Prudencio de Orobio Y Basterra was a

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

merchant A merchant is a person who trades in goods produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Merchants have been known for as long as humans have engaged in trade and commerce. Merchants and merchant networks operated i ...

, landowner and

soldier A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a Conscription, conscripted or volunteer Enlisted rank, enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, a warrant officer, or an Officer (armed forces), officer. Etymology The wo ...

who served as the Interim Governor of

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

between 1737 and 1740–41 and Mayor of Parras de la Fuente, in

Coahuila Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Coahuila de Zaragoza, is one of the 31 states of Mexico. The largest city and State Capital is the city of Saltillo; the second largest is Torreón and the thi ...

(in modern Mexico).

Early life

Initially, Orobio was owner of several

Haciendas A ''hacienda'' ( or ; or ) is an estate (or '' finca''), similar to a Roman ''latifundium'', in Spain and the former Spanish Empire. With origins in Andalusia, ''haciendas'' were variously plantations (perhaps including animals or orchards) ...

(estates) in

Saltillo Saltillo () is the capital and largest city of the northeastern Mexican state of Coahuila and is also the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name. Mexico City, Monterrey, and Saltillo are all connected by a major railroad and high ...

(in present

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

), particularly those of Santa María and Mesillas, although he delivered them to a Captain of the Spanish army, Juan de Tameo, in 1707, "with ten small livestock sites, two major cattle herds and ten of Cavalry". Orobio joined the

Spanish Army The Spanish Army () is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest Standing army, active armies – dating back to the late 15th century. The Spanish Army has existed ...

during his youth, where he was promoted to Coronel.

Official

He left the military when the governor of

Nueva Vizcaya, New Spain Nueva Vizcaya (''New Biscay'', ) was the first province in the north of New Spain to be explored and settled by the Spanish. It consisted mostly of the area which is today the states of Chihuahua and Durango and the southwest of Coahuila in Mexic ...

, appointed him '' Alcalde Mayor'' (mayor) of Parras de la Fuente,

(modern Mexico). In 1737 he was appointed Governor of the province of Texas by the governor of

Nuevo Leon Nuevo is the Spanish word for "new". It may refer to: * Nuevology, California, a town in California, United States * Nuevo (band), featuring singer and musician Peter Godwin * Nuevo (Bayamón), a settlement in Puerto Rico * "Nuevo", Spanish-langu ...

José Fernández de Jáuregui y Urrutia, who had investigated the mismanagement of Governor Carlos B. Franquis de Lugo in Texas. Little is known about his administration. Osorio reportedly tried to fix all the damage that Franquis de Lugo had done to the missions of

San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...

. In 1739, an epidemic broke out in Texas, but Prudencio managed to survive. After that, the missions grew and the first stone buildings were built in these locations. OROBIO Y BASTERRA, PRUDENCIO DE, The Handbook of Texas
Retrieved in July 7, 2014, to 02:20 pm. Posted by Marion A. Habig, O.F.M. After April 1738, the governor devised military campaigns against the Apache settlements. However, even after signing peace agreements with the Apaches, assaults and "depredations" of this people in Texas continued between June 1738 and September 1739. Places such as the around San Antonio and the port of Cíbolo were attacked by them. Volume 1 (in Spanish: Resistance movements and indigenous rebellions in northern of Mexico, Volume 1). He traded with the French, but the settlers complained about it, as trade with the French was illegal. However, when he heard that the French were trading at lower Trinity or that perhaps they were tried to settle there, in Spanish territory, he sent expeditions to find them, but these failed. Later, he pursued them until he understood that they merely were trying to earn a few pesos in the forest like any other civilization that was there. In 1739, Governor Orobio y Basterra named modern Port Aransas as "Aránzazu Pass" on a map he elaborated, because it served Aránzazu fort. Orobio left office between 1740 and 1741, replaced by

Tomás Felipe de Winthuisen Tomás Felipe de Winthuisen (aka Thomás Phelipe) was governor of the Spanish Texas, Province of Texas from 1741 to 1743. Career He was born in the early eighteenth century, but little is known about his life. He was appointed governor of the ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Basterra, Prudencio de Orobio y Governors of Spanish Texas 1730s in Texas 1740s in Texas