Texas Family History Research From Ancestry.com Wiki This entry
was originally written by Wendy Bebout Elliott, Ph.D. FUGA for
Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources. Native
American tribes resided in the area when present-day Texas was
settled in 1682 by the Spanish at Isleta, near today’s El Paso.
Between 1685 and 1700, Franciscan missions and Spanish military
outposts (presidios) were established in east Texas at
Nacogdoches, Goliad, and San Antonio. In 1718 San Antonio, with
its military post and mission, became the administrative
headquarters of the region under Spanish jurisdiction. The
province of Texas was established in 1727 with vaguely defined
boundaries. Groups of colonists supplemented the population of
soldiers and priests, particularly in San Antonio and in smaller
numbers elsewhere. Early municipalities were organized in Texas
under the Spanish and Mexican governments. Between 1731 and 1836
twenty-nine political subdivisions were founded completely or
partially in Texas. As a resul