Chapter III: Part 3

Just so you do not get the wrong impression of Jose Gonzalez you should know that in his letter he states that Padre Vallejo was going to Natchitoches the next day and that Victoria would return with him to receive blessings of her family. Later maps of Natchitoches show that DerBonne owned more land than St. Denis, the Commandante of the Natchitoches Post. Gonzalez could have refused Victoria her dowry because she eloped. Either she got the dowry or DerBonne was an excellent trader. With twenty eight known competitors in the same profession, I believe he got the dowry, and Papa Gonzalez saved face and his position by the elopement happening as it did. And, too, I believe Jose could have written that letter before the elopement and put down the facts just as they occurred.

In July of the same year Francois Lemoine married Victoria Manuella Garcia. And so ... the Arroyo Honda barrier came down.

VII
INCIDENTS OF THE YEARS, 1735-1742

In 1735 Justine de Louche was the first to settle in the area of Cloutierville, Louisiana.

In 1736 Manuel Flores and Carlos Bustimento demanded the same privileges allowed Sanchez, that the Spanish Governor of Los Adais give them title to their land. This was granted and soon to follow were grants to Solice, Toro, Rodriguez, Martinez and Garcia. These family men soon became independent and also became traders among the Indians.

In this same year Benites Franquis de Lugo replaced Sandoval as Governor of Los Adais. An old enemy of Sandoval, he placed him under arrest and stripped the ex-governor of his wealth and rank. He was charged with deserting the post at Los Adais and going to live at San Antonio de Bexar, thereby neglecting the duties of his office; and for recognizing the Arroyo Hondo boundary instead of the west bank of the Red River, thus allowing the French to build a new fort on that side of the Red River.

The friends of Sandoval appealed to the Viceroy to send witnesses to Los Adais to investigate the charges of Governor Lugo.

In 1737 Fernandez de Jauregui y Urritgua, who was at that time Governor of Nueva Leon, a region which adjoined the Coahuila and Tejas country, came to Los Adais as a _visatador_ (witness). He questioned the population, visited the post at Natchitoches and made inquiries there. Lieutenant Gonzalez explained the conditions of the presidio, the shortage of manpower and food and how nearly all the necessities necessary to sustain life had to be obtained from the French.

Urritgua left Prudincio de Orbito as temporary governor, arrested Lugo, sent a message back to the Viceroy clearing Sandavol of all charges and requesting that the prisoner be restored to his position. In the same year San Antonious Bazaterra was sent as Governor of Los Adais and all of the Texas Region. Bazaterra was a merchant from Saltillo in Mexico, and he used his new position to transport his personal merchandise to the Adais frontier. He demanded that the Spanish cease trading with the French.

In April, 1738, he detained and arrested Jean Lagross, a French trader en-route to the Upper Caddos on the big bend of the Red River. According to the Arroyo Hondo agreement between Sandavol and St. Denis, the French traders were to be allowed to pass through the Spanish held Adais land during the wet season. Jean Lagross had a passport to that effect, but Bazaterra refused to recognize the passport and had Lagross’ merchandise burned in front of witnesses.

Word of his action soon reached St. Denis and messages were sent to Los Adais, to San Antonio and to Mexico City, by means of Indian carriers. Bazaterra was accused of trouble making and charged with making advances toward Lagross’ wife, who, although an Indian, had been legally wed to Lagross at La Mission Senora de Guadelupe at Nacogdoches. Therefore she was a French woman and had been recognized as such by the French at Natchitoches and by the Spanish at Los Adais since her wedding. St. Denis also reminded the Spanish officials that due to the fact that Lagross had taken an Ais maiden for his wife, in the eyes of the Caddo Federation of Indians, Lagross was a Caddo according to the Indian’s viewpoint, therefore, this injustice could lead to serious trouble if the Frenchman were not compensated for his loss. Much to the disappointment of Bazaterra, he was ordered to pay Lagross for his merchandise out of his own pocket. “Such”, remarked St. Denis, “is the power of the pen”.

Bazaterra, however, in spite of his difficulties, piled up the equivalent of forty thousand dollars during his nearly four-year tenure as Governor on the Adais frontier. It must be said on his behalf that he was an excellent tradesman. St. Denis admitted that he was glad to see him leave.

In 1741 Thomas Phillip Winthuisin replaced Bazaterra as Governor of Los Adais. The new governor was a civilian and lacking in the knowledge of the military. This in itself presented a dangerous situation on the Adais frontier. The inhabitants requested that a man of the military be sent to Los Adais.

And in 1742 the talk of the year was how two ex-French soldiers, Lavespere and Brossilier, maintained _travasser_ (a kind of flat boat) service from New Orleans to Natchitoches, bringing additional medical supplies to Dr. Bonnafons. These two men had rigged their boat with pulleys which enabled them to pull the boat through the shallow places in the river at low-water stage.

VIII
THE THREE CABINS

Jose Guiterez, a _mestizo_ (a person of mixed Indian and Spanish blood) was returning from Natchitoches after having visited the store of Dr. Bonnafons. As he descended the trail down the side of Grand Montania he allowed his horse to pick its way. At the foot of this high hill a small creek flowed called the Arroyo Hondo and at the bank of the small creek he must rest his animal for a while before continuing on to his home near the Presidio de Los Adais. The spring of the year 1742 had been a very trying and wet year, the Arroyo Hondo would be wider now because of so much rainfall. He always felt good when he reached this small rivulet, considered the half-way distance from Los Adais to Natchitoches, for in his mind he felt he was more than half-way home.

As Guiterez rested he thought of his horse, a beautiful stallion. He often wondered if the Indian who had traded the mare, which was with foal at the time and later delivered this colt, envied him now because of the trade. Certainly many of the French officers at Natchitoches and Los Adais had tried to buy the animal, but Jose would always refuse to consider even talking of a trade or sale. Not only because he was such a fine animal, he loved the horse, _El Trumpitero_, named so because of the shrill whinnies the horse voiced when a female of his species was in his vicinity. And Jose had reaped generous profits in stud fees. The horse had made quite a name for himself and for his owner, Jose Guiterez.

The year before the young Spaniard had been sent to the Presidio de San Antonio de Bexar to deliver a message from the Governor, Winthusin, to the alvarez of San Antonio de Bexar asking his opinion about paying the French trader, Jean Lagross, for goods that had been confiscated by the former Governor of Los Adais, Bazaterra, after he had granted a passport to the Frenchman to travel through the Spanish territory when going to trade with the Caddos on upper Red River.

The alvarez at San Antonio de Bexar did not see the situation as clearly as did the Governor of Los Adais and was inclined to advise against paying Lagross. He first asked Guiterez’s opinion concerning the contents of the message because he was the only one present who would know some of the events that led to the new Governor of Los Adais’ request. Guiterez explained to the alvarez that this particular situation was important because the French trader had married an Ais Indian maiden, therefore, in the eyes of all of the Caddo tribes he was considered a Caddo and the whole Caddo Federacy might take offense if the goods were not paid for; that on the Adais frontier it was necessary to maintain friendly relations with the French in order to purchase much-needed food supplies for the Spanish troops at el Presidio de Los Adais. Jean Lagross was one of the Frenchmen with the Ramone Domingo expedition that established the Spanish missions as far as the Nacogdoches Indians, and from that year, 1716, he had traded among the Indians of this frontier. For the last twenty-five years he had been known favorably in all this country.

“This is no ordinary French trader but one who is loved by the Spanish, French and the Indians, it is best to pay him for his merchandise.”

El Trumpitero had carried his master to San Antonio de Bexar and back to Los Adais in less than three weeks, a distance of over a thousand miles. Another time the horse went to Natchitoches and back to Los Adais for medicine for a sick soldier, over thirty miles, in five hours. Because of his horse Guiterez had become the official messenger of Los Adais, which had by now realized the importance of his horse. The children at Los Adais greeted the horse and waved at him as if the animal was a human being. Jose and his horse were such a common sight at Natchitoches even inside the post.

On each occasion when he arrived at Natchitoches he always felt obliged to go by the house of St. Denis, whose wife was Spanish, and tell her of the news at Los Adais. He was likewise welcomed at the house of Jean Baptist DerBonne who had wed Victoria Gonzalez, the daughter of a past governor of Los Adais. Another hospitable friend, Francois Lemoine, was a cousin of Louis Juchereau de St. Denis of the Lemoyne family as were Iberville and Bienville. This young French soldier had married Victoria Emmanuella Garcia, the daughter of a Spanish sergeant of the Presidio at Los Adais. Thus Jose Guiterez was most welcome at these three homes of Frenchmen in Natchitoches. Aside from bringing news to these three Spanish ladies, they in turn found out through Guiterez what the needs of the women of Los Adais were and then purchased these necessities for them from the stores at Natchitoches because trade between the two posts was forbidden. As a result the Spanish women at Los Adais did their trading through the Spanish women at Natchitoches, which custom continued even when trade between the two posts was not forbidden.

As Jose sat on the bank of the Arroyo Hondo admiring his horse, he leaned against the trunk of a tall, slender tree and began to think about his future. For a long time he had felt that there was something lacking in his life but he had not been able to put his finger on the cause of his unrest. He questioned himself about his status in life, concerning his accomplishments and his ability to support himself and his parents, and came to the conclusion he needed a wife and property of his own—either a farm or a business of some kind. He knew that his parents did not need support from him and that his older brothers actually operated the small rancho and farm—they were all married and therefore would continue to remain on the family estate. According to the custom of the times, the oldest brother would inherit the estate, that is the profits from the operation of it. He, Jose Guiterez, decided he would strike out for himself, perhaps engaging in some kind of business for he did not like rancho or farm work. Being a soldier had too many disadvantages. True, in the end after an enlistment period, a soldier was given a certain amount of land, farm animals and equipment. He could get them from his own family if he needed them. Being a settler on a frontier was just as important as being a soldier, each in his own way was serving the purpose of making the frontier secure.

There was a chatter of birds in the tree tops just above his head which broke his train of thought and brought him back to reality. As he looked upward Jose marvelled at the size and the straightness of the trees from which the chatter of the birds had come. Then he noticed how nearly all the trees were of uniform size, straight, and all nearly sixty feet high. Here was definitely cabin material and even in this small grove there were enough such trees to make several cabins. Odd, he thought, he had passed this place many times and did not notice the surroundings as he did this day. As his thoughts raced ahead he remembered that he had stopped to rest, almost always everyone else who passed this way also stopped. Here would be the place to establish some sort of tavern, wine shop or eating place. Why, he wondered, had not someone thought of this before, to erect such a place here on the Arroyo Hondo where people must pass and where they always stop to rest a while. Jose reasoned that the wine shop, tavern and inn, must be available for the French, Spanish and Indian trade, and regardless of what would be traded to him, whether furs or trade goods, sooner or later he could turn them into gold and silver. Now, for obtaining the land. The east side of the Arroyo Hondo, where he intended to establish this new business, belonged to the French. According to an agreement between St. Denis and Governor Almazon in 1724, the dividing line between the French and Spanish would be the Arroyo Hondo instead of the west bank of the Red River as previously claimed by the Spanish. To acquire this deed would require some tact. First, he would get the land and then a wife who could be able to help him operate his business. Which nationality owned this land on the east bank of the Arroyo Hondo made no difference. Jose decided that he would get a grant-title from both representatives of their respective governments. It would be interesting to see if he, a Spaniard, might obtain a land grant from the French, too, and if this could be done, it would be quite a feather in his hat, making him more popular among his Spanish friends.

The grove of trees and the slight rise of the earth there formed a sort of flat shelf. The land was about ninety _toises_ (540 feet) square and extended from the Arroyo Hondo to the base of Grand Montania, and the trail leading up the face of Grand Montania divided the land. This was a good feature and he would ask for all land on each side of the trail so that no one else could come in and establish another business near this resting place and be his competitor.

Guiterez was excited. Even he, with no experience in the operation of such a tavern, could see the immediate success of it.

El Trumpitero with a loud whinney announced the presence of other horses in the vicinity, and, as Jose looked across the Arroyo Hondo, he could see a small pack train composed of eight horses and three riders. As the train neared and the animals began to ford the stream he recognized the party of Jean Lagross with his Ais squaw wife, Isobel, and their daughter, Francine Manuella, named “Manuella” to honor Madam St. Denis, who was her godmother.

Because of so much rainfall the water of the stream was swift and deep, and Jose rode El Trumpitero out to the ford to offer assistance to the party if needed.

One thing that both the French and Spanish had learned from the Indians was the maintenance of markers on fordable streams such as the Arroyo Hondo. Slender, cypress poles were placed in a line and at intervals across the stream, each pole was painted in rings of green, yellow and red; the red being at the top of the pole. By looking at the poles and their markings the depth of the water could be ascertained. The markers were on each side of the crossing marking the now submerged trail. This ford crossing of the Arroyo Hondo was only about sixty feet from bank to bank, but on occasion it could be very dangerous if one were not careful and allowed the current to get the upper hand. The water at this time had risen past the red markings on the poles, denoting the stream to be nearly six feet deep and warning that fording it would be dangerous. Jose had noticed the markings and this was the reason that he rode his horse part way out into the water.

Jose shouted across to Lagross to have the women mount the largest horses, and in the meantime he cast his long rawhide rope to Lagross. The rope was put around the lead-horse’s neck and other rawhide ropes were placed around the other horses’ necks and attached to the packs. In this manner the single file of horses and their burdens crossed the Arroyo Hondo without mishap.

As is common in the Los Adais-Natchitoches area in the month of March, rains can come suddenly and frequently and this day was no exception. While the party was crossing the stream, a cold, peppering shower began which turned into a steady downpour. Immediately the two women began unpacking one of the horses. This pack contained several hides sewn together, the four corners were attached to four nearby grouped trees, a long pole was quickly cut and placed beneath this square of hides and a shelter was completed, the pole raising the center of the square about the four corners and causing the rain to run down the sides.

Meanwhile, Lagross and Jose had gathered firewood, being careful to split the branches to expose the dry inside halves of the wood. Soon a warm, drying fire was going. Jose whistled and El Trumpitero came to the shelter and Jose removed from the saddle bag two bottles of wine, some cheese and a loaf of brown, hard bread.

Guiterez spoke as he passed one bottle of the wine to the two women, “For you Senora and Senorita, one bottle of the priests’ wine, which is the reason I am here. I had gone to the Post Jean Baptiste des Natchitoches to get wine for the priests, Father Certa and Father Balligo. The bread from the good miller, Sieur Le Renaudiere, baked by Jacques Turpeaux, was sold to me by the good Doctor Bonnafons at Sieur Barme’s Store; I bought the cheese, which was brought to Nachitoches by Joseph Lattier, from the two Barberousses who have a trading post among the Yatasse Indians at El Campti. It is wonderful the Lord has granted man the power to prepare food in such a way that it is preserved for future consumption, here we sit on the Arroyo Hondo and enjoy a meal just as if we were sitting in our own homes.”

While they were eating Guiterez had become conscious of the beauty of Francine Manuella. She seemed to have inherited all the beauty of both the Indian and French races. Here thought Jose is the woman for me, this one I intend to make my wife. Jose thought of the dowry and wondered if Lagross had provided such for his daughter. He knew this young maiden would be the ideal helpmate in his future business because she could speak French, Spanish and the Caddo languages.

Jose decided that he would make his intentions known to Lagross. Both the Lagross and Guiterez families had known each other for many years, and he felt that there was at least a bond of more than business, so he decided to ask Lagross’ assistance in obtaining this land east of the Arroyo Hondo. He began explaining his idea to the French trader about building a kind of trading post, and eating place which would have accommodations to sleep weary travelers. Lagross liked the young Spaniard’s idea and told him so, but, said Lagross, “one would need a wife to make such a venture complete.” At this Jose made his intentions toward the trader’s daughter clear by stating that he wished perhaps that he might have permission to pay court to his daughter. Lagross did not seem surprised of Guiterez’ intentions, as many had asked for his daughter. “My daughter,” said Lagross, “has had many suitors, some offered marriage and some only a proposition. You understand how some of the French and Spanish regard a half breed woman, however, those who offered a proposition now wear the mark of the short leather whip she always carries. As for my permission to pay court to my daughter, that is entirely up to her, she is certainly old enough to be married, according to other young women her age in this area. Many fathers of young girls are now pampering a grandchild. Francine is a very head-strong woman and it will take an unusual man to win her hand.”

Meanwhile Francine, listening to this conversation, was amused, and first inclined to be angry, but then she thought, Jose offered marriage, not just a proposition as many had done. Guiterez cut quite a figure, either astride El Trumpitero or afoot, so this man might be just the one for her, but she wondered if his talk about the Three Cabins was not just so much talk.

“Jose Guiterez”, said Francine, “Jose Guiterez, a _mestizo_, a half breed, wishes the hand of Francine Manuella Lagross, who is also a half breed; Guiterez who talks big and has nothing to offer a wife but an assumption of what he intends to do; my father who sits there agreeing with him while he drinks the Priests’ wine and talks about me as though I were some sort of trade-goods; my mother sits there nodding her head in agreement, as if she would be glad to get rid of me; all of you talking as if I would have nothing to do with the situation. Do you think, Jose, that you can offer my father and mother wine, bread and cheese, that would be sufficient to win me as a wife? I notice that El Trumpitero does not have a whip mark on his hide, that the bit in his mouth is not the cruel Spanish bit used by the dragoons; you do not have the sharp Spanish spurs on your boots, do you think you can bend me to your will as you have El Trumpitero?” “Ha,” she laughed, “that would be something to see. Now, mestizo, I have a proposition. The moon will be full tonight. If on the third full moon from this one, there are three cabins here on the Arroyo Hondo, then I will be your wife. If not I will have El Trumpitero, the horse I will ride when I leave here, you can use mine. You see, I know you have no money, no land to sell and no possible way to stock such a building with trade-goods and in the meantime you will not have El Trumpitero which is the only thing of value you do have; now Senor Jose Guiterez what do you say to that?”

“Well,” said Guiterez, “for so small a woman you certainly have a large mouth, but first I must do this.” He quickly grabbed Francine and put her across his knee as one would do a spoiled child and spanked her soundly. “First,” he said, “for talking so to her parents and second, that she should show more respect to the man she is going to marry; third, he was holding her to her proposition; fourth, that if, when she was released, she struck him with her whip, he would use the whip on her so thoroughly that she would not be able to sit down for the three moons which she had previously mentioned.” Lagross roared with laughter as his squaw whispered to him that Francine had finally met her match.

The rain had ceased and the group headed for Natchitoches, Francine astride El Trumpitero and Guiterez astride the horse of Francine. Not much was said until the train had reached the top of the steep hill called Grand Montania. Jose remarked that the horse of Francine had probably had the same temperament as her owner and she undoubtedly bit and kicked. Francine, not without a retort, stated that M. St. Denis could not grant land to a Spaniard, he would be a fool if he did, El Trumpitero was as good as hers right now. Guiterez said he had one thing that Francine had overlooked when she stated her proposition and that she was as good as married to him right now. So the two passed the time on the way to Natchitoches arguing with each other.

At Natchitoches Guiterez went to Sieur Barme’s Store and obtained more wine for the priests at Los Adais. He then went to see St. Denis and told him of the occurrences of the day, and his intentions. St. Denis said, “I have no authority to do this other than to a Frenchman.” “Now,” said Madame St. Denis, who had evidently been eavesdropping on the conversation, “since when has M. De St. Denis ever questioned the word ‘authority’, especially in such a matter advantageous to the French as well as the Spanish, not to mention the extra profits in commissions to be received from trade goods sold Guiterez at this prospective trading post.” “Madame,” said St. Denis, “you underestimate me. I merely stated that I did not have the authority, I did not say that I would see that Guiterez did not get the land. Now go quickly and send someone to fetch Sieur Barme.” When Sieur Barme arrived St. Denis explained all to him. “Now”, said St. Denis to Barme, “I will sell to you 10 arpents of land at the base of Grand Montania this side of the Arroyo Hondo for ten percent of the first year’s profits of the first year that this new trading post is in operation. I will sell this land to you in the name of the King of France, what you do with this land is your business. Now, Senor Guiterez wishes to buy some land, on this land he intends to build a trading post called The Three Cabins. If you wish to sell this land to Senor Guiterez for ten percent of the profits of his first year’s business, you would be in accord with the law to do so. As far as merchandise for this said trading post I am sure your store could supply the necessary merchandise. As for payment, I am sure Senor Guiterez can be trusted, and as for security there would be the dowry given by Jean Lagross. If you are in agreement I will send for the Notary and draw up the papers. In the meantime you can issue a bill of sale to Senor Guiterez for the land.” Addressing Guiterez, “Senor, you now own 10 arpents of land, but building the three cabins in the allotted time will take some doing. In the meantime you have many friends here at Natchitoches and I will see that they know about your problem.”

Back at Los Adais Guiterez obtained an interview with the Governor, Winthuisin, to ask for permission to establish the Three Cabins on the French side of the Arroyo Hondo. The Governor at Los Adais agreed to Guiterez’ request. Almazon had settled the question that the Arroyo Hondo was the boundary between the territories of France and Spain, and any Governor could give away land which did not belong to his country. Guiterez now had the sanction of both the French and the Spanish. When he explained all the details to his family and his many Spanish friends, all turned to with willing hands and the wilderness of the Arroyo Hondo rang with the echoes of many axes. Indians and Frenchmen from Natchitoches brought food and extra assistance. In less than the first moon two of the cabins were completed. Guiterez had Father Certa at Los Adais begin reading the banns for matrimony, and on the fourth Sunday Francine came down the steep trail of Grand Montania and looked at The Three Cabins finished and stocked with trade goods.

As the two left The Three Cabins to go to Los Adais to be wed, Guiterez said to Francine, “Remember when you are estimating my values, I told you I had one thing that you had forgotten to name, that one thing was friends.” “So you have”, said Francine, “but did you not wonder where so much food came from to feed those who were building the three cabins, I am not without friends”, and she smiled, “so, my high and mighty Guiterez, I think we are going to make a good match. Many of our friends think so too. Doesn’t the female bird always help her mate build the nest? Look behind you at all those people coming to our wedding, they are your friends as well as mine”. Guiterez gazed at Francine admiringly and said, “there is a blessing in rain in more ways than one.”

IX
AFTER ST. DENIS

In 1743 Justo Bonev y Morales was sent to replace Winthuisin as Governor. Morales, a Knight of the Order of Santiago, was a man befitting the ideals of St. Denis, who was now a Knight of the Order of St. Louis. These two visited often, two knights on a tiny western frontier. By now the French and Spanish had intermarried frequently so that the Arroyo Hondo barrier stood in name only.

On June 11, 1744, St. Denis died. Morales came to offer his condolences as did many from Los Adais. Indians and slaves alike bowed their heads to the memory of this man.

Governor Morales, in keeping with the false cold front of diplomacy, wrote his superiors, “St. Denis is dead, thank God, now we can breathe easier”.

Captain Caesar de Blanc, a son-in-law of St. Denis, was appointed Post Commandante at Natchitoches and in the same year, 1744, Governor Morales was replaced by Francois Garcia Larios. These two men had no outstanding quarrels, for during these four years both the French and the Spanish prospered, crops were favorable and the trail from Los Adais was traveled daily by each of the nationalities. The Natchitoches area was prosperous and shipped to New Orleans, tobacco, cattle, horses and other farm products. Even those farmers at Los Adais were selling to the New Orleans market. Young Gil Y. Barbo was importing wild cattle and horses, obtained from the plains of Texas, driven over El Camino Real to the Adais-Natchitoches frontier, and on to New Orleans.

There was a working agreement between Juan de Mora and Lt. Derbonne, now retired from the French army and a civilian, farmer, trader and exporter of note in the Natchitoches post area.

In 1748 Pedro del Barrios Jacinto y Esprilla, an Alcolade of the Santo Hernando of all New Spain, was appointed the new Governor of Los Adais. The humdrum life of the frontier was too much for the new Governor so he gave up his position to Jacinto de Barrios y Gauregui in 1750. Barrios remained as governor until 1759, having had the fortitude to be Governor of Los Adais for a longer span of time than any of his predecessors. By now third generation Spaniards were being born on the Texas frontier from San Antonio De Bexar to Los Adais. These people were experiencing a new freedom not felt anywhere else in New Spain. They now regarded this land of Texas as their own. The seat of government was too far away to exercise a cloistered, ruling hand over them.

In 1759 Angle de Martos y Navarette replaced Jacinto Barrios as Governor of Los Adais. Navarette was a merchant and began to liven the frontier. Up to this time the French were supplying the area with all needed material, but when the new Governor came, fine Spanish lace, woolens and linen, finer than any which had previously been offered for sale on the frontier, and nails, which had always been scarce on the frontier, became plentiful.

In 1762 Louis XV gave Louisiana to his cousin Charles III of Spain.

In 1762 Caesar De Blanc was replaced at Natchitoches by Adrian Francois Le Doux as Post Commandante. He was in turn replaced by Angelus La Perrier in 1764. Perrier was the Commandante who received the first Catholic nuns to arrive in Natchitoches; thus 1765 marked the date of the beginning of formal scholastic training in the area.

Through his merchandising endeavors on this French-Spanish frontier Navarette had amassed for himself an estimated eighty thousand dollar fortune. In 1767 Don Hugo O’Connor was appointed Governor of the Adais and Texas country, and in November of that year, on the seventh day, Commandante La Perrier had the sad responsibility of turning over the Natchitoches Post to Don Antonio Ulloa representing the Spanish Government. In this same year O’Connor received a visitor, Padre Jose de Solice, who kept a diary of his visitation which was translated by Reverend Peter T. Forristal and was published as one of the preliminary studies of the Texas-Coahuila Historical Society.

Father Solice records the work of the priests of the Mission de Los Adais. There were 256 baptisms, 64 marriages and 116 burials. At the Natchitoches Post he found records of 20 baptisms, 13 marriages and 15 burials. (Natchitoches was quite often without the services of a priest and the padres of Los Adais supplied their spiritual needs).

Also, in 1767 Athanase De Mezieres, a Frenchman, was appointed Commandante of Post St. Jean Baptiste Des Natchitoches.

In 1770 Baron de Ripperda was appointed Governor of Los Adais and it befell his duty to see to the evacuation of Presidio Senors del Pilar de Los Adais. The Spanish authorities decided that now that the Louisiana Territory was entirely under Spanish jurisdiction, this presidio was no longer necessary.[9]

Ripperda issued orders that all settlers and army personnel were to be ready in three days to leave the area. Many of the farmers fled to the Natchitoches area with their families and worldly goods.

With Natchitoches now the seat of Government of the Texas area westward to San Antonio, El Camino Real was lengthened at least fifteen miles in extent from Natchitoches to Mexico City. De Mezieres had under his jurisdiction an area extending from Post Du Rapides (Alexandria) to the Ataquapois in Oklahoma southward to San Antonio.

The inhabitants of Los Adais and those residing around the missions in the Nacogdoches area were rebellious and Baron Ripperda extended his ultimatum to five days.

Antonio Gil y Barbo and Gil Flores became the heroes of the evacuation of Los Adais, some five hundred men, women and children moved to the vicinity of San Antonio. The former inhabitants of El Camino Real were not happy. They longed for the fertile soil and forests which abounded in wild game of the East Texas and West Louisiana area. Flores and y Barbo were sent with a petition to the Viceroy of Mexico. The two returned with the news that the people would be allowed to settle in a new area. They moved to a settlement on the Trinity River at Robbins Crossing, the present day location in Madison County, Texas.

Floods and the danger of hostile Indians soon forced the settlers to seek a new environment. They moved eastward to Nacogdoches under the leadership of y Barbo. There in 1779 was established the Town of Nacogdoches.

Y Barbo and a party of followers went back to Los Adais and dug up four of the six cannon buried there just prior to the evacuation of the area. They returned to Nacogdoches and re-established La Presidio de Neustra Senora de Los Delores de Nacogdoches and in the same year Antonio Gil y Barbo was appointed Commandante of the Presidio.

At Natchitoches in 1773 Commandante De Mezieres kept contact with all of this vast area by assigning traders to establish trading posts among the different Indian tribes and suppliers were assigned to each trader:

Pierre Bison was sent to the Calcasieu Indians, the supplier was Reme
Poissot;
Louis Pablo Villeneuve De Blanc to Caddoquopois, Bisadorewas to supply
him;
Jose Antonio Bonetis was sent to Atachapois, this man was an
independent trader;
Pierre Blot was sent to the Nacogdoches Indians and Joseph Blancpain
was to supply him;
Caesar Barme was sent to the Yatasses near Campti, Louisiana;

Nicholas Chef was an independent trader to the Tokawanes; these were in an area fifty miles northwest of the present-day city of Fort Worth, Texas. It was one of the most remote trading posts from Natchitoches and De Mezieres assigned a supply-patrol of the militia at the Natchitoches Post to supply the necessary trade goods. Sergeant Joseph Trichell, who had been assigned to the Natchitoches Post in 1749, was to command the patrol which consisted of Corporal Nicholas Tournier and an accountant, Nicholas Le Noir. Four musketeers, Francois Hugue, Louis Moinet, Nicholas Pent and Andries Compiere. Domingo De Soto was to act as interpreter.

This patrol was responsible for the arrest of four Englishmen who had crossed the Mississippi River and were trading among the Tokawanes. The four men were William Warden, John Cross, John Hamilton and Jerome Matalinche.

De Mezieres was vexed with Sgt. Trichell for allowing the Englishmen to sell all of their trade goods to the Indians and threatened him with imprisonment, but Trichell explained that the Indians would have gone on the war path if they had not been allowed to trade for the English merchandise. Trichell countered with the fact that all of the profits of the English traders were now in his hands and that there was no difference if De Mezieres had the trade-goods or the profits. De Mezieres paid the Englishmen in French and Spanish coin equal to the original cost of the merchandise, and this same patrol was ordered to escort the Englishmen fifty miles east of Natchez before setting them free. The Englishmen were charged with the Patrol’s expenses.

Luis de Quindise was an independent Spanish trader and was sent to the
Adais Indians.
Pierre Dupain was sent to the Peticaddo;
Andre D’Hutrive was sent to the Bidias on the Trinity River;
Alexis Grappe was sent to the Ais and Guierlero Lestage was to supply
him.

In 1770 DeMezieres following St. Denis’ method of keeping peace with the Indians, invited the Chiefs to come and stand before him at Post Du Natchitoches to receive presents in the name of the King of Spain. Along El Camino Real traveled such great Chiefs as:

Tinhioune, Chief of the Caddoquopois.
Santo, head Chief of the Bidias and Don Melchor, otherwise called
Gorgorritos, a sub Chief of the Bidias.
Quirotaches, Chief of the Nacogdoches Indians.
Christobal, Chief of the Taouaizes.
Vigotos, head Chief of the Hasinai Federation of Indians.

Thus, by gaining the friendship and allegiance of the most important Indian Chiefs of the territory, DeMezieres established an easy feeling between the Indians and the Spanish Government.

As of February 16, 1776 DeMezieres sent this Census Report to Unzaga, Governor at New Orleans:

113 homes; 105 heads of families with 86 women; 77 youths able to bear
arms; 106 infants; 34 unmarried women; 84 bachelors and non residents
engaged in hunting and fishing and trade with the Indians; 2 male and
2 female free people of color; 2 male and 1 female mulattos; 410
Indian and negro slaves (men, women and children); 277 pieces of fire
arms; 1258 head horses, 842 head cattle, 3000 head sheep and goats and
783 hogs and 481 mules. There was shipped from Natchitoches: 1000 head
horses; 100 mules; 9 quintals of indigo; 15 fenegas of indigo seed;
30,000 packages of tobacco; 120 buffalo hides; 36,000 deer hides; 5000
ambrias of bear oil; 5000 pounds of tallow, quantities of bacon and
meats, both salted and dried.

X
AFTER THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE

In 1802 Louisiana was ceded back to France by Spain by the Treaty of Ildefonso. On May 2, 1803 Livingston and Monroe signed with Barbe-Marbois the purchase treaty which was dated back to April 30, 1803; thus Louisiana became a possession of the United States.

Spain did not approve of the sale of Louisiana and decided to reclaim all of the land originally occupied prior to the time when Louisiana was ceded to Spain.

There was a movement of Spanish soldiers under the command of General Hurrera as far as Nacogdoches and from there patrols were sent across the Sabine River.

Fort Claiborne, established in 1805 at Natchitoches by orders of General Wilkinson, was occupied by several companies of the Second Infantry of the United States Army under the command of Major Porter.

Dr. John Sibley had been appointed Indian Agent for this area of the Southwestern Frontier by Governor Claiborne. Dr. Sibley had been keeping an account of the Spanish patrol movements east of the Sabine River through contact with the Indians of the area. On February 2, 1806, he sent a letter to Major Moses Porter at Fort Claiborne saying that there was a detachment of Spanish militia encamped at Juan Mora’s Lagoon, also known as Conichi Ranch, one league east of Los Adais on Bayou Dupont.

Lt. Piatt was sent with a letter to Nacogdoches, demanding that all Spanish patrols east of the Sabine River retire immediately to the west bank of that stream.

Captain Edward D. Turner left for the Los Adais area with a detachment of soldiers on February 5, 1806. The Spanish patrol was contacted and Captain Turner delivered the ultimatum of Major Porter that it retire to the west bank of the Sabine River.[10]

This document from the U. S. Army records shows the result of that meeting: The beginning of the Neutral Strip.

At the Adais
February 6, 1806.

I, Joseph Maria Gonzalez, commandante of his most Catholic Majesty’s troops on this side of the Rio Sabinas, hereby having agreed with Captain Edward D. Turner, Captain in the United States Army, to return all troops of his Catholic Majesty’s to the other side of the said Rio Sabinas, as soon as my horses will permit it or in five days, or at the most six, and to make my march this day and I also oblige myself to not send any more patrols on this side of the Rio Sabinas.

Signed: Ensign Joseph Maria Gonzalez
Witness: John V. Duforest (Interpreter)

The above document was the result of an agreement establishing a no-man’s land between the Arroyo Hondo and the Sabine River, which neither the United States Government nor the Mexican Government would use, until a final settlement could be reached between the two said governments about a boundary. This agreement was made by two young officers representing their respective countries, both willing to fight for their countries, but both having the intelligence and initiative to declare a stalemate to prevent a war.

This forty mile wide strip of land became known as the Neutral Strip, and in it gathered the lawless of both countries. Even so, from within this lawless area were to come men who would strike the first blow for Texas independence.

In 1807 several slaves of Louis Derbonne and other planters owning land adjoining the Neutral Strip, fled into the Neutral Strip and from there they went to Nacogdoches and on to Trinidad de Salcedo on the Trinity River, where they were given refuge by the Spanish Government.

On September 5, 1807, Don Manuel de Salcedo, Governor of Texas at Nacogdoches, received a letter saying:

The planters of the Natchitoches area are threatening to organize a
force of 250 men to go after slaves known to be in the Texas area of
Nacogdoches and at Trinidad de Salcedo unless the slaves are returned.

The letter reminded the Spanish Governor of Article XX of the treaty between the United States and Mexico which said fugitive slaves must be returned to their owners. The letter was signed by Judge John Carr, and Justices Rouquier and Paillette.

The above letter and a letter from Governor Claiborne brought about the desired results. The governor might have been influenced by the knowledge of the Phillip Nolan filibustering expedition in 1800 which spent itself at Waco-Texas vicinity. Nolan had for several years traveled westward from the Alexandria, Louisiana area and established a trail straight westward into the Texas-San Antonio area, where he was trading for and capturing wild horses and cattle. This trail later became known as Nolan’s Trace.

XI
THE DEVIL’S PLAY GROUND

When Generals Wilkinson and Herrera agreed to the boundaries set by their two junior officers, Turner and Gonzalez, they created a back door to the United States of a forty-mile-wide strip which was to become one of the most lawless places that ever existed within the confines of the United States.

Every outlaw and murderer made this Neutral Strip his destination, The Free State of Sabine, it was called. Neither Spain nor the United States wished to have the responsibility or the expense of policing this outlaw state, although the southland’s busiest road cut through the center of it. But traffic was heavy just the same. Many found that the only safe way to cross the strip was to travel in force, therefore, either at Natchitoches or on the west side of Sabine River, the travelers waited until a large enough group was gathered to guarantee safe travel.

The outlaws of the Strip dealt in horse stealing, cattle rustling, counterfeiting, or any other form of crime that might strike their fancy. There is no definite data or history of the goings-on inside the area, but many men who lived in, or traveled through the district recorded their experiences in diaries and stories or just handed down hearsay tales of the happenings in this lawless land. There, a person’s security was strapped at his hips or carried in his hands in the form of pistols, long rifles or knives. Even the long, rawhide whip was considered a deadly weapon in the hands of an expert.

Los Adais was a waystation and on the bulletin board appeared one day a word with a new meaning, Sabina 28, the same sign appeared on the Rendezvous Oak at Natchitoches. To the average citizen it meant nothing, but to those in the know it meant slaves would be for sale at a point near Pendleton at the ferry on Sabine River on the 28th of that month.

With the discovery of a new way to granulate sugar and with the invention of the cotton gin, the land around Los Adais and Natchitoches became highly productive when planted in sugar cane and cotton and more slaves were needed, but the United States had forbidden their importation.

To Jean Lafitte, the pirate, the Sabine River with the protection of the Neutral Strip, became the back door to the United States. Slaves for wagon loads of food were commonly exchanged, according to the statements of a Mr. Tulley at Los Adais and Mr. Gunlineau at Natchitoches. Lafitte needed food for his pirate operations. Up the Sabine River the boats were pulled, poled or paddled by the slaves to be sold. From the Los Adais and Natchitoches areas came wagon loads of food, smoked hams, kegs of salted bacon, cornmeal, kegs of molasses, wine, corn whiskey, dried beans, peppers, tobacco, sweet potatoes and gourds of honey, with spiced cake sent by hopeful wives to the pirates so that their husbands might make more profitable deals.

Back on the same wagons came the slaves, bolts of cloth, jewelry and perfume (Lafitte’s storehouses was filled with goods from every Spanish and British ship that he could capture). Everything was legal as far as the bills of sale went. A certain honest merchant in New Orleans, with a good reputation and scruples, signed blank bills of sale, to be filled in by Tulley and Gunlineau.

This may seem rather crude to the average reader—the smuggling of slaves and the ladies sending spiced goods to the pirates on the Sabine River. At this very time the United States was confiscating where it could slaves that had been smuggled in, selling them and giving the informers half of the proceeds of the sales. Nothing was said about putting the slaves on a boat and returning them to their homeland. (Question: Are there very many people today who try to beat the Income Tax?) There was some good to come out of all this. Lafitte assisted the United States in the defense of New Orleans in the war of 1812, furnishing men, ammunition and food. Where did he obtain the food? From the Los Adais and Natchitoches area. Lafitte, Tulley and Gunlineau were merely supplying the demand for a necessary merchandise and certainly the slaves were better off because of it.

Noah Smithwick, who had visited the Strip, wrote of the murders, robberies and numerous violations of law there. He gives us one tale that falls in line with the demand and supply of the times. Because the man he wrote about was still alive he calls this character, John Doe. Doe was a counterfeiter of money, especially the Mexican silver dollar. The people at that time had no “jingling” money for their pockets and Doe supplied this demand, with a silver-coated copper coin. Because of a slight flaw in the press the coins were easily identified and called Doe’s dollars.

An Indian approached Doe one day and handed him one of the counterfeit dollars requesting that Doe put a new skin on it. Doe obliged by giving the Indian a new counterfeit dollar for the old one, explaining to the Indian that dollars were like snakes, they always shed their skins. Doe’s dollars, although not recognized outside the Strip, were regarded as legal tender therein.

It was said that Doe’s dollars were of more handsome design than the original Mexican Eagle Silver Dollar.

Doe, however, minted pure silver dollars of the same design. He mixed enough of these with the bogus dollars so that on occasion when a dollar was questioned and the dollar tested, it was found to be of pure silver.

Doe, like all counterfeiters, wished to extend his operations but he wandered out of the Strip on the American side and was arrested.

Every old place has its ghost story and “Spanish Town” is no exception:

1. Spanish Town and Scuffelville.
2. Half-way-house or Twenty-mile-house, near Many, La.
3. Kisatchie Caves, near Kisatchie, Louisiana.
xxxx. The Sabine Trail, from Montgomery to the Half-way-house near
Many. The Planters on Red and Cane Rivers used this road when
going to the Sabine River to trade for Slaves.

Nolan’s Trace, cut across the southern part of the Strip from Point
Coupee. Phillip Nolan blazed this Trail and used it to trade for
horses in the Texas area.

This Lawless Strip of land lasted from 1806 to 1821. It was often
referred to as “The Free State of Sabine”.

Note:

I show Cane River on this map. However at the time of the beginning
of the Strip, Cane River was Red River. I show Red River as it is
today, to show the locations of the Towns, whose People were
involved in trade in the Neutral Strip.

By the year 1821, the Red River had begun to change its course to
the Rigolett de Bon Duex, which was a Bayou extending from a point
just above Natchitoches to Colfax, La. Thus you see the actual water
ways as they are today. (Drawn by the author)]

A young Spaniard had successfully traveled the Strip, bringing with him wealth and many fine cloths. He settled at Spanish Town and became the target of every single maiden there. Mariea Guiterriz, who had many suitors, won his heart. Anyone attempting to pay court to her ran the risk of losing his life in a duel with other jealous suitors. Immediately after the wedding at the reception a disappointed lover insulted the groom. Swords flashed, Mariea rushed between the duelists, a sword stabbed her—not a serious wound all were assured but infection set in and she grew worse. An old Indian gave some herbs to the young Spaniard with instructions how to use them to stop the infection. “Boil these herbs together over a small fire, the odor of the brew will change and when the odor is this”, the Indian allowed the Spaniard to smell the brew, “remember the odor because now will be the time to soak the poultice with the solution”, then the Indian was gone.

The young husband followed the instructions and Mariea began to improve, but the herbs ran out and the Indian could not be found. Mariea sickened again. The Spaniard went to the creek banks and the marshy places searching for the herbs, building countless tiny fires, brewing grasses and leaves, trying to re-discover the combination of herbs that would produce the exact odor he was seeking.