Permanent Occupation of Texas, 1715-1716
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Francisco Hidalgo, who was solemnly appointed, by Father Espinosa, minister of the first reestablished mission, after waiting for this moment twenty-three years. The new mission was named Nuestro Padre San Francisco de los Tejas. Father Fray Manuel Castellanos was appointed his companion and entrusted with the spiritual care of the soldiers at the presidio. All these ceremonies took place amidst the firing of salvos and the frank delight of the Indians. When the formalities of the occasion were over, Captain Ramon had the gifts, brought for the neophytes of this mission, distributed and then set out for La Purisima Concepcion. Founding Mission La Purisima Concepcion. This mission, the second to be established by Ramon, was located about eight or nine leagues north- east of the Mission of San Francisco de los Tejas, just beyond the Angelina River, in the middle of the chief village of the Ainay (Hainai), a mile or two east of the place where the highway crosses the Angelina, near two springs, not far from present day Linwood Crossing." 8 Captain Ramon was truly impressed with the fertility of the land in its neighbor- hood and the variety of products raised by these Indians. He declares that in their pueblo there was an incredible number of ranclzos with culti- vated fields of corn, watermelons, beans, melons, tobacco, and a pointed flower, which the Indians relished greatly. On July 7, all preparations having been completed, Ramon gave official possession of the mission to Father Espinosa, with the same formalities as before, appointed a gov- ernor for the Indian pueblo, named alcaldes, and distributed gifts. Father Espinosa named Father Fray Gabriel Vergara, minister of the mission. The Indians now busied themselves in building a dwelling for the Padres, and Ramon left in company with the missionaries from the College of Our Lady of Guadalupe of Zacatecas, for the village of the Nacogdoches, to establish there the third mission. Founding Mission Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe. This mission, founded for the Nacogdoches and designated as the head of the missions to be established by the friars from Zacatecas, was located about nine leagues east-southeast of the Mission of La Purisima Concepcion of the Aynai (Hainai), on the present site of the city of Nacogdoches. A tem- porary log church was quickly built here by the Indians and temporary dwellings for the Padres were erected. On July 9, Captain Ramon gave formal possession of the Mission of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe to 48 Provincias ltlt4rnas, Vol. 181, pp. 86-87; I 19; Bolton, "Native Tribes," Quart4rly, XI, 261-262.
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