ELGUÉZABAL, JUAN BAUTISTA (1741-1805). Juan Bautista Elguézabal, born in 1741, was appointed adjutant inspector of presidios of Coahuila and Texas in 1795 and made a detailed inspection of La Bahía in 1797. In 1796 he was appointed assistant to Governor Manuel Muñoz and became interim governor in August 1797. As acting governor when Louisiana was sold to the United States, Elguézabal received the flood of petitions of immigrants from Louisiana requesting to move to Texas. He was distressed with the deplorable condition of Texas and indirectly advocated a more liberal policy for its development. Under his administration the Alabama-Coushatta and Choctaw Indians were given permission to settle east of the Trinity River. José Irigoyen, appointed by the king to succeed Muñoz, never came to Texas to claim his governorship, and Elguézabal continued to serve as governor until his death in San Antonio on October 5, 1805. One of his four sons was Juan José Elguézabal.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Archivo General de Indias, Archivo General de Indias de Sevilla (Madrid, 1958). Bexar Archives, Barker Texas History Center, University of Texas at Austin. Carlos E. Castañeda, Our Catholic Heritage in Texas (7 vols., Austin: Von Boeckmann-Jones, 1936-58; rpt., New York: Arno, 1976).