
corporals, and soldiers that there are enlisted and with salary in all the colony, but that in this city there
is a captain with five hundred pesos salary, a sergeant with two hundred fifty, and nine soldiers with two
hundred twenty-five pesos each who are paid by the honorable General Escandón in goods and money and
that at the end of the year they empower Don Agustín de Yglesias so that, in charging the salaries, he give
the entire amount to its general. And that the service that he knows they do is: the captain has the political
and military command of this settlement, the sergeant acts as the overseer in different ministries, seeing
to it that his soldiers carry out their obligations, at the same time one soldier is detached to the assistance
of the mission and the other eight guard the reliquary of this town day and night guarding the goods and
horses of the area, deliver their captain's letters, escort travelers, go out to check the lands which is the
same as going out on a campaign, and help all the settlements in whatever they need.
To the eighteenth question, about the General Legal Data, he said: that they do not concern him
at all and it having been read again to him ad verbum, all that he has said and declared so that he say
whether he needs to add or remove anything or that it be approved, he said: that what he has said is the
truth by the oath that he has made, and that he affirms and approves it without needing to change or
remove anything, but rather if it be necessary, he would say it anew, and he signed it and stated being of
the age of thirty-seven years; so signed it the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo with the
witnesses in attendance. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Juan Ignacio Fajardo -(rubric) -Roque
Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
DOCUMENT. - In the city of Horcasitas, on twenty-five days of the month of May of seventeen
hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, having seen the proceedings
practiced in this city as it appears in these documents for the recognition of it and its state, according to
the chapters of its instruction, considering them as enough for his report, desirous of not wasting time in
order to go forward and avoid the costs which could follow to the Royal Treasury with delays, he ordered
that they be put in the folder set aside for his greater knowledge and thus he ordered and signed it - José
Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
____________
TOWN OF ALTAMIRA
DOCUMENT. - In the town of Altamira in twenty-eight days of the month of May of seventeen
hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, Gentleman of the Order of
Santiago, Captain of Dragoons of the New City of Veracruz and Inspecting Judge for the most excellent
honorable Viceroy Marquis of las Amarillas, for the inspection of the Gulf of Mexico as is contained in
his confered office given in Mexico on the twenth-ninth of March of this present year, which is placed as
head and beginning of the folder number one which was begun to be formed in regard to these
proceedings. Having arrived at this town yesterday at six in the afternoon, he found it suitable, in the
continuation of his charges, to lose no time in continuing those which he intends to do in this town to
aquaint himself, in the best justification, of its state in the instruction committed to him and which is located
in the stated folder number one, from folio four to eight, and in this capacity he decreed from today to
follow those things appertaining to it for which he ordered that, at the continuation of this document, those
which are found suitable and necessary follow, and that the declarations and examinations of witnesses
which might be done by the interrogation which is found in the aforesaid folder number one in folio fifty-four, all acted out in the presence of witnesses elected for the formation of these documents which are Don
Roque Fern�ndez Marcial and Don Francisco José de Haro, whom the said gentleman has nominated
for this effect from the first proceedings of his commission, and so that all is done as it is ordered and it
have the worthiest completion he thus ordered and signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Juan
Ignacio Fajardo -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
DOCUMENT. - In the said town of Altamira, in twenty-eight days of the month of May of
seventeen fifty-seven years, the gentleman Don José Tienda de Cuervo, Gentleman of the Order of
Santiago, Captain of Dragoons of the New City of Veracruz and Inspecting Judge for the most excellent
honorable Viceroy Marquis of las Amarillas, for the inspection of the Gulf of Mexico, for the proceedings
which he intends to do in this settlement in the discussion of its state, ordered they make a general review
of the settlers and surrounding area and that this arrangement be communicated to the captain Don Juan
Francisco Barberena, in whom its political and military jurisdiction is found, so that he give a list of the
settlers, residents, and inhabitants found there, including in it a particular note of the officers and soldiers
enlisted and with pay that there are in this settlement with the annual salary that they enjoy and the number
of women, children, and families and the different state that they have, what goods, haciendas and livestock
they have and what type. Notice of the service that the officers and soldiers perform and information of
how and by whom they are paid for which a copy of this document be sent to the said captain so that,
according to it, he comply to that which is ordered of him, and that to perform this action of review, he
summon the aforesaid settlers, residents, and inhabitants, so that tomorrow, which will be counted as the
twenty-ninth of the current month at nine they all present themselves with their arms in the plaza of this
settlement to execute it with the necessary formality and thus he ordered and signed it. - José Tienda de
Cuervo. -(rubric) -Juan Ignacio Fajardo -(rubric)-Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José
de Haro. -(rubric).
REVIEW. - In the said town of Altamira, on twenty-nine days of the month of May of seventeen
hundred fifty-seven years, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, in virtue of that which was
ordered to make a review of its settlers, residents, and inhabitants, congregation, and village of converted
Indians, having received the list that was asked of the captain Don Juan Francisco Barberena, arranged
that it be done as it is ordered and that, for its best justification, a note of entreaty be given to the very
reverand father Fray Joaquín Manzano, apostolic missionary of the settlement, so that he might serve to
attend this action and present his mission Indians for this end and to be able to have, at the same time, the
necessary reports of his office; this request having been communicated to the said reverend father, he
concurred with the said gentleman and presented the Indians and, in these terms, the said review was begun
calling each one by name, registering the arms of their use which are made up of rifle, sword and shield,
and some guns. And asking them the questions which were suitable, it was executed in the following
manner:
REVIEW
SQUADRON OF OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS ENLISTED
AND WITH SALARY
1. - Captain Don Juan Francisco Barberena, resident of the town of Valles, bachelor, present, all arms, twenty-five horses, two female servants and two male servants, five hundred
pesos salary.
1. - Roberto García, sergeant, present, married to Margarita de Castro, has three children, all arms, ten horses, earns two hundred fifty pesos.
1. - Sebasti�n de Salcedo, married to Jerónima de Sequeira, has two children, all arms,
eight horses.
1. - Juan del Castillo, widower, all arms, eight horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos.
1. - Francisco Javier Macías, married to Antonia de Benavides, has two children, all arms and eight horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos.
1. - Francisco García, married to Dominga Gonz�lez, has two children and one orphan, all arms, eight horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos.
1. - Francisco Javier Méndez, married to María Guadalupe, has two children, all arms and eight horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos.
1. - Gregorio de Escobedo, bachelor, has all arms, eight horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos.
1. - José Jiménez, married to Matilde Gonz�lez, has three children, all arms and eight horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos.
1. - José Joaquín de Saldierne, married to Anastasia de los Santos, all arms, eight horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos.
SETTLERS OF THE FIRST ESTABLISHMENT
1. - the reformed Captain Juan Pérez, married to Sebastiana Ruiz, has four children, all arms, one hundred horses, nine master donkeys, thirty-five female breeding donkeys, and two canoes.
1. - Juan Perea, reformed sergeant, married to María del Carmen, has one son and a servant, all arms, thirty horses, two male donkeys and one female donkey.
1. - José Delgado, married to Inés López, has two children, all arms, two horses.
1. - Tom�s M�rquez, married to Teresa de Ortega, has two children, all arms, three horses.
1. - Santiago Ventura, married to Micaela Rom�n, has two children, all arms, two horses.
1. - Antonio Melchor, married to María Francisca, has four children, all arms, two horses.
1. - Francisco Javier, married to Josefa Caro, has five children, all arms, fifteen horses.
1. - José Portes, married to Manuela de Frías, has one orphan, all arms, six horses, a canoe and fishing equipment.
1. - Juan Portes, married to Francisca de los Reyes, has three children, all arms, three horses.
1. - María Antonia de Loya, widow, has five children, four horses.
1. - Félix de Ortega, married to Juana de Escobedo, has three children, all arms, three horses.
1. - Tomasa de Villanueva, has four children and is a widow.
1. - Domingo de la Cruz, married to Teresa de Jesús, has three children, all arms, two horses.
1. - Domingo de León, ill, married to Antonia de la Concepción, has two orphans, all arms, two horses.
1. - Dionisio Hip�lito, married to Antonia Loya, has four children, all arms, four horses.
1. - Manuel Reyes, married to Dominga Lorenza, has four children, all arms, two horses.
1. - Gabriel de Ortega, widower, all arms, two horses.
1. - José García, married to Nicolasa Dolores, has two children, all arms, two horses, a canoe and fishing equipment.
1. - María Dolores Bustos, widow, four children, the eldest with all arms and one horse.
1. - Bernarda Cervantes, widow, has five children, twelve horses, two female donkeys.
1. - Crist�bal Guzm�n, widower, has two children, all arms, six horses.
1. - Ildefonso Domínguez, married to María Lorenza, has four children, all arms, four horses, a canoe and fishing equipment.
1. - Roberto María, married to Doña María Josefa Valladares, has five children, all arms, nine horses.
1. - Félix Delgado, married to Josefa Ortega, has four children, all arms, six horses.
1. - Francisco J�uregui, widower, has one son, all arms, eight horses.
1. - Jacobo de Santiago, married to Ana López, has five children, all arms, four horses, a canoe and fishing equipment.
1. - Simón Lorenzo, married to Tomasa de la Cruz, has five children, all arms, five horses.
1. - Antonio Hern�ndez, ill, married to Juana Gómez, has four children, all arms, three horses.
1. - Sebasti�n Martínez, married to Catarina de Avila, has five children, all arms, four horses.
1. - Anacleto Venturio, married to Estefanía Amador, has all arms, two horses.
1. - Juan Joaquín de los Reyes, married to Marcela de la Cruz, has five children, all arms, without horses.
1. - Juan José Rom�n, married to María Francisca, has four children, all arms, three horses.
1. - Pedro Delgado, married to Pascuala Ramírez, has two children, all arms, three horses.
INCREASE OF REGISTERED RESIDENTS
1. - Antonio Hip�lito, married to Andrea de la Cruz, has one son, all arms, five horses.
1. - Manuela López, widow, has one daughter and twenty-three horses.
1. - Juan de Dios Gonz�lez, married to Sebastiana de los Reyes, has three children, all arms, one horse.
1. - Miguel Copal, bachelor, all armas, two horses.
1. - Don Pedro Gonz�lez del Pino, bachelor, all arms, twenty-five horses.
1. - Lucas García, married to Juana Morales, has one son, all arms, twenty horses.
1. - Miguel Jerónimo Chirinos, absent with permission, married to Francisca de Salas, has four children, all arms, thirty horses.
1. - Mariana de Ibarra, widow, has three children.
1. - Manuel Maya, married to Josefa M�rquez, has four children, all arms, fifty horses, three female donkeys, a canoe and fishing equipment, and one orphan.
1. - Juan Ramos, married to Catarina de la Cruz, has four children, all arms, three horses.
1. - Magdalena Rosa, widow, has one son.
1. - Juan de Ortega, married to María Guadalupe, has six children, all arms, five horses.
1. - Pablo Delgado, married to María Dolores, has one son, without arms or horses.
1. - Pedro M�rquez, married to María García, has four children, four horses, all arms.
1. - Justo Lorenzo, married to Francisca Rodríguez, all arms, three horses.
1. - Ignacio José Jiménez, married to Francisca Juliana, without arms or horses.
1. - Juan Pablo Izaguirre, married to Ana María, has two sons, all arms, two horses.
1. - José Marcos Zacarías, married to Ana Pascuala, has three children, all arms, three horses.
1. - Elías de Segura, married to Cayetana Amadora, has two children, all arms and two horses; he is a fisherman.
1. - Juan Blas de Aguilar, married to María Cervantes, has one daughter, all arms, five horses.
1. - Pedro Reyes, married to Rita Loya, has one son, all arms, four horses.
1. - Crist�bal de Ortega, married to Ignacia de la Cruz, has two children, all arms, one horse.
1. - José Enríquez, married to María J�uregui, has one daughter, all arms, six horses, one donkey.
1. - Antonia de Ortega, widow, has two children, the elder (has) all arms, eight horses, three female donkeys.
1. - Juan Esteban, married to Hilaria Melchora, has two children, all arms, without horses.
1. - Don Pedro de Soto, married to Doña Maria Gertrudis, has one son, all arms, six horses.
1. - Mariano M�rquez, married to Cayetana Delgado, all arms, four horses.
1. - Bartolomé Cervantes, married to Isabel Delgado, has one son, all arms, four horses.
1. - Juan Santos, married to Nicolasa Ju�rez, has one daughter, arms and one horse.
1. - Quiteria Ju�rez, widow, has three children, six horses.
1. - Don Joaquín Vel�squez, married to Francisca Pérez, all arms, eight horses.
1. - Salvador Penedo, married to Josefa Pérez, has one son, all arms, six horses, two female donkeys, a canoe and fishing equipment.
1. - Lucas Guzm�n, married to Catarina Tabera, has five children, all arms, one horse.
1. - Tom�s Ramírez, married to Gertrudis Simona, has two children, without arms or horses.
1. - Juan Antonio Pérez, married to Manuela Ortega, all arms, two horses.
1. - Lorenzo Tiburcio, married to María Ascención, all arms, without horses.
1. - Juan Enríquez, married to Juana Camacho, has one son, all arms, two horses.
1. - Diego Ventura, married to Inés Tolentina, has one daughter, all arms, two horses.
1. - Dionisio de Loya, married to Martha Guzm�n, all arms, five horses.
1. - Antonio Delgado, married to María Hern�ndez, has one son, all arms, five horses.
1. - Juan José Ventura, married to Felipa Hip�lito, all arms, two horses, a canoe and fishing equipment.
1. - Manuel Antonio, married to María Macías, all arms, three horses.
1. - Crist�bal López, married to Javiera de Ortega, all arms, one horse.
1. - Antonio Pérez, married to Catarina Gonz�lez, has one son, all arms, six horses.
1. - Crist�bal Pérez, married to María Maya, all arms, without horses.
1. - Antonio Melchor, married to Petra García, all arms, without horses.
That, as is evident in this review, the number of families in this vicinity comprises eighty-three with
three hundred fifty-six persons in this form: The seven families of the squadron of officers and soldiers
enlisted and with salary and the thirty-two of settlers of the first establishment and the rest of residents
increased and registered; and the existing goods belonging to these families are eight hundred seventy-seven breeding horses, fifty-seven mules, thirteen pairs of oxen, one hundred forty-six head of minor
livestock, and two thousand one hundred twenty-five head of cattle, fifty-six breeding donkeys, without
including six hundred seventeen horses which the residents keep for their use, so it seems from the entries
of this review. In respect to the supplication that the missionary priest Fray Joaquín Manzano attend it
to give his reports, and his having executed it, giving that necessary to accredit the existance of the families
and goods and those which evidently are absent, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo asked
him, in faith of it, to serve to sign this review and the said father did it. And, completed in these terms,
he ordered it to be put in the folder of sworn documents formed in this town of Altamira and the said
gentleman signed it with the witnesses present. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) - Fray Joaquín María
Manzano -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
PROCEEDING. - In the said town of Altamira in twenty-nine days of the month of May of
seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, continuing his
proceedings in order to best acquaint himself with this settlement, ordered that they make a review and a
scrutiny of the Anacana Indians of which the congregation of this mission is composed, which is subornated
to the apostolic missionary priest Fray Joaquín Manzano, whom he informed of this thought in respect
to the lack of immutability of its firm number which the statements that he had taken demanded, to which
the said priest manifested how harmful it could be to enact this proceeding in these terms of having them
present themselves; the one because their distrust could cause a misintepretation and the other, because of
not having any clothes or such to give them to which they are accustomed when Colonel Escandon reviews
them, they could end up dissatisfied of any trust and it could result in some incident, for which, the
honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo ceding in his thoughts, leaving the number and circumstances of
the report of said missionary priest, he ordered that it be made evident by this proceeding in what it is
contained in it, expressing that, in respect to all these precautions and the coolness with which these Indians
in these missiones are contemplated and tolerated, it is evident that they are not converted to the true
religion because their subjection lasts only while they are being supported and where there are no facilities
to give them what they need they leave and they go back to their brutal will with no inspection of
domination and not only from that does the lack of subjugation originate, but even being tolerated in the
mission they do not convert themselves to take holy baptism until some mortal happening obligates them
to it, all of which the said gentleman found it suitable to be put into these documents for whatever suitable
effects and he signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
DOCUMENT AND PROCEEDING. - In the said town of Altamira in thirty days of the month of
May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the said honorable Don Jose Tienda de Cuervo, informed
that there are in this town, from two years ago to now, five families of old christian Huasteco Indians who
are placed in different sections in this settlement and who are useful for the cultivation and farm work,
ordered that they come before him to review them and, in fact, their having complied, they found they are
composed of fifteen persons of both sexes and they are accustomed to the rational and christian customs,
it being recognized in these terms he ordered it be put in as a proceeding and he signed it. - José Tienda
de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
Having taken charge of that which Your Majesty has ordered me in his document which precedes,
in obedience to it I present a list of the number of settlers of this town and their families, which also
contains the posts of which this royal squadron is composed with detail of their families and number of
persons that it composes, goods that belong to one and another, with a report of the heathen Indians that
belong to this mission and its state, as the said list expresses.
The annual salary which is payable to the said royal squadron is five hundred pesos due the captain,
which I have, two hundred fifty for the sergeant and two hundred twenty-five for each soldier; this
empowers the charge for this salary in its time to the captain Don Agustín de Iglesias Cotillo, of whom
the necessary documents are requested and he remits them by means of the honorable general Don José
de Escandón, who has sent them to me and I distribute them to the soldiers according to what each one
needs until completing their salary; and if, throughout the year, they need some corn to sustain themselves,
arms and horses, their need is supplied by means of said gentleman who has sent me, in order of payment,
the reales that I have requested of him.
The service of said royal squadron is to be continually ready with their arms and horses for the
guarding and safekeeping of this town, to go out frequently and inspect the land to maintain peace and quiet
as it is found, to go out on campaigns that occur, and for the aid that the others request, and for everything
that is needed in the royal service, by which means the frontier villages live in peace and tranquility
without damage or hostilities that they experienced continually from the hostile Indians before the founding
of this town.
Up to the present time there are no haciendas or ranches within its boundries due to a lack of effort
of the residents whose livestock extend at a great distance from this said town in the lands that are assigned
to them and, until now, they enjoy and utilize these in common with their said livestock. I have already
prepared them to concur with Your Majesty that they make a review of themselves and they are ready; in
case Your Majesty decides to order me to conduct anything else in the proceedings of his commission, I
shall do it with greatest of haste. Town of Altamira and May 30 of 1757. - Juan Francisco de Barberena.
-(rubric)
Fray Joaquín Manzano, monk of el Colegio Apost�lico de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe of the
town of Zacatecas, apostolic pastor and missionary in the town of Nuestra Señora de las Caldas de Altamira
and its mission of San Juan Capistrano de Suanzés.
Having seen the interrogative letter of entreaty of Don José Tienda de Cuervo, Gentleman of the
Order of Santiago, Captain of Dragoons of the New City of Veracruz and Inspecting Judge of the colony
of the Gulf of Mexico for the most excellent honorable Viceroy Marquis of las Amarillas, I respond
certifying its contents by the order that there might be for the resumé and I say:
That according to the first register that was made the year of fifty for the annual completion of the
confession and communion, I find in it forty-three families including those of the captain, sergeant, and
soldiers, one hundred seventy-nine person of seven years and above capable of confession, of which
families (as far as I know) forty of them came with the financial assistance of one hundred pesos; and in
the register of this present year of fifty-seven for the said annual order, I find in it eighty-seven families
of Spaniards, mullatos and negros, including those of the captain, sergeant, and registered soldiers and a
few not registered; and in the same manner I find in said register two hundred eighty-three persons capable
of confession, through which I recognize there having been an increase in these expressed seven years
forty-four families which have resulted from the children of the settlers who have married in this town and
other families that have come to live (I do not know about these what financial aid they might have had for
their transport.).
In the same manner I recognize one hundred fourteen persons capable of confession increased in
the said seven years with another six families of civilized Huasteco Indians who, in said time, have come
to live and have integrated themselves within the settlers and they are composed of seventeen persons
capable of confession.
The first settlers who came to this establishment, I know, came from the town of Tampico, the
others who came later have come from several places.
The said eighty-seven families of the register and the six of civilized Huasteco Indians are found
settled and happy, their constructed homes (although of thatch) competent and comfortable for their
families, building streets and a plaza. They have built their church of thatch and clay at their own cost and
work, its patron saint is Nuestra Señora de las Caldas whom we worship in a large painting that the
honorable general Don José de Escandón donated; the adornment of said church, given by the citizenry,
should come to a value of three hundred pesos.
The said settlers support themselves, and it reinforces their permanence and duration, from their
goods of cattle and horses of which they have a sufficient number, enough to sustain themselves with their
harvests, which they supplement with fishing which they do in two large lakes, the one which is on the
south called el Chairel and the other on the north at a distance of four leagues from the settlement called
San Andrés from which they enjoy the various and abundant fishes and they are preparing themselves for
the future to make use of the shrimp of which there is an abundance. They also make use of the salt
deposits for their maintenance, some which are found in the territory of this town at a distance of three
leagues; the citizenry shares this one with that of Tampico; others that are found along the same coast
toward the north, which they call Tamaulipa, the citizenry utilizes in conjunction with the residents of the
settlement of Horcasitas. Some help themselves with their occupations which are tailors, carpenters,
blacksmiths, and shoemakers, which are the occupations found in this town, others with plantings that they
make on the islets called Tancol; these are of gourds, watermelons, and corn; these, I believe, will be lands
that they will always reap.
They have lands assigned in common, as far as I know, in which they have their goods of the field
scattered. The land of this town is very fertil, it has abundant pastures, good and permanent fresh water
supplies, somewhat distant since the closest, I think, is at a distance of one-half league of the area, which
they use to drink and wash and, from the lakes, they use (water) to irrigate and to cook.
The lands are suitable to plant, that with the little experience they have had,it can produce more
than one hundred per measure; this is not done due to the lack of knowledge and concern of the settlers
of this town, partly because they have never seen it done since they have enough to maintain themselves
decently, as I have said, spending their year in their occupations and, their not being able to find laborors,
they are working on proceedings for obtaining them of which there are already hopes; the planting of fields
and the expressed products being obtained and the large amount of commerce which this town has, since
it has lands and water, not only is its stability and steadfastness assured but also its being a large place in
a few years.
With the new establishment of this colony and in regards to this town, it has been the total
tranquility of its frontier towns like that of Tampico and Pánuco, as much of hostilities and irritations that
they frequently experienced from the Mecos as of the campaigns and the checking of the lands which they
made at different times in order to have security. That, as I understand it, if in case (God forbid) the
colony would be demolished, they would need good strengths and garrisons of soldiers with excessive
expenditures so that the frontier towns would not be depopulated.
In the voluntary removal of people for this town, I do not know if they have desolated or injured
any place, since I know of no injury to Tampico from where the most and first settlers came, and if, in case
it experience any lack, it is compensated in the happiness that they enjoy in complete peace and quiet and
especially by means of these salt deposits which they had not been able to utilize for many years for fear
of the enemy.
All the ornaments, sacred urns, bells and the other goods of the church, which the King or Lord
gave for the establishment of the mission, exist and are well cared for with an estimated increase in value,
I find, of two hundred pesos also with all the goods that they gave for the establishment of the mission and
the help of the ministry which are found much increased.
Increases are found in the goods of the fields, one hundred cows, thirty working horses, thirty-two
mares, six prepared mules, four donkeys, two hundred eighty sheep, twelve goats. These goods must, for
the present, be maintained as they are supporting, with the harvests, the salaries of the servants and the
injuries that these often do, without being able to avoid them, because, since these residents get their
sustenance with, there is no ony to apply himselfto serve, and those that do it are perverse and of no
reasonable conscience and neither is it worthwhile that the Indians run with them because it would mean
losing it all.
The synod that Our King and Lord gives me is three hundred fifty pesos per year which my holy
college sees to it that the account of our needs is provided for which he has appointed two lay clerics and
this runs by the hand of our general trustee, Don Jacinto Martínez de Aguirre, resident of the city of
México.
The corn that the honorable colonel Don José de Escandón has asministered to me for the Indians
in the seven years that I administer, I do not have before me the quantity, it seems to me to be a quantity
of two hundred fifty measures.
Regarding the point on the mission and the Indians, I say: that I only have the hamlet of Anacan�s,
whom I have had for some time congregated in the mission, indoctrinated and these have been the times
that I have had corn either acquired by me or administered by Mr. Escandón; the rest of the time they
leave for their old hamlet which is in the woods of el Aguacate at a distance of four leagues of this
settlement where they are found at present since about two years because of the lack and scarcity of the
corn, since this is the best preaching for them with which they can be brought to the christian religion and
the political upbringing since, if they were never there they would never be christianized. Said hamlet is
composed of thirty-eight families (according to the register which helps me) with one hundred seventeen
persons with its captain Pablo María de Barberena already a christian; he perpetually lives with his family
in my company; he has his thatched house using the land at the side of the church, one whom I try to
shelter with the most care like an Indian, seven years a christian, whom I maintain in my company at
home. The others, although they are far away, come in and go out of the settlement frequently where they
are attended to in the many things they ask for in order to keep them grateful and content, as they are found
up to the present, ready for when there might be sufficient corn for their maintenance and upbringing.
They live tranquilly without causing any mischief, appreciating being friends of the Spaniards, which is
what they call the settling residents; of these baptized, at the point of death as well as infants that live, there
are thirty-four and one among them celebrated marriage by the holy church. Having obtained the corn,
there is hope of their perpetuity in a converted village and mission and the saving of them all and that they
all receive the waters of holy baptism and the old ones absolution at death.
We have, farther up, other hamlets of Mecos, the one of the Aretines and the Panguaís who, there
being corn, will join this mission of which there is good hope; they live in their hamlets, a distance (it
seems to me) of seven or eight leagues from this town, tranquil causing no mischief; they enter for a time
into this settlement, they collect their alms, and they also appreciate becoming friends with the Spaniards.
As to the register of the settlers of this present year of fifty-seven, it appears separately and signed.
I believe I have answered, as I find reasonable, all the points which I certify wherever necessary,
and I sign it in this town of Altamira on the thirty-first of May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years. Fray
Joaquin María Manzano Missionary Minister. - (rubric.)
DOCUMENT. - In the town of Altamira, in thirty days of the month of May of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo said: that having found it suitable not to lose
time in which the response of the missionary priest and captain of this settlement was mediated in the letter
of entreaty and document that is evident were dispatched to them, he performed in the interim the necessary
declarations to inform himself of their state and avoid the costs of the delay in waiting for that which could
could occur without his execution, so that the dates of said information are not discordant in placing these
and the preceding ones, he ordered that, this expression being made for his knowledge, it be put
immediately following this document so that the documents supply that which is necessary and he signed
it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
STATEMENT OF SANTIAGO VENTURA. - In the town of Altamira, in twenty-eight days of
the month of May of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, for
the justification which he intends to make of his charges in the inspection of the state of this settlement
organized to what is ordered of him by the instruction that was committed to him for this end and is found
in the folder number one from folio four to the eight and of the interrogation which is found in the same
one in folio fifty-four, finding it suitable to make the reports in which to place the necessary information,
he had appear before him Santiago Ventura, settler and resident of this town, from whom he received an
oath on God and a cross so that he tell the truth in what would be asked and that he also keep secret in it
and his answers and, his having done it and offered it as it is required, he was interrogated pursuant to the
questions of the interrogation and he responded the following:
To the first question he said: that has not had nor has he information of how the Sierra Gorda was
before the conquest nor what settlements or converted Indian villages it had nor has at present, nor can he
give information on the rest of this question.
To the second question he said: that the first settlers of the establishment of this town of Altamira
were forty who proceeded from Tampico, that it has been nine years that they came with the financial aid
of one hundred pesos each which was given to them by the commander Don Juan Francisco de
Barberena by order of the honorable General Escandón and that, the first year, they gave to each one of
these settlers, as a loan or supplement, four measures of corn to help them support themselves but that, of
these, some repaid them but the declarant did not pay and he knows that others did the same and that also
the Indians of the mission were given corn with which to support themselves, but this lasted a long time,
giving them also meat and that he does not know what the value of that which was given would be.
And, in continuation of the preceding, he was asked how many residents have increased up to the
present, from where they came, and how were they financed for their trip; he said: that the increased and
registered residents are about fifty-three who came from la Huasteca, Papantla, Tamiagua, and Tampico
who have been financed by themselves since they came voluntarily.
To the third question he said: that the Yanacanae Indians, who are the ones congregated in the
mission of this town, have their huts where they live separate from these settlers about eight leagues
distance from this town on the site called los Aguacates which is where the lands for their farming are and
they have their plantings and cultivation but, for their presence to more easily receive the doctrine, they
are about three leagues from this settlement in the area called las Moscas where they also have their huts
and, with them at present other Indians of the tribe of Aretín who live at the edges of the salt mines of
Tamaulipa on the northern part just arrived with their captain are coming and collecting. And that the
Indians that are at the mission, who are the Yanacanaes, have been there for about eight years and, at
present, it seems to him that they are fifty, more or less, among young and old of whom he knows that
some of the young ones are baptized but that the adults, since one cannot compel them and it is necessary
to wait upon their deliberation, it is not experienced that they choose this benefit on their own until they
find themselves ill, that then they usually ask for the waters of baptism. And that the Aretines, who have
come at this time to this settlement with their captain and joined themselves to those at the mission, should
be fifteen more or less, about whom he does not know know whether there are any christians.
To the fourth question he said: that the apostolic missionary father of this settlement, Fray Joaquín
Manzano, who is also the one who helps in the congregating and christianization of Indians there, has not
been given possession of any lands in the name of the Indians; the ones they cultivate and work are
assigned and given to them only for their use and they work in them, where there has been no regulation,
nor have the settlers had any formalities in this execution of lands because they have not been assigned
lands as property because it is always in common and each one works where he wishes and what he can.
To the fifth question he said: that he does not know of other principal rivers other than the Jaumave
which ends in the lakes of this settlement on the south and goes to end at the sand bank of Tampico;
another quite large river which he says he knows goes out from or begins at the Sierra Tamaulipa, called
el Naupate that passes between the Sierra del Tordo and the one that goes toward Santander and, continuing
to the sea, ends at the Barra de Naupate and that he knows of no other.
To the sixth question he said: that in this settlement of Altamira there is no irrigation canals nor
irrigation of any kind but that he does know, having seen it, that there is one in Santa B�rbara with which
they fertilize their lands and all the plantings.
To the seventh question he said: that he does not know if there are any settlements that have springs
or water sources with which they can irrigate.
To the eighth question he said: that what he has seen which is irrigated in Santa B�rbara with the
use of the spring is the corn and the orchards, the vegetables, chile, and other things and that the most
notable is the corn since they are more careful about planting it since their support depends on it.
To the ninth question he said: that the number of measures of corn that he thinks can be sown this
year, since it is what has been worked on the hardest among the settlers and Indians of the mission, would
be about nine measures from which, there being no accidents of bad weather, it could expand in the
planting to produce two hundred measures for each one with only the benefit of seasonal rains, if it be
favorable in the seasons, and with everything, it will not be sufficient to maintain this settlement since its
population is large and they need many more measures for their food which he buys and the residents bring
from the immediate settlements and frontiers without this causing any decline in their support and
preservation, because they have abundant wealth and goods of livestock, the use of fishing, and the traffic
in salt with which to defray the lack of corn and he counts more on the occupation of these affairs than on
the contingency of the plantings.
To the tenth question he said: that he has not been in any other area than that of this settlement,
that of Santa B�rbara, and Horcasitas and that, although he has heard that there are others, up to fourteen,
he has not been in them nor does he know at what distance they are from the sea; but from this settlement
of Altamira up to the sea there are four leagues and that he does not know whether there might be any
other port than the one called Santander, where ships can enter, because in la Barra de la Trinidad, which
is six leagues from this settlement toward the north, only small fishing boats can enter, and the same occurs
at the lagoons of this settlement and, even though they might be larger boats, thay can sail up to their own
houses.
To the eleventh question he said: that the land that he has seen in this settlement and the rest of the
colony is very suitable for the raising and keeping of major and minor livestock and that of these species,
although in the jurisdiction of this town there is no established hacienda or ranch, in all, the residents have
abundant established young animals in which they have large increases.
To the twelfth question he said: that in Tamaulipa Vieja, a distance from this village of about thirty
leagues, there are several open sites of mineral sources called la Concepción, el Panal, San Andrés, and
el Malinche; that the first three belong to the jurisdiction of Horcasitas and the one of el Malinche to this
town of Altamira, to which jurisdiction also belongs the site called las Presas del Rey where he has also
seen mines and that in la Concepción and el Panal this declarant visited with Don Benito Antonio de
Casta�eda who drew several loads of metal and he took them to Pánuco where he left it all as a loss
because, having made a test, it had no silver at all and it was left at that, nor do they work them now, nor
do they run under any name and that he knows of no others.
To the thirteenth question he said: that at a distance of six leagues from this village there is a salt
mine that crystallizes good salt every year from which they harvest about two to three thousand measures
which this citizenry utilizes for its betterment and afterwards, when more sea water enters again, it
crystallizes anew such that the greater part of the year, especially in the summer, it always has salt until
the rainy season arrives, and that about three leagues farther there are other salt deposits that they call
Tamaulipa which also have salt in abundance and that the entire coast is like this, with salt deposits in such
a quantity of salt that the colony can provide for itself and other provinces.
To the fourteenth question he said: that the settlements, congregations, and haciendas are at peace
at present and their residents in good communication without experiencing any problems today with the
Indians in their villages because they are all quietly subdued and converted in their missions, but they do
fear only the ambushes of the hostile Indians called the Marihuanes who live in la Tamaulipa at the tip
towards the coast, since these are the one that have injured this village with the thefts of livestock, although
it is true that it has been about a year since they experienced any annoyance and they believe that they are
somewhat intimidated since the last blow given them by the captain and people of Escandón in the month
of April of this year, it happens that they killed a great number of the Janambres, who were the ones who
were instigating the others, from which they expect some quarrel.
To the fifteenth question he said: that he cannot report whether the Sierra Madre or Sierra Gorda
is one and the same since he has not traversed it and that in the Sierra Tamaulipa la Vieja there is a site
called el Vado del Cojo, very appropriate to place a settlement, one which he finds very suitable for
fighting the barbarian Indians and to throw them out so that they cannot do harm in the plains.
To the sixteenth question he said: that he cannot give a report whether the settlements of el Nuevo
Reino de León or of other old provinces of those areas might be borders of the new colony nor what
benefits might have resulted for them from this conquest because he has not been in those areas nor has
he any reports of them but that, in the area of Huasteca on the south side of this colony, Tampico is a
border at five leagues, Pánuco at ten, Ozuluama at about fourteen leagues to Tam�s, which is the said
presidio, and the town of los Valles at about twenty leagues.
To the seventeenth question he said: that he does not know the number of captains, corporals, and
soldiers that there are in the entire colony registered and with salary, but that in this settlement there is a
captain who enjoys five hundred pesos per year, a sergeant with two hundred fifty, and nine soldiers at two
hundred twenty-five; that he does not know how they are satisfied but that their service is: the captain has
the political and military command of this town, the sergeant acts as lieutenant of one [type] and another
and the soldiers guard the goods of the citizenry and the horses of the area, check the lands, deliver
documents, go out on campaigns, serve as escorts, and assist and aid the citizenry in all their needs.
To the eighteenth question about the General Legal Data, he said: that they do not concern him at
all. And it having been read again to him ad verbum, all that he has said and declared so that he say
whether he needs to add or remove anything or that it be approve, he said: that what he has said is the truth
by the oath that he has made, and that he affirms and approves it without needing to change or remove
anything, but rather if it be necessary, he would say it anew, and he did not sign it because he did not know
how and that he is of the age of sixty-five years; so signed it the said inspector with the witnesses in
attendance. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Juan Ignacio Fajardo -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez
Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
DOCUMENT. - In the town of Altamira in thirty days of the month of May of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the honorable José Tienda de Cuervo, having seen the proceedings practiced in this
town as appear in these documents for its inspection and state set in the chapters of its instruction,
considering them as enough for his report, desirous of wasting no time in going forward and avoiding the
costs which would continue for the Royal Treasury with delays, he ordered that they be put in the folder
set aside for his greater knowledge and thus he ordered and signed it - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric)
-Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
On the 7th of February of 1758, testimony of this folder was taken to give a report to His Majesty.
---------------
TOWN OF PADILLA
DOCUMENT. - In the town of Padilla in eight days of the month of June of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, Gentleman of the Order of Santiago, Captain
of Dragoons of the New City of Veracruz and Inspecting Judge for the the most excellent honorable
Viceroy Marquis of las Amarillas for the inspection of the Gulf of Mexico, as is evident in his report, its
date in Mexico on the twenty-ninth of March of this said present year, which is at the head and front of
the folder number one of the proceedings formed in this document. Having arrived in this town today of
this date at twelve o'clock, he found it suitable, in the continuation of his charges, to waste no time in
following that which he intends doing there in order to acquaint himself, in the best possible manner, of
its state according to the instruction which is located in the cited folder number one from folio four to eight
and, in this capacity, he arranged the continuation of that which was necessary for which he ordered that
those which are suitable should follow immediately following this document. And that the declarations and
examinations of witnesses be made be in accordance with the interrogation that is found in the expressed
folder number one folio fifty-four, all being acted upon with the attendance of the elected witnesses, for
the formation of these documents, who are Don Roque Fern�ndez Marcial and Don Francisco José de
Haro whom said gentleman has nominated for this effect since the first proceedings of his commission and,
so that all be done as is commanded, he ordered and signed it - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque
Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
DOCUMENT. - In the town of Padilla in eight days of the month of June of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, Gentleman of the Order of Santiago,
Captain of Dragoons of the New City of Veracruz and Inspecting Judge for the the most excellent
honorable Viceroy Marquis of las Amarillas for the inspection of the Gulf of Mexico, for the proceedings
that he intends to make in this village in investigation of its state, ordered that they make a general review
of its settlers and citizenry, making it known to the captain Don Juan Manuel de la Penilla, in whom the
political and military jurisdiction of it is found, so that he give a list of the settlers, residents, and
inhabitants with which it is found, including in it a particular note of the officers, overseers, and soldiers
enlisted and with salary who are in this settlement, with expression of their annual salary and the names
of the wives, children, and families and the status that one and another has; what goods, haciendas and
livestock they have and what types, notice of the service that the officers and soldiers do and a report of
how and by whom they are paid so that, a copy of this document being passed to said captain at its
completion, he can comply with what is ordered of him and that he respond immediately after, returning
all originals for whatever suitable use. And to perform the act of review which is anticipated, the said
captain shall summon the said settlers, residents, and inhabitants and the other officers and soldiers so that,
the day after tomorrow which will be the tenth of the current month at nine in the morning of it, they all
present themselves with all their arms at the plaza of this settlement to execute it with the necessary
formality and thus he ordered and signed it - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez
Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
In obedience to that which Your Majesty is served to order me in his preceding document, I present
a list of the number of settlers of this town, their families, goods, and their types included in said list the
royal squadron of said town which is composed of twelve posts, including mine and the mobile squadron
that resides in it, composed of ten posts, expressing also the families of one and another.
The annual salary, which covers this royal squadron in my charge, is three thousand pesos in this
manner: I, said captain, five hundred pesos, the sergeant two hundred fifty, and the ten soldiers at two
hundred twenty-five.
The mobile squardron, destined for the guard and custody of the royal roads and passes of the
rivers, to seal off and travel the land and give aid at times when it is necessary in other settlements and
areas, is covered annually, its lieutenant the salary of four hundred pesos, the sergeant two hundred fifty,
and each of the eight soldiers two hundred twenty-five. The said squadron in my charge created for the
care and custody of this said town is always ready with its arms and horses for it, for the aid that is
requested and whatever occurs in the royal service. For the charging of the salaries of one or another
squadron, they empower, at the time, the captain Don Agustín de Iglesias Cotillo, resident and shopkeeper
of la Corte de México, from whom the necessary goods are requested and he sends them by means of the
honorable general Don José de Escandón, and Your Highness executes it for the captains and they are the
one who destribute the salary to the soldiers, each one with his respective squadron; and if, during the
year, they are in need of any assistance for arms, horses, or corn, they are supplied by means of the same
honorable general Don José de Escandón.
Up to now there are only two ranches in the confines of this town which are the one of los
Carpinteros which has been populated with livestock and they have opened fields at a distance of about four
and one-half leagues. Next to the Río de Santa Engracia, the other one that they call San José de Gracia,
placed at the same distance and populated with major and minor livestock, each with people in attendance;
the other lands assigned to this town are enjoyed and used by the settlers with their livestock and plantings
in common since they are not divided.
For the review that Your Highness shall make of settlers and squadrons, I have summoned them
as Your Highness aks of me; with this, I believe, I have completed the mandate of Your Highness who,
if anything else be needed, would serve to ask me since I am ready to execute it. Town of San Antonio
de Padilla and June tenth of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years. -Juan Manuel de la Penilla. -(rubric)
REVIEW. - In the town of Padilla, in ten days of the month of June of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, in virtue of that ordered to make a review
of the settlers, residents, and inhabitants of this settlement, decreed that, for its best justification, a request
be given to the Very Reverend Father Fray Joaquín M�rquez, Apostolic Missionary of it, so that he be
served to attend this action in order to be able to have the suitable reports from his Paternity; and this
request being communicated to the said reverend father, he concurred with said gentleman and, in these
terms, the said review was begun calling each one by name, registering the arms of their use composed
of rifle, sword, shield, pistoles, and some blunderbusses and, asking them the suitable questions, it was
executed in the following form:
REVIEW
SQUADRON OF OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS WITH SALARY
Captain Don Juan Manuel de la Penilla, present, bachelor, native of las Montañas de Burgos, has
all arms, twelve horses and six servants, both married with two children.
Sergeant Pedro de la Paz, married to Gertrudis Tremiño, has all arms, eight horses, and four
brothers in his company.
Alejandro Pizaña, married to Francisca de la Cruz, has one daughter, all arms, ten horses.
Anastasio Ventura, married to Gerturdis de la Cruz, has all arms, six horses.
Juan Colunga, married to Juana Rosalía, has one son, all arms, eleven horses.
Juan Eligio, married to Francisca de Avalos, has one daughter all arms and eight horses.
Juan José de Huerta, married to Ignacia Silguero, has four children, all arms, nine horses.
Joaquín Flores, married to Rosa Pisana, has two children, all arms, six horses.
José de Peña, married to Juana de Cepeda, has six children, all arms, six horses.
Juan Cortés, married to María García, has one daughter, all arms, six horses.
Diego Aldape, married to María de Jesús, has four children, all arms, seven horses.
José Crist�bal Olvera.
MOBILE SQUADRON WITH SALARY
Lieutenant Don José de Robles, married to Doña Juana Rodríguez, has four children, all arms,
forty horses, twenty-seven persons as servants of whom four are married, enjoys four hundred pesos salary
per year.
Pedro Regalado, married to María Sebastiana, has four children, all arms, twelve horses.
Juan Juli�n Franco, married to María Dolores, has three children, all arms, ten horses.
Efigenio Gonz�lez, married to Catarina Martínez, has one daughter, all arms, eight horses.
Ignacio Treto, married to Sebastiana Borrego, has one son, all arms, eleven horses.
Jacinto Hurtado, married to María Flores, has two children, all arms, seven horses.
Nicol�s de la Cruz, married to Matidiana Barboa, has three children, all arms, six horses.
Adriano Balboa, married to Juana Gonz�lez, has six children, all arms, twelve horses.
Andrés Balboa, married to Feliciana de Torres, has all arms, eight horses.
Domingo de Aquiño, married to Rosa Balboa, has five children, all arms and six horses.
SETTLERS OF THE FIRST ESTABLISHMENT
Nicasio de Porras, married to B�rbara Serrato, has seven children, all arms, six horses and two
female donkeys.
Marcos Pizaña, married to Francisca de Porras, has six children, all arms, five horses.
Nicol�s de Quintanilla, absent with permission, married to Isabel de la Garza, has all arms, six
horses.
José Flores Valdez, married to Lorenza Botello, has nine children, all arms, seven horses.
Nicol�s Ventura, married to Anastasia de Av�los, has three children, all arms and five horses,
and at present is ill.
Juan Ignacio Saucedo, married to Francisca Regalado, has three children, without arms or
horses.
José Antonio Ventura, absent with permission, married to Teresa de la Cruz, has four children,
all arms, and three horses.
José Gonz�lez, married to María de Soto, has eight children, all arms, eleven horses.
Francisco Gonz�lez, married to Gertrudis Jiménez, has three children, all arms, one horse.
Francisco Antonio de Ibarra, married to María Toscano, has one daughter, all arms, two horses.
Juan Cris�stomo del Castillo, married to María Mancilla, has six children, arms, one horse.
Francisco Bustinza, married to Lucía Gómez, has six children, all arms, three horses.
Pedro Montantes, married to Antonio de Soto, has four children, all arms, two horses.
Isidro de Avalos, ill, married to Margarita García, has two children, without arms or horses.
Marcos Borrego, married to Ignacia Gallegos, has four children, all arms, three horses.
Gregorio Martín, married to Lorenza Gonz�lez, has four children, all arms, three horses.
Nicol�s Martín, widower, all arms, two horses.
Nicol�s Martín, married to Teresa de Jesús, has three children, all arms, three horses.
Antonio de la Paz, married to Rosalía Bustinza, has all arms, five horses.
Don Pablo García Gonz�lez, married to Pascuala de León, has two children, all arms and six
horses.
Carlos López, married to Gertrudis García, has five children, all arms, seven horses.
Juan José de León, married to Micaela López, two children, all arms, without horses.
Agustín de Urbina, married to María Castelo, has arms, knife and shield, one horse.
Toribio de Porras, married to Nicolasa Zamora, has seven children, all arms, twelve horses.
Juli�n de Porras, married to Juana Pérez, has one son, all arms, and eight horses.
Eusebio de Porras, married to Juana de Trejo, has one son, all arms and six horses.
José Crist�bal de Olvera, married to María Jacinta Zaldívar, has four children, all arms, twelve
horses.
Jacinto de Soto, married to María Micaela, has three children, all arms, six horses.
Francisco de los Ríos, married to María de Pizana, has nine children, all arms, three horses and
one female donkey.
Juan Antonio Ríos, married to María Treviño, has all arms and ten horses.
Pascual Antonio de la Paz, married to Juana de Porras, has one son, arms, one horse.
RESIDENTS INCREASED AND REGISTERED
José Joaquín Gonz�lez, bachelor, has five siblings in his company, all arms, five horses.
José Antonio S�nchez, married to Teresa Martinez, has two children, all arms and three horses.
María Antonia de Porras, widow, has one daughter.
Juan Bautista López, married to María Gertrudis, has three children, without arms or horses.
Nicol�s Pérez, married to María Borrego, all arms, without horses.
Don Joaquín Flores, absent with permission, widower, has three children, all arms, three horses.
Pedro de Flores, married to María Gertrudis, has two children, all arms, two horses.
Cayetano de la Garza, widower, has three children, rifle, shield, and three horses.
Pascual Borrego, married to Isidora Ibarra, all arms, without horses.
José Ríos, married to Juana Pizaña, without arms or horses.
Antonio Gonz�lez, married to Ana Jiménez, has one son, without arms or horses.
Luis de los Ríos, married to María Pizaña, has three children, five horses, all arms.
Salvador de la Paz, bachelor, has five siblings in his company, all arms, two horses, and one
married mulate slave.
Don José Antonio Rodríguez, married to Ignacia García, has two children, all arms, eleven
horses.
Pedro de Alc�ntara, married to Rosa de los Ríos, without arms or horses.
INHABITANTS IN THIS SETTLEMENT WITHOUT REGISTRATION
Clemente Trejo, married, has three children, all arms, five horses.
José García, married, has one daughter, with no more arms than a rifle and has no horses.
Mateo Valdez, bachelor, without arms or horses.
Bartola de Jesús, widow, has one daughter, two female donkeys, and two horses.
Francisca de Avalos, unmarried.
Josefa Trigo, widow, has two children.
Juan Montes, married, has one son.
María Montes, widow who has one daughter.
Miguel Carvajal, has three horses, without arms
Nicol�s Ríos, bachelor, has all arms, without horses.
Cayetano Vanegas, bachelor.
Anselmo Fern�ndez, bachelor, without arms or horses.
That as it appears and seems in this review, the number of families in this settlement is composed
of seventy-two with three hundred eighty person in this form: The eleven of the squandron of officers and
soldiers, enlisted and with salary, who serve in this settlement. The ten of the mobile squadron of officers
and soldiers who reside in this settlement and serve for the observation of the passes and campaigns. The
thirty of settlers of the first establishment. The fifteen of residents increased and registered. And the six
of inhabitants without registration. And the personal goods of these families that exist are six hundred fifty-eight head of breeding horses, seventy-seven mules, fifty-one pair of oxen, ten thousand five hundred
eighteen head of minor livestock, and four hundred four head of cattle, six female breeding donkeys,
without including three hundred ninety-nine horses that the residents have for the use of working as it all
appears in the entries of this review in which it has been found suitable to specify also that the salaries
which His Majesty pays annually are, to the missionary priest by reason of his synod three hundred fifty
pesos, the captain earns five hundred, the lieutenant four hundred, the two sergeants at two hundred fifty
each, and the eighteen soldiers at two hundred twenty-five also each per year.
And, in respect to the missionary priest Fray Joaquín M�rquez being requested to serve to attend
it so that he give his reports and his having thus executed it providing that necessary to support the
existance of families and their goods and of those who are absent, the said honorable Don José Tienda de
Cuervo requested him to serve to sign, in faith of it, this review and the said priest executed it. And
concluded in these terms he ordered it be put into the folder of documents formed in this town of Padilla
and the said gentleman signed it with the witnesses present. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) Fray
Joaquín M�rquez. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
Fray Joaquín M�rquez, of the Regular Observance of N.S.P. San Francisco, Religious Apostolic
Missionary of el Colegio Apost�lico de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe of the city of los Zacatecas and
minister, at times as Parish Priest, by apostolic authority in this town of San Antonio Padilla, etcetera.
To the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, Gentleman of the Order of Santiago, Captain of
Dragoons of the New City of Veracruz, and Inspecting Judge of the Colony of the Gulf of Mexico for the
the most excellent honorable Viceroy Marquis of las Amarillas, etc.
Having read the letter of entreaty of Your Majesty and having taken charge of that which is
charged to me, conforming myself to the points which it contains, I should say and I say:
That the first settlers who came to this town were forty-one, each one with his family. I do not
know if, from then to today, others may have registered other than the lieutenant of campaigns, Don José
Robles, whose family has just arrived in this town.
Regarding the register that Your Majesty requests of me, I meet the requirements with the one I
include which was made in this town according to, and as it is there contained, for the annual compliance
of Nuestra Madre la Santa Iglesia.
Regarding the persons and families of which the mission is composed, etc., I cannot give further
information other than to say there is neither mission nor any congregated Indians; there is only one female
Indian whom I catechized, baptized, and later married to another old, Spanish speaking, christian Indian;
there could be another "indisuela" whom I also began to catechize, but she left or I took her to Santander
where she is already baptized.
The settlers who came to this said town mostly came from Río Blanco, some from Linares, valled
del Pilón, San Antonio de los Llanos.
The transport of these was funded by the King Our Lord (God keep him), giving each one of the
forty families one hundred pesos; only one, I believe, was funded by the honorable Marqués del Castillo
de Aiza in whose place he came, although this one no longer exists. After that I do not know whether
others have registered or whether with or without financial aid.
The means that have favored the support of this town have been (if I am not wrong) the continual
help of the honorable general Don José de Escandón, especially in the first years in which Your Highness
apportioned several quantities of corn as support and aid of the settlers and to attract the Indians. From
then to now the said gentlaman, of whom it has been requested, has given corn to eat, seeds to sow, oxen
and plowshares to cultivate the lands, and some clothes to cover the nakedness of some.
The synod which is assigned to the minister of this mission is of three hundred pesos each year;
the King Our Lord (God keep him) pays it; it is charged by the captain Don Jacinto Martínez de Aguirre,
as our general trustee for the aid of our needs to which the said honorable general Don José de Escandón
has often attended to sooner, as more immediate. This mission was given its financial aid (I don't know
how much.) with which the first priests who came (There were two.) supplied themselves for entering; they
supplied themselves of all that they judged necessary for their support and to start to cultivate the land to
attract and congregate the Indians. To this end they bought oxen, plowshares, and agrigultural equipment
in order to plant corn, beans, and other seeds.
The ornaments and sacred urns, which today are in the church of this aforementioned town, also
were given by the King Our Lord (God keep him); I know that from the royal treasury two thousand pesos
were taken for each one of the missions; I know that with said alms they made said ornaments, fabricated
sacred urns, brought other necessary articles for the service of the church, but I do not know if I can say
what these things cost nor what their value is at present and especially since they are found (although they
all exist) deteriorated because of the continuous use and no increase because there is no one else to attend
to this other than the minister who does what he can and he at least tries to conserve what there is.
There are no (as I have already said) congregated Indians at the mission but the lands are
designated for this end, although they have not been taken possession of and, thus, I do not know how
many they might be. What I do know is that they are situated between two rivers that, in times of good
rain, grow to such an extent that they leave their banks and become one; besides this, they are very
mountainous, for which I judge them not to be very suitable. The goods and livestock that exist in my
power, for whenever God be pleased that the Indians congregate themselves, are being reduced at present
to that which is marginal (eight horses, eight oxen, ten bulls, thirty-six cows, the branded young coming
in minus those of this year which are not even occurring). There is no more because, at the beginning,
the Indians themselves caused much work and the major and minor livestock that they encountered they
would pay on account and until today, where there is some negligence, they think nothing of taking
advantage of it and making use of it. It is going on seven years that I have been minister in this town; I
have planted in all of them, the least year four measures of corn, three measures of beans, except this year
that I have not planted on the day of the date other than two measures of corn and none of beans; I hope
to God that I continue planting and, if the weather cooperates, I expect to reap a reasonable crop, in spite
of the fact that the last years I have not reaped a suitable crop, either because of bad earth, the damage
done by the Indians to the livestock, or everything together, either due to lack of rain or an abundance of
it, and lastly because God willed it. The choice of the lands in this jurisdiction is not extensive to all,
rather they are in common and each one plants according to his strength, cultivating for this that piece of
land which he thinks he can plant about which he would not be able to say how much land is now found
cultivated.
There not being (as I have already recounted) a congregation of Indians, I do not answer to that
point which is charged to me.
This town was founded in the year of seventeen forty-nine at the beginning of the month of January
(I do not know what date) and, it not having (of if it had one I no longer know it) any name before, it is
called today San Antonio de Padilla and this it is now eight years and five months that it was founded and
the attempt to establish it is being made.
Regarding the measures of corn that are planted each year in this town, I shall not be able to say
with certainty. Firstly because some years they plant more, others less, each one according to his strength.
Secondly because I have not learned what each one has planted. Of one year I only knew (because the
captain told me) that among them all they had planted forty measures; I did not know more nor do I know
today the measures that they harvested, nor do I remember if the weather cooperated or not, I can only
really say, from the experience someone has had that, if the weather cooperates they could harvest two
hundred measures of crop in one planting because the lands are extremely fertile (as I shall say later); it
is true that, up to the present, this town has not had sufficient corn for their annual support since most of
the settlers, in these last years that the honorable general has not given them corn, have found it necessary
to go out and look for it and bring it from the outside, but this, to my view, is not caused by the sterility
of the land but either the much draught due to lack of rain or the great abundance of it, as it occurred last
year, or it being the small amount and poor manner that they cultivate the lands.
As far as I can say (if I am not mistaken) the land of this town is by nature good and, at present,
suitable so that those present can exist but not that they subsist permanently, those who forcibly will have
to increase, because it seems small to me but, despite all this, I say that it is naturally good and suitable
for planting all types of seeds, plants, and vegetables, as the curious one has experienced who has had the
work of planting in the garden of his home to have the joy of eating. For raising of major and minor
livestock I also judge the land to be suitable but, it seems to me that one or the other increasing, having
to maintain the horses of the area and the private ones, it appears to me (I say) the assigned lands are not
enough and especially when many of those assigned are very mountainous. There are no established
haciendas but it has been permitted and it often permits that the haciendas of the reverand fathers of the
Compa�ia and of the Honorable Marqués de Aiza come to graze on the lands of this town, which I feel
could bother some of the residents.
I know for certain that, since this settlement was populated, the borders have not experienced those
annoyances of the Indians as before.
Although this settlement may find itself today (I believe the same occurs in the others.) less
antagonized by the heathens, they do not find themselves totally peaceful as experience shows.
I do not know, not has it come to my attention, that the border provinces might have been bothered
by the removal of people and families to populate this colony nor that this might have caused them distress
or impairment, instead, I am persuaded that the said border provinces live with more security, tranquility,
and repose than before.
Finally Your Majesty asks me to tell him what hopes I concieve of the conversion of Indians, etc.
What I believe, Sir, I should say that, attentive to the native inclinations and propensities of said Indians,
their great stupidity, their lack of discourse without some police, their love of violence, not at all interested
in work, and (what seems greater to me) their much fleeing from subjection, etc., all together give me little
hope (speaking openly) of their conversion, for which I find no other remedy than that, after applying all
those means dictated by prudence and experience, they should beseech God so that Your Majesty in his
infinite mercy bring them tenderly and strongly to his inspection and to the yoke of the holy law. This
appears to me (salvo meliore). Everything expressed here I certify is the truth and so that it be evident I
sign it in the stated town of Padilla on the eleventh of June of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years. - Fray
Joaquín M�rquez. - rubric.
In completion of that which is ordered of me by Your Majesty in his decree which preceeds, having
taken charge of the points that it contains, I come to report about each one of them in the following
manner: In the boundary and jurisdiction of this town, until now, there are only two established ranches,
the one they call los Carpinteros, established by six of its residents in the immediate area of the river Santa
Engracia, a distance from this said town of about four leagues, the said residents called Nicol�s Martín,
Gregorio Martín, Nicol�s Martín the younger, José S�nchez, Pedro Flores, and Antonio Montantes;
they maintain there the major and minor livestock that they have which, of this type, there should be about
two hundred head, twenty cows, breeding horses, forty-six pairs of oxen; they have opened fields for the
planting of corn from which early seed they have planted about three measures and they continue in the
cultivation of their lands for the planting of white corn.
The other ranch is the one called San José de Gracia established by Don José de Robles, lieutenant
of the mobile squadron; he has it populated with his servants, with eight thousand head of minor livestock,
one hundred cows, forty tame horses, and three hundred breeding horses; it is also immediate to the said
river Santa Engracia almost at the same distance of four leagues; they have not experienced, for the last
three years, any grave injuries from the Indians other than the two deaths which they caused last year of
two men who were guarding the cornfields (due to their great neg-ligence); the said Indians who are closest
to this said town are those of the Inocople tribe who, from time to time, cause other damages observing
these negligences or at the time that the rivers overflow, which damages have been reduced to stealing corn
from the cornfields without their being thefts of livestock nor have they shot them with arrows.
The settlers who first came to the establishment of this town I understand for a fact to have been
forty families with the financial aid of one hundred pesos and one family without it.
This mission was equipped with the invocation of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, the lands have
been assigned to it in the region called las Adjuntas, alias Boca de la Iglesia, and according to what I have
heard, said assignation is composed of eight farms of minor livestock and twelve "caballerias" of land for
whenever the case arrive that the mission is established.
To that which I have answered, the four points contained in the cited decree are taken care of. If
Your Majesty would deign to order me in any other thing I am ready to execute it. Town of San Antonio
de Padilla and June 11 of 1757. - Juan Manuel de la Penilla. - (rubric)
DOCUMENT. - In the town of Padilla in eleven days of the month of June of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo said: that having found it suitable not to
waste the time which the missionary priest and captain of this settlement used in responding to the letter
of entreaty and document that were dispatched to them, he performed, in the interim, the necessary
declarations to inform himself of their state with the aim of avoiding the costs of the delay. And so that
the dates of said information are not discordant in placing these and the preceding ones, he ordered that,
this expression being made for his knowledge, they be placed immediately after this document and it be
added to the other proceedings that have been performed in this town so that they supply the necessary
documents and he signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
STATEMENT OF JOSE DE OLVERA. - In the town of San Antonio de Padilla in ten days of
the month of June of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, for
the justification that he intends to do in the inspection of the state of this settlement, according to his
commission and the interrogation that is found in folder number one of these proceedings in folio fifty-four,
found it suitable to make the necessary reports and, for it, he had appear before him José Crist�bal de
Olvera, resident and registered settler in this town, from whom he received an oath by God and a cross
so that he tell the truth in all that might be asked him and that he also keep it and his answers secret and,
his having done it and offered it as is required, he was questioned persuant to the expressed interrogation
and he responded the following:
To the first question he said: that he knows that the Sierra Gorda or Madre before the conquest was
very difficult to traverse because of the many hostile Indians that were there and that, to penetrate it on the
occasions that they stole the livestock, it was necessary to for fifty or more well armed men to gather to
break through in some occasions when they set out to follow them and that, before the conquest of the
honorable General Escandón, already situated on said sierra were the settlements of Tula, Jaumave,
Palmillas, and some people who lived in Real de Minas that they called Infantes, and there were also some
converted Indian villages in Tula and Jaumave, as there are today, and in Palmillas whose number of
settlers in el Jaumave were about fourteen and he does not know exactly how many there were in the others
nor how many congregated Indians in that there were many and there are many that they have today, but
that he does not know which ones are baptized or not nor for what reason, and that the ecclesiastical
ministers who live in the said four old settlements situated in the Sierra Gorda are Franciscan priests, and
these settlements are found very increased in residents since the honorable General Escandón has had the
government of them; and that he also knows that, before the conquest of the new colony in the region in
which the settlement of Santa B�rbara is situated, it was the residence of Indians of peace with whom the
residents of Tula got along well and, because of this, some would come to take advantage of the good land
of this colony, they cultivated its lands and reaped their crops and then left again doing this annually, one
of them who worked the hardest at the execution of this planting being somebody Puga who was the father
of the one who is captain today of the town of Escandón.
To the second question he said: that the first settlers who came for the establishment of this town
were thirty-nine and that, afterwards, its assignation was completed with another ten which makes forty-nine, and that it has been almost nine years that they came, financed with one hundred pesos given to each
one for their transport, and that the most favorable means for their support has been the many portions of
corn which the honorable General Escandón has been furnishing to all this area in the first five years, that
he does not know how many measures they might have been nor the amount that it could rise in value, and
that these aids have not been continuously employed in this settlement with the hostile Indians who have
presented themselves at some occasions and have left again since, although they were given corn and
clothes to support and gratify them, it has not been sufficient to attract them or convert them.
And, in continuation of the previous, he was asked from where the mentioned settlers proceeded
and how many have increased up to the present and if these residents also have been assisted financially
for their trip and from where have them come, he said: that the first settlers proceed from Río Blanco,
jurisdiction of Monterrey in el Nuevo Reino de León. And that it seems to him that, up to now, they might
have increased about seven or eight families more of settlers' children who have married and other who
have come from the outside who have had no financial assistance at all for their establishment.
To the third question he said: that he does not know that there are, in this settlement nor outside
of it anywhere within its boundaries, quarters, huts, or houses for a congregation of Indians because, since
there are not any, this preparation has not been started.
To the fourth question he said: that he does not know if the lands have been designated in the name
of the Indians in which they could give possession, nor has it been given to the apostolic minister, Fray
Joaquín M�rquez, who is the one who actually attends to this town, nor that this circumstance might have
had an effect on its predecessors upon which their subsistance might be founded, but that he knows, and
it is evident to him, that the said missionary father has fifty head of cattle "de hierro arriba" and eight
horses and a field of about seven measures of planted corn, that everything proceeds from the establishment
which has been prepared in case the time arrives for some conversion of Indians, and the said priest
administers it for this end; and that, up to now, the settlers have no landed property nor have they been
assigned for their possession because everything is in common and each one works what he can and in the
sites they think best and that he knows for certain that in these terms they are already found prepared for
cultivation to plant about forty measures of corn.
To the fifth question he said: that the river that passes through this settlement is called La
Purificación, that it is born from the Río Blanco in the Sierra Madre in the place of San José and, joining
the creek they call los Alamos, those of las Vírgenes, the Río de San Antonio and several other waterways,
they continue through this settlement and, at about two leagues from it, it unites with the Río Pilón which
also begins at the Sierra Madre and, at a little more than half a league farther down, that of Santa Engracia
enters into this said one of la Purificación and all these currents together end at la Barra del Puerto de
Santander.
To the sixth question he said: that from these rivers, Purificación and Santa Engracia, they have
been able to make an irrigation canal from them in this settlement into which they channeled their work
and they had been able to succeed for a long distance but they were not able to complete it and they
stopped proceding in their intent thinking it difficult, but the declarant attributes their not being able to
complete it to lack of knowledge and he believes that, if there were someone who knew something about
it, they would be able to complete it, and that he knows that in Aguayo, Llera, Santander, and Burgos they
have this benefit with which they fertilize their lands.
To the seventh question he said: that he does not know whether there is a settlement in this colony
that has springs or water sources that they can use for irrigation.
To the eighth question he said: that the use that is made of the benefit of irrigation canals is for the
planting of corn, seeds, vegetables, and plants and other fruits but that the most creditable in the crops is
the corn.
To the ninth question he said: that in this settlement, from two years ago to now, they have planted
about thirty measures of corn, more or less, in each one, that in the harvest it has been experienced these
produce one hundred measures each with the benefit of seasonal rain which has never been obtained totally
because of either too much rain or a drought, winds, or other bad weather; this has not come true, in
general, in these harvests and, because of that, they have not been sufficient for this citizenry to support
itself and it has been necessary to supply themselves from the settlements of this colony and those in the
vicinity, each one financing it for whatever he needs and according to his ability, making use of the few
goods that they have to give in exchange for the corn.
To the tenth question he said: that he knows, because of having seen it that, situated in what is the
true coast of the Gulf of Mexico are the settlements of Horcasitas, Santa B�rbara, Escandón, Llera,
Aguayo, G�emes, Santander, Soto la Marina, San Fernando and this one of Padilla, and although he does
not know exactly how many leagues there are from the other settlements to the sea, from this one of Padilla
he knows there are about twenty leagues more or less. And that he does not know if there are other ports,
bays, or anchorages other than the one they call Santander where only small boats like the schooners of
the honorable General Escandón enter, that he does not know if any others have entered or enter.
To the eleventh question he said: that he knows that all the land of this colony is suitable for the
raising and keeping of major and minor livestock and that several residents of this settlement, in boundries
of its jurisdiction in the post called las Calabazas and in that of la Mula, find themselves in established
haciendas of this type and of farming where many increaces are seen.
To the twelfth question he said: that he knows that in el Cerro de Santiago, jurisdiction of the town
of Hoyos, there are several mines that are not worked and he has only heard of one which is in the name
of Don Domingo de Unzaga and another one which is in Boca de Caballeros, jurisdiction of Aguayo,
which is not improved by anyone, and that he knows of no others nor does he know whether they have
gotten any silver from these or not.
To the thirteenth question he said: that he knows that in Altamira and at the seacoast of Soto la
Marina and in la Barra de San Fernando different salt mines crystallize with abundance of which the entire
colony and its borders make use, going out to sell to Guadalc�zar and other parts, it being sufficient to be
able to supply all these provinces of all they need.
To the fourteenth question he said: that he knows that the entire circle which forms the colony, the
settlements, assembled villages, and haciendas preserves complete tranquility and are found today entirely
peaceful and without experiencing vexations from the heathen Indians from a year ago to now in this
settlement even though they are always extremely distrustful of the possibilities that can occur in assaults
from those who live three leagues from this town in the area that they call la Iglesia, conclusion of
Tamaulipa la Vieja, on the other side of las Adjuntas and from the others from around Santander that they
call Mezquites, as well as from those who tend to unite with these, originating the thefts of livestocks,
which is the only aim of the damages they do.
To the fifteenth question he said: that he does not know if the Sierra Madre or Sierra Gorda might
be different or if they are one and the same because, of what he has traveled of it, he has always heard it
called Sierra Madre, that it is the one that divides this colony and it serves as a border, and that he has not
traveled through any of las Tamaulipas nor can he give a report of the areas there might be to put in
settlements, but that he knows for certain that it would be very appropriate if they put some in them in
order to contain the Indians that they shelter, who are the ones that most bother and cause problems.
To the sixteenth question he said: that he knows that borders of this colony are the town of Linares,
el Nuevo Reino de León, el Pilón, and Cadereita but that he does not know at what distance they might
be nor does he have information of other settlements of the other provinces that might be borders but he
knows for certain some of them, since the conquest of this colony, experience much benefit regarding the
damages that they used to suffer from the Indians.
To the seventeenth question he said: that does not knows the complete number of captains,
corporals, and soldiers that there are in the entire colony but he know that in this town there is a captain,
a sergeant, and ten enlisted soldiers with salary, that they are destined for this settlement and, besides them,
there is a squadron called the mobile one which is composed of a lieutenant, a sergeant, and eight soldiers,
that these have a different function to go around to all areas, and that the salaries that they enjoy are, the
captain five hundred pesos, the lieutenant, he does not know exactly how much he gets, the sergeants at
two hundred fifty and the soldiers at two hundred twenty-five, and that the manner in which these are
satisfied by the honorable general is in goods and money, paying each one according to what he requests.
And that the service that they perform and the cares in their charge are, regarding this settlement, the
captain has the political and military command of the settlement, the sergeant sees to it that the soldiers
comply with their obligation, and the soldiers, one is destined for the service and aid of the missionary
priest and the other nine guard the horses that belong to the area, keep guard day and night of the property
of the settlers, deliver letters, escort passengers, make excursions, aid the settlers whenever necessary.
And the rest of the mobile squadron, with its lieutenant, goes all over traversing the colony, observing the
steps of the Indians, and working to avoid the damages that the Indians can cause.
To the eighteenth question of the General legal data he said that they do not concern him at all.
And it having been read again to him ad verbum, all that the declarant has said so that he say whether he
needs to add or remove anything or that it be approve, he said that what he has said is what he would
newly say if it were necessary and that he affirms and approves it without needing to change or remove
anything, it being the truth by the oath that he has made, and he signed it and stated being of the age of
forty-seven years; so signed it the said honorable inspector with the witnesses present. - José Tienda de
Cuervo. -(rubric) -José Crist�bal de Olvera -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José
de Haro. -(rubric).
DOCUMENT. - In the town of Padilla in eleven days of the month of June of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the gentleman Don José Tienda de Cuervo, having seen the proceedings practiced in
this city as it appears in these documents for its inspection and state, according to the chapters of its
instruction, considering them as sufficient for his report, desirous of not wasting time on those which he
should continue in the other settlements, in order to complete them in the shortest manner possible and
avoid the costs which delays could cause to the Royal Treasury, he ordered that everything acted upon and
corresponding to this settlement be put in a folder set aside for his greater knowledge and thus he ordered
and signed it - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José
de Haro. -(rubric).
In the 6th of February of 1758, testimony was taken to report to His Majesty.
---------------
TOWN OF SANTANDER
DOCUMENT. - In the town of Santander in thirteen days of the month of June of seventeen
hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, Gentleman of the Order of
Santiago, Captain of Dragoons of the New City of Veracruz and Inspecting Judge for the most excellent
honorable Viceroy Marquis of las Amarillas, for the inspection of the Gulf of Mexico, as is evident from
his conferred office given in Mexico on the twenth-ninth of March of this present year which is placed as
head and beginning of the folder number one of proceedings formed in this affair. Having arrived at this
town yesterday afternoon counted as the twelfth at four o'clock, in order not to waste time he found it
suitable, in the continuation of his charges and, for this, to begin from today the following which he intends
to do here, to aquaint himself in the best justification of its state according to the instruction that is located
in the stated folder number one, from folio four to eight, and in this virtue he decided to continue
everything necessary and he ordered that those which are suitable follow at the continuation of this
document and that the declarations and examinations of witnesses which may be done in accordance with
the interrogation that is found in the cited folder number one in folio fifty-four, all be acted out in the
presence of witnesses, elected for the formation of these documents, which are Don Roque Fern�ndez
Marcial and Don Francisco José de Haro, whom the said gentleman has nominated for this effect from
the first proceedings of his commission, and so that all is done in the justification required, thus he ordered
and signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Juan Ignacio Fajardo -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez
Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
Document. - In the town of Santander in thirteen days of the month of June of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, Gentleman of the Order of Santiago, Captain
of Dragoons of the New City of Veracruz and Inspecting Judge for the most excellent honorable Viceroy
Marquis of las Amarillas, for the inspection of the Gulf of Mexico for the proceedings which he intends
to do in this settlement in investigation of its state, ordered that they make a general review of its settlers,
residents, and inhabitants and, for it, its disposition be made known to the captain Don José Gómez Toca,
in whom the political and military jurisdiction of it is found, so that he give a list of the settlers, residents,
and inhabitants with which it is found including, in a particular note, the officers, overseers, and enlisted
soldiers that there are in this town, with the exception of the annual salary they enjoy and the numbers
of some, those of their wives and number of children, families, and their state, their goods, haciendas, and
livestock, stating their types, information about the service done by the officers and soldiers and
information of by whom and in which form they are paid, for which the said captain be given a copy of
this document so that, in conformity to it, he do that which he has been ordered and respond at its end,
returning everything original to the appropriate documents. And that to perform this act of review which
is provided for, the aforesaid captain cite the aforementioned settlers, residents, inhabitants, officers,
overseers, and soldiers so that tomorrow, which shall be counted as the fourteenth of the current month,
at nine in the morning they all present themselves with their arms in the plaza of this settlement in order
to execute it with the necessary formality; and at the same time the aforesaid captain shall give a report of
the ranches or haciendas that are established in this jurisdication, the names of their owners, the regions
in which they are situated, at what distance from the settlement, how many heads of livestock and of what
types they are composed, as well as which fields said haciendas have set into cultivation, what heathen
Indians are the most immediate to this town, what they are called and at what distance they reside and
whether they experience any vexations from them and how many settlers there were who, with financial
help, formed the first establishment of this settlement, and thus he provided, ordered and signed it with the
witnesses in attendance. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Juan Ignacio Fajardo -(rubric) -Roque
Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
REVIEW. - In the town of Santander in fourteen days of the month of June of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven years, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, in virtue of that ordered of him to make
a review of the settlers, residents and inhabitants of it, provided, that for its best justification, a letter of
entreaty be given to the very reverand father Fray Buenaventura Ruiz de Esparza, apostolic missionary
of it, so that he serve to attend this act in order to be able to have from His Holiness the suitable reports
and, this plea having been communicated to said reverend father, he concurred with said gentleman and
in these terms the said review was begun calling each one by name, registering the arms of their use,
composed of a rifle, a sword, a shield, some pistols and blunderbusses and, asking them the questions
found suitable, it was executed in the following manner:
REVIEW
SQUADRON OF OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS WITH SALARY
Captain Don José Gómez Toca, native of las Montañas de Burgos, bachelor, present, has all arms,
seventeen horses and earns five hundred pesos salary.
Second lietuenant Don Crist�bal de León, married to Doña María de Porras, has three children,
all arms, and twenty horses with three hundred pesos salary.
Sergeant José Crist�bal Valdez, married to Juana Gonz�lez, has three children and one brother,
all arms, and seven horses, earns two hundred fifty pesos.
Augustín de la Rosa, married to Juliana Rodríguez, has one son, all arms, six horses, earns two
hundred twenty-five pesos.
Francisco de León, married to Doña María Zaldívar, has one son, all arms, six horses, enjoys
two hundred twenty-five pesos.
Ignacio Rodríguez, married to Ana Josefa Zaldívar, has one son, all arms and six horses, enjoys
two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
Santiago Rodríguez, bachelor, all arms, and six horses, enjoys two hundred twenty-five pesos per
year.
Juan Antonio de la Peña, married to Antonia Cadena, has one daughter, all arms, six horses,
earns two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
José Hip�lito de la Garza, married to Anastasia Escamilla, has one son, all arms, six horses,
earns two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
Nicol�s Rodríguez, married to Doña Juana García, has three daughters, all arms, six horses,
earns two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
José Antonio Rodríguez, bachelor, all arms and six horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos.
Juan Crist�bal de Montemayor, married to Margarita Casta�eda, has one daughter, all arms
and six horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos.
Juan de Rivera, widower, has three children, all arms, six horses, enjoys two hundred twenty-five
pesos.
Juan Antonio Méndez, married to Juana de la Garza, has two daughters, all arms, six horses,
earns two hundred twenty-five pesos.
Antonio Vejarano, married to Matidiana Jiménez, has two children, all arms and six horses,
earns two hundred twenty-five pesos.
Antonio Mascorro, bachelor, has all arms, six horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos.
José Antonio Montes, married to Antonia de Hinojosa, has three children, all arms and six
horses, earns two hundred twenty-five pesos per year.
Pedro de León, married to Doña Petra Montemayor, has one daughter, all arms and six horses,
earns two hundred twenty-five pesos.
SETTLERS OF THE FIRST ESTABLISHMENT
WITH FINANCIAL AID
Doña Juana de Rivera, widow, has two children.
Antonio de Ahumada, married to Ana Teresa, has four children, all arms, without horses.
Don José Castrejon, married to Doña María García, has five children and one brother-in-law
with him, all arms, two horses.
Margarita Falcón, widow, has two children.
Ignacio Flores, married to María Guerrero, has two children, all arms, two horses.
Don Francisco Alanís, ill, married to Francisca Javiera Gonz�lez, has four children, all arms,
two horses.
Manuel Guerrero, married to María de la Garza, has one daughter, arms, only a rifle and a
knife, without horses.
Don Francisco Rodríguez de Montemayor, married to Doña María Javiera, has one daughter,
all arms, three horses.
Andrés de la Garza, married to Clara Cepeda, has five children, all arms, five horses.
Juan Mancha, ill, married to Isabel de Acosta, has two children, without arms, six horses.
José de Alcal�, married to María Guadalupe, has six children, all arms, ten horses.
Casimiro Lucio Ruiz, married to Ana de Acosta, has one daughter, all arms, eight horses.
Marcelo Barbosa, married to María Cuello, has all arms, without horses.
Don Nicol�s Rodríguez Montemayor, married to Doña Clara Rodríguez, has nine children, all
arms and six horses.
Eusebio Mill�n, married to Juana María, has two children, all arms, one horse.
Antonio Gonz�lez, married to Petra de la Garza, is absent with permission, has one daughter,
all arms, six horses.
Salvador Rodríguez, married to Quiteria Hinojosa, has two children, arms, a rifle and a shield,
two horses.
Don José Zaldívar, married to Doña Josefa de León, has three children, all arms, two horses.
Don Francisco Antonio Rodríguez, ill, widower, has three children, all arms, two horses.
Don Pedro Zaldívar, married to Doña María Luisa de la Serna, has eight children, all arms,
eight horses.
Francisco Javier Reyes, married to Josefa de la Garza, has one son, all arms, four horses.
Lucas Domingo Caballero, married to María de Cardenas, has four sons, all arms, three horses.
Marcelino Caballero, married to Doña María Rodríguez, has five children, without arms, six
horses.
Don José Ildefonso Rodríguez, married to Doña María Tremiño, has two children, all arms, six
horses.
Martín Ruiz, married to Manuela de Acosta, has three children, all arms, six horses.
María Salomé, widdow, has two children.
Pablo Victorino Cuello, married to Cecilia Hern�ndez, has one son, all arms, six horses.
Manuel Villegas, married to Gertrudis García, has three children, without arms or horses.
Juan Antonio S�nchez, married to Lorenza Rodríguez, has five children, a rifle and a shield,
three horses.
Jerónimo de Ahumada, married to Josefa Gonz�lez, has three children, without arms or horses.
Luis Barrientos, widower, has three children, without arms or horses.
María de Olivares, widow, with five children, all arms, one horse.
Miguel Salinas, married to Doña Juana Rodríguez, has five children, all arms and three horses.
Francisco Rodríguez, widower, has all arms and three horses.
Leonor Guerrero, widow, has one son.
INCREASED AND REGISTERED RESIDENTS
José Antonio Ruiz, detached, married to Antonia Salinas, has one son, all arms, five horses.
Crist�bal Gonz�lez de Ochoa, married to Francisca de Ahumada, has one daughter, all arms,
three horses.
Don Luis de San Crist�bal, married to Doña Damiana de León, has one son, all arms six horses.
Doña Gertrudis Hidalgo, widow, has two children.
Doña María de León, widow, has eight children, the arms of her husband and two horses.
José de la Garza, married to Rita Rodríguez, has a daughter, without arms or horses.
Don Vicente Martínez, married to Doña Leonarda Guerra, has two children, arms, a rifle,
without horses.
Lorenzo Mancha, bachelor, without arms or horses.
Juan Antonio Hern�ndez, married to María de los Reyes, has one daughter, arms, a sword,
without horses.
Juana de Hoyos, widow, has one daughter.
Casilda de Olivares, widow, has two orphans and one horse.
Pedro García, married to Juliana Rodríguez, has five children, all arms, eight horses and one
donkey.
Francisco de Arismendi, married to Josefa Martín, has one son, all arms, without horses.
José Antonio de la Garza, married to Petra Cepeda, has all arms and one horse.
Joaquín García Platas, absent with permission, married to Doña Isabel de León, has one son,
all arms, six horses.
Sebasti�n Bretón, bachelor, with no other arms than a sword, two horses.
Juan Antonio Cervantes, married to Gertrudis Cabrera, without arms or horses.
Don Miguel Rodríguez, gentleman, married to Doña María Josefa de la Garza, has one son, all
arms, two horses.
Nicol�s Gerardo, married to Francisca Javiera, has two children, all arms, eight horses.
María de Jesús Guerra, widow, has one son.
Vicente S�nchez, married to Anastasia García, without arms or horses.
Juan José V�zquez, married to María Victoria, with one son, without arms or horses.
Francisco Javier Mancha, bachelor, has one son, all arms, seven horses.
Sebasti�n Alvarez, married to María Rodríguez, without arms or horses.
Joaquín Molina, absent with permission, married to Tomasa Cepeda, has one son, without arms
or horses.
Francisco Victorino, married to Apolinaria de Jesús, without arms, without horses.
Juan Antonio Medina, widower, has three children, without arms or horses.
Miguel Guzm�n, married to Juana Vejarano, has three children, without arms or horses.
Don Agustín Jiménez, married to Ana Josefa de Alanís, has three children, all arms, one horse
and one donkey.
Pedro José de Aguirre, married to Doña B�rbara Ch�vez, has three children, without arms, one
horse.
José Ignacio Tangumba, bachelor, without arms or horses.
José Francisco de Villanueva, married to Catarina de la Garza, without arms or horses.
Mariano Altamirano, married to Gertrudis Guerrero, without arms or horses.
Juan Antonio de Salazar, married to Doña María Valdez, without arms or horses.
Bernardo de la Cruz, married to María Hern�ndez, has two children, without arms or horses.
José Francisco de la Cruz, married to María Antonia de Salas, has one son, without arms or
horses.
Don Antonio de Estrada, married to Doña Matidiana Mancha, has one son, all arms, three
horses.
Ignacio Ruiz, married to Francisca de la Garza, has arms without horses.
Basilio Jiménez, married to Antonia Rosalía, all arms, four horses.
Don José Lazarín, married to Doña María de Montemayor, has one daughter, arms, a rifle and
a shield, two horses.
Ignacio Antonio de Z�rate, married to Ana María Ruiz, has two children, without arms or
horses.
Don Juan Enrique de Aguilar, married to doña Tomasa Rodríguez. has all arms, four horses.
Don Manuel de la Serna, married to Doña Antonia de León, has all arms, fourteen horses, two
donkeys.
Don Joaquín Caballero, married to C�ndida de Castro, has one son, all arms, five horses.
Antonio Ruiz, married to Manuela de Salazar, has one son, arms, without horses.
Santos Mancha, married to Quiteria Guzm�n, has one daughter, all arms, four horses.
Francisco Campa, married to Antonia de Aguirre, all arms, four horses.
Doña María Susana, widow, has six children.
RESIDENT INHABITANTS WITHOUT REGISTRY
Francisco Cornejo, married to María Gertrudis, without arms or horses.
Salvador de Lara, widower, has one son.
Ignacio Valdez, bachelor.
Manuel Cepeda, married to Gregoria Gonz�lez, has one daughter.
Francisco Javier Soasnavar, bachelor.
José Antonio S�nchez, married to Juana María Barba, has one son.
Manuel Duarte, married to María Matilde Guerra, has one daughter.
Basilio de Tapia, bachelor without arms or horses.
Lucas José Aguilar.
Celedonio M�rquez, bachelor.
Félix Coronel, bachelor.
Basilio, the page.
Juan Casiano Olvera, bachelor.
Don Melchor de Noriega, bachelor.
Don Antonio Morales.
Ignacio Fonseca, bachelor.
José Matías de Vargas, with one brother.
Catarina de Olvera, widow with one daughter.
Andrea Josefa.
José Antonio de la Cruz.
Joaquín Bravo.
Manuel Rosales.
José de Arcila.
Vicente Rocha.
Salvador de Ibarra, married to Basilia Mendiola, has one daughter.
Ramón Cabrera, with one brother.
Crist�bal Gonz�lez.
Don Francisco Pérez and one servant.
Antonio Lazo, married to Manuela de Villafuerte, has four children.
José Manuel Arellano, bachelor.
Francisco Antonio Mascorro and his brother.
Hip�lito Alvarado, married to Tomasa Casta�eda, has one son.
Juan Bautista, bachelor.
Anselmo Rosales, bachelor.
Francisco Gutiérrez, bachelor.
José Antonio García, bachelor.
Jesús López.
Ricardo de Lombardía.
Antonio Elías Pimentel, married to María Manuela, has one daughter.
Francisco Cobi�n.
Bernardo Surita.
José Nicol�s Otomit.
Juan Cris�stomo Hern�ndez, married to María Victoria de León.
Santiago de la Cruz, married to María Luisa.
Nicol�s Hern�ndez, married to María, has one daughter.
Don Juan Manuel de la Mora and one servant.
That as is evident and appears in this review, the number of families in this settlement is composed
of one hundred eight with four hundred fifty persons in this form: the fourteen of the squadron of officers
and soldiers enlisted and with salary who live in this settlement, the thirty-three settlers of the first
establishment, the forty-five of residents increased and registered, and the sixteen of inhabitants without
registration. And the goods that exist of these families are five hundred seventeen heads of breeding
horses, one hundred nine mules, fifty-seven pairs of oxen, one thousand thirty heads of minor livestock,
one thousand one hundred forty-one heads of cattle, four donkeys, without including three hundred thirty-seven horses that the squadron and its residents have for their service, so it is evident from the sections of
this review in which it has been found suitable to specify the salaries which Your Majesty pays annually
in this settlement, which are to the missionary priest for his synod three hundred fifty pesos, to another
priest, who also lives in this settlement with the title of President of the Colony named Fray Luis Mariano
Chacón, another three hundred fifty, to the captain five hundred pesos, to the 2nd lieutenant three hundred,
to the sergeant two hundred fifty, and to the fifteen resident soldiers two hundred twenty-five each. And
in respect to having asked the missionary priest Fray Buenaventura Ruiz de Esparza that he serve to
attend it to give his reports and his having thus executed it, giving that necessary to support the existance
of families and their goods and of those who evidently are absent, the said honorable Don José Tienda de
Cuervo asked that he serve to sign this review in faith of it and the said priest executed it. And it being
completed in these terms, he had it placed in the folder of acts formed in this town of Santander and the
said gentleman signed it with the witnesses present. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Buenaventura
Antonio Ruiz de Esparza -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
PROCEEDING. - In the said town of Santander in fourteen days of the month of June of seventeen
hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, informed by the list that the captain
of this settlement gave for the review where at one quarter of a league away the colonel Don José de
Escandón has a farming ranch for cane and major and minor livestock with several families of Pame Indian
servants in it about which, wanting to satisfy himself and acquaint himself about everything in this report,
it being about four o'clock in the afternoon, personally went to this proceeding and found that said site is
composed of one large hut where the steward Pedro García resident of this settlement is living, several
huts, barns, and buildings for finishing sugar, little organized in that which is necessary for this work, and
of farming lands all planted with cane and corn in good state for the hopes of the crop, noticing in the
fields, at the same time, many major livestock and some minor livestock, mules, and pairs of oxen of
whose number he could not find out. And having passed into the recognition of the servant families, it was
found that these are sixteen with seventy persons of both sexes, adult and young, baptised Pame Indians
having come or been brought from the mountains from those who were fugitives of the different missions;
and everything recognized in these terms, he ordered them set into the proceedings and he signed it with
the witnesses present. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric)- -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
PROCEEDING. - In the town of Santander in fourteen days of the month of June of seventeen
hundred fifty-seven years, the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, wanting to inform himself in
a just manner in what state the mission, congregation, and converted Indian village are, attempted to put
into practice the review of the group of them and before, in order to do it with success, communicated his
thoughts with the missionary priest Fray Buenaventura Antonio Ruiz de Esparza, who related the
practice of this proceeding being impossible because of the inconveniences of these not being totally
christianized because there are only two nations of infidel Indians in the area of this town, the one of
Mezquites, who live immediate to this town and come to its center on some occasions, who are divided
into four parts having as their captains Francisco, Manco, el Camaleón, and Chepe which, it is said, they
consist of one hundred fifty families with five hundred persons, the number being noted on some occasions
in which they have been brought with flattery and gifts, of whom about eighty individuals have attended
church, the ones who, with the handling of the settlers, are beginning to enjoy the Spanish language; the
other one is called Bocas Prietas which also has eighty families and one hundred people, from all of which
there is only a small portion at the site of the mission because all the rest live in several areas in the woods
and, because of this, it is not possible to collect them; since they are so cautious and distrusting, something
could result from this proceeding to intimidate them so that they leave the tranquility with which, at
present, they come and go. And the said gentleman, having seen the justified reasons with which the
missionary priest stated his opinion, valued it enough to suspend this intent, and so that it be made evident,
he had it put in as a proceeding and he signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric)- -Roque Fern�ndez
Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
And seen by me, Fray Buenaventura Antonio Ruiz de Esparza, of the order of Nuestro Padre
San Francisco, apostolic preacher, missionary in this town of Nuevo Santander, your requirement, and
condescending to it I say:
That in regard to todays date of June of fifty-seven, it has been a year since I was named minister
for this town and its mission and, there having been no suitable occasion, I do not know the number of the
first settlers in spite of having attended the review which this same said year the colonel Don José de
Escandón made, as well as the development, and only the imperfect knowledge which the register that was
made this year has given me, the one which, although, I do not give it as explicit as is requested in the
circumstance of settlers, residents, and inhabitants, but yes in that of the women, children, and families.
There are two tribes of heathen Indians in the outskirts of this town, the one called los Mezquites
the one which resides, although not with all its individuals, at the edges of this town and on some occasions
in its center or plaza which, divided into four parts, has as captains, Francisco, el Manco, el Camaleón,
and Chepe, which is said to have one hundred fifty families and about five hundred individuals, a number
which I have not examined in the aforesaid time, it being the greatest I have recognized on some occasions
that, attracted with the flattery of some presents, about thirty families and eighty individuals have attended
catechism, the ones who with the conduct and the closeness to the settlers, they help them in some things,
principally in domestic service, and they are learning the Spanish language. The other one is called Los
Bocas Prietas, of this one it is said that it is made up of eighty families and one hundred fifty individuals,
the one which is found today in Palmitos, a place assigned for the mission about three leagues from this
town to the northeast with the concession of two "caballerías" of wheatland with irrigation and eight sites
of minor livestock, of which my predecessor the Reverand Father Fray Ignacio Antonio Cipri�n (may
God bless him) took possession in the name of said Indians and where, at that same time, they built houses
and a church of straw, which they abandoned due to the said Mezquites having burned them in consortium
with three enemy tribes of theirs and, at present, they are rebuilding them; because of lack of grain it seems
to have about thirteen families and about forty individuals of whom, as much Boca Prietas as Mezquites,
have received the sacrament of baptism at the point of death, [ie] three adults in this said year and one
child, daughter of said Juan Antonio who enjoys the same benefit and of which many of those same Boca
Prietas could enjoy, had the problem of the seeds not bothered them since, even today, they scarcely
sustain themselves at the expense of said honorable colonel.
In this same manner, found in a farming hacienda of said gentleman which is about one quarter
league distance from this town, are about some twenty families of Pame Indians which are composed of
some seventy christian Indians who, in obtaining it, are as satisfied as if they had gotten everything that
a christian can long for, manifesting, instead of abhorrence, an enormous laziness to the other christian
actions, especially to the instruction in the rudiments of our holy faith and divine law which, although their
being very suitable for tilling, I perceive it as very harmful for the propagation in which we labor because,
if they are forced, the infidels, as is visible, can withdraw. If they are permitted in that type of life, as it
has been suffered up to now and is now suffered, it is very scandalous and it can take root in the infidels
which does not seem suitable in this new beginning.
Of the settlers of this town, the greater part seems to be from several places of el Nuevo Reino de
León who came at their own cost aided by the Royal Treasury with the amount (I believe) of one hundred
pesos which, I presume, has not been contributed to those that have been added later.
The annual synod, assigned to this mission for the maintenance of two ministers who are supposed
to reside in it, is seven hundred pesos which is paid by Don Jacinto Martínez resident of la Ciudad de
México and my holy college remits in proper form and I am certain that my predecessor was given
financial help for the establishment of said mission, although I do not know the amount, from which, I
believe, came the origin of the ornaments and sacred urns which are in the charge and care of the same
ministers and I judge their cost might have been about three hundred pesos which would not cost much less
now since they are the same ones and almost intact.
About the said "caballerías" and sites, they have not been cultivated due to the lack of corn, which,
nevertheless, I intend to provide this present year for at least two measures of corn and to plant if time
permits [or weather?].
This mission has all agricultural equipment, two hundred thirteen cattle, among which are two yoke
of oxen, two mules, eleven horses, and one hundred thirty heads of sheep.
The parceling of the land of this jurisdiction is maintained in common of which there should be
about enough put into use for fifteen measures of planting and, already planted, there should be from ten
to twelve and, of all of them, I believe that most of them are under irrigation. The crop that these reaped
last year was not so abundant that it would be sufficient for the maintenance of the settlers, it being thus
necessary that they supply themselves from other places, nor for this reason should they be judged sterile
or useless since this came about because of the adversity of the weather, rather the luxuriousness of the
plants, beauty of the "cementeras" and the loveliness of one and another of the sections of vegetables
show its suitability for many grains and promise copious and tasty crops, as I reflect some of these settlers
must have enjoyed in the course of nine uncompleted years that this town has been situated. They are also
well furnished with good and fresh pastures, shelters, and watering places or springs for the raising of
major and minor livestock in which they could experience incredible progress if the poverty of these
residents be not too advanced since I do not know any other hacienda other than the said one of the said
honorable colonel of whose progress I have no individual information; I do know that it is abundant in
everything and a little ranch which three residents have started at about one and a half leagues distance,
more or less, to the north of this town in which there are about three hundred head of minor livestock and
two hundred of major livestock.
The land of this town I do not judge as suitable for the subsistance of its residents because of the
continuous ailments that they all have been experiencing, that, although in those residing they are normally
no longer deadly but enough to cool the courage and, with no other remedy than that of the Divine
Providence, because the changing of the place, which could be done in all this circled area as I have been
informed by several persons, there is no place which is not disposed to the same ailments and it could be
that it would not offer the same conveniences.
I do not know if the borders to this town experience any relief from their problems with the
heathens, those that like in this one as well as in the remaining settlements, I judge to be in peace; in the
same manner, whether the said borders, in the extraction of families might have had some distress or
impairment, or whether they have had some benefit to compensate the damage they might have had.
And finally, the idea I have formed in order of the conversion of these infidels is that it could be
verified, principally in the Boca Prietas due to their natural and well inclined pacifism, not at all restless
or mischievous and in their example in the others, if they are helped with some corn while the lands of the
mission are prepared and the same Indians get used to the method of preparing them. This is what I judge
and what I certify with all of the aforesaid in all that I am able and should and I sign, so that it appear
wherever it is suitable, by my own hand in said town of Nuevo Santander on the fifteenth of June of
seven[teen] hundred fifty-seven years. - Fray Buenaventura Antonio Ruiz de Esparza.- (rubric)
In completion of that ordered by Your Highness in his document which preceeds, I turn over a list
that contains the settlers and inhabitants that are found in this town at present, areas from where they were
recruited or have come to present themselves, their qualifications, number of children, arms, horses, and
goods with which they are found; the squadron which is composed of eighteen posts including mine, the
captain with five hundred pesos salary, the first sergeant with the rank of second lieutenant with three
hundred, another one with two hundred fifty, and fifteen soldiers with that of two hundred twenty-five
pesos each. In the first years said squadron, united with all the settlers, was maintained in continual
exercise against the Indians that lived in these pleasant valleys and the two immediate Tamaulipas in whose
midst it is situated; united they would battle night and day with the death of several settlers and soldiers
and the destruction of their herds of horses and camp goods until, at the cost of a lot of work, they began
dominating them, the hopes of fulfilling their intention being lost; those of the apostate rebels of the Nuevo
Reino de León who remained were restored to their old missions and the heathens have been giving up
peacefully in the service which the settlers as well as the squadron have been doing without being given
time even to cultivate their fields such that the grain itself could bear crops for their food to which they are
now dedicating themselves so that the land is tranquil and only with the care of always being ready with
their arms to prevent the injuries to which the Indians, due to natural propensity, are always inclined.
Said squadron, when the year is up, remits its military strength so that its agent in the Royal
Treasury of Mexico charges its due salary and, at the same time it is ordered that it provide everything it
needs; but as it usually happens that the payment is delayed and these poor ones have absolutely nothing
to provide themselves with arms, horses, and supplies, it has been normal that the honorable general (so
that it can subsist) supplements them from his own wealth and he is reimbursed when the charge is verified,
without whose supplements neither this nor any other squadron would be completed nor could it do its
service and, since the salaries obtained are so short, in spite of their getting the principal things like corn
and horses at cost and the rest are given at a certain percentage less than at what it can normally bewhat
it can normally be bought with the money in these borders, a benefit they get through the instruction of said
honorable general and the love with which he cares for them, they can barely support their families. I have
given the order that the settlers and the squadran meet tomorrow at the time that is prepared to make the
review.
At a distance of about one quarter league from this said town on the north, in order to be able to
provide themselves with grains and to have some livestock for the precise expense, the nominated
honorable general had a field opened where he has twenty families of servants whom he has brought from
outside and the livestock which the aforesaid list shows, in it they plant about fifteen measures of corn,
almost the entire season which leans, nevertheless, to an excess of water for irrigation because it produces
more; and from it they also enjoy sugar, "piloncillo", and "melado" since the cane that is planted produces
in abundance.
At about a distance of two leagues Pedro García, Casimiro Lucio, and others have placed a ranch
in which they maintain their livestock and they are beginning to open lands to plant which had not been
able to be done up to now due to the lack of security; a few other settlers plant in the immediate areas of
this said town and at present they have worked about fifteen measures without being able to extend
themselves further for lack of workers, their regular acquisition with irrigation at one hundred to one and
seasonal at two hundred to three hundred.
The heathen Indians that reside most immediate to this town outside of those of the mission and
Mezquites (that are reported in the cited list) are, on the west side, four hamlets at the outskirts of
Tamaulipa la Moza between el Aratillo and el Malinche at a distance of about eight leagues from this town,
which are not less than one thousand persons, these have caused much work but, at present, they are
peaceful with the hope that they can have a mission in that region which is very suitable to the service of
Both Majesties.
At the eastern outskirts of said Tamaulipa there are two hamlets of Indians from the head of las
Chorreras, a distance of six leagues from this town, to the mineral mountain of Bercebú, the first one of
the Come Nopales which should have one hundred fifteen person and the second one of Santiago
Guajulote, deceased, which should have three hundred, which are also peaceful and shall begin
congregating once the settlers, well situated, harvest abundant grains to be able to maintain them while they
are being instructed in the cultivation of lands.
On the southern part at a distance of about six leagues begins the Sierra de Tamaulipa la Vieja
whose center protects a considerable number of Indians but, since it is blocked by the settlements of the
entire mountain range of the south, that of Padilla, this one, the one of Soto la Marina, and Santillana, they
have remained peaceful, in general, although some Indians have not ceased stealing some livestock now
and then and robbing the cornfields, for which they need a continual vigilance to contain them with the aim
of guarding against their being insulted with the tolerance which would result in a major restlessness.
The settlers who entered this town with financial aid, I understand, were sixty-seven, some of them
at one hundred pesos and others at less and of these, thirteen have died and all the families that are in
Santillana were detached, as well as some others who, for just reasons, have left the royal service for other
settlements. With which, it seems, I have completed with the points which the preceding document
contains. -Town of Nuevo Santander and June 13 of 1757. -José Gómez Toca. -(rubric)
DECLARATION OF DON FRANCISCO REGALADO Y MONTEMAYOR. - In the town of
Santander in thirteen days of the month of June of seventeen hundred fifty-seven years, the honorable Don
José Tienda de Cuervo, for the justification which he intends to do in the inspection and the state of this
settlement, according to the interrogation which is found in folder number one in folio fifty-four of these
proceedings, found it suitable to make the necessary report and,for it, he had appear before him Don
Francisco Regalado y Montemayor, resident and settler of it, from whom he received an oath by God
and a cross so that he tell the truth in what he might be asked and, having done it and offered it, as is
required, with the circumstance of keeping secret in it and his response, he was asked, in the fashion of
the expressed interrogation, and he answered the following:
To the first question he said: that he does not know in what state the Sierra Gorda or Madre was
before the conquest, nor what settlements it had, nor what converted Indian villages are in them because
he never traveled it, he only heard that it was inhabited by hostile Indians when the honorable General
Escandón conquored this colony and that he had different incidents of war with them.
To the second question he said: that the first settlers were fifty who came for the establishment of
this town and proceeded from Monterrey and from different regions of el Nuevo Reino de León, that these
were financed for their coming from the account of Your Majesty with one hundred pesos given to each
family by the hand of Don Roque de la Barrera by the order of the honorable General Escandón, and
that the means that have favored the subsistance of this population and that of the congregated Indians have
been the aid of corn with which the said honorable general has helped them, although he does not know
know exactly how many measures of corn could have been distributed, on his part, the declarant can say
that, on several occasions it has been twelve measures that have been given them for which they have not
been ask to pay at all, instead the said honorable General Escandón advised them that these aids were
already admitted by the charity of Your Majesty for good deeds, and he also knows that, besides corn with
which the Indian congregation has been sustained, they have been given many clothes, blankets, cottons,
and trousers and even British shirts to the captains and hats; that he cannot know to how much all that has
been given and dispensed in these terms could amount or cost.
And in continuation of the aforesaid, he was asked how many residents have increased up to the
present, from where they came, and how they have been financed for their trip; he said: that he does not
know how many residents might have increased up to this present state because he has not had the curiosity
of knowing it, that these have come from el Reino de León and from outside areas and others that have
married with the families of the settlers, that some of them have come voluntarily without any financial
help.
To the third question he said: that the Indians of this settlement, who are here in a congregation,
are from the castes of Mezquite, Clarapanames, Damiches, Napanames, and Nocoplos, Cadimas, Piedras,
Pitas, Pasitas, and Tonacapames who have, in this settlement, no quarters, huts, or houses for their living,
neither within or outside of it because these do not accept subjection and are divided in various parts of the
woods where they have their hamlets and they only come when they feel like it or when they know that
they will be given something; and they also usually come at the call of the honorable General Escandón,
in some cases he sends out to find them; that he does not know how many of these could be baptised but
he does know that an old Indian female, who is the mother of a captain of the Pasitas, is but she does not
leave off going with them because of it and although the residents have admonished her with christianity
so that she not follow the others, there has been no way to hold her; and that the regions and sites where
they live are at the head of the spring at four leagues from this settlement, in the channels at six leagues
from it more or less, in el Cerro del Aire at four and one-half leagues, in Palmitos which is the site
designated to the mission and where the site of lands and the spring set aside for the cultivation and
irrigation of these are which is about three leagues from this town where some of the said Indians are
building some huts for their homes at present, and toward el Río de la Purificación about seven leagues
toward the south of this town.
To the fourth question he said: that he does not know whether possession of the lands designated
for the Indians has been given to the missionary priest upon which their subsistance should be founded, nor
does he believe that there is any formal possession nor fields put into use because he has only heard that,
in the site of Palmitos, the Clarapaname and Bocas Prietas Indians have a few corn plants and some squash
planted. And that, regarding the settlers, they have not been given possession of the lands offered to them
because each one is cultivating the ones he wishes and wherever he thinks best in the environs of this
settlement which extends five leagues to the south, five to the north, three to the east and about seven
leagues to the west; that he does not know how many lands of these could already be in use and cultivation.
To the fifth question he said: the he knows of no other river other than la Purificación, that he has
heard it begins in la Sierra Madre and passes two leagues deviated from that of Santa Engracia on the
G�emes side and comes through Padilla and follows along with several others that connect with it ending
at la Barra del Puerto that they call Santander.
To the sixth question he said: that he knows that in Llera there is an irrigation canal and that he
has heard that there are some in other places and that he has heard that in Padilla, and he has seen it, they
have tried several times to build an irrigation canal from the river la Purificación and that of Santa Engracia
and that they have not succeeded.
To the seventh question he said: that he knows, and it is evident, that this town of Santander, at
four leagues from it, has several springs and water sources within its borders on the west side from which
they have built the irrigation canal that this said settlement has and which fertilizes and waters its planting
fields of corn, gardens, cane fields, and orchards and that the town of Burgos has the same with other water
sources and springs.
To the eighth question he said: that the use which is made of the lands with the benefit of irrigation
is to plant corn, cane, cotton, beans, chile, vegetables, fruit trees, and other plants and fruits and that, as
he has said, he does not know which lands are cultivated for these ends.
To the ninth question he said: that he does not know nor can he report about the measures of corn
and other seeds that were planted last year or that could be planted this year because he is little dedicated
to it and his age allows him little exercise in the field but, what he normally hears from the workers in
passing, they could have eighty measures of corn for each one planted and that the harvests of this
settlement have been the most disappointing due to the abundance of rain that has fallen above and beyond
the irrigation, whose harvests have never been sufficient to maintain them, and this year it should be much
less since they already lost part of the corn planted and sprouted because it has rained so much and, even
if there were still the possibility of replanting using the relief from the honorable General Escandón who
gives them all that they need for planting and equipped yokes of oxen, it is too close to the time that the
rainy season begins and it would not be successful, for which reason they will have the same problem of
having to supply themselves from the immediate settlements and from the borders and that the method of
buying this corn is in exchange for their livestock, cotton when they have it, cane, and salt and some reales
that others have.
To the tenth question he said: that the settlements that he knows exist in this colony from reports
that he has of them, although he has not seen them, are Altamira, Horcasitas, Escandón, Llera, Santa
B�rbara, Aguayo, G�emes, Padilla, Hoyos, Santander, Santillana, Soto la Marina, Burgos, Reinosa,
Camargo, Revilla, Mier, San Fernando, Dolores, Laredo and that he does not know whether there is any
other because he is a knower only of these and that he does not know exactly how many leagues there
could be to the sea from each of these settlements but that from this one of Santander to the port of its name
there should be some twenty-four leagues. And that he does not know whether there may be any other port
on this coast other than the one they call Santander in which ships can enter since he only knows that the
schooners of the honorable general enter it.
To the eleventh question he said: that all the land of this colony is very suitable for the raising and
conservation of major and minor livestock and that in the jurisdiction of this town, already established are
the hacienda that they call San Juan at about eight leagues from this settlement, which is for the raising of
major and minor livestock, property of the honorable General Escandón, another four ranches also for
raising of major and minor livestock in this same jurisdiction, one of them the property of Pedro García
at three leagues distant from this town which also has planting fields, another one of Francisco Alanís also
of planting fields and major livestock at two leagues, another of José de Alcal� of major livestock at about
one and one-half league, another one of 2nd Lieutenant Don Crist�bal de León of major and minor
livestock at two leagues more or less. And that in these and in the others that have the same type of animal
raising they experience many increases and good progress in their profit.
To the twelfth question he said: that in the Sierra Tamaulipa la Moza, a distance from the
settlement of about fourteen leagues more or less, in the site called Bercebú, there are four or five samples
of open mines, that the one which should be the deepest, from which he knows they have brought metals
to this town and that by order of the honorable general an assay was made of them and they drew some
silver, he does not know which one it was nor of what quantity of metal it was composed; and that he has
heard that in the other Tamaulipa there are other mines but that he does not know in what region. And that
in Boca de Caballero of the jurisdiction of Aguayo, he has heard there is another one.
To the thirteenth question he said: that he knows that in Soto la Marina, on both sides of the river,
there are salt deposits that produce good salt in sufficient abundance for the colony to maintain itself, the
borders, and many other areas, harvesting it at regular times, and that in San Fernando and on the other
side of the Río Grande there are extremely abundant salt deposits and especially this last one, that there
are occasions that they cut the pieces into thirds and in this way they could load the mules and thus it is
traded and taken to sell all over.
To the fourteenth question he said: that, in the circle that forms the colony, the settlements,
congregations, and haciendas are found in tranquility at present, totally peaceful and its settlers in good
communication, also without experiencing any disturbances or vexations from the heathen Indians because,
from these, they only have a few petty thefts of livestock and for the rest they fear no disturbance due to
their being quiet without causing any injury from long ago until now and it is thought that of those to whom
he has referred in this statement who live in the outskirts of this town, they can be expected to be converted
to its mission or to others in time.
To the fifteenth question he said: that the Sierra Madre or Sierra Gorda he has always heard to be
one and the same, known by both names and that it is the one that divides this colony from the other
frontiers. And that the Sierra Tamaulipa la Nueva provides a very lovely site of good lands and abundant
water which is called el Potrero de las Nueces where a settlement can be situated and it would be very
useful to experience the necessity ofobligating the Indians to convert to the missions since, removing that
refuge, they would have no other recourse.
To the sixteenth question he said: that the settlements of el Nuevo Reino de León, that border on
to this colony, are: Linares, a distance of twelve leagues, el Pilón, another twelve leagues, and la Mota
at six leagues and that he does not know of others; and that the said borders, there is no doubt, are totally
benefitted since the establishment of this colony in comparison to the vexations that they used to have from
the Indians.
To the seventeenth question he said: that he does not know the total number of captains, corporals,
or soldiers that there are in the entire colony but that in this town of Santander there is a captain who earns
five hundred pesos a year, a sergeant with two hundred fifty, a 2nd lieutenant with three hundred, and
sixteen soldiers at two hundred twenty-five and that the method that the honorable general pays them is in
reales and goods, according to what each one requests, an experience about which the declarant speaks
because he had a post for some years and was satisfied in this manner; and that the service they perform
is: the captain carries the political and military command of this settlement, the 2nd lieutenant in charge
of the soldiers and helping the captain in whatever he needs, the sergeant sees to it that the soldiers do their
duty; of these, one is destined for the aid of the missionary priest to care for whatever is necessary in his
ministry and the others are destined, some to guard the horses of the residents and others to serve as
sentinals at night and, whenever necessary, they are ready to go out and give aid to the settlements that
might need it.
To the eighteenth question of the General Legal Data he said that they do not concern him at all.
And it having been read again to him ad verbum, all that he has said so that he say whether he needs to
add or remove anything or that it be approve, he said: that what he has said is the truth by the oath he has
made and that in it he is firm and approves it without needing to change or remove anything, and that
rather if it were necessary he would say it anew; and he signed it and stated being of the age of fifty-seven
years; so signed it the said honorable inspector with the witnesses present. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Francisco Regalado y Montemayor -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco
José de Haro. -(rubric).
DOCUMENT - In the town of Santander in fifteen days of the month of June of seventeen hundred
fifty-seven, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, having seen the proceedings practiced in this town
regarding its inspection and state according to the chapters of its instruction, considering them as sufficient
for his report, desirous of not wasting time in the ones he should continue in the other settlements, to
dispatch them with the most possible haste and avoid the costs that could be caused to the Royal Treasury
by delays, ordered that everything enacted and corresponding to this settlement be put in the folder set
aside for its best instruction and thus he decreed and signed it. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque
Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
REPORT - On the 6th of February of 1758, testimony was taken to give a report to His Majesty.
-----------------------------------------------
TOWN OF SANTILLANA
In the town of Santillana in 17 days of the month of June of 1757 years, the honorable Don José
Tienda de Cuervo, having arrived in the town yesterday which shall be counted as the 16th of the current
[month] at 6 in the evening, in continuation of the charges of his inspection in order not to waste time in
his proceedings, began from today doing that necessary to acquaint himself in the best manner about its
state and, for these, he ordered that those suitable follow at the continuation of this document and that the
declarations that shall be taken be in accordance with the interrogation that is found in the folder number
one, folio 54, of the proceedings begun to be practiced in this affair and that everything be arranged
according to the instruction with which he is commissioned; and regarding the fact that in this town, due
to its limitation, smallness, and poverty, there is no apostolic missionary, those means most suitable for
its application be practiced, making a review of the citizenry and taking the necessary testimony of the
captain (and the others) so that, with the light of their reports, everything suitable can be speculated; that
it be made known to said captain that, for tomorrow that is counted as the 18th of the current at 9:00, he
have all its settlers, residents, and inhabitants ready at the plaza of this town so they be reviewed with their
arms. And in regarding the said honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo before leaving the town of
Santander having had a report of the lack of a missionary in this settlement and his making use of the priest
Fray Buenaventura Ruiz de Esparza, missionary of that one, who also administers the ecclesiastic here,
in order to have his reports and a census of the residents, families, and persons of which it is composed,
the said priest gave it, the one which will be recalled in the review that is to be done and it shall be added
to these documents so that it provide the suitable information and thus he ordered and signed it with the
witnesses present. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco
José de Haro. -(rubric).
PROCEEDING - In the said town of Santillana on the said 17th of June of 1757, the captain of this
town, Tom�s Conde, was notified and made to know that he have his inhabitants and he present them with
their arms in the plaza of this town tomorrow which shall be counted as the 18th of the current at 9:00 and
so that it be evident it be put in as a proceeding. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez
Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
STATEMENT OF TOMAS CONDE - In the said town of Santillana in 17 days of the month of
June of 1757 years, the honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, to inform himself in the best manner of
the state of this settlement, had its captain Tom�s Conde appear before him from whom he received an
oath by god and a cross so that he tell the truth in all that he might be asked and equally keep secret in it
and his response and, his having done it and offered it as it is required, he was asked from what is
contained in folder number one according to the instruction of these charges, and to everything he
responded the following:
To the first question he said: that before the conquest of this colony the Sierra Gorda or Sierra
Madre was inhabited by heathen Indians who damaged the traffic and communications on all sides,
something the declarant knows because from the time he was fifteen years old he was employed at its coast
in the entries that were made in what today is the Colony from the town of San Juan de Cadereyta of the
Nuevo Reino de Leon, of which he is a native, in company of the other residents and corporals who were
dedicated to persue said Indians in order to free themselves of the injuries and vexations that they caused
them; and that he also knows that before the said conquest of this colony, the one of el Jaumave was
already established, situated in the center of the aforesaid Sierra Madre, which is evident to him by a
communication that he had with Antonio de los Ríos who earned a commission in Mexico to form it,
placing several settlers in it solicited by his hard work, without it having cost the king anything and that
they put in a mission with a minister immediately, that he does not know to what religion it belonged; and
that, regarding the other settlements, he cannot give any report but that el Jaumave subsists today in the
same region and in the same footing which he has already mentioned, that he believes that the number of
settlers has grown but that he does not know how many it can have, nor how many converted and
congregated Indians, nor how many of them might have received Holy Baptism, nor from which institute
the apostolic minister priest who attends them might be.
To the second question he said: that the settlers who inhabit and have residency in this town of
Santillana come from el Nuevo Reino de León, that the number must be eight of those found established,
who were given one hundred pesos each for their travel and these are of those who came to the
establishment of the town of Santander; and the other seven are without financial aid, coming from the
marriages that have been made there and that this establishment was begun in this form about five years
ago more or less. The declarant came with the other families for the establishment of Santander and,
having arrived in the first situation that that settlement had, the honorable General Escandón found it
suitable to nominate him to a post of sergeant which was the first one in that settlement and, in
consideration of having received one hundred pesos financial aid for his travel, he marked one hundred
fifty more as the salary that he should earn in the year, and he remained effective and current in the said
post pointing out, in this circumstance, he not be counted in the number of those who received financial
help; and afterwards he continued up to two years in said service performing various proceedings and
waivers in order to be advised of the cession of this exercise with the end of his establishing himself with
his family in the site they call el Cerro del Aire in order to place there his ranch and goods to maintain
himself in view of his finding it evident that this land was much more suitable for planting and the raising
of livestock and not the one of Santander, and he urged so much in this proceeding that he was granted it
and, having set up in the said site of el Cerro del Aire, which is a distance of about four leagues more or
less from the town of Santander where he built his shacks, he set down his goods and, for a long time,
experienced grave injuries from the Indians and, after about two months, the honorable general gave him
the title of captain without any salary in whose terms he is serving in this employ maintaining himself at
his own expense. And that, having subsisted a term of about four months more or less, thinking this site
had been dedicated only to him for his use, but at the end of this time the said honorable General had the
declarant called so that he go to meet with your Lordship at the said town of Santander, and having gone
there he told him that he had this site destined to establish a settlement with the title of Santillana and to
place some settlers there promising it being his desire that the declarant remain there as its captain and that
he would add up to thirty-five residents with which he could form a reasonable settlement; and although
the declarant knew the detriment that followed him in the concept he had made that the said site could serve
for planting and improvement, he found it good to concede because of the benefits that could result to God
and the King in facilitating the transits and a congregation or converted village of Indians there could be,
which the beginning of this settlement counts on from five years and nine months to now. That it does not
have a mission, a converted Indian village, or an apostolic missionary that serves this end, it being a very
lamentable and pitiful case since this town finds itself with more than three hundred up to four hundred
heathen, warrior Indians, without including the children and women, of the casts of Matupacan, Pasitas,
Iñapanan, and part of the Inocolos and part of the Comecamotes of Tamaulipa la Vieja; that these come
and go peacefully and live in this settlement and its environs without knowledge of obedience although in
good correspondence with the residents who, in order to reward them and keep them happy, give them of
their own food, each one to his own ability, and especially the declarant is continually distributing, from
his own goods, corn and meat with which to help them in their maintenance with the end that, by this
means, they remain in tranquility until God wills it that we can place a missionary here so that, with his
doctrine, they can begin being catechized and converted, which he is sure will be easily attained due to the
docility in which he finds them in their communication and the experience that he has that, their having
stolen twenty-seven tame horses from him with another bunch that they also took from the honorable
general, they fled and subsisted in the sierra and woods about two months and at the end of that time they
returned to this settlement, two of which the declarant began to castigate, whipping them as penance for
the crime they had committed, frightening them and expelling them so that they not return to this settlement
until they all came together; and on the following day twenty-five appeared and the declarant continued
on the following day to castigate them with whippings and, their arrival continuing, he continued whipping
them for the term of nine days, that he believes there were about one hundred that he castigated in this way
always informing them that this punishment was done so as not to kill them or allow the Spanish,
complaining of the injuries that they did them, to go against them because the declarant would never
consent to their causing them any harm because he would also punish them. And this event, that happened
about three months ago, has brought about a total tranquility in those barbarians in such a way that they
have not experienced the least injury from them since then, from which he deduces their docility and that,
if they had someone who, with care, would dedicate himself to their instruction, they would easily be
converted, although there is not one christian one among them, they notice that several times, with a good
disposition, they have asked the declarant to provide them a minister, giving more credit to all this the one
in which last year, having come to this settlement to convalesce from some accidents he had had, the
Apostolic President Missionary priest who served in Santander, Fray Dimas Chacón, dedicated a few days
to instruct them in the christian doctrine which they embraced with pleasure and they were getting used
to it and, at the call to prayer, they concurred to the exercise and, when they were absent, the declarant
went out to look for them and to urge them and they would come running without repugnance; from all
of which is deduced that if this had reached a continuous method or there were a way of continuing it, it
would have an admirable effect.
To the third question he said: that in this settlement, as he has stated, there is no mission and
therefore this settlement has not had separation of quarters but that the amassed Indians, who have been
mentioned in the previous question, a large portion live in the area of la Sierra del Aire on the east side
of this settlement less than a quarter of a league from it and another from the other edge of the river toward
the south, diverted from this town about one league at the site that they call la Iglesia depending on la
Tamaulipa Vieja in which sites they have the hovels in which they live, and their being separated is due
to the natural distance they observe in their hamlets and different casts. And that those of la Sierrita del
Aire, encouraged by the declarant's having marked and given them lands immediate to his field and corn
to plant on them with the aim that they begin dedicating themselves to the work and become domesticated
and continue in their tranquility, they have planted about two "almudes" of corn which cornfields they have
in a lovely state that he believes will happily bring them success in their harvest.
To the fourth question he said: that there are no lands designated in the name of the Indians nor
have the settlers or residents been given property of the lands, because each one makes use of the ones he
can and he deems them more suitable in the boundary that this settlement comprises which is four leagues
on the east part, one on the north, from four to five on the west, and on the south up to the skirt of
Tamaulipa la Vieja and that the lands, which are put into work and cultivation at present, are about six
measures, more or less.
To the fifth question he said: that the creek, which serves this settlement and passes through its
borders, proceeds from the springs and water sources of Santander whose current continues until the place
they call las Cabras where it ends in the Río Purificación about three and three-fourths leagues from this
town and that this last one begins in the Río Blanco in the Sierra Gorda and, entering in this colony, that
of San Antonio and several other drainages and creeks, that of el Pilón and Santa Engracia unite with it
and continuing, without my knowing what settlements it passes, it ends in la Barra del Puerto that they call
Santander.
To the sixth question he said: that he knows that the town of Santo Domingo de Hoyos has a canal
taken from its river San Antonio with which they irrigate and fertilize their land; and that in Padilla they
have attempted and worked the canal from the river la Purificación and that of Santa Engracia three times
which they have not be able to accomplish, inferring to the declarant that it is due to the lack of knowledge.
To the seventh question he said: that in Santander there is a canal, with which they irrigate their
fields, coming from water sources and springs, with which they obtain the same benefits as those they have
from the rivers.
To the eighth question he said: that the uses that they make of the lands with the benefits of
irrigation is for planting corn, cane, all seeds, plants, and vegetables and that the most creditable in the
crops is the corn, it being the planting that the most enthusiasm has been put into since they depend on it
for their maintenance, considering wheat not being fruitful in this weather.
To the ninth question he said: that in the past year only about a measure and one-half of corn was
planted in this settlement because the declarant had only this application since the other residents are very
poor and have no oxen, equipment, or servants with which to have been able to undertake it, but in the
present year, this work having begun with a little more enthusiasm, he believes that between the declarant
and the others they should be able to plant a little more than six measures with the benefit of the rainy
weather and that these, if time permits and no accidents occur, could produce up to one hundred fifty for
each one of planting in the harvests but the years being like the two he has experienced, he believes it could
be from eighty to ninety; and that up to now what has been reaped here has not been sufficient even for
the declarant to support himself with his family, and it has been necessary for everyone to supply
themselves from the settlements and borders at the cost and exchange of their goods and livestock.
To the tenth question he said: that the settlements that are situated in what is the true Gulf of
Mexico, since he has seen and been in them, are G�emes, Padilla, Santander, Burgos, San Fernando, Soto
la Marina, and this one of Santillana; that this last one is a distance of fifteen leagues from the sea and that,
although he has heard that there are other settlements, he has not entered into them and that the port that
he know of is the one called Santander which was discovered by the declarante by order of his general Don
José de Escandón, going with almost a squadron of people in the year of 1750 at his request; and with the
result that he recognized that the river Purificación entered through that canal with much force, current,
and depth. And having left and given an account to his said general, who was in the town of Santander
just come from lands outside, and said gentleman having spent some time and then left again for Querétaro
with about a year interim, he sent an order so that the captain Don Antonio de Guevara, who was from
Santander then, so that he go to survey and to sound said port and, having delivered this proceeding and
in his company, the declarant as sergeant of his squadron and other soldiers of it, traveled to said port
where this declarant noticed the river no longer being in that disposition of entry in the bank in which he
had seen it the previous year because it had detached itself from the side of the north part and formed a
lagoon with which it had lost a great part of its force and depth in the port and that he does not know of
other bays or anchorages in which boats could enter; and that due to lack of knowledge he cannot explain
those which could enter into said port of Santander.
To the eleventh question he said: that he knows from experience that all the land of this colony is
suitable for raising and keeping of major and minor livestock because of its good and abundant pastures
which it generally has and that he knows that there are some haciendas established of this type like the one
of the honorable General Escandón called San Juan, a distance of six leagues of this town, more or less,
and the one that a Don so-and-so Borrego has in the settlement called Dolores in which they experience
large growth and benefits, the other settlers and inhabitants of this colony dedicated to this raising having
the same benefit.
To the twelfth question he said: that he has no information of any mines or minerals in this
boundary or any others.
To the thirteenth question he said: that he knows that in Soto la Marina there is a salt deposit that
crystalizes salt abundantly and that, although he has not seen it, there is another one, by what he has heard,
at the other part of the river, that both of them abound and they serve themselves from them for this colony
and the borders and that he also knows that in the Barra de San Fernando this is another very abundant and
permanent salt deposit with which, he has it for certain, many lands can maintain themselves.
To the fourteenth question he said: that in the circle of this colony its settlements, congregations,
and haciendas are found, at the present, totally tranquil and in good communication without experiencing
vexations and that, for now, the heathen Indians do not cause injuries either, only in some thefts of
livestock that they usually do, that this is the concept that he has perceived of the spirit of these but, of
other invasions, wars, or disturbances, no problem is suspected.
To the fifteenth question he said: that the Sierra Madre or Sierra Gorda is one and the same known
by both names, that it is the one that divides this colony from the other borders. And that the Sierra
Tamaulipa la Vieja provides various sites to place a settlement but that, in the opinion of the declarant, the
best one is the one that they call arroyo de Palmas whose good lands, pastures, and water offer much
convenience for it and a region in which, any community placed there, would serve as a total relief to the
other settlements and would serve to contain the Indians of this area and obligate them to be converted to
the missions. And that Tamaulipa la Moza does not provide such good conveniences for this end because,
although the site of las Nueces has been considered the most suitable, the declarant having gone with great
care to acquaint himself, accompanied by Don Domingo de Unzaga, recognized it as quite arid and dry
without fertility and little water and that, although in all of it he deduces no lands suitable for a settlement.
To the sixteenth question he said: that he knows that the town of Linares of el Nuevo Reino de
León is the frontier of this colony and that he does not know at what distance it is situated from its borders
and that he cannot give a report of other borders of the other provinces. And that the settlements of el
Nuevo Reino de León, some years before the conquest, about five or six, no longer had injuries from the
Indians in those frontiers, but that today, naturally, it is thought they subsist in the same tranquility and less
exposed to their incidents.
To the seventeenth question he said: that he does not know the exact number of captains, corporals,
and soldiers of which this entire colony is composed but that, regarding that which concerns this town of
Santillana, there are none enlisted nor with salary since the declarant, who is its captain, is serving at his
own expenses. That the time that the declarant served as enlisted, the mode of satisfying them was in
goods, although it is true that, their having offered the declarant one hundred pesos to buy some sheep,
his general gave it to him in reales and that afterwards, since he has not enjoyed a salary, he does not know
how it is done and that the service that the several do is to be ready for whatever the Royal Service needs.
To the eighteenth question of the General Legal Data he said: that they do not concern him at all.
And it having been read again to him ad verbum all that he has said and declared so that he say whether
he needs to add or remove anything or that it be approve, he said that what he has said is the truth by the
oath he has made in which he is firm and approves it without needing to change or remove anything, and
that rather, if it were necessary, he would say it anew and he did not sign because he stated he did not
know how and he stated being of the age of fifty-seven years and the said honorable Don José Tienda de
Cuervo signed it with the witnesses present. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez
Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
Following are two witnesses who declared the same as the preceding and they are the following:
Miguel Martín, resident and settler of the town of Santillana of the age of 50 years and whom the General
Legal Data do not concern. Juan Antonio de Arizpe, resident and settler of the town of Santillana of the
age of 36 years and whom the General Legal Data do not concern.
REVIEW: - In this town of Santillana in 18 days of the month of June of 1757, the honorable Don
José Tienda de Cuervo, in virtue of that which has been ordered of him to make a review of its settlers,
residents, and inhabitants, ordered it be executed and the captain, who governs it, be present so that he
respond in the reports that might be suitable and, in these terms, it was begun, the entire citizenry being
present in the plaza and each one being called by name, they went along registering the arms of their use
which are composed of a rifle, a sword, a shield, and some pistols and blunderbusses, and asking them the
questions that they bore in mind with the register given in Santander by the H.F. Minister Fray
Buenaventura Antonio Ruiz de Esparza who also administers in this one, it was executed in the following
manner:
REVIEW
SETTLERS OF THE FIRST ESTABLISHMENT
WITHOUT FINANCIAL AID
Captain Tom�s Conde, married to María Martínez, has three children, all arms, twelve horses,
and two servants.
Don Juan Miguel de Acosta, blind, married to Doña María de la Garza, has all arms and nine
horses.
Francisco Angel de los Ríos, married to María Manuela Rodríguez, has four children, all
arms, and two horses.
Juan Antonio de Arizpe, married to Juana María de Acosta, has one daughter, all arms, and
five horses.
José Miguel de Acosta, married to María Antonia Rodríguez, has three children, all arms, and
four horses.
Felipe Conde, married to María Antonia de los Ríos, has three children, all arms, and four
horses.
Dimas de la Garza, married to Teresa Gonz�lez, has three children, all arms, and two horses.
Alejandro Conde, married to Petra de la Garza, has three children, all arms, and three horses.
Alejandro Cuello, married to Catarina Martín, has four children, all arms and seven horses.
Miguel Martínez, married to Felipa Cuello, has one daughter, all arms, and fifteen horses.
RESIDENTS INCREASED AND REGISTERED
Domingo Solís, married to María Conde, has three children, all arms, and twelve horses.
Francisco Rodríguez, married to María Conde, has two children, all arms, without horses.
Miguel de la Garza, bachelor, lives with his mother and two siblings, all arms and four horses.
Juan José de Olivares, married to Marta Brígida, has two children, all arms, and one horse.
José Rodríguez, married to Nicolasa Guajardo, has one daughter, all arms, and one horse.
Juan Miguel de Acosta, married to Rosalía Rodríguez, all arms and four horses.
Francisco Domínguez Dovalina, married to Tomasa Conde, all arms and four horses.
Pedro Guerrero, married to Justa Martínez, all arms and two horses.
That, as it seems from this review, the number of families in this settlement is composed of
eighteen with twenty-three persons in this form: The ten of settlers of the first establishment, that, although
they had the financial aid of one hundred pesos until their coming to Santander, when they were promoted
to come to this one they we no longer given anything; and the other eight increased and registered residents
afterwards; and the existing possessions of these families are eight hundred fifty-nine breeding horses,
seventy-two mules, fourteen yokes of oxen, four thousand two hundred fifty heads of minor livestock, and
six hundred seventy-one heads of sheep, without including ninety-four horses that they have for their own
use and service, as it appears from the entries of this review in which it has been found suitable to explain
that the captain has no salary nor are there any enlisted soldiers or a missionary because, up to the present,
it is not found that the Royal Treasury has had any costs in the establishment of this settlement. And
concluded in these terms he had it placed in the folder of documents formed in this town of Santillana and
thus he ordered and signed it, which the captain of this settlement who attended it did not do due to not
knowing how; the witnesses present signing it.- José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez
Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
PROCEEDING. - In the town of Santillana in 18 days of the month of June of 1757 years, the
honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, desirous of learning about the state of the collection of hostile
Indians voluntarily presented that there are in this town, wished to put into practice a review of them
because of the reports he had of how docile they were allowed to be treated, only to become acquainted
with their number and, before executing it, he communicated his intent to the captain of said town, Tom�s
Conde, who proposed that, although the attainment was easy, with everything, their taste for novelty, they
were almost frightened of the coming of said honorable inspector and that talking to them about this matter
to unite and collect them could result in that their wickedness might ponder something else, with which
opinion the said gentleman suspended his proceeding and went to find out from the same captain their
number and circumstances and he found that they could be up to four hundred hostile Indian warriors,
without including children and women, of the castes of Matupacanes, Pasitas, Iñapanames, part of the
Inocoplos and part of the Comecamotes who are usually coming and going in the settlement peacefully and
in good communication with its residents who treat them with love and affection, who give them of their
food as each can afford with the aim of congratulate them, but all [are] without any doctrine or obedience
because there is not a missionary priest who can teach them or attend to their instruction and they live
within these borders in their hamlets near this town. And the said gentleman having seen everything
reported and experienced, in a large part, the fact of this truth in the large bands of adults and children that
are seen here all day serving and dealing, appraised everything related and ordered it be put in as a
proceeding and he signed it with the witnesses present. - José Tienda de Cuervo. -(rubric) Tom�s Conde
-(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
PROCEEDING. - In the town of Santillana in 18 days of the month of June of 1757 years, the
honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, informed that in this settlement in the year of '54 the residents
had worked to try to bring water from the creek that passes immediate to it by means of a canal with which
to be able to irrigate their lands, to better acquaint himself of it, had appear before him the captain Tom�s
Conde who said about the affair: that it is true that in the said year, with its residents and some of the
Indians who are incorporated into this settlement, with the desire of having the convenience of irrigation
for their lands, they began to work, at one-half league from this town, at building an irrigation canal and,
having worked about twelve hundred yards and the water flowing in them, they came to the point of not
being able to continue due to not having the knowledge of the regulation of the elevation or circumstances
with which they should have conducted it, and thus they found it necessary to abandon it with no benefit
from it, that work lost with only the hope of their finding someone in the area with knowledge who could
direct the conveyance and that its major area could afford his work and costs; and that, on the aforesaid
occasion, they worked and the honorable general Don José de Escandón helped them with forty-nine
measures of corn, most of which he distrubuted among the residents who worked and among the Indians,
of which about sixteen measures were left over and after some time they went bad and were lost and having
informed the said honorable general, they were thrown into the street, that this is what is occuring
regarding that which is asked of him and, although up to now in his declarations andhe rest attended to in
these proceedings he has said that he does not know how to sign, he said that although he does not know
how to read, he has learned to form the letters of his name, which they ordered him to write for the
satisfaction of the preceeding and of that proceeding which the said gentleman also signed - José Tienda
de Cuervo. -(rubric) Tom�s Conde -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de
Haro. -(rubric).
PROCEEDING - In the town of Santillana in 18 days of the month of June of 1757 years, the
honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, having found out that in the hut made of adobe destined for a
chapel in which to worship in this town it was found to be adorned with a set of priestly ornaments
complete with everything necessary, and finding himself in the knowledge that they have not had a minister
from the beginning of the formation of this town, he tried to find out about its procedure and, by the
reports that he took, he found that this, which now serves as a chapel, was and is a residence of Don Juan
Miguel de Acosta, one of its settlers and resident of it who, at present, is blind and that its having been
dedicated for this end was because last year the President priest, who lived in Santander, came to this
settlement to recuperate from an illness and, having found the lack of a decent place to worship, he chose
this one whose assignment came in the aforesaid owner granting it under certain circumstances which were
accepted for that time and, under his care, this function was given to it, the said priest bringing the set of
ornaments and chalice, which reside there now, from the church of Santander where it belongs and the
circumstances with which the said resident proposed his concession being unsuccessful and it not having
been verified in his favor, his property has remained in common and the said ornaments and everything
else not belonging to this settlement, since the house belongs to the referred Don Juan Miguel de Acosta
and the ornaments belonging to the church of Santander; and said gentleman, instructed about all of the
above, ordered it be put in as a proceeding and he signed it with the witnesses in attendance. - José Tienda
de Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fern�ndez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
DOCUMENT - In the town of Santillana in 18 days of the month of June of 1757 years, the said
honorable Don José Tienda de Cuervo, having seen the proceedings officiated in this town regarding its
inspection and state in confomity with the chapters of its instruction, considering them sufficient for his
report, desirous of not wasting time in the continuation of the others that he should perform in the
following settlements, to complete them in the shortest time possible, and avoid costs that delays could
cause the Royal Treasury, ordered that everything performed and corresponding to this settlement be put
in the folder separated for his best knowledge and thus he provided and signed it. - José Tienda de
Cuervo. -(rubric) -Roque Fernandez Marcial. -(rubric) -Francisco José de Haro. -(rubric).
------- Part 3 continues with Town of Soto la Marine and Hacienda of San Juan
REPORT - On the sixth of February of 1758, testimony was taken to make it known to his
Majesty.
Click Here for Part 3 of Volume 1 of this report.
Names Index Volume 1 GENERAL STATE of the SETTLEMENTS MADE by D. JOSE DE ESCANDON in the COLONY of NUEVO SANTANDER COAST of the GULF of MEXICO