The Sect1-larization of the Missions
39
The Count had evidently given some study to this question, for he explained that there still were forty-five families by actual count. These had repeatedly requested that they be given a portion of the lands of the old mission, and Hugo Oconor in fact had authorized and ordered the distribution. Governor Ripperda had taken steps to appoint Simon de Arocha to carry out the secularization of the mission at the time, but for some reason or other the order was not executed. Since then the petitions of the A daesanos for land on which to start life anew, had been refused for lack of available property. But the proposed secularization of Mission· Valero would release enough arable land to meet all needs. He suggested, therefore, that after the Indians of the mission were given first choice, the remainder should be distributed among the A daesanos by giving each adult male enough land for the culti- vation of half a fanega (about a bushel) of seed. 7 The missionaries at Nacogdoclzes. When Ibarbo took his settlers to the abandoned mission of Nacogdoches, he had asked the crown to furnish a missionary at royal expense to minister to the settlers, for which he held out as an inducement the possibility of attracting the former neophytes. Father Silva proposed that the two missionaries assigned to the post as the result of Ibarbo's petition be released and that a parish priest be appointed in their place, alleging that there was little or no hope of congregating the Indians. To this the Count of Sierra Gorda took objection. He pointed out that the Nacogdoches, Ais, and Tejas lived close to the new settlement, and being allies among themselves and friends of the Spaniards, they should be attracted by missionary endeavors to return to their former life. Far from removing the missionaries at the settlement of Nuestra Senora del Pilar de Nacog- doches, this post should have two or three more Padres from San Antonio, after the other four missions had been reorganized as two. The Tawakonis did not live on the Colorado, he stated, but they had two pueblos on the Brazos River, some seventy-eight leagues from Nacogdoches, and ninety-two from San Antonio. They could be reached more easily from the new settlement than from the old. This was another reason for reenforcing rather than suppressing the missionary establishment at that place.• 7 Conde de Sierra Gorda to the Viceroy, September 7, 1792. Saltillo Arcl,ives, Vol. V, pp. 227-234. For a detailed account of the first proposal and plan for the secularization of Mission Valero see Vol. IV, Chapter IX. 1 /bid., Saltillo Archives, Vol. V, pp. 227-234.
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