Tejano Association for Historical Preservation

Lorenzo de Zavala Chapter

Post Office Box 231021    Houston , Texas 77223-1021

            The Tejano Association for Historical Preservation extends condolences to the family of Honorable State Representative Joe E. Moreno of District 143.  He was born on August 12, 1964 and passed away on May 6, 2005.  He supported the Tejano Association for Historical Preservation Cesar Chavez projects and parades. As a supporter of the April 6, 2002 parade he enlisted the help of Honorable State Representative Jessica Farrar District 148 and between the two of them in one afternoon, accumulated donations for the airfare and the honarium fee of Maria Elena Chavez, niece of Cesar Chavez who delivered the keynote address after the Cesar Chavez Parade.  He was always ready to extend a helping hand to his fellow man.  We were touched by his gentleness, we will remember what he did for others and we will always remember his can do spirit.  He will go down in the history books as a Texan who made a difference.

            On May 11, 2005 letters with biographical information of Honorable Joe E. Moreno and Dr. Margaret Swett Henson were sent to Dr. Abelardo Saavedra and the HISD Board members by Tejano Association for Historical Preservation President Linda Alonzo Saenz requesting that two HISD schools be named in their memory. 

            On June 10, 2005 the HISD Board of Education unanimously approved to name the North Central District Northline-Durkee Relief School the Joe E. Moreno Elementary School .  Tejano Association for Historical Preservation President, Linda Alonzo Saenz and Vice President, Loretta Martinez Williams attended this historic board meeting and were on hand to thank HISD officials and congratulate the Moreno family.  Houston Artist Luis Fernando Garza has been commissioned by the Tejano Association for a portrait bearing the likeness of the Late Honorable Moreno.  This portrait will be unveiled at the opening of the Joe E. Moreno Elementary HISD School and will hang in a place of prominence.

            In regards to the recommendation of naming a school honoring Dr. Margaret Swett Henson, Dianne Johnson, President of the HISD Board wrote that the recommendation was received.  It will be kept on file and referred to appropriate committee for future consideration of naming of schools.  TAHP had previously requested this of HISD in October of 2001 but we are hopeful that with additional requests this honor will be bestowed upon the late Dr. Henson and her family.  Dr. Margaret Henson was a charter member of TAHP in 1989.  She was also a friend and advisor.  She prepared the text for the marker application of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and was the author of numerous works.  She was a past President of the Texas State Historical Association, Southern Historical Association, and an active member in numerous organizations.  Her leadership was invaluable. 

ONCE AGAIN, THE TEXAS SOCIETY SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION WILLIAM HIGHTOWER CHAPTER # 35 WILL SPONSOR A CEREMONY HONORING THE 192^ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF MEDINA ON OLD APPLEWHITE ROAD ATASCOSA COUNTY , TEXAS ON AUGUST 20, 2005 at 11:00 a.m.  Mr. Tom Green, Master of Ceremonies is the Hill Country District Representative in the Sons of the Republic of Texas, Texas Society Staff Secretary of the Sons of the American Revolution, and the Color Guard Southern Commander.  Last year the distinguished guests and presenters of the ceremony were Wesley Schultze, Chaplain General Sons of the Republic of Texas, Honorable Diana J. Bautista, Atascosa County Judge, Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard, Sons of the Republic of Texas Color Guard, Marilyn Smith Corresponding Secretary Texas Daughters of the American Revolution, Tom Zumwalt, Travis Chapter President, Sons of the Republic of Texas, Robert Thonhoff, Author, Educator, County Judge and Knight of San Jacinto, Descendants of Peter Sides’ family, Descendants of Benjamin Allen Family, Robert Benavides, Chairman of Board of San Antonio Living History Association, Robert Warfield, Vernon Cooper, musicians on bagpipes and both of the Sons of the American Revolution.  A SAR grave marker of Peter Sides was dedicated and an SRT grave marker for Benjamin Allen was also dedicated.  A Mayflower Marker was also dedicated by William Alsup, Governor of the Texas General Society of the Mayflower Descendants.  For more information regarding this year’s ceremony please contact Tom Green by email at tbgreen3@prodigy.net

LONG RANGE OBJECTIVES

BY TOM GREEN

Text taken from Battle of Medina Brochure

            The project started because of two people, one my son-in-law, Brian Child’s aunt, Maurine Childs Parker, who told me that their ancestor was killed in the Battle of Medina .  The other person was Clovis Brakebill, former President General of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.  Clovis wrote a book about the 50+ men who fought in the American Revolution in Texas .  Clovis became excited and asked me several questions about Peter Sides, the ancestor of my son-in-law’s family.  This was the last time I saw Clovis alive, and after I participated in his memorial service, I decided to work to obtain SAR membership for my son-in-law and place an SAR Grave Marker at the site where he was killed.  I also serve as Hill County District Representative of the Sons of the Republic of Texas and I learned that both the SRT and the DRT accept members with ancestors who were in Texas in the early days when Spain owned Texas .  The process of researching what historians call the Gutierrez-Magee Expedition has been an extremely interesting process, with one of the most pleasant experiences being getting to know Robert Thonhoff.  I knew about Bob because the SRT awarded him our La Bahia award for his book, “The Forgotten Battlefield.”  I love history and learning about the largest battle in Texas history has truly been a pleasure.  Thanks Bob for all your work!

            I do not consider this the end of this project, but merely the beginning.  I would like to see us have annual ceremonies at the site of the Patriot Grave sites each year.  I would like to see the professionals get involved in a large scale archeological dig to see what artifacts can be found to prove what Robert Thonhoff knows to be true, that the main body of the Spanish Royalist Army was entrenched in the Oak forest that lined the Galvan Creek we see in the valley below.  I would like to see a wealthy benefactor purchase the private land where Jerome Korus believes that the first Mexican Governor of Texas, Jose Felix Trespalacios had the remains of the hundreds of men of the Republican Army of the North buried some nine years after the battle.  The story goes that the remains of the men were buried beneath a large oak tree and a cross was carved in the tree.  Jerome’s family once the land where he believed the oak tree is located.  I would like to see this land purchased and also made part of an archeological dig, to see if we can find evidence of the burial site of these Patriots who gave their life to make Texas a free country. 

            I also hope others will attempt to identify their ancestors who may have fought with the Gutierrez-Magee Expedition, and prove their participation in the Battle of Medina .  Thank you for coming today and I hope to see all of you here next year and we can add other Patriot names who fought and died in the Forgotten Battle in Texas history.

The Battle of Medina

By the Award Winning Author and Educator, Robert H. Thonhoff, County Judge and Knight of San Jacinto

Text taken from Battle of Medina Brochure

            Fought on August 18, 1813 in the sandy Oak forest region of southern Bexar county and northern Atascosa County , the Battle of Medina was the biggest bloodiest battle ever fought on Texas soil.

            Occurring during a very confused turbulent period of world history, the Battle of Medina affected the destinies of Spain , Mexico , The United States of America , France and England .  Mexico was in revolt against Spain, whose king was Joseph Bonaparte, the brother of Napoleon, who was on a rampage in Europe, later to be called the War of 1812.

            In this caldron of world events, Bernardo Gutierrez de Lara and Augustus Magee, aided and abetted by the United States , organized an expedition to west Texas from Spain .  Flying the Green Flag, their Republic Army of the North crossed from Louisiana into Texas on August 7, 1812, and soon captured Nacogdoches and Trinidad de Salcedo before heading toward Presidio La Bahia , where during the winter of 1812-1813 occurred the longest siege in American military history.

            The Republicans marched toward San Antonio and defeated the Spanish Royalists on March 29, 1813 in the Battle of Rosillo Creek.  The Republicans took control of San Antonio on April 1, 1813 and on April 4, 1813 when two Spanish governors, Manuel de Salcedo and Simon de Herrera were brutally executed.  On April 6 a Declaration of Independence established the First Republic of Texas .  After the victorious Battle of Alazan on June 20, 1813 the Republicans reigned supreme in Texas .

            With one bold stroke, however, Spain struck back.  On August 18, 1813 the Spanish Royalist forces under General Joaquin de Arredondo decimated the Republican Army of the North under the command of General Jose Alvarez de Toledo in “la batalla del encinal de Medina .”  Many of the soldiers were sons of the American Revolutionaries and also later participated in the War of 1812 and the Texas Revolution.  The bones of about 800 Republicans killed in the Battle of Medina were left to bleach in the sand for nine years before they were gathered and buried under an oak tree somewhere in the “encinal.”  The Green Flag has been nearly forgotten. 

Rudy Tejano Peña will be organizing a trip from Corpus Christi for the Anniversary of the Battle of Medina on August 20, 2005.  For more information contact Rudy at 361-854-1732 or send E-mail  to Tejano_pride@hotmail.com     Visit his website of  http://www.tejanopride.com

Mr. Peña and his beautiful mascot Lobo recently participated in the Juan N. Seguin 4th of July Parade that was recently held in Seguin, Texas.  He was number 67 out of 167 entries and was very honored to be there.  He is shown below in the photo with Lobito.  Thank you for sending the Tejano Association for Historical Preservation photos from the historical event of promoting the history of Juan N. Seguin and Tejano Heroes.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The following text has been submitted for application of a Texas Historical Subject Marker by the Goliad Historical Commission.  The project is spearheaded by Estella Zermeno of the Goliad Historical Commission, research material was provided by Patsy Light of the Goliad Historical Commission, and William Zermeno also of the Goliad Historical Commission has been facilitating the application and paperwork.  The text was written by Loretta Martinez Williams, member of Harris County Historical Commission, edited by Armando Alonzo, Ph.D, Andrés Tijerina, Ph.D. and Richard Mollicone, Ph.D. of Goliad I.S.D.  Thanks are extended to the contributing editors for their input and members of the Goliad Historical Commission for their support and vision.  Special thanks are extended to Estella Zermeno for her drive to see this marker a reality.

 History of Rafael Antonio Manchola and his Contributions to Texas

Born to an aristocratic Spanish family about 1800, Rafael Antonio Manchola was a prominent merchant, stockman, military commander, and political leader in Mexican Texas.  He arrived in La Bahía in 1822.[1]  In 1824 he married María de Jesús de León, the third daughter of Empresario Martin De León and Patricia De La Garza.2 

Manchola was also one of the early settlers of Victoria , Texas , and his branding iron was one of the first registered in Goliad and Victoria counties.  He served as De León’s attorney and business agent.  He was one of the principal citizens who advocated for the welfare of the Mexican community.3

Manchola served as the Commander of the Presidio of Nuestra Señora de Loreto in 1826 - 1827 and again in 1831.4  As presidial commander, he enforced the laws of the colony.  In 1828 Manchola served as a State Deputy in the Coahuila and Texas Legislature after being elected by the District Electoral Assembly of Texas.5  He also served as Alcalde of Goliad in 1831.6       Manchola helped to establish the municipality of Guadalupe Victoria during the 1829 session.  In October 1829 he wrote Stephen F. Austin, asking for his suggestions for the welfare of Texas .  He declared his support for the separation of Coahuila and Texas early in his political career.7

In February 1829, he protested to Governor Agustín Viesca that the Mexican government had failed to carry out the secularization order of 1823.  He submitted a history of the missions and documentation of grievances the settlers had filed against the Indians, and blamed Father José Antonio Díaz De León for the failure of the secularization process.  He then demanded transfer and sale of the mission lands so that the settlers could purchase the property.  Governor Viesca ordered this to be carried out on March 6, 1823, but it was not implemented until February 1830.8

As State Deputy, Manchola also petitioned the state to change “the meaningless name” of La Bahía to Goliad, “which is an anagram made from the surname of the heroic giant of our revolution, [Father Miguel Hidalgo].”9  The Constitutional Congress of Coahuila and Texas approved the name change on February 4, 1829, and Governor Viesca issued Decree No. 73 to comply.  Ramón Musquiz, Jefe Político of the Department of Bexar forwarded the decree on March 8, 1829.10

  On April 13, 1829, as the attorney for De León, Manchola petitioned the Mexican government to increase the boundary of De León’s colony to accommodate an additional 150 families.  This was approved; however, correct title was not issued to the barrier islands, which Power and Hewetson had claimed.  11

  Throughout his brief political career as statesman at the municipality and state levels, Manchola strongly supported the admission of Anglo Americans into Texas and he adamantly defended democracy.  Manchola not only developed the state laws for introducing Anglo Americans into Texas as colonists, but he actively protested the anti-immigration Law of April 6, 1830.   In view of that, Stephen F. Austin asserted that the Tejano statesmen were "decidedly in favor of the [Anglo] colonists."  Manchola's major contribution to Texas , however, was in his defense of the social contract and liberal democratic reforms.  In a strongly worded protest to authoritarian government officials in Mexico City , Manchola affirmed "the right to petition as a primary measure.”12

Reelected as State Deputy to the Coahuila and Texas state legislature in 1830, Manchola supported Mexico ’s constitution of 1824 and continued to advocate for the separate statehood of Coahuila and Texas .  He arrived at the end of the convention at San Felipe in October 1832 and volunteered to accompany William H. Wharton to Mexico City to present the convention’s petition for separation of Texas and Coahuila.  “The trip was canceled when Stephen F. Austin advised them to postpone it.”13

In July 1833 Manchola succumbed to cholera, leaving a widow and a seven year old daughter, Francisca.14  His widow received several land grants in Texas .  Due to anti-Mexican sentiment after the Texas Revolution, the De Leóns were forced to abandon their properties and flee to Louisiana and Mexico .15

Footnotes

Goliad County Historical Commission, The History and Heritage of Goliad County , ed. Jakie L. Pruett and Everett B. Cole (Austin: Eakin, 1983).

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "MANCHOLA, RAFAEL ANTONIO," http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/MM/fma31.html (accessed June 10, 2005).

O'Connor, Kathryn Stoner.  The Presidio La Bahía del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga, 1721 to 1846 (Austin: Von Boeckmann-Jones, 1966).

Tijerina, Andres.  Tejanos and Texas Under the Mexican Flag, 1821 – 1836.  College Station :  Texas A&M University Press, 1994. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

The 7^th annual Cesar Chavez Hispanic Pride Parade which will be held April 8. 2006 at 10:00 a.m. beginning at the corner of Cesar Chavez Blvd. and Capitol in Houston ’s East End .  Speeches and festivities will follow at Hidalgo Park .  If you would like to participate or work on a committee please contact Linda Alonzo Saenz at 713-540-5449.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Tejano Monument, Inc. during this past legislative session, received word that TX DOT will be appropriating $602,645.00 for the Tejano Monument, Inc., a series of statues to honor the Spanish and Mexican Tejano pioneers that will be emplaced on the Capitol grounds in Austin.  The total cost of the project is estimated to be $1,600,000. $450,000 has been raised so far. We now need to raise the final $550,000.00 to make this project a reality.  In the Fall of 2000, Dr. Cayetano E. Barrera on a visit to the capitol in Austin, realized that out of the thirty-one statues and monuments on the capitol grounds there was not one monument honoring the contributions of the Spanish and Mexican Tejano Pioneers to the State of Texas.  He enlisted the support of Honorable State Representative Ismael “Kino” Flores (D-Hidalgo) who authored the legislation and petitioned the Texas Legislature for permission to build a monument honoring the contributions of the Spanish and Mexican Tejanos who have helped to shape Texas. Honorable Senator Gallegos sponsored the House Concurrent Resolution 38 in the Senate.

Dr. Cayetano E. Barrera’s father was the legendary Rio Grande Valley physician Dr. Cayetano Barrera (1894-1947). Dr. Cayetano E. Barrera is a resident of McAllen, Texas, a Vietnam veteran and is a Family Physician. He has been practicing medicine for 43 years and a resident of McAllen for 38 years. Dr. Barrera has been instrumental in naming several McAllen area schools after Tejano Pioneers.  Dr. Cayetano E. Barrera has also served as the President of the University of Texas, Pan American Historical Collection Advisory Committee for 15 years and a member for 25 years. He has also served as president of the McAllen International Museum and served as a board member of the Museum of South Texas History in Edinburg.  Dr. Barrera is a member of the American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, and the Hidalgo/Starr County Medical Society.  He is also Chairman of the Board (2000 to the present), of Rio State Bank, McAllen, Texas.

For more information regarding the bios of other members of the Executive Committee please visit the website of http://www.tejanos.com

If you would like to make a contribution please mail it to:

Tejano Monument, Inc., P.O. Box 2948

McAllen, Texas 78502-2948

Or for more information please refer to the website of www.tejanos.com

________________________________________________________________

26^th Annual Texas State Hispanic Genealogical

And

Historical Conference

“Don Tomás Sánchez”

September 2-4, 2005

(Labor Day Weekend)

Laredo , TX

Hosted by:

Villa San Agustin de Laredo

Genealogical Society

José G. Treviño, President

Mirta A. Barrera

Sanjuanita Martínez-Hunter, Ph.D.

Conference Co-Chairwomen

Laredo 's 250th Anniversary

Laredo Under 7 Flags

For more information visit the website of http://www.vsalgs.org/conference.htm

_______________________________________________________________

Tejano Association for Historical Preservation was recently contacted by Dan Arrellano the author of “Tejano Roots, A Family Legend.”  He is a descendant of Sergeant Francisco Arellano who was a member of Alamo de Parras Company, La Segunda Compania Volante.  Sergeant Francisco Arrellano was stationed at the Alamo in 1803.  For more information regarding his book, “Tejano Roots A Family Legend,” visit the website of http://www.tejanoroots.org/

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you are interested in serving on a committee or holding an office for the Tejano Association for Historical Preservation, please contact Linda Alonzo Saenz at 713-540-5449.  Elections will be held January 2006.  Your input and assistance is required to make this organization a continued success.   Membership dues of $25.00 are now due.  All monies help support payment of parade permit, parade event insurance, printing, etc.  Thank you for your continued support. 

For input regarding the Tejano Association for Historical Preservation newsletters contact Loretta Martinez Williams by email at latejana@houston.rr.com