"Some years ago while doing research in Mexico City, I acquired a copy of an interesting document written in 1793 by the Count of Revilla Gigedo II. At that date, he was the viceroy of New Spain (Mexico), which then took in today's American Southwest.

The document was titled simply Report of the Missions and included a lengthy section on the history and status of New Mexico's Franciscan missions.

Reading over it the other day, I plucked out several revealing tidbits that show the condition of both the church and the Indians just 28 years before the winning of independence from Spain.

According to the count, New Mexico in 1776 had a total of 29 missions ministering to its people. But when the great smallpox epidemic of 1780-81 ravaged the province, the deaths were so great, especially among the Pueblo Indians, that some of their villages were almost depopulated. "

Get the Story:
Marc Siimmons: Report gives early look at pueblos (The Santa Fe New Mexican 11/29)

Related Stories:
Marc Simmons: An Apache warrior's escape (11/17)
Marc Simmons: Gallup Inter-Tribal grows steadily (8/25)
Marc Simmons: Indian man hanged for failed uprising (8/4)