The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 49, July 1945 - April, 1946 Page: 80
717 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 24 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Davenport, the commandant continued, "is a man of sound
ideas and clear way of thinking. He is loyal and obedient to
superior orders."51 Fray Mariano Sosa added that both Barr
and Davenport
greatly benefit the settlers of this town not only because they always employ
a considerable number of them in their business, but also because they
assist them in every way they can so that these men are looked upon as
the leaders of this town.52
The most extensive opinion of Barr and Davenport was
expressed by Fray Jos6 Maria Huerta. He asserted that the
House of Barr and Davenport was the general refuge to the
inhabitants of Nacogdoches and a shelter and protection to
the travelers of both high and low rank. Fray Huerta stated
that he had witnessed many people receive the hospitality of
Barr and Davenport, both in their home in Nacogdoches as well
as in their various ranches along the highway. Barr and
Davenport, he added, were good Catholics and had always dis-
played a great deal of respect and affection for ministers of
the church. He declared that ministers as well as settlers had
obtained from their trading house articles of the Indian trade
and many things that the traders had bought for their own use.
Quite often the traders sold these things on credit to the
indigent people of Nacogdoches, knowing that these settlers
would never be able to pay for them; those people would not
have survived except for the existence of the trading house.
The churchman then cited his own case to prove that Barr
and Davenport were honorable men and had not engaged in
contraband. He stated that he had asked them to get him
certain articles of merchandise from Natchitoches because
everything was so high in Nacogdoches that his limited income
was insufficient for his subsistence. They refused to bring any-
thing from Louisiana because of laws prohibiting such trade.
Instead they supplied him from their private stock. If supplying
the needs of the poverty-stricken settlers of Nacogdoches was
smuggling, Father Huerta concluded, then Barr and Davenport
were the worst smugglers on the frontier.53
The importance and success, as well as the downfall, of the
51Jos6 Maria Guadiana to Manuel de Salcedo, May 4, 1810, MS., Bexar
Archives.
52Fray Mariano Sosa to Don Manuel de Salcedo, May 4, 1810, MS.,
Bexar Archives.
53Fray Jose Maria Huerta to Manuel de Salcedo, July 23, 1810, MS.,
Bexar Archives.80
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 49, July 1945 - April, 1946, periodical, 1946; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth146056/m1/91/: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.