General Alonso de León González

Villaneva de Cavazos, Lilia E. Testamentos Coloniales de Monterrey (Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, 1991), pages 53-59 ... 1691 will [Protocolos, Vol. 4, Fol. 137, No. 59] and codicil [Protocolos, Vol. 4, Fol. 145, No. 60] of General Alonso de León ... The General states that he is the legitimate son of Alonso and Josefa, names his wife Agustina and children, and, in addition, dispatches other items. ... #59: "Testamento del General Alonso de Leon, vecino del Nuevo Reino de Leon e hijo legitimo del Capitán Alonso de Leon y de Josefa Gonzalez, "vecinos que fueron de dicho reino". Dispone ser enterrado en el convento de San Francisco de la villa de Cadereyta, "o a donde mis albaceas o herederos les pareciere", con el habito de San Francisco. Declara ser casado con doña Agustina Cantu, quien fue dotada, al casarse , con 600 pesos. Hijos: Alonso, Juan, Santiago, Ines, Maria, Mateo y Juana. El llevo al matrimonio 2,000 pesos, herencia de su padre, y tres sitios de ganado menor, "y ha doce años que los tengo poblados con un labor, con saca de agua, orillas del rio Pilon", mas dos labores, de sitio y medio cada una contiguas de sus hijos Alonso y Juan, y 2 caballerias de tierra. Dispone se celebren dos novenarios cantados, en el lugar de su entierro, y otro en la parroquial de la villa de Santiago de la Monclova, asi como 50 misas rezadas en el altar del Perdon, de la catedral de Mexico, y otras 50 por las animas de los indios muertos a su servicio. Deja otras 30 a las Benditas Animas, "porque rueguen a Dios Nuestro por la convension de los indios Tejas."Lega 20 reses para ayudar de la jornada "que esta por hacerse a dichas conversiones". Tiene dispuesta una misa por la hermandad de San Francisco de la Provincia de Zacatecas, por cada religioso que hubiere y pide que se le pague lo que falte a Fray Jose Molinedo y se remitan al Padre provincial para que despache patente. Declara que fue mayordomo de la Cofradia del Santisimo Sacramento, de la villa de Cadereyta. Dispone se entreguen a Miguel de Miranda las cabras y chivas, y 20 a la Cofradia, de que es mayordomo el Capitán Andres Gonzalez. Deudas: a Pedro de Almandos, a Francisco de Tremiño, al Capitán Agustin de Ortega, a Simon de Rebolledo, a quien tiene entregados 2,000 pesos, por conducto del Capitán Manuel Avalos de Bracamonte, quien la a de deducir 50 pesos que dio a un religioso de Zacatecas y 400 que el Capitán Francisco de la Peña dio a Avalos. Declara que tiene en los almacenes de la provincia de Coahuila 137 ½ fanegas de maiz. Que el señor obispo de Guadalajara dispondra su distribucion a las otras misiones, de que daran recibo los religiosos, para constancia, a los oficiales reales de Zacatecas. Bienes: "los que mi esposa e hijos dijeren" mas unas cosas y huertas en la plaza de la villa de la Monclova, sobre la cual impone una capellania de misas por su anima. Albaceas su esposa y Alonso, su hijo, a quien le encarga dictar otras clausulas que le tiene comunicadas. no habiendo autoridades, lo dicta ante Fray Pedro Fortunis, Fray Juan de Velasco, Sargento Juan Guerra, Jose Rodriguez, Jose Gutierrez, Pedro de la Garza y Cristobal Rodriguez. El General murio "anoche, 21 de dicho mes (de marzo), en la misma hacienda". Siguen al testamento los documentos siguientes: presentacion del testamento, por Alonso de Leon, nieto; declaraciones de Juan Guerra, y Pedro de la garza; declaraciones de legitimidad de testigos por el gobernador don Pedro Fernandez de la Ventoza; comision al Capitán Ignacio Guerra; y autos de inventarios, hechos en la hacienda de Nuestra Señora de Regla, jurisdiccion de Cadereyta." ... El documento fue redactado en Monterrey el 13 de marzo de 1691.

Vidas Ilustres by Clemente Rendón de la Garza ... General Alonso de Leon “El Mozo” ... http://blue.utb.edu/localhistory/bio.htm ... He was born in Villa de Cadereyta, Nuevo Leon in 1639. He was the son of Alonso de Leon y Josefa Gonzalez. His occupation was agriculture and livestock. He married Agustina Cantu and they had seven children, Alonso, Juan, Santiago, Ines, Mateo, Juana and Andres. In 1667 he was named Mayor of Cadereyta, position that he served for eight years. After that position Alonso was named “Encomendadero”, in which he help in the transformation of Indians to the catholic religion. During the period of 1668-82 he was known for the pacification of indians. In 1682 Alonso was named Sargento Mayor and by the end of that year governor of Nuevo Leon, position that he served until 1684. “El Mozo” wrote the book “Derrotero Diario y Demarcacion del Viaje”, in which he described the trip to the Bahia del Espiritu Santo looking for French settlers. In 1687 the Viceroy named Alonso governor of the Coahuila Republic with the mission to start new towns and once again help in the indian pacification. “El Mozo” headed other expeditions looking for French settlements and during those trips he named Rio Nueces, Rio Hondo, Rio del Leon, Rio Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe and Rio San Marcos. General Alonso de Leon died on March 21, 1691. The first exploration of “El Mozo”was the south of the Rio Grande. He was one of the first explorers in San Juan de los Esteros Hermosos (Matamoros) and the one that brought Fray Diego de Orozco who made possible the first mass in Matamoros.

Handbook of Texas Online, Donald E. Chipman, "De Leon, Alonso," accessed May 01, 2017, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fde06. ... "DE LEÓN, ALONSO (ca. 1639–1691). Alonso De León, the younger, Spanish explorer and governor, third son of Alonso De León and Josefa González, was born in Cadereyta, Nuevo León, in 1639 or 1640. At the age of ten he was sent to Spain, where he enrolled in school and prepared for a naval career. He joined the Spanish navy in 1657, but his service as a naval cadet was brief, for he had returned to Nuevo León by 1660. Over the next two decades he led a series of entradas that traversed the northeast coast of New Spain as well as the banks of the Río de San Juan. By the 1680s De León had become a seasoned outdoorsman and successful entrepreneur. In 1682 he petitioned the viceroy of New Spain for a franchise to work salt deposits along the Río de San Juan, open trade with neighboring settlements, and search for mines. Those efforts netted a fifteen-year concession. When news that the French had founded a settlement on the northern Gulf Coast reached New Spain in the mid-1680s, De León was a logical choice to lead overland efforts aimed at finding the foreign interlopers and extirpating their colony. ... In all, he led four expeditions between 1686 and 1689. His initial reconnaissance followed the Río de San Juan to its confluence with the Rio Grande. After striking the larger river, Don Alonso marched along the right bank to the coast and then turned southward toward the Río de las Palmas (the Río Soto la Marina). This effort yielded no conclusive evidence that Frenchmen had visited the region. His second expedition set out in February 1687. This entrada forded the Rio Grande, probably near the site of present Roma-Los Saenz, and followed the left bank to the coast. De León then marched up the Texas coast to the environs of Baffin Bay but again found no evidence of Frenchmen. The third expedition, launched in May 1688, was in response to news that a white man dwelled among Indians in a ranchería (temporary settlement) to the north of the Rio Grande. That effort resulted in the capture of Jean Jarry, a naked, aged, and confused Frenchman. The fourth expedition left Coahuila on March 27, 1689, with a force of 114 men, including chaplain Damián Massanet, soldiers, servants, muleteers, and the French prisoner, Jarry. On April 22 De León and his party discovered the ruins of the French settlement, Fort St. Louis, on the banks of Garcitas Creek. ... In 1687 De Léon became governor of Coahuila. Three years later he and Massanet cooperated in founding the first Spanish mission in East Texas, San Francisco de los Tejas, at a site in the environs of present Augusta, Texas. De León, an honest soldier and an early pathfinder in Spanish Texas, left the future Lone Star State for the last time in July 1690. He is credited with being an early advocate for the establishment of missions along the frontier, and he blazed much of the Old San Antonio Road on his expeditions. He returned to Coahuila and died there on March 20, 1691. His survivors included his wife, Agustina Cantú, four sons, and two daughters. His descendants still reside in the Mexican state of Nuevo León."

Wikipedia ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alonso_de_Le%C3%B3n ... Alonso de León ... "De León trained in Spain for a naval career and joined the Spanish navy in 1657. By 1660 he had returned to Nuevo León, where he became a frequent leader of exploratory parties as well as an entrepreneur, most notably in salt mining."

Notes for GENERAL ALONSO DE LEON-GONZALEZ ... http://deleonfamilytree.blogspot.com/2009/01/de-len-cant-del-ro.html ... His report "Relacion de mi viaje a la Bahia de San Bernardo, dirigida al Exmo. Sr. visrey de N. E., Conde de Galves" (1689), is kept in manuscript in the archives of the council of the Indies. Besides this there are in manuscript in the library of the University of Mexico "Diarios de Alonso de Leon" (1689) and "Relacion y Discursos del descubrimiento, poblacion y pacificacion del Nuevo Reino de Leon, temperamento y calidad de la tierra, dirigidos For Alonso de Leon al Illmo. St. Du Juan de Manosca, Inquisidor del Santo Oficio de la N. E. ano de 1690."

GEDCOM Note

Don Alonso de Leon, the younger, Spanish explorer and governor, thirdson of Alonso De León and Josefa Gonzalez, was born in Cadereyta,Nuevo Leon, in 1639 or 1640. At the age of ten he was sent to Spain,where he enrolled in school and prepared for a naval career. He joinedthe Spanish navy in 1657, but his service as a naval cadet was brief,for he had returned to Nuevo León by 1660. Over the next two decadeshe led a series of entradas that traversed the northeast coast of NewSpain as well as the banks ofthe Rio de San Juan. By the 1680s DeLeon had become a seasoned outdoorsman and successful entrepreneur. In1682 he petitioned the viceroy of New Spain for a franchise to worksalt deposits along the Rio de San Juan, open trade with neighboringsettlements, and search for mines. Those efforts netted a fifteen-yearconcession.

Toward the end of 1688 the Count of Galvez, on assuming the governmentof New Spain, was informed that some French adventurers had formedestablishments on the coast of Texas, and he ordered Leon to go withan expedition, accompanied by a geographer and interpreter, to that,coast. Accordingly the latter set out in the beginning of 1689, andafter a long march through the desert arrived at the Bay of SanBernardo, or Espiritu Santo, where he found a partly constructed fort,but no signs of the French settlers. Hearing from friendly Indiansthat five of them were with a neighboring tribe in search of workmen,Leon sent a detachment to capture them, and after several days theforce returned with two of the French adventurers, Jacques Grollet andJean L'Archeveque, the others having fled. He established a garrison,or presidio, and returned to Monclova, the capital of Coahuila,despatching the two Frenchmen to Mexico, whence the viceroy sent themto Spain, recommending measures to secure the coast against theFrench. A royal order came to establish more presidios and missions inTexas, and Leon was sent in 1691 for this purpose; but he sooppressed the Indians that there was a general rising in 1693, andnearly all the missions were destroyed. Leon was now recalled andretired to New Leon, where he founded the town of Cadereita, and diedthere. His report "Relacion de mi viaje a la Bahia de San Bernardo,dirigida al Exmo. Sr. visrey de N. E., Conde de Galves" (1689), iskept in manuscript in the archives of the council of the Indies.Besides this there are in manuscript in the library of the Universityof Mexico "Diarios de Alonso de Leon" (1689) and "Relacion y Discursosdel descubrimiento, poblacion y pacificacion del Nuevo Reino de Leon,temperamento y calidad de la tierra, dirigidos For Alonso de Leon alIllmo. St. Du Juan de Manosca, Inquisidor del Santo Oficio de la N.E.ano de 1690. "In all, he had led four expeditions between 1686 and1689. His initial reconnaissance followed the Rio de San Juan to itsconfluence with the Rio Grande. After striking the larger river, DonAlonso marched along the right bank to the coast and then turnedsouthward toward the RÃƯo de las Palmas (the RÃƯo Soto la Marina).This effort yielded no conclusive evidence that Frenchmen had visitedthe region. His second expedition set out in February 1687. Thisentrada forded the Rio Grande, probably near the site of present RomaLos Saenz, and followed the left bank to the coast. De León thenmarched up the Texas coast to the environs of Baffin Bay but againfound no evidence of Frenchmen. The third expedition, launched in May1688, was in response to news that a white man dwelled among Indiansin a rancheria (temporary settlement) to the north of the Rio Grande.On May 19, 1688 he headed the expedition to find and arrest thefrenchman, Captain Monsieur Juan Jarri known to history as Jean Henri.That effort resulted in the capture of Jean Jarri, a naked, aged, andconfused Frenchman. The fourth expedition left Coahuila on March 27,1689, with a force of 114 men, including chaplain Damian Massanet,soldiers, servants, muleteers, and the French prisoner, Jarry. OnApril 22 De León and his party discovered the ruins of the Frenchsettlement, Fort St. Louis, on the banks of Garcitas Creek.

In 1687 De Léon became governor of Coahuila. Three years later he andMassanet cooperated in founding the first Spanish mission in EastTexas. Taking command of the Presidio San Francisco de los Tejas onOctober 18, 1687, he reviewed his small force of soldiers. Some of hismen who passed in review would later become the first Spaniards tosettle in San Antonio in 1715. De León, an honest soldier and anearly pathfinder in Spanish Texas, left the future Lone Star State forthe last time in July 1690. He is credited with being an earlyadvocate for the establishment of missions along the frontier, and heblazed much of the Old San Antonio Road on his expeditions. On August12, 1689, he founded Villa de Santiago de la Monclova. His will wassigned in 1691 and on March 20, 1691, he died a natural death in thevilla de Pilon (Montemorelos), Nuevo Leon, Mexico. His survivorsincluded his wife, Dona Agustina Cantú, four sons, and two daughters.His descendants still reside in the Mexican state of Nuevo León.

He wrote the book titled "Historia de Nuevo Leon". Source:GallantOurcasts, Texas Trumoil 15191734, by Ben Cuellar Ximenes. Texas andNortheastern Mexico, 1630-1690 by Juan Bautista Chapa. _CRE DATE 30 SEP 2016 TIME 13:28:00

GEDCOM Note

Notes for GENERAL ALONSO DE LEON-GONZALEZ:

Don Alonso de León, the younger, Spanish explorer and governor, third son of Alonso De León and Josefa González, was born in Cadereyta, Nuevo León, in 1639 or 1640. At the age of ten he was sent to Spain, where he enrolled in school and prepared for a naval career. He joined the Spanish navy in 1657, but his service as a naval cadet was brief, for he had returned to Nuevo León by 1660. Over the next two decades he led a series of entradas that traversed the northeast coast of New Spain as well as the banks of the Río de San Juan. By the 1680s De León had become a seasoned outdoorsman and successful entrepreneur. In 1682 he petitioned the viceroy of New Spain for a franchise to work salt deposits along the Río de San Juan, open trade with neighboring settlements, and search for mines. Those efforts netted a fifteen-year concession.

Toward the end of 1688 the Count of Galvez, on assuming the government of New Spain, was informed that some French adventurers had formed establishments on the coast of Texas, and he ordered Leon to go with an expedition, accompanied by a geographer and interpreter, to that, coast. Accordingly the latter set out in the beginning of 1689, and after a long march through the desert arrived at the Bay of San Bernardo, or Espiritu Santo, where he found a partly constructed fort, but no signs of the French settlers. Hearing from friendly Indians that five of them were with a neighboring tribe in search of workmen, Leon sent a detachment to capture them, and after several days the force returned with two of the French adventurers, Jacques Grollet and Jean L'Archeveque, the others having fled. He established a garrison, or presidio, and returned to Monclova, the capital of Coahuila, despatching the two Frenchmen to Mexico, whence the viceroy sent them to Spain, recommending measures to secure the coast against the French. A royal order came to establish more presidios and missions in Texas, and Leon was sent in 1691 for this purpose; but he so oppressed the Indians that there was a general rising in 1693, and nearly all the missions were destroyed. Leon was now recalled and retired to New Leon, where he founded the town of Cadereita, and died there. His report "Relacion de mi viaje a la Bahia de San Bernardo, dirigida al Exmo. Sr. visrey de N. E., Conde de Galves" (1689), is kept in manuscript in the archives of the council of the Indies. Besides this there are in manuscript in the library of the University of Mexico "Diarios de Alonso de Leon" (1689) and "Relacion y Discursos del descubrimiento, poblacion y pacificacion del Nuevo Reino de Leon, temperamento y calidad de la tierra, dirigidos For Alonso de Leon al Illmo. St. Du Juan de Manosca, Inquisidor del Santo Oficio de la N. E. ano de 1690."

In all, he had led four expeditions between 1686 and 1689. His initial reconnaissance followed the Río de San Juan to its confluence with the Rio Grande. After striking the larger river, Don Alonso marched along the right bank to the coast and then turned southward toward the Río de las Palmas (the Río Soto la Marina). This effort yielded no conclusive evidence that Frenchmen had visited the region. His second expedition set out in February 1687. This entrada forded the Rio Grande, probably near the site of present Roma-Los Saenz, and followed the left bank to the coast. De León then marched up the Texas coast to the environs of Baffin Bay but again found no evidence of Frenchmen. The third expedition, launched in May 1688, was in response to news that a white man dwelled among Indians in a ranchería (temporary settlement) to the north of the Rio Grande. On May 19, 1688 he headed the expedition to find and arrest the frenchman, Captain Monsieur Juan Jarri known to history as Jean Henri. That effort resulted in the capture of Jean Jarri, a naked, aged, and confused Frenchman. The fourth expedition left Coahuila on March 27, 1689, with a force of 114 men, including chaplain Damián Massanet, soldiers, servants, muleteers, and the French prisoner, Jarry. On April 22 De León and his party discovered the ruins of the French settlement, Fort St. Louis,qv on the banks of Garcitas Creek.

In 1687 De Léon became governor of Coahuila. Three years later he and Massanet cooperated in founding the first Spanish mission in East Texas. Taking command of the Presidio San Francisco de los Tejas on October 18, 1687, he reviewed his small force of soldiers. Some of his men who passed in review would later become the first Spaniards to settle in San Antonio in 1715. De León, an honest soldier and an early pathfinder in Spanish Texas, left the future Lone Star State for the last time in July 1690. He is credited with being an early advocate for the establishment of missions along the frontier, and he blazed much of the Old San Antonio Road on his expeditions. On August 12, 1689, he founded Villa de Santiago de la Monclova. His will was signed in 1691 and on March 20, 1691, he died a natural death in the villa de Pilon (Montemorelos), Nuevo Leon, Mexico. His survivors included his wife, Dona Agustina Cantú, four sons, and two daughters. His descendants still reside in the Mexican state of Nuevo León.

He wrote the book titled "Historia de Nuevo Leon".

Source:Gallant Ourcasts, Texas Trumoil 1519-1734, by Ben Cuellar Ximenes.

Texas and Northeastern Mexico, 1630-1690 by Juan Bautista Chapa.