VALENCIA, Martin de (va-len'-theah), Spanish missionary, born in Valencia de Don Juan, kingdom of Leon, about 1466; died in Ayotzingo, Mexico, 31 August, 1533. He became a Franciscan friar at Mayorga, and was early distinguished for his knowledge and austerity. He was charged in 1514 with the reformation of the convent of Santa Maria de Bonocal, and established the new province of St. Gabriel, of which he was appointed provincial in 1516.

When Hernan Cortes in 1523 asked for Franciscan missionaries, the pope named Valencia to the emperor as the most fit to establish successful missions in the New World. He went to New Spain in 1524 with twelve friars, founded there the province of Santo Evangelio, learned the Indian dialects, and after 1526 preached to the natives in their language with success. He successively founded convents at Mexico, Tezcoco, Vera Cruz, Tlalmanalco, and other places, and justly deserves the name of "first apostle of Mexico." He died from exhaustion during a journey from Tehuantepee to Mexico.

Father Valencia's letters to the councils of the Indies are published in "Cartas de Indias" (Madrid, 1872), and his life was written by Fray Francisco Ximenez under the title "Vida de Fray Martin de Valencia" (Seville, 1535). His manuscript works include "Cartas al Papa Adriano VI." and "Cartas al Emperador Carlos V," which, besides other historical documents that are preserved in the archives of Simancas, are often consulted by writers on early Mexican history.

His published works include "Carta al general del Orden de San Francisco, Fray Matias Weisen, dandole razon de los buenos sucesos de la conquista espiritual de México" (Seville, 1554), also in Italian and Latin translations, and "Actas de la primera junta aposte1ica celebrada en Mexico en 1524" (Mexico, 1769).

VALENCIA, Martin de (va-len'-theah), Spanish missionary, born in Valencia de Don Juan. kingdom of Leon, about. 1466 ; died in Ayotzingo, Mexico, 31 August, 1533. He became a Franciscan friar at Mayorga, and was early distinguished for his knowledge and austerity. He was charged in 1514 with the reformation of the convent of Santa Maria de Bonocal, and established the new province of St. Gabriel, of which he was appointed provincial in 1516. When Hernan Cortes in 1523 asked for Franciscan missionaries, the pope named Valencia to the emperor as the most fit to establish successful missions in the New World. He went to New Spain in 1524 with twelve friars, founded there the province of Santo Evangelio, learned the Indian dialects, and after 1526 preached to the natives in their language with success. He successively founded convents at Mexico, Tezcoco, Vera Cruz, Tlalmanalco, and other places, and justly deserves the name of "first apostle of Mexico." He died from exhaustion during a journey from Tehuantepee to Mexico. Father Valencia's letters to the councils of the Indies are published in "Cartas de Indias" (Madrid, 1872), and his life was written by Fray Francisco Ximenez under the title "Vida de Fray Martin de Valencia" (Seville, 1535). His manuscript works include "Cartas al Papa Adriano VI." and "Cartas al Emperador Carlos V.," which, besides other historical documents that are preserved in the archives of Simancas, are often consulted by writers on early Mexican history. His published works include " Carta al general del Orden de San Francisco, Fray Matias Weisen, dandole razon de los buenos sucesos de la conquista espiritual de Mdxico" (Seville, 1554), also in Italian and Latin translations, and "Actas de la primera junta aposte1ica celebrada en Mexico en 1524" (Mexico, 1769).

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Samuel Huntington
First President of the United States of America
in Congress Assembled
March 1, 1781 to July 6, 1781

President Who? Forgotten Founders Part II

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