GARCÍA LARIOS, FRANCISCO (?-?). Francisco García Larios became governor ad interim of Texas upon the death of Justo Boneo y Morales in 1744 and remained in office for more than three years. During his administration the San Antonio missions continued to make remarkable progress, as is evident from the detailed report of Fr. Francisco Javier Ortiz, inspector of the Queretaran missions. One act of García's administration was the order for the exploration of the Gulf Coast by Joaquín de Orobio y Basterra in January 1747. The governor argued with the Franciscans over the advisability of placing the San Xavier missions in what is now Milam County, but despite his adverse report the viceroy ordered the establishment of the missions.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Hubert Howe Bancroft, History of the North Mexican States and Texas (2 vols., San Francisco: History Company, 1886, 1889). Carlos E. Castañeda, Our Catholic Heritage in Texas (7 vols., Austin: Von Boeckmann-Jones, 1936-1958; rpt., New York: Arno, 1976). Elizabeth Howard West, trans., "Bonilla's Brief Compendium of the History of Texas, 1772," Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association 8 (July 1904).
