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AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



July, 1905 



Ruins of Mission of San Francisco de Espada, Texas, 1730 



less attractive in appearance; some imposing, and all 

 were constructed to last, being veritable fortresses, 

 possibly with a view to contingencies which might 

 arise with hostile natives. This ponderous method of 

 architecture has resulted in the preservation of many 

 of these old ruins until to-day — virtually the stepping 

 stones between the past and present history of Texas, 

 a period that in romance is hardly equalled and cer- 

 tainly not generally appreciated. 



Ramon and St. Denis, through whose influence the 

 expedition was sent out, were eminently successful, 

 and the work of founding missions and converting 

 the Indians went rapidly on. In July, 17 16, a fourth 

 mission was established at San Jose, about fifty miles 

 west of Guadalupe, among the Nazones, peaceful 

 Indians who had many rancherias in the vicinity. 

 The missions were established in the most active 

 Indian centers, or within reach of the greatest num- 

 bers, and by the end of the year the region between 

 the Trinity and Red Rivers, said to be the garden 

 spot of Texas, was sprinkled with settlements, each 

 having its mission and its log cabins. Ramon built 

 the presidio of Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de los 

 Tejas a few miles south of the mission of San Fran- 



cisco, and not many weeks later two other missions 

 were founded — Dolores and San Miguel de Cuellar, 

 the missions buildings being erected in the heart of 

 the Aes and Adaes country. 



For many months the Friars worked and labored, 

 but, as with their predecessors, they found it almost 

 impossible to civilize the natives and make them live 

 according to the rules which governed the Spanish or 

 French. Then came internal dissensions. St. Denis 

 was arrested by Spanish officials, sent to Guatemala, 

 but finally returned, and we find him again on the 

 French side and commandant at the French fort at 

 Natchitoches. The Spanish, still undismayed by the 

 ill success of their Friars, continued their establish- 

 ment of missions. In 17 16 Martin de Alarcon was 

 made governor of Coahuila and Texas, and in 17 18 

 he built a large mission on the River St. Anthony, 

 San Antonio of to-day, and established the presidio 

 of San Antonio de Bejar. The mission was called 

 San Antonio de Velero and Padre Antonio Alivares 

 was given charge, removing his neophytes from the 

 abandoned mission of San Francisco. Like his pred- 

 ecessors, Alarcon soon made enemies. He visited 



Purisima Concepcion de Acuna. Front of the Mission of San Antonio./Texas, 1 73 1 



Rear of Concepcion Mission 



all the old missions and those of Louis de St. Denis, 

 placing small forces at each to keep the natives in 

 subjection; but his work did not satisfy the Friars, 

 and he soon resigned. Then war between France 

 and Spain was declared, and the French of Louisiana 

 marched on Texas. In 17 19 the French, with a force 

 of natives allies, captured the mission of San Miguel, 

 and the natives, taking advantage of the trouble, de- 

 stroyed many of the missions, whose ruins can still 

 be located — crumbling monuments of the times. The 

 missions of San Antonio now became the center of 

 interest, and virtually the Spanish capital, and in 

 1720 the Friars established a new mission at Bejar, 

 calling it San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo, the 

 building illustrating the indomitable spirit which 

 characterized these men. 



Following another French invasion, an expedition 

 under the Marquis de Aguayo re-equipped the de- 

 serted missions, five of which were destroyed, or 

 partly so, all being rehabilitated. At this time all the 

 missions except Concepcion had been destroyed. The 

 old mission of San Miguel was also rebuilt by 

 Aguayo, and a new era of prosperity began, only 

 to be cut short by disaster to his people. Sudden cold 



