THE MEXICAN I TEXANS THE TEXIANS AND THE TEXANS THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS INSTITUTE OF TEXANAT SAN CULTURES ANTONIO .._______________________ .. THE MEXICAN TEXANS .. The Uni~ve rsity of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures at San Antonio 1986 THE TEXIANS AND THE TEXANS A series dealing with the many peoples who have contributed to the history and heritage of Texas. Now in print: Pamphlets - The Afro-American Texans, The Anglo-American Texans, The Belgian Texans, The Chinese Texans, The Czech Texans, The German Texans, The Greek Texans, The Indian Texans, The Italian Texans, TheJ ewish Texans, The L ebanese Texans and the $yrian Texans, The Mexican Texans, Los Tejanos Mexicanos (in Spanish), The Norwegian Texans, The Spanish Texans, and The Swiss Texans. Books - The Danish Texans, The English Texans, The German Texans, The Irish Texans, The Japanese Texans, The Polish Texans, and The Wendish Texans. The Mexican Texans Principal researcher: Samuel P. Nesmith ©1975: The University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures at San Antonio John R . McGiffert, Executive Director Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 72-611950 International Standard Book Number 0-86701-030-4 Second revised edition, 1986; second printing, 1989 This publication was made possible, in part, by a grant from Houston Endowment, Inc. Printed in the United States of America Cover: Unknown candle vendor Back Cover: Judge j.M. Rodriguez and family THE MEXICAN TEXANS .. The founding of Tenochtitldn bout three million of today's totaled between 11 and 20 million count was slightly over a million, Texans are of Mexican birth people. Their ranks were catastroph­ while European-born Spaniards to­ A or descent. Their proud heri­ ically reduced by European-borne taled only about 70,000. tage is a blend of several cultures diseases, yet by 1800 they still out­ Strangely, it was the creole - the which carved Texas from bedrock numbered Spanish-born residents of Spaniard born on this continent of wilderness. It is our strongest tie with Mexico more than 40 to 1. Spanish parents-who spearheaded the past and a significant influence Despite Spain's enormous legacy the 1810 revolt against Spain. And on our future. In the emergence of to Mexico - including language and Mexico became a nation in 1821 the Mexican people as a nationality, religion - Old World Spaniards (pen­ through the combined efforts of In­ various types and combinations of insulares) never constituted more than dians, mestizos and creoles - all chil­ Indians and Spaniards united under a fraction of Mexico's total popula­ dren of the New World. Texas history a single banner in 1821. Their story tion. About a thousand of these until 1836 was simply a part of Mexi­ begins much earlier, however. Europeans, mostly male, arrived can history. To the present day Mexi­ I Two centuries before soldiers of annually during the first 125 years can Texans have played a significant " Spain landed on the North American after the conquest of Mexico. Immi­ role in local history. Some of their mainland, Aztecan builders were at gration played only a minor role in contributions - examples only-are work on their capital. From this city, population growth after the first half outlined in the following sketches of called Mexico-Tenochtitliin, come century. Thereafter, American-born a few notable individuals. both the name of Mexico and its Spaniards, the criollos (or creoles), national symbol. Following instruc­ exceeded the Spanish-born peninsu­ tions from their gods, the Aztecs had lares in ever-increasing ratios. The FRAY ISIDRO FELIX settled on a lake island where they union of Spaniards and Indians gave DE ESPINOSA had found an eagle with a snake in rise to a new group, the mestizos, who, 1709-1716 his beak perched on a cactus. Mexico with the Indian population, made up Fray Isidro Felix de Espinosa was City stands on that site today. When 83 percent of the people in New ordained in 1697 at the College of Cortes landed in 1519 with 500 men, Spain. By the time of Mexican inde­ Santa Cruz in Queretaro, the city of the many native tribes of Mexico pendence from Spain, the creole his birth. He was assigned to the mis- :3 CRISTOBAL DE LOS public funds. This was the first in­ SANTOS COY stance in which free textbooks were 1746 provided to schoolchildren in Texas. That same year an ordinance was Mission schools had been established passed establishing a "public free at San Francisco de los Tejas in East primary school;' Texas as early as 1690. The first non­ Despite this activity, financial mission school in Texas was founded support was the crucial problem. The in 1746 at San Fernando de Bexar by central government shifted responsi­ Don Cristobal de los Santos Coy. It bility for education to the states; the was a joint project in which govern­ states, having no money, shifted the ment lands were donated, and build­ burden to the ayuntamientos; the ayun­ ings furnished by the church were tamientos, also without funds, did not maintained by the people. In 1789 know what to do. Where schools were another school was organized in San opened, attendance was often diffi­ Antonio by Don Jose Francisco de la cult to maintain. Mata, a native of Saltillo. The fate of that school is unknown. But in 1811 Juan Zambrano established a school in San Antonio designed to JOSE VAsQUEZ BORREGO accommodate 70 pupils who would 1750 Fr. Isidro Felix de Espinosa pay according to ability. The teacher Jose Vasquez Borrego was a wealthy was paid 30 pesos a month, and a cattleman, who owned ranches on sion of San Juan Bautista del Rio regidor (alderman) assumed responsi­ both sides of the Rio Grande. In 1750 Grande, located at what is now the bilit'}' for administering punishment. he secured additional lands from town of Guerrero in the Mexican In 1818 Zambrano formed an Nuevo Santander's governor, Jose de state of Coahuila, about 35 miles 80-pupil school at La Bahia. Later Escandon, in order to establish the southeast of present-day Eagle Pass. "the teacher, a soldier named Jose settlement of Dolores, situated north In 1709 he accompanied soldiers to Gabin, was relieved of his position of the river between present Laredo the present site of San Antonio, because his school duties conflicted and Brownsville. Within four years where an abundant water source was with his responsibilities as secretary this villa had 123 inhabitants brought discovered and subsequently named to the ayuntamiento (municipal coun­ in by Borrego and his son-in-law, San Pedro Springs. cil). The school closed in 1821 when Juan Antonio Vidaurri. Supporters Espinosa was soon made father­ the population dwindled. Another of Mexican independence, the found­ president of the Texan missions school opened at San Antonio in ing families of Dolores were driven founded by the Queretarian college. 1826. Two years later the governor from their homes by Spanish royal­ In 1716 he accompanied the East bought the school 100 charts, 36 ists, but they returned in 1828. Texas expedition of Domingo Ra­ catechisms and other supplies out of Vidaurri heirs still live on the land, mon and established the missions of Nuestra Senora de la Purisima Con­ cepcion de los Hainai and San Jose de los N azonis - both in what is now Nacogdoches County-and reestab­ lished San Francisco de los Tejas one and a half miles north of the present Houston County community of Weches. As a member of Martin de Alarcon's 1718 inspection tour, and again in 1721 as a member of the Marques de Aguayo's expedition, Espinosa increased his knowledge of the Texas mission field. His 1746 book Cronica, an account of the apostolic colleges, remains the best primary source of the early 18th cen- tury history of Texas. 19th century schoolroom 4 effective defense, the settlers were ordered to move from the Nacogdo­ ches area to vacant farmlands near San Antonio. Hardship and sickness took a heavy toll of life on this jour­ ney. Ybarbo petitioned the Spanish government, and, after an unhappy one-year stay near San Fernando, these people were allowed to move to the Trinity River, where they found­ ed the town of Bucareli in what is now Madison County. It is said that, on this occasion, Ybarbo took to East Texas cottonseed, sheep and a Negro weaver who was expected to teach his craft to the settlers. But the people were barely able to eke out an exis­ tence. Comanche Indians began harassing the settlement in spite of Ruins of Villa de Dolores Ybarbo's many expeditions among the tribes to promote friendly rela­ although Dolores was destroyed by the north bank of the Rio Grande, tions. Appeals for additional arms Indians in 1850. Ruins of the original 30 miles above Dolores. Under his and ammunition went unanswered. settlement include a church, fort, leadership, the population of Laredo Finally, after a disastrous flood, the school and several houses. increa!;ed from 85 in 1757 to 700 village of Bucareli was abandoned Spaniards, mestizos and mulatos by early in 1779. Ybarbo then helped 1789. Sanchez was chief justice and rebuild Nacogdoches. Later he was TOMAS SANCHEZ DE LA al~alde (mayor) almost continuously accused of smuggling and, although BARRERA Y GALLARDO until his death in 1796. Laredo cleared, was forbidden to return to 1755 gained early importance, which it Nacogdoches. Exiled to Louisiana, Tomas Sanchez was the second still maintains, as a crossroads to and he was, however, allowed by Spanish ranchman from Mexico to establish from Mexico. No attempt was made authorities to return to Texas a few a Texas town on land granted by to extend Texas government to the years later.