Post by KGrim on Feb 14, 2020 21:45:13 GMT
From Jack Moore's Book, Angelina: The Little Angel of Tejas :
During the three difficult years of the first Spanish mission period, the missionaries did not confine their work entirely to the two missions in Houston County; but they traveled and worked among the other tribes of the Tejas Confederacy.
On their visits to the Hainai village, on the Angelina River east of Alto, they found a charming and intelligent young Indian girl who became attached to them and expressed a desire to learn the Spanish language. The missionaries persuaded her to come to the mission, where they could give her the time and the proper instruction.
When she arrived, the Spaniards were delighted, and they gave her a very warm welcome. The little Tejas maiden was diligent in her studies and displayed a remarkable aptitude for learning. Because of her lovable disposition, she soon became endeared to the hearts of both the priests and the soldiers; and as an expression of their fondness and affection, they called her Angelina (Little Angel). Soon, the Spaniards began to refer to her native village as Angelina's village; and the stream that flowed by became known as Angelina's River.
The Spaniards were forced to abandon the mission in 1693, but Angelina cast her lot with the missionaries and accompanied them and the soldiers to Mexico. They took her to the Mission San Juan Bautista on the Rio Grande, where she continued her studies for more than ten years. As the girl grew up, she became the pride of both the church and the state officials, and her fame spread from Mexico to Louisiana. Angelina became proficient in the Spanish language, joined the church and was baptized.
She remained with the Spaniards until she was about eighteen, and then she decided to return to her native village in East Texas. Perhaps she had not lost contact with her people because of the travelers who passed through San Juan Bautista on journeys to and from Louisiana.
When she returned home, there had been no missionaries among the Indians since the mission had been abandoned more than ten years before; and ten more years would pass before the Spaniards re-occupied Texas. It is believed that Angelina kept the spark of Christianity alive among the Tejas until the missionaries returned in 1716.
After Angelina came back to her people, the first record made of her was in 1715. In that year Saint Denis, the Frenchman, made his bld trip across Texas. He found Angelina in her native village and learned that she had been educated in Mexico. Because Saint Denis was familiar with the Spanish language, he employed Angelina as his chief interpreter.
The next year the Frenchman guided the Spaniards back to re-occupy Texas, and one of the first missions to be erected was located in Angelina's village at her request. The full name of the mission was La Purisima Conception de Acuna, but generally known merely as Conception. Father Espinosa was placed in charge of the mission, and he recorded that Angelina worked as his interpreter.
Two important things happened in the life of Angelina in 1719. That was the year the French drove the missionaries from Texas; and in the same year she saved the life of a prominent, young French officer by the name of Bellile. Because of the deed of kindness, Angelina became famous not only in Louisiana, but also in France. The story was given wide publicity across the Atlantic.
At the age of twenty four, Bellile sailed from France to serve in Louisiana. His ship, loaded with settlers, missed the mouth of the Mississippi River and skirted the coast of Texas. When the ship reached Galveston Bay, Bellile and four companions landed to explore the country. They became lost, and the ship sailed away, leaving them stranded.
One by one the men died from exhaustion and starvation until Bellile was the lone survivor. He was taken into custody by the wild coastal Indians, who took all his possessions, including the clothes he was wearing. The young Frenchman was enslaved and forced to do hard labor. He was beaten many times and allowed to go half starved.
Finally, Bellile made some ink with charcoal and water and wrote a message on an old letter. He told the Indians they would be rewarded if they would deliver the letter to the first white man they saw.
The message came into possession of the Tejas Indians, who delivered it to Saint Denis in Louisiana. The Tejas had great respect for Saint Denis and looked upon him as one of their chiefs. When he read the message, he pretended to cry loudly, and told the Indians that Bellile was his brother, and he wanted him rescuded. The Tejas set out immediately to the land of the coastal Indians, and they rode boldly in and kidnapped Bellile.
After several days they rode into Angelina's billage with the emaciated Frenchman. He was ill, half starved, and suffering from bruises and swollen feet. Angelina walked out and took his hand. She spoke to him in Spanish, saying she was sorry to see him in such a bad state; and that she wished she had known of his bad situation earlier, because either the French or Tejas would have gone to his aid.
Angelina took Bellile into her own home, where she dresed his wounds and cared for him until his health and strength were restored. The Indian men promised to take him to Louisiana within a short time, but the next morning they all went away to war.
After waiting two and one-half months for the return of the men, Bellile became restless and homesick. He finally raised enough courage to express his feelings to Angelina, and she made arrangements for him to go to Louisiana.
According to Bellile's story Angelina was a widow at that time, and she had two children. Evidently, they were about twelve and thirteen years of age; and they were familiar with the trail to Louisiana. Angelina agreed to let her two youngsters guide Bellile to his people. She gave them three horses and sent them on their way. At the end of the sixth day they arrived at Natchitoches, Louisiana; and the young guides were left there in charge of the French, as Angelina requested.
One of the last records of Angelina was in 1721, when Marqjuis de Aguayo arrived in East Texas with a Spanish army to reestablish the missions. Many Indians and all nine of the Tejas chiefs went out to welcome the Spaniards. An elaborate ceremony followed, and Angelina became the central figure as she interpreted the words of both the Indians and the Spaniards when they were expressing their enduring love for each other.
The name of the famous Tejas woman has been preserved in the name of a river, county, forest, and many businesses; and the old mission, Conception, at San Antonio was originally located in her village at her request.
NOTE: For further information on Angelina see "De Bellisle on the Texas Coast" by Henri Folmer in the Southwestern Historical Quarterly, XLIV, No.2.; The Handbook of Texdas; Our Catholic Heritage Vol.II by C.E. Castaneda; History and Geography of Texas by Z.T. Fulmore; and With the Makers of Texas by Bolton and Barker.
During the three difficult years of the first Spanish mission period, the missionaries did not confine their work entirely to the two missions in Houston County; but they traveled and worked among the other tribes of the Tejas Confederacy.
On their visits to the Hainai village, on the Angelina River east of Alto, they found a charming and intelligent young Indian girl who became attached to them and expressed a desire to learn the Spanish language. The missionaries persuaded her to come to the mission, where they could give her the time and the proper instruction.
When she arrived, the Spaniards were delighted, and they gave her a very warm welcome. The little Tejas maiden was diligent in her studies and displayed a remarkable aptitude for learning. Because of her lovable disposition, she soon became endeared to the hearts of both the priests and the soldiers; and as an expression of their fondness and affection, they called her Angelina (Little Angel). Soon, the Spaniards began to refer to her native village as Angelina's village; and the stream that flowed by became known as Angelina's River.
The Spaniards were forced to abandon the mission in 1693, but Angelina cast her lot with the missionaries and accompanied them and the soldiers to Mexico. They took her to the Mission San Juan Bautista on the Rio Grande, where she continued her studies for more than ten years. As the girl grew up, she became the pride of both the church and the state officials, and her fame spread from Mexico to Louisiana. Angelina became proficient in the Spanish language, joined the church and was baptized.
She remained with the Spaniards until she was about eighteen, and then she decided to return to her native village in East Texas. Perhaps she had not lost contact with her people because of the travelers who passed through San Juan Bautista on journeys to and from Louisiana.
When she returned home, there had been no missionaries among the Indians since the mission had been abandoned more than ten years before; and ten more years would pass before the Spaniards re-occupied Texas. It is believed that Angelina kept the spark of Christianity alive among the Tejas until the missionaries returned in 1716.
After Angelina came back to her people, the first record made of her was in 1715. In that year Saint Denis, the Frenchman, made his bld trip across Texas. He found Angelina in her native village and learned that she had been educated in Mexico. Because Saint Denis was familiar with the Spanish language, he employed Angelina as his chief interpreter.
The next year the Frenchman guided the Spaniards back to re-occupy Texas, and one of the first missions to be erected was located in Angelina's village at her request. The full name of the mission was La Purisima Conception de Acuna, but generally known merely as Conception. Father Espinosa was placed in charge of the mission, and he recorded that Angelina worked as his interpreter.
Two important things happened in the life of Angelina in 1719. That was the year the French drove the missionaries from Texas; and in the same year she saved the life of a prominent, young French officer by the name of Bellile. Because of the deed of kindness, Angelina became famous not only in Louisiana, but also in France. The story was given wide publicity across the Atlantic.
At the age of twenty four, Bellile sailed from France to serve in Louisiana. His ship, loaded with settlers, missed the mouth of the Mississippi River and skirted the coast of Texas. When the ship reached Galveston Bay, Bellile and four companions landed to explore the country. They became lost, and the ship sailed away, leaving them stranded.
One by one the men died from exhaustion and starvation until Bellile was the lone survivor. He was taken into custody by the wild coastal Indians, who took all his possessions, including the clothes he was wearing. The young Frenchman was enslaved and forced to do hard labor. He was beaten many times and allowed to go half starved.
Finally, Bellile made some ink with charcoal and water and wrote a message on an old letter. He told the Indians they would be rewarded if they would deliver the letter to the first white man they saw.
The message came into possession of the Tejas Indians, who delivered it to Saint Denis in Louisiana. The Tejas had great respect for Saint Denis and looked upon him as one of their chiefs. When he read the message, he pretended to cry loudly, and told the Indians that Bellile was his brother, and he wanted him rescuded. The Tejas set out immediately to the land of the coastal Indians, and they rode boldly in and kidnapped Bellile.
After several days they rode into Angelina's billage with the emaciated Frenchman. He was ill, half starved, and suffering from bruises and swollen feet. Angelina walked out and took his hand. She spoke to him in Spanish, saying she was sorry to see him in such a bad state; and that she wished she had known of his bad situation earlier, because either the French or Tejas would have gone to his aid.
Angelina took Bellile into her own home, where she dresed his wounds and cared for him until his health and strength were restored. The Indian men promised to take him to Louisiana within a short time, but the next morning they all went away to war.
After waiting two and one-half months for the return of the men, Bellile became restless and homesick. He finally raised enough courage to express his feelings to Angelina, and she made arrangements for him to go to Louisiana.
According to Bellile's story Angelina was a widow at that time, and she had two children. Evidently, they were about twelve and thirteen years of age; and they were familiar with the trail to Louisiana. Angelina agreed to let her two youngsters guide Bellile to his people. She gave them three horses and sent them on their way. At the end of the sixth day they arrived at Natchitoches, Louisiana; and the young guides were left there in charge of the French, as Angelina requested.
One of the last records of Angelina was in 1721, when Marqjuis de Aguayo arrived in East Texas with a Spanish army to reestablish the missions. Many Indians and all nine of the Tejas chiefs went out to welcome the Spaniards. An elaborate ceremony followed, and Angelina became the central figure as she interpreted the words of both the Indians and the Spaniards when they were expressing their enduring love for each other.
The name of the famous Tejas woman has been preserved in the name of a river, county, forest, and many businesses; and the old mission, Conception, at San Antonio was originally located in her village at her request.
NOTE: For further information on Angelina see "De Bellisle on the Texas Coast" by Henri Folmer in the Southwestern Historical Quarterly, XLIV, No.2.; The Handbook of Texdas; Our Catholic Heritage Vol.II by C.E. Castaneda; History and Geography of Texas by Z.T. Fulmore; and With the Makers of Texas by Bolton and Barker.