The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 23, July 1919 - April, 1920 Page: 60
319 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
is no lack of priests, for it has usually been the residence of the
president of all the missions.
The mission of San Juan is a league from that of' San, Jose.
Many vecinos agregados have lived in it for many years. The
church is unfinished, although it has a chapel in which mass is
said. Its buildings are almost demolished, and the best of them
are in poor repair. It has an irrigating ditch and farm lands of
which the settlers avail themselves.
At an equal distance is the mission of Sn. Francisco de la
Espada, settled by a small number of persons, as in the former
cases. Its buildings are in a similar state. Although it is eleven
years since the death of Fr. Pedro Norefio, the last priest it had,
the water for irrigation is still abundant and the farm land con-
ciderable in quantity and rich in quality.
These four missions are in a state of decandence for lack of
repair of the buildings. Each of them, at small cost, would sup-
port a settlement of Spaniards if the lands, water, and ruined
buildings were divided among those who would voluntarily present
themselves as the first settlers. None of them have any Indian
settlers, the principal object of their establishment. If there are
any, they are but few in number and changed into casts by mix-
ture with the settlers of Bexar. Those who are there have lived
in the character of arrimados so that his Majesty has had to
pay the stipend of the priests without securing the execution of
his royal will which is the conversion of the Indians.
From the settlement of these missions, there would follow the
advantage of increasing the population of that deserted province.
The troops would have better means for securing the supply of
things they use, and the settlers would secure advancement. They
would aid each other mutually in their work for the preservation
of the missions and in the defense against the barbarians.
Juan Antonio Padilla.
Villa de Mier, December 27, 1819.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 23, July 1919 - April, 1920, periodical, 1920; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101075/m1/66/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.