Mission San Francisco de Potano
Encyclopedia
Mission San Francisco de Potano was a Spanish mission
near Gainesville
, Florida
, United States
. In 2007, evidence of Spanish-built post remnants provided structural evidence of the former mission's location. On April 30, 2009, it was added to the U.S.
National Register of Historic Places
.
The mission of San Francisco de Potano was founded in 1606 by the Franciscan
s Father Martín Prieto and Father Alonso Serrano. It was the first doctrina (a mission with a resident priest) in Florida west of the St. Johns River
. The mission was at the south edge of present-day San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park
("San Felasco" is derived from the 18th-century Seminole
pronunciation of "San Francisco").
The Potano
Indians were enemies of the Spanish for some 30 years after the founding of St. Augustine
in 1565. In 1597 the chiefs of the Potano and other Western Timucuan tribes had pledged allegiance to the governor of la Florida
in St. Augustine. Franciscan missionaries began visiting Western Timucuan villages that year, but a rebellion in Guale
Province disrupted missionary efforts in Florida for a decade; missionaries continued to make occasional visits, but permanent missions were not established, even though chiefs requested them and returned to St. Augustine to renew their vows of allegiance to the Spanish authorities. The arrival of additional Franciscan missionaries in 1605 allowed the establishment of permanent missions in Western Timucua to proceed, beginning with the mission of San Francisco de Potano in 1606.
Soon after Father Prieto and Serrano established the mission of San Francisco, Father Prieto established the nearby missions of Santa Ana de Potano and San Miguel de Potano. Opposition from the villagers at San Francisco de Potano forced Father Prieto to return to St. Augustine, and the mission became a visita (mission without a resident priest) served by Father Serrano, who resided at the mission of San Miguel de Potano. A fourth mission in the area, San Buenaventura de Potano was established a short time later. Initially, the four Potano missions served about 1,200 Indians, about 400 of whom were at San Francisco. The rapid decline of the Potano population due to repeated epidemics led to the abandonment of the San Miguel and San Buenaventura missions within a few years, with the survivors relocated to San Francisco and Santa Ana.
At least one of the cattle ranches operated by the Spanish in Florida in the later part of the 17th century was located near San Francisco de Potano. Gabriel Diaz Vara Calderón, Bishop of Cuba, who visited the Florida missions in 1674-5, noted that the San Francisco mission was abandoned. However, a mission at San Francisco did exist at the beginning of the 18th century. Starting the 1680s and accelerating after 1700 during Queen Anne's War
, the English
of the Province of Carolina
and various Indian tribes allied with them repeatedly attacked Spanish missions in Florida. After the destruction of the mission buildings at Santa Fé de Toloca (a few miles from San Francisco de Potano) in 1702, that mission was merged into the mission at San Francisco in 1703. By 1704 San Francisco was fortified, one of the few Spanish outposts left west of the St. Johns River. The remaining Indians at San Francisco de Potano moved east of the St. Johns River
in 1706, abandoning the mission 100 years after it was established.
Spanish missions in Florida
Beginning in the second half of the 16th century, the Kingdom of Spain established a number of missions throughout la Florida in order to convert the Indians to Christianity, to facilitate control of the area, and to prevent its colonization by other countries, in particular, England and France...
near Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 2007, evidence of Spanish-built post remnants provided structural evidence of the former mission's location. On April 30, 2009, it was added to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The mission of San Francisco de Potano was founded in 1606 by the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
s Father Martín Prieto and Father Alonso Serrano. It was the first doctrina (a mission with a resident priest) in Florida west of the St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
. The mission was at the south edge of present-day San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park
San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park
San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park is a Florida State Park in Alachua County, Florida. It is located northwest of Gainesville, Florida on CR 232 , just south of the town of Alachua.-Fauna:...
("San Felasco" is derived from the 18th-century Seminole
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
pronunciation of "San Francisco").
The Potano
Potano
The Potano tribe lived in north-central Florida at the time of first European contact. Their territory included what is now Alachua County, the northern half of Marion County and the western part of Putnam County. This territory corresponds to that of the Alachua culture, which preceded the...
Indians were enemies of the Spanish for some 30 years after the founding of St. Augustine
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United...
in 1565. In 1597 the chiefs of the Potano and other Western Timucuan tribes had pledged allegiance to the governor of la Florida
Spanish Florida
Spanish Florida refers to the Spanish territory of Florida, which formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba, the Viceroyalty of New Spain, and the Spanish Empire. Originally extending over what is now the southeastern United States, but with no defined boundaries, la Florida was a component of...
in St. Augustine. Franciscan missionaries began visiting Western Timucuan villages that year, but a rebellion in Guale
Guale
Guale was an historic Native American chiefdom along the coast of present-day Georgia and the Sea Islands. Spanish Florida established its Roman Catholic missionary system in the chiefdom in the late 16th century. During the late 17th century and early 18th century, Guale society was shattered...
Province disrupted missionary efforts in Florida for a decade; missionaries continued to make occasional visits, but permanent missions were not established, even though chiefs requested them and returned to St. Augustine to renew their vows of allegiance to the Spanish authorities. The arrival of additional Franciscan missionaries in 1605 allowed the establishment of permanent missions in Western Timucua to proceed, beginning with the mission of San Francisco de Potano in 1606.
Soon after Father Prieto and Serrano established the mission of San Francisco, Father Prieto established the nearby missions of Santa Ana de Potano and San Miguel de Potano. Opposition from the villagers at San Francisco de Potano forced Father Prieto to return to St. Augustine, and the mission became a visita (mission without a resident priest) served by Father Serrano, who resided at the mission of San Miguel de Potano. A fourth mission in the area, San Buenaventura de Potano was established a short time later. Initially, the four Potano missions served about 1,200 Indians, about 400 of whom were at San Francisco. The rapid decline of the Potano population due to repeated epidemics led to the abandonment of the San Miguel and San Buenaventura missions within a few years, with the survivors relocated to San Francisco and Santa Ana.
At least one of the cattle ranches operated by the Spanish in Florida in the later part of the 17th century was located near San Francisco de Potano. Gabriel Diaz Vara Calderón, Bishop of Cuba, who visited the Florida missions in 1674-5, noted that the San Francisco mission was abandoned. However, a mission at San Francisco did exist at the beginning of the 18th century. Starting the 1680s and accelerating after 1700 during Queen Anne's War
Queen Anne's War
Queen Anne's War , as the North American theater of the War of the Spanish Succession was known in the British colonies, was the second in a series of French and Indian Wars fought between France and England, later Great Britain, in North America for control of the continent. The War of the...
, the English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
of the Province of Carolina
Province of Carolina
The Province of Carolina, originally chartered in 1629, was an English and later British colony of North America. Because the original Heath charter was unrealized and was ruled invalid, a new charter was issued to a group of eight English noblemen, the Lords Proprietors, in 1663...
and various Indian tribes allied with them repeatedly attacked Spanish missions in Florida. After the destruction of the mission buildings at Santa Fé de Toloca (a few miles from San Francisco de Potano) in 1702, that mission was merged into the mission at San Francisco in 1703. By 1704 San Francisco was fortified, one of the few Spanish outposts left west of the St. Johns River. The remaining Indians at San Francisco de Potano moved east of the St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
in 1706, abandoning the mission 100 years after it was established.