In 1693 Domingo Jironza Petriz de Cruzate, former governor of New Mexico, was made captain for life of the Presidio of Fronteras and alcalde mayor of Sonora, holding office until 1701.
[7] In 1722, San Juan Bautista was the scene of meetings where the leading citizens and civil authorities of the provinces of Sinaloa and Sonora Ostimuri drew up proposals to radically overhaul the system of government, then dominated by the Jesuits missions.
[8] The meetings were convened by Rafael Pacheco Cevallos and captain Gregorio Álvarez Tuñón y Quirós.
[9] In 1726, Pedro de Rivera y Villalón arrived at San Juan Bautista in the course of inspecting the northern presidios.
In response to longstanding complaints of corruption lodged against Tuñón y Quirós, Rivera replaced him with Juan Bautista de Anza I.