LBGHS eMail Newsletter 1 Volume 2 - Issue 2

Los BexareñosGenealogical and Historical SocietyThose 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 February 2013

Contents In This Issue

1. LBGHS February Monthly Meeting • Facebook2. Message From The President3. Israel Cavazos Garza • Group Research4. Installation of Officers and Awards Dinner5. Websites That Tell Our Stories • Gloria Cadena Scholarship6. A Genealogy Project — Selected Families of Von Ormy8. Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía del Espíritu Santo10. LBGHS Member Recognition — Jesse Rodríguez11. Tribute to Yolanda Z. González12. Members de Los Bexareños — Jesse O. Villarreal13. “Go Ahead Guys” vs The Royal Spanish Army; Battle of Medina, Texas, August 18, 1813 (Part 7)14. LBGHS Resource Center • Book Sales Committee15. Calendar of Events16. Around The State • Message From the Editor

LBGHS Monthly MeetingFebruary 2, 2013

San Antonio Main Public Library9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

SPEAKER: Ted HerreraTOPIC: 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. ✥

CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS

Louis J. BenavidesAnthony DelgadoSantiago Escobedo

Israel Cavazos GarzaJosé López

Art Martínez de VaraSylvia MoralesDennis Moreno

Gilbert and Yolanda PatiñoEileen Treviño Villarreal

Jeremy D. TurnerJesse O. Villarreal, Sr.

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LBGHS eMail Newsletter 2 Volume 2 - Issue 2

L O S B E X A R E Ñ O S G E N E A L O G I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

L B G H S O F F I C E R S

! 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.

2 0 1 3 E X E C U T I V E B O A R D

President: ! ! Louis J. Benavides

Vice President: !José López

Secretary:! ! María Elena Martínez

Treasurer: ! ! Lillie Johnson

B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S

2012 - 2013:! ! Anthony Delgado

2012 - 2013:! ! Eduardo Hinojosa

2012 - 2013:! ! Yolanda Patiño

2013 - 2014:! ! Eleanor Foreman

2013 - 2014:! ! Sylvia Morales

A P P O I N T E D O F F I C E R S

Historian:! ! ! Norberto Martínez

Parliamentarian: ! José Hernández

" I am here because many of you saw something in me to help this organization. What ever it was, will you kindly walk up to me after a meeting and tell me what you saw. I am here because my beautiful wife, my muse, allowed me to and because of the love that we both have for our family history. I thank you now, before I really find out what this oppor-tunity entails.

" Over 500 people are, or have been, members of the Los Bexareños Genealo-gical and Historical Society. Many of you bring a passion to find out who you are. We grew up in a society that belittled us, that left us out of the history books, that forgot about what we did and who we are. If you were a Tejano, a descendent of indigenous people of the Américas or of Mexican, Spanish or other Hispanic descent, you had no written history as far as many of our teachers and historians were concerned. Our members share two common traits: a desire to find out about our family stock and, once this occurs, a desire grows to discover the hidden stories that make up our family history, our family stories as descendants of Hispanic or indigenous people or what-ever else may flow in our veins.

" 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.

" This reminds me of a story one of my coworkers, the daughter of one of our members, told me a few months ago. You see, her family lived in neighborhoods where Hispanics were not viewed as pro-fessionals. In school, she took Texas History, and as she turned the book pages she expected to see something about an Hernández, a González, or a Rodríguez, but that did not occur. Then, one day her dad decided to do genealogy research. He discovered the family roots, and he related family stories to his children. His daughter, my coworker, became proud to learn about the family history and to learn that they truly were a part of this land and this great State of Texas. As a teacher of Texas History, I found the following very important to me: She said that the knowledge she gained from her father’s family stories had given her a “pride that transformed her entire life.”

" So lets come together (1) to help each other be effective, involved citizens, and (2) to join our voices to let others, espe-cially our children and grand children, to know that they should be proud of who they are, proud of what their families did here and what their families meant to Texas and to the Américas.

" We must continue to tell these stories, to publish papers and reports, and to do that, we must continue our search regard-less of whether our family roots are good or not so good. We need volunteers to help this organization to do just that. We need volunteers in many facets of this organization. We need people to write 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. BenavidesLBGHS President

LOS BEXAREÑOS PO BOX 1935

SAN ANTONIO TX 78297-1935

www.losbexarenos.org

Messagefrom the

President’sDesk

LBGHS eMail Newsletter 3 Volume 2 - Issue 2

L O S B E X A R E Ñ O S G E N E A L O G I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

LBGHS CommitteesBook Sales" Santiago Escobedo! santiagodebejar@sbcglobal.net

Budget" Lillie Johnson! ! lillie07@swbell.net

Conference! TBA

Facebook! Anthony Delgado ! ! 12thfamily@gmail.com

Fundraising" Olga Hickey ! ! olhickey@yahoo.com

Hospitality" Sandra Benavides! ! sandra_benavides@sbcglobal.net

Library" Dennis Moreno" dennis.moreno@sbcglobal.net

Membership" Sylvia Morales ! ! lousyl@icloud.com

Property" Dennis Moreno! dennis.moreno@sbcglobal.net

Publications" Larry Kirkpatrick! ! elindio2@hotmail.com

Register" Raúl Guerra ! ! warcanamar@aol.com

Scholarship" Mary Esther Escobedo! ! lawhwy@yahoo.com

Website" Dennis Moreno! dennis.moreno@sbcglobal.net

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.

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.

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.

—Israel Cavazos Garza

San Fernando Cemetery IIPOLICY FOR RESEARCHING NAMES

______________________________________________________

For Genealogy Reseach:

• 1 - 5 Names:" No Charge• 6 - 20 Names:" " " $50• More than 20 Names:" $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.

NameDate of DeathAddress

TEL:(210) 432-2303" Catholic CemeteriesFAX:(210) 432-3254" San Fernando II! 746 Castroville Rd.! San Antonio, Texas 78237

Genealogy Research GroupCANTÚs

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 (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 12thfamily@gmail.com for more information. ✥

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.

¡Feliz Cumpleaños

!

—Los Bexareños

LBGHS eMail Newsletter 4 Volume 2 - Issue 2

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L O S B E X A R E Ñ O S G E N E A L O G I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS & AWARDS DINNERThe 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.

LBGHS eMail Newsletter 5 Volume 2 - Issue 2

Websites That Tell Our Stories

" 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. ✥

Álamo’s Tejano Heroes Gain RecognitionThe 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

Bexar Archives Online

Bexar County Historical Commission

Bexar Genealogy

Children of the Revolución

Hispanic Heritage Month

Somos Primos

Tejano Monument

Texas Tejano

Tell Us Your Stories" 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-come-first-serve basis. ✥

lousyl@icloud.com

~~����������� ������������������  ~~����������� ������������������  ~~Experiences����������� ������������������  that����������� ������������������  are����������� ������������������  shared����������� ������������������  are����������� ������������������  added����������� ������������������  to����������� ������������������  life’s����������� ������������������  beautiful����������� ������������������  memory����������� ������������������  books

L O S B E X A R E Ñ O S G E N E A L O G I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

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 people who have the same interests and people who may be doing research on your family lineages.

" To become a member, fill out the 2013 Membership Application Form and mail it to the address on the form. Better yet, bring the form with you when you attend our next meeting. ✥

2013 MEMBERSHIP FORM

GLORIA CADENAGENEALOGICAL and HISTORICAL

SCHOLARSHIP FUND

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.

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 en-couraged to retell the stories about their ancestors handed down throughout the ages. ✥

Please make your donation to the LBGHS Scholarship Fund and send your check to:

LOS BEXARENOS PO BOX 1935

SAN ANTONIO TX 78297-1935

☞Click Here And Join Us

MEMBERSHIP DUESARE

DUE

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relativ

es of

Los Bexareños

in good standing.

LBGHS eMail Newsletter 6 Volume 2 - Issue 2

L O S B E X A R E Ñ O S G E N E A L O G I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

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 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 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. It can be found at 524 E. Nueva Street, San Antonio, Texas. It has a historic marker which mentions Juan Casillas and Dolores 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 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.”

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

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 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.

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 married Antonio Casias of Von Ormy. Rafael married Juliana Flores of Von Ormy. Quintana Road is named for this family.

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 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-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 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.

Continued on page 7

Audited Claim of Juan Casillas,3 January 1836

A Genealogy ProjectSelected Families of Paso de las Garzas / Von Ormy, Texas

LBGHS eMail Newsletter 7 Volume 2 - Issue 2

L O S B E X A R E Ñ O S G E N E A L O G I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

! 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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.

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.

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 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 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, 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. ✥

Signature of Juan Francisco Ruiz(b. 28 Jan 1817, Mission San José, Texas)

José Francisco Ruiz

Far left: Vicente Vara and Natividad Vara

Prepared by:Art Martínez de VaraP.O. Box 377Von Ormy, Texas 78073(210) 857-6848art@mdv-law.com Website: www.mdv-law.com

LBGHS eMail Newsletter 8 Volume 2 - Issue 2

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 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 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 presidio-mission 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 to achieve since their discovery of Texas in 1519. Presidio La Bahía was at the forefront of an empire that stretched from the lowest 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

Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loretode la Bahía del Espíritu Santo

L O S B E X A R E Ñ O S G E N E A L O G I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

Continued on page 9

Article

6

Article

7

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.

This photo is taken from within the Presidio La Bahía looking west.It represents what the area likely looked like in the late 1700s.

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L O S B E X A R E Ñ O S G E N E A L O G I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

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. ✥

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 Revolutionwar effort has just been

discovered!

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.

Speakers:Jesse O. Villarreal Sr.

Author & Historian

A special message fromJudge Robert H. Thonhoff

Author & Historian

Lorenzo & Julia LópezFINDING THE DONATIVO LIST ANDWHAT IT MEANS FOR THE FUTURE.

If you have any questions, please contact Julia Lopez at

llopez9@austin.rr.com

Hope to see you in Goliad!

For information on Presidio La Bahia: http://www.presidiolabahia.org/index.html

Presidio La Bahia, Goliad, Texas

February 2, 2013

2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

♥Feliz Día de San Valentín

Click Me

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L O S B E X A R E Ñ O S G E N E A L O G I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

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

LBGHS MEMBER RECOGNITIONLEADING by example

Jesse Rodríguez

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: lousyl@icloud.com. 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.

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L O S B E X A R E Ñ O S G E N E A L O G I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

YOLANDA Z. GONZÁLEZPioneer 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 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 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.

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. ✥

Yolanda Z. GonzálezPhoto: Courtesy of UTB and TSC

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.

Double-Click to view a

video about Yolanda Z. González.

☞Eileen Treviño Villarreal and Yolanda GonzálezHunter Room at the Arnulfo L. Oliveira Memorial

Library at UTB/TSC - June 1994Brownsville, Cameron, Texas

Yolanda González and Eileen Treviño VillarrealHacienda de San Pedro - June 1996

Monterrey, Nuevo León, México

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L O S B E X A R E Ñ O S G E N E A L O G I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

Members de Los BexareñosDoing what they do best...

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 any-one 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. ✥

Jesse O. Villarreal, Sr.Receives 2012 Presidio La Bahía

Book Award

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

Saturday, February 23, 2013Esperanza Peace & Justice Center

922 San PedroSan 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

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. ✥

José Antonio Navarro's218th Pioneer Birthday Celebration

Casa Navarro State Historic Site

DATE: Saturday, February 23, 2013PLACE: Casa Navarro • 228 S. Laredo St • San Antonio, TexasTIME: 10:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.

PHONE: (210) 226-4801PRICE: Free

Free admission for the day! Interactive exhibits, history groups, entertainment, music, re-enactors, special exhibits, adobe making, and activities for the kids!

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L O S B E X A R E Ñ O S G E N E A L O G I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

“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 Part 7

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 im-plements 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 Nacog-doches. 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

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 Natchi-toches, 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 advo-cate 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 aban-doned 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 Nacog-doches 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. ✥

1 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.

—Santiago EscobedoA German woodcut showing the Tlaxcala chief giving Cortes’ men Tlaxcalan women. From Look and Learn, History Picture Library. Cortes & Tlaxcalans.

LBGHS eMail Newsletter 14 Volume 2 - Issue 2

The LBGHS Resource Center & LibraryIT 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 /patinogil@sbcglobal.net or Dennis Moreno at (210) 647-5607 / dennis.moreno@sbcglobal.net.

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. ✥

L O S B E X A R E Ñ O S G E N E A L O G I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

LBGHSResource Center

&

Library

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 see a larger virtual view. ✥

Click on this link to see aLarger Map of Resource Center

Book Sales Committee

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 double-clicking here ☞ PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE.

You can contact Mr. Escobedo at this email:santiagodebejar@sbcglobal.net

$5.00 Discount !!!

LOS TRES PRIMOSThe 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. ✥

L to R: Henry Ortega, Gilbert Patiño, and José Hernández.If you have ordered books/publications by

mail and you have not received them, please contact Mr. Escobedo at his email

address listed below.

ParkingLibrary

Culebra Road

Cam

ino

Sant

a M

aría

LBGHS eMail Newsletter 15 Volume 2 - Issue 2

February 2013

Do you have a “Save The Date” announcement you want to share with your fellow genealogists? If yes, please email your announcement to lousyl@icloud.com

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

L O S B E X A R E Ñ O S G E N E A L O G I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2LBGHS Meeting9:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.

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10 11 12 13 14 15 16

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José Antonio NAVARRO218 B-Day Celebration

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

LBGHSResource Center10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

LBGHSResource Center10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

LBGHSResource Center10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

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, 1795Wikipedia

Happy Birthday

Don José Antonio Navarro

Homenaje aEva GARZA

6:00 p.m.

Happy Valentine’s

Day

♥

Presidio La BahíaDonativos

2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

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.

—WIKIPEDIA, the free encyclopedia

Lady de Candelaria

LBGHS eMail Newsletter 16 Volume 2 - Issue 2

Message from the Editor

From Around The StateAustin :!! ! 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. ✥

L O S B E X A R E Ñ O S G E N E A L O G I C A L A N D H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

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:! ! Ed Mata (President), Joseph Zavala (Vice President), Fred " " " " " " " Martínez (Director), and Sylvia Valero (Director)

Meritorious" " " Patricia Barrymore (Hospitality Program), Louis Benavides " Service" " " " " (Scholarship Program), Sandra Benavides (Hospitality " Award:" " " " " Program), Santiago Escobedo (Book Sales), Anthony " " " " " " " Delgado (Facebook), Gloria Hinojosa Guerra (Hospitality " " " " " " " Program), and Sylvia Morales (eMail Newsletter)

Cronista Award:! ! 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! Get the latest version of a Free Adobe Reader

Needed to read this Newsletter in PDF

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 print- ed 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 Morales3543 Byron St

San Antonio, TX 78247-3193

(210) 494-7932 or (210) 291-7702

lousyl@icloud.com(preferred method of communication)