Tumacacori Mission Mines RE: Sister Micaela Molina Document

Hola amigos,

To support the Molina document dates, and refute the idea that good father Kino was the first and only Jesuit explorer to ever enter northern Pimeria, consider this;

Tucson founded about the year 1555 as is proven by the ancient records recently discovered among the archives of the San Xavier Cathedral was a Jesuit settlement long before the institution of San Augustine <Florida> in 1595 and Santa Fe <New Mexico> in 1605 in consequence is entitled to the honor of being the mother of cities so far the United States is concerned
<Annual report of the Department of the Interior, Part 2, By United States. Dept. of the Interior 1899, pp 264>

Kino's explorations are over a century after this date. I would again point out that we do NOT have all the records which existed at one time concerning the southwest US/northwest Mexico. Side note here but this same annual report also credits both father Kino and Salvatierra with being discoverers and first exploiters of the precious metals, as well as possibly discovering and mining the lead veins near Castle Dome.

I am not sure that Kino can be utterly acquitted of the "charge" of being involved in the mining, at least on some level. Kino himself mentioned the silver veins, and there is an odd passage which I will post here as well;


"The enterprise involves the reduction of the very extensive unknown North America the peace of all the interior the protection of the Califomias and the establishment of a resting place in the west for the sick on the voyage from Manila and to the eastward the trade and commerce with New France with well founded hopes of innumerable treasures for it lies in the latitude of Sonora and Pimeria provinces where there are veins of silver. Your royal Majesty Atlas of the two heavens has" <letter signed by "N C" included in Kino's historical memoir vol II, pp 74>

"CHAPTER IV THAT THERE ARE MINERAL LANDS In these new nations and new lands there are many good veins and mineral lands bearing gold and silver and in the neighborhood and even in sight of these new missions and new conversions some very good new mining camps of very rich silver ore are now being established."
<ibid, pp 266>

... and here is the odd passage I mentioned, quote

IV It is necessary for the missionary fathers to regale the mandarin in Great China with various gifts and presents in return for permission to preach our Holy Catholic Faith whereas as Father Daniel Angel who was rector visitor and missionary of Matape the commission as provincial which came to him from Rome found him dead was accustomed to say when some nations had failed to secure the fathers whom they requested here they asked him as they have asked me how much a father would cost in order that as in their simple discourse they put it with the silver which with their maize and mines they might assemble they could buy a missionary father to baptize them and minister to them for their eternal salvation.

The Amerindians had mines. I know this has been mentioned before, but it bears repeating - the Indios under the care of the padres, had mines of silver even before they had padres. When the padres arrived, do you suppose that they instantly ordered all work in the mines to cease, in order that they might herd cattle, mules and sheep, and to allow those mines to fall into disrepair?

The question of where the profits of these rich mines went is often raised by the apologists and skeptics; the same who ignore the fact that Jesuits, for all their personal vows of poverty, labored not for personal riches but for the church. Not so different from the Hare Krishnas that used to annoy folks in airports and other cults, in which the members live ascetic, spartan lifestyles and pool all the income they garner for their cult. The proceeds of Jesuit mines would have been used to ornament the mission churches and to send back to Rome. And they were used in that way!

The paucity of existing evidence in the form of silver and gold bars, candlesticks, crosses etc is likewise pointed to as proof the Jesuits never had any, yet where are the bells of their missions? Can anyone show me the bells from the 9 missions and 50 settlements in Sonora? Even the military camps had churches, which had bells - like Terrenate mentioned earlier which was not a mission yet had valuable things worth protecting from danger.

We could debate this issue ad nauseum, without being able to prove beyond all dispute either position. It is always possible to cry "fake" and "fraud" even if a cache of silver bars is found. Just remember this amigos, for the Jesuit claim to never have had any mines or hid any treasures, there must be zero evidence. Is that the case?

One more thing and I will close this very long post - we often discuss the Jesuits here, with little mention of the Franciscans. Remember that they too, were rounded up and sent out of Arizona, though at a later date <1827>. The Franciscans were somewhat less successful in their prospecting and mining in AZ, but they were well known for it in NM; nor are these the only padres we ought to research! Don't forget padre Manuel Lopez, <Augustinian> credited with being the first to mine placer gold in AZ in 1774 along the Quijotoa mountains. I would venture to say that a large chapter of Arizona's history is not to be found in history books.

Good luck and good hunting amigos, I hope you find the treasures that you seek.
Oroblanco
 

Infosponge,

Many thanks for the nudge into the correct direction. I knew I had seen the story before.

"At one point, Capt Manje wrote in a letter that the Jesuits were ignoring the Spiritual needs of the Spanish in preference of the Indians of Pimeria. Before you could say "lickety split" Capt Manje found himself in prison. He languished there for quite a while as a lesson about badmouthing the Order."

Mike,

The portion in bold is not accurate. On the other hand, he was arrested a second time, durration unknown. From what I have read, I don't think he remained in prison long. Prison was where you waited in those days, while they figured out if they had charges to press. In Manje's case, they never found anything to charge him with.

That's how I understand the situation. Could be wrong.

Take care,

Joe
 

cactusjumper,

You're more than welcome, but I believe you're mistaken about the rest of the story pertaining to Manje. Although I can't find my file at the moment and if my memory serves me right, Manje was not only arrested twice, he was brought before the Inquisition and all of his property was confiscated! I believe he served a total of 13 years in prison, 7 years the first time and 6 years the second time. You can find more information here, Herbert Eugene Bolton Papers, 1890-1953, bulk 1909-1951

Carton 27, Folder 3
296. Mange, Juan Mateo. Testimonio de autos de guerra. 1704
Physical Description: 8 p. Phot. 5 p. Tcpt.
Note
Source: Parral

Carton 27, Folder 4-5
297. [Expediente on the arrest, imprisonment, and trial of Juan Mateo Mange] (folder 1) 1707-1726
Physical Description: 104 p. Phot. 23 p. Tcpt. 225 p. Trsl.
Note
Source: Parral
Includes correspondence of Juan Fernández de Córdoba, Francisco Pacheco Zevallos, and Juan Mateo Mange; and depositions of many citizens.

Oversize Box 64
297. [Expediente on the arrest, imprisonment, and trial of Juan Mateo Mange] cont. (folder 2) 1707-1726

Good reading to all,

Infosponge
 

Infosponge,

As I said, I could be wrong.......but don't believe I am.

For not being able to find your file, I would say your memory is very impressive. Enough so, that I almost question my own conclusions. This is one of those things we will have to run to ground. It's something I look forward to, because I know I will come out the other side with more knowledge than I started with.

Thanks,

Joe
 

Infosponge,

I had read "Rim Of Christendom" twice, but it has been awhile. That's why I was pretty sure Manje was not in prison for long, the first time he was arrested. Since you were kind enough to supply the page numbers, I reread that portion of the book.

Bolton writes: "On or before January 21, 1708, at the mines of Basochuca, near Bacanuche, the arrest was made. On that day Zevallos went to Manje's residence and ordered Simon Romo de Bibar, Manje's agent, to list all of the General's property...........The General was still in Parral on April 27, but was no longer in jail." He was ordered back to jail for refusing to produce a letter, proving charges he made, to governor Cordova. ".....the length of his stay in jail-has not come to light."

Manje finished his manuscript on May 30, 1716 and it is obvious, to me, that he was not in prison at that time. That would mean that his total imprisonment lasted something less than 8 years. I believe it was considerably less than that.

Take care,

Joe Ribaudo
 

cactusjumper,

"Manje finished his manuscript on May 30, 1716 and it is obvious, to me, that he was not in prison at that time. That would mean that his total imprisonment lasted something less than 8 years."

Like I said if my memory serves me right "the first time he was arrested he spent 7 years in prison." It appears that Manje didn't learn his lesson from his first arrest, Manje was released for a while and then sent back to prison for 6 more years. At least that's the way I remember the story, but until I find my notes there's a chance I might be wrong.

Infosponge
 

cactusjumper said:
Infosponge,

I had read "Rim Of Christendom" twice, but it has been awhile. That's why I was pretty sure Manje was not in prison for long, the first time he was arrested. Since you were kind enough to supply the page numbers, I reread that portion of the book.

Bolton writes: "On or before January 21, 1708, at the mines of Basochuca, near Bacanuche, the arrest was made. On that day Zevallos went to Manje's residence and ordered Simon Romo de Bibar, Manje's agent, to list all of the General's property...........The General was still in Parral on April 27, but was no longer in jail." He was ordered back to jail for refusing to produce a letter, proving charges he made, to governor Cordova. ".....the length of his stay in jail-has not come to light."

Manje finished his manuscript on May 30, 1716 and it is obvious, to me, that he was not in prison at that time. That would mean that his total imprisonment lasted something less than 8 years. I believe it was considerably less than that.

Take care,

Joe Ribaudo

So Joe,

You don't think that eight years in prison for writing a letter stating that the Jesuit Priests were not meeting the Spiritual Needs of the Spanish Population in favor of the Indios is excessive? You don't think that was a STRONG example of the Order flexing its' muscles and making an example of Manje?

Come on now!

Best-Mike
 

gollum,

So Joe,

You don't think that eight years in prison for writing a letter stating that the Jesuit Priests were not meeting the Spiritual Needs of the Spanish Population in favor of the Indios is excessive? You don't think that was a STRONG example of the Order flexing its' muscles and making an example of Manje?

Come on now!

Best-Mike

When you consider that Manje was a General at the time of his arrest, it speaks volumes of the power the church wielded using the Inquisition!

Infosponge
 

Mike and Infosponge,

It was not the "Church" that arrested Manje. It was one man. I don't believe he spent eight years in prison. In fact, if you read the passage from "Rim Of Christendom", you will see that he was released the first time after only three months.

Eight years would have been "excessive".....by today's standards, but I don't believe he was locked up for that long. I wrote as much. Had the Order flexed it's muscles, he would not have been in jail for only three months. They released him because they had nothing to charge him with.

I would suggest you might want to reread that portion of the book a little closer. It is just as possible that I have read it wrong, so I expect you will quickly show me the error of my ways. :)

Manje was so angry with the first jailing, that he wrote a strong letter making his own charges, for which he stated he had proof. When asked to produce that proof, he refused. He was ordered imprisoned until the governor felt that he had been punished sufficiently for that refusal. No one knows how long that term lasted. Any claims, as far as I know, would be pure speculation.

The thirteen years that have been mentioned seems to be a product of that kind of speculation. It may be that someone else has confirmed that length of time but, looking at the timeline set down in Bolton's book, it could not have been more than eight years. My own speculation would be that it was much, much less.

Father Kino publicly supported his old friend through those times.

With Bolton's research material, if he couldn't come up with a number, I doubt anyone else could either. That being said, I could be wrong, as it's just my opinion based on what I have read.

One last thing: I don't believe the word "Inquisition" was used in this story. What I remember seeing was "investigation".

Take care,

Joe
 

Joe,

Almost every affront to the Church faced the Inquisition. In the New World it was not as dreadful as it was in Europe (Spain). It was also somewhat less powerful under Charles III. Charles III favored Church Reform and was fully behind the Enlightened Movement. The Jesuits aligned themselves with the Inquisitions as they believed the Enlightenment was watering down Catholicism. That was where the big rifts came in between the Jesuits and Charles III, which partially led to their suppression.

Just the fact that Manje was arrested all is a pretty big thing. After all, all he did was to express his concern that the Spanish Populace were not having their Spiritual needs met. Its not like he accused the Jesuits of worshiping Satan or eating babies. A simple observation of concern got him arrested, and whether he spent eight years or three months in prison is a pretty obvious statement by the Jesuit Order that anyone who speaks ill of them will pay a price.

Whether they could provide proof of anything Manje did wrong or not is inconsequential. The mere fact that on the word of a Jesuit, a Spanish General could be put in prison for nothing more than stating a concern, speaks volumes to me. Whether it was for three months or fifty years is picking gnat$hit out of pepper. It doesn't matter.

Best-Mike
 

Mike,

At the end of the chapter where Bolton writes of Manje's imprisonment, he gives us this:

"In reading this story of Manje, the Jesuits, and the bishop, one should not judge anybody concerned to harshly. They were parties to an inevitable conflict. The missionaries controlled the agricultural land and the Indian labor. Spanish settlers demanded part of the soil and the customary right to use forced Indian labor. As a question of morals, they were in a position analogous to that of the slaveholders of the Anglo-American Old South. The bishop of Durango was interested in tithes, but he could not legally collect them from Indians still in the missions. Bishop and settlers often united to hasten secularization. The Jesuits, to protect their wards from exploitation, stubbornly resisted. We honor them. But Manje, too, had given ample proof of upright, Christian citizenship."

IMHO, Bolton is providing us with an important lesson. Trying to judge the people of Mexico in those tumultuous times, from our own life experiences' is, often, an exercise in futility. They were all hard men, living in a hard land, and trying to survive hard times. No doubt their reasoning and actions seemed proper/right to them.......at the time.

Just my opinion.

Take care,

Joe
 

Joe,

What you posted is true, but my sole intent was to show that the Jesuits had a lot of power, and they used that power against anyone that they thought was any type of threat to the Order. General Manje was simply made an example of as a lesson to others who might be inclined to speak out against the Jesuits.

Once again, if the word of a Jesuit was enough to have a General in the Spanish Army imprisoned (doesn't matter for how long), that is a statement that speaks loudly and clearly to everyone.

Best-Mike
 

Mike,

I don't believe it will come as a big shock to anyone remotely familiar with Jesuit history......that they were "powerful" and used that power against their many enemies, or (even) perceived enemies. In those days if you had power, you used it. If you didn't, someone else would take it away from you and beat you to death with it.

Manje's writing might seem innocuous to you reading them today, but may very well have been considered seditious by those who held the reigns of power in those times. Keeping the native population under total control was considered essential to survival, and anything that might stir up their passions was considered dangerous.......to the extreme. The Jesuits had a right to feel paranoid. Believe that has backed up by written history.

When you come under a perceived attack on this or any other forum you, rightfully, strike back with all the power you are allowed by the site. There may even have been times when you might have taken a response that was considered excessive. You sir, are simply a modern-day Jesuit trying to hide his limited power, not that I disagree with that, but it's better to put people like "Wild Bill" in his place quickly rather than let him steal any of your power. Who knows how the natives will react to his accusations and assertions.

The Jesuits had much more to loose than you or I do. Words put their lives on the line. Our reputations are the only thing in the line of fire here.

Just my opinion Mike. :)

Take care,

Joe
 

Joe,

Another thing you should keep in mind when regarding coadjutors and Jesuit power is that most of the seculars and other orders (Franciscans mostly) despised the Jesuits. How then, could someone who despised the power and priviledge they held place a Spanish General in prison on the word of one of those horrid Jesuits? It strains credulity!

Ownership of the mines would not be Jesuit. The CoAdjutor's name would be everywhere. What you have to do is examine the money trail (Like Deep Throat said to Woodward and Bernstein "Follow the money"). The records to see would not be those of the Missions, as the bulk of the CoAdjutors' moneys went directly to the Cabeceras and Colleges of their respective Rectorates. The Missions' Holdings (except for their adornments) would not have been great. Most people don't understand the heierarchy of the Jesuit Order and how they aportioned all the lands they administered. The best source for that information I have found is Father Polzer's Book "Rules and Precepts of the Jesuit Missions in Northwestern New Spain" (U of Az Press ; 1976). In it, he describes What different Jesuit Titles was responsible for and what their limitations were. Also how Northwestern New Spain was broken up into Rectorates, and how each Rectorate had a Cabacera (head) and its' own College. Shows where each mission was, and exactly what was required of each Priest before being assigned a Mission, and what they were responsible for and limited to once they were officially stationed at a Mission. A great source of information.

Also Joe, Infosponge is a good friend and what he can remember without written prompting, regarding Jesuits, is usually more voluminous than what most people can gather from their entire libraries (he also has quite an extensive library). While we don't always arrive at the same conclusions, there is not one person whose word I would take over his without doing a LOT of research first!

Best-Mike
 

Good evening gentlemen: It was posted -->I don't believe it will come as a big shock to anyone remotely familiar with Jesuit history......that they were "powerful" and used that power against their many enemies, or (even) perceived enemies. In those days if you had power, you used it. If you didn't, someone else would take it away from you and beat you to death with it.
****************

May I ask where did this power come from in those days? Not from a group of humble, poor, Mission Priests, but from GOLD & SILVER, the universal language then.? Conclusions ---Obvious.

Don Jose de La Mancha
 

Don Jose,

"May I ask where did this power come from in those days? Not from a group of humble, poor, Mission Priests, but from GOLD & SILVER, the universal language then.? Conclusions ---Obvious."

It has always been "Obvious" to those who are observant. In my mind, it ties into the fact that birth control is not condoned by the Catholic Church. It's why they pass the basket twice during every service. From the, seemingly, minor raindrops, mighty rivers flow. With over 1-billion hands digging in their pockets every week, at least, a great deal of power is produced. That is only a part of how the church gets its wealth/power.

Take care,

Joe
 

Don Jose,

While power does come from wealth, the power needed to imprison a Spanish General by a word is from somewhere else. People who are not operating under the restrictions of Ecclestical Precepts or Church Rules. People who took a Vow of Obedience to the Jesuit Order, then went on to start businesses, join the Police and Military, hold public offices, etc. While to the outside world, they operate as normal every day folks, but the greatest part of all their efforts was/is to generate moneys and position themselves so they may be of use to the Jesuit Order.

Repeat after me........Temporal CoAdjutor

For a fictional but VERY apt representation of the general idea, look to the movie "DaVinci Code". Remember Inspector Fache? Remember when he told his partner about why he was after Tom Hanks? He wore the lapel pin of Opus Dei. He said "You know I am Opus Dei right? A Bishop of my Order called me and said that he heard the confession of a serial killer..." whereupon he set the Inspector on Tom Hanks. When the Bishop was being rolled into the ambulance at the end, remember him telling Fache that he had to get him out of there. That Opus Dei should not be tied into this?

Same as a Jesuit CoAdjutor. Imagine a man holding the office of Governor that had taken a Vow of Obedience to the Jesuits thirty years before. He reads the order of expulsion. Do you think he would have kept it a secret? NO! He would have somehow found a way to send a message to his beloved Jesuit Brothers about what was coming down the pike.

Best-Mike
 

Much of what has been said of the church wealth, is still true today. If you ever spent a day at a county courthouse, and started noting just how many properties (including such things as ranches, farms and yes MINES) that are listed as owned by the Catholic church, you might be shocked. :o

Oroblanco
 

Gentlemen: I apparently did not make it clear by not actually ending that Cactus and gully took it upon themselves to clarify it further. That was a tongue in cheek remark

I believe that I have consistently posted that in finding Tayopa, I also found that they were the resident mining engr's of many of the larger mines in Mexico, and also operated many mines for themselves. Tayopa for one. They were probably the most powerful order. For that power they needed enormous amounts of money, Gold & silver, simple tithing was not enough. In the new world these mines were there for the taking and they did.

These mines obviously were not owned or managed by Jesuits in robes, but by the co-adjutors. Incidentally, since they operated mines openly in Europe, it must have been legal there. In the new world they answered to the Council of the Indies. They were given oblique power to mine and own mines by the Council. In any event, the Council was representative of the King, but not the King himself, so by clandestinely mining they were technically still obeying the king.

I also established the series of way stations or small missions one day's mule ride apart which they used to transport Gold & Silver across northen Mexico to a small bay below Matamorros for transshipment to Rome on Jesuit ships.

It was also established that they were ploting with the Dutch to wrest North America away from Spain, the true reason why they were expelled.

Nope, the Jesuits were, and are extremely powerful. For that, They needed enormous amounts of money.

Don Jose de La Mancha
 

Gullym: You posted -->Repeat after me........Temporal CoAdjutor

co adjustor co adjuster co juste r coAdjutor co ----- ahhhh forget it.

In any event the big earners were the mines,.

Don Jose de la Mancha
 

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