Mission San José and the Road to Secularization, Part 2: Post-1794

By Cristóbal López

1823 Secularization

Day to day life for residents at Mission San José following the distribution of temporal possessions in 1794 remains generally unclear. However, one known aspect of mission life after 1794 was the changing of population demographics. In December of 1804, Bernardino Vallejo, president of the Texas missions, recorded a total population of 73 residents at Mission San José, revealing a decrease of 38 indigenous residents from the 1794 census.¹ The most significant change occurred in 1815 when Vallejo recorded another census, which showed a drop of Indigenous residents to 49 while the population of citizens of New Spain rose to 60.² This was the first-time citizens of New Spain outnumbered Indigenous residents at the mission. The reason behind the population change remains unclear. However, one possibility could be that Indigenous residents sold their properties to citizens of New Spain and moved away from the mission.

Social structures at Mission San José also changed alongside the population. In January of 1818, Fray Francisco Frexes, missionary at Mission San José, wrote to Texas Governor José Antonio Martinez that the Indigenous residents were reluctant to fill traditional servant roles. According to Fray Frexes, Antonio Huizar, Spanish Alcalde at the mission, told an Indigenous resident who offered to gather wood for the missionary that he was no longer obligated to serve the missionaries. Huizar also ordered that property belonging to the mission residents not to be used to serve the missionary.³ Although Huizar did not state why he instructed the Indigenous residents to no longer serve the missionaries, it may be assumed that he viewed the Indigenous residents as Spanish citizens, which was the goal of the mission.

Painting of Mission San José by Edward Everett, c. 1847. Note the dwelling in the painted to the left of the church.

Courtesy of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art.

With Mission San José’s temporal possessions under the ownership of the mission’s Indigenous residents, complete secularization of the mission was on the horizon. The first order for the complete secularization of the missions in New Spain came in 1813 under the request of Bishop Don José Ventura Cabello. On September 13, 1813, the Spanish crown ordered all missions in the Americas that had been in operation for over ten years to be turned over to local clergy. Ferdinand VII halted the decree after his return to the Spanish throne in 1814 but resumed it under political pressure on January 20, 1821.

The Mexican War for Independence briefly stalled the secularization of the Texas missions as resources and attention had to be allocated to the war. However, with Mexico gaining its independence during the fall of 1821, many changes awaited Texas. On September 15, 1823, the Secretary of State in Mexico informed the local government in San Antonio that the Mexican government was to carry out the 1813 secularization decree, which required all missions being operated for over ten years to be turned over to local clergy.⁴

Throughout the months of October and November in 1813, Fray Diaz de Leon, President of the San Antonio missions, acknowledged the decree to secularize the missions. However, he argued that he could not complete the process without direct orders from his superiors at the College of Zacatecas.⁵ Despite his requests, the National Congress in Mexico did not allow Diaz to wait for representatives from the college and ordered him to move forward with the secularization of the San Antonio missions. Thus, Mission San José was fully secularized at the end of 1823.

The 1823 secularization raises questions about the 1794 relinquishing of temporal possessions. The 1823 inventory indicated that missionaries still considered farmland and dwellings property of the church, suggesting Indigenous residents lacked deeds or proper documentation from 1794 to validate their property claims. Despite this, a detailed inventory of mission property was conducted for distribution to Indigenous residents and those seeking vacant mission property.

The aftermath of secularization resembled a land grab, drawing Hispanic and non-Indigenous residents from greater San Antonio to Mission San José, resulting in successful acquisitions. Following complete secularization, some Indigenous residents vacated their homes and moved away from the mission. Researchers have found the names of families with ties to Mission San José in counties south of Bexar County following 1824. However, there has been no in-depth study of the diaspora of Mission San José’s Indigenous residents after secularization.

Mission San José's trajectory during the 19th century is characterized by shifts and challenges. While post-1794 records remain sparse, the changes in population dynamics and social structures offer insights into the mission's journey. The secularization in 1823 introduced unforeseen complexities, exposing the absence of formal documentation for Indigenous property claims, and triggering a period of land acquisition. Consequently, Mission San José evolved from a symbol of Spanish colonization into a diverse community. The unraveling of these historical complexities not only expands our comprehension of Texas history but also underscores the nuanced legacy of Mission San José.

¹ Fr. Bernardino Vallejo: Noticia de las Misiones de Texas, December 31, 1804, San José Papers Part 2, 1791-1809, SAMNHPL, 233.

² Fr. Bernardino Vallejo: Report on the Texas Mission, February 11, 1815, San José Papers Part 3, 1810-1824, SAMNHPL, 22.

³ Fr. Francisco Frexes to Gov. Martinez, January 1, 1818, San José Papers Part 3, 1810-1824, SAMNHPL, 48-49.

⁴ Ivey, Of Various Magnificence, 433.

⁵ Fr. Diaz de Leon to Political Chief José Antonio Saucedo, November 3, 1823, San José Papers Part 3, 1810-1824, SAMNHPL, 121.

Did you read Part 1? If not, you can find Mission San José and the Road to Secularization, Part 1: 1794 here.