Taming the Wild Horse Desert - Database
Mier
From at least 1734 Jose Felix de Almandoz had a ranch at the site of Mier, then known as Paso del Cantaro. This later passed to his brother-in-law Prudencio Orobio y Basterra, a resident of Saltillo (and governor of Texas from 1737-41). Manuel Hinojosa was one of the first ranchers in the area, along with his brother-in-law Florencio Chapa and Blas Maria de la Garza Falcon. Their servants resided in the area with their families. When Garza Falcon became captain of Camargo under Escandon's settlement plan, he required Hinojosa and the other colonists at Cantaro to register as settlers of Camargo, threatening to remove them from their lands if they did not. The residents of the area eventually petitioned Escandon to form their own jurisdiction at Paso del Cantaro, which was renamed Mier, in 1753. Part of the ejidos included land belonging to Manuel de Aldaco, a merchant from Mexico City, who was offered other land in exchange.
At this time Hinojosa brought his family to Mier and others from Cerralvo joined as well. The settlers did not receive financial assistance and were responsible for their own defense, as there was no military squadron at the town. Irrigation and farming was difficult at Mier. Manuel Hinojosa and Florencio Chapa, who became the town's captain, maintained their farm plots at Cerralvo, 20 leagues away. They willingly shared the harvest with the other townspeople "voluntarily and with affection, because they are all sons, sons-in-law, and relatives". Despite the lack of a mission, in 1757, there were 144 Indians living in and near the town whom the settlers said that they supported at their own expense [1].
[1] Escandón, v. 56, f. 202-224f. It was common for settlers to 'adopt' or 'raise' Indians and benefit from their unpaid domestic and agricultural labor.
Related Records
Residents in 1782
1
Don Santiago Barrera, married, español, age 57.
Doña Maria Salome Garcia, married, española, age 43.
Jose Antonio Barrera, single, español, age 29.
Jose Ramon Barrera, single, español, age 19.
Maria Gertrudis Barrera, an unmarried girl, española, age 16.
Maria Juliana Barrera, an unmarried girl, española, age 24.
Maria Guadalupe Barrera, an unmarried girl, española, age 16.
Jose Angel Barrera, a youth, español, age 13.
Francisco Antonio Barrera, a child, español, age 11.
Ana Javiera Barrera, a child, española, age 3.
2
Don Jose Florencio Chapa, married, español, age 64.
Doña Margarita Peña, married, española, age 57.
Jose Clemente Chapa, a child, casta, age 7.
3
Ynocensio Castañeda, married, casta, age 57.
Maria Gregoria de Mata, married, casta, age 49.
Jose Maria Castañeda, single, casta, age 19.
4
Jose Joaquin Chapa, married, español, age 28.
Maria Tomasa Baez de Benavides, married, española, age 19.
Maria Juana Chapa, a young child, española, age 5.
5
Jose Santiago Chapa, married, español, age 23.
Juana Hinojosa, married, española, age 24.
Maria Matiana Chapa, a young child, española, age 6.
6
Jose Antonio Hinojosa, married, español, age 55.
Maria Josefa Chapa, married, española, age 46.
Jose Andres Hinojosa, single, español, age 22.
Jose Francisco Hinojosa, a youth, español, age 18.
Jose Antonio Hinojosa, a youth, español, age 15.
Jose Clemente Hinojosa, a child, español, age 13.
Manuel Hinojosa, a young child, español, age 8.
Maria Isabel Hinojosa, a young child, española, age 6.
Maria Dorothea Hinojosa, a young child, española, age 5.
Maria Ana Hinojosa, an unmarried girl, española, age 13.
7
Jose Cecilio Salinas, married, age 23.
Maria Luisa Hinojosa, married, age 20.
8
Don Juan Antonio Canales, married, age 51.
Maria de los Santos Garcia, married, age 32.
Jose Antonio Tiburcio Francisco Canales, a child, age 9.
Jose Estevan Canales, a child, age 7.
Maria Josefa Canales, a young child, age 6.
Maria Leonor Canales, a young child, age 4.
Maria Dorothea Canales, a young child, age 2.
Jose Antonio Ibarra, single, casta, age 21.
Juana Maria de la Cruz, an unmarried girl, india, age 19.
Maria Encarnacion Canales, an unmarried girl, india, age 19.
9
Ramon Canales, married, español, age 22.
Maria Leonor Garcia, married, española, age 21.
10
Don Manuel [Jr.] Hinojosa, married, español, age 51.
Juana Sanchez, married, española, age 38.
Maria Rosalia Hinojosa, an unmarried girl, española, age 22.
Jose Marcelino Hinojosa, a youth, español, age 19.
Maria Ygnes Hinojosa, an unmarried girl, española, age 17.
Jose Santiago Hinojosa, a youth, español, age 14.
Maria Gregoria Hinojosa, a young child, española, age 6.
Maria Gertrudis Hinojosa, a young child, española, age 3.
Maria Gertrudis Cruz, single, india, age 28.
Maria Concepcion Cruz, an unmarried girl, casta, age 13.
11
Vicente Hinojosa, married, español, age 28.
Feliciana Canales, married, española, age 19.
Jose Maria Hinojosa, a young child, español, age 3.
Jose Manuel Hinojosa, a young child, español, age 1.
12
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, married, español, age 22.
Maria Anastacia Hinojosa, married, española, age 24.
13
Don Marcelino Hinojosa, married, español, age 58.
Rosa Maria Saldua, married, española, age 57.
Pedro Jose Hinojosa, single, español, age 29.
Jose Miguel Hinojosa, a youth, español, age 17.
14
Miguel de Alegria Lazcano, married, español, age 60.
Ana Maria de Cuellar, married, española, age 28.
Jose Miguel de Alegria, a young child, español, age 3.
Maria Dolores de Alegria, a young child, india, age 5.
15
Juan de Dios Garcia, married, español, age 59.
Maria Gertrudis Ramirez Arredondo, married, española, age 48.
Apolinario Garcia, single, española, age 28.
Maria de Jesus Garcia, an unmarried girl, española, age 25.
Miguel Garcia, a youth, español, age 15.
Jose Pablo Garcia, a child, español, age 11.
16
Antonio Gregorio Sanchez Solis, married, español, age 29.
Maria Catarina Guerra Cañamar, married, española, age 23.
Maria Francisca Sanchez, a young child, española, age 6.
17
Don Gaspar Garcia, married, español, age 52.
Doña Maria Guadalupe Flores, married, española, age 42.
Jose Antonio Garcia, single, español, age 26.
Jose Carlos Garcia, a youth, español, age 16.
Jose Tomas Garcia, a child, español, age 13.
Maria Francisca Garcia, a child, española, age 10.
Maria Ana Garcia, an unmarried girl, india, age 23.
18
Jose Nicolas Garcia, married, español, age 24.
Maria Ana Flores, married, española, age 23.
Maria Rosalia Garcia, a young child, española, age 3.
Jose Manuel Garcia, a young child, español, age 3.
19
Juan Jose Gonzalez, married, español, age 40.
Maria Clara Salinas, married, española, age 36.
Jose Manuel Gonzalez, a youth, español, age 15.
Francisco Javier Gonzalez, a child, español, age 11.
Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez, a child, española.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, a young child, español.
Maria Honorata Gonzalez, española.
20
Joaquin Salinas, married, español, age 53.
Maria de los Santos Garcia, married, española, age 53.
Jose Manuel Salinas, single, español, age 27.
Jose Victoriano Salinas, single, español, age 24.
Jose Antonio Salinas, a youth, español, age 14.
Maria Gertrudis Salinas, an unmarried girl, española, age 15.
Juana Balvina Salinas, a child, española, age 8.
Maria de Jesus Salinas, a young child, española, age 6.
Residents in 1791
1
Dn Ygnacio Treviño, married, español, age 43.
Da Margarita Gutierrez, married, española, age 35.
Ysavel Maria Treviño, a child, española, age 11.
Maria Josefa Treviño, an unmarried girl, india, age 16.
Julia de la Cruz, an unmarried girl, india, age 42.
Juana de la Cruz, an unmarried girl, india, age 14.
2
Dn Ignacio Gutierrez, married, español, age 69.
Da Maria Matiana Hinojosa, married, española, age 59.
Maria Trinidad, single, india, age 14.
3
Dn Santiago Barrera, married, español, age 65.
Da Maria Salome Garcia, married, española, age 52.
Jose Ramon Barrera, single, español, age 28.
Maria Juliana Barrera, a widow, española, age 32.
Jose Angel Barrera, single, español, age 22.
Francisco Antonio Barrera, single, español, age 18.
Alejo Flores, a young child, español, age 5.
Jose de los Santos Flores, a young child, español, age 4.
Maria Nicolasa Flores, a young child, española, age 3.
4
Da Margarita Peña, a widow, española, age 69.
Jose Clemente Chapa, single, casta, age 19.
Dn Jose Joaquin Chapa, married, español, age 39.
Da Maria Tomasa Baez de Benavides, married, española, age 28.
Maria Juana Chapa, an unmarried girl, española, age 14.
Maria Ana Gertrudis Chapa, a widow, española, age 40.
Jose Gilome Gutierrez Chapa, a young child, español, age 5.
Jose Maria Chapa, a young child, español, age 1.
Jose Ignacio Gutierrez Chapa, single, español, age 16.
Ana Josefa Gutierrez Chapa, a child, española, age 9.
5
Dn Juan Antonio Canales, married, español, age 60.
Da Maria de los Santos Garcia, married, española, age 41.
Jose Estevan Canales, a youth, español, age 16.
Maria Josefa Canales, an unmarried girl, española, age 15.
Maria Leonor Canales, an unmarried girl, española, age 13.
Maria Dorothea Canales, a child, española, age 9.
Santiago Canales, a young child, español, age 3.
Maria Cayetana, a young child, india, age 5.
Maria Patricia Herrera, an unmarried girl, casta, age 19.
Maria Encarnacion Canales, a child, española, age 6.
6
Da Maria Trinidad Cuellar, married, española, age 20.
Dn Jose Antonio de la Garza, married, español, age 39.
Alejandro de la Garza, a child, español, age 12.
Gertrudis de la Garza, a child, española, age 1.
Maria Juana de la Garza, a young child, española, age 2.
7
Dn Manuel [Jr.] Hinojosa, married, español, age 60.
Da Juana Sanchez, married, española, age 46.
Maria Rosalia Hinojosa, an unmarried girl, española, age 31.
Maria Ygnes Hinojosa, an unmarried girl, española, age 25.
Maria Gregoria Hinojosa, a child, española, age 13.
Maria Gertrudis Hinojosa, a child, española, age 9.
Maria Joaquina, single, india, age 59.
8
Vicente Hinojosa, married, español, age 32.
Feliciana Canales, married, española, age 28.
Jose Maria Hinojosa, a child, español, age 11.
Jose Manuel Hinojosa, a child, español, age 9.
Jose Alvino Hinojosa, a child, español, age 8.
Jose Mario Hinojosa, a child, español, age 5.
Maria Josefa Hinojosa, a child, española, age 3.
9
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, married, español, age 31.
Maria Anastacia Hinojosa, married, española, age 32.
Leonor Gonzalez, a child, española, age 8.
Jose Maria Gonzalez, a young child, español, age 4.
Juana Maria Gonzalez, a young child, española.
Maria Juana Gonzalez, a young child, española, age 4.
10
Jose Marcelino Hinojosa, married, español, age 28.
Maria Josefa Saenz, married, española, age 19.
Jose Antonio Hinojosa, a young child, español, age 3.
Jose Cristobal Hinojosa, a young child, español.
Maria Teresa de Jesus Hinojosa, a young child, española.
11
Jose Santiago Hinojosa, married, español, age 23.
Maria Gertrudis Saenz, married, española, age 20.
Maria Estefana Hinojosa, a young child, española, age 3.
Jose Mariano Hinojosa, a young child, español, age 1.
Maria Catarina Hinojosa, a young child, español.
12
Dn Marcelino Hinojosa, married, español, age 67.
Da Rosa Maria Saldua, married, española, age 65.
Jose de Jesus Hinojosa, a young child, español, age 2.
13
Jose Miguel Hinojosa, married, español, age 32.
Ana Dominga Canales, married, española, age 24.
Jose Maria Hinojosa, a young child, español, age 1.
14
Dn Jose Santiago Chapa, married, español, age 32.
Da Juana Hinojosa, married, española, age 31.
Maria Matiana Chapa, a child, española, age 10.
Jose Maria Chapa, a young child, español, age 5.
Maria Gertrudis Chapa, a young child, española, age 3.
Maria Dorotea Chapa, a young child, española.
15
Maria Lugarda Treviño, married, española, age 48.
Ygnacio Flores, married, español, age 47.
Jose Joaquin Flores, a child, español, age 5.
Marcelino Flores, a child, español, age 9.
Joseph Antonio Flores, a youth, español, age 16.
Antonio Joseph Flores, a child, español, age 14.
Maria Gertrudis Flores, a young child, española, age 2.
16
Dn Juan de Dios Garcia, a widower, español, age 67.
Maria de Jesus Garcia, an unmarried girl, española, age 33.
Miguel Garcia, single, español, age 24.
Jose Pablo Garcia, a youth, español, age 20.
17
Da Maria Josefa Hinojosa, married, española, age 24.
Dn Jose Cayetano Pineda, married, español, age 33.
Joseph Romano Pineda, a young child, español.
18
Dn Gaspar Garcia, a widower, español, age 61.
Maria Antonia de la Cruz, single, india, age 33.
19
Jose Antonio Garcia, a child, español, age 4.
Jose Nicolas Garcia, a widower, español, age 33.
Maria Rosalia Garcia, a child, española, age 10.
Jose Manuel Garcia, a child, español, age 9.
20
Maria Gertrudis Garcia, a young child, española, age 1.
Jose Tomas Garcia, married, español, age 23.
Maria Josefa de la Garza, married, española, age 28.
Antonio Garcia, a young child, español.
Juan Jose Garcia, a young child, español, age 2.
