Rivera's l11spection and Removal of Missions to San Antonio 267
In the course of the events described in this chapter the presidios of Texas were reorganized as a result of the Rivera inspection. The oldest presidio, that of Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de los Tejas was abolished, and the garrisons of the remaining three were reduced far more than the missionaries and Texas officials frankly believed was advisable. Three of the missions founded originally by the missionaries from the College of Queretaro in East Texas were removed to the banks of the San Antonio. The general condition of the military outposts was on the whole improved and the new missions gave promise of rapid progress. There is one other major event which took place at this time and which was decidedly to affect the future development not only of the missions but of the entire province. This was the establishment of the first official civil settlement near the Presidio of San Antonio de Bejar. Ever since the time of Alarcon the idea of establishing one or more civil settlements with Spanish families, either from New Spain, or from Spain, or the Canary Islands had been consistently advocated by various officials, chief among them the Marquis of Aguayo. The plan was finally put into execu- tion in 1731. But this event, which is of such great importance, because of its effect on the future history of the province, has never been accu- rately and fully recorded. It is a debt to the first civil settlers of Texas and their descendants which should long since have been paid. This stirring episode in the history of the State requires a separate" chapter and is not out of place in the history of the mission era, because it was the greatest incentive and the most important single aid for the propaga- tion of the faith through the extension of missionary efforts.
Powered by FlippingBook