Records of the Presidio de San Felipe y Santiago de Janos

The Janos Presidio records were donated to the Benson Latin American Collection in the 1940s by J. Evetts Haley, who had received them from an unknown Mexican general. They were described by the Benson's Mexican Archives Project in April 1995.

The physical extent of the records is nine linear feet. The materials are in Spanish; their bulk dates are 1706-1858. The records have been partially microfilmed. A partial calendar of documents dated 1707-1828 is available in Rare Books Reference.

The suggested citation for the Janos Presidio records is "Records of the Presidio de San Felipe y Santiago de Janos, 1706-1858, Benson Latin American Collection, General Libraries, University of Texas at Austin."

Circa 1580 the town of Janos, Chihuahua, was founded by Franciscan missionaries. In 1680 its mission was destroyed in raids by Apaches and other Indians. As a consequence, a presidio, or military outpost, was established at Janos in 1686; the mission was repopulated in 1717 with Janos and Jocomes Indians. A "peace establishment" was formed to integrate Apaches into the settlement. From Janos Presidio and other presidios in the area, the Spanish military continued intermittently to make peace and do battle with the Apaches.

In 1771 Hugo Oconor (Hugh O'Connor) took over command of the northern frontier and conducted large campaigns against the Apaches. Other military personnel involved in the war with the Apaches included Teodoro de Croix, Diego Borica, Juan Bautista Perú, Narciso de Tapia, Joseph Antonio Rengel, Jacobo Ugarte y Loyola, Roque de Medina, and Antonio Cordero y Bustamente. Apache leaders included Chafalote, El Zurdo (Inclan), Pachatijú, Natanijú, El Compá, and Squielnoctero.

From 1790 to 1831 a relative degree of peace was attained. In 1791 Pedro de Nava was appointed Commandant General of Janos. As Spain's influence in Mexico waned, the administration of presidios weakened, and Mexico's relations with Indian tribes deteriorated. In 1831 an Apache uprising began, and Apaches within the peace establishment abandoned Janos. Many returned in the 1840s. By 1854 the United States had appropriated a large portion of the territory that had been under the jurisdiction of the Janos Presidio. In 1858 the last of the peaceful Apaches at Janos left, and the presidio was closed.

1540	first encounter of Apaches and Spaniards during the Francisco Vázquez de Coronado expedition
1580	town of Janos founded by Franciscan missionaries. They were killed soon afterwards.
1680	the Great Pueblo Revolt. Apaches destroyed the mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Janos.
1686	establishment of Janos Presidio under the orders of Juan Fernández de la Fuente
ca. 1704	peace treaty between Spaniards and Janos and Jocomes Indians
1717	The mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Janos was re-established and populated with Janos and Jocomes Indians.
1750s	Janos records of encounters with Apaches became more detailed.
1760	Manuel de la Torre's military campaign against the Apaches. Chief Chafalote was killed.
1762	Two of Chief Chafalote's sons were killed.
176-	investigative visit of Visitador José de Gálvez, minister of the Indies
176-	investigative visit of Marqués de Rub’, inspector of presidios
1768	Rub’'s Dictámenes on development of policy toward hostile Indians was issued.
1768	Gileños Chafalotes band made peace in Albuquerque.
1769	Lope de Cuéllar launched expedition against the Apaches.
1770	Bernardo de Gálvez arrived in Chihuahua and tried to drive out the Apaches, causing serious retaliatory attacks.
1771	Companies from Janos and San Buenaventura fought Apaches for six days at Sierra de la Boca.
1772	The Reglamento de 1772 was issued. Hugo Oconor took over command of the northern frontier.
1772	About 200 Apaches attacked Janos Presidio.
Dec. 1772	Apaches leaders went to Janos and San Buenaventura to petition for peace.
April 1773	Oconor led expedition into Lipan country.
?, 1773	Janos was surrounded by Apaches.
Fall, 1773	Oconor led expedition against Mescaleros and Natajés.
Jan. 10, 1774	Oconor inspected the troops in Janos and sent commander Juan Perú on an expedition to Sierra del Hacha.
Jan. 1774-Nov. 1775	Oconor waged war against the Apaches, causing Apache retaliatory attacks to increase.
Jan. 27, 1774	Apaches attacked Janos.
Sept. 1774	Apaches battled the Third Flying Company in Janos jurisdiction. Commander Manuel Esteban Alegre was one of the fatalities.
Spring, 1776	Captain Antonio Esparza was among those killed in Apache retaliatory attacks.
1776	creation of the Comandancia General. Teodoro de Croix was selected as the first commandant general, replacing commandant inspector Hugo Oconor's command of the northern frontier.
1777	Apache leaders El Zurdo (Inclan), Pachatijú, and Natanijú attempted to negotiate peace with Narciso de Tapia and other Janos officials.
1786	Bernardo de Gálvez issued his Instrucción.
end of 1786	Antonio Cordero assumed command of Janos from Juan Perú.
1787	El Zurdo (Inclan) left the Janos area.
Spring 1787	Manuel Antonio Flores became viceroy of New Spain.
1788	Pachatijú was captured and removed from the Janos area.
1788	Chiricagui chief El Compá alligned with the Spaniards.
Oct. 1789	Flores retired as viceroy.
Dec. 1789	Chief Squielnoctero and his family sought peace at Janos.
1790	Ojos Colorados made peace with the Spaniards.
1791	Pedro de Nava became commandant general.
1792	Manta Negra the Elder made peace with the Spaniards and lived at Janos for nine months.
1794	death of El Compá
1795	Janos administration tried to get Apaches at Janos to return to the hinterlands.
1803 or 4	Spaniards founded Santa Rita del Cobre in Apache territory.
1821	Mexican independence
1821-1831	continuation of the administration of the peace establishment at Janos
1830	Apache leaders Juan Diego, Pisago Cabezón, Chirimi, Feroz, and Costilla de Hueso requested the Janos commander to increase their rations.
1831	The Mexican system of distributing rations was ended.
1831	The Apaches left Janos and other peace establishments.
1831-1834	Apache uprising and collapse of peace establishments in Chihuahua and Sonora
Oct. 1831	Chihuahua Commandant General José Joaqu’n Calvo declared war on Apaches.
Aug. 1832	Twenty-nine Apache leaders concluded a treaty with Captain José Ignacio Ronquillo. Juan José Compá was made paramount chief of the Apaches and set up his headquarters in Janos.
Jan. 1833	Hostilities resumed.
July 1833	Captain José Mar’a Zuloaga battled Apaches at Laguna de la Ascensión.
Oct. 1834	Apache leader Tutije was captured by Mexicans.
Nov. 1834	Twenty Apache leaders, including Juan José Compá, proposed peace.
April 1835	A peace treaty was ratified and signed by Juan José Compá and 16 other Apache leaders. Soon hostilities resumed.
June-Oct. 1836	Sonorans waged campaigns against Apaches.
1836	The garrison at Janos was moved to Santa Rita del Cobre, and the Galeana garrison moved to Janos.
Sept. 1836	Pisago Cabezón tried to make peace with Commander Mariano Ponce de León at Santa Rita del Cobre.
Oct. 1836	Residents of Santa Rita assaulted 5 Apache women and two men who went to the town to trade. One woman and the two men were killed.
Dec. 1836	The Santa Rita mine was shut down.
April 1837	North American John Johnson's expedition massacred Apache leaders Juan José Compá, Juan Diego, Marcelo, and others. Mangas Coloradas retaliated against North Americans. Sonorans under Lieutenant Sebastián Reyes ambushed Apaches in Chihuahua.
Oct. 1837	Apaches increased their raids around Janos.
Dec. 1839	Chihuahua governor Irigoyen de la O contracted Santiago (James) Kirker to fight Apaches.
Jan. 1840	Kirker attacked an encampment of Apaches involved in peace negotiations.
March 1840	Kirker attacked an Apache camp at Laguna de Santa Mar’a.
1840	Kirker illegally abducted Pisago Cabezón's son Marcelo during peace negotiations. Attempts to negotiate peace between Janos and Apache leader Pisago Cabezón failed.
1841	Pisago Cabezón's son Marcelo was released and sent to Janos.
1842	Apaches again took up residence in Janos. A peace treaty was concluded with Gileño Apaches at Janos. Manuel was chosen as new Apache "general" to take Pisago Cabezón's place.
1844-1845	Apaches left the peace establishments in part due to smallpox outbreaks.
1846-1848	Mexican war with the United States
1849	Chihuahua state legislature approved bounty hunting for Apache scalps or captives.
1851	invasion of Janos by Sonoran troops under José Mar’a Carrasco looking for Apache refugees and stolen livestock
1854	Gadsen purchase
April 1856	The Commandancy General issued instructions for the consolidation of frontier military installations.
Jan. 1857	Láceres, Poncito, Felipe, and Pascolo and their people solicited peace at Janos.
Nov. 1857	Michael Steck, United States Indian agent at Fort Thorn, reported that Mimbreño Apaches were returning from Janos poor, starving, grieving from the loss of many relatives, and showing symptoms of having been poisoned with arsenic.
1858	Apaches abandoned Janos. The Janos Presidio was closed down. The Janos garrison joined the garrison at San Elizario.

Sources for Biographical Sketch and Chronology:

Enciclopedia de México. México: Compañ’a Editora de Enciclopedia de México, 1987.

Griffen, William, B. Apaches at War and Peace : The Janos Presidio, 1750-1858. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico, 1988.

Correspondence, reports, financial documents, records of marriages and baptisms, decrees and other official documents, and assorted materials pertaining to the history of Janos and the military and civilian persons within its jurisdiction, including the Apaches and other Indians; and to administration of the presidio.

Correspondence includes letters of Juan Gutiérrez de la Cueva, José Antonio Rengel, Pedro de Nava, Diego de Borica, Teodoro Caballero de Croix, Antonio Bonilla, Juan Bautista Perú, Narciso de Tapia, Hugo Oconor, Jacobo Ugarte y Loyola, Antonio Cordero y Bustamente, Pedro de Mata Biñolas, Antonio Narbona, Nicolás de Almanza, Nemesio Salcedo, Simón El’as González, José Mar’a de Tovar, José Ronquillo, Cristóbal Dom’nguez, Francisco Garc’a Conde, and Roque de Medina. Also included are official circular letters.

Reports pertain to reviews of the troops, equipment, and supplies; issuance of rations; Indians living in the peace establishment; criminals imprisoned at the presidio; and military encounters and other events. Financial documents include both presidio and individual accounts of income and expenses. Among the assorted documents are instructions and orders, regulations, inventories of military and church properties, diaries, records of military service, censuses, and lists of school students.

The Janos Presidio records were arranged in chronological order and divided into folders and sections of folders by earlier library staff. In July 1954 Frederick M. Woods completed a partial calendar of the documents. The Mexican Archives Project staff completed the processing of the collection in April 1995.

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