I live in North Florida in an area where the Spanish Franciscans established missions among the Indians in the early days of La Florida. The missions were attacked by the British with the Creek Indians in 1704 and many of our priests and Apalachee Indians and Spanish soldiers were killed. We are trying to gather information about the ones we have names for. One was soldier with the Spanish, and his name was Balthazar Francisco. He was from Tenerife, of the region of Los Silos, and had been more than 14 years with the garrison in Apalachee, so he had been in La Florida since at least about 1690 -- possibly earlier. Here is the little we know of him. It would be wonderful if you could help fill in a few gaps. Thank you for whatever help you can give and for your willingness to help.
Heather Jordan
Chattahoochee, Florida


Balthazar Francisco, native of the Canary Islands:
He was from the Island of Tenerife, of the region of Los Silos, and had been more than 14 years with the garrison in Apalachee. “Immediately following his capture, they cut out his tongue and eyes, cut off his ears, scalped him, and put a crown on him, which in Indian style is placed on the Indian warriors when they dance, and which they call tascayas. And they tied him to another cross, and slashed him all over and placed burning splinters in the wounds; and as soon as they set him afire, they mocked and insulted him, laughing on hearing what the said Balthazar Francisco told the pagans in the Spanish and Apalachian languages, [while] he called on the Most Holy Virgin to help him, for she would carry him to God with much pleasure from knowing that he would go to enjoy his holy glory. There were related many other things which the Indian prisoners who escaped state they had heard from the said Balthazar Francisco until he died. And after the departure of the enemy, the witness and other soldiers went to search the locality and found the Crosses of Calvary tied to the aforesaid and fallen to their feet.” (Here They Once Stood, p. 76)