Jun2013 - Los Bexarenos Genealogical Society

Los Bexareños
Genealogical and Historical Society
Those born in Béxar and those who migrated to and made their home in Béxar throughout the ages, whether under the influence of Tribal Law,
or the laws of Spain, France, the 1st Republic of Texas, the Republic of México, the 2nd Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of América, or
the United States of América are known as Los Bexareños.
Their families extend to all the lands of the world. Once a Bexareño always a Bexareño.
A Newsletter via e-Mail
June 2013
LBGHS Monthly Meeting
June 1, 2013
San Antonio Main Public Library
9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
SPEAKER: María Teresa Cadena de Everett
TOPIC: The Guanche Connection to the Canary Islanders
María Teresa Cadena de Everett was born in San Diego, Duvall County, Texas. She worked for the
Northside Independent School District as a Bilingual/ESL Teacher. She retired in 2000. It was at this time
that she started working on Genealogy. We are proud to say that she is a member of Los Bexareños
Genealogical and Historical Society. María has three children and one grandchild.
Her presentation will be on the Guanches of the Canary Islands. She is also going to speak about Mayor
Capitán Bernabé de las Casas and Captain Francisco Baez de Benavides. ✥
Cont ents I n T his I ssu e
14.
15.
16.
LBGHS June Monthly Meeting • Facebook
Message From The President
Correction Corner • LBGHS Committees • San Fernando Cemetery
TCARA • 34th THGH Conference • Mimi Lozano’s Retirement
Websites That Tell Our Stories • Gloria Cadena Scholarship
Los Bexareños 30th Anniversary Luncheon
LBGHS May Meeting
Our Stories-Our Perspectives — A Broken Armistice
LBGHS Directory — Commemorative Edition
LBGHS Directory form
Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía del Espíritu Santo
“Go Ahead Guys” vs The Royal Spanish Army; Battle of Medina, Texas,
August 18, 1813 (Part 11)
LBGHS Resource Center • Book Sales Committee • Web Indexes
Calendar of Events
Around The State • Message From the Editor • Submit Your Articles
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
Los Bexareños
CONTRIBUTORS
Louis J. Benavides
Sandra Benavides
Anthony Delgado
Santiago Escobedo
Milo Kearney
José López
Sylvia Morales
Yolanda Patiño
Jesse Rodríguez
Viola Sadler
Sylvia Sutton
Jeremy D. Turner
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CONTENT
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Volume 2 - Issue 6
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
LBGHS OFFICERS
!
Congratulations to the 2013 elected
officers of Los Bexareños Genealogical
and Historical Society. Your willingness
to serve this organization with your
time, effort, work ethics, and countless
contributions is truly appreciated.
2013 EXECUTIVE BOARD
President:! !
Louis J. Benavides
Vice President: ! José López
Secretary:! !
María Elena Martínez
Treasurer:! !
Lillie Johnson
BOARD
DIRECTORS
OF
2012 - 2013:! !
Anthony Delgado
2012 - 2013:! !
Eduardo Hinojosa
2012 - 2013:! !
Yolanda Patiño
2013 - 2014:! !
Eleanor Foreman
2013 - 2014:! !
Sylvia Morales
APPOINTED OFFICERS
Historian:! !
!
Parliamentarian: !
Norberto Martínez
José Hernández
LOS BEXAREÑOS
PO BOX 1935
SAN ANTONIO TX 78297-1935
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
backyard. This was a wonderful event. I
got to mount a longhorn! While there, we
had a wonderful visit with Chuck and
from the
Estella Kierce from Castroville, Texas. It
was an additional blessing because Chuck
shared his last copy of “Nearing the End of
the Trail: The Autobiography of Rev. James
Tafolla, Sr. A Texas Pioneer.” This is such a
great historical reference of the Tafolla
!
IT WAS MOTHER’S DAY. After attend- family, who would spend their summers
ing Mass, I wished my mother, my grand- up at the J.P. Rodríguez Settlement and
mothers, my wife, and my mother-in-law their winters south of San Antonio, at
a heavenly day. We give thanks to our their place near Elmendorf, Texas.
Mother’s for loving us, nurturing us, and
!
We capped off Saturday night at
making sacrifices for us—unconditionally.
a dinner party celebrating the birthday of
To each and every one of you, who has
Victor Casiano, M.D., one of my high
undoubtedly enriched someone’s life,
school friends. This event reminded me
“Thank You.”
that the greatest wealth we have is not
!
Throughout that week, as I met monetary, but our family, friends, and
various people, I would publicize our health.
organization, Los Bexareños. I discovered !
I invite those of you with family
that South San Antonio ISD police officer,
and/or connections to the Río Grande
Bernard Barcena, and his wife, Debra,
Valley to tell your stories for possible
were members of Los Bexareños. We had
publication to the More Studies in Río
a good discussion; maybe they’ll become Grande Valley History, which is published
active Bexareños again. At a Friday night
by the Texas Center for Border and
gathering at the Marriott Plaza San
Transnational Studies of the University of
Antonio hotel, Congressman Joaquín Texas at Brownsville. Submit your
Castro gave the “State of the District
proposed topic to Dr. Milo Kearney as
Address,” courtesy of the West San
soon as you can.
Antonio Chamber of Commerce. Lo and
Again, I encourage submitting
behold, we met members of Los Bexare- !
ños, Sylvia Morales, David A. Benavides family stories on the Mexican Repatriation
(my cousin), and Rudi Rodríguez. I felt that occurred during the Hoover
like we were with family—HEY we were! Administration.
!
Saturday morning, we drove out Vice President, José López, continues to
State Highway 16 to Southeast Bandera provide excellent speakers at our monthly
County, Texas and enjoyed a prairie meetings. Judge Perkins had us laughing
chicken lunch near the historical Polly’s so much that we really needed a break
Chapel. I was so impressed with the J.P. after his presentation.
Message
President’s
Desk
Rodríguez Settlement, which comes from
an early Spanish land grant. This 4,000
acre settlement just southeast of Bandera,
Texas (past Pipes Creek) brought together
members of the Kendall County Historical
Society and the Comfort Historical
Society, many of whom did not know of
the Hispanic heritage that makes up their
!
I PRAY that you stay healthy, and we
will see you Saturday, June 1, 2013. ✥
—Louis J. Benavides
LBGHS President
[email protected]
www.losbexarenos.org
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
2
Volume 2 - Issue 6
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
CORRECTION CORNER
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
LBGHS Committees
FOR THE
APRIL ISSUE
VOLUME 2 - ISSUE 4
The April Issue, page 7, indicated that the LBGHS 30th Anniversary
Luncheon was initially to be held on August, 18, 2013. Due to prior
commitments and unforeseen situations, the luncheon has been moved to
Sunday, August 25, 2013.
Please make note of this change.
Thank you,
— LBGHS Executive Board
EDITOR:
The “Correction Corner” is intended to give you, the reader, a forum to correct
any mistakes you may come across.
!
We are novice genealogists, and we are not historians. When an article is sent to us, we
may or may not know that an error has been made. If we catch an error, we will
communicate with the author before we send out the newsletter. If we do not catch an error,
we hope our readers will. We encourage you to help us correct any errors that may have
been inadvertently printed in the LBGHS eMail Newsletter. Any misinformation in this
newsletter can be “Googled” and, therefore, cause more damage than we are capable of
controlling. Please help us correct mistakes as soon as possible.
University of Texas at Brownsville
If anyone is interested in clearing and reserving a topic for an article for the
twelfth book in the University of Texas series of books on Río Grande Valley
history (either in English or Spanish and regarding either or both sides of
the river), scheduled for 2014, please contact Milo Kearney at
M ILO .K EARNEY @UTB. EDU .
The late date for submission of articles is the end of August, although earlier
submissions are encouraged.
Completed articles should be submitted to M ILO .K EARNEY @UTB. EDU by
e-mail attachment in MicrosoftWord, Times New Roman, justified, singlespaced, in 14-font text and 12-font quotes and endnotes. Most articles run
between ten and forty pages. ✥
—Milo Kearney
Book Sales!
Santiago Escobedo!
Budget!
Lillie Johnson!
Conference!
TBA
Facebook!
Fundraising!
[email protected]
!
[email protected]
Anthony Delgado !
!
[email protected]
Olga Hickey !
!
[email protected]
Hospitality!
Sandra Benavides!
! [email protected]
Library!
Dennis Moreno!
Membership!
Sylvia Morales !
Property!
Dennis Moreno!
Publications!
Larry Kirkpatrick!
!
[email protected]
Register!
Raúl Guerra !
!
[email protected]
Scholarship!
Mary Esther Escobedo!
!
Website!
Dennis Moreno!
[email protected]
!
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
VOLUNTEERS
L OS B EXAREÑOS NEEDS VOLUNTEERS . Would you be willing to
contribute to the Society by volunteering for one of the committees
listed above. Maybe you are good at fund raising, or you like to do
hospitality work. Are you good on the internet? Maybe you can help
with Facebook or work with the website.
Each one of you has a special talent or skill.
Your ideas and your expertise can greatly advance the cause of this
wonderful organization. Help us help others in their quest to find
their Hispanic ancestors.
San Fernando Cemetery II
POLICY FOR RESEARCHING NAMES
______________________________________________________
For Genealogy Reseach:
• 1 - 5 Names:!
!
• 6 - 20 Names:!
• More than 20 Names:!
!
!
No Charge
$50
$50 plus $5 for every additional
name after 20.
All searches will be completed in a timely manner. Information can be
mailed or picked up from the office once completed.
Limit 5 per Family per Visit
You MUST have the following information for us to complete
research.
Is there Life after Fiesta? Of course there is! It’s called FOLKLIFE!
Click on this link for more information
TEXAS FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL
Name
Date of Death
Address
TEL:(210) 432-2303!
If you would like to volunteer at the Texana/Genealogy booth, please contact Sylvia
Reyna at (210) 207-2500 or email her at S YLVIA .R EYNA @ SANANTONIO . GOV
—Sylvia Reyna
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
3
FAX:(210) 432-3254!
!
!
Catholic Cemeteries
San Fernando II
746 Castroville Rd.
San Antonio, Texas 78237
Volume 2 - Issue 6
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
Announcements
LOS BEXAREÑOS
PO BOX 1935
SAN ANTONIO TX 78297-1935
"TCARA"
PRESENTS
THE BATTLES OF 1813 AT BEXAR
BY
LARRY KIRKPATRICK
JUNE 5, 2013
We are planning to have the luncheon at the Villa, on Katella in
Orange. The Hon. Frederick Aguirre, Judge of the OC Superior
Court will be giving the keynote, and Carlos Olvera, Dana Point City
Council Member will honor us as the emcee. More details to follow.
Make plans to attend. Thanks,
11:30 a.m. Buffet
Buffet assortment of excellent food and desserts
Including prime rib and much more.
—Viola Sadler
THE PETROLEUM CLUB
[email protected]
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
FOR INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS
ROOMMATE
$25.00 Per Person
YOUR CHECK IS YOUR RESERVATION
Anyone wishing to share a room at the 34th Annual
Texas Hispanic Genealogical and Historical Conference,
please contact:
Corinne Staacke
527 Country Lane
San Antonio, TX 78209-1608
(210) 824-6019
Lillie Johnson
Must RSVP no later than JUNE 3RD to:
(361) 537-9730
[email protected]
34th Annual Texas Hispanic Genealogical and Historical Conference
October 11 - 12 - 13, 2013
eta
D
re
Mo
In
tur
Fu
ils
es
ssu
I
e
Hilton Gardens Inn
123 Huvar Street
Victoria, Texas 77901
For more information, please contact Sophia Postel Treviño de Wilson at: W I L S O N S 1010@ G M A I L . C O M
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
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Volume 2 - Issue 6
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
Websites That Tell Our
Stories
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
!
You are cordially invited to join Los Bexareños Genea-
logical and Historical Society for the year 2013. Become part of an
ever growing family who loves to do ancestral research. Meet
!
There is more to genealogy than just gathering
names of ancestors. Yes, it is important to do the
basics, like pedigree charts, names, dates, places,
family work sheets, etc. But, let us not forget that
there are stories that go with these names. There are
histories in the places and times they lived.
Photographs and stories bring our ancestors to life.
Here we intend to transport you to websites that tell
our stories. ✥
people who have the same interests and people who may be doing
research on your family lineages.
PLEASE SEND YOUR
MEMBERSHIP DUES
Álamo’s Tejano Heroes Gain Recognition
The names aren’t familiar like Crockett and Bowie, but history is starting to honor these defenders.
By: Vianna R. Davila
Published: 10:29 p.m., Sunday, February 27, 2011
!
To become a member, fill out the 2013 Membership
Application Form and mail it to the address on the form. Better
Bexar Archives Online
yet, bring the form with you when you attend our next meeting.
Bexar County Historical Commission
Béxar Genealogy
✥
2013 MEMBERSHIP FORM
☞
Children of the Revolución
Hispanic Heritage Month
Click Here And Join Us
Somos Primos
Tejano Monument
GLORIA CADENA
Texas Tejano
GENEALOGICAL and HISTORICAL
SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Tell Us Your Stories
You are invited and encouraged to make a donation to the Gloria
Cadena Genealogical and Historical Scholarship Fund. Los Bexareños
will award scholarships to students who are or will be attending an
accredited college/university. They will be chosen based on their ability
to produce a four generation pedigree chart which is accompanied with an
essay of their ancestors.
!
Do you have a special, interesting, historical,
or just a funny story about your relatives that you
would like to share? Un chiste that you would like
to share? Email your ancestral stories, and we will
try to print them in this newsletter on a first-comefirst-serve basis. ✥
Los Bexareños is trying to get young people involved in genealogy.
LBGHS wants to encourage students to embrace their culture and
heritage. The sacrifices their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents,
etc. must not be forgotten. The younger generations need to be encouraged to retell the stories about their ancestors handed down
throughout the ages. ✥
[email protected]
~~
~~
~~
Experiences
that
are
shared
are
added
to
life’s
beautiful
memory
books
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
Please make your donation to the LBGHS Scholarship Fund and
of
send your check to:
es
LOS BEXARENOS
PO BOX 1935
SAN ANTONIO TX 78297-1935
5
tiv
la
re os
.
eñ ing
e
bl ar
la Bex tand
i
a
av Los od s
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go
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Volume 2 - Issue 6
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
Los Bexareños
Genealogical and Historical Society
30th Anniversary
Luncheon
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
502 W. César E. Chávez Blvd.
San Antonio, Texas
(210) 224-7155
Sunday
August 25, 2013
Social Hour
12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Little Italy
Lunch
Buffet Style Lunch
1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.
Program
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Los Bexareños Genealogical and Historical Society will celebrate its
30th
Anniversary on Sunday, August 25, 2013, at the DOUBLETREE BY HILTON
HOTEL. You are cordially invited to attend the 30th Anniversary of Los
Bexareños. Parking is complimentary. The buffet style lunch will be $25.00
per person. There will be volunteers to serve those who need assistance.
Please be mindful that seats are limited, and they will be filled on a first-comefirst-serve basis. If you are a charter member, or if you know a charter
member of Los Bexareños, please contact the ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE. If
Beef Lasagna
Chicken Parmesan
Grilled Marinated Veggies
w/Balsamic Glaze
House Salad
Garlic Bread Sticks
Coffee, Tea, or Water
$25.00 per person
you have questions or if you wish to volunteer to assist the Hospitality
Committee, please contact Sandra Benavides at (210) 735-8717 or at
SANDRA _ BENAVIDES @ SBCGLOBAL . NET . ✥
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
6
Volume 2 - Issue 6
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
Los Bexareños at the May Meeting
Antonio Menchaca - Correcting the Spelling of the Road Named in His Honor
The Los Bexareños Genealogical and Historical Society held its monthly membership
meeting on May 4, 2013, at the Main Public Library in San Antonio, Texas.
The guest speaker was Judge (Retired) Bob Perkins. He is directing an effort to correct the
spelling of Manchaca Road in Austin, Texas, which was named in honor of Tejano patriot, José
Antonio Menchaca (aka Antonio Menchaca). After giving a brief history of José Antonio, Judge
Perkins explained the mispronunciation of the name 'Manchaca' (now pronounced Man-Shack)
stemming from hyper-anglicization; the idea of distorting Spanish phonology and morphology.
Judge Perkins posed this question, “If your ancestor is honored, shouldn’t their name be
spelled the way your ancestor spelled (and pronounced) his or her name?”
Judge Perkins collected signatures for this cause. A lot more work needs to be done, including raising funds for the name
change. We will try to keep you informed of the progress of this endeavor.
Judge Perkins made a wonderful presentation. He talked about his life, family, and upbringing in south Texas. Throughout
his presentation, he kept his audience laughing with great jokes, satirical quips, and witty remarks. It was one of our better
✥
Facebook
☞
D OUBLE -C LICK HERE
TO SEE MORE
PHOTOS
Photos courtesy of Luis and Sylvia Morales.
presentations.
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
7
Volume 2 - Issue 6
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
OUR STORIES - OUR PERSPECTIVES
OUR FAMILY STORIES AS ONLY WE CAN ARTICULATE THEM
THE BROKEN ARMISTICE
workload that was suddenly placed on the medical personnel and
facilities, including the hospitals.
Many more ambulances,
drivers, and stretcher bearers were needed to collect the wounded and the dead bodies. The system was overwhelmed, and it
!
World War I was greatly touted as “The War That Will End
War”— a phrase associated with H.G. Wells, in his written
commentaries of the time. It later spread throughout Europe and
the United States. It of course did not succeed, but there was
required many days to catch up. Additionally, everyone now
wanted to come home, and this further exacerbated the problem.
Quite naturally you ask, “Who caused the problem?” An
investigation came up with various explanations:
another very interesting aspect about this war that will be long
remembered. This First World War started in 1914, with the
assassination of Austria’s Archduke Ferdinand and his wife
Sophie, who were visiting the city of Sarajevo. It ended some 4
years later with a broken Armistice and millions of dead and
wounded on both sides.
!
The United States did not enter World War I until April 1917.
Although the U.S. public wanted to keep out of “Europe’s War,”
public sentiment favored the German side. What turned this
sentiment around was the sinking of ships with U.S. citizens
aboard. The British passenger ship, R.M.S. Lusitania, was sunk by
a German U-Boat off the coast of Ireland, with a loss of 1,198,
including 128 U.S. citizens. Numerous other ships were sunk
•
Some said the French started it because the war was
fought totally on their territory, and they had a known
dislike for the German soldier.
•
Some said that there was a large number on both sides
who wanted it known that they had fired the last shot in
the war.
•
Some thought that if the ammunition were not used up,
then they would have to load and haul back the unfired
ammo.
We may never know!
following this incident.
!
TO ADD A PERSONAL NOTE: My own father, Private James
(Santiago) Rodríguez, Company A, 345th Machine Gun Battalion,
90th Army Division, was awarded the Purple Heart with Clasps for
!
What really infuriated the United States was the interception
of a German coded telegram to México, in which the German
St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne Battles for wounds (chest and
shoulder shrapnel) received, in the latter battle, at approximately
10:00 a.m. on 11 Nov 1918 (Armistice Day). He was in the hospital
Foreign Minister, Arthur Zimmerman, proposed that México
should enter the War on Germany’s side; in return, Germany
would see to it that México would regain all the territory that it
had lost in the U.S.-Mexican War. Although some would question
in France when his unit left for home. His departure and return to
San Antonio was therefore delayed. ✥
whether the intercepted message was authentic or a product of
British Intelligence, Foreign Minister Zimmerman quelled that
debate when he openly admitted to the authenticity of the
Photo courtesy of Jesse Rodríguez.
—Jesse Rodríguez
telegram.
!
The war was very costly—in money, in damages, and in
lives lost—so both sides agreed to an Armistice, with a Treaty to
be negotiated and ratified later. This was strictly a gentleman’s
agreement, with no occupations or penalties provided. An agreement was reached to cease all fighting on the eleventh hour of
the eleventh day of the eleventh month. The Armistice was to take
effect at 11:00 a.m. on November 11, 1918. The time and date were
widely distributed so everyone was well aware of the Armistice
that was to take place. Unfortunately, on that morning a tremendous barrage of cannon fire opened up on both sides. There were
10,944 casualties of which 2,738 men died on the last day of the
war. Even in wartime, and more so with an Armistice about to
take place, neither side was prepared for the tremendous
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
8
Volume 2 - Issue 6
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
LBGHS Directory - Commemorative Edition
COMMEMORATIVE
EDITION
!
Los Bexareños Genealogical [and
Historical] Society was founded during
the late summer of 1983, by Gloria
Villa Cadena and a small circle of
friends. Their first meeting was held in
September of that year, and by December, the club had signed up 35 members.
!
The LBGHS Membership Directory Commemorative Edition will be published to commemorate the founding
of Los Bexareños. A 30th Anniversary
Luncheon is being held on August 25,
2013; and hopefully, the directory will
be ready for purchase at the luncheon.
SHARE YOUR RESEARCH
!
The founders encouraged everyone
to research their Hispanic roots and to
tell theirs stories of family long gone.
Mrs. Cadena would host small groups
(which grew larger over time) at her
home on a regular basis. They would
undertake small genealogy projects,
which were printed in a biweekly
newsletter. Eventually, the informative
newsletter became the Quarterly Regis-
ter, and now it is an Annual Register.
The Society published genealogy books.
Over the last 30 years, her vision of Los
Bexareños has grown dramatically. Her
dream was to share the beautiful culture
and values, and the love and sacrifices of
our Hispanic ancestors.
THE DIRECTORY
!
Many members have been asking for
a membership directory.
!
The directory will be designed to
help the members with their genealogy
research. The primary objective is to
identify fellow LBGHS members who
are researching the same family lineages,
so they can communicate with each
other and share their research.
!
Members are encouraged to set up
an LBGHS Research Group, where a few
members get together and research a
particular family (see example below).
!
If you have paid your 2013 membership dues, PLEASE email your
Directory Form with your photo (largest
format possible) to:
[email protected]
EXAMPLE of ENTRIES
LUIS AND SYLVIA MORALES
3543 BYRON ST
SAN ANTONIO TX 78247-3193
(210) 494-7932
[email protected]
Cantú (Elmendorf, Texas - 1800s) •
Casanova (Canary Islands, Spain and Villa
de San Fernando de Béxar - 1700s) • María
de los Santos Coy (Elmendorf, Texas 1800s) • Galán (south Texas - 1800s) •
García (Parras de la Fuente, Coahuila de
Zaragoza, México - 1880s) • Griego (Wilson
County, Texas - 1800s) • Emeteria Lugo - b.
3 March 1904 (San Carlos, Tamaulipas,
México) • Morales (Elmendorf, Texas 1800s) • Morales (Monterrey, Nuevo León,
México - 1870s-1940s) • Herculano
Rodríguez and María Sánchez (México 1800s)
Members Only
Only paid members are going to be
included in the membership directory.
Only paid members are going to be able
to purchase the membership directory.
Join Now
Pay your 2013 membership dues to be
included in the commemorative directory.
2013 MEMBERSHIP FORM
DIRECTORY FORM
LBGHS Genealogy Research Group
CANTÚs FROM ELMENDORF, BEXAR COUNTY, TEXAS
If you are a descendant of José Miguel Felipe CANTÚ (1821-1874), or if you are researching Miguel CANTÚ’s ancestors, we need
you. We are gathering and analyzing all the information we have. We will share this information with this group. We need
source information to verify each entry (birth, marriage, death records - photos - etc).
Miguel CANTÚ and his wife had the following children: Lisandro (b. 1842), Ángela (b. 1843), Catarina (b. 1844), Alvino (b. 1846), Miguel
Santa (b. 1851), Jesús (b. 1853), Faustino (b. 1855), and Ubaldo (b. 1857). They lived near Elmendorf, Texas. If any of these names
sound familiar and you are interested, you are a candidate for this research group.
(b. 1849) ,
For more information, please contact Anthony Delgado at:
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
[email protected]
9
Volume 2 - Issue 6
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
LBGHS Membership Directory Project
Please fill in or provide us with the following information. Please PRINT.
Full Name ___________________________________________________________
Mailing Address _______________________________________________________
City and State ________________________________________________________
Home Phone or Cell ___________________________________________________
Email _______________________________________________________________
List of the names, surnames, cities, states, country and the years you are researching.
Example: !
!
!
Herculano Rodríguez and María Diega Sánchez (Hacienda de la Paz, Coahuila,
México), Griego - 1800s (Wilson County, Texas), Alvina Segura !- b. Abt. 1875 (México)
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Please sign your name giving us permission to print the above information in the LBGHS
Membership Directory - Commemorative Edition. You can scan and email to
[email protected]
or snail mail the completed form to 3543 Byron St, San Antonio, TX 78247-3193.
Signature ____________________________________________________________
INSTRUCTIONS
You can print this page. When the PRINT dropdown menu appears, choose CURRENT PAGE or choose PAGE 10. Fill in the requested information and mail
to the address above. If you cannot print this page, just send the requested information to the email address above.
We are accepting information from members, friends, and guests of Los Bexareños. However, only currently paid members will be included in the commemorative directory and only members can purchase this directory.
If you have questions, please call Sylvia Morales at (210) 291-7702 or email her at L O U S Y L @ I C L O U D . C O M .
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
10
Volume 2 - Issue 6
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto
de la Bahía del Espíritu Santo
This is a series of articles by Jeremy D. Turner, assistant to the Director of Presidio La Bahía, which were published in the Goliad Advance
Guard newspaper. We want to thank Mr. Turner, Presidio La Bahía, and the Goliad Advance Guard newspaper for allowing us to reprint
these articles.
There is a widespread misconception that the Texas inde-
those who did not take up arms used their influence or money (or
both) to aid in the rebellion. The illegal sell and trade of weapons was
another double-edged sword through the heart of Spanish colonialism. European and U.S. transplants were very successful at
trading with Native American tribes in weapons and supplies stolen
from the Spanish military. Bit by bit, Spain was losing control of its
hold on Texas.
Article pendence movement began in 1836 with the fall of the
Álamo. Some presume the movement began in October
1835 at the Battle of Gonzáles, so famous for the “Come
and Take It” episode, in which Santa Anna’s troops were
quickly dispatched by Texian volunteers. Neither of these are accurate
assumptions. The earliest documented attempt to create a sovereign
and independent Texas dates back as far as 1791. And, suffice it to say,
in what has become a running theme in this series of articles, Presidio
La Bahía was at the forefront of it all.
11
In 1791 Philip Nolan was among the earliest U.S. adventurers to
Spanish Texas. All told, Nolan led four expeditions. In his first
three expeditions, Nolan had the permission of Spanish royal officials.
His forays were under the premise of coming to capture wild mustangs to return and sell in Louisiana. However, by 1801, royal
authorities became highly skeptical of Nolan’s intentions and forbade him to enter Spanish Texas. Ignoring their decision, Nolan
struck-out with his men. In the early morning hours of March 22,
1801, Nolan and his party were surrounded by a force of 150 Spanish
Royal soldiers and ultimately defeated. Only minutes into the
skirmish Nolan was struck in the head by a fatal musket-ball shot.
The final Nolan Expedition never reached Presidio La Bahía, though
the garrison, aware of their presence in the area, was placed on alert.
By the beginning of the 19th century, Spain had well established
itself along the Río Grande and throughout the gulf region. This was
in large part due to the establishment of the first Spanish port along
the Texas gulf coast. Situated some forty miles south of Presidio La
Bahía, the port at El Cópano was ground zero for all persons, goods,
and supplies intending to go east through the far reaches of New
Spain and beyond. There is evidence to suggest that as early as 1722,
people bound for Texas, whether traveling from the United States,
Europe, or elsewhere, inevitably found themselves de-boarding a
vessel at El Cópano. This relationship between El Cópano and La
Bahía played a very big role in the social, economical, and political
events that would define the community and Presidio La Bahía.
Despite their success in stamping out this incursion, Spain knew
they had a very real problem. The Nolan Expedition proved that
there was a large enough Anglo-European presence to cause political
unrest in Texas. Day by day the foreign populace was increasing in
number and wealth while the social, economical, and political well
being of Spanish Texas, and Presidio La Bahía in particular, was
declining. In the years immediately following the Nolan Expedition Presidio La Bahía would be rocked with death, strife, and
political upheaval. Due to its connection to the port, it was inevitable that La Bahía would someday soon be the rallying point for
independence. ✥
Following the Revolution of the Thirteen Colonies, the relationship
between Spain and the newly formed United States deteriorated
rather quickly. There was a sudden influx of immigrants, merchants,
and goods coming into Texas through the port at El Cópano and
ultimately La Bahía. In 1796, the civilian population at La Bahía had
climbed to more than 1,100, and by 1806 had swelled to in excess of
1,400. Despite the rise in population, Presidio La Bahía was in
economic decline. The traditional colonial hierarchy that Spain had
instituted was collapsing. Ranching, an enterprise that the King of
Spain was personally vested in, was no longer as profitable as it once
was. The herds surrounding La Bahía still numbered in the tens of
thousands, but due to unfeasible taxation many owners (and cattle
rustlers) sought to sell their cattle, livestock, and goods (hides,
tallow, etc) to newly arrived Anglo merchants, thereby shorting the
crown its due. Over time this had a dramatic impact on the treasury
and led to the Royal decree for secularization of all missions in
Spanish Texas on April 24, 1794.
For many immigrants, merchants, and adventurers this presented
new possibilities. For those who had nothing or perhaps were running from something, it offered an especially unique opportunity. As
time passed the resentment of Spanish royal authority intensified
throughout México. Acutely aware of these changes, many newcomers took up arms in México’s rebellion against Spain. Some of
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
The photo is a picture of the ruins from the Port of Cópano (El Cópano).
11
Volume 2 - Issue 6
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
“Go Ahead, Guys” vs. The Spanish Royal Army;
Battle of Medina, Texas, August 18, 1813
“Be sure you’re right, then go ahead.”
—Davy Crocket1
The Horror of La Quinta
Aftermath of 1813
!
In history, it is customary to follow
an event along a timeline; however in
this article, I will jump ahead to the
aftermath of the Battle of the Medina. I
direct the reader’s attention to the consequences of the battle, and the legacy left
by the failure of the Republican Army of
the North. General José Joaquín de
Arredondo, the victor of the Battle of the
Medina, after a rest period along the
Medina River for his army, led the triumphant Spanish Royalist Army into
San Antonio de Béjar. There, he commenced his infamous rule of terror.
General Arredondo was particularly interested in bringing the Tejano traitors to
justice, but he also included those who
were merely suspected of being turncoats. General Arredondo did not believe that the Spanish citizens of Provincia de Tejas had the right to independence or autonomous government;
thus, for those who fought against the
King of Spain, their lives as they knew it
had come to an end.
!
La Villa de San Fernando de Béjar,
under Arredondo’s army, was subject to
marshal law. A list of traitors, 96 in total,
was compiled. Those on the list lost not
only their lives but their property as
well. The property confiscated included
many private solares (plots of land)
that had some type of structure on the
property. Many of the structures were
wooden poled jacals (roughly built huts),
but there was the occasional stone
building with a thatched roof. Often
these structures were viewed by U.S.
emigrants as poor, but it should be
understood that the Spanish farmers
were men and women of the land. The
people of San Antonio de Béjar spent
very little time under a thatched roof
during the day. For the men, work was
outside tending livestock or agricultural
crops on large farmlands. The women,
were in charge of the chickens, turkeys,
and guinea hens; they had to tend to the
small gardens for market. The jacal or
thatched roof hut that served as la casa
(home) was used to sleep at night.
!
One example of personal confiscation was the property of José Delgado,
who lost his “grano de piedra” along with
his “hozas de lona con su correspondiente
tierra.” A relative, Clemente Delgado,
had his “casa de piedra con su solar” along
with his “chamacueso con su solar” and
“solares y algunas vacas y bueyes,”
confiscated. 1 These are two examples of
the more prosperous property owners,
whose livestock and lands were taken
that fateful day. Others, such as Juan
Manuel Enríquez lost his “cuadro de
piedra y una cocina de zacate.” Arredondo
took the man’s kitchen and all its
contents. Another Tejano citizen, Nepomencino San Miguel, had his “jacal de
tule, cd. sin techo, solar” confiscated. 2 In
reading these descriptions, we are left
with an inventory list of property, along
with descriptions of land and housing.
!
From this property list, we can see
that many of San Antonio de Béjar
citizens were yeoman farmers who
dwelled in thatched roof huts, as their
entire life was spent outdoors, and the
interior was only for sleeping and healing the sick. Most cooking was done
outdoors, away from the flammable
Part 11
thatched roof and wooden walls. Such
was life in San Antonio de Béjar, but the
real horror from General Arredondo’s
hateful wrath was his treatment of
daughters and widows of the dead
Tejano Republicans.
“In La Quinta, Arrendondo imprisoned the finest ladys of the
town—grind tortillas for soldiers. Just south of French building
and Dywer Avenue.”
!
It was the women of the villa who
carried the brunt of General Arredondo’s
wrath. General Arredondo corralled and
placed the wives and daughters of the
dead rebels in a small room called “La
Quinta.” In this prison, more 500 women
were forced to grind corn and make
tortillas for his army. “From the prison
windows, they [the confined women]
saw their children roaming the streets
in search of food and shelter.” 3 The women were confined all day. They continued their task of making tortillas into
the night. The work involved was back
breaking as women had to kneel on the
ground and push and pull a long
heavy stone mano back and forth on the
broad stone metate. Corn was grounded
continuously as others added the soften
corn kernels onto the metate for grinding.
Tired and muscle sore, the confined
mothers in “La Quinta” without doubt
may have hid some tortillas to give to
Continue on page 13
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
12
Volume 2 - Issue 6
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
their children. When the women were released, “they went
into the streets destitute, as their homes and possessions had
been confiscated.” 4
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
was among the royalist troops]?” 8 The Arocha family was
high on Arredondo’s list, and the entire family was targeted
for his revenge; everyone was punished. At the end of the
list of confiscated property, one can find this statement: “la casa
que por la herencia los toca a todos los Arochas con su solas corespondiente.” 9
!
Today, nothing exists of the makeshift prison, except a
drawing done by a passing soldier, which shows the ruins of
the building as it existed during his visit.
!
With the stoke of a pen, the listed families were wiped
out. San Antonio de Béjar never recovered from that day.
Years later, General Arredondo issued a pardon to all the
citizens of San Antonio de Béjar who revolted against the
Spanish Crown. But, during the time between General
Arredondo’s revenge and the Independence of México from
Spain in 1822, San Antonio de Béjar remained weak, ruined,
and at the mercy of the elements, both human and natural.
Such was the wrath of General José Joaquín de Arredondo and
his Spanish Royalist Army. ✥
!
The two pencil drawings presented in this article were
done years later by a Civil War soldier named Morgan Wolfe
Merrick. They are in the book, “From Desert to Bayou: The Civil
War Journal and Sketches of Morgan Wolfe Merrick. The book
was published by The University of Texas at El Paso. So, by
1860, San Antonio’s darkest day was still remembered along
with the city’s infamous prison, “La Quinta.”
I have not checked the Spanish spelling of these words. I am still translating the entire document, and
getting use to the squire’s handwriting and shorthand.
1
A copy of Collas 663 from Archivo de la Secartaria de Gobierno, Saltillo. Vol. XII. 1807-13. Catholic Archives
of Texas: Austin, Texas. Thank you Susan Eason and Erik for allowing me to view this document.
2
Garret, Julia Kathryn. Green Flag over Texas: The Last Years of Spain in Texas. The story of the first war of
independence for Texas.(The Pemberton Press, Jenkins Publishing Company: Austin, Texas and New York,
New York, 1969) p. 225.
3
4
Ibid, p. 226.
5
Ibid, p. 225.
Brown, John H. History of Texas From 1685 to 1802, (Jenkins Publishing Company: Austin, Texas and New
York, New York, 1970). Brown, wrote, “Many principal families of San Antonio left their homes and
sought refuge across the Sabine [River],” Vol. 1, p. 63.
6
“The old Quinta Building on Quinta Street now Dywer Avenue. New
openings in the old walls give it a different appearance. This is the house
where Arredondo confined the ladies of the best Mexican families and
made them grind tortillas for his soldiers & was the cause of the Mexican
citizens making an attack on the garrison at night. Armed with clubs,
rocks, knives anything that would — their purpose. And were successful in
driving the soldiers from the town. Capturing unarmed. The attack was
made at midnight.”
Tomás Arocha served as interim President after the resignation of Gutiérrez. Arocha, along with his
family, was on Arredondo’s death list. From, “Forgotten Battlefield of the First Texas Revolution: The Battle of
Medina, August 18, 1813,” by Ted Schwarz. (Eakin Press: 1985), p. 61.
7
Schwarz, Ted. Forgotten Battlefield of the First Texas Revolution: The Battle of Medina, August 18, 1813. (Eakin
Press: Austin, Texas, 1985), p. 115.
8
9A copy
of Collas 663 from Archivo de la Secartaria de Gobierno, Saltillo. Vol. XII. 1807-13. Catholic Archives
of Texas: Austin, Texas.
!
In her book, Green Flag Over Texas, Julia Kathryn Garret
states, “The first fugitives from the battlefield rushed into
Béxar shouting that all were fleeing before Arredondo, that
very few republicans lived, and that there were none to defend
the city.” 5 Alone, San Antonio de Béjar would have to wait to
find out its fate. A few citizens did escape from San Antonio de
Béjar, especially those who were very active in Texas independence. 6 Some of the rebel families were the Delgado’s, the
Arocha’s, and the Leal’s, and several other families, whose
forefathers came to San Antonio de Béjar in 1730. 7 The
Arocha’s, in particular, were singled out due to a little song
about Arredondo and his gonads. Somehow General Arredondo heard of the ditty, and on his day of revenge, he
asked the assembled citizens of Béjar for the “whereabouts
[of] the woman who said she was going to eat my huevos
roasted? They would do her more good raw!” He continued
and asked Josefa Arocha, “Who offered five hundred pesos
for the head of her husband [Pedro Trevino, an ex-rebel who
I was reading Los Bexareños newsletter’s column,
Tell us Your Story.
I am submitting El Chiste for publication…
because
EN TODA FAMILIA HAY...
☞
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
—Santiago Escobedo
D OUBLE -C LICK HERE
TO SEE EL CHISTE
Atentamente,
—Manuel Quiñones, Jr.
13
Volume 2 - Issue 6
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
The LBGHS Resource Center & Library
THE LBGHS RESOURCE CENTER & LIBRARY is open to the public on Saturdays
(except the first Saturday of the month) from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. You will be
able to do your family research in a very friendly and casual environment. You
will be able to peruse the books and other genealogical information at your
leisure. There will be volunteers to help you with any questions you may have.
They can help you start your family tree or assist you in your research. It is
preferable to set an appointment, so they can dedicate some time just for you.
Call or email Yolanda Patiño at (210) 434-3530 /[email protected] or
Dennis Moreno at (210) 647-5607 / [email protected].
The following list of resources is an ongoing project.
Be sure to keep checking as the list will be updated as
additional indexing is completed.
INDEX TO THE LBGHS LIBRARY
HELP FOR THE BEGINNING GENEALOGISTS. The Society assists individuals in
getting started with genealogical research through beginner's workshops. Beginners also receive one-on-one assistance from the more experienced
members of the Society. ✥
LBGHS
Resource Center
&
Library
Parking
Camino San
ta María
Library
Culebra Ro
ad
The Library is located
on the campus of Holy
Rosary Parish.
The
Church is located at 159
Camino Santa María,
just north of Culebra
Road. Park in the noted
parking lot and walk
through the gate to the
courtyard and turn to
the right passing the
first building.
✥
Books and Resources Journals Family Genealogy Facts and Events (as of Feb 2013)
(as of Feb 2013)
(as of Feb 2013)
(as of Feb 2013)
INDEX TO THE LBGHS REGISTERS
Introduction to the Index
Index of Articles sorted by Title
Index of Articles sorted by State and Location
Index of Wills, Estates and Death Records sorted by Surname
Click to see a
Larger Map
Grace Rosales and José Hernández are just two of the volunteers sifting through boxes of information.
WORK DAY
OFF
THE PRICE OF ANY BOOK OVER
double-clicking here
PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE.
If you have ordered books/publications by mail
and you have not received them, please contact
Mr. Escobedo at his email address listed below.
Resource Center and Library is fully organized. It is open from
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. If you are willing to volunteer, please contact
Dennis Moreno at [email protected]. Dennis will put
you on the list for that month. Thank you to all the volunteers who
You can contact Mr. Escobedo at this email:
[email protected]
did a fantastic job in March. They had so much fun, they called it a
“Work Party.” ✥
$10.00
When you contact Mr. Santiago Escobedo and let him know
which book you want to buy, and you pick it up at the
LBGHS regular monthly meeting. All requests must be
made by 10:00 a.m. the Thursday before the scheduled
Saturday meeting.
Click Here
You can view the LBGHS book titles by
It was a busy day LBGHS Resource Center and Library on
Wednesday, March 20, 2013. A group of LBGHS volunteers were
working hard to organize boxes and boxes of vital genealogical
information which had been gathered over the years. There will be
a work day every third Wednesday of the month until the LBGHS
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
$5.00 Discount !!!
☞
Photo courtesy of Yolanda Patiño.
Book Sales Committee
14
Volume 2 - Issue 6
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
June 2013
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
LBGHS Meeting
9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
LBGHS
Resource Center
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
LBGHS
Resource Center
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Flag Day
16
17
18
19
Father’s
Day
23
20
21
22
27
28
29
LBGHS
Resource Center
WORKDAY
LBGHS
Resource Center
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
24
25
26
LBGHS
Resource Center
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
30
Do you have a “Save The Date” announcement you want to share with your fellow genealogists? If yes, please email your
announcement to [email protected]
Important Dates to Remember
June 1!
Los Bexareños membership meeting - San Antonio, TX
June 5!
TCARA meeting - San Antonio, TX
June 7-9!
Folklife Festival - San Antonio, TX
June 16!
Happy Father’s Day
June 19!
Resource Center & Library WORKDAY - San Antonio, TX
October 11-12-13!
34th Annual Texas Hispanic Genealogical and Historical Conference - Victoria, TX
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
15
Volume 2 - Issue 6
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
From Around The State
Austin :!!
!
News from Tejano Genealogy Society of Austin
Corpus Christi :! !
News from Spanish American Genealogical Association (SAGA)
Dallas :! !
!
News from HOGAR de Dallas
Harlingen :!
!
News from Río Grande Valley Hispanic Genealogical Society
Houston :!
!
News from Hispanic Genealogy Society of Houston
Laredo :! !
!
News from Villa de San Agustín - Laredo Genealogy Society
San Elizario :!
!
News from San Elizario Genealogy and Historical Society
This section is dedicated to our sister Hispanic Genealogy Societies throughout the State. Just click on the blue link
and it will take you to their website or their Facebook page. ✥
Message from the Editor
!
THIS IS IT! We are starting the second year of the Los Bexareños Genealogical and
Historical Society eMail Newsletter. Happy First Anniversary to all our contributors! Your
articles are the lifeblood of this newsletter.
!
I want to thank both the 2012 and 2013 Executive Board(s) and Board(s) of Directors for
your continued support, and your faith that we could do this. I need to thank my First
Readers (proofreaders) for your hard, tedious work of going over every article, sentence, and
word looking for spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. Albeit a few missed
corrections, you made the newsletters look professional. I want to especially thank my
husband, Luis, for his dedicated commitment to assist me in all aspects of putting this
newsletter together. Thank you for a wonderful first year.
¡Brindemos por nuestro Primer Aniversario!
!
ARTICLES
We need articles from the LBGHS
committees and the general membership.
Please do not worry about writing style,
spelling and grammar. Write down your
stories just as you would tell them to
your family and friends. Send it to the
email address below. We have volunteers
who will make suggestions and assist you
with the writing style, spelling and
grammar. We will send it back to you for
your approval. We will only print your
story after you approve the final version
of the article. You will have full control
of your article, and you will have a printed family story you can share with your
descendants. ✥
!
You can send your comments and
suggested articles to the editor (preferably
before the 15th of the month).
!
We continue to learn and implement new methods and ideas. As always I want to thank
our future contributors to the newsletter, and we welcome your comments and suggestions.
!
Please consider volunteering on any of the many LBGHS committees.
Sylvia Morales
3543 Byron St
San Antonio, TX 78247-3193
(210) 494-7932 or (210) 291-7702
✥
—Sylvia Morales
[email protected]
(preferred method of communication)
Happy Father’s Day
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
16
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