Tomás Felipe de Winthuisen (aka Thomás Phelipe) was governor of the Province of Texas from 1741 to 1743.

Career

He was born in the early eighteenth century, but little is known about his life. He was appointed governor of the Province of Texas in 1741, to replace to

Prudencio de Orobio y Basterra Prudencio de Orobio Y Basterra (–?) was a Spanish merchant, landowner and soldier who served as the Interim Governor of Texas between 1737 and 1740–41 and Mayor of Parras de la Fuente, in Coahuila (in modern Mexico). Early life Initially, O ...

. During his administration,

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...

was attacked by

Apaches The Apache () are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, which include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño and ...

. For the first time, the Texas's government was informed about the presence of

Comanche The Comanche or Nʉmʉnʉʉ ( com, Nʉmʉnʉʉ, "the people") are a Native American tribe from the Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the federally recognized Comanche Nation, headquartered in La ...

tribes in the North of the province. He established a recovery program to repair the ruins of the

Presidio A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th century, 16th and 18th century, 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Captaincy Genera ...

Los Adaes Los Adaes was the capital of Tejas on the northeastern frontier of New Spain from 1729 to 1770. It included a mission, San Miguel de Cuellar de los Adaes, and a presidio, Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Los Adaes (Our Lady of the Pillar of the Adae ...

. So he renovated the palisade and ordered the construction of several government buildings and the establishment of five new barracks (things that were done). In addition, he favored the renovation and improvement of the farms and the increase of the population of Los Adaes. In addition, unlike most governors, Winthuisen prevented the development of trade with the French, which was officially illegal.Texas Beyond History: Glimpses of Life at Los Adaes
Retrieved February 05, 2012, to 1:11 am. He left government in 1743, being replaced by Justo Boneo y Morales. One year after his replacement in the Texas government in 1744, Winthuisen (through a report) pointed out the need to reduce the number of soldiers of Los Adaes, who were 60 people, leaving only 40 of them in the garrison. This was because he believed that it would diminish the French's chances of trading in Texas. On the other hand, he feared French military might, believing that the soldiers of Los Adaes (even if they were 600 people, he said) were incapable of defeating an alliance between the French and Amerindians, if they attacked Los Adaes. The former governor Virto de Vera decided to build a Presidio with a large square with bastions at each corner. However, later, Tomas Felipe de Winthuisen traveled the region in 1744 and reported that a presidio as such did not exist, "for only its poorly formed houses make up square plaza, without any wall or stockade". One of these small houses served as the first home (and office) of the Captain of the Presidio. UIL Academic Teams
Retrieved January 15. 2011, to 13:10 pm.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Winthuisen, Tomas Felipe De Governors of Spanish Texas 1740s in Texas Tejano politicians