Notes: Testimony of Laureano Fernandez Calvo given at Bananchi, October 1, 1754
AGI, Guadalajara 419, 3m-10, pp. 48-49
I testify and confirm that in the year of 1751 on the 20th of November, night had already fallen when the Pimas of the Village of Saric, where I was living for the season in the service of the father missionary of the said village, rose up in rebellion. Father Juan Nentvig, who was the missionary at the time, having received a note from Father Jacobo Sedelmayr advising him of the impending uprising of his village, left there that night and went to Tubutama without my knowing about it. Not knowing where the father was and seeing that I could not find him, I went to the house of Captain General Luis Saric, where my wife had taken refuge because the Pimas had spread the word that the Apaches were about to attack the village.
Because I had confidence in the said Luis as my compadre, I arrived at his house and, having greeted him, he said to me, “There is no remedy for this. I am already in rebellion. I am already lost.” He said these words at the same time he was taking up his arms. Having armed himself, he asked me if the father was in his house, to which I responded, “It would appear so.” Having heard this, Luis, followed by many other Indians proceeded with me to the house of Father Nentvig. When we arrived there, they went in to look for the said father. When they did not find him, Captain Luis called me a liar and said that, indeed, my having said the father was in his house was a false statement. Because of that he was mad at me. He fired several arrows at me, from which I was able to shield myself behind a door which I kept closed.
Then Captain Luis made a loud outcry and a great many Indians converged on the scene. They then went with him to his house and set fire to it, burning it to the ground with my wife and four little children inside. They also burned to death in the same house my sister-in-law with her four or five children, and some other people.
While Luis’ house was burning I sneaked out of Father Nentvig’s house to try to save my own life and fled from the village of Saric while my wife and children perished in that fire. |
