Tejano History

González, Joseph Antonio

Tejanos |

GONZÁLEZ, JOSEPH ANTONIO (?–1728). Joseph Antonio González, a Franciscan missionary, served at various missions in Texas and Coahuila in the early eighteenth century. He seems to have been assigned to the San Juan Bautista missions until 1721, when he was appointed assistant to Father Francisco Hidalgo at San Antonio de Valero Mission in San Antonio. At the latter mission he also served San Francisco Xavier de Náxara Mission, established in 1722 on or near the site of the later Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña Mission. In December 1723 Father González came into conflict with Nicolás Flores de Valdés, captain of San Antonio de Béxar Presidio, over the imprisonment of a group of Apaches whom González wanted released. González wrote a memorial to the viceroy on March 18, 1724, asking that Flores be removed and that Mateo Pérez, a soldier at San Juan Bautista, be appointed in his place. On April 6 a viceregal decree was issued making Pérez captain of the San Antonio presidio. González had gone to Mexico City to present his complaints to the viceroy. He returned to San Antonio de Valero on June 17, in the company of Pérez, who took command of the presidio.

 

Full article on the Texas State Historical Association’s Handbook of Texas Online

   Courtesy of the Texas State Historical Association.