CHOROGRAPHY OF THE MUNICIPALTY OF PEÇANHA

----

HISTORICAL NOTE

The peopling of the city of Peçanha dates from the passed century, and its beginning one cannot precise, by lack of data; but that becomes more evident by the records of baptism that here were celebrated in the year of 1760. At this time Peçanha was occupied almost only by the gentile. It belonged to the Prince Town [Vila do Príncipe], nowadays Serro. Looking for gold touched these whereabouts João Peçanha, from where originated the name that until today is conserved; due to the exploration o this metal, flowed in much people with the aim to enriching themselves.

By existing vestiges until now, one note that were extracted all the easiest gold that there was, by backward processes, being that only in the surface of the earth were worked, and alongside the streams where there it was in abundance. The invasion of the gentile in the old settlement of Peçanha caused, following the traditions, serious damages to the development of the place, by the attacks that they did against people and property, so resulting in the abandoning of its first inhabitants, till that the Government of the ancient Empire took the proposal to posting quartered effective to guarantee the population, and it was then by this mean that one reached, in principle, to chase them away o the village, to avoid damages to the farming, and to guarantee the life of the untamed settlers of uncultivated forests.

Later, by the years 1871-1872, by order of the Government, it was founded the village of Poaia, with the aim to taming them, having the Government spent with such a service not less than eighty "contos de reis" [one million of reis] and little or nothing achieving, because the measles invaded the villa- ge, and did great mortality, so that it became very reduced the tribe, from which might remain as much as sixty "botocudos", already well domesticated, in the district of Figueira.

In the year of 1822, the village of Peçanha was elevated to Parish, by a Permit of this same date, continuing to belong to the muni- cipality of Serro.