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7. Fighting for the Land, 1845-1853
- University of Texas Press
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, – Genealogical Chart M ARTÍN DE LEÓN (D. 1834) + PATRICIA DE LA GARZA (D. 1850) 1. Fernando (wid. 1828, m. 1848, d. 1853) + María de la Luz Escalera (m. 1848) 1–1. Francisco Santiago ‘‘Frank,’’ nephew (adopted 1848) 2. María Candelaria (m. 1818) + José Miguel Aldrete 2–1. José María (b. 1820) 2–2. José de Jesús María (b. 1822) 2–3. Trinidad (b. 1824, m. 1846) + Andrea Ramírez 2–4. Rafael (b. 1826) 3. Silvestre (d. 1843) + Rosalía de la Garza (d. 1838) 3–1. Francisco (b. 1830) 3–2. Martín (b. 1832) 3–3. Francisco Santiago (b. 1836, adopted 1848 by uncle Fernando) 4. ‘‘Lupita’’ (wid. 1842, m. 1849) + Cesario de la Garza No children 5. Félix (d. 1850) + Salomé Leal (d. 1852) 5–1. Santiago (b. 1829) 5–2. Patricio (b. 1830) 5–3. Silvestre (b. 1834) 5–4. Olivia (b. 1837) 5–5. ‘‘Chucha’’ (b. 1840) 5–6. Samuel (b. 1846) 5–7. Candelaria (b. 1847) • D L, A T F H 6. Agápito (d. 1833) + María Antonia C. de la Garza + Manuel Carbajal (m. 1837) 6–1. León de León (b. 1824) 7. ‘‘Chucha’’ (m. 1824) + Rafael Manchola (d. 1833) 7–1. ‘‘Panchita’’ (m. 1847) + Cristobal Morales 8. Refugia (m. 1832) + José María Jesús Carbajal 8–1. Antonio (b. 1833) 8–2. José María (b. 1834) 8–3. Crecencia (b.–d. 1836) 9. Agustina (d. 1842) + Plácido Benavides (d. 1838) 9–1. Pilar (b. 1834) 9–2. Librada (b. 1835) 9–3. Matiana (b. 1836) 10. Francisca (m. 1849, d. 1852) + Vicente Dosal 10–1. Jesús (b. 1850) [3.235.68.180] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 12:03 GMT) Fighting for the Land, – • In June John Linn wrote to Fernando from the new capital at Austin that the United States had finally accepted Texas as a state. All that remained was for the citizens of Texas to vote for or against annexation. Linnreportedthattheex-president,MirabeauB.Lamar,continuedtooppose the union, still hoping that New Mexico and California would join Texas to form one great southwestern country. According to Linn, Sam HoustonandmostTexanswerecertaintovoteforannexationsinceTexas had been unable to solve its economic problems or defend itself against Indian attacks. With the help of American money and U.S. troops, Texas would at last be safe. Linn also sent congratulations to Fernando. The Texas Supreme Court had ruled against Sutherland and had remanded Fernando’slandcasebacktoVictoriaCountyforanewtrial.JudgeRobinson had been removed, and there was hope that Fernando could now win a fair ruling. The de León family conclave met in Soto la Marina in to discuss the possibility of returning to Texas. Political revolutions were brewing in northernMexicoascentralistsbattledfederalists.Texaswasnowthesafer of the two places. The family also still held land there. Thanks to their Benavides kin and Edward Linn, the de León family owned their town homes, numerous lots, and acreage along the coast. Squatters had lived in the houses, and vandals had long since taken their possessions, but the property still belonged to them. There was hope, and there was reason to return. Doña Patricia had rebuilt before, and she would do it again. AstheygatheredatSotolaMarina,manychangeshadtranspiredwithin the family. Doña Patricia was concerned for the orphans—Silvestre and Rosalía’s three sons and Plácido and Agustina’s three daughters. Lupita, widowed by the death of Desiderio Garcia, joined her widowed sister, Chucha Manchola, in Doña Patricia’s household. Fernando, also widowed , was still alone at . There were new grandchildren, however, and the older ones were going off to school. The Aldretes had just returned fromNewOrleans,wheretheyhadplacedRafaelandTrinidadinCharles Cuvellier’s boarding school. They had offered one-third of a league in exchangefortheschooling ,passage,androomandboardforbothboys,who now could join their cousin León at the elite school. They had checked on Panchita, who missed her cousin León but did not often escape the watchful eyes of the nuns at the convent school.1 José Miguel and Candelaria Aldrete reported that the lawlessness and the Indian raids in Texas had diminished. The Indians had been pushed farther west, where Alsatian colonists under Henri de Castro had settled • D L, A T F H outside San Antonio. Led by Prince Carl von Solms Braunfels, the Germans were landing at Indianola and renting wagons to make the long trek northwest and settle in the rocky hill country between San Antonio and Gonzales. Braunfels was giving them small farms of ten or...