The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 65, July 1961 - April, 1962 Page: 353

Real County

The earliest established Spanish missions were Nuestra Seifora
de la Candelaria del Caion, at present Montell, and San Lorenzo
de la Santa Cruz, at present Camp Wood. The recorded history
of this section, which includes Real, Edwards, Uvalde, Bandera,
and Kerr counties, begins with these establishments." The mission
at Montell, also known as Bruno Mission, was established in 1762
and construction was finished in 1766. It stood for fifty years
against the elements and warring tribes of Indians and furnished
shelter, protection, and succor to the padres within its walls. This
mission was built as a defense against the Comanches, who were
threatening the Spanish border, and for the purpose of civilizing
the Apaches.
Father Acisclos Galverde and Father Bartomb Garcia were in
charge of the mission at one time. The Fathers supervised the
building of irrigation ditches and the planting of fields. Traces of
the ditches remain today. The mission buildings were constructed
of adobe bricks.
Santa Cruz Mission at Camp Wood was established at the re-
quest of the Lipan-Apaches who needed protection from the savage
Comanches. Cavez6n was the Lipan chief who sought protection
for his people.9 H. E. Bolton's history states: "The Mission was
founded by Franciscan Fathers Ximenes, President of the Missions
on the Rio Grande, and Jachin Banos, with the Spanish Captain
Felipe Rabago y Terin and the Lipan Chief Cavez6n." A garrison
of twenty soldiers was placed at the mission, but their stay was
short-lived. Nicholas La Flora on a trip through El Cafion judged
the services of the Friars unprofitable in 1767, and in 1769 the pre-
sidio was withdrawn to San Fernando de Austria below the Rio
Grande.10
An interesting legend attached to the San Bruno Mission is
as follows:
The story is told that, one day while the instructed Indians were at
work in the fields, they saw some Spaniards with seventeen donkeys
loaded with silver passing through the country. The Spaniards, seeing
8Ibid.
9Stovall, Nueces Headwater Country, 1-2.
loHamilton, "Brief History of Real County," Camp Wood Messenger, July 31,
1936.

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