LBGHS Newsletter 2013 02 Feb - Los Bexarenos Genealogical

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
Fe b ru ar y 2 0 1 3
LBGHS Monthly Meeting
February 2, 2013
San Antonio Main Public Library
9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
SPEAKER: Ted Herrera
TOPIC: Traditions of Indigenous Tribes
Mr. Ted Herrera (Tecuancoatl In Tecihuital - Rattlesnake in the Hailstorm) will share some of the traditions of his and many other
indigenous tribes that typically occur during February. He will talk about traditional medicinal plants, the effects of climate
changes, and natural resource exploration.
He was born in 1948, in the Coahuiltecan Sacred Land along the Río Grande where the Peyote grows, to María Lara, a Tlaxcala,
Chichimeca, Huichol Indian, and to Eduardo Herrera, a Tlaxcala and Coahuilteco Indian. Mr. Herrera is one of three principle
speakers of the Tlaxcalteca Nation and Affiliated Tribes of Texas. Mr. Herrera is the Founder and Spiritual Leader of the Río
Grande Native American Church. ✥
Los Bexareños
C o n t e n t s I n T h is Is s u e
1.
LBGHS February Monthly Meeting • Facebook
2.
Message From The President
3.
4.
Israel Cavazos Garza • Group Research
Installation of Officers and Awards Dinner
5.
Websites That Tell Our Stories • Gloria Cadena Scholarship
6.
8.
A Genealogy Project — Selected Families of Von Ormy
Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía del Espíritu Santo
Israel Cavazos Garza
10.
LBGHS Member Recognition — Jesse Rodríguez
Art Martínez de Vara
11.
Tribute to Yolanda Z. González
Sylvia Morales
12.
13.
Members de Los Bexareños — Jesse O. Villarreal
“Go Ahead Guys” vs The Royal Spanish Army; Battle of Medina,
Texas, August 18, 1813 (Part 7)
Dennis Moreno
LBGHS Resource Center • Book Sales Committee
Calendar of Events
16.
Around The State • Message From the Editor
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
Louis J. Benavides
Anthony Delgado
Santiago Escobedo
José López
Gilbert and Yolanda Patiño
Eileen Treviño Villarreal
Jeremy D. Turner
Jesse O. Villarreal, Sr.
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14.
15.
CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS
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1
Volume 2 - Issue 2
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
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
Message
"
This reminds me of a story one of my
coworkers, the daughter of one of our
from the
members, told me a few months ago. You
see, her family lived in neighborhoods
where Hispanics were not viewed as professionals. In school, she took Texas
History, and as she turned the book pages
she expected to see something about an
"
I am here because many of you saw Hernández, a González, or a Rodríguez,
something in me to help this organization. but that did not occur. Then, one day her
What ever it was, will you kindly walk dad decided to do genealogy research. He
up to me after a meeting and tell me what discovered the family roots, and he
you saw. I am here because my beautiful related family stories to his children. His
wife, my muse, allowed me to and daughter, my coworker, became proud to
because of the love that we both have for learn about the family history and to learn
our family history. I thank you now, that they truly were a part of this land
before I really find out what this oppor- and this great State of Texas. As a teacher
tunity entails.
of Texas History, I found the following
"
Over 500 people are, or have been, very important to me: She said that the
members of the Los Bexareños Genealo- knowledge she gained from her father’s
gical and Historical Society. Many of you family stories had given her a “pride that
bring a passion to find out who you are. transformed her entire life.”
We grew up in a society that belittled us, "
So lets come together (1) to help each
that left us out of the history books, that other be effective, involved citizens, and
forgot about what we did and who we (2) to join our voices to let others, espeare. If you were a Tejano, a descendent cially our children and grand children, to
of indigenous people of the Américas or know that they should be proud of who
of Mexican, Spanish or other Hispanic they are, proud of what their families did
descent, you had no written history as far here and what their families meant to
as many of our teachers and historians Texas and to the Américas.
were concerned. Our members share two "
We must continue to tell these stories,
common traits: a desire to find out about
to publish papers and reports, and to do
our family stock and, once this occurs, a
that, we must continue our search regarddesire grows to discover the hidden less of whether our family roots are good
stories that make up our family history, or not so good. We need volunteers to
our family stories as descendants of
help this organization to do just that. We
Hispanic or indigenous people or what- need volunteers in many facets of this
ever else may flow in our veins.
organization. We need people to write
President’s
Desk
"
Our mission in this organization is to
help you find out how you can access
your roots; it is to help educate you on
the system of searching for our roots. It
is in the system of networking with others
that one of us, to your surprise, may turn
out to be your cousin unknown to you.
The final similarity amongst all of us is
that we are members so that we can help
each other.
www.losbexarenos.org
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
AND
2
books, to write their stories and to help
us distribute those stories in book form,
or through the internet.
"
Will you join us as a volunteer to help
Los Bexareños in its many activities?
"
Again, I thank you for your support,
and I ask for your involvement. ✥
—Louis J. Benavides
LBGHS President
Volume 2 - Issue 2
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
LBGHS Committees
Queridos amigos:
La Facultad de Filosofía y Letras develó este retrato al óleo del
pintor Sergio Villarreal, con motivo de mi cumpleaños número 90.
He querido compartirlo con ustedes. Saludos.
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
Los Bexareños 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.
—Israel Cavazos Garza
leaños!reños
p
m
u
C
Bexa
—Los
¡Feliz Each one of you has a special ability.
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.
Genealogy Research Group
San Fernando Cemetery II
POLICY FOR RESEARCHING NAMES
______________________________________________________
CANTÚs
FROM ELMENDORF, BEXAR COUNTY, TEXAS
For Genealogy Reseach:
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 (b. 1849) , 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.
Please contact Anthony Delgado at [email protected] for
more information. ✥
• 1 - 5 Names:"
"
• 6 - 20 Names:"
• More than 20 Names:"
"
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
3
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.
Name
Date of Death
Address
TEL:(210) 432-2303"
FAX:(210) 432-3254"
EDITOR: You must have a strong desire for family history research. You do
not need to be a member of this CANTÚ family. If this turns out to be a
useful, productive project, we will start other Genealogy Research Groups.
"
!
!
Catholic Cemeteries
San Fernando II
746 Castroville Rd.
San Antonio, Texas 78237
Volume 2 - Issue 2
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS & AWARDS DINNER
The Los Bexareños Annual Installation of Officers and Awards Dinner was held
on January 18, 2013, at the Fort Sam Houston Golf Club in San Antonio, Texas. It was
a memorable evening, with old friends and new members acknowledging the
outgoing officers and welcoming in the new.
Mr. Bill Millet, Producer and Director of PBS Documentaries, was the guest
speaker at this wonderful event. Mr. Millet made a presentation of his latest
documentary, “TEXAS BEFORE THE ÁLAMO.” This is a historical film of the people
and events that shaped the early history of Texas — from the first entradas from
Presidio San Juan Bautista, to the discovery of La Salle’s Fort Saint Louis, to the
Presidio La Bahía, to the Mission San Francisco de Solano, to the Álamo. The World
Premier of this must see documentary is scheduled for viewing at the Victoria Texas
Independent Film Festival on April 6, 2013.
Incoming Officers Taking the Oath of Office
FROM L TO R: Eleanor Foreman (Director), Sylvia Morales (Director), Lillie Johnson (Treasurer), José
López (Vice President), and Louis J. Benavides (President). Giving the Oath is the Board of
Directors Chairman, Anthony Delgado.
Facebook
☞
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TO SEE MORE PHOTOS
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
4
Volume 2 - Issue 2
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.
MEMBERSHIP DUES
ARE
DUE
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
Bexar 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 andof
es
send your check to:
tiv
LOS BEXARENOS
PO BOX 1935
SAN ANTONIO TX 78297-1935
5
la os .
re
o reñ ing
t
a
e
ex and
bl
ila os B d st
a
L oo
Av
g
in
Volume 2 - Issue 2
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
A Genealogy Project
Selected Families of Paso de las Garzas / Von Ormy, Texas
CASILLAS/CASIAS - The first Casillas in the New World was Martín
Casillas who was born in Almendralejo, Spain in 1556. He was an architect
and was commissioned to design the Cathedral of Guadalajara, México. He
was a relative of the first Viceroy of Guadalajara. He married his wife on 18
Sep 1582 in Puebla, México, and had several children including Domingo
Casillas, born 1595 in Guadalajara. Three generations later his namesake
Domingo Casillas was born in Tonalá, near Guadalajara. Domingo married
Juana Ana de la Rosa, also from Tonalá. Their son Juan Casillas was born in
María Josefa García. It is not known from where they originated, but on 19
Feb 1809, they baptized their son José Antonio Flores in Nadadores, Coahuila,
México. José Antonio married María Marta Baltasar, also from Nadadores, on
09 Jan 1825. They were the parents of Francisco Flores, who was born on 11
Mar 1828 in Nadadores, and he married Antonia Muños on 05 Mar 1844. She
was also from Nadadores. They came to Texas after the American Civil War
in 1867 or 1868. They had six children: Miguel, Presciliano, Ponciano, Felipe,
Refugia, and Juliana who were born in Texas. The Flores’ originally settled in
1716; he married María de Luna from Guadalajara. They moved north to
Mission Lampasos, Coahuila. Juan was not a soldier; he was one of the very
few who moved north as a businessman. Juan and María had a son, Carlos
Casillas, who was born at Mission Lampasos in 1731. He married a girl from
the Mission named María del Carmen Vasques, whose background was
Basque and Jewish. They moved to San Antonio around 1790. They
originally moved to La Villita, but in 1792, when Mission Espada was
secularized, Carlos and his son Juan purchased homes at the Mission. Today
these rooms are still in use and are part of the convento where the Friars
stationed at the Mission live. They had six children: Rafael, Felipe, Ana
Atascosa County and can be found there in the 1880 census. Miguel Flores
married María Rita de los Reyes on 19 Apr 1880, and settled in Von Ormy.
Anastacia, José, Juana, and Juan.
!
Juan Casillas enlisted in the First Militia Company of
Texas in 1815, and was posted at the Álamo and several
other missions. He was also a mail carrier between San
Antonio and Nacogdoches. He lived in La Villita with his
wife Dolores Alderete. Today the house has been restored
and is known as the “Palisado House” and reflects the
early architectural styling of San Antonio's La Villita area. Audited Claim of Juan Casillas,
3 January 1836
It can be found at 524 E. Nueva Street, San Antonio,
Texas. It has a historic marker which mentions Juan Casillas and Dolores
married Antonio Casias of Von Ormy. Rafael married Juliana Flores of Von
Ormy. Quintana Road is named for this family.
Alderete. In 1835, Juan joined Juan Sequín’s Company of Tejano Volunteers in
the Texas Revolution, along with his nephews Pablo and Mateo. They joined
along with Lt. Manuel Leal, who was married to their relative Casimira
Casillas. They are on the muster rolls of the Seige of Béxar, which is the battle
when the Texian Army took the Álamo from México. Juan, Mateo, and Pablo
served the entire length of the Texas Revolution under the command of Juan
Sequín and received land grants for their service from the Republic of Texas.
!
Juan and Dolores had five children: Santiago, Petra, Mariano, Manuel,
and Gertrudis. Juan also had a son Irenio with Manuela Arredondo.
!
In 1859, Irenio and Mariano Casillas left Texas, along with Lt. Manuel
son Don Salvador Ruiz de Castañeda was born in 1764, in La Paz, Querétaro,
México. Salvador lived in a very interesting time. Two world events greatly
influenced his life.
!
In 1755, the British expelled the French from Quebec, many of whom
resettled in Louisiana and became known as “Cajuns.” One of the French
refugees was Guillaume Robleau. He married the daughter of a Spanish
soldier stationed at the Los Adaes Mission in Louisiana, and they had several
children including a daughter named María Ygnacia Robleau.
!
In 1763, the Spanish acquired Louisiana from the French. When the
American Revolution broke out, there was a tremendous demand for sup-
Leal and 59 other Tejanos, to found villa La Resurrección, present day
Jimenez, Coahuila.
!
Santiago settled in Von Ormy where he married Matiana Orosco and
baptized his nine children at Paso de las Garzas: Isabel, Simona, Antonio,
Santiago, Eugenio, María de Lourdes, Ysabela, and Ambrosio.
!
After Texas Independence, the Casillas/Casias family moved away from
Mission San José to South Bexar County. Casillas’ are found in Losoya,
Somerset, Bexar, northern Atascosa County, Paso de las Garzas and Von
Ormy. It is at this time that some members began using the alternative
spelling of “Casias.”
plies. The British blockaded all American ports. One of the few ways to
smuggle goods to the Revolutionary Army was from New Spain through
Louisiana. In the early 1780s, Salvador Ruiz de Castañeda and his brother
Pedro drove 10,000 head of cattle from Querétero, México to Louisiana to sell
to the Continental Army under the Command of General George Washington.
They remained in Louisiana and Salvador married María Ygnacia Robleau on
02 Sep 1790 in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
!
In 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte reacquired Louisiana from Spain and so
Salvador and María Ygnacia moved to Mission San José, in present day San
Antonio. There they had 10 children: Juan Francisco, Guadalupe, María
QUINTANA – Rafael Quintana was born in
Mahon, Minorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. He came
to Texas and served as the band master of the
regimental band of United States Dragoons; he
was its drum major. He married Dominga García;
they had eight children: Lorenzo, Rafael, María,
Jesusita, Emilia, José, Isabel, and Geronimo. María
RUIZ/RUIZ DE CASTAÑEDA - There are two Ruiz families that eventually
settled in Von Ormy. Originally one was “Ruiz de Castañeda.” The earliest
known generation of the Ruiz de Castañeda family was Don Juan Bautista
Ruis de Castañeda who married Doña María Petrona de Torres on 19 Mar
1696 in Zaragoza, Puebla, México. They had two sons: Juan de Dios Ruiz de
Castañeda and Don Andres Bautista Ruis de Castañeda who married María
Nicolasa Catarina Pereyra on 02 Dec 1736 in San Luis Potosi, México. Their
Gertrudis, José Hermeregildo, José Lino de Jesús, José Ygnacio, María
Concepción, José Bernardino, José Julian, and José María. Maria Gertrudis
married Texian Spy “Deaf” Smith.
FLORES – Today many of the Flores family of Von Ormy, live along Benton
City Road (aka Floresville) and in Von Ormy Heights. The patriarch of the
Flores family was Gregorio Flores who was born around 1790. He married
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
Continued on page 7
6
Volume 2 - Issue 2
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
!
This
generation
dropped
“de
Castañeda” from their surname. Doing so
was fashionable as a sign of Mexican
nationalism after Mexico’s independence
from Spain, since long flowery compound
names were perceived as a Spanish
custom. This generation settled all over
the San Antonio area, Bernardino became
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
TRAWALTER – Georges Trawalter who was born in Oberentzen, Haut Rhin,
Alsace, France. He immigrated to Castroville, Medina County in 1850. He
married Therese Keller, whose mother was from the Mann family of
Castroville. Their son, Albert G. Trawalter, purchased land in Von Ormy
along the Medina River along present day Trawalter Lane. He was elected to
serve as Bexar County Commissioner, Precinct 1 from 1931 – 1937. He served
as Bexar Coutny Clerk from 1937 until 1944. Another son, Louis Trawalter,
was married at Paso de las Garzas.
Signature of Juan Francisco Ruiz
(b. 28 Jan 1817, Mission San José, Texas)
prominent in Bexar, while Juan Francisco Ruiz settled near Losoya.
!
Juan Francisco’s son Manuel came to Paso de las Garzas (Von Ormy) and
was married on 23 Sep 1868 to Manuela Gusmán at Santisima Trinidad
Church. All their children were baptized at Santisima Trinidad: Francisco
(1871), Pedro (1869), Martín de los Santos (1873), Cestina (1875), Telesforo
(1875), María (1885) and Amalia (?).
RUIZ – The Ruiz family was from La Paz, Querétaro and is very likely related
to the Ruiz de Castañeda family, who is also from Querétaro. Juan Manuel
Ruiz, son of Agustín Ruiz, was born in Querétaro about 1726. He married
VARA – The Vara’s of Von Ormy descend from the Conquistador Juan López
de la Vara from Merida, Estremadura, Spain, son of Bartolome Martín. He
enlisted in Governor Juan de Oñate’s expedition to New Mexico in 1597.
Oñate’s inspection reports notes that he had “complete armor for himself and
horse.” De la Vara did not remain in New Mexico, but returned to Zacatecas
and later moved to Saltillo.
!
Nicolas Alfonso de la Bara was born in Saltillo
around 1690. He married María de Cárdenas and had
ten children, including Juan Antonio de la Vara who
María Manuela de la Peña, of Saltillo. They moved to San Antonio de Béxar
and had seven children: María Josefa, Ana Petra, María Antonio, José
Antonio, María Rosalia, José Francisco, and Francisco Antonio. María Josefa
married Ángel Navarro, a prominent merchant and civic leader of San
Antonio.
!
José Francisco Ruiz was born on January 28, 1783 in
San Antonio de Béxar. He travelled to Spain as a child for
his education and was named Schoolmaster for San
Antonio in 1803. He also served as City Attorney. In
1811, he joined the Béxar Provincial Militia with the rank
was born in 1717. He married Josepha Jetrudis Osuna
Saucedo (circa 1735). Their son Joseph Manuel de la
Vara, born in 1736, married María Cathalina de
Guadalupe Ramón Basques in Apr 1758 in Saltillo,
Coahuila, and they moved to San Fernando de
Asturias (present day Zaragoza, Coahuila) near Eagle
Pass, Texas.
!
The Vara’s lived in San Fernando de Austrias and served as soldiers in
the nearby Presidio Agua Verde. The Presidio was built to protect against
raids from Lipan Apaches. In furtherance of their duty to hold the frontier
of lieutenant. He took part in the Battle of Medina on the
side of the Republicans. His army was decimated, but he
escaped and was forced into exile from Texas until 1822,
José Francisco Ruiz
after México won its independence from Spain. He
served in the army in various capacities including expeditions into northwest
Texas, peace negotiations with the Lipan Apaches, command of the Álamo de
Porras Company stationed at San Antonio and command of an expedition to
put down the Fredonia Expedition. He retired in 1832 with the rank of
Colonel.
!
In 1835, he joined the cause of Texas Independence. He served as a
against the Apache, soldiers from Agua Verde built Presidio San Saba, near
present day Menard, Texas, in 1757, and operated it until 1772. Many Vara’s
were among them.
!
Joseph Pio de la Vara, son of Joseph Manuel de la Vara and Cathalina
Ramón, was born on 12 May 1771 in San Fernando de Asturias. He married
María Juliana Arreñaga on 02 Sep 1791.
!
Joseph Pio de la Vara and Juliana Arrenaga had fifteen children, among
them Antonio Vara, born 1800 in San Fernando de Asturias. He married
María Demetria Arredondo on 09 Jun 1820. They had three children, among
them José Felipe Vara who was born on 14 Sep 1824 in Cuatro Ciénegas,
delegate to the Convention of 1836, where he signed the Texas Declaration of
Independence. He was elected Senator to the First Congress of the Republic
of Texas. He died in 1840. He was married to Concepción Soto and had four
children: Francisco Antonio, Alejandro Modesto, Eugenio and Francisco.
!
Francisco Antonio Ruiz, born circa 1804, was alcalde of San Antonio
during the Battle of the Álamo. Santa Ana placed him under house arrest and
after the battle ordered him to identify the bodies of Davy Crockett, James
Bowie and William Travis and to dispose of the rest. After Texas won its
Independence, he served as alderman in San Antonio from 1837 until 1841.
He received a land grant for his service in the Texas Revolution along the
Coahuila.
!
Felipe Vara came to Texas in the early 1840s. He married María de Jesús
Martínez of San Antonio. They married in Zaragoza (the new name of San
Fernando de Asturias) on 23 Jun 1844. This began a pattern of Varas
relocating back and forth from Zaragoza and Von Ormy. They had 9 sons,
including Vicente Vara who was born in Zaragoza, but retuned to Texas as a
cowboy and cattle driver. He herded cattle to the railheads in Wichita and
Dodge City. He settled in Loyosa and had seven children with his wife
Gertrudes Reyes, including Natividad Vara and Ramón Vara who moved to
Paso de las Garzas. ✥
banks of the Medina River in present day Von Ormy. He opposed Texas’
annexation to the United States and argued that only those who had fought
for Texas Independence should participate in the decision. After Texas’
admission into the United States, he left San Antonio and lived among the
Indians for several years. He retuned shortly before his death in 1876. He
was buried in the Ruiz-Herrera Cemetery at Paso de las Garzas. In the early
1930s the Ruiz family donated land from the old Francisco Antonio Ruiz land
grant for a new church to replace Santisima Trinidad, which had decayed
from age.
Prepar
ed by:
Art M
ar
tínez d
e Vara
P.O. B
ox 377
Von O
rmy, T
exas 7
8073
(210) 8
57-684
8
art@m
dv-law
.com
Websi
te: ww
w.mdv
-law.co
m
Far left: Vicente Vara and Natividad Vara
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
7
Volume 2 - Issue 2
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.
In 1750, there was little to suggest that Presidio La Bahía had been a project over sixty years in the making. Since 1689, the Spanish
Article had stumbled and fumbled up and down a small patch of Texas coastal grasslands and had more death and debt to show for it than
6
anything else. Three different locations and six commanding officers later, one probably had to wonder, “What is the point?” The
answer would depend upon who you asked. To a missionary it was the lost souls of native tribes. To a soldier it was his duty to God,
king and country. And to the King of Spain it was wealth. To be more specific, it was cattle.
Fertile soil and plentiful water made the lands surrounding the presidio ideal for agriculture. But
the steep banks of the San Antonio River made farming and irrigation in the traditional sense
virtually impossible. Just as agrarian societies had done for thousands of years, the Spanish presidiomission system relied on irrigation canals. These canals, called acequias, were a network of
waterways and dams that allowed the flow of water from a river or aquifer to the fields. Though the
odds were not in their favor, the settlers still put forth their best effort in cultivating the land the old
fashioned way. It was to no avail. The inability to successfully irrigate the land was indeed a
setback. But not all was lost. For the same soil and river that was so vital to crops was equally vital
to livestock.
While some parts of Spain’s new empire had gold, and others had silver, Presidio La Bahía had
cattle and livestock. From a very early period, cattle had far outnumbered the soldiers and settlers.
They were used to being outnumbered since their early encounters with the many native tribes,
which by this point included the Karankawa, Lipan, Apache, Comanche and numerous subtribes.
But as the Spanish began to recognize the value of their cattle so too did their counterparts.
The checklist for success at Presidio La Bahía was slowly but surely growing longer by the 1760’s.
In cattle and livestock, they had discovered vast potential wealth and power. But it wasn’t going to come easy. There were many concerns and
questions yet to be answered. Corrals and fences had to be built. Trails had to be established. A market had to be set. And a way to establish
ownership of cattle was imperative. The next few years at Presidio La Bahía would usher in the modern-day cattle culture.
Presidio La Bahía was an invaluable asset to the kingdom of New Spain. It represented everything that the Spanish had been working
Article to achieve since their discovery of Texas in 1519. Presidio La Bahía was at the forefront of an empire that stretched from the lowest
7
regions of modern-day South America to the vast prairies of Texas. The presidio was a symbol of wealth, expansion, power and
control. Perched atop the highest point in the land, Presidio La Bahía had become the epicenter of colonial Spanish Texas. But how
could one small garrison play so big a role? More importantly, who was going to play that role? In short, the soldiers, of course.
The presidial soldier was not the romanticized version we so often see in movies and
on television. They were ordinary men from un-extraordinary places, often coming from
poor families with few opportunities beyond military service. The majority of soldiers
came from families whose lives were centered around the military. If your father was a
soldier you too would likely become a soldier. And likewise, daughters born to military
families would often go on to marry soldiers, and the cycle would continue. As a result
there was a unique and no doubt close bond among soldiers and their families.
Obligations and expectations of Spanish presidial soldiers were very high. Once a
soldier had legally obliged himself to service he was unequivocally bound by his
commitment. In addition, soldiers of the colonial era were obligated to serve a minimum
of ten years in the Spanish Royal Service. There were virtually no circumstances under
which a soldier was allowed to resign from his duty. The only options for breaking ones
contract were death or desertion. Neither were desirable choices. The act of desertion
has always been an intolerable act in the military. And the Spanish made it as difficult as
possible for all who tried. In the event of desertion, a record of every soldier’s personal
This photo is taken from within the Presidio La Bahía looking west.
It represents what the area likely looked like in the late 1700s.
Continued on page 9
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
8
Volume 2 - Issue 2
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
description and details were kept in order to be circulated
through the area. Every mark, scar, malady and discernible
trait would be used to make it as difficult as possible to hide.
For the soldiers stationed at Presidio La Bahía an inherently
dangerous job was stretched to its limits. Like most soldiers
throughout New Spain they were tasked with providing
protection for local and area missions and their inhabitants as
well as the citizens of La Bahía. In some instances their
protection reached as far as San Antonio despite being outside
the designated lines of responsibility. A continual presence at
the Port of El Copano was mandatory as were regular trips to
and from the interior of México to collect and dispense mail
and payroll. One of the most difficult and dangerous jobs was
protecting the livestock. Raids and attempts by area tribes to
steal horses and cattle were becoming increasingly frequent.
And with each attempt the native tribes became bolder and
more brazen, often returning to the presidio with stolen
livestock and trying to sell it back at inflated prices. This was
one of many reasons for branding cattle, a responsibility that
often fell upon the soldiers and missionaries who shared some
ranching responsibilities. The small garrison at Presidio La
Bahía was a mix of the traditional Spanish soldier and the
Tejano vaquero. Whether it was performing drills, firing
artillery, patrolling between La Bahia and Copano or branding
cattle, the presidio soldier was equally confident.
Such responsibilities changed the preconceived notion of
what a Royal Spanish soldier should be. Royal authorities
recognized this and acted to change with the times. Gone
were the days of conquistadores and their heavy, clumsy armor
and weaponry. The new soldier was more mobile and adept to
change. His armor and shield were made from leather or
rawhide and the lance, espada ancha (short sword) and Spanish
escopeta were his weapons of choice. The rowels of his spurs
were less ornate and more practical and he traded a proper
wool jacket for his cuera, a shorter, cruder leather piece lined
with wool. He maintained as many as six remounts and could
ride as far as México City and back in two weeks. He never
refused an order and dedicated his life to his country. He was
a soldier of Presidio La Bahía. ✥
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
Presidio La Bahía’s
Connection to the
American Revolution
It’s a well-known fact that Presidio
La Bahía and Presidio San Antonio
de Béxar were instrumental in
providing the vital cattle that kept
Governor Bernardo de Gálvez’s
troops
nourished
during
the
American Revolution. Many of our
Tejano ancestors provided the beef
and went on the cattle drives to
move the beef to where the troops
needed food. This effort helped
win the war against England. A
lesser known fact and one not
yet found in history books is that
our Tejano ancestors also provided
monetary donations at the request
of King Carlos III to aid in the war
effort.
The list of La Bahía soldiers
(donativos) who donated to
the American Revolution
war effort has just been
discovered!
Presidio La Bahia,
Goliad, Texas
February 2, 2013
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Speakers:
Jesse O. Villarreal Sr.
Author & Historian
A special message from
Please join us for an informative
meeting and learn the names of the
soldiers who donated to the
American Revolution.
Who should attend:
Descendants of Spanish soldiers
serving at La Bahía during 1776
-1783,
historians,
DAR,
SAR,
genealogists, genealogy groups and
lineage organizations interested in
the role of Spanish soldiers during
the American Revolution.
Judge Robert H. Thonhoff
Author & Historian
Lorenzo & Julia López
FINDING THE DONATIVO LIST AND
WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE FUTURE.
If you have any questions, please
contact Julia Lopez at
[email protected]
Hope to see you in Goliad!
For information on Presidio La Bahia: http://www.presidiolabahia.org/index.html
Feliz Día de San Valentín
♥
Click Me
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
9
Volume 2 - Issue 2
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
LBGHS MEMBER RECOGNITION
LEADING by example
Jesse Rodríguez
One of our most knowledgeable and esteemed members is Jesse Rodríguez. He has been a member since the late 1980s and
has been a very active genealogist. For his family, Jesse has compiled his genealogy from the present to the early history of Texas,
to México, and back to Spain. He has been relentless in his research. For the Los Bexareños Genealogical and Historical Society, he
has published numerous books, of which four are still for sale by the Society. In the process of preparing the books, he extracted
the information and entered the records into the computer to produce the books for publication. These were the first books
published for Los Bexareños which generated funds for the Society. He is frequently consulted in researching genealogical queries
submitted to the Los Bexareños.
One of the most important services to the Society is maintaining personal contact with key individuals in charge of the
municipal and state archives in Saltillo, Ramos Arispe, and Monclova, México. This personal relationship in turn has provided
the Society and its members enhanced access to these institutions. Our Society is well known at these institutions in large part
because of Jesse’s influence and relationships. On frequent occasions, Jesse has invited archive personnel to be speakers at our
meetings. He has honored our guests from México at our Society functions. Our friends in Saltillo hold Jesse in such high esteem
that they often refer to him as “Los Bexareños’ Ambassador to Saltillo.”
Jesse was born on January 2, 1921, in San Antonio, Bexar, Texas, and he received his education at Thomas Jefferson High
School and St. Mary’s University. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in May 1941. He then joined the U.S. Navy in September
1941. He had graduated from Recruit Training at San Diego, California and was there on December 7th, when the Japanese
attacked Pearl Harbor. He was sent to the U.S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen School at Northwestern University in Chicago,
Illinois, from which he was graduated and was commissioned as an Ensign in May 1942. He served as the Officer in Charge of the
YP 156 on anti-sub patrol in the Gulf of México, and then he was sent to Maine as the Prospective Commanding Officer of the USS
APc-20, a small Coastal Transport, which he sailed into the South Pacific area. He later suffered serious injuries as the result of an
accident aboard ship. After a short stay in an Army Hospital, he was flown back to the States where he was hospitalized at the
Mare Island Naval Hospital. This is where he met his future wife, a WAVE Supply Officer. After hospital treatment, he was
returned to duty as a Division Officer loading ammunition ships at the Naval Ammunition Depot at Mare Island. In due course,
his health deteriorated due to his injuries. He was ultimately retired as a Lieutenant, USNR, as a result of his physical disabilities.
He began working at Rodríguez Bros. Memorials and subsequently served in Civil Service at Kelly AFB managing jet engine
assemblies world wide. On August 31, 1946, Jesse was married in Los Angeles, California to the former Wilma Wilson Thomas,
daughter of Charles Henry Thomas and Lyda Elizabeth Moore. From this marriage were born Elizabeth Rodríguez, James
Thomas Rodríguez, and William Nelson Rodríguez. Jesse has been active in the West Side Lions Club, Los Bexareños
Genealogical and Historical Society, San Antonio Genealogical and Historical Society, Bel Meade Homes Association, Álamo
Council, Navy League of the United States, Fiesta San Antonio Commission, and numerous other civic, veteran’s, and several
genealogical societies. ✥
—Dennis Moreno
EDITOR: This is a new section where Los Bexareños recognizes its members for their help in moving the Society forward. If you would like to recognize an
LBGHS member for their accomplishments in Hispanic genealogy, please send your article (with photos if you have any) to: [email protected]. I would love
to be aware of your opinions regarding this section. Please let me know. If you have any ideas on how we can improve this newsletter, please let me know.
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
10
Volume 2 - Issue 2
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
YOLANDA Z. GONZÁLEZ
Pioneer in Hispanic Genealogy Research
By Eileen Treviño Villarreal
On Saturday, December 29, 2012, the Hispanic genealogical and historical research community lost a
valued and expert colleague. Her many friends and family on that day mourned the loss of Yolanda Z.
González at age 83, a brilliant investigator, mentor, and instructor in the fine art of ancestral research. She
was a pioneer in the late-blooming field of research into the ancestry of Hispanic families of the Américas.
She holds a special place in this regard with Colonel Ernest A. Montemayor, USAF-Retired, of San Antonio
and Rodolfo González de la Garza of Nuevo Laredo, both also deceased. These individuals showed an
incisive interest early in life about their ancestry, years before the general Hispanic community became
aware of their past and the treasure trove of archival materials available to help them trace their roots.
Yolanda was a staff member of the library at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas
Southmost College for forty-seven years. She was known as “the genealogy lady” and was astute in her
belief that families must know their history before they know themselves. She placed great emphasis on
the culture and traditions that round out the study of ancestry. She was also known as the “ghost lady”
having studied about the ghosts of Fort Brown, and experiencing some strange encounters herself. Yolanda
traced her own family roots in one instance to a French-born ancestor who settled in 1585 in what was then
Yolanda Z. González
Photo: Courtesy of UTB and TSC
New Spain.
Her career began in 1954 when, as a student at Texas Southmost College, she began working at the City of Brownsville’s Zachary Taylor
Library. She began to set aside rare books to preserve them from daily wear and tear. This was the beginning of the famous Hunter room in
what would become the Arnulfo L. Oliveira Memorial Library, a unique collection of university archives, genealogy, local history, rare books,
and personal collections donated to the library. Through her work, she met and assisted many dignitaries such as Barbara Bush and James A.
Michener and numerous professors from other universities who sought her help especially in researching the first fourteen families who were
established in Matamoros, México. She at one time served as vice president of the Matamoros Historical Association and was revered as a
valuable resource to many. She retired in May 2001, but continued to tutor individuals and groups.
I was fortunate to have been referred to Yolanda in April 1994, on a trip to Brownsville to research my
Treviño family line. We instantly bonded with our mutually profound interest in genealogy and history. It
became an amiable relationship—experienced also by others because of her good nature. On a visit to
Matamoros, she took me to see the ninety-two year old granddaughter of
Jacinto Treviño, a cousin of my grandfather, Pedro Treviño. Over the years we
Yolanda González and Eileen Treviño Villarreal
Hacienda de San Pedro - June 1996
Monterrey, Nuevo León, México
kept in contact, and she would always ask me when I could go down to
Brownsville to see her.
I last visited with her on November 2010, on a trip to Pharr in the Río Grande Valley after stopping to see Joel
René Escobar, another esteemed colleague and expert researcher, who was in declining health and who would
not survive much longer. I was pleased that I had an opportunity to repay Yolanda’s work and kindness when
I discovered, in the archives of San Fernando Cathedral, information on her Denas ancestors. Yolanda was
delighted with my find. I talked to her last in mid-December making plans to get together this spring but,
sadly, our reunion was not meant to be.
I will always be grateful for her exemplary character and her
invaluable help and friendship.
Eileen Treviño Villarreal and Yolanda González
Hunter Room at the Arnulfo L. Oliveira Memorial
Library at UTB/TSC - June 1994
Brownsville, Cameron, Texas
Yolanda was married to Alfonso Gómez who preceded her in death. They had known each other as children and were reunited later at the
library. Her parents were Ernesto González and Manuela Zúñiga. ✥
EDITOR: Los Bexareños expresses it deepest condolences to Yolanda’s family and many,
many friends. She is an inspiration to all genealogists, but in particular to Tejanos del Valle.
Thank you, Yolanda….Thank you….Thank you.
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
11
Double-Click to view a
video about Yolanda Z. González.
☞
Volume 2 - Issue 2
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
Members de Los Bexareños
Doing what they do best...
Jesse O. Villarreal, Sr.
Receives 2012 Presidio La Bahía
Book Award
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Esperanza Peace & Justice Center
922 San Pedro
San Antonio, Texas
(210) 228-0201
w w w. e s p e r a n z a c e n t e r. o r g
From left to right: David Hanover, KSJ President General of the SRT, Jesse O. Villarreal, Sr.,
and O. Scott Dunbar, KSJ Past President General of the SRT
6:00 p.m.
Tickets: Individuals $20 Couples $35
A velada cultural that will take us to the golden age of music, song, and
Mexican cinema of the 1930s-1950s when EVA GARZA , from San Antonio’s
Westside, became an international sensation known as the
“SWEETHEART OF THE AMÉRICAS.”
Dance ❧ Reception ❧ Exhibit ❧ Performances
Presentations by: Deborah R. Vargas and Tomás Ybarra-Frausto
Musical Tributes by: Las Tesoros de San Antonio, Azul, José
Rubén de León, George & Aarón Prado, y más.
This exhibit recognizes the accomplishments of Mexican superstar EVA GARZA
who was born and raised in San Antonio and whose life was cut tragically
short in 1966. A reception for the international star, as well as other San
Antonio divas, will take place at 6 p.m. Musical performances and dance will
follow the reception. Attire should be reminiscent of the 1940s and 1950s. For
more information please visit www.esperanzacenter.org. ✥
218th
José Antonio Navarro's
Pioneer Birthday Celebration
Casa Navarro State Historic Site
DATE: Saturday, February 23, 2013
PLACE: Casa Navarro • 228 S. Laredo St • San Antonio, Texas
TIME:
10:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.
PHONE: (210) 226-4801
PRICE: Free
Free admission for the day! Interactive exhibits, history groups, entertainment,
music, re-enactors, special exhibits, adobe making, and activities for the kids!
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
On December 1, 2012, the 2012 Presidio La Bahía Award was
presented to Jesse O. Villarreal, Sr., at the Presidio La Bahía in Goliad,
Texas, for his book Tejano Patriots of the American Revolution
1776-1783. The award is presented by the Sons of the Republic of
Texas to promote the suitable preservation of relics, appropriate
dissemination of data, and research into our Texas heritage, with
particular attention to the Spanish Colonial period.
Details of Tejano Patriots of the American Revolution 1776-1783 are
listed below:
1. It’s a story about Tejanos in Goliad and San Antonio de Béxar who
aided General Bernardo de Gálvez by providing cattle to feed his
troops fighting in the campaign against the British along the Gulf
Coast between 1779-1782. The cattle drives to New Orleans were
driven by the soldiers, vaqueros and Indians. In all, there were 12 of
these cattle drives and totaled about 9,000 cattle. The soldiers and
civilians that aided in the American Revolution are in the Census of
1779 (Presidio San Antonio de Béxar) and 1780 (Presidio La Bahía del
Espíritu Santo). Also, The King of Spain, Carlos III, issued a decree on
August 17, 1780, that “all Subjects in the Americas were to donate money.”
He stated that Spanish citizens would donate 2 pesos and the Indians,
one peso, toward the war effort. The research with the Census of
Goliad and San Antonio de Béxar shows who these people and
soldiers were at the time of the American Revolution that contributed
those (donativos) or donations.
2. This book is already being used as a Genealogy reference for anyone wanting to connect to the soldiers or general population and is
available at the DAR LIBRARY in Washington, D. C. and in the SAR
LIBRARY in Louisville, Kentucky.
3. Tejano Patriots of the American Revolution 1776-178, contains
historical accounts of Mr. Villarreal’s ancestors, and it includes several
of his great-grandfathers mentioned throughout the book. He is a
ninth generation Tejano. He descends from the first soldiers who
arrived and settled in San Antonio de Béxar in 1718. His ancestors
include members of the Canary Islanders who established the Villa de
San Fernando de Béxar in 1731, and also some of the first ranchers of
Texas who later provided cattle for the troops of General Bernardo de
Gálvez during the American Revolution. ✥
12
Volume 2 - Issue 2
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
“Go Ahead, Guys” vs. The Spanish Royal Army;
Battle of Medina, Texas, August 18, 1813
Part 7
“Be sure you’re right, then go ahead.”
—Davy Crocket1
AMERICAN TEJANOS Y AMERICANOS’
DREAM OF LIBERTY FOR TEXAS
!
The year 1812 saw many changes in
American politics. Europe was realigned
with many of the old monarchies taken by
Napoleon’s Grand Army. The sea lanes
which England depended on for raw
materials was under threat. The newly
formed American Republic was at war with
England and her allies. This period of
American history was a time of rapid growth
as individuals moved into Native American
hunting grounds and tribal territories. The
United States government was unable to stop
the intrusion and in many cases did not want
to stop its settlers from taking these lands.
!
Along the eastern border of the Spanish
realm, an entrepreneur named Samuel
Davenport decided that the time was right to
take Texas from Spain. Davenport was a
Spanish Indian agent at Nacogdoches; he
used his own money and outfitted an army
of young male immigrants with the implements of war. Davenport arrived in
Spanish Louisiana in 1790, and about 1798
joined a commercial house under the name
House of Barr and Davenport, in Nacogdoches. He was, for all practical reasons, a
Spanish subject and civil servant. In her
article, Katheyn Garrett described Davenport
as a, “traitor turned against the very country
that made him rich.”1
She wrote that
Davenport used his “prestige to bring the
inhabitants to work for the revolution, and used
his wealth and business acumen to equip, in a
brief two months, the Republican Army of the
North.”2 Davenport was not the only one
who knew that Texas could not be protected
by the Spanish colony of México.
!
For years, Tejano settlers were left alone
on the frontier, often having to depend on
one another for their protection, commerce,
and consultations. In his memoirs, General
Vicente Filisola wrote that both the Spanish
and Mexican governments often overlooked
Texas and its settlers.
Such inattention
created a series of intrusions by adventurers
and filibusters and their attempts to conquer
the province. General Filisola noted the
failure of other nations to assimilate Native
Americans into their society. He described
the Spanish efforts of acculturation through
towns founded alongside religious missions.
He wrote “…the inhabitants led a comfortable
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
and happy life while at the same time they were
increasing, crossing the Spanish and Indian races,
from which resulted one of handsome, agile, wise,
brave, loyal, industrious and hospitable men.”3
General Filisola was describing the Tejanos y
Tejanas that made up the population of
Spanish settlers of Texas. These Tejano men
and women were born in the state of Texas;
their parents or grandparents may have also
been born in Texas.
!
Two hundred years, ten generations,
prior to the founding of the first towns in
Texas, the conquistador Cortes and his men,
along with over 10,000 Tlaxcalan allies,
conquered the mighty Aztecs. The Tlaxcalan
allies offered Cortes and his men, their
brawn, homes, and women to ensure their
alliance against the Aztecs. The first mestizos
born in the Américas (the first mestizo born
was from a Spanish castaway named,
Gonzalo Guerrero,4 who became a war chief
in the Yucatan) were a combination of
European and Tlaxcaltecos. The Tlaxcaltecos
were not going to disappear into the
background and stay quietly out of the way.
No instead, they quickly learned the Spanish
language, laws, and customs. With every
succeeding generation, the offspring moved
further and further away from their Tlaxcala
roots. By the 18th century Españoles on the
frontiers were the offspring of some distant
union of Native American and European
parents. Their descendants were the Tejanos
that lived, defended, and cultivated the lands
of Texas. For the most part, they did not
know of the Royal Court of Spain; for all
practical purposes the Spanish Royal Court
could have been on the moon. There was
little contact with outsiders except for those
few who were merchants or smugglers. Most
Tejanos lived their lives by ranching and
farming and these were their main concerns.
In essence, they were independent men and
women of the soil.
!
José Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara was
born on the Spanish borderlands and
through his craft and lands became a wealthy
man. As a young man, he embraced the
revolutionary credo, and he alone did more
than any other to bring up the subject of
Texas independence to United States leaders
in Washington D.C.
Gutiérrez was not
without help. On the Sabine River along the
eastern border of Spanish Texas, merchant
Samuel Davenport, U.S. Special Agent,
William Shaler, and American Indian Agent,
Dr. John Sibley, came together and began
their plot to launch a new revolution against
Spanish Texas. Davenport, who could move
easily between New Orleans and Natchitoches, began to horde supplies for the
filibusters.5 The U.S. Governor of Louisiana,
William C. C. Claiborne, did little to interfere
with this assemblage of men and material.
José Bernardo Gutiérrez, a long time advocate of liberty and autonomy for Texas, was
destined to lead the new revolt against Spain.
!
The new army of mercenaries from
the U.S. entered Texas on August 8, 1812.
The Republican Army of the North under its
banner of a green flag easily won over
Nacogdoches’ presidio soldiers and other
discontented Spanish subjects.6 As the fear
and rumors of the Republican Army spread,
Spanish officials fled Nacogdoches and
moved toward Béxar. As the Royalists abandoned Nacogdoches, the majority of the
town’s citizens went in the opposite direction
to meet the new army and embraced their
cause. José Bernardo Gutiérrez was familiar
with the use of propaganda. From Nacogdoches he issued four proclamations. One
was to the “Officers, Soldiers and Inhabitants of
San Antonio de Béxar.”7 The propaganda
worked and before long Gutiérrez received
word that Béxar was in terror and turmoil
because of the anticipated arrival of his army.
General Gutiérrez prepared his Army and
welcomed more recruits as U.S. citizens came
across the Sabine to join in the revolution. ✥
Garrett, Katheyn. The First Constitution of Texas, April 17, 1813. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly,
Volume 40, July 1936-April, 1937, p. 297.
2 Ibid.
3 Filisola, Vicente. Memoirs for the History of the War in Texas. (Eakin Press, 1985) Translated by
Wallace Woolsey, Vol. 1, p. 12.
4 Diaz, Bernardo The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico 1517-1521. (Kingsport Press, Inc. 1956), p. 43.
5 Schwarz, Ted. Forgotten Battlefield of the First Texas Revolution. (Eakin Press, 1885), p. 11.
6 Zaboly, Gary S. An Altar For Their Sons, The Alamo and the Texas Revolution in Contemporary Newspaper
Accounts. (State House Press, Buffalo Gap, Texas, 2011), p. 23. An extract from the Bennington News-Letter
(Vermont) dated October 26, 1813, wrote, “the little band of Republicans…moved towards the capital of the
Province of Texas, (St. Antonio)…they were like a rolling snowball.” The prospect of good land for the taking
appealed to the American Republic.
7 Ibid, p. 298.
1
A German woodcut showing the Tlaxcala chief giving Cortes’ men Tlaxcalan women.
From Look and Learn, History Picture Library. Cortes & Tlaxcalans.
13
—Santiago Escobedo
Volume 2 - Issue 2
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
The LBGHS Resource Center & Library
IT WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED ON NOVEMBER 2009. 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].
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. ✥
MAP AND DIRECTIONS. The Library is located on the campus of Holy
Rosary Parish in one of their portable buildings. The Church is located at
159 Camino Santa María, just north of Culebra Road and adjacent to the
southeast part of the St. Mary’s University campus. Park in the noted
parking lot and walk through the gate to the courtyard and turn to the
right passing the first building. The Library is located in the second
building on your right as you approach it. Click on the following link to
LBGHS
Resource Center
&
Parking
Camino Sa
nta María
Library
Library
see a larger virtual view.
✥
Click on this link to see a
Larger Map of Resource Center
Culebra Ro
ad
Book Sales Committee
$5.00 Discount !!!
When you contact Mr. Santiago Escobedo and let
him know which book you want to buy, and you
pick it up at the next LBGHS regular monthly
meeting, you will get a $5.00 discount.
You can view the LBGHS book titles by doubleclicking here ☞ PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE.
L to R: Henry Ortega, Gilbert Patiño, and José Hernández.
LOS TRES PRIMOS
The LBGHS Resource Center and Library was pretty busy Saturday,
January 12, 2013. Henry and Pam Ortega were visiting from Oregon,
and they decided to drop in and do a little research. And whadda you
know! Henry realizes that he is related to two other gentlemen doing
research: José Hernández and Gilbert Patiño. You never know what
you will find at the Resource Center.
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
If you have ordered books/publications by
mail and you have not received them,
please contact Mr. Escobedo at his email
address listed below.
You can contact Mr. Escobedo at this email:
[email protected]
✥
14
Volume 2 - Issue 2
LOS
BEXAREÑOS
GENEALOGICAL
AND
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
February 2013
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
The feast of Our Lady of Candelaria (Virgen de Candelaria, Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria), popularly called La Morenita,
celebrates an APPARITION OF THE VIRGIN MARY on the island of TENERIFE, one of the CANARY ISLANDS (Spain). The center of worship is
located in the city of CANDELARIA in Tenerife. She is depicted as a BLACK MADONNA. Its main temple and Royal Basilica Marian
Shrine of Our Lady of Candelaria (BASILICA OF CANDELARIA), is considered the main church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the
Canary Islands. She is the patron saint of the CANARY ISLANDS. Her feast is celebrated on February 2 (CANDLEMAS) and August 15, this
patronal feast on Canary Islands.
Friday
Saturday
1
2
LBGHS Meeting
9:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Presidio La Bahía
Donativos
—WIKIPEDIA, the free encyclopedia
3
4
5
6
7
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
8
9
LBGHS
Resource Center
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Happy
Valentine’s
Day
LBGHS
Resource Center
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
♥
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
LBGHS
Resource Center
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
José Antonio NAVARRO
218 B-Day Celebration
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Homenaje a
Eva GARZA
6:00 p.m.
24
25
26
27
Happy
Birthday
28
Don José
Antonio
Navarro
José Antonio Navarro
was
a Texas statesman, revolutionary,
politician, and merchant. The son of
Ángel Navarro and Josefa María
Ruiz y Peña, he was born into a
distinguished noble family at San
Antonio de Béxar in New Spain.
Born: February 27, 1795
Wikipedia
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
February 2!
Los Bexareños membership meeting - San Antonio, TX
!
Presidio La Bahía’s Connection to the American Revolution - Goliad, TX
!
Feast of the Lady de Candelaria - Patron Saint of the Canary Islands
February 14!
Happy Valentine’s Day to Los Bexareños Members and Friends and their families!
February 23!
José Antonio Navarro 218th Birthday Celebration - San Antonio, TX
!
Homenaje a Eva Garza - San Antonio, TX
April 6!
Premier of “Texas Before The Álamo” - Victoria, TX
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
15
Lady de Candelaria
Volume 2 - Issue 2
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 Facebook. ✥
Message from the Editor
We thank all the volunteers who did an excellent job of organizing and putting on the
Annual Installation of Officers and Awards Dinner. Job well done!
Congratulations to those who received awards for their tireless contributions to Los
Bexareños Genealogical and Historical Society.
Leadership Award:! !
"
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Ed Mata (President), Joseph Zavala (Vice President), Fred
Martínez (Director), and Sylvia Valero (Director)
"
Meritorious"
Service" "
"
Award:" "
"
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"
"
"
"
"
"
Cronista Award:!
"
"
"
"
"
"
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Patricia Barrymore (Hospitality Program), Louis Benavides
(Scholarship Program), Sandra Benavides (Hospitality
Program), Santiago Escobedo (Book Sales), Anthony
Delgado (Facebook), Gloria Hinojosa Guerra (Hospitality
Program), and Sylvia Morales (eMail Newsletter)
"
"
!
"
"
Gregory and Gloria Hernández, Dennis Moreno,
Yolanda Patiño, Armandina Sifuentes, and Carlos
Federico Valdes Ramos
2012 was a very productive year for Los Bexareños, thanks to ALL the volunteers who put in
many, many hours to make it happen. I am personally very proud to belong to such a great
organization. Yes, I thoroughly enjoy researching the history of my ancestors and recording
the genealogy of my Family Tree, but I must say that the side effects of nourishing the
friendships of fellow genealogists is truly rewarding. Los Bexareños is now officially my
second family!
Again, we want to thank all of you who have contributed articles. For those of you who
have contributed articles which have not yet been printed, please be patient with us. We
intend to use these articles in future issues. ✥
—Sylvia Morales
Happy Valentine’s Day!
LBGHS eMail Newsletter
16
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 (no later
than the 15th of the month)
Sylvia Morales
3543 Byron St
San Antonio, TX 78247-3193
(210) 494-7932 or (210) 291-7702
[email protected]
(preferred method of communication)
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Volume 2 - Issue 2