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Thomas H. Kreneck | 248 own reasons, claimed to be native-born Texans (as Felix did) but I suspect had Mexican origins. In other words,Tijerina’s case could represent a broader phenomenon and have larger implications for understanding an entire important period of Mexican American history. Lastly, Felix’s Mexican immigrant story and how he tried to hide his origins make his biography a much better book—a more interesting, dramatic , informative, and relevant history. His early background made Felix an even more human, sympathetic, and heroic figure.The question clearly made me a better researcher. Candidly, I remain disappointed that none of the book’s reviewers fully recognized or seemed to appreciate the research odyssey involved in unearthing the total story of his immigrant roots. They seemed apparently to find it something of little difficulty (or even consequence), even though previous Tijerina biographers had missed it. For me, however, the unexpected, lengthy sleuthing of his nativity and the Revolution in Northern Mexico amounted to an experience that helped to refine me as a scholar and as a human being. After the biography appeared, I journeyed to Monterrey and General Escobedo one final time, where I presented a complimentary copy to those persons who had helped clarify the mystery of Felix’s birth for me. The three octogenarians were still alive, thankfully, and seemed genuinely pleased to receive their book. I also placed a copy, inscribed as “Libro Número Uno,” in the little library of General Escobedo that today occupies the house where Felix Tijerina was said to have been born. I hope that it serves some future, positive purpose. Notes 1.The author delivered the initial draft of this essay as a presentation at the Texas State Historical Association in March 2001,under the title“What Did It MatterWhere He Was Born: Writing the Biography of Felix Tijerina.” The author wishes to acknowledge the pioneering work on Houston Mexican American history by Arnoldo De León,Tatcho Mindiola Jr., and F. Arturo Rosales, as well as thank them for their support of my research on Felix Tijerina. Houston Chronicle (September 4, 1965), 1; Houston Post (September 5, 1965): 1, 4; Houston Press (August 26, 1948): 9; Daniel Sandoval , telephone interview by author, June 12, 1997; and Approval of Name for School in the Franklin-Burnett Area, June 27, 1977, Records of the Houston Independent School District Board of Education. 2.Thomas H. Kreneck, Mexican American Odyssey: Felix Tijerina, Entrepreneur and Civic Leader, 1905–1965 (College Station:Texas A&M University Press, 2001). 249 | Sleuthing Immigrant Origins 3. Ibid., 192–193, 226–227, 266–272. 4. Ibid., 4–11. 5. As indications of the Mexican immigrant experience in survey literature, see Mark Reisler, By the Sweat of Their Brow: Mexican Immigrant Labor in the United States, 1900–1940 (Westport and London: Greenwood Press, 1975), 3–17; Manuel G. Gonzales , Mexicanos:A History of Mexicans in the United States (Bloomington and Indianapolis : Indiana University Press, 1999), 11–138; and Arnoldo De León, Mexican Americans inTexas:A Brief History, 3rd ed. (Wheeling Ill.: Harlan Davidson, Inc., 2009), 71–84. 6. For representative biographical treatments on Tijerina during his life, see Silas Ragsdale, “Biography: Felix Tijerina,” The Log: Weekly Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Houston 36 (August 19, 1948): 4; Marie Moore,“The Cap Still Fits:When Felix Tijerina Feels Like a Big Shot, HeThinks of a BeerTruck,” Houston Post (August 8, 1955): 1, 11; and Louis Alexander,“Texas Helps Her Little Latins,” Saturday Evening Post (August 5, 1961); 30–31, 54–55. 7. Kreneck, Mexican American Odyssey, 43–44. 8. Ibid., 80. 9. Ibid., 81; “Restaurateur Continues Fight on Citizenship,” Houston Chronicle (February 15, 1956): sec. B, 9. 10. Kreneck, Mexican American Odyssey, 81–82. 11. Ibid., 88–115, 127–128. 12. Ibid., 128–129. 13. Ibid., 172–174. 14. Ibid., 171–189; and “Opinion of the Court” (May 25, 1956): 10–12, Civil Action No. 8113, Tijerina v. Brownell. 15. Kreneck, Mexican American Odyssey, 175–190. 16. Ibid., 16–30. Although I concluded that the Tijerinas first came to Texas in 1915, the Census of 1930, which became available after the publication of the biography , notes that the family entered in 1916. 17. Ibid., 35–36. 18. Off-the-record conversations during my research at times proved problematic, but they generally were beneficial. 19. Dianicia Contreras, telephone interview by author, January 19, 1985. 20. Kreneck, Mexican American Odyssey, 321.The author wishes to thank the late Dr...

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