The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 8, July 1904 - April, 1905 Page: 290
xiii, 358 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Texas Historical Association Quarterly
the said family. The families would doubtless cultivate the lands,
regarding their labors as a means of leaving an inheritance to their
children. The latter, being reared in the province, would look upon
it as their fatherland.1 I, likewise, proposed that among these fam-
ilies there should be some men understanding the trades and liberal
arts. Of this class of people, many could be easily found who, not
being comfortable in the cities, would gladly go to try their for-
tunes in a new country.""2 Espinosa began the work of carrying
out this plan by securing from the viceroy an order authorizing
him to procure families. Seven poor families with trades offered
to go in the hopes of bettering their miserable condition. The un-
dertaking was, however, frustrated by the suggestion of those man-
aging the affair that it would be better to secure the recruits from
various cities. This was done to Espinosa's displeasure, for he com-
plains that but few persons went voluntarily, but that most of them
were taken from prison. With these recruits he joined Aguayo
in his expedition into Texas. These settlers located on the banks
of the San Antonio River.3
It is quite evident from all the preceding evidence that the
plan of settling families originated among the padres. The first
request for settlers had come from them, and the first families of
soldiers sent out were in a degree placed under their control. Padre
Espinosa distinctly claimed that the plan he laid before the viceroy
for the settlement of families was the work of the missionaries.
His plan was essentially the same as that followed in Alarc6n's
instructions. This supposition is farther borne out by the fact
that Espinosa, a religious, is the only authority yet found who
gives any detailed account of the settlement of families during
Aguayo's expedition. It does not seem to have been a mutter of
any special interest to Aguayo for he mentions the settlement of
In 1690, Padre Manzanet, had suggested the sending out to Texas of
boys, who, having been reared in that country, would learn to love it, and
would be able to win the love of the Indians. (Dictamen Fiscal, Mexico
y Noviembre 30 de 1716, 183 vta.)
'Espinosa, Chronica, 455.
'Representacion . . . que la Republica de la villa de San Fernando
. . ha puesta a los pies de . . . Rafael Martinez Pacheco, etc., 1787,
page 5, B6xar Archives.290
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 8, July 1904 - April, 1905, periodical, 1905; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101033/m1/297/: accessed April 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.