H istory • South Texas
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 5
Celebrating
the rich culture and history of South Texas...
April 24, 2013
Jim Hogg County
$1.00
A Publication of the Jim Hogg County Enterprise
Judge Agapito “Cuate” Molina The first Jim Hogg County official to serve as a member of the Texas Association of Counties
Story on Page 3
INSIDE: J.T. Canales and the 1919 Ranger Investigation Tejano Hero of “Cinco de Mayo” Freer’s Muy Grande Village The House on Santa Clara Street Jim Hogg County’s 100th Anniversary Open House Remembering Hebbronville when ...
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
STH VOL. 1 NO. 5 PUBLISHER Poncho Hernandez Jr. enterprise78361@aol.com If you are interested in receiving South Texas History Magazine contact us at 361-460-9493 or email us at enterprise78361@aol.com. You can also fax your requests to 361-256-2015 or 361-527-4545. To submit articles and/or photographs for publication, please send to: sthistory@aol.com or by mail to The Enterpise, P.O. Box 759, Hebbronville, Texas 78361.
April 24, 2013
On The Cover ... J Retired Jim Hogg County Judge Agapito “Cuate” Molina in a portrait by artist Alberto Vasquez. Cover Design by Julissa Hernandez
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udge Agapito “Cuate” Molina was one of eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Agapito and Marta Garza Molina on May 10, 1938. Judge Molina attended the public schools of Hebbronville and graduated in1958. After graduation his parents wanted to send him to Texas A&I Kingsville. Knowing that times were difficult to send him to college, because his parents were farm workers and times were hard, he See JUDGE - Page 3
THE OLD PIGGLY WIGGLY
South Texas History Supplement to The Enterprise Wednesday,April 24, 2013 Volume 1, No 5 SUPPLEMENT TO THE JIM HOGG COUNTY ENTERPRISE 304 E. Galbraith, Hebbronville, Texas 78361 Copyright 1998 by the Jim Hogg County Enterprise All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without the express permission of the publishers. Entered as Second Class Matter at Hebbronville, Texas under May 5, 1926, at the Post Office the Act of March 8, 1979, Second Class Postage Paid at Hebbronville, Jim Hogg County, Texas 78361. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Jim Hogg County
Enterprise 304 E. Galbraith, P.O. Box 759 Hebbronville, Texas 78361. Poncho Hernandez Jr. Editor/Publisher 361-460-9493 Subscription rates are $35.00 per year. Call (361) 527-3261 for information. Base advertising rate is $6.00 per column inch. Volume and frequency discounts available. Contact us by email at enterprise78361@aol.com Social Media: facebook. com/enterprisenews PHONE: 361-527-3261 FAX: 361-527-4545 PHONE; 361-460-9493 FAX: 361-256-2015
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From the Editor & Staff:
Welcome to our fifth edition of South Texas History. We hope you will enjoy
the history and tales contributed by our writers and correspondents. Whatever your tastes — for adventure or quiet contemplation — we thank you for joining us once again and hope you will continue to do so for many issues to come. The Editor Copyright © South Texas History
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
April 24, 2013
JUDGE - From Page 2 decided to take business correspondence courses at Laredo Community College and Durham’s business college in San Antonio, Texas. Later he decided to sell life and health insurance. On August 27, 1961 he married Sylvia Gomez. They had four children, Yvonne, Greta, Lily and Agapito Arturo. Judge Molina was first elected to County Commissioner Pct. 2 in 1978. He took office on January 1, 1979. He was elected County Judge in 1998 and took office on January 1, 1999. He was the first elected official from Jim Hogg County to serve as a member of the Texas Association of Counties
Agapito Molina (TAC). He was chairman of the TAC Health Insurance Committee for 11 years and was also a voting member of the TAC Risk Management Committee and served in other committees. He was appointed by Governor Rick Perry as chairman of (ORCA) occupational Region of Community Affairs for the City of
Starr County including La Grulla and Roma, the counties of Zapata, Webb and Jim Hogg. As chairman of ORCA, his panel voted on county and city projects such as paving, drainage, housing, community centers and other projects. In addition, he was instrumental in purchasing Arturo’s bakery building for the Nutrition Center and Meals on Wheels, and the G.C. Canales building for recreational center, bringing the present ambulance service to Jim Hogg County Transportation Department. During his tenure as Jim Hogg County official he succeeded in acquiring an $800,000 grant to close the Hebbronville landfill (the old
caliche pit). The grant was awarded through the North American Development Bank and the Border Environmental Co-op Commission. He was involved in procuring health, life and retirements benefits for county elected officials and county employees. All of the accomplishments had to be approved by the Commissioners Court of Jim Hogg County. Judge Molina retired from County Government on December 31, 2006.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Biography provided by Mr. Agapito “Cuate” Molina.
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The County Seat of Jim Hogg County EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article is presented at the request of Mr. A.M. Ramirez, of Dallas, Texas, who writes the information was obtained from the Enterprise Silver Anniversary and Historical Edition dated March 9, 1939.
Hebbronville, the county seat of Jim Hogg County, is at the junction of State highways 16, 285 and 359, at the northern edge of the county. The town was established in 1883, when the Texas-Mexican Railway Company built through that area. Francisco P. Pena, operator of Pena Station on that route, refused to sell land for a township to the TexasMexican. The company then approached James R. Hebbron, a local rancher, who arranged for the sale of land for a new townsite, near Pena. The old train station at Pena was then loaded on a flatcar, moved 1 1/2 miles west, and named Hebbronville. In 1887, a school, the Colegio Altamirano, was established in the community with Rosendo Barrera as instructor. It was funded by prominent Mexican-American families who wanted their children to learn Spanish See COUNTY, Page 15
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SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
April 24, 2013
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Even Hebbronville has its share of ghost stories
The old house on Santa Clara Street I
By Liz Cary South Texas History
t was August, 1966. My father’s family owned and operated a cattle business in Hebbronville and they needed him back home to manage the books while his brother helped run the day to day operations of the ranch. Up till that moment none of us knew what the front end of a cow looked like… except for my father. My mother, who had lived most of her life in New York City, reluctantly followed my father to this parched expanse with three children in tow. It was a sad time for her. She couldn’t fathom how she was going to live 2,000 miles away from her family, away from the comfort of familiar surroundings, and worse…away from any other Puerto Ricans! My mother was right about one thing, though. The moment she opened her mouth to speak, Hebbronville natives knew she was not from around here and since that first time, until the day the Lord took her home, everyone who’d ever had the great fortune of carrying on a conversation with her marveled at the sing-song rhythm of her New York peppered Puerto Rican accent. After arriving in town, my folks rented an old two-bedroom house down the street from school on Lucille. We’d only been there a few months when my father came home and informed my mother that he’d found a place he wanted to buy. When they arrived at the old stucco house on Santa Clara Street that would become my childhood home, they were met by the caretaker. Pleasantries were exchanged as they stepped inside. The first thing my mother noticed was how enormous it was. She took her time in the kitchen while the caretaker took my father into the main living area at the front of the house. When she realized they’d moved on without her, she hurried to catch up with them. Nothing would prepare her for what was about to happen…and it would be something she would never forget. When she pushed open the heavy double swing door that hung between the kitchen and dining room, she stopped abruptly. Frozen, she stared across the great room to the front picture
“Hebbronville natives knew she was not from around here and since that first time ... marveled at the sing-song rhythm of her New York peppered Puerto Rican accent.” window. She squeezed her eyes tightly, shook her head – as if doing so would erase from her memory what she had just seen…or what she’d thought she’d seen. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see my father and the caretaker staring oddly at her. She stayed quiet for the remainder of the tour, and later that evening when they got home my father wanted to know what had happened that had upset her so. Flustered and irritated, she told him she hated the house and she wanted to keep looking. The unfortunate truth, however, was that my father had already made an offer and he was about to surprise her with not only that house, but the smaller one immediately west of it. She eventually gave in to my father, but it took her many years to share what she’d seen that day. My mother wasn’t prone to visions and she wasn’t the kind of superstitious person who believed in ghosts or other supernatural phenomena, but she confided to her old friend Ada Saldaña, also of Hebbronville, that when she stepped through the double swing door that afternoon, she thought she’d seen a brief image of a casket under the picture window in the living room. It was only fleeting; but it forever affected her, so much so, that in the late 70s, she had the double swing door removed and she had her brother put up a wall between the dining room and living room so it wouldn’t happen again. When my mother mentioned this vision to her, it didn’t surprise her in the least. According to Ada, the previous owner had passed away in the home. And as was common practice in those days, his viewing and rosary were held in the living room.
More than ever, she wanted out of the house on Santa Clara Street. But that day wouldn’t come for a very long time. T h e years rolled by, and one by one, we children married and started our own families. And when we lost our father, my mother believed there was nothing else holding her to that house. So, in 2008, after 40 years on Santa Clara Street, she decided to build a smaller house. This new house had all the bells and whistles and it was only 20 yards outside my kitchen door. But something was very wrong. This new house was too sterile. It didn’t have that thing that old houses have. It didn’t have the smells or the sounds she was used to…it didn’t have the little creak in the floor in front of her bedroom door…like the old one did…the one that woke her up every time my father got up in the middle of the night to make himself a cup of coffee. After all those years of wanting something different, she found herself wanting back into the house on Santa Clara Street. So, therein lies a lesson. Yeah, new houses are great. They have granite counter tops and hard wood floors and double pane energy efficient windows. But they don’t have decades of everybody’s measurements carved into the door trim in the kitchen. They don’t have the scribbled name of your 10 year old when new cement was being laid on the back carport and they don’t have the very vivid memories of a full, long life…still audible…still very evident and still present, no matter how long you’ve been gone.
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Photos by Chelo Herrera
County observes 100th anniversary with Open House festivities J
By Cynthia Gutierrez South Texas History
im Hogg County’s Courthouse was the site of an open house on April 10, celebrating their 100th year Anniversary. Master of Ceremonies was Rodney Rodriguez. Also on hand were county officials and commissioners. The ceremony began with the raising of the colors and Ilyssa Saenz, who sang the national anthem. Royalty from the County Fair’s court read the state proclamations that were recently enacted by the state legislature, commemorating the County’s 100 anniversary, First National Bank’s 100 year in business, and Commissioner Linda Jo Soliz, the county’s first woman commissioner. Representing the Historical Commission and Museum Foundation was Patricia P. Gonzalez who commented on the Commission’s work with establishing historical markers in the county as well as the progress of the establishment of a county museum to be located at See OPEN HOUSE, Page 16
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Casas de Sillar: A brief look at art and architecture in South Texas C
By Angelina Gutierrez South Texas History
asas de sillar are a prominent cultural feature of the South Texas landscape. Dating back to the 19th century, these stone houses were popular both on ranches and in budding communities. Their sturdier construction and utilization of local materials made them an invaluable asset. They provided insulation against the elements, staying cool in the severe summer heat, and providing protection in the cold, wet winter months. They also offered protection from Indian raids and wild animals. These casas were built out of limestone, a local commodity, and pine shipped from the Coastal Bend region. The blocks were cut by hand on site and measured approximately 1’ wide, 2’ long, and 8’’deep. They were then transported by cart to the construction
site. Once the blocks were laid, a coat of lime was whitewashed over the exterior. This reinforced the exterior, while allowing the interior to remain more malleable, the better to withstand the drastic changes in temperature that are common in South Texas. The floors could be constructed out of anything from hard-packed earth to sandstone or pine. Common features included shutters, French doors, chimneys, and elaborately carved central beams. The casa de sillar reflected the social structures of the ranches. This type of architecture was used for the casa mayor and other important buildings built to withstand both the elements and time. However, these houses were also the most popular type of residence throughout South Texas in the 1800s. The degree of complexity varies from building to building depending on access to resources and allotted construction time.
The De La Garza home
Limestone was used in the construction of homes, chapels, and schools. Many sillar structures can be found today at Randado, Las Cuevitas, and La Lomita. Some of the oldest homes still standing in Hebbronville, Zapata, and San Diego are 19th century casas de sillar.
1913 - 2013
Celebrating a century of strong and independent banking Organized on May 23, 1913, as the
Hebbronville State Bank, the charter was granted on July 28, 1913 and the new bank was open for business with a paid in capital of $25,000.00. In 1926, with capital raised to $75,000, the bank was converted to the First National Bank of Hebbronville. In 2013, the nationally recognized First National Bank continues to serve Hebbronville and surrounding communities with more than $19 million in capital and $138 million in assets.
DIRECTORS - 1913
DIRECTORS - 2013
T.T. East Henry Edds C.W. Hellen A.C. Jones - First Vice President P.A. Presnal Oscar Thompson - Second Vice President H.C. Yaeger - President
Frank Armstrong Willian C. Barfield Robert E. Fulbright - Chairman Bryan B. Gonzalez Jr. Charles W. (Bill) Hellen Israel Hinojosa - President & CEO A.C. Jones IV Mario Martinez Annette Sorrells - Secretary Liza L. Sanchez - Advisory Director
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
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April 24, 2013
J.T. Canales and the 1919 Texas Ranger Investigation Part Two
I
Texas Ranger Frank Hamer
By Tony Bill South Texas History
n December 1918, a month before he filed House Bill No. 5 that led to a joint committee’s investigation of the Texas Rangers, J.T. Canales was walking toward his law office in downtown Brownsville, when a man confronted him and said, “Come here, I want to talk to you.” Canales recognized the big hombre as Texas Ranger Frank Hamer. At six feet three inches and weighting two hundred and thirty pounds, Hamer cast a striking figure who used his physique and badge to intimidate people. He asked Canales, “What is the name of that son of a bitch that complained to you about the Rangers cursing him and abusing him over at Rio Grande City?” Canales, briefly thrown off by the abrupt inquiry, responded “I don’t believe such testimony is for you to know…” Canales would later testify
that Ranger Frank Hamer “looked at me in a very angry way, his eyes glistened, and …I have been practicing law for twenty years and I know when men mean business. He told me, you are hot-footing it here and Austin and complaining to the Governor and Adjutant General about the Rangers, and I am going to tell you if you don’t stop that you are going to get hurt.” Baffled by Hamer’s statement, Canales commented, “what…???” And Hamer repeated, “If you are not going to quit it, you are going to get hurt.” Canales regained his composure and asked Hamer, “Will you repeat that to somebody, I would like to have a witness to that.” Canales then led Hamer down the sidewalk to a garage that was attached to the auto-
mobile sales business of Brownsville city commissioner Jesse Dennett. Canales then asked Dennett “to listen to what this man has to say.” Hamer attempted to explain the circumstances and Canales interrupted and instructed him to “repeat what you told me…..Didn’t you just tell me that if I didn’t quit making complaints against the Rangers to the Governor and the Adjutant General, that I was going to get hurt?” Hamer didn’t answer until commissioner Dennett asked him point blank, “Did you say that to Mr. Canales?”. Hamer replied, “Yes, sir.” Wesley Hall Looney, in his Master’s Thesis at Texas Tech, writes that “Canales returned to his law office following the confrontation with Hamer. After reflecting on the enormity of the collaboration between Hanson and Hamer, Canales went to Cameron County Sheriff W.T.Vann for
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***** The Joint Committee of the House and Senate to investigate the charges against the State Ranger Force was called to order by Chairman W.H. Bledsoe at 10:00 A.M. Friday, January 31, 1919. Jose Tomas Canales, State Representative from Brownsville, Texas was duly sworn in and began his testimony before the Committee with reference to the charges prepared and filed by him concerning the State Ranger Force. See CANALES, Page 8
Just
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advice. Vann, who no doubt knew of Hamer’s violent potential, already had heard of the incident from Canales’s law partner, Oscar Dancy, and from James B. Wells. He had an answer ready for Canales: My advice to you is to take a double-barreled shot-gun… and kill that man…..no jury would convict you.” J.T. Canales “replied to Vann…I am a Christian, and my religion tells me that I should not take the life of any man, even if it is to save my own life.”
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SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
April 24, 2013
CANALES - From Page 7 “My name is J. T. Canales. I was born in the old County of Nueces, Texas very near to the present town of /Premont/. I am forty-two years old, will be next month. I went to the public schools of my county, came to Austin and attended business college, from here I went to Kansas City and graduated in the public schools of Kansas City, Kansas, and from there I went to Michigan and graduated from the University of Michigan in 1899, and have been practicing law in the State of Texas ever since then as a general practitioner, criminal as well as civil law.” Canales continued, informing the Committee that he “was first elected Representative in 1904…and was reelected in 1907 and 1909.” He choose not to run again until 1916 “and then ran for re-election to the present Legislature” in 1918. He stated that he had “lived in Brownsville and its vicinity since 1904 and was well acquainted with the conditions there” and all along the border and South Texas. “I was born and raised on a ranch and am thoroughly acquainted with the Ranger business.” He explained that his earliest recollections included the Texas Rangers and that his home, La Cabra Ranch had “been a haven for the Rangers. They stayed there, were stationed there, came there at all hours, got our horses, got meals there, and they got our services. I have known among the Ranger forces some of the noblest and best men that I know, Captain Hughes, Captain Rogers, who is now United States Marshal, Captain Wright, who used to be Sergeant under Captain Hughes, and various other individuals. At that time they gave us protection. They were a capable set of men, and did not need any restriction because their own conscience was a self-restraint and law.” Canales then swore before the Committee “that the charges hereinafter made are not prompted by malice or any
improper motive on my part, but for the purpose of enabling the Committee to investigate the abuses permitted in the present Ranger force in various sections of the State..” In the interest of relevancy only the charges that relate to the Llanos Mestenos will be noted. Representative J.T. Canales then itemized his charges: First. “I charge that on or about November 16, 1918 Rangers George B. Hurst and Daniel Hinojosa, while in a state of intoxication, discharged their pistols in the streets of San Diego, Duval County, Texas, and intimidated the citizens of said town that, and that afterwards, when complaints were made for their arrest, they made threats against the life of Constable Ventura R. Sanchez in the event he should execute the warrant of arrest against them. Second: I charge that Jesus Villarreal, a citizen of Duval County, while under the custody of Sergeant J.J. Edds together with other rangers, whose names at present are not known to me, on or about the 15th day of September, 1918, was tortured and brutally treated by said Rangers, assisted by one Royal Collins, in order to make him confess to a supposed violation of the law. Third: I charge that on or about October 5, 1918, Sergeant J.J. Edds, stationed at Rio Grande City, killed a man by the name of Lisando Munoz at Munoz’s ranch which is near Rio Grande City under circumstances which makes said Edds guilty of murder in the second degree. Fourth: I charge that on or about September 2, 1918, one Jose Maria Gomez Salinas was murdered in Jim Hogg County by two Mexicans named Sabas Ozuna and Fredrico Lopez , under circumstances, that lead me to believe that said Mexicans were acting under the orders and at the request of Sergeant J.J. Edds. In all J.T. Canales filed nineteen charges against the Texas Rangers.
Continued in the May 2013 Edition
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REMEMBER HEBBRONVILLE WHEN ...
we got our mail at the post office By Cynthia Gutierrez South Texas History
Remember mail? These days, we get most of our infor-
mation through e-mail. We pay our bills on-line and communicate with our friends on Facebook and Twitter. But there was a time when the Post Office was the focal point of community fellowship as well as the place to go to get the scoop on what was going on in town. I remember walking to the post office across from the courthouse to mail letters to my boyfriend. The stamps cost 5 cents and it took three days for the letter to get to Austin. It may seem like a lot of work just to stay in contact with someone, but the reward has been a collection of over 100 letters that went back and forth between us. Hebbronville’s first Post Office was a small corner of the local general store. Here Nicolas Benavides, our first Post Master, collected and sorted mail for the town. The second post office was located inside Sixto Garcia’s store and stamps sold for 1 penny. It was not until 1926 that the first actual post office was constructed on Galbraith Street. This building was later incorporated into the First National Bank, which later became the Sheriff’s Office. Mrs. Payne Briscoe was its first Postmistress. That year, the cost of stamps rose to a whopping 2 cents. The receipts for that year totaled less than $8,000 dollars. In 1956, a new building was created in order to better serve the community. Situated closer to the center of town, the new building was located directly south of the courthouse and the Postmaster was Mr. Donato Flores. This new building offered many modern conveniences, such as air-conditioning. But it was not until 1968 that city delivery was initiated and mail was also delivered to residents on the rural routes. The current state-of-the-art post office building was erected in 1974 on Smith Street and has seen numerous postmasters since then. Last year, while many post offices around the country closed, we have managed to keep ours. These days, there are fewer reasons to go to the post office, but for those that do, it’s still a place to meet friends and catch up on the latest news around town.
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Hunter’s friend makes history with unique contest At first glance Leonel Garza, or
“Muy,” as he’s come to be known in his hometown of Freer - is a humble, unpretentious fellow. Dressed in typical hunter’s gear, the Father of the “Muy Grande Deer Contest” and his daughter, Imelda Sharber, also of Freer, sat with The Enterprise to relive some of his most memorable moments over the last 48 years.
By Liz Cary South Texas History No discussion of South Texas History would be complete without mentioning Freer, Texas’ Muy Grande Deer Contest. It is as much a part of the South Texas landscape as the lilting mesquite tree and the sweet Texas prickly pear. Since 1965, Muy has scored over 18,000 deer for his legendary contest. He’s judged for thousands of hunters from all over the world, some coming from as far away as Australia. Leonel and his wife, Elda raised a family of 5 girls on the modest salary he made managing a small service station in town. And while he didn’t lack ambition, he never dreamed he would find the kind of success he has enjoyed all these years after doing one stranded hunter a favor. Apparently, a hunter who had gotten high centered in a creek bottom on a lease outside of Freer one afternoon, made it out of his truck and onto the road where he hitched his way back into town for help. After meeting with nothing but rejection from the town folk, he made a final stop at the Center Circle Gas Station where he met Leonel Garza. Leonel was in the habit of spending hours sweeping the station’s porch. “My grandmother always said I’d get rid of all the bad spirits if I swept the parking lot every day.” And to hear him tell it, he needed all the good will he could muster. He had to feed a fam-
Leonel Garza of Muy Grande Village in Freer ily of 7 on $25 a week and if he could make a little commission from tire sales, it would mean his family would be able to buy meat that week. “This one day, this guy gets dropped off at the station because his truck got stuck out on a lease and he needed help,” he said. “So I unhitched my semi and we went back to the lease to get his pickup. After I pulled his truck out, he reached into his pocket to give me some money. But I didn’t want him to pay me,” he shrugged He confesses rather sheepishly now, that when the stranded hunter insisted on paying it forward somehow, he couldn’t think of anything to say, so he blurted out, “…just tell your buddies that I’m the “Hunter’s Friend.” As fate would have it, the stranded hunter turned out to be The Victoria Advocate’s outdoors sports writer, Fred Strong. And his story, The Hunter’s Friend, published in 1968, introduced Leonel Garza to hunting enthusiasts all over South Texas as “The Hunter’s Friend.” Strong’s unsolicited gratitude
resulted in hunters flocking to the Center Circle Gas Station from all over Texas; subsequently earning him write-ups in the Corpus Christi Caller, Houston Chronicle, Fort Worth Telegram, and the Dallas Morning News. Leonel’s newly found fame gave way to inspiration and before long; he decided to get serious about the fledgling deer contest he’d been “unofficially” running out of the Center Circle Service Station. Once he’d made somewhat of a reputation for himself, it was time to name the contest. After a lot of thought, he decided to name it after one of the most identifiable characteristics of South Texas Whitetail Deer. “South Texas deer,” he said, “are as wide as the Rio Grande,” hence the name, Muy Grande Deer Contest. Today the name and the contest are recognized worldwide as the authority in hunting South Texas Whitetail Deer. The original contest had only one category – The See GARZA, Page 16
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
April 24, 2013
County employees are joined by county residents at the Jim Hogg County Open House held recently (Photo by Chelo Herrera).
Celebrating 100 Years
First National Bank of Hebbronville
The
“A century of Strong and Independent Community Banking� 1913 - 2013
Congratulations on your 100th Anniversary Jim Hogg County
Banner from Thursday, April 11, 1935 Edition of The JHC Enterprise
PAGE 12
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General Ignacio Seguín Zaragoza - Tejano Hero of “ Cinco de Mayo” By Dr. Lino Garcia Jr. South Texas History
“Cinco de Mayo” (May 5th. 1862) celebrates the Benito Juárez Mexican Army’s defeat of the French forces at the Battle of Puebla. It is also celebrated in many areas of present day United States of America where a large concentration of citizens of Mexican heritage reside.
Parades, fiestas, and speeches are normally the norm for such a celebration, many times encouraged by business interests and the population. It does not fall, however, within the historical dimensions of the United States since it occurred in 1862 when the southwestern states were already integrated in the United States of America. Some people confuse the “Cinco de Mayo “ with México’s Independence from Spain which occurred on September 16, 1810, and which in fact enjoys an historical connection and significance to our own history, since at that time many Hispanics lived and carried on their daily lives in the territory later to become large part of the United States (one must remember that it was not until 1845 that the Spanish southwest became part of the United States). That is why in present day Texas and in other states the now famous “El Grito” has become part of its history, honoring also two
D r. L i n o García Jr. is Professor of Spanish Literature at UTPA. He can be reached at LGarcia@ UTPA.Edu .
skirmishes, one in San Antonio in 1811, and the other at the Battle of Medina in 1813, that occurred on Texas soil in support of this Independence Movement advocated by the priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla; and in essence also liberating the Tejano population then living on Texas soil. The Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862 took place during one of México’s most difficult period. They had just won their independence from Spain in 1821 and were later involved in several internal conflicts, and they had just concluded the USA-Mexican War of 1848. It was no wonder that México was facing dire financial chaos and ruin as it owed large debts to France, England, Spain and the United States. When México out of necessity halted its debt payments, France decided to invade México; however, knowing of France’s desire for expansion into Mexican territory, Spain and England decided to withdraw from these plans. France’s desire was to install its own ruler, the Archduke Maximilian of Austria and his wife the Empress Carlota. The hero of the “ Cinco de Mayo“ of 1862 was General Ignacio Seguín Zaragoza, a Tejano, whose family had moved to the interior of México during his youth, and who had
prepared himself faithfully for his historical role as the savior of México at that famous battle. He was born in La Bahía del Espíritu Santo ( present day Goliad, Texas) on March 29, 1829 which was then known as Coahuila/Tejas after México gained its independence from Spain in 1821, and the territory of Texas reverted back to the Mexican Empire. His father was Manuel G. Zaragoza and his mother was Doña María de Jesús Seguín, a relative of Don Juan José Erasmo Seguín , prominent early Tejanos settlers of Texas. Ignacio Seguín Zaragoza’s father moved his family to Monterrey where young Ignacio entered the seminary, soon discovering that this vocation was not his call. He then entered the military forces, and in 1850 , a captain by now, took sides with the liberal forces against General Antonio de Santa Ana, the President of México who had slaughtered many of his own countrymen in his attempt to gained absolute control of the Mexican Empire. Many intellectuals as well as military men developed a keen dislike for General Antonio de Santa Ana. It was within this historical dimension that young officer Ignacio Seguín Zaragoza found himself during those tumultuous times. He soon allied himself with the military forces of Benito Juárez during the War of the Reform (1857-1860), thus advancing his military career, and setting the stage for his participation in the now famous Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862 against the French forces that had invaded México at Veracruz . General Ignacio Seguín Zaragoza married Doña Rafaela de Padilla from a prominent family in Monterrey, and this marriage produced four children, with three of them dying in infancy. In 1861 Benito Juárez appointed him Minister of War and Navy but he soon left the ministry to
lead the Mexican forces against the French army at Puebla. It was at this city and after his wife had passed on, that Tejano General Ignacio Seguín Zaragoza led his troops of around four thousand Mexican soldiers against an invading French army of eight thousand soldiers, successfully defeated them with almost onethousand of them suffering casualties, and the Mexican Army only losing around 89 of their men. The Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862 was short lived as the French Army soon withdrew. General Ignacio Seguín Zaragoza was soon hailed as a hero in Mexico City, but when he returned to Puebla he contacted typhoid fever and died in 1862 at the young age of 33years old. Soon after President Benito Juárez declared May 5th ( Cinco de Mayo ) as a national holiday, and Tejano General Ignacio Seguín Zaragoza as a national hero. The “Cinco de Mayo “ battle has some eminent significance to the United States of America because : a.) the French were defeated at this battle b.) since then no European country has attempted to invade America c ). had France won this battle, they would have helped militarily and financially the Confederacy Army during the Civil War of 1862, and perhaps the USA would now be a different country. It is documented also that the Mexican-American community in Los Angeles were the first to celebrate the “Cinco de Mayo” in California in 1863 with fiestas and parades, but was ignored in Mexico then. If was after the 1940’s when it began to be eminently celebrated in many parts of the USA also. However, it was See GARCIA, Page 15
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• On May 1, 1926, Ford Motor Company becomes one of the first companies in America to adopt a five-day, 40-hour week. In early 1914, Ford had announced it would pay workers a minimum wage of $5 per eight-hour day, upped from a previous rate of $2.34 for nine hours. • On April 30, 1939, the New York World’s Fair opens in New York City on a 1,200-acre site at Flushing Meadow Park in Queens. Among the new technology exhibited was FM radio, robotics, fluorescent lighting and a crude fax machine. • On May 3, 1946, in Tokyo, the International Military Tribunals begins hearing the case against 28 Japanese military and government officials accused of committing war crimes during World War II. The trial ended with 25 of 28 Japanese defendants being found guilty. Of the three other defendants, two had died during the trial, and one was declared insane. • On May 5, 1955, the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) becomes a sovereign state when the United States, France and Great Britain end their military occupation, which had begun in 1945. With this action, West Germany was given the right to rearm and become a fullfledged member of the western alliance against the Soviet Union. • On May 2, 1964, an explosion of a charge assumed to have been placed by Viet Cong terrorists sinks the USNS Card at its dock in Saigon. No one was injured and the ship was eventually raised and repaired. The Card had arrived in Saigon two days earlier. • On May 4, 1970, at Kent State University in Ohio, students protesting the Vietnam War torch the ROTC building on campus, and Ohio Gov. James Rhodes called in the National Guard to restore order. The Guardsmen fired into the crowd, killing four and wounding 11. They were later brought to trial for the shootings, but found not guilty. • On April 29, 1986, in a game against the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park, Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox becomes the first pitcher in Major League Baseball to strike out 20 batters in a nine-inning game. Ten years later, Clemens repeated the feat. (c) 2013 King Features Synd., Inc.
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COUNTY - From Page 3 and Mexican culture and traditions. Between 1913 and 1921, several small private schools were conducted on ranches surrounding the town. A post office was established in 1895, and by 1896, the community had a general store and a population of 150. The first church, the Iglesia Catolica Mexicana, was organized in October 1899 and served by an itinerant priest. The First Baptist Church was organized in August 1909, and the First Methodist Church organized a mission in Hebbronville as part of the Alice mission in December 1912. The Hebbronville Gin Company was established in 1912. In 1913, Hebbronville became part of the newly established Jim Hogg County. An election that spring made the town the county seat by a unanimous vote of 176. the courthouse, school system, and Hebbronville State Bank were all organized in 1913. A theater was opened by Patricio Cruz in 1914 and the Viggo Hotel in 1915 by Viggo Kohler. In 1915, Hebbronville had an estimated population of 400, a bank, eight grocery stores, a drugstore, and thirteen cattle breeders. The Hebbronville school district was organized in April 1921. In 1926, a newspaper, the Jim Hogg County Enterprise, was established by M. Luther Date. That same year, Scotus College, a Franciscan seminary, moved to Hebbronville from Mexico to escape persecution. It would accommodate up to twenty students preparing for the priesthood. The estimated population of Hebbronville was 1,800 in 1927. In 1931, the Volunteer Fire Department was organized, Little Flower School, a primary school, was founded, and the town’s population was estimated at 2,000. In 1933, the Mexican Methodist Church Iglesia Metodista Mexicana - was organized. The Hebbronville school district voted in 1947 to become a countywide school district, and in that year the community had a population estimated at 2,600 and eighty-two businesses. In 1948 the Methodist Day School opened. In 1958 the Hebbronville Chamber of Commerce was organized and the Colegio Altamirano closed. That year the town had a population of 4,302 and seventythree businesses. Hebbronville Auction and Commission Company was organized in 1960 to handle the large number of cattle raised and sold in the area. A ;hospital opened in 1961. In 1963 Hebbronville had a bank, three cemeteries, a courthouse, several schools, eight churches, and 105 businesses. In 1980 the town had a population of 4,050 and eighty-eight businesses. In the 1990s it remained a small, predominantly Mexican-American community, with an estimated population of 4, 608 and fifty-four businesses. Although there were no more seminarians, Scotus College still served the community and continued to be affiliated with the Archdiocese of Guadalajara. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Hebbronville chamber of Commerce, Fiftieth Anniversary, Jim Hogg County (Hebbronville, Texas, 1963). Jim Hogg County Enterprise, Silvery Anniversary and Historical Edition, March 9, 1939. Alicia A. Garza Recommended citation: ‘HEBBRONVILLE, TX.” The Handbook of Texas Online.
GARCIA - From Page 14 not until 2005 that the USA officially acknowledged it and permitted its celebration nationwide with parades, and other events. It is now celebrated in almost twenty-one states similar
to the celebrations honoring St. Patrick Day, Oktoberfest, and Bastille Day. That is why in large parts of Texas we still celebrate the “ Cinco de Mayo”, as a tribute to a brave Tejano who
played a major role in this Battle of Puebla on “Cinco de Mayo” ; as a symbol of solidarity with México, and to honor all international events that have liberated man-kind
everywhere; one nation’s fight for justice transcends political boundaries. The cities of Goliad and Laredo, Texas both honor this brave Tejano with a large statue of his presence.
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OPEN HOUSE - From Page 5
GARZA - From Page 11
100-year-old county jail building. Former county judges and their families were honored with a glass-etched plate memorializing their service to the county. Judge Agapito “Cuate” Molina, as the only living ex-judge, thanked the current officials and congratulated the county on its milestone 100th year. Current Rancher of the Year, A.C. Jones IV, presented the County with a portrait of his grandfather A.C. Jones III, Jim Hogg’s first county judge; along with a framed photograph of the county’s first grand jury in 1913, which included D.C. Stroman, Richard Holbein, A.C. Jones III (1st County Judge), Jim Hardcastle, Henry Edds, Everett Armstrong, Henry Yaeger, Billy Bates, Sixto Garcia, Sr., John Draper, Oscar Thompson (1st County Sheriff), Clair Allen and Federico Gonzales. The ceremony ended as participants were invited to visit the courthouse and county officials and to stop by and visit the county museum.
Widest Spread - a far cry from what the contest boasts now…10 divisions and a total of 70 categories…a necessity born out of what Leonel said was his reluctance to leave out new kills. Ultimately, wild boar and other exotic animals became fair contest entries as well. The Boone & Crockett score, or B & C as it has come to be known, is so typical to deer hunting contests that when someone asks what the “score” is, one can only assume the scoring method is based on the Boone & Crockett system, a scoring system for big game records which was formally adopted by Theodore Roosevelt’s Boone & Crockett Club, which he founded in 1887. Muy Grande has always used this system, which tallies and deducts points based on various attributes, weights and measurements “Everybody wants to kill a B & C buck when they pay their entry fee,” Imelda said. “The Muy Grande All-Around is the big winner around here.” And while 100% of all sponsorship monies go to prizes, which include trophies, plaques and Muy Grande jackets, the real prize is the title of Muy Grande. “It’s a coveted title,” she assured. Overhearing the interview, close friend and fellow hunter, Don Moffitt of Freer, joined the conversation to offer a memorable anecdote, “Muy…remember the guy who come up and ask you if there were any B & C deer on that one lease?” “Oh yes,” Muy laughed loudly, “this guy came up and asked if we had any good B & C deer on this one lease and I said, ‘nope…just T & C deer.’ And the guy looks at me and says, ‘T & C? What’s T & C?’ And I told him, ‘….the only deer we got out there are deer for Tacos & Chorizo!’” His hearty laughter erupted into the dining room at Muy Grande Village where a dozen friends and family called out his name. He excused himself and walked out to greet everyone. Muy is not just a likeable kind of guy; he is well loved and admired by everyone he knows. As soon as he’d finish talking to one person, another would be perched and ready to catch his ear. And he wouldn’t disappoint. Later, as we perused the leader boards, Muy pointed out winners, some long time hunters and some new…easily calling them by name and remembering with ease, specific details about their particular entries. It was clear this was more than a deer contest for Muy. Every hunter on every board validated a dream he’d had more than 50 years ago. But the story doesn’t end here…this was only the beginning. Read more about Muy Grande and Leonel Garza’s legacy in next month’s STH Magazine.
Zonia Morales with A.C. Jones IV
Join us again this May for our sixth edition of South Texas History