Canary Islands – San Antonio, Texas 1731-2006 ANTONIO 1731-2006.pdf · Sketches of Old San Antonio the first governor of the Province of Tejas (Texas). A diarist wrote, “On this

30 Lancelot

Arrival and the Early Years

One hour before noon on 9 March1731, fifty-six travel-weary men,women and children from theCanary Islands arrived at aSpanish frontier mission fortresscalled Presidio San Antonio deBexar in Texas. Comprising sixteenfamilies, they had been underwayfor more than a year to arrive ata location where they would makehistory as the very first settlers toestablish a civilian township inthe State of Texas.

Canary Islands – San Antonio, Texas1731-2006

Text Larry Yaskiel Photos Liz YaskielAdditional colour photography Ruben Alfaro, Paul Casanova, M.D. Rodriguez

Lancelot 31

➱➱➱➱➱

275th Anniversary of theFounding of the City

San Fernando, the oldest cathedral in the United States, was built by Canary Island settlers in 1748.Its original walls, which still stand, are the oldest structure in the State of Texas. San Fernando was alsothe first name of the town. Bexar (Bejar) is a county of which San Antonio is the capital

Originalmanuscript inwhich theCaptain of thePresidio of SanAntonio welcomesthe Canary Islandsettlers in thename of KingPhilip V

32 Lancelot

➱➱➱➱➱

From top: Mission San José,Mission Concepción, MengerHotel, Freemasons Hall

Juan Leal GorazThe majority of the emigrants,

forty-four, were from Lanzarote.This was because the leader of theparty, Juan Leal Goráz, thepresident of the Cabildo TownCouncil of Teguise at the time, hadbeen been given the task ofassembling a group of prospectiveemigrants to the New World by theCaptain General of the CanaryIslands on behalf of the king ofCastile.

The other members of theparty hailed from Tenerife, GranCanaria, La Palma and Fuerteventura.As a major colonial power on theAmerican continent in the 18th

century, Spain encouraged itscitizens to emigrate and settle therein order to strengthen the bordersof their territories known as NewSpain, now known as NorthAmerica.

Mission San AntonioThe place at which the sixteen

Canary Island families arrived onthat March morning was just asmall village on the banks of theSan Antonio River. It was inhabitedby thirty-eight soldiers and theirfamilies, and more than 250 Indians,mainly from the Coahuiltecan Tribewho lived at Mission San Antonio

de Valero. Franciscan padres werein charge of the work and religioustraining of the Indians at the time atthis and two other missions.Themissions performed an economicfunction in operating the first ranchesin the area, as they were theforerunners of the cattle industry, amajor economic institution of 18th

century Texas.

San Antonio San Antonio received its

name in 1691 during an expeditionled by Domingo Terán de los Rios,

Juan Leal Goraz, leader of theparty of 56 emigrants. Photoof portrait in the EmigrationMuseum, courtesyTeguise historian FranciscoHernández Delgado

Lancelot 33

➱➱➱➱➱

From top: Alamo, MissionSan Juan, German Casino.

Sketches of Old San Antonio

the first governor of the Provinceof Tejas (Texas). A diarist wrote,“On this day, June 13, we foundat this place a village of theIndians of the Papaya Nationwho called the river Yanaguameaning “the clear water.” Asit was the feast day of SanAntonio de Padua I named thearea San Antonio. The Tejas,(Texas) were an indigenousIndian group whom earlySpaniards called by the natives’own word meaning “friends.”

The First DaysSoon after the Islanders arrived,

an officer inventoried andredistributed all the equipment andsupplies they had received duringthe trip. He lodged the families inthe best homes of the soldiers andgave instructions for the care of thelivestock they had brought withthem including horses, cows, sheepand goats. Each person would begiven four reales (about 50 cents)per day for one year and besupplied with meat, flour and cornand the necessary seed until they

Royal Dispatch of 28 November 1730 concerning the CanaryIsland families and signed by the Captain General of NewSpain, the Marquis of Casafuerte

Main Plaza of San Antonio

34 Lancelot

would be able to grow and harvesttheir own crops. They would alsobe provided with oxen to ploughthe fields. During the next fewdays they planted as much as theycould to supply food. Corn, beans,barley, cotton, peppers, melons,watermelons, pumpkins, and somefruit and grape cuttings were plantedduring the next few days.

Layout of Town The Spanish Law of the

Indies established the layout ofSpanish colonial towns. The planof the Villa (Town) de SanFernando was determined by thespecifications for the placementand size, the location of the church(now San Fernando Cathedral),and the width of the city blocks.Downtown San Antonio stillbears a resemblance to thisearly layout.

First councilman Juan Leal Goráz,who would preside over the citycouncil. Second councilman JuanCurbelo, responsible for the prisonto be built. Third councilmanAntonio Santos, in charge ofweights and measures. Fourthcouncilman Salvador Rodriguez,supervisor of warehouses and publicbuildings. Manuel de Niz, fifthcouncilman, responsible forunclaimed property. Juan Leal Jr.sixth councilman with a vote butno specified duties. Other officialsappointed were the sheriff, secretaryand notary public and anadministrator of public lands. Allappointments were for life.

Original ArchivesIt is interesting to note that the

archives have detailed descriptionsof each of the fifty-six Canarianimmigrants. Here are two examples.

Governing CouncilThe Town’s cabildo (city

council) with its officers andelected mayors provided for adegree of self-government in thecolony. Although the structure ofthe city’s government changed asnew groups moved to the area,and, ultimately, the Republic ofTexas was established, the earlySpanish colonial cabildo was aprecursor of the present-day formof San Antonio’s government.

(The term “cabildo” was firstused in an ecclesiastic sense todescribe a governing body of clerics,and is still used nowadays in theCanary Islands and parts of LatinAmerica as the term for islandcouncils).

Members AppointedThe local fort commander

made the following appointments.

Engraving of San Fernando Cathedral as it appeared in Harper’s Weekly on March 23,1861. Courtesy of Catholic Archives at San Antonio, from the book City Centre

➱➱➱➱➱

Lancelot 35

“Juan Leal Goráz : Son of Antonioand Maria Pérez, native ofLancerota Island, 54 years old,tall, long face, thick beard & hair,dark complexion, sharp nose, blindin the left eye, light grey eyes.”“Vicente Leal: Son of foregoingand Catharina Rodríguez deceased,native of Lancerota, 18 years old,medium height, broad-shouldered,long face, beardless, acquiline nose,eyebrows meeting, light grey eyes,chestnut eye-brows, darkcomplexion.”

NoblemenEight months after the settlers

arrived they were each made anhidalgo, a member of the nobility,by the Marquis de Casafuerte,Captain General of New Spain inthe name of the King. The RoyalPro-clamation clearly states thatas a reward for founding asettlement overseas everyemigrant, and their descendents,would be known as land-holdingnobles “with all the honours and

prerogatives that all landed noblesand knights of these kingdoms ofCastillo should have and enjoy,according to the laws and privilegesof Spain.” The late historian JohnLeal, referred to in more detailelsewhere in this feature, calledhimself Hidalgo of Texasthroughout his life.

The LawsLaws laid down by the Spanish

are also evident in the laws of theState of Texas up to the presentday, according to historianJoseph W. Mcknight. The mostsignificant components includethe following:

1.Early Spanish law recog-nised community property ofhusband and wife, based on theidea that both man and womanshould share equally in thepossessions associated withmarriage. Joint income taxemerged from this view ofcommon property.

➱➱➱➱➱

The layout of San Antoniowas very similar to that ofTeguise Town on Lanzarote

The land was distributedamong the settlers by the firstTown Council. The photographis of the Juan Leal Gorazfamily as portrayed by hisdescendent Rudy Casanovaand family, at the “Re-enactment of the Arrival” playduring the 275th anniversarycelebration luncheon. Rudy isthe President of the CanaryIslands Descendents Association

36 Lancelot

2. Adoption of children wascovered by Spanish colonial law,and the rights of adopted childrento family inheritance.

3. Spanish colonial law isresponsible for the provision forindependent executors of wills inTexas. This allows executors tocarry out their responsibilitiesindependent of a court of law.

4. The right of a sued personto have a lawsuit heard in his homearea for his convenience is a featureof Texas law that derives fromearly Spanish law.

5. Water rights were held bythe king in Spanish Texas.Individuals were allotted water fordomestic and livestock needs andfor irrigation only by grant. Thewater source was never privatelyowned. This principle was inheritedby the State of Texas makingpossible the construction of thegreat Falcon Dam on the RioGrande without payment toindividuals for the loss of water totheir lands.

Reason for the EmigrationA decade of devastating

hurricanes and violent stormsbeginning in 1720, completelydevastated the crops throughoutthe Canary Islands. In addition, theeastern islands of Lanzarote andFuerteventura also underwentseveral years of drought whichbrought starvation and death in its

wake. In order to alleviate thesuffering of his fellow islanders,the head of the Lanzarote rulingcouncil, Juan Leal Goráz, went toTenerife to plead for help from theCaptain General of the Islands.

Philip V of SpainHis visit coincided with a

request from King Philip V of

The first San Antonio Town Council allotting plots of land to the emigrant families (Re-enactment play)

➱➱➱➱➱Isaac AlvarezCordenas is adirect descendentof the leader of theCoahuiltecanIndian Tribe wholived at theMission SanAntonio when theCanarian settlersarrived. He is thepresent-day headof theCoahuiltecan

Nation.With him is Teguise Acting Mayor Luciano Pérez, thefirst Teguise mayoral official to visit San Antonio since Juan LealGoraz in 1731

This millstone to grind ‘gofio’ cerealis displayed inside the Alamo with a

plaque stating it was brought to San Antonio by the Canary Islanders in 1731. They were theancestors of Dorothy Perez and Aurelia Deuvall, seen in the photo. Over the past decade, DorothyPerez has been the source of nearly all reference works for Lancelot articles about San Antonio.We owe her a great debt of gratitude

Lancelot 37➱➱➱➱➱

Spain for the Captain General tosend four hundred families fromthe Canary Islands to settle in theSpanish colony of Texas in NewSpain, “Nueva España.” They wereneeded in order to establish apermanent Spanish presence in theface of repeated incursions by theFrench from neighbouring Louisianawho sought to force Spain towithdraw from the territory. TheSpanish military believed thatsetting up civil population centreswould signal their resolute intentionto remain in Texas.

The New WorldThe Captain General told Juan

Leal Goráz about the royal requestand promised him that if he wouldlead an expedition to populate Texas,he would supply sufficient food toalleviate the plight of the sufferingpopulation of Lanzarote. Thereupon,Leal Góraz returned to his native isleand immediately set about seekingpeople to join him and the othereleven members of his family on ajourney to the New World. His

party of 56 Canary Islanders setsail from Tenerife on a forty-fourday journey to Havana in March1730.

“Gofio” MillstonesBesides the personal items

they carried with them they took alarge amount of “gofio” cereal,this is maize first roasted thentoasted which has been a foodstaple in the Islands since pre-Hispanic times and has remainedso up until the present day. Severalemigrants carried millstones withthem as part of their baggage oneof which is displayed in theAlamo heritage site with a plaquestating it was brought by theoriginal Canary Islanders in 1731(see photo). From Havana, theemigrants sailed to Vera Cruz,New Mexico before embarkingon the final stage of their journey,a four month trek to what was tobecome known as San Antonio,Texas, where they arrived almostone year to the day after leavingtheir native isles.

Re-Enactment PlayThe arrival is commemorated

annually on the Sunday of theweek of 9 March. This yearfollowing mass at San FernandoCathedral, the Canary IslandsDescendents Association hosted aluncheon at the SBC CommunityCentre during which they staged atheatrical work entitled “TheOdyssey of the Canary IslandSettlers” by Alicia Burger. Thiswell-written true-life drama, basedon the arrival and early days of theoriginal Canarian emigrants in 1731,was excellently acted out by somefifty of their descendents. Wearingperiod costumes they introducedthemselves and their families bythe name of the original ancestorswhose roles they were portraying.

They then made their way tothe first ever Town Council seatedat a table who alloted each familya plot of land measured out bylengths of chains with bordersmarked by imitation boulders. Thespellbound audience were then treatedto a fine exhibition of Spanishdancing of the colonial era.

38 Lancelot

➱➱➱➱➱

The MissionsThe chain of missions

established along the San AntonioRiver in the 18th century is areminder of one of Spain’s mostsuccessful attempts to extend itsdominion northward from NewSpain (present-day Mexico).Collectively they form the largestconcentration of Catholic missions inNorth America. The Spanish priests,i.e. missionaries, strove to replacetraditional Indian ritual with religiousfestivals teaching Christian beliefs.

The Spanish missions helpedform the foundation for the city ofSan Antonio. The modern SanAntonio community earlyrecognised their significance, andsince the 1920s has worked topreserve them. Today, thesemissions represent an almostunbroken connection with the past.Carrying the legacy of generationsof American Indians and Hispanics,they live still as active parishes.

Ranches and FarmsA mission’s goal of becoming

self-sufficient depended on thesuccess of its farm and ranch.The free-roaming livestock onthe mission ranches provedvery profitable. Surplus sheep,goats and cattle were sold tolocal “presidios” (forts) ortraded to markets as far southas present-day Mexico andeast to Louisiana. A centurylater the American cattleindustry was built on the legacyof these Texas mission ranches.The regulations governing theindustry, the techniques of handlingherds from horseback, evenlonghorn cattle, had theirorigins in the Spanish Colonialperiod. The mission ranchesleft a rich heritage of equipment,vocabulary, and folklore.

Mission AlamoMission San Antonio de

Valero, commonly called theAlamo, was founded in 1718, thefirst mission on the San AntonioRiver. A State Historic site, theAlamo has been under the care of

the Daughters of the Republic ofTexas since 1905. LanzaroteDescendent Dorothy Pérez isPresident of the Alamo CouriersChapter of the Daughters of theRepublic of Texas.

Long before it became known

Mission San José

Mission Espada

Missions – Forerunners of the Texas Cattle IndustryThe Canarian Settlers Had Knowledge of Irrigation

“Antonio Rodriguez from Gran Canaria, was appointed Adminstratorof Public Lands in the first San Antonio Council, because of hisknowledge of irrigation methods.”

August 1731, Bexar County Archives

Lancelot 39➱➱➱➱➱

as the Alamo and “The Cradle ofTexas Liberty,” San Antonio deValero was a traditional missionwith grounds, courtyards,surrounding walls, living quarters,a dining room, “acequias”(irrigation ditches) and a sanctuary.It was shut down in 1793 and in1801 Spanish troops from San Josedel Alamo in Mexico were stationedat the abandoned mission. Localsbegan calling them El Alamo andeventually the name stuck both forthem and the place they occupied.

‘Acequias’ – Irrigation DitchesThe success of the missions

was dependent upon planting andharvesting crops. Sparse rainfalland the need for irrigation madethe construction of seven gravityflow ditch systems known as“acequias;” a high priority for themissionaries and Indians.

Five dams and severalaqueducts along the San AntonioRiver ensured a continual flow of

river water into the system.So important was irrigation inSpanish Texas that croplandwas measured in “suertes”, orthe amount of land that couldbe watered in one day. The15-mile network irrigatedabout 3,500 acres of land.Antonio Rodriguez of GranCanaria was appointed to thefirst Town Council in 1731because of his knowledge ofirrigation.

Mission Espada has the bestpreserved of these “acequia”systems. Espada Dam completedby 1745, still converts water intoan “acequia madre” (mother ditch).The water is carried over PiedrasCreek through Espada Aqueduct -the oldest Spanish aqueduct in theUnited States. Floodgates controlledwater sent to each field for irrigationand for auxiliary uses such asbathing, washing, and power formill wheels. Today, nearby farmsstill use water from this system.

Acqueduct along the SanAntonio River. Canary Islandemigrants brought theirknowledge of gravity flow ditchsystems with them when theysettled in San Antonio.Water flow was vital to thesurvival of the missions

Mission Concepción

40 Lancelot

1738 San Fernando ChurchThe “Villa (village) de San

Fernando” began with the arrivalof the 56 Canary Island settlers on9 March 1731. Seven years later in1738 the cornerstone of the churchbuilding was laid, making it thefirst parish church in Texas. Thetwo patronesses of the church werethose of the settlers and soldiers in thearea: Our Lady of the Candelaria(Candlemass) and Our Lady ofGuadalupe, the patroness of whatwould later become Mexico. Thechurch was completed in 1755.

1874 CathedralA new diocese was created in

1874 with San Antonio as its seeand San Fernando its cathedral. InMarch 2003 the cathedralunderwent a $5.8 million, yearlongrestoration, the most expensivechange in its almost 300 yearhistory. The original walls stillstand today forming what is nowthe sanctuary of the present church.These walls are the oldest standingstructure in the State of Texas. Thedome of the original church wasthe geographic centre of the cityand all mileage to San Antoniowas calculated from this point.

2006 San FernandoA special Mass, which is held

annually at San Fernando Cathedralon a Sunday during the week ofthe 9th of March, was especiallyemotional this year due to the 275th

anniversary. Members of the CanaryIslands Descendents Association ofSan Antonio wearing the costumesand bearing the banners of the nativeisle of their ancestors were joinedthis year by many visitors who alsowore traditional attire. San Fernando,built by Canary Islanders in 1738, is theoldest cathedral in continual use inthe whole of the United States.

Rector of San FernandoDavid Garcia with SanAntonio Mayor Ed Garza in2001 at the launch of thefund for the restoration ofthe cathedral. $5.8 millionwas raised and following ayearlong refurbishmentprogramme San Fernandoreopened in March 2003

The Canary Island settlers laid the cornerstone for thefuture San Fernando Cathedral in 1738, seven years aftertheir arrival. Above is a list of donors towards the buildingcosts headed by King Philip V of Spain. (City Centre)

➱➱➱➱➱

Pope John Paul IIwith the ReverendDavid Garcia at

San FernandoCathedral during

his visit to SanAntonio in

September 1987.(City Centre)

Lancelot 41

➱➱➱➱➱

Canary Island settlers started building San Fernando Cathedral in 1738. The originalwalls, which still stand, are the oldest standing structure in the State of Texas and SanFernando is the oldest cathedral in continual use in the United States

42 Lancelot

➱➱➱➱➱Canary Islands - Texas HistorySymposium

Among distinguished visitorswho had come to San Antoniowere Spain’s Minister of JusticeFernando López Aguilar andAmbassador to the United StatesCarlos Westendorp y Cabeza. Thelarge delegation of regional andinsular authorities from the CanaryIslands was led by the VicePresident of the CanarianGovernment, Maria del Mar Julioswith other members of theexecutive as well as mayors andcouncillors from Town Halls inTenerife, Gran Canaria andLanzarote. Among academicspresent were the Vice Chancellorof Las Palmas University, historyprofessors from La LagunaUniversity, Tenerife and the Directorof the Canarian AstrophysicsObservatory at La Palma.

They and other invited dignitariesand academics participated in the VAnnual History Symposium“Canary Islands-Texas: TheConnection”. Principle sponsors

Spanish ArchivesBexar County Clerks Office

held a Grand Opening of theSpanish Archives on the first floorof the Courthouse. This buildinghouses the historical collection ofSpanish Archives comprisinghundreds of original records datingback to the early 1700’s through to1836. Holdings include Spanishand Mexican Land Grants, Wills

The openingof theHistorySymposiumby the Rectorof theUniversity ofTexas at SanAntonio,RicardoRomo andDr AlfonsoChiscano inthe AulaCanariaHall at thedowntowncampus

were Dr Alfonso Chiscano and theorganisation he presides over, theFriends of the Canary Islands andDr Ricardo Romo, President of theUniversity of Texas at San Antonio,UTSA. The conference took placein the Aula Canaria Hall of thedowntown campus. Master ofCeremonies was Dr FélixAlmaráz, Professor of Historyat UTSA.

Lancelot 43

and Estates, Proclamations,Maps, Mission Records,Cattle Brands, Electionrecords, Decrees, the BexarLand District Field Notes,and much more.

Other documentationincludes a Marriage Licensecollection (1836-1861) of morethan 2,000 original marriagerecords, Water Rights, JailRecords, Immigration andNaturalisation, Confederate PensionApplications, Declarations of Intentfor U.S. Citizenship, and morethan 500 vertical files compiled byJohn Ogden Leal and R. Tarin inthe 1980s.

La Oratava Sand CarpetsThe Government of the Canary

Islands sent a very special gift toSan Fernando Cathedral incelebration of the 275th anniversaryof the parish. Beautifully-designedcarpets of sand and flowers werelaboriously and lovingly assembledby a team of artisans from the cityof La Oratava, Tenerife, wherethey are traditionally laid in streetsaround churches during thecelebration of Corpus Christi. Thesefine craftsmen intermingled theCanarian soil they had broughtwith them with local Texas earthsymbolising the brotherly tiesbetween the two communities.Three Themes

Three main themes wereincorporated into the intricate patternof sand art which decorated thefloor of the courtyard adjoiningSan Fernando Cathedral. On theleft, a motif of cowboys, cacti anda snake based on the work of anearly 20th century artist. The focalcentrepiece was a circular tableaudepicting the arrival of the 56Canary Island settlers in 1731 plusthe emblems of San Antonio andthe Canary Islands. On the right

1836 - Battle of the AlamoA battle fought during

the 1836 Texan War ofIndependence against Mexico,when less than 200 Texansand US citizens held the oldmission/fort of Alamo in anepic of resistance against anoverwhelming number ofMexican troops led by GeneralSanta Ana. After twelve days

of siege, including heavy cannonfire, Santa Ana’s soldiers movedon the Alamo at dawn on the sixthMarch.

Mounting ladders, they scaledthe walls surrounding the mission.Wave after wave of attackersengaged the defenders with firearmsand hand-to-hand fighting, usingbayonets. The numbers of Mexicanswere overwhelming. By about eighto’clock in the morning,189 of thedefenders lay dead inside andoutside the Alamo. Some 600Mexican soldiers of Santa Ana’sattacking army of 1,800 were deador wounded.

Everyone who died at theAlamo was a volunteer and a herorealising they faced certain death.Their commanding officer WilliamBarret Travis had given permissionto anyone who so wished to leavethe fort before the battlecommenced. The best knownamong them are Davy Crockettand Jim Bowie whose names aresynonymous with the Alamo.Two Canary Island descendentvolunteers lost their lives in abrave attempt to cross throughenemy lines to summon help fortheir beleaguered comrades.

Following the victory of SamHouston against Santa Ana at SanJacinto six weeks later theindependence of Texas wasrecognised. In 1845 Texas becamethe 28th State of the Union.

was an aerial scene of the CanarianArchipelago and a 1,000-year-olddrago tree, which was veneratedby the pre-Hispanic Guancheinhabitants of the Islands.

As is customary, followingMass, the local congregation ledby the clergy walked over thefloral and sand carpets whosedesigns were destroyed underhundreds of pairs of feet, However,the symbolic ritual was not overyet as many people used papercups to preserve these preciousgrains of soil from their ancestralhomeland collect granules shefeared that she would neverexperience such a wonderful sightagain as so many from the groundto. Worshippers were full of emotionwhilst gathering the earth, one womenburst to tears saying old customs arenow dying out, “we must ensure thatthe younger generation preservesthem,” she said.

‘San Fernando’s living historyis its people. Over 5,000 participateat weekend Masses each week ofthe year. Over 900 baptisms, 100weddings, 110 funerals and countlessother services are performed eachyear. Symphonies, concerts and majorTV features are but a few of thesignificant events held in the cathedralregularly. Each person is a part ofthe story of this magnificent placeand a tribute to its enduring presenceas the spiritual centre of SanAntonio.’ From the 275th Anni-versary prayer sheet. ➱➱➱➱➱

44 Lancelot

➱➱➱➱➱

Bronze slab at the grave of Alejo Perez, the youngest survivor ofthe Battle of the Alamo who was descended from Lanzaroteimmigrants. The grave is a declared Historic Site. Photo ofdedication ceremony, (L) Dorothy Perez, descendent of Alejo, (R)Gilbert Patiño, both members of the Canary Islands DescendentsAssociation of San Antonio

The late historian John Leal (1929-2004)is a direct descendent of the first mayor ofSan Antonio, Juan Leal Goraz. Asarchivist of Bexar County for ten years hemeticulously translated hundreds ofhandwritten Spanish documents intoEnglish in his spare time. Without himmuch of the early history of San Antonioand the settlers would be lost.

Youngest SurvivorSanta Ana did spare the lives

of nine women and children theyoungest of whom was Alejo dela Encarnación Perez, a descendentof a Lanzarote emigrant who hadbeen a member of Teguise Council.His great-great-granddaughter isDorothy Perez, who visitedLanzarote for the very first time in1998 as a guest of Teguise Council.Through the efforts of Dorothy,the grave of her ancestor AlejoPerez has been declared an HistoricSite by the State of Texas. Earlierthis year, Dorothy was electedPresident of the Alamo CouriersChapter of the Daughters of theRepublic of Texas.

Major SourcesSan Antonio – The First Civil

Settlement in Texas. A Guide forTeachers, K-12, published 1981.

The Story of an EnchantedCity by Frank Jennings, published1998.

The Missions. Published byUS Parks.

The three works were given toLancelot by Dorothy Perez.

Historian John LealThe late historian John Leal

(1929-2004) worked at BexarCounty Archives for ten yearsusing his spare time to translatehundreds of Spanish manuscriptsabout the original Canary Islandsettlers of San Antonio into English.He also sent a wealth of historicaldata to Teguise Archives onLanzarote and is the source of allengravings and documents used inthis supplement and in previousissues of Lancelot. The memory ofJohn Leal lives on through the richlegacy of San Antonio’s history heleft behind.

The name ofeach one of the

fifty-six originalsettlers is

inscribed inpaving stones inHouston Street

in downtownSan Antonio

Lancelot 45

The names of all who fell at the Battle of the Alamo are engraved in the Cenotaph in the centreof San Antonio

➱➱➱➱➱