GARCS, FRANCISCO

born April 12, 1738, Villa Morata del Conde, Aragon died July 18, 1781, near the junction of the Colorado and Gila rivers in full Francisco Toms Garcs Spanish Franciscan missionary-explorer, who from 1768 to 1775 explored, alone and with Juan Bautista de Anza, commandant of the presidio at Tubac (now in Arizona, U.S.), the Gila and Colorado rivers and sought a route from the province of Sonora to California. His attempt with Juan Daz to found Indian missions ended in their death.