Angelina

Angelina (Angelica) was a woman of the Hasinai Caddo (Tejas) nation who grew up in Monclova, Coahuila and at the Spanish Presidio San Juan Bautista south of the Rio Grande. According to European accounts, she was baptized a Catholic and learned to speak fluent Castilian Spanish. The earliest written account of Angelina came from the memoirs of the Frenchman Andre Penicaut who claimed to have met her in 1712 en route to the Presidio San Juan Bautista while accompanying French trader Louis Juchereau de St. Denis. Describing her as a "learned Indian woman," Father Isidro Felix de Espinosa mentioned her translation and diplomatic efforts when the 1716 Ramon-Espinosa expedition entered the kingdom of the Tejas west of the Neches River. Domingo Ramon noted at the time her key role at the dedication of East Texas missions. Clearly pleased to see her during his East Texas relief tour, Gov. Martin de Alarcon in 1718 persuaded the sagacious Angelina to live in the village surrounding Mission Concepcion. In 1721, Angelina acted as the interpreter for a meeting between the Hainai Caddi, the recognized leader of all the Tejas (Hasinai) nations, and the Spanish governor of Texas, Marquis de San Miguel de Aguayo. This exchange solidified Caddo and Spanish cooperation against the French. Angelina was more than an interpreter; she was a diplomatic bridge between disparate worlds who facilitated mutual understanding. Her legacy lives on in the landscape of East Texas where the region honors her memory with the Angelina River, the Angelina National Forest and only county named for a woman. (2015)

Angelina is a historical marker in Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches County, dedicated in 2015. It is one of 94 historical markers documented in Nacogdoches County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 232 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 31.6016, -94.6565 near Nacogdoches. The nearest cataloged historic site is Franciscan Friars in East Texas (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Governor Marquis de San Miguel de Aguayo, Governor Martin de Alarcon in East Texas, and Captain Domingo Ramon.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507018268. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.