De León, a Tejano Family History

8. Tejanos in Texas, 1853-1880

    , – Genealogical Chart M ARTÍN DE LEÓN (D. 1834) + PATRICIA DE LA GARZA (D. 1850) 1. Fernando (d. 1853) + María de la Luz Escalera (d. 1880) 1–1. Francisco Santiago ‘‘Frank’’ (adopted) + Matilde Ureste (m. 1856, d. 1870; six children) + Justita Wilson (no children) 2. María Candelaria + José Miguel Aldrete 2–1. José María (b. 1820) 2–2. José de Jesús (b. 1823) + Salomé Lozano 2–3. José Trinidad (m. 1844) + Andrea Ramirez Five children 2–4. Rafael (b. 1826) 3. Silvestre (d. 1842) + Rosalía (d. 1838) 3–1. Francisco (b. 1830) 3–2. Martin (b. 1832) 3–3. ‘‘Frank’’ (b. 1836, adopted 1848) 4. ‘‘Lupita’’ (m. 1849) + Cesario de la Garza No children 5. Félix (d. 1850) + Salomé Leal (d. 1852) 5–1. Santiago + Lupita Lozano Moreno (d. 1855) + Guadalupe Berlanga (m. 1875) 5–1–1. Salomé (b. 1853, d. 1855) 5–2. Patricio (m. 1858) + Librada de León Benavides (daughter of Agustina and Plácido, 9–2 below) Six children 5–3. Silvestre (d. 1869)  Tejanos in Texas, – •  5–4. Olivia (m. 1863) + Crisóforo Lozano 5–5. María de Jesús ‘‘Chuchita’’ (b. 1840) 5–6. Samuel (m. 1874) + Patricia de la Garza 5–7. Candelaria (b. 1847, d. 1855) 6. María Antonia C. de la Garza + Manuel Carbajal (m. 1837) 6–1. León de León (b. 1824) 7. Chucha Manchola 7–1. Francisca ‘‘Panchita’’ (m. 1847) + Cristobal Morales 8. Refugia (m. 1832) + José María Jesús Carbajal 8–1. Antonio (b. 1833) 8–2. José María (b. 1834) 9. Agustina + Plácido Benavides 9–1. Pilar (m. 1857) + Cristobal de la Garza Five children 9–2. Librada (m. 1858) + Patricio Leal de León (son of Félix and Salomé, 5–2 above) Six children 9–3. Matiana (b. 1836) 10. Francisca (d. 1852) + Vicente Dosal 10–1. Jesús (b. 1850)  • D L, A T F H On one of those lovely spring days when the sky is brilliant blue and the breezes soft, the wildflowers all in glorious bloom, in early May , Doña Luz Escalera de León, widow of the late landowner Fernando de León, and her twenty-year-old adopted son and business partner, FranciscoSantiago ,steppedintotheirtrim,high-wheeled,newblacksurreyfor the three-hour trip to Victoria. The slave whom Francisco had inherited from Fernando finished loading Francisco’s trunks onto the ranch wagon, and Francisco’s caporal, his foreman, ceremoniously climbed up and took the reins of the powerful draft horses to follow the carriage into town. Francisco turned and waved at the assembled crowd on the wide porch of the Rancho Escondido. He loosened the reins on the restive horses and the small caravan of carriage and wagon set off. Francisco Santiago was getting married. It had been only two years since Don Fernando’s death. The probate courthadcompletedtheirreviewofFernando’sestatetheyearbefore,and Doña Luz had been pleased but not particularly surprised to find that she was the wealthiest widow in the county. She had inherited ,. acres of land plus seventeen town lots. Francisco Santiago, in his own right, owned , acres made up of the , acres which Fernando had left him plus the Cabasos league on Lavaca Bay and Guajardo’s half-league, alsoonthebay.Theeligibleyoungbachelorwas,bytheestimateofthetax assessor, worth more than ,. Francisco, who had become ‘‘Frank’’ to his friends among the American community, had been accepted in both cultures. He had proved his devotion to the Tejano community, serving as godfather on six different occasions and as wedding sponsor for his cousinSantiago.Manyofthemothers,bothAngloandTejano,withmarriageable daughters had hoped for an alliance with the powerful de León clan. Francisco had finally chosen Matilde Ureste, the daughter of Don Guadalupe Ureste.1 The Ureste family was a large and hardworking clan that had arrived from Mexico soon after Texas statehood. In  Don Guadalupe Ureste andhiswife,FranciscaGarcíafromMatamoros,Mexico,hadcometoVictoria ,wherethecouplehadacquiredalmostfivehundredacresfromFrancisco de León out of the Silvestre de León league as well as several town lots.DonGuadalupehadincreasedhisholdingsovertheyears.InDecember FranciscoSantiagohadservedasgodfatherforDonGuadalupe’s son Inocencio. It may have been at the Christmas festivities of that year whenhemetMatilde.DuringDecembertheTejanosofVictoria,justlike Catholics throughout the Spanish-speaking world, exchanged food and Tejanos in Texas, – •  Fandango by Theodore Gentilz shows a party like many held during the Christmas festivities throughout Texas and Mexico. Gift of the Yanaguana Society, Courtesy of Daughters of the Republic of Texas, San Antonio. drinksastheycelebratedtheNativitywithaposada.Singingpilgrimslighting...