GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
Texas: TX-6
University of Texas at Austin. Research and Collections Division
Briscoe Center for American History
Sid Richardson Hall 2.1091
University Station D1100
Austin, TX 78712
Phone: 512-495-4532
Email: See website
Alternate website: See -- Texas Archival Resources Online
Hours: See website
Access: See website
Copying facilities: Yes
Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:
Inclusive dates: 1560-ongoing
Volume: Approximately 32 cubic feet
Description: 23 collections.
/1 Vicente Alvarez Travieso Papers
Inclusive dates: 1771-1783
Volume: 1 volume
Description: Protest of land claims by the missions of San Antonio, Texas; transcripts in English.
/2 “Archivo de la Secretaria del Gobierno del Estado Coahuila-Saltillo”
Inclusive dates: 1674-1864
Volume: Less than 10% of 3 cubic feet
Description: Records (copies), re: agriculture, trade, daily life, property and land grants in Texas, includes Franciscan missions among native people (e.g. Coahuiltecan, Mestizos); in Spanish.
/3 “Archivo General de las Indias, Audiencia de Guadalajara and Audiencia de México”
Inclusive dates: 1590-1821
Volume: Approximately 9 cubic feet
Description: Reports, decrees, and correspondence (copies), re: life at Franciscan missions among native people (e.g. Coahuiltecan, Mestizos) in Texas; calendar available.
/4 “Archivo General de Mexico, Archivo Geneal de la Nación”
Inclusive dates: 1560-1844
Volume: Less than 10% of 16 cubic feet
Description: Reports (copies and transcripts), re: Franciscan missions among native people (e.g. Coahuiltecan, Mestizos) in Texas and California.
/5 “Pedro del Barrio Junco y Espriella Log”
Inclusive date: 1749
Volume: 1 record
Description: Diary (typescript); re: inspection of Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga (La Bahia) Mission, Goliad, Texas.
/6 “Bexar Archives”
Inclusive dates: 1717-1836
Volume: Less than 10% of 28 cubic feet plus microfilm
Description: Includes reports, correspondence, and diaries, re: creation and maintenance of the Franciscan missions and relations with native people in the area of San Antonio, Texas; finding aid online, , and calendar available.
/7 “Robert Bruce Blake Papers”
Inclusive dates: 1690-1959, 1969-1970
Volume: Less than 10% of 14 cubic feet
Description: Correspondence (mostly transcriptions) and photographs from various sources, re: missions San José y San Miguel de Aguayo, Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña, and San Francisco de la Espada, all in San Antonio, Texas; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Mission ([Ysleta] Tiwa), El Paso, Texas; Nuestra Señora de la Limpia Concepción del Socorro Mission, Socorro, Texas; and San Xavier del Bac, Tucson, Arizona; finding aid online, .
/8 “John Henry Brown Family Papers”
Inclusive dates: Between ca. 1900?-1951?
Volume: Less than 10% of 1 album
Description: Includes postcards, re: Franciscan missions among native people in San Antonio, Texas and California.
/9 “Camargo Archives”
Inclusive dates: 1764-1909
Volume: 5 reels of microfilm
Description: Sacramental records (e.g. baptisms, marriages, burials), monthly reports, and account books (mostly copies), re: parish records from San Agustín Mission and Convent and St. Anne Church, Camargo, Mexico; includes native people and their descendants (e.g. Coahuiltecan, Mestizos) in Texas; in Spanish; from the Archdiocese of San Antonio Archives, San Antonio, Texas.
/10 “Carlos Eduardo Castañeda Documents”
Inclusive dates: 1600-1843
Volume: Less than 10% of 2.4 cubic feet
Description: Includes Native Americans and Franciscan missions in Texas (e.g. Coahuiltecan, Mestizos); English transcriptions by Casteñada that are also known as the “Documents for the Early History of Coahuila and Texas and the Approaches Thereto."
/11 “Elmer J. Edwards Photograph Album”
Inclusive dates: ca. 1935-ca. 1938
Volume: Less than 10% of 6 cubic feet (ca. 3,460 prints)
Description: San Juan Capistrano, San José y San Miguel de Aguayo, Nuestra Senora de la Purisima Concepción de Acuña, San Antonio de Valero (El Alamo), and San Francisco de la Espada Mission, all in San Antonio, Texas; replica of San Francisco de los Neches Mission, Weches, Texas; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Mission ([Ysleta] Tiwa), El Paso, Texas; Nuestra Señora de la Limpia Concepción del Socorro Mission, Socorro, Texas; Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga Mission (La Bahia), Goliad, Texas; Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria del Cañón Mission, Camp Wood, Texas; San Xavier del Bac Mission, Tucson, Arizona; San José de Tumacácori Mission, Tumacacori, Arizona; San Estevan del Rey Mission, Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico; San Augustine, Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico; St. Joseph Mission, Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico; San Antonio Mission, Sandia Pueblo, New Mexico; finding aid online, .
/12 Council of Texas Archeologists Archive of Texas Archeology
Inclusive dates: 1966-ongoing
Volume: At least 10 reports
Description: Reports (mostly published) of Texas archeological investigations, including Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de los Ais, San José y San Miguel de Aguayo, Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña, San Antonio de Valero (El Alamo), San Francisco de la Espada, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Cruz de San Saba, San Francisco de los Tejas, Nuestra Señora del Rosario, Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga (La Bahia), and Nuestra Señora de la Limpia Concepción del Soccoro Missions and Franciscans of the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe College, Zacateca, Mexico; finding aid online, .
/13 “Adina Emilia De Zavala Papers”
Inclusive dates: 1766 (1831-1955)
Volume: Less than 50% of 22 cubic feet
Description: Preservation advocate for San Antonio de Valero (El Alamo) and other Franciscan missions among native people (e.g. Coahuiltecan, Mestizos) in Texas; includes correspondence, notes, and photographs, re: Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña, Nuestra Señora del Espiritu Santo de Zuñiga, San Francisco de la Espada, San José y San Miguel de Aguayo, San Juan Capistrano, and San Saba de la Santa Cruz Missions; finding aid online, .
/14 “Eberstadt Collection”
Inclusive dates: 1699-1932, undated
Volume: .5 cubic foot
Description: Arranged by notable authors or organizations; finding aid online, .
A. Charles III (of Spain) Cedula [report], 1765; re: missions in New Spain
B. Luciano Garcia Report, 1823; re: colonization of Texas
C. Antonio Margil de Jesús Papers, 1712-1780, undated, few letters; letter to Sister Luisa Maria de San José, re: report on Southwest missions; letter, re: missions; and Simon del Herro records, re: his beautification
D. José Miguel Martinez Report, 1832; promotion request and service report as vicar of Nuestra Señora del Refugio de la Bahia (La Bahia) Mission, Texas
E. Manuel Martinez Deed, 1833; re: transfer to his son lands of San Antonio de Valero (El Alamo) Mission, San Antonio, Texas
F. San Juan Bautista Foundation Papers, 1699; re: request for land to establish a mission
/15 “Juan Bautista Elguezabal Reports”
Inclusive dates: Between 1799-1805
Volume: Few reports
Description: Reports (copies) of the interim governor of Texas; includes census data and activities in Bexar County and the area of Nacogdoches, Texas.
/16 “Grazing Industry Papers”
Inclusive dates: Between 1537-1940
Volume: Few transcripts
Description: Includes grazing and agriculture at Franciscan missions among native people in Texas; compiled by a project of the U.S. Works Progress Administration.
/17 “Rena Maverick Green Papers”
Inclusive dates: 1924-1959
Volume: Few items
Description: Efforts to preserve the Franciscan mission buildings in San Antonio, Texas.
/18 “Fray Francisco Hidalgo”
Inclusive dates: 1705-1716
Volume: 1 volume
Description: Letters (copies) from Santa Cruz de Queretaro College and Nuestro Padre San Francisco de los Tejas Mission, Texas; re: Fray Francisco Hidalgo, O.F.M.
/19 “Juan Dominguez Mendoza”
Inclusive dates: 1683-1684
Volume: 1 item
Description: Diary (copy); re: Spanish expeditions to establish missions among native people in New Mexico and Texas.
/20 “Charles William Ramsdell, Jr. Papers”
Inclusive dates: 1749-1836 Volume: 2 volumes
Description: Correspondence (some transcripts) and historical sketches by Ramsdell, an historian; re: Nuestra Señora de Refugio, Nuestra Señora del Rosario; and Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga (La Bahia) Missions in Texas and their Native peoples.
/21 “San Antonio de Valero Items”
Inclusive dates: Undated (between 1895-1936)
Volume: Few items
Description: Drawings and rubbings of/ from San Antonio de Valero (El Alamo) Mission by artist Godfrey Flury.
/22 “Spanish Material from Various Source Collections”
Inclusive dates: 1600-1890
Volume: Ca. 4 cubic feet
Description: Includes reports, and legal records (typescripts and originals), re: in part, Franciscan missions among native people (e.g. Coahuiltecan, Mestizos) in Texas, New Mexico and California; finding aid online, , and calendar available for “A” and “B”:
A. Coahuila and Texas and approaches Thereto (copies), 1600-1843; re: Franciscan missions and settlement among native people
B. San Francisco el Grande Archives, 1673-1800, approximately 1.4 cubic feet: baptismal records (few), correspondence, diaries, and reports, re: settlement, Franciscan missions, presidios and relationships with native people
C. Laredo Archives, 1749-1836, approximately 2.6 cubic feet; correspondence and reports between officials of church and state, re: includes local relations with native people
D. Saltillo Archives, 1689-1876; includes reports, re: Franciscan missions, presidios, and relations with native people in Texas and Coahuila
/23 “Spanish Missions in Texas and California” Inclusive dates: 1691-1825 Volume: Approximately .3 cubic foot Description: Typescripts; re: Native people (e.g. Coahuiltecan, Mestizos) and Franciscans at 5 missions:
A. Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de la Punta, Texas
B. Nuestra Señora del Refugio, Texas
C. San Antonio de Valero, Texas
D. San Francisco Xavier, Texas
E. San Juan Capistrano, California
Unless otherwise noted, the repository on this page holds (or held) the records described here and they are not held at the Ӱ Archives.
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