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Citation:  [Identification of Item], Gil Antonio Ibarvo Papers, MC105, San Jacinto Museum of History, Houston, Texas.

Creator Sketch:

Gil Antonio Ibarvo (also spelled Ybarvo, y-Barbo, and y Barvo) was born in 1729 at Los Adaes in the province of Texas (now Louisiana).  He married Maria Padilla and began living in Lobanillo Creek in what is now Sabine County, Texas.

In 1773, Ibarvo became the leader of the "displaced persons" as a result of an order given by Marques de Rubi to abandon the presidios and missions of East Texas.  Ibarvo helped the settlers petition to return to their land and in 1774 were permitted to move as far East as the Trinity River where they founded the town of Bucareli.  In 1779, they abandoned Bucareli and with the aid of Ibarvo rebuilt the town of Nacogdoches.

Ibarvo was appointed by the Spanish government as lieutenant governor and civil and military captain of militia.  He was also appointed judge of contraband.  In 1791, he was accused of smuggling contraband goods and trading with the Indians.  He was cleared of these charges; however, Ibarvo was forced to leave Nacogdoches.  He lived in Louisiana until the death of his first wife, which was closely followed by the marriage to his second wife Marie Guadalupe de Herrera in 1796.  He was allowed to return to Nacogdoches and died in 1809 at his home, Rancho La Lucana.  His descendants still reside in East Texas.

Bibliography:

"IBARVO, ANTONIO GIL" The Handbook of Texas Online. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fib01

Scope and Content Note:

The collection contains two typewritten translations of legal documents concerning Gil Antonio Ibarvo.  The first is a Criminal Code of 1783 published at Nacogdoches including a section regarding traffic laws and lights making Nacogdoches the first city in the state of Texas to have traffic laws.  The second document is a typewritten translation of the will of Gil Antonio Ibarvo containing several articles and duly sworn by Juan Bautista de Elguezabal, interim governor of Texas in 1797.  In bequeathing his assets, he notes the ownership of his slaves and in particular a mulatto, named Izansua, whose freedom is to be decided by the court.  Also of interest is the article stating he owes fifty pesetas to Don Juan José Seguin.

Archivist's note

The Antono Gil Y'Barbo Collection can be found at the Ralph W. Steen Library, Nacogdoches, Texas.

GIL ANTONIO IBARVO PAPERS

Manuscript Collection: MC105

Size: 2 items

Boxes: n/a

Inventory

Series: Correspondence