#underconstruction #firstdraft

Pedro Rolén Miñón (c. 1732 – aft. 1804)

Pedro Rolén Miñón (born Pierre Roland Minon) was a French-born soldier who became a notable figure in the Spanish Borderlands of Texas. His life spanned three empires—France, Louisiana, and New Spain—and was defined by his transition from a French deserter to a disabled Spanish soldado de cuera (leather-jacket soldier) in San Antonio de Béxar.

c. 1732 - BIRTH

Location - Beaufort, France (Province of Alsace/“Aldás”)

Pedro was born in the French dominions. While Spanish scribes recorded his origin as "Bóforte" in the province of "Aldás," researchers identify this as Beaufort, likely in the region of Alsace.

• Father: Pedro Rolen Miñón (Pierre Roland Minon)
• Mother: Margarita Delfine

1750–1755 - French Service & Desertion

Location - New Orleans, French Louisiana

At age 18, Pedro enlisted in Paris for service in "Nueva Horleans" (New Orleans). He served the French King, Louis XV, for five years.

• The Departure: According to some records, he arrived in the Americas on a vessel named La Chinela ("The Slipper").

• Desertion: Around 1755, Pedro deserted his post in Louisiana and traveled west into Spanish territory, arriving at the Presidio of Béxar.

1755 - NOV - 23 - MARRIAGE BANNS - MA Antonia EcayMusquiz-Garza

Location - San Fernando Cathedral

1756 - JAN - 10 - MARRIAGE - MA Antonia EcayMusquiz-Garza

Location - San Fernando Cathedral, San Antonio, Texas

Pedro Rolen Miñón married Maria Antonia Musquiz (also known as Antonia Caymusques) at the San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio.

Location - San Fernando Cathedral, San Antonio, Texas

• Status of the Bride: Antonia was a native of the Béxar Presidio and was classified as a Mestiza.

• Parents of the Bride: Francisco Musquiz (d. before 1744) and Dominga Sanchez Navarro (d. 1751).

• Padrinos (Sponsors): The marriage was witnessed by Don Luis Antonio Menchaca (the wealthiest man in the province) and his wife Doña Ignacia Nuñez Morillo.

1757–1768 - The San Sabá Frontier

Location - Presidio San Luis de las Amarillas (San Sabá)

Pedro re-enlisted in the Spanish military at the San Marcos Presidio before moving to the remote and dangerous San Sabá outpost.

• The Cannon Accident: During active combat against "The Enemy" (likely the 1758/1759 Comanche-Wichita conflicts), Pedro was devastated by an artillery accident.

• The Injury: A cannon "took one of my arms" and severely injured both of his legs.

• Historical Insight: Since his enemies (the Norteños) did not use artillery, this was likely a malfunction or friendly fire incident involving a Spanish field piece.

1760 - BIRTH - Francisco Pedro Rolen (1760-1819)

1762 - BIRTH - Miguel Rolen

1765 - BIRTH - Maria Manuela Minon

1766 - BIRTH - Teresa Rolen

1768 - Appointment as "Inválido"

Location - San Antonio de Béxar

On May 10, 1768, the Viceroy of New Spain, the Marqués de Croix, officially recognized Pedro’s sacrifice.

• Pension: He was granted 8 pesos per month for life.

• Continued Duty: Despite being an amputee with leg injuries, Pedro continued to serve as an artilleryman in a limited capacity, likely supervising the maintenance of the Béxar cannons.

1769 - Royal Land Grant

Location - San Antonio, Texas

Pedro was awarded a merced (grant) by the Crown.

• The Property: He occupied a town lot with a jacal (a hut made of mud and sticks).

• Legal Status: Interestingly, he never possessed a formal deed to the land, living there through the permission of the Ayuntamiento (City Council).

1771 - Year of Tragedy

Location - San Antonio, Texas

Within a span of three months, Pedro lost both his wife and his infant daughter.

• March 23, 1771: His wife, Antonia Caymusques, died following an "accidental" event. She was buried at San Fernando.

• June 20, 1771: His three-month-old daughter, Maria de la Encarnacion Rita Dolores Rolen-Minon, passed away.

Caste Note: In these burial records, the infant is classified as a Coyota. Because Pedro was a foreigner (French), the Spanish caste system categorized his children based on the mother’s Mestiza status and his "classless" status as an immigrant.

1772–1792 - Later Life & Second Marriage

Location - San Antonio de Béxar

Pedro married Manuela (Maria) Salinas sometime after 1771. They reportedly had no children together.

• 1792 Testimony: At age 60, Pedro provided a full biography to the Governor. He noted he was illiterate and had to have someone sign for him.

• The Legacy of San Sabá: He showed the original 1768 pension order to the authorities to prove his lifelong service.

1795 - The Desperation Report

Location - San Antonio - Plaza de Armas

A report dated February 26, 1795, captures a dark moment in Pedro’s final years.

• Suicidal Threat: Pedro told the guards that if he wasn't given a proper salary increase, he would "place himself at the muzzle of a cannon and fire it at himself."

• The Message: He warned his superiors to "take good care of the cannons," implying his deep psychological attachment to the artillery that had maimed him decades earlier.

1803–1804 - Final Census Records

Location - Presidio de Béxar

Pedro appears in the military census records as an Invalid.

• 1803 Census: Listed with wife Maria Manuela Salinas (age 60) and a "son of 13 years."

• 1804 Census: Listed as married to Maria Manuela Salinas with a "son 14 years old."

• The Mystery: As his first wife died in 1771 and he claimed no children with his second wife, this "son" may have been a grandson (the child of his son Francisco) or a ward of the family.

### **Sources**

- **Primary Document:** Bexar Archives, May 14, 1792 (Testimony of Pedro Miñón to Governor Manuel Muñoz).
- **Primary Document:** Bexar Archives, Feb 26, 1795 (Report of Juan Santiago Calderon).
- **Parish Records:** San Fernando Church Marriages (1756) and Burials (1771).
- **Secondary Source:** Chabot, Frederick C. _With The Makers of San Antonio._
- **Reference:** Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) - Presidio San Sabá & Red River Campaign.

Genealogical Summary Table

Resources/Further Reading