Intro
The following has been published in Volume III, Issue 1 (March 1983) of the Nacogdoches Genealogical Society's Yesterdays newsletter. This newsletter is dedicated to resources for genealogical research, and makes for interesting reading. Nacogdoches was very early on a Spanish colony in Texas, so quite a few families passed through this locale, before settling elsewhere.
Lucubichi
The following sketch of Jose Lucubichi is from the R.B. Blake's personal collection, maintained at the Ralph Steen Library of Stephen F. Austin State University. See the R.B. Blake Collection for further description. The sketch below can be found Bexar Archives Volume VI of the Supplementary volumes, Bexar Archives, and is republished in the Yesterdays newsletter, p.18-19. See the immigration section below for the regulation driving such "Life" sketches.
Life and activities of Jose Lucubichi, July 20, 1809
Sworn statement which I, Jose Lucubichi, make of my nativity and the rest that I shall state, in the following manner:
Jose Lucubichi, a native of the city of Syracuse, in Italy, from whence he left at the age of fifteen years, after his mother died, and that from his said country he left in a ship as a sailor, and went to the city of Cartagena, of the Levant, where he remained only one year, afterwards he again embarked on a Spanish warship, in which he went to Havana, continuing in the occupation of sailor, he was in said Havana one year and five months. Afterwards he went to the town of New Orleans, Province of Louisiana, where not having made any considerable stay, in a short time, not agreeing to continue in the occupation of a sailor, he decided to go and did go to the Post of Natchitoches, and from there successively he took up his journey toward this village of Nacogdoches, where his is living, and has been a citizen for the time of thirteen years, occupying himself in the work of a farmer, in which place he married Mauricia Mora, a native and citizen of said place, and by her he had had and has two legitimate children and three step-sons, which is the number of his family, and he remains married for the time of six years; and the deponent as well as his wife and family are of the Apostolic Roman Catholic religion. He has no other documents with which to accompany this his statement; and he says that as much as remains explained in this is the truth on which it is affirmed and ratified. He declares he is of the age of forty years.
And in order that is be certain he extends the present which he signed, Don Manual Bustamante and Senor Jose Damian Arocha, citizens of this place, being witnesses.
Village of Nacogdoches, July 20, 1809
Immigration
Bernardo Bonavía y Zapata was appointed military commander of Texas, still a Spanish territory, and a neighbor of Louisiana, which had been ceded to France in 1800 then sold to the United States to 1803. Bonavía took several actions to gain better control of his region, including the following immigration regulations:
The following is copied from p. 12 of the Yesterdays newsletter, itself copied from Mattie Austin Hatcher's The Opening of Texas to Foreign Settlement
Bonavia's Immigration Regulations, 1809
To be admitted into this province and into other provinces of the Kingdom, persons from Louisiana must show before the consule at New Orleans:
- That they were vassals of His Majesty during the time that Louisiana belonged to Spain. (they must also state) their religion, age, native country, condition, and employment or occupation, and the place in that province in which the were located. If foreigners, they must prove, in addition, the time they settled in that province and whether or not they have taken the oath of allegiance to the United States since it took possession.
- That the personal belongings they possessed in that province have been converted into money or, that being impossible, into produce or goods -- especially carpenter's, locksmith's, bricklayer's and laborer's tools, such as axes, hoes, and plows.
- That their removal to this province has been announced in that place for the purpose of settling up pending accounts and, likewise, they they do not honestly owe any person in that place.
- (they must show) what has been their mode of lie and customs as well has those of their families and slaves and shall prove that all are Roman Catholics.
All of the preceding points must be fully established in writing before the consul who shall prepare an affidavit in legal form and deliver it to the interested party in order that he may present himself with it on the frontier to the commandant of the nearest Spanish post, who shall examine the four articles to see if they are satisfactory. In this event (the commandant) shall grant a passport to the capital in case this be desired.
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