The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 15, July 1911 - April, 1912 Page: 199
382 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Missionaries Among the Apaches
199
made its way. The site was eighteen leagues west of the presidio
and two leagues from the Villa of San Fernando de Austria. The
formal examination was made on December 18, and the testimony
showed, as might be expected by one familiar with such proceed-
ings, that it was an ideal spot for missions, with good land and
plenty of water, the two essential requirements.
Two, days later Bustillo and Terreros visited a large gathering
of Apaches, said to reach the number of two thousand, and held
a council with the chiefs and principal men. The Indians ap-
proved the site selected, and on December 21 they were given
formal possession of the pueblo of San Lorenzo, as it was called,
"under the protection of San Ildefonso." Although the San
Rodrigo site was also examined and pronounced good, no attempt,
it seems, was made to establish a mission there, and all efforts
were centered upon San Lorenzo.2
3. Failure of the Mission.-Father Terreros took charge of the
new mission, and his efforts were attended with a considerable
degree of temporary success. By the early part of March, 1755,
or within less than three months, at least fifty-two Apaches were
in the mission,3 and by the latter part of that month this num-
ber had been increased to eighty-three. The necessary buildings
were constructed, and a good irrigation ditch dug. Among the
neophytes were the chiefs, El Gordo, El de Godo, and Bigotes.
We are told that the interpreter was an Ypande named Francisco
del Norte. This would indicate a connection with the more
northern Apache bands.'
After getting things into good running order, as he thought,
Father Terreros retired from the management of the mission, and
returned to Quer6taro, where he was soon to take up the larger
project of missionary work in the San Saba country. He was
succeeded at San Lorenzo by Fray Martin Garcia, who had for-
merly been stationed at San Antonio and who later went to the
missions of Sonora. Concerning the operation of the mission we
1Examination, Bolton, "Summary of the Founding of the Mission San
Lorenzo," 3.
-Ibid., 4.
'Letters of Rodriguez and of Bustillo, February and March respectively,
Ibid., 4.
4Rodriguez to Bustillo, March 18, 1755, Ibid., 4-5.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 15, July 1911 - April, 1912, periodical, 1912; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101056/m1/204/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.