San Antonio,
San Antone,
Texas
The First Municipal Government in Texas established in 1731,
by Canary Islanders by Order of King Philip V of Spain
And The First Capitol of Texas, 108 Years Before Austin
45 Years Before the United States Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.
11 Years After The Founding of Mission San Antonio De Valero (The Alamo)
105 Years Before The Battle Of The Alamo In 1836
A Bell of Knowledge in
A Brief Factual History with
Strange Tales, Folklore, Ghost Stories
Curadors, Curanderos, Healers, Psychics, Voodoo
And More
Written to Clarify
Questions of Historians
Descendants, Adventurers,
Travelers, Romantics, and
San Antonio Visitors By
Sir Richard Daniel Weaver
Don Richard Daniel Weaver
Hidalgo De San Antonio De Bexar
A Knight By Order of His Majesty King Philip V of Spain
For Direct Descendants of the First Alcalde or Mayor of San Antonio
And Members of the Original 16 Founding Families from the Canary Islands
A Province of Spain
In the Year
1731
San Antonio,
San Antone,
Texas
The First Municipal Government in Texas established in 1731,
by Canary Islanders by Order of King Philip V of Spain
And The First Capitol of Texas, 108 Years Before Austin
45 Years Before the United States Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.
11 Years After The Founding of Mission San Antonio De Valero (The Alamo)
105 Years Before The Battle Of The Alamo In 1836
A Bell of Knowledge in
A Brief Factual History with
Strange Tales, Folklore, Ghost Stories
Curadors, Curanderos, Healers, Psychics, Voodoo
And More
Written to Clarify
Questions of Historians
Descendants, Adventurers,
Travelers, Romantics, and
San Antonio Visitors By
Sir Richard Daniel Weaver
Don Richard Daniel Weaver
Hidalgo De San Antonio De Bexar
A Knight By Order of His Majesty King Philip V of Spain
For Direct Descendants of the First Alcalde or Mayor of San Antonio
And Members of the Original 16 Founding Families from the Canary Islands
A Province of Spain
In the Year
1731
(NOTE THIS IS ONLY AN EXCERPT OF THE BOOK)
Copyright 1995
by
Sir Richard D. Weaver
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, video taping, computer scanning, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author or the publisher. Inquiries should be addressed to the Publisher, c/o Melric Publications, P. O. Box 17513, San Antonio, Texas 78217-0513.
Published in the United States of America
Book Design, Commercial Artwork, Photographs, Graphics, and Translations
by
Sir Richard Daniel Weaver
Additional copies of this book may be attained by contacting the Publisher.
Introduction
Be Sure To Read
This book was written for the purpose of providing its readers with a brief factual history of the founding of San Antonio, Texas mixed with colorful strange tales, fables, ghost stories, folklore, curadors, curanderos, psychics, healers, and more. Historically, book researchers intelligently documented gathered eloquent theories based on facts, but sprinked with foklore, tales, and vivid imaginations.
San Antonio means Saint Anthony in English. San Antonio is pronounced both with or without an accent either in Spanish or in English , but many people call it San Antone. San Antone has been a carry over from early settlers that could not pronounce San Antonio and shortened the name. It is most remembered and pronounced as San Antone by what we call cowboys, ranchers, farmers, and simply proud Texans.
It would take thousands of pages to properly provide readers with information on the growth of San Antonio and Texas, but this book is meant only to wet the appetite for learning more about San Antonio. Thirty six years after Columbus was given credit for discovering America in 1492, Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca traveled inland along the coast of Florida and Texas to the Gulf of California during 1528-1536. In 1691, Domingo de Teran de los Rios, governor of Coahuila and Father Massanet explored areas of Texas and discovered a Payaya Indian village called, "Yanaguana" located near the head of the San Antonio River. Father Massanet named the village "San Antonio de Padua," in honor of his patron saint. Thusly, the area was first called San Antonio nearly 85 years before the signing of the U. S. Declaration of Independence. This book, however, is designed to give you a brief history of San Antonio, after it was formally recognized as a municipal government in 1731 by Order of King Philip V of Spain.
As you read through the book, you will learn that the growth of Texas, and particularly San Antonio was filled with the influence of multicultures from different nationalities ranging from the original native American Indians (who gave Texas its name, "Tejas" which means friends) to the Spanish, French, Irish, Flemish and other nationalities.
A final note to consider is that while we can not pick our ancestors, neither can our descendants. Therefore, while we should do all that we can to remember our ancestors and their accomplishments, we should accomplish for ourselves all that is possible so that our descendants will be proud of their ancestors and we of ourselves. Each and every one of us is part of our past, but more importantly we are part of the future. What the future will be tomorrow will be determined by what we do today. As you walk through the journey of your life make certain that the shadow that follows you is not of the person you could be but have failed to become. While it has been said that everyone marches to a different drummer, be certain that your are at least marching in the right direction. You must make your own choices in life. You can be a leader or a follower, but just don't stand to the side while both pass you by.
Dedication
This Book is dedicated to
Sir Richard Daniel Weaver II
Lady Melissa Anne Weaver
Earl H. Guptill and Bridget
The Founding Years
Fear of French Movement into New Spain (Mexico and California east to Texas )in 1716, prompted the appointment of Don Martin (Sir Martin) De Alarcon, a knight in the service of His Majesty, King Philip V of Spain, to lead an expedition into Texas for the purpose of developing Spanish villas (cities) and missions.
An expedition under Captain Ramon ordered by the Duke of Linares set out on February 17, 1716 to re-enter the Province of Texas. Captain Ramon left a number of soldiers and their families in San Antonio. Among these were Francisca Xaviera Gil (of Irish descent) Maldonado and her parents Sergeant Francisco Xavier Maldonado and Agueda Ximenes Gil Maldonado. Francisca Maldonada later married Juan Galvan in 1723. This is the first recorded information of Irish Influence in San Antonio.
At the time, France owned Louisiana and Spain believed the territory west of the Louisiana - Texas Border to be too valuable to fall into the hands of France. Don Martin set out with missionaries and soldiers to occupy and develop two sites considered important to Spain. The first development was close to the French border on San Bernardo Bay and was established as Espiritu Santo (Spiritual Saint or Holy Ghost). The second and most important destination was San Fernando De Bejar (now known as the City of San Antonio in Bexar (pronounced Bay-er or Bear) County on the San Antonio River. This was the location the original sixteen Canary Island families were to later arrive at in 1731.
Sir Martin recruited men for the expedition during the first half of 1717 on his journey from Mexico City, to San Luis Potosi, to Saltillo, to Monclova and finally to have arrived on May 5, 1718, in a place called San Antonio and inhabited by ten families . Sir Martin named the placed Villa de Bejar (Village of Bexar) and established the first military installation and mission there. The mission now known as The Alamo was named Mission San Antonio De Valero and the military installation was later named the Presidio (Fort) de San Antonio De Bejar, Tejas (Fort San Antonio of Bexar, Texas). Sir Martin also ordered that water canals be constructed for both the villa and the mission. The missionaries were to "civilize" the Indians and maintain the religious practices of the Roman Catholic Church among the families living in the area. The soldiers were to protect the settlers and Indian converts from hostile enemy, both Indian and French. Consequently, in 1719, all of the Spanish settlers in east Texas and many converted Indians at the missions there retreated to the safety of Fort San Antonio after a surprise attack by the French. during the Spanish-French War of 1719. The following year, 1720, Mission San Jose was established south of the Alamo, unfortunately part as a result of the missionaries and different Indian tribes from the outer areas not getting along with the ones at Mission San Antonio De Valero.
So, while many people might believe that the growth of missions in Texas was due to the desire to spread the Roman Catholic Church's teachings among its inhabitants, it was also as a result of disagreement among missionaries and their followers.
During the Spanish-French War, France continued to send and encourage French settlement in the Spanish Province of Tejas (Territory of Texas). This enraged the missionaries and the Spanish officials in New Spain and in the mother county, Old Spain.
The Marques de Miguel de Aguayo (Marquess of Miguel of Aguayo) was ordered to take charge of the expedition to reclaim and resettle the New Spain Territory away from the French and was later appointed governor and captain general of the provinces of Coahuila and Texas. In the meantime, the Spanish Council of the Indies requested the King to send 2,000 families to settle at Espiritu Santo. The families were to be sent from the Canary Islands and the Galacia Region on the Spanish mainland Vera Cruz, New Spain (Mexico), where they would then travel north by land to settle at Espiritu Santo. The King agreed that a settlement should be reestablished but with settlers already in New Spain.
The Marquess, along with 500 horsemen, 1000 horses, 800 mules, and sufficient supplies, left Monclova, New Spain in November 16, 1720 and arrived the following spring in San Antonio. The Marquess was accompanied by Padre Espinosa (Spanish priest, Father Espinosa) and Juan Banul, a Belgium blacksmith. Before returning to South New Spain (central Mexico), the Marquess left thirty one soldiers with their families in east Texas and seven families recruited by Father Espinosa in San Antonio. Juan Banul assisted in building the missions in East Texas and in Bexar.
Upon returning to Mexico, the Marquess sent a dispatch to the King requesting that 200 families be sent to further settle the Texas coastal areas. The King agreed with the request and issued orders to send volunteers from the Canary Islands to Texas through the following dispatch that is provided for the reader to read , both in Spanish and in English (The dispatch in Spanish is provided as an example of how the dispatch may have looked if written in Spanish and you will note that the English translation shows the date at the beginning, however, the day would have probably be written out in Spanish at the end of the dispatch as illustrated below.
Despacho Real
Proveimiento Para El Transportacion
De Los Islenos De Las Canarias
Despacho Real
El Rey
Don Bartolome de Casabna. y Mesa
Juez del Comercio de Indias en las Islas Canarias
Marques de San Miguel mi informor que, como a consecuencia de el invasion de Francia de la Provincia de Tejas e Nueva Philipinas - en Nueva Espana - 1719, lo que forzoso los soldados puestos alli como guardias abandonar la Provincia y los seis misiones levantados alli, el Marques de Valero, que estuvo el virrey de ese reino, en ese tiemp, hizo al hombre en mi nombre, governador y capitan-general de los provincias mencionado mas arriba y de Coahuilla; de cuando el sucedor en apaciguardo estos partes - el pais de Tejas, Bahia del Espiritu Snato, y el presidio de San Antonio, los provincias dicho siendo traedo debajo de mi dominio - el los dejo fortificanto por los presidios necesario, una en el centro de el pais de Teja con una guardia de veintecinco hombres para proteja los misiones, una en Adaes con cien hombres, una noventa hombres; y cue este trabajo estavo acabado en el treintauno de Mayo, 1722. El sugestionar, paral el segura mas grande de los provincias mencionados, y por savedad los expensas a la tesoro real, y como van esta tantos soldodos y presidios a mantener, cue es buen plano cue quatro centos familias venga de su Islas, de la ciudad de Havana, y la Provincia de Tlascalal, y esta distribuido en Bahia de San Anotnio, en todos los misiones, en Adaes, y entre los Indios de Tejas; cue, en el mismo tiempo, una mision nueva, con una estableciemiento de Espanoles y Tlascatecans, debe esta funddo situado a mitad luga en uno de los localizaciones siguiente: La Anguila, o Nuestra Senora de Buena Vista, como esta lose cien y setentados ligas entremedias San Antonio y las primera mision entre los Indios de Tejas esta inestablecienmiento. Se paracio a el cue, sin estas familias, debe esta dudo para tener la provincia, cue es una de los mas valioso en America. Es muy dertil en tolo clase de granos, semillas, y ganado; y igualmente rico en minas cue se pueden trabajar.
Unfortunately, in the following years, despite poor conditions on the Canary Islands that resulted from several years of drought, only ten families and five unattached bachelors volunteered for the first of two trips taken by volunteers to colonize the Texas coast. Additional families volunteered for the second trip. Unfortunately, in 1724 Spanish Viceroy Casafuerte had appointed Colonel Pedro de Rivera to lead an expedition to evaluate the conditions in Texas. The colonel recommended that since the Spanish French War had ended, the King could save money by reducing the number of troops in East Texas and that settlers would no longer be needed to discourage French encroachment of the eastern Spanish territories.
In the meantime, the original 10 families had left the Canary Islands and stopped in Havana, Cuba for a short period, before arriving on June 19, 1730 in Vera Cruz, Mexico. Upon their arrival, the Viceroy consulted both The Colonel and the Marquess as to what should be done with the families. Although the Marquess recommended settling on the coast, the Colonel argued that the Karankawa Indians were too hostile and dangerous to any civil settlers along the coast. In addition, he argued that any settlers that could be sent to Texas should come from the existing civilians population of Mexico to prevent unnecessary cost of transporting the outsiders. The Viceroy agreed with the Colonel and issued orders for the ten families to be sent to San Antonio. In addition, by the time the second group of ten families arrived in Havana, the Viceroy had already issued orders to the Governor of Havana to keep all newly arriving families in Havana until future orders of the King. Consequently, the Spanish Council of the Indies stopped the plan to further send Islenos (Islanders) to New Spain.
The Hardship Journey of Ten Families That Became Sixteen
The journey of the Islanders took a long time to reach San Antonio after leaving the Canary Islands. The Following Maps illustrate the overall routes the Islanders had taken when they first left the Canary Islands. The first map illustrates the locations of the various individual islands that make up the Canary Islands from which the Islanders came from. As you can see the Islanders came from the five larger islands.
Canary Islands Blown UP Map
The following map illustrates the overall passage taken from the Islands to where they first arrived in Havana, Cuba and then in Vera Cruz, Mexico by ship. They then had to travel overland through Mexico and finally arrived in what is known in the present day as San Antonio, Texas.
Ten families consisting of Fifty-eight individuals, five of which were unattached bachelors made up of two sets of brothers and one individual, arrived for the trip to San Antonio in Vera Cruz, but two individuals died before leaving Vera Cruz. Death from illness contracted during the ship's trip befell Juan Rodriguez Granadillo , the husband of Maria Rodriguez Provayna, and father of six Rodriguez Granadillo children - Pedro, Manuel Francisco, Josefa, Paula, Maria, and Juan de Acuna.
(It is important to note at this time that in the American culture the mother's maiden last name is taken and written as a middle name for children and the father's name is written as the last name. In the Spanish culture, however, the reverse is true - the father's name is in the middle and the mother's is last. Therefore, all Spanish written names in this book that carry two last names should be understood to read and hereafter are translated to read as in the following manner: Juan Rodriguez Granadillo would be written in the American English manner of Juan Granadillo Rodriguez (Granadillo- mother / Rodriguez/father). In the above case of Juan's son Juan de Acuna Rodriguez Granadillo, he took on only his father's name, otherwise it would have been written in Spanish Juan de Acuna Rodriguez Granadillo Provayna. Juan was a member of the fourteenth family to arrive in San Antonio. )
Unfortunately disease from the trip also took the life of this author's ancestor, Lucas (also known as Luis) Delgado, husband to Mariana (sometimes called Maria) Meleano, and father of four children - Juan, Francisco, Domingo and Leonor, members of the fifteen family to arrive in San Antonio.
Juan Cabrera also died on the way to Cuatitlan. In addition, three others members of the group also passed away later. Louisa Goraz Leal wife of Juan from the First Family passed away as a result of not having recovered from a long illness. Five year old Maria Rodriguez Grandillo and Pedro Leal also passed away before the group left the Cuatitlan area.
While the sorrow of the deaths accompanied the Islanders, there were also moments for celebration during the trip from the Canary Islands Pedro Leal was born (although he later passed away) to Juan Leal Jr. and his wife, during the Islander's stay in Havana, Cuba. In addition, Juan de Acuna Rodriguez was born during the Islander's stay in Cuatitlan, Mexico, to Juan Rodriguez (deceased) and Maria Rodriguez. Vicente Alvarez Travieso and Francisco De Arocha, two young male Islanders that had previously arrived in Cuautitlan, Mexico, married Maria Ana Curbelo and Juana Curbelo respectively, two of the girls of the Curbelo family. In addition, three more marriages occurred before the families continued on their journey. One of the bachelors, Antonio Rodriguez married Josefa De Niz, daughter of Manuel and Sebastina de Niz. Joseph Leal married Ana Santos and Juan Delgado married Catharina Leal.
So, as the Islanders continued on their journey they were now fifteen families and four unattached bachelors considered to be the sixteenth family.
For purposes of understanding the length of time it took the Islanders to arrive in San Antonio, once they landed at Vera Cruz, Mexico, it is important to know that the trip was a slow one that involved carrying a variety of supplies and traveling over rough terrain. The Islanders traveled through a total of over fifty (50) locations before ending their journey in San Antonio. The following list provides an overview of locations traveled to or through and is followed by a map highlighting major points of the journey taken from Vera Cruz to San Antonio.
They first landed in
(Spanish Name) (Some English Translation for illustration))
Vera Cruz
then by overland traveld to or through:
Cholula
Aztec Pyramid (near Mexico City)
Quautiitlan
Tepeje Del Rio
San Francisco
Ruano Roan Horse
San Juan Del Rio Saint John of the River
Los Colotillos Chicos
Amascala
Puerto Pinto Spotted Port
Las Carboneras
San Luis De La Paz
Sauceda De Los Mulatos
Valle De San Francisco
San Luis Potosi
Las Bocas The Mouths
La Hedionda The Stinky Woman or the Smelly River
El Venado The Deer
Laguna Seca Dry Lagoon Or Lake
Mateguala
Cedral
Pozo Nuevo New Hole
Agua Dulce Sweet Water
Cieneguilla
La Encarnacion
Agua Nueva New Water
Saltillo
Hacienda de Santa Maria
Dacienda De Las Mesillas
El Despoblado De Anelo
Espinazo De Ambrosia
La Hoya
Charco Redondo
Castano
Presidio De Coahuila (Monclova)
Las Adjuntas
Alamo Viejo
Rio De Salinas Salinas' River
Arroyo De Calzones
Ojo De San Diego Eye of Saint Diego
Presidio De San Juan Bautista
Rio Grande
Rosas De San Juan
Carmanchelito
Charcos De LA Tortuga Puddles of the Turtois or Turtle
Rio Frio Cold River
Arroyo Hondo
Charco De La Pita
Arroyo De Los Payayas
Presidio De San Antonio De Bejar
Map of overland travel)
Hispanics, Dark or Light Skinned -
Fact or Fiction
The following is a list of the fifty sfive members of the sixteen families that left Cuatitlan on November 15, 1730 as listed on their arrival at Cuatitlan. The list includes a brief description of each individual and the reader can easily see that the myth that all Hispanics are dark haired, dark eyes, and dark complexioned is quite incorrect. The Islanders' skin complexions may be dark or fair and their hair may be dark or red, and their eyes may be light gray, greenish, blue, or black
La Primera Familia
1. Juan Leal Goras. Hijo de Antonio y Maria Perez, nactivo de la Isla Lancerota, 54 anos de eda, alto, cara laga, babar greso, complecion escudo, naris con filo, sego en un ojo, babar y cabello negro, ojos de gris claro.
(Translation)
The First Family
1. Juan Goraz Leal. Son of Antonio Goraz Leal and Maria Perez (Leal), born in Lancerota Island, 54 years old, tall, long face, thick beard, dark complexion, sharp nose, blind in the left eye, black beard and hair, light gray eyes.
2. Vicente Leal. Hijo de anterior y Catharina Rodriguez muerta, nativo en Lancerota, 18 anos de eda, medio estatura, ancho de espaldas, cara laga, sin babar, naris de aguileno, cejas juntos, ojos de gris claro, cabello rizo y negro, cejas negro, complecion escudo.
2. Vicente Leal. Son of foregoing and Catharina Rodriguez deceased, born in Lancerota, 18 years old, medium height, broad shouldered, long face, beardless. aquiline nose, eyebrows meeting, light gray eyes, black curled hair, black eye brows, dark complexion.
3. Bernardo Leal. Hijo de Juan arriba, nativo en Lancerota, cara redonda, 13 anos de eda, naris plano, ojos de gris claro, cejas y cabello castano.
3. Bernardo Leal. Son of Juan above, born in Lancerota, round face, 13 years old, flat nose, light gray eyes, chestnut eyebrows and hair.
La Secunda Familia
The Second Family
4. Juan Curbelo. Hijo de Domingo Curbelo y Maria Martin Enriquez, nativo en Lancerota, 50 anos de eda, alto, ancho de espaldas, cara llena, complecion blanco, babar greso, y cabello, ojos de gris claro, , cejas negro, bastante calvo, naris de filo.
4. Juan Curbelo. Son of Domingo Curbelo and Maria Enriquez Martin (Curbelo), born in Lancerota, 50 years old, tall, broad shouldered, full faced, fair complexion, gray beard, and hair, light gray eyes, black eyebrows, rather bald, sharp nose.
5. Garcia Umpienos Perdomo. Esposa de arriba, hija de Marcos Umpienos Perdomo y Maria Cabrera, nativo en Lancerota, 46 anos de eda, medio de altura, cara grande, complecion escudo, ojos negros, naris de aguileno, cabello y cejas negro.
5. Garcia Perdomo Umpienes (Curbelo). Wife of above, daughter of Marcos Perdomo Umpienes and Maria Cabrera, born in Lancerota, 46 years old, medium height, large face, dark complexion, black eyes, aquiline nose, black hair and eyebrows.
6. Joseph Curbelo. Hijo de arriba, nativo en Lancerota, medio altura, 25 anos de eda, ancho de espaldas, cara llena, sin babar, forma cicatrices de viruela, naris de filo, ojos de gris claro, cejas y cabello castano.
6. Joseph Curbelo. Son of above, born in Lancerota, medium height, 25 years old, broad shouldered, full faced, beardless, pitted with small pox, sharp nose, light gray eyes, chestnut eyebrows and hair.
7. Juan Francisco Curbelo. Hijo de Juan arriba, nativo en la Islas de Palma, 9 anos de eda, complecion blanco, cara redonda, ojos de gris claro, cejas y cabello castano, parpados de espesor.
7. Juan Francisco Curbelo. Son of Juan above, born in Palma Island, 9 years old, fair complexion, round face, light gray eyes, chestnut eyebrows and hair, thick eyelids.
8. Maria Curbelo. Hija de Juan arriba, nativo en Lancerota, 13 anos de eda, cuerpo chico, cara redonda, complecion escudo, naris rojo
8. Maria Curbelo. Daughter of Juan above, born in Lancerota, 13 years of age, small body, round faced, dark complexion, red nose.
La Tercera Familia
The Third Family
9. Juan Leal Jr. Hijo de Juan Leal de la First Familia, nativo en Lancerota, 30 anos de eda, medio altura, ancho de espaldas, complecion escudo, largo cara, babar de espensor, naris de filo, cejas juntos, cabello riso, cejas y cabello negro, ojos casi gris, labios llenos.
9. Juan Leal Jr. Son of Juan Leal of the First Family, born in Lancerota, 30 years old, medium height, broad shouldered, dark complexion, long face, thick beard, sharp nose, meeting eyebrows, curled hair, black eyebrows and hair, eyes almost gray, full lips.
10. Gracia Gonzales de Acosta (Leal). (also called Maria de Acosta), Esposa De arriba, hija de Pedro Gonzales Cabezas and Francisca De Acosta, nativo en Teneriffe, 30 anos de eda, alto, cara ellena, complecion blanco, ojos de gris claro, cabello y cejas negro, naris con punta
10. Gracia de Acosta Gonzales (Leal). (also called Maria de Acosta), Wife of above, daughter of Pedro Cabezas Gonzales and Francisca De Acosta (Gonzales), born in Teneriffe, 30 years old, tall, full faced, fair complexion, light gray eyes, black hair and eyebrows, pointed nose.
11. Manual Leal. Hijo de arriba, nativo en Lancerota, cara redondo, 2 anos de eda, complecion escudo, naris de aguileno, ojos de gris claro, cabello castano y riso, cicatriz arriba de la ceja.
11. Manual Leal. Son of above, born in Lancerota, round face, 2 years old, dark complexion, aquiline nose, light gray eyes, chestnut curled hair, scar above the left eyebrow.
12. Miguel Leal. Hijo de arriba, nativo en Fuerteventura, round cara, 10 anos de eda, ojos grandes y gris, cejas juntos, cabello castano claro, naris flaco, cicatriz el fin del la ceja izquierda, labios llenos, cabello riso
12. Miguel Leal. Son of above born in Fuerteventura, round face, 10 years old, large gray eyes, meeting eyebrows, light chestnut hair, thin nose, scar at the end of the left eyebrow, full lips, curled hair.
13. Domingo Leal. Hijo de arriba, nativo en las Isla de Palma, round cara, 7 anos de eda, fair complecion, ojos negros, cabello rojizo, naris plano, cara ponerse picoso.
13. Domingo Leal. Son of above, born in Palma Island, round face, 7 years old, fair complexion, black eyes, reddish hair, flat nose, freckle face.
14 Maria Leal. Hija de arriba, nativo en Fuerteventura, 6 anos de eda, cara redondo, complecion escudo, ojos de gris, cabello y cejas negro.
14. Maria Leal. Daughter of above, born in Fuerteventura, 6 years old, round face, dark complexion, gray eyes, black hair and eyebrows.
La Cuarta Familia
The Fourth Family
15. Antonio Santos. Hijo de Simon Santos y Anna Rodriguez nativo en Lancerota, 50 anos de eda, more or less, medio altura, ancho de espaldas, round cara, complecion escudo, naris grande, ojos negros, babar delgado, babar y cabello negro, bastante gris y desperdicio, cejas negro.
15. Antonio Santos. Son of Simon Santos and Anna Rodriguez (Santos), born in Lancerota, 50 years old, more or less, medium height, broad shouldered, round face, dark complexion, large nose, black eyes, thin beard, black beard and hair, rather gray and culled, black eyebrows.
16. Isabel Rodriguez (Santos). Esposa de arriba, hija de Domingo de Vargas y Leonor Rodriguez. 34 anos de eda, nativo en Lancerota, alto, complecion blanco, naris delgado, cara redondo, ojos de gris claro, cejas y cabello negro.
16. Isabel Rodriguez (Santos). Wife of above, daughter of Domingo de Vargas and Leonor Rodriguez (de Vargas). 34 years old, born in Lancerota, tall, fair complexion, thin nose, round face, light gray eyes, black eyebrows and hair.
17. Miguel Santos. Hijo de arriba, nativo en Lancerota, mas o menos 17 anos de eda, medio altura, ancho de espaldas, cara redondo, complecion escudo, naris plano, ojos de gris claro, cejas y cabello riso y negro.
17. Miguel Santos. Son of above, born in Lancerota, about 17 years old, medium height, broad shouldered, round face, dark complexion, flat nose, light gray eyes, black eyebrows and curled hair.
18. Catharina Santos. Hija de arriba, nativo en Lancerota, 12 anos de eda, mas or menos, cara redondo, complecion escudo, naris plano, cicatriz de viruelas.
18. Catharina Santos. Daughter of above, born in Lancerota, 12 years old, more or less, round face, dark complexion, black eyes, flat nose black eyebrows and hair, pitted with small pox.
19. Maria Santos. Hija De arriba, nativo en Palma, about 7 anos de eda, largo cara, complecion escudo, gray eyes, naris delgado, cabello y cejas castano clara.
19. Maria Santos. Daughter of above, born in Palma, about 7 years old, long face, dark complexion, gray eyes, thin nose, light chestnut hair and eyebrows.
20. Josepha Santos. Hija De arriba, nativo en Lancerota, mas or menos 2 anos de eda, cara redondo, naris plano, ojos de gris claro, cabello y cejas castano.
20. Josepha Santos. Daughter of above, born in Lancerota, about 2 years old, round face, flat nose, light gray eyes, chestnut hair and eyebrows.
La Quinta Familia
The Fifth Family
21. Joseph Padron. Nativo En Palma, mas o menos 22 anos de eda, buena figura, cara larga, complecion escudo, ojos negros, cabello y cejas negro, babar negro y delgado.
21. Joseph Padron. Born in Palma, about 22 years of age, good figure, long face, dark complexion, black eyes, black hair and eyebrows, thin black beard.
22. Naria Francisca Sanabria (Padron). Esposa De arriba, hija de Luis Sanabria and Francisca Lagarda (Sanabria), nativo en Lancerota, mas o menos 22 anos de eda, medio altura, tenue, cara delgado, naris delgado, ojos de gris claro, complecion blanco, cabello y cejas castano.
22. Naria Francisca Sanabria (Padron). Wife of above, daughter of Luis Sanabria and Francisca Lagarda (Sanabria), born in Lancerota, about 22 years old, medium height, slender, thin face, thin nose, light gray eyes, fair complexion, chestnut hair and eyebrows.
La Sexto Familia
The Sixth Family
23. Manuel de Niz. (Also called Manuel de Nistrosa) Hijo De Juan de Niz y Andrea Mireles (de Nis), nativo en Canaria Grande, mas o menos 50 anos de eda, medio altura, ancho de espaldas, cara largo, complecion escudo, babar delgado, naris plano, ojos de gris claro, babar y cabello negro, bastante calvo, cejas negro.
23. Manuel de Niz. (Also called Manuel de Nistrosa) Son of Juan de Niz and Andrea Mireles (de Nis), born in Grand Canary, about 50 years old, medium height, broad shoulder, long face, dark complexion, thin beard, flat nose , light gray eyes, black beard and hair, rather bald, black, eyebrows.
24. Sebastina de la Pena (de Niz). Esposa De arriba, hija de Domingo de Leon y Gregoria Suarez de la Pena, un pocito arriba de 42 anos de eda, buen figura, complecion escudo, largo cara, cabello, ojos, y cejas negro, naris plano.
24. Sebastina de la Pena (de Niz). Wife of above, daughter of Domingo de Leon and Gregoria Suarez de la Pena, a little over 42 years old, good figure, dark complexion, long face, black hair, eyes and eyebrows, thin nose.
La Septimo Familia
The Seventh Family
25. Vicente Travieso Alvarez. Hijo de Juan Travieso Alvarez y Catharina Cayetano (Alavarez), nativo en Teneriffe, medio altura, 25 anos de eda, ancho de espaldas, cara redondo, naris delgado, ojos de gris claro, babar de espensor, complecion blanco, cabello castano y riso.
25. Vicente Travieso Alvarez. Son of Juan Travieso Alvarez and Catharina Cayetano (Alavarez), born in Teneriffe, medium height, 25 years, old broad shouldered, round ace, thin nose, light gray eyes, thick beard, fair complexion, chestnut curled hair.
26. Maria Ana Curbelo (Alvarez). Esposa de arriba, hija de Juan Curbelo y Gracia Perdomo Umpienes (Curbelo), nativo en Lancerota, mas o menos 18 anos de eda, medio altura, ancho de espaldas, complecion blanco, cara largo, ojos de gris claro, cabello y cejas negro, naris delgado.
26. Maria Ana Curbelo (Alvarez). Wife of above, daughter of Juan Curbelo and Gracia Perdomo Umpienes (Curbelo), born in Lancerota, about 18 years old, medium height, broad shouldered, fair complexion, long face, light gray eyes, chestnut hair and eyebrows, thin nose.
El Octavo Familia
The Eighth Family
27. Salvador Rodriguez. Hijo de Francisco Rodriguez y Isabel de los Reyes (Rodriguez), nativo en Lancerota, mas o menos 42 anos de eda, bueno figura, cara ancho, complecion escudo, ojos verdes, babar de espensor, bastante gris, cabello negro.
27. Salvador Rodriguez. Son of Francisco Rodriguez and Isabel de los Reyes (Rodriguez), born in Lancerota, about 42 years old, good figure, broad face, dark complexion, greenish eyes, thick beard, rather gray, black hair.
28. Maria Perez Cabrera. Esposa de arriba, hija de Domingo Cabrera y Maria Perez, nativo en Lancerota, mas o menos 42 anos de eda, bueno figura, cara largo, complecion escudo, naris delgado, ojos de gris claro, cabello y cejas negro.
28. Maria Perez Cabrera (Rodriguez). Wife of above, daughter of Domingo Cabrera and Maria Perez (Cabrera), born in Lancerota, about 42 years old, good figure, long face, dark complexion, thin nose, light gray eyes, black hair and eyebrows.
29. Paricio Rodriguez. Hijo De arriba, nativo en Lancerota, mas o menos 15 anos de eda, medio altura, tenue slender, complecion escudo, ojos de gris claro, cara flaca, cabello y cejas castano.
29. Paricio Rodriguez. Son of above, born in Lancerota, about 15 years old, medium height, slender, dark complexion, light gray eyes, thin face, chestnut hair and eyebrows.
La Noveno Familia
The Ninth Family
30. Francisco de Arocha. Hijo De Simon de Arocha and Angela Francisca (Arocha), nativo en Palma, 27 anos de eda, alto, largo cara, ojos de gris, complecion escudo, cejas cue se juntan, babar de espensor, naris flaca, cabello negro.
30. Francisco de Arocha. Son of Simon de Arocha and Angela Francisca (Arocha), born in Palma, 27 years old, tall, long face, gray eyes, dark complexion, meeting eyebrows, thick beard, thin nose, black hair.
31. Juana Curbelo (de Arocha). Esposa De arriba, hija de Juan Curbelo and Gracia Perdomo de Umpienes (Curbelo), nativo en Lancerota, 14 anos de eda, full carad, complecion escudo, gray eyes, cabello y cejas negro, flat nose.
31. Juana Curbelo (de Arocha). Wife of above, daughter of Juan Curbelo and Gracia Perdomo de Umpienes (Curbelo), born in Lancerota, 14 years old, full faced, dark complexion, gray eyes, black hair and eyebrows, flat nose.
La Decima Familia
The Tenth Family
32. Antonio Rodriguez. Hijo De Juan Rodriguez and Maria del Carmen (Rodriguez), nativo en Grand Canary, 18 anos de eda mas o menos, medio altura, ancho de espaldas, full cara,complecion clara, pitted with smallpox, naris plano, ojos de gris, cabello y cejas castano, mole on right cheek.
32. Antonio Rodriguez. Son of Juan Rodriguez and Maria del Carmen (Rodriguez), born in Grand Canary, 18 years old more or less, medium height, broad shouldered, full faced, complecion blanco, pitted with smallpox, flat nose, gray eyes, chestnut hair and eyebrows, mole on right cheek.
33. Josefa de Niz (Rodriguez). Hija De Manuel de Niz and Sebastina de la Pena (de Niz), esposa de arriba, nativo en Grand Canary, good figure, 19 anos de eda, largocara, pitted with smallpox, ojos negros, hair and eyebrows, thin nose, complecion escudo.
33. Josefa de Niz (Rodriguez). Daughter of Manuel de Niz and Sebastina de la Pena (de Niz), wife of above, born in Grand Canary, good figure, 19 years old, long face, pitted with smallpox, black eyes, hair and eyebrows, thin nose, dark complexion.
El Oncena Familia
The Eleventh Family
34. Joseph Leal. Hijo De Juan Goras Leal and Louisa Hernandez (Leal), nativo en Lancerota, 22 anos de eda,bien figura, largo cara complecion escudo, babar de espensor, cabello y cejas negro, meeting of eyebrows, thin nose.
34. Joseph Leal. Son of Juan Goras Leal and Louisa Hernandez (Leal), born in Lancerota, 22 years old, good figure, long face, dark complexion, thick beard, black hair and eyebrows, meeting of eyebrows, thin nose.
35. Ana Santos. Esposa De arriba, daughter Antonio Santos and Isabel Rodriguez (Santos), nativo en Lancerota, about 16 anos de eda, medio altura, complecion escudo, falt cara, flat nose, lively gray eyes, cabello y cejas negro.
35. Ana Santos. Wife of above, daughter Antonio Santos and Isabel Rodriguez (Santos), born in Lancerota, about 16 years old, medium height, dark complexion, flat face, flat nose, lively gray eyes, black hair and eyebrows.
La Duodecima Familia
The Twelfth Family
36. Juan Delgado. Hijo De Luis Delgado and Maria Melean (Delgado), nativo en Lancerota, 19 anos de eda more or less, good figure, broad shoulders, round cara, complecion escudo, meeting eyebrows, little beard.
36. Juan Delgado. Son of Luis Delgado and Maria Melean (Delgado), born in Lancerota, 19 years old more or less, good figure, broad shoulders, round face, dark complexion, meeting eyebrows, little beard.
37. Catharina Leal. Hija De Juan Leal and Louisa Hernandez (Leal), esposa de arriba, nativo en Lancerota, about 16 anos de eda, medio altura, complecion escudo, flat cara, flat nose, lively gray eyes, cabello y cejas negro.
37. Catharina Leal. Daughter of Juan Leal and Louisa Hernandez (Leal), wife of above, born in Lancerota, about 16 years old, medium height, dark complexion, flat face, flat nose, lively gray eyes, black hair and eyebrows.
La Trezava Familia
The Thirteenth Family
38 Joseph Cabrera. Hijo De Manuel Cabrera and Maria Rodriguez (Cabrera), nativo en Lancerota, about 50 anos de eda, medio altura, broad shoulders, complecion escudo, round cara, flat nose, pitted with small pox, gray eyes, chestnut hair and eyebrows, labios llenos.
38. Joseph Cabrera. Son of Manuel Cabrera and Maria Rodriguez (Cabrera), born in Lancerota, about 50 years old, medium height, broad shoulders, dark complexion, round face, flat nose, pitted with small pox, gray eyes, chestnut hair and eyebrows, full lips.
39. Marcos de Cabrera. Hijo De arriba, nativo en Lancerota, about 6 anos de eda, complecion escudo, round cara, ojos negros, hair and eyebrows, flat nose.
39. Marcos de Cabrera. Son of above, born in Lancerota, about 6 years old, dark complexion, round face, black eyes, hair and eyebrows, flat nose.
40. Ana Cabrera. Hija De arriba, nativo en Lancerota, about 13 anos de eda, medio altura, slender, largo cara, dark complexion, ojos de gris claro, chestnut hair and eyebrows.
40. Ana Cabrera. Daughter of above, born in Lancerota, about 13 years old, medium height, slender, long face, dark complexion, light gray eyes, chestnut hair and eyebrows.
La Catorzava Familia
The Fourteenth Family
41. Maria Pravayna Rodriguez . Widow of Juan Granadillo Rodriguez, Hija De Manual Provayna and Paula Umpienes (Pravayna), nativo en Lancerota, about 27 anos de eda, good figure, slender, largo cara, fair complexion, cabello y cejas negro, thin nose.
41. Maria Pravayna Rodriguez . Widow of Juan Granadillo Rodriguez, Daughter of Manual Provayna and Paula Umpienes (Pravayna), born in Lancerota, about 27 years old, good figure, slender, long face, fair complexion, black hair and eyebrows, thin nose.
42. Pedro Granadillo Rodriguez. Hijo De Juan Rodriguez and the arriba Maria, nativo en Lancerota about 13 anos de eda, good figure, slender, largo cara, complecion blanco, broad shoulders, full face, ojos de gris claro, thin nose, light chestnut hair and eyebrows, pitted with smallpox.
42. Pedro Granadillo Rodriguez. Son of Juan Rodriguez and the above Maria, born in Lancerota about 13 years old, good figure, slender, long cara, fair complexion, broad shoulders, full face, light gray eyes, thin nose, light chestnut hair and eyebrows, pitted with smallpox.
43. Manuel Francisco Rodriguez Granadillo. Hijo de Juan Rodriguez y la Maria aribba, nativo en Lancerota, mas o menos 3 anos de eda, complecion blanco, cabello rojizo, ojos azules.
43. Manuel Francisco Granadillo Rodriguez. Son of Juan Rodriguez and the above Maria, born in Lancerota, about 3 years old, fair complexion, reddish hair, blue eyes.
44. Josepha Rodriguez Granadillo. Hija de Juan Rodriguez y la Maria arriba, nativo en Lancerota, cara lleno, mas o menos 10 anos de eda, naris plano y rojizo, cabello castano.
44. Josepha Granadillo Rodriguez. Daughter of Juan Rodriguez and the above Maria, born in Lancerota, full faced, about 10 years old, reddish flat nose, chestnut hair.
45. Paula Rodriguez Granadillo . (tambien Pabla Rodriguez). Hija De Juan Rodriguez y la Maria arriba, nativo en Lancerota, complecion blanco, naris plano, cara redondo, ojos, cabello, y cejas negros.
45. Paula Granadillo Rodriguez. (also called Pabla Rodriguez). Daughter of Juan Rodriguez and the above Maria, born in Lancerota, fair complexion, flat nose, round face, black eyes, hair and eyebrows.
46. Juan de Acuna Granadillo Rodriguez. Hijo De Juan Rodriguez y la Maria arriba, nativo en Cuautitlan (Mexico), mas o menos un mes de eda, cara redondo, complecion blanco, ojos azules, cabello y cejas rojizo, naris plano..
46. Juan de Acuna Granadillo Rodriguez. Son of Juan Rodriguez and the above Maria, born in Cuautitlan (Mexico), about 1 month old, round face, fair complexion, blue eyes, reddish hair and eyebrows, flat nose.
La Quinzava Familia
The Fifteenth Family
47. Mariana Meleano (Delgado). (tambien Maria Meleano). Widow of Lucas Delgado, hija de Francisco Meleano y Ynes De Hoyos, nativo en Lancerota, mas o menos 30 anos de eda, buen alta, complecion blanco, largo cara, ojos, cabello, y cejas negros.
47. Mariana Meleano (Delgado). (also called Maria Meleano). Widow of Lucas Delgado, daughter of Francisco Meleano and Ynes De Hoyos, born in Lancerota, about 30 years old, good height, fair complexion, long face, black eyes, hair and eyebrows.
48. Francisco Delgado. Hijo De Luca y la Mariana arriba, nativo en Lancerota, mas o menos 16 anos de eda, medio altura, complecion blanco, naris delgado, ojos de gris claro, cabello y cejas castano, two moles on the right cheek.
48. Francisco Delgado. Son of Lucas and the above Mariana, born in Lancerota, about 16 years old, medium height, fair complexion, thin nose, light gray eyes, chestnut hair and eyebrows, two moles on the right cheek.
49. Domingo Delgado. Hijo De Luca y la Mariana arriba, nativo en Lancerota, 2 anos de eda, complecion blanco, cara redondo, cabello rojizo, naris delgado, ojos verdes.
49. Domingo Delgado. Son of Lucas and the above Mariana, born in Lancerota, 2 years old, fair complexion, round face, reddish hair, thin nose, greenish eyes.
50. Leonor Delgado. Hija De Lucas and the arriba Mariana, about 4 anos de eda, nativo en Lancerota, round cara, fair complexion, large ojos negros, cabello y cejas negro.
50. Leonor Delgado. Daughter of Lucas and the above Mariana, about 4 years old, born in Lancerota, round face, fair complexion, large black eyes, black hair and eyebrows.
La Decimosexto Familia
Consistir de Cuatro Hombres de Celibato
The Sixteenth Family
Consisting of Four Single men
51. Phelipe Perez Hijo De Domingo Perez and Maria Granados (Perez), nativo en Teneriffe, 20 anos de eda, medio altura, broad shoulders, largo cara, complecion escudo, thin nose, ojos azules, cabello y cejas negro, large forehead.
51. Phelipe Perez Son of Domingo Perez and Maria Granados (Perez), born in Teneriffe, 20 years old, medium height, broad shoulders, long face, dark complexion, thin nose, blue eyes, black hair and eyebrows, large forehead.
52. Joseph Antonio Perez. Brother de anterior y hijo de los mismo padres, nativo en Teneriffe, 19 anos de eda, good height, largo cara, thin nose, black hair, eyes and eyebrows.
52. Joseph Antonio Perez. Brother of foregoing and son of the same parents, born in Teneriffe, 19 years old, good height, long face, thin nose, black hair, eyes and eyebrows.
53. Martin Lorenzo de Armas. Hijo De Roque Lorenzo de Armas and Teresa de Aviles (Lorenzo de Armas), nativo en the Canary Islands, about 20 anos de eda, good height, broad shoulders, flat cara, complecion escudo, flat nose, largo eyebrows, gray eyes, babar negro, eyebrows and hair, three moles on the left cheek toward the nose.
53. Martin Lorenzo de Armas. Son of Roque Lorenzo de Armas and Teresa de Aviles (Lorenzo de Armas), born in the Canary Islands, about 20 years old, good height, broad shoulders, flat face, dark complexion, flat nose, long eyebrows, gray eyes, black beard, eyebrows and hair, three moles on the left cheek toward the nose.
54 Ignacio Lorenzo de Armas. Brother of the preceding and so of the same parents, nativo en the Canary Islands, about 22 anos de eda, good height, good height, largo cara, complecion escudo, thin nose, ojos negros, beard, eyebrows and hair, pitted with the smallpox, several moles between the nose and the left cheek.
54. Ignacio Lorenzo de Armas. Brother of the preceding and so of the same parents, born in the Canary Islands, about 22 years old, good height, good height, long face, dark complexion, thin nose, black eyes, beard, eyebrows and hair, pitted with the smallpox, several moles between the nose and the left cheek.
As the reader can see, nearly one half of the Islanders that arrived in San Antonio were fair complexioned. Over 30 had light gray eyes, 3 had blue and 3 had green , but only 11 had black eyes and none were listed as having brown eyes. Thirty did have black hair, but 6 had red and 17 had chestnut.
The description further detailed that some facial characteristics indicated a siege with smallpox, a deadly decease for that time period. In addition, note that none were described as short, fat, or lazy.
In looking at the ages of the 54 individuals that arrived in San Antonio, 38 of the 54 founding individuals were 25 years old or under. In fact, 31 of the 38 were actually under 19 years of age. Sixteen of them were teenagers 13-19 and the other fifthteen were 12 and under. You might say that to some extent the founders of San Antonio were mostly teenagers and children. Among the married families, five were teenage wives of ages 14, 15, 16, 18, and 19. In taking further notice, two of the older women had children nearly half their age indicating that they were married when they were 14 and 17 years of age. Three of the other women were married at the approximate ages of 20, 21, and 27. The norm for women in those years appeared to be to marry while still in their teens.
Over 260 years have gone by since the founding of San Antonio, and today's society appears to have gone backwards to that time period with the rise of teenage marriages and children giving birth to children. Think about it. Are the conditions really the same for the teenagers of today as those of 260 years ago. Absolutely not and without going into details, readers can determine for themselves why they are not.
The following is a translation of a dispatch issued by the city council of the Villa de San Fernando in 1806 as a certifieda copy of another dispatch issued by Don Juan de Acuna, Marquis of Casafuerta in 1730.. The translation differs in content from the translation presently contained in the officially recognized "Tanslation of the Bexar Archives" located in the Bexar County Archives, San Antonio Library, and previously published books, however, this author ascertains that it is a more accurate translation, to wit:
Fourth Royal Military Region
(Official Stamp of Seal) Fourth Seal, Fourth Royal Military Region,
Years of One Thousand Eight Hundred
Two and Eight Hundred Three
Fourth Royal Military Region
(Offical Stamp of Seal) Don Juan de Acuna, Marquis of Casafuerta, Knight of the Order
of St. James, Commander of Adelfa in Alcantara, of His Majesty's Royal Supreme Council of War, Captain General of New Spain, and President of the Royal Audience thereof,etc.
Various orders have been issued in dispatches of this date for the transporation of the fifteen families in compliance with royal orders coming from the Canary Islands and are now en route to settle at the site assigned to them in the royal fortress San Antonio of Bexar; and similarly, according to the report of Brigadier Don Pedro de Rivera and the opinion rendered by the Advocate General of War, the necessary orders t o to that effect have been distributed. Therefore, by this writ I command Don Juan Antonio Bustillo y Ceballos, governor of the Province of Texas and in his abscense or in case of any other impediment the captain in command of Fort San Antonio in view of the list of the persons making up the fifteen families which is to be forwarded to him to make a new a list. Therein should be recorded in the case of each person the names of his parents, his birthpalce, his age, his civil status, whether married or single, the name of the wife's parents and birthplace and if he should have any children their number, names, and ages. In Law 6, Title 6, Book IV, of the Compilation Registry of the West Indies His Majesty states: "In order to honor any persona dn their children or legitimate descendants who may undertake to found settlements, we hereby make them sons of noble lineage and estate so that in that settlement and in any other part of the West Indies they may be known as sons of noble lineage and estate and in order that the may be known as such we hereby grant them all the honors and prerogatives that all sons of noble lineage and estates and knights of these Kingdoms of Castile should have and enjoy according to the laws and privileges of Spain." By virtue of such declaration, as I by these pesents do declare each and everyone of the persons included in these fifteen families, thier children, and legitimate descendants to be sons of noble lineage and estate, and as such they shall be considered and accorded all the honors and preogatives enjoyed by all sons of noble lineage and estates and knights of the Kingdom of Castile, according to the customs and laws of Spain, with which His Majesty has been pleased to honor them. The proper dispatches bearing this declaration shall be issued to them by my superior office for their use whenever they shall request them. This dispatch shall be kept in the archives of hte superior government council. The governor shall let them know the contents thereof, and he shall give them any official testimonies of it they may request. This dispatch also shall instruct the aforesaid governor to select six men from among the heads of these fifteen families to serve as councilmen, one as chief constable, one as council clerk and notary public, and one guardian manager of the properties and funds of a republic with faculties to elect two ordinary justices of the peace to adminster justice, since the election of the nine men is for life, they should have the best qualifications. The aforementioned governor shall pesonally attend the first meeting of the municpal government in order to administer the opath of office to them as well as put them in possession thereof, in pursuance of the appointment which he shall bestow them, and he shall send me testimonies thereof that I may confirm them, and shall be present at the first election of the regular justices of the peace to be held to teach them the procedure in this matter for the future, and he shall also send testimonies to my Superior Province. Because this is the first civil poplation to form a colony in the Province of Texas, I declare it to be a city and the capital of that province and with the name La Villa de San Fernando. His Majesty reserves the right to confirm and to give it the coat of arms that may suit his Royal pleasure, to this end His Majesty shall be given a report of this matter together with testimonies of this resolution, obeyed precisely and punctually by the governor or capitan, the twenty - eigth day of November, 1730, El Marquis de Casafuerta, By Order of His Majesty, Antonio de Aviles ________________
This is a copy arranged and conformed totally to the original Superior Dispatch which is filed in the Archives of the municpal government in compliance with a proclamation of Governor Colonel Don Antonio Cordero, according to his official letter dated today, that we certify and sign in the Villa de San Fernando, twenty - sevth day of December, one thousand eight hundred six years.
Jose Antonio Saucedo Luis Galan
Joseph Phelix Menchaca
Antonio Baca Francisco Arocha
Vicente Travieso
Mariano Rodriguez
Joseph Benito de Outon
Jose Erasmo
Seguin
Thoribio Duran
A Warm Welcome or a Shaky One
Shortly before noon on March 9, 1731, the Islanders met with a welcome from nearly four hundred inhabitants on the banks of the San Antonio River. The welcome consisted of Captain Juan De Almazan of the Presidio San Antonio De Bejar, along with thirty eight soldiers, their families, the priests from the missions, and the converted Indians that numbered over 270. The Indians were from tribes ranging from the southwest to south east Texas as a result of the earlier invasion by the French into east Texas during the Spanish-French War. The majority of the Indians, however, were of the Coajuiltecan Tribe. The following map illustrates locations of missions and forts (presidios) in northern New Spain (north Mexico and Texas).
map of missions
In the early years of Texas, as well as in the American frontier settlements, it was rare to see people from the home lands, or for that matter from any other area. As a rule, large parties of settlers were met with joy from existing inhabitants of local areas. In San Antonio, the excitement was mixed. In one sense, it was good to have new settlers help strengthen the area for the safety of all involved. At the same time, however, there were disputes over jurisdictions, over the usuage of water rights, and the lack of food and other supplies for the existing people without the problem of having more people divide the already meager amounts of supplies.
None the less, the city grew. It grew for a number of reasons. One of the reasons was due to an economic one that still exists today. There have been military installations in San Antonio since its beginning. The military personnel and their families have been and always will be a boost to the San Antonio economy. The first installation, the Presidio of San Antonio de Bejar, provided the city with a source of revenue by way of the city's ability to sell services or goods to the personnel. This continues through today with the numerous military installations in the San Antonio metropolitan area. For years, the city of San Antonio has been blessed with the economical boost from Randoph Air Force Base (AFB), Kelly AFB, Lackland AFB, Brooks Army Medical Center, Brooks Air Force Base, US Army Corp. of Engineers, Fort Sam Houston, Texas Air National Guard, not to mention the numerous recruiting stations of the Coast Guard, Marines, Air Force, Army, and Navy. There are, of course, many other governmental agencies.
It probably appears obvious to the reader by now that the 16 families from the Canary Islands were not the original settlers of San Antonio and, therefore, should not be considered the founding families. In reality, however, the 400 or so inhabitants were simply located in a close proximity to each other for the purposes of safety in an otherwise wild and dangerous frontier. There were no set rules that the inhabitants lived by other than the teachings of the Church and the Military Law at the fort. It was not until the newly arrived families established a formal democratic government with municipal laws that the "frontier" became a city. Thus, the families were the founders of present day San Antonio.
Double Eagles Battle Over the Alamo
The United States and Mexico each are represented by eagles as their symbols and it can be said that these two great eagles battled over the Alamo. Many books have been written about the Battle of the Aamo, the Mexican War between the United States and Mexico, and the War between Mexico and Spain in its fight for Independence. The following brief notes are meant only to provide the reader with highlights that lead to the battle between these two great countries.
On September 16, 1819, Mexico began its fight for independence from Spain. It aschieved its independence in 1819. To this day, Mexico and descendants of both Spanish and Mexican heritage celebrate Mexican Independence Day, much as we do the Fourth of July. This is espceially true in San Antonio as reflected by the parade and festivities that are held every year in September.
Five years later, American settlers revolted against Mexico in the Fredonian Revolution from 1827-1827
It was only 8 years later that Texas was fighting for its own independence from Mexico which began in 1835 with the Seige of Bexar and followed by the Battle of the Alamo in 1836 and the Texas Revolution. In this Battle, a group of Mexican Texans along with a number of other nationalities that came predominantly from other parts of America fought for Texas Independence and gave America a source of pride and heroes with a Battle Cry of |"Remember the Alamo" to be forever engraved in the hearts and minds of future Americans fighting for freedom and democracy througout the world. Texans now celebrate Texas Independence Day on March 6.
After Texas was accepted into the Union in 1845, both countries were still at odds against each other. Consequently the Mexican War of 1846-1848 took place. Part of the problem was over disputes over Texas, but also New Mexico and California.
In 1847, American forces captured Vera Cruz, Mexico and moved forward to Mexico City. The American forces remained in Mexico City until a peace treaty was signed in 1848. Today, however, the two great eagles are allies, depending on each other for many reasons including economic ones.
San Antonio has become a gateway into Mexico with its international airport and its tourist trade. San Antonio has attracted and continues to grow and attract even more tourists than ever before. Consequently, more and more tourists are finding it easy to take a sidetrip into Mexico from San Antonio. Sometimes tourists arrive in San Antonio and develop an interest in going into Mexico after they experience the "Mexican" atmosphere at various locations in the city such as the Mercado downtown, as well as fiestas, Mariachies, pinatas, curios, and much more.
A Melting Pot of Nationalities
San Antonio has been and always will be a melting pot of nationalities, races, cultures and religions. A big factor that has added to this pot has been the influence that the multiple military installations have had on the city. The military, representing the government, has had a melting pot of races, cultures, and religions within it with tolerance and understanding for them.
This melting pot of good people , perhaps, may have been one of the major reasons that such hated organizations as the Ku Klux Klan have had trouble existing in such places as San Antonio. This is not to say that such organizations have never existed or no longer exist in San Antonio. In fact, a faction of the Ku Klux Klan did have headquarters in San Antonio over fifty years ago but after two attempts were made to burn the headquarters down , the KKK slowly disappeared from the area. Ku Klux Klan followers usually are found to be prejudice against other races and cultures and fail to recognize the good that has come to a nation as a result of its varied people as is illustrated in the following information on just some of the people that helped make San Antonio and Texas what they are today.
The Melting Pot of Great Ingredients
Italians
Five years after Columbus sailed the ocean blue, Amerigo Vespucci was the first to see the coast of Texas in 1497 and consecuently settlement in Texas was soon to sprout. Italians were on both sides of the Texas Revolution. Guiseppe Cassini, known as Jose Cassiano, was a grocer that supplied Texans with food and supplies during the Seige of Bexar. A few months lated he escaped to his ranch on Calaveras Creek to avoid capture by General Santa Anna during his attack of the Alamo. General Santa Anna was assisted by another Italian, General Vicente Felisola.
African Descendants
The Arab - Berber Moors of North Africa had already been ruling Spain for over 800 years before the first Blacks journeyed to America with Columbus in 1492. The Moors had maintained a flourishing black slave trade in Spain and Europe long before the slave trade reached America. Spain had broken away from the Moors and was becoming a powerful country within Europe was seeking to expand its territorial powers when it first sent Columbus sailing for new routes and fortunes. By this time many blacks were slaves, but others were free and number of them had become navigators, soldiers, and merchants. One such navigator was Pedro Alonzo Nino who was the navigator on the Nina of the first Voyage of Columbus to America.
The first known black slave to arrive in Texas was Esteban of Morocco with the expedition of Cabeza de Vaca. Esteban quickly picked up the languages of the Indians and was able to communicate withe them. His skills and knowledge for healing minor medical problems was the main reason for his survival with the Indians as they treated him as a "medicine man"
Henricks Arnold was a black scout that helped Ben Milam and Col Francis W. Johnson during the Seige of Bexar. Hendricks Arnold was granted 640 acreas of land in San Antonio for his military service. He operated a grinding mill, which still partly stands today, near the San Juan Capistrano Mission
Long before Abraham Lincoln signed the Declaration of Immancipation for the Negros, Mexican law had already given free Negros all the legal and political rights of citizenship including the right to own their own lands, run and vote for public office, and interracial marriages.
Mexican Texans
Obviously, Mexicans and other Hispanics have had a great influence on San Antonio and Texas since the beginning. Many of them had served as alcaldes/ mayors of San Antonio. Juan Martin de Veramendi, who had lived in the Spanish Governor's Palace, was one such mayor and close friend of Jim Bowie, defender of the Alamo. Jim Bowie married his daughter, Ursala, but later lost her to cholera, a few years before the Battle of the Alamo.
Jose Antonio Navarro, Jose Francisco Ruiz, and Lorenzo de Zavala served on March 2-8, 1836, as delgates and signers to the Texas Declaration of Independence.
Juan Nepomucena Seguin, born of an aristocrate family in San Antonio, led a force of Mexican - Texan ranchers during the Seige of Bexar against General Cos. His efforts were rewarded with a commission as captain in the Texas army. He was at theAlamo when Santa Anna came to destroy the Texas Rebellion. Lt. Colonel William Travis ordered Juan Seguin to leave the Alamo to get help from Sam Houston at Gonzales. During his absence, the Alamo fell before he could return. He then led a group of men that delayed Santa Anna's men from crossing the Brazos at San Felipe long enough for Houston to prepare a Texas Welcome for unwanted guests.
Canary Islanders
Just a reminder that really isn't needed to indicate the influence the Canary Islanders had in the growth of San Antonio. The Islanders have been here from the beginning, so to speak, and will continue to be here through descendants. There now exists two associations in San Antonio that will remind the rest of America of the influence that the Canary Islanders have had: the Canary Islnads Descendants Association of San Antonio, Texas, and the National Association of American Descendants of the Canary Islands.
Hispanics have been and always will be a part of San Antonio and Texas history, but also that of the nation. Three well known residents of San Antonio that are recognized nationally are aritst Porfirio Salinas, the Honorable Henry B. Gonzales who has served on the US. House of Representatives in Washington for over thrity years, and the Honorable Henry Cisneros who served as the first Hispanic mayor of San Antonio since Texas became a state in 1836 and who then became the Secretary of Housing under President William Clinton.
The French, Greek, Belgium and Flemish Influence
The French, of course, have also had an influence since the early years. One well known Fenchman was Jean Laffite, a pirate who had a Republic" on Galveston and well known for fighting under General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans. His exploits in Texas and on the high seas is well documented and even Hollywood portrayed him a movie.
Greek merchant Pedro Seratos, with his wife and two children, helped San Antonio grow during the 1840s with their dry goods store.
Juan Banull of Brussels, Belgium, played a great part in the growth of the missions in San Antonio and east Texas. Aside from helping build the missions, as the only blacksmith in the area, he made the iron hardware used at the missions and he also operated a local sawmill. He along with his Flemish wife, Maria Adriana Garcia, influenced the culture of the area.
Descendants of the Ancient Phoenicians
Arabic speaking immigrants from Syria and Lebanon began arriving in Texas in the late 1800s. Ameen Semaan, a Syrian educated at the American University in Beirut established the oldest store in San Antonio that specialized in art objects and oriental rugs. Ameen Semaan had two sons, Anees and Fred, who later became two of San Antonio's best known lawyers.
Chinese Railroad Workers and Merchants
Since the early years of building the railroads, Chinese were used to lay the rails and many of them stayed along the routes that they worked on. Chinese were reported living in Texas in the 1870 US. Census. In 1890, San Antonio had a number of restaurants, laundrys and other businesses owned and operated by Chinese. As in any country, its people can be very influential. Don Wong was one of the organizers of the Chinese School of San Antonio and owner of a bakery in the Produce Row area.
The Swiss and Jewish Influence
Charles Amsler, a Swiss settler, participated in the Seige of Bexar in 1835 and helped Texas in its freedom. Dr. Albert Moses Levy, a Jewish doctor, also participated in the seige with a scalpal in one hand and a sword in the other.
Adolph Sterne, a well known Jewish lawyer, merchant and financier, served in the Fredonian Rebellion in 1826 and the Texas Revolution. At one point, he was captured by the Mexicans and sentenced to hang by Mexico. The internationally known and powerful Masonic Order intervened and his life was spared. Later he served in public office under the Mexican government during 1831-1833. Later the first Masonic lodge was established in Texas in December, 1835.
Germans
German influence in Texas and particularly San Antonio was a result of a greater organized effort to settle German immigrants in Texas than by other nationalities, with the exception of the Spanish and French in the early years.. German societies encouraged the migration. New Braunefels located north of San Antonio was predominantly a German settlement. In San Antonio, a smaller migration took place, but an effective one. German Doctor Augustine William Spagenburg treated the settlers during the first half of 1790.
During the 1840s, John C. Beckmann, however, was probably the first permanent German settler in San Antonio. He brought with him skills af an ornamental iron worker, which today are more closely associated with the Hispanic population. He was a charter member of the Alamo Masonic Lodge, Casino Club, Turn Verein, Kranken Kasse Verein, Arbeiter Verein, and the Beethoven Maennerchor. Frederick Groos came in 1850 and the Gross Bank is now one of the oldest Banks in Texas. Other Germans that influenced the growth of San Antonio include: Carl Hilmar Guenther, John H. Copeland who founded the first circulating library in San Antonio, Louise William founder of the official Catholic newspaper in Texas, the Southern Messenger; William A. Menger, and others. Today the King William area in San Antonio is still a reminder of the early German influence in San Antonio.
The Irish
The Irish, as mentioned before, were here in 1716 and still have an influence today. Every year, throughout the world you will find Irish descendants celebrating St. Patrick's Day on March 17. It's no different in San Antonio, except that it is celebrated in a big way. San Antonio celebrates with a St. Patick's Parade and a River Parade along with an Irish festival. In San Antonio you will find the Harp and Shamrock Society of Texas, Inc. and the National Emerald Shamrock Association.
Strange Tales and Odd Information
Curador vs Curandero
A "curador" is Spanish for a person that cures or heals through the use of herbs or other known scientifically proven remedies often known as a folk healer in other parts of the country. The curador is a healer of natural methods or home remedies, but not a licensed doctor. There are many such persons in San Antonio. Generally, they use herbs and other known remedies to cure people of an illness that is curable. The following are just a few remedies that are known to have worked for minor ailments.
Early Folk Healer Remedies
To Remove corns a slice of lemon held in place by bandage over an offending hard corn, or placed between the toes with soft corns on several consecutive days has been a well tried and effective remedy. A similar result has been attained through the similar use of kerosene.
To counteract a narcotic poisoning such as opium, lemon juice has been administered to counteract its effects after it has been vomited or removed from the stomach.
Salt has been used to relieve stomach pains or gastrodynia when swallowed dry in a teaspoon dosage.
Pulverized and mixed alum with common salt in equal quantities have been used to relieve toothaches by wetting a ball of cotton and dipping it into the mixture before placing in the cavity of the tooth. Coldness would first occur, which would then subside, accompanied by the ease of pain. Cotton saturated with kerosene and placed in the tooth have also been used to provide immediate relief.
Kerosene has also been used to relieve pain from burns by saturating a cloth with the kerosene and placing it directly on the burn to exclude the air.
Cramps in the stomach have been relieved by making a mustard poultice, with egg white and placing on bowels, and giving a tablespoon of blackberry tea, made from root, every 15 to 20 minutes until relieved.
A plant called "capitan" in Spanish has been used to get rid of body sores by bathing in it after it has been boiled to extract its properties and then mixed in with other warm water in the tub.
A "curandero" on the other hand is defined in the dictionary as a "quack doctor". A quack doctor as most people know or understand is a person that may or not be a certified licensed doctor, but that uses unorthodox methods or tricks to make people think that they are getting better or that their illness' are being cured.
Curanderos for the believing Hispanic community in San Antonio are authentic healers of all kinds of troubles and problems. They are not and have never been licensed doctors. They are believed to be individuals who have inherited special powers from their elders or who have been trained in such powers by other curanderos. The troubles that they have been sought for help in, for example, may be of a physical, emotional, medical, or mental nature.
Many members of the Hispanic community believe that their problems can be cured or taken care of by these curanderos. In reality, some illness' or problems can be cured by simply believing that the illness or problem no longer exist. In most of these cases, it could have been proven that the problem never did exist, except in the mind of the healed. It is well known that the power of suggestion can and often does have an influence over people. The influence may be of a positive or a negative nature. It has often been demonstrated, through the power of suggestion, that if a person was told often enough by more than one individual that they appeared ill, they actually became ill. The curing of a disease by the mind alone has been referred to as "Mind Cure." There are very few people alive today that can say that they have never had an injury as a small child kissed away by their mother or father.
Mesmerism is the peculiar nervous condition in which the body and mind of an individual are suppose to be influenced by a mysterious force emanating from another person. This form of healing has been said to be in existence for hundreds of years. This type of cure was performed during the times of the Chaldeans, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Hindus, the Egyptians, the Greeks and the Romans by the priests of those time periods. Even people in England during the 1600s were said to perform such cures. Valentine Greatrakes of Ireland cured the king of scrofula and the ailments of other sufferers. John Joseph Gassner, a Roman Catholic priest in Swabia during the 1700s, believed his curing powers to be supernatural and connected with religion.
It has been said that all who exercise the influence of mesmerism do not have the power in the same degree. Some individuals are said to be born with more electricity in their system than is possessed by the average mortal. This can be demonstrated at times by combing one's hair in the dark and causing sparks to be seen. It has also been said that sometimes the same result can occur by simply rubbing the ends of the fingers which can produce a spark large enough to light a gas burner. It has then be said that if the electricity or magnetism is developed in the proper channels it will make its possessor one of the most sought after of mortals. Of course, there are many who will say that no such curing can occur.
Nevertheless, there are many people that will swear up and down that they have been healed or helped by true curanderos. Over the years, many news stories have covered such reports of curanderos and always with the same results. The reporter in question would go undercover, often with hidden tape recorders or video camera, and would make up a problem that did not exist. The curandero usually asked for no payment, but always suggested that money had to be given in order to drive away the evil spirits, get rid of the illness, or bring good luck.
The belief in curanderos and other such beliefs is so strong in San Antonio that many grocery stores carry candles for those who believe in such matters. In addition to candles carried for religious reasons, there are candles for such things as bringing good luck, bringing success in business, bringing success in love, bringing money, and there are now candles for winning the lottery. It seems, however, that the good luck and wealth is coming to the candle makers and sellers.
Be it as it may, this book is not trying to tell you that there are no true curanderos that actually and truthfully perform as they claim to, but rather only that they do not seem to be well documented. This is also true of palm readers and psychics in the San Antonio area.
Who believes in psychics and curanderos in San Antonio? People of all walks of life can be heard saying that they believe in such individuals, from older conservative Hispanics to the younger ones. Wealth and power also do not seem to be strangers either. There have been a number of well known politicians that have been said to believe and trust people called curanderos, but you're not likely to get them to admit it.
Where can you find a psychic, healer, or curandero? Look in the Yellow Pages of your phone book. You can also look in the daily or weekly newspapers. If you still haven't found the one you want, then get in your car and drive around town. You will find a great many in the west and south parts of town, however, they are in many parts of town. In some cases, you will see signs of their traits along the road, on telephone poles, on fences, on stakes on the ground, or on bulletin boards. You might visit with botanical stores that sell all kinds of herbs, healing and magical powders, amulets and more. Some have names and numbers of such people. Others say that they don't believe in them, but rather are just in the business for the money.
The "palm reader" may look at your hand and tell you that if your thumb is long and well formed that you have great intellectual will. If your fingers are short then you may be said to be quick and impulsive, and too busy to be bothered about little things. You also do not care a great deal about appearances or for the conventionalities of society and often, hastily, jump at conclusions. In addition, you may be quick in thought, hasty and outspoken in speech. In further reading your palm, the reader may tell you about the "Line of Heart" which runs parallel to the "Line of Head" which crosses the center of your hand. The "Lines of Marriage", may be further discussed which is the horizontal line on the Mount of Mercury.
To believe or not to believe in such people is up to individuals to judge for themselves and to trust in their own judgment.
Are there really people that have unusual or uncanny powers? Yes, but do they usually advertise these powers for their own gain. No, not likely, because in most cases most people of this type wish to have their own privacy. Often times, if these powers can be of help to others, these people usually help them without thanks and often without these people knowing of their being helped.
Strange Tales
The Urrutia Family name has been well known in Mexico and San Antonio since its the late 1600s. There is one story in San Antonio about a headless angel onced located on Urrutia property near Brackenridge Park and now owned by Southwester Bell. As the story goes, at one point during a Mexican revolution the Urrutia family had captured a peasant and cut his tongue out during the revolution to prevent him from talking. In vengence, a daughter of the family was caught and beheaded. Consequently Dr. Urrutia having great love for his daughter and missing her then had a headless statue built in her memory. A granddaughter of the family told this author that the truth was nothing more than a piece of art in the way of a statue that was brought from Europe.
The story of the headless angel's arrival is an odd one in itself. When the angel arrived at the docks, she was returned by the shippers because they thought she had been broken during the voyage. On the third attempt to ship the angel to the Urrutia family, the angel proceeded on its journey after the workers had been told that the statue was suppose to look like it did. The statue is a reproduction of Nike of Samonthrace Greek, ca.190 B.C. presently displayed in the Louvre. The windblown Winged Victory has her wings spread out as though she has just landed on the front of a sailing ship. Anyone wanting to start their own tale or simply want to display the statue in their home or office garden may attain a reproduction for under $5,000.0.
A number of strange things have occurred in San Antonio. On one occasion, a teenage boy simply touched a large picture window after seeing an old black and white movie in which mystical powers had been demonstrated. The young man simply walked with one leg dragging behind the other, one arm close to the chest, and the other stretched out in front of him as he acted out a scene from the movie in which an Egyptian mummy had come back to life and reached out as it moved closer to kill its victim. The window shattered at the simple touch, without pressure, and with witnesses to it.
One individual continues to blow out house lights and light switches upon turning the light switch on or off. Sometimes, the bulbs burst or simply burn out. Sometimes, the light switches blow out. The occurrence happens with old or newly installed light bulbs and switches. The incident occurs in many different building or homes, and not just in one house that can be said to be defective. Again, there are many witnesses to the incidents.
One individual was drilling a hole in a wall at a local hospital for the purpose of installing a piece of medical equipment. The drill went trough the wall and penetrated an electric wire. The drill was burned and the electrical wires for two rooms were ruined. The rooms were rewired by an electrician and to the amazement of the electrician, the man causing the incident continued his work without any injury.
One individual has often picked up the telephone to answer it before it even rang. It always amazed the caller. Even more so when the caller was recognized by name before even speaking. Now, thanks to "Caller ID" provided by the telephone company, many individuals can pretend to be psychics.
One individual has entered through locked doors by simply turning the door knob. The door knobs usually remained locked. but the doors opened anyway. Again there have been witnesses.
In the 1950s, a young San Antonio boy predicted that man would someday be on the moon and that a car would exist that floated on air over land and water. History shows that both predictions came true. Men have now traveled to the moon and back and the hovercraft is a vehicle that floats on both land and water.
Strange incidents can happen anywhere in any city without having to come to San Antonio. One only needs to listen to those around as they talk, gossip, and spin tales. Some will be true and others will be wilder than any imagination other than the one telling it.
There is a story about a school bus in which a number of children were killed in a train wreck. The bus had stopped and stalled on the middle of the train tracks on the south east part of town. The train came, hit the bus and killed the children. Now many people over the years have gone to the site. Parked their car on one side of the railroad tracks. Placed it in neutral and then have it "pushed by ghostly little hands across the tracks to safety." Many of the visitors would have their cars washed before going and then sprayed baby powder on the back of the car. They have claimed that their car was pushed across and that little hand prints were left in the powder. Every year and particularly at certain times of the year, as the story is retold more and more people are taken to the location.
There is also a story of "la llorona." The ghostly woman that cries at all times, although usually at night and only in certain neighborhoods. This story has surfaced in many cities. Over the years, in San Antonio, there have even been telephone numbers that school children passed around that could be dialed to hear the crying woman. No conversation - just a wailing cry.
The old house near the jail has its own ghostly haunting that, over the years, has had news stories aired about it on TV and printed in the newspaper. The ghostly occurrences are said to occur at the house of Jose Navarro, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. The occurrences include furniture moving, voices heard, doors opening and closing, and more.
One house in the west side of town is said to have had a friendly male ghost for years. Usually, the ghost has done nothing more than to smoke a cigarette in the house that left the odor in it. On occasion, the ghost would play small pranks, but usually just smoked.
Tejas Indians Friendly and on the Warpath
There were many Indians that the founders, settlers, and citizens of San Antonio had to deal with as the city was growing up. Some of the Indians were friendlier and easier to get along with then others. Many of the Indians were referred to as the Tejas Indians, the "friendly Indians." There were three specific tribes, however, that were a constant cause of trouble and fear for the settlers.
Among the friendly Indians, you would find that they were easy to get along with and seldom quarreled with each other. Among these Indians were the Sanipaos, Mesquites, Payayas, Pampopas, Orejones, Parmaques, Pacaos, Borrados, Pajalaches, Pastias, Tacames, Maraquitos, and Sayopines.
Oddly enough, though, these Indians had cultural similarities to that of other "white man" cultures. For example, just as the Mormons believed in having more than one wife, so did these Indians. In addition, divorces occurred with the slightest provocation and each party was free to seek another, just as is done in today's court in what is referred to as in "no fault" divorce cases. When a male Tejas Indian died, he was buried in an upright position and food, water, bows and arrows, and a knife were placed in the grave with him. When the female Indian died, food, water, baskets, and bits of pottery were placed in her grave. This burial practice to help them in their new spirit world is similar to other practices in other parts of the world, particularly in Egypt and other parts of Africa.
On the other hand, the settlers learned the hard way about torture, death, and theft from the Karankawas, Apaches, and Comanches. These tribes were notorious for: their raids on livestock and burning of homes; abductions of the whites as slaves, particularly the women and children; torturing of their captives and the cruel methods of killing their enemies.
The Karankawas were known for their cruelty toward captives. They thought of themselves as being very brave, but they were cowardly in their attacks among their enemies. They usually attacked only by surprise and usually killed old men and women. They would sacrifice captured warriors and sell off young boys. Although sufficient documents cannot verify it, they were rumored to eat small children as cannibals in other remote areas of the world. Their eating habits were among the worst as they ate, raw meat, bear's fat, lice, locusts and other spoiled food and combined with their lack of bathing gave off a smell that nauseated many.
The Apaches, on the other hand, were more warrior like and daring and skillful in their use of their spears, bow and arrows, and horses. They usually attacked individuals or groups of people smaller than their raiding parties. They used smoke signals to communicate with each other and with other Apache tribes. Their biggest enemy was originally the Comanches before the arrival of the white man. They were great fighters and their chiefs and war counsels would plan war tactics before attacking. They would even make contingency plans in the event that they were loosing or were separated from each other. They were great trackers of both man and animals. It was said that you would always know when there was an Apache nearby, but only when he was ready for you to know.
The Apaches buried their dead with a few of their personal belongs in a cave or grave covered with rocks and brush to prevent coyotes from disturbing the remains. They later burned the warriors hut, moved to another location, and never again spoke of the deceased or visited his grave. The Apaches believed in a God that created everything, but only their medicine man could interpret their God's wishes. This is really a normal practice of religion which still exists today. Many religions have similar beliefs and their priests or ministers interpret the teachings of their holy books.
The Apaches, like other Indian tribes, also believed in having more than one wife. The wives were required, however, to be from the same family lines by way of being sisters or cousins of his first wife. The marriages, if they took place, began by getting the approval of the parents of both families, and then by tying one to three horses near the intended bride. If she took care of the horses, a marriage resulted. Divorces were usually granted only under specific grounds. The Apache mother was the head of her household.
The Comanches were also great warriors that constantly fought the Apaches and the white man. They were believed to be better horsemen than the Apaches. They were of the Shoshone family and closely related to the Utes and other Rocky Mountains tribes. They bought their wives with horses and had little regard for them.
There were many other Indian tribes that were reported in San Antonio. These included: Manos Prietos, Xarame, Sama, Sumi, Payuguan, Muruam, Nonapho, Quanataguo, Nigio, Sepunco, Patalca, Sencasa, , Pausane, Cava, Menenquen, Tenu, Tetzino, Toho, Zorquan, Sampanal, Manos de Perro, Emet, and Siaguan and others. The study of Texas Indians should be a shole study in itself.
RARE TEXAS RECIPES
Venison Irish Stew
Needed:
2-3 pounds venison (deer) diced into 1" cubes
6 carrots, peeled (or unpeeled), sliced into 1" lengths
3 or 4 large potatoes diced into 8 pieces or more each
1 medium onion cut in half and each half into quarters
2 ribs of celery, cut into 1" lengths
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 (16 oz) can of tomato sauce
Prepared:
1) Blanch venison in a pan covered with cold water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, drain, and rinse.
2) Place venison and remaining ingredients in a large pot and cover with hot water.
3) Bring to a boil without cover. Reduce to a simmer and cover pot.
4) Simmer for 1 hour or until vegetables are tender
Venison Chili
Needed:
2 pounds pinto beans
2 gallons hot water
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed to a pulp
1 large onion, diced very fine
3 pounds coarse ground venison
1/2 cup cayenne chili powder
1/3 cup salt
4 tablespoons black pepper
Prepared:
1) Add the beans, garlic, and half the salt to hot water in a pot, boil and cook until tender
2) Cook the ground meat in a heavy skillet until the meat is completely cooked, usually 20 minutes or more. Pour excess grease out.
3) Mix the remaining ingredients with the cooked meat and stir in pot until beans are tender
4. Stir occasionally until ready
Rabbit Espanol
Needed:
5 pounds of rabbits, skinned, deboned, and diced into 1" pieces
1 cup of butter
1 medium onion diced fine
6 ounces of sliced mushrooms
4 ounces of diced pimentos
16 ounces of tomato sauce
1/2 green bell pepper diced fine
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of fine ground pepper
1 teaspoon of mustard
1 pint of your favorite cream sauce
Prepared:
1) Sauté the rabbit in 1/2 cup of butter in large fry pan until browned
2) Sauté the onion, green pepper, and mushroom, in butter in separate pan until lightly brown
3) Drain the butter from both pans and transfer rabbits and vegetables to a casserole
4) Add remaining ingredients, mix well, cover and baked 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes
Guacamole Don Ricardo
Need:
4 large ripe avocados
8 oz of cream cheese
1 small onion minced
1 Teaspoon vinegar from jalapeno pepper bottle
1/2 lemon squeezed juice
1 ripe but firm tomato chopped fine
Salt and pepper to taste
Prepared:
Blend all ingredients in blender or mash avocados and mix in other ingredients
Tex-Mex Chilihota Dip
Need:
16 oz. chopped mushrooms, drained
8 ripe but firm sweet tomatoes chopped
8 chopped green onions
16 oz of canned jalapeno peppers, not drained
2 teaspoons of salt
Prepare:
1) Blend all ingredients in blender
2) Serve
West Texas Onion Soup
Need:
1/2 cup butter
4 medium onions thinly sliced
32 oz can beef consommé
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese
Prepared:
1) Sauté onions in melted butter until tender
2) Add all other ingredients, except cheese, bring to a boil, then simmer 30 minutes
3) Add cheese 10 minutes before serving, until creamed, DO NOT ADD SALT
Nachos De San Antonio
Need
Tortilla Chips
1 (12-16 oz) can of refried beans
10 strips of bacon, quartered
1 pound Cheddar cheese grated
Ingredients for Guacamole Don Ricardo
Prepare:
1) Prepare Guacamole Don Ricardo and refrigerate
2) Cook bacon pieces, but not over done.
3) Spread refried beans on tortilla chips, top with bacon piece and grated cheese
4) Heat in oven or microwave until cheese is melted
5) Spread chips on serving platter and with a teaspoon dab on Guacamole Don Ricardo
Texas Russian Mint Pie
Need:
1 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
6 large eggs
6 oz unsweetened melted chocolate
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cup crushed Graham crackers
whipped topping
cherries
Prepared:
1) Blend eggs, butter and sugar in blender
2) Add chocolate and extracts and blend for 1 minute
3) Spread half of the Graham cracker crumbs on bottom of pie tin
4) Pour mint mixture over crumbs and cover with balance of crumbs
5) Spread whipped topping over crumbs, decorate with cherries, and chill.
Texas North of The Border Dip
Need:
2 cans (brand name or homemade) refried beans at room temperature
ingredients for Guacamole Don Ricardo
1/4 pound grated Cheddar Cheese
2 large tomatoes diced
4 jalapenos diced
appropriate size of bags of (brand name) tortilla chips
Prepared:
1) Spread beans on a casserole dish and top with Guacamole Don Ricardo.
Sprinkle tomatoes, jalapenos, and cheese on top and serve with chips
MUSHROOMS DEL REY
Need:
2 pounds of fresh mushrooms
8 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup of finely chopped green bell peppers
3 green onions finely diced
3 cups soft bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup lemon juice
Prepared
1) Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Wash mushrooms thoroughly. Remove stems and finely chop them
2) Cook and stir stems, green bell pepper, onion, and salt in small pot with 6 tablespoons of butter until tender about 8 minutes and remove from heat.
3) While cooking stems melt 2 tablespoons of butter in baking dish.
4) When stems are ready, add remaining ingredients and fill mushroom caps with mixture.
5) Place caps with fillings up in baking dish and bake for 20 minutes
FIGHTING PICO DE GALLO
Need:
2 firm ripe tomatoes, diced
2 green onions diced
A handful of Cilantro for color and flavor cut by hand (no knife)
1 teaspoon of lime juice
1 large fresh jalapeno finely chopped
Prepared:
1) Combine all of the ingredients and hand mix with spoon or fork
2) Serve in bowl
SOUTHWEST TEXAS HUEVOS RANCHEROS
Need:
3 extra large eggs
4 slices of bacon
6 medium size tortillas
ingredients for Fighting Pico De Gallo
1 tablespoon of butter
Prepared:
Fry bacon slices in butter and remove.
Cook eggs sunny side up (once over easy)
Drain excess oil and place eggs on large plate.
Top with fresh Fighting Picco De Gallo with bacon on the side
TEXAS APACHE VENISON JERKY
Need:
Lean venison (or beef) 1/2 pound or whatever amount you wish to use
salt (and pepper or spice if desired)
Prepared:
1) Slice meat in 4" to 6" lengths about 1/2 inch thick. Salt (and peppe/spice if desired) both sides moderately
2) Tie string on end and hang outdoors in full sun rotting every hour for eveness.
3) Hang in doors at night in dry place. Repeat for several days.
4) Store in sealed container until ready to be eaten or used in stew
(If hanging meat outdoors in the open air does not appeal to you, seal in plastic bag with holes at top before hanging)
(Or place in microwave for two minutes at a time per side until desired "jerk" reached)
TEXAS WILD COUNTRY PRALINE
Need:
1 package strawberry instant pudding
3 cups of white sugar
1 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of white Karo syrup
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
2 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of vanilla
4 cups of pecans chopped to desired size
Prepared:
1) Mix the first five ingredients in a large pot and slowly cook over low heat until mixture becomes think and changes color, as though about to burn or boil over, or until a ball forms in water.
2) Remove from heat into a mixing bowl and immediately stir in remaining ingredients until butter has melted in.
3) Remove with a tablespoon by dropping desired amount onto waxed paper and let cool before wrapping or storing in sealed container.
Leche Quemada Del Mercardo
Need:
2 cups of broken or chopped pecans
2 cups of condensed milk
2 cups of brown sugar
3 quarter pound sticks of butter
1 table spoon of vanilla
Prepared:
Combine condensed milk, brown sugar, and butter in saucepan and heat.
Stir constantly. until it begins to harden and remove before it boils.
Stir in vanilla and pecans and place in square pan or glass dish and refrigerate.
When cold, cut into squares as you would brownies
LECHE QUEMADA CON COCO DE PLAZA
Need:
Ingredients as above
1Cup of coconut
Prepared:
As above, stirring in coconut at the end before refrigerating
Can be tablespooned into desired sizes or placed in square pan
LECHE QUEMADA CON COCO FIESTA
Need:
Ingredients as above
Food dyes of red, blue, green , and yellow
Prepared:
1) On final blend of ingredients as above separate equal amount of mixture before adding food dyes for color.
2) For added and unusual colors combine different food dyes such as red and blue for purple
Capirotara Del Ray
(The King's Bread Pudding)
Need:
2 Loafs of sandwich bread
2 cup pecans chopped to desired size
2 cans of brand name fruit cocktail
1 package cinnamon sticks
1 green onion with stem chopped in half lengthwise
1/2 pound of grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of sugar
1 pound of black raisins
Prepared:
1) Make a tea with sugar, fruit syrup, water, onion and cinnamon sticks in 1/2 gallon pot
2) Lightly toast bread and cut off ends.
3) Place 1 layer of bread flat end to end on bottom of large rectangle baking pan
4) Sprinkle raisins, cheese, pecans, and fruit cocktail on layer of bread
5) Pour strained tea on layer to soak through, but not drowned in
6) Repeat for 2 or 3 more layers depending on depth of pan
7) Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes or until cheese melts and bread has pudding texture
8) Serve hot or cold according to taste
District Teen Courts
The National Teen Courts of America & Teen Clubs of America, Inc., a not for profit organization is located in San Antonio, Texas and is a leading role model that can be studied by all other teen courts in the country.
There have been a number of Teen Courts established over the years. In fact, Teen Courts were first established in the 1930s in California. There were also Teen Courts in Texas during the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. There were, of course, other Teen Courts in other cities in other states. There has never before been an organization such as the National Teen Courts of America & Teen Clubs of America, Inc. that has proven to be as successful or as well developed.
Teen Courts, Student Courts, Youth Courts, or by whatever name they may be known by, for the reader's information, are special programs that allow a teenager or younger youth the opportunity to have a traffic, Class C or Class B Misdemeanor violation dismissed . much in the manner as defensive driving would to a traffic ticket.
The convicted teenager that has been found guilty or that has plead guilty or no contest is referred to a Teen Court in which the teenager undergoes a hearing by his or her own peers. The Teen Court is comprised of a judge, prosecuting and defense lawyers, clerks, bailiffs, and jury - all of which are teenagers. An Adult Court Master oversees the proceedings, however, 95% of the hearing is conducted by the teenagers themselves. The Court Master, rarely interrupts or interjects in the hearings. The trial does not determine the guilt of the teenager, but rather the conditions that must be met by the teenager in order to have the violation in question dismissed so that there is no criminal record that my ruin the youth's future.
The teenager and his or her parents undergo a screening and intake process before appearing before the judge of the Teen Court for the purpose of determining the suitability of the teenager's ability to undergo the hearing in question under the appropriate laws in question. Secondly, the teenager and the parents are fully informed as to what is expected of the teenager during the hearing and while under the jurisdiction of the Teen Court. In addition, any questions that the teenager or the parents may have are usually answered during this time.
Once the teenagers is called before the judge, the violations is read into the record and the hearing proceeds. The parents are not allowed in the courtroom while the teenager's hearing is underway. Once the jury has reached a verdict, the parents are called into the courtroom along with the teenager for the hearing of the verdict and the judge's orders under which the teenager must comply to have the violation dismissed.
The particular program of the District Teen Courts under the standards of the National Teen Courts of America & Teen Clubs of America, Inc. are the most comprehensive and successful in the country. The program last between seven and twelve weeks for each teenager before the regular court is requested to dismiss the violations in question. During the program, the teenager must return a minimum of once a week for a period of seven to twelve weeks. During this time, the teenager is involved as a juror in newly arrived cases. in addition, the teenagers receives special counseling and education in the areas of law-related education, job-related education, and other general education areas. The teenager is also involved in social activities such as barbecues or parties. The teenagers is also required to perform community service for nonprofit organizations. The teenager may be further required to attend trial of other cases in civil or criminal courts. A written essay and/or apology to the victim may also be required of the teenager.
The success of the District Teen Courts has been very high - much higher than the regular courts dealing with juvenile crime. The failure rate of other independent Teen Courts has been about 15% nationally, however, the failure rate of the District Teen Courts has been less than 3%. The time spent on District Teen Court business by staff is less than 10 hours a week, and yet it has accomplished more than programs with staffs working 40 hours a week. A large factor that should be considered is that many Teen Courts operate at the expense of the tax payers at $20,000 to $60,000 a year, while the District Teen Court operate at virtually no expense to the tax payer. In addition, programs under the National Headquarters provide a variety of community services to the communities that save even more dollars for the tax payers.
The National Teen Courts of America & Teen Clubs of America, Inc. established and patterned the District Teen Courts similarly to that of state and federal criminal courts. A teenager serving a prosecuting attorney of the District Teen Court in one city could travel to another city and serve in the District Teen Court of that city without any problem as all District Teen Courts operate identically to each other.
Not all Teen Courts are the same. In fact most teen courts in the country do not meet the standards established by the National Headquarters. They can apply for certification and classification under the jurisdiction of the National Organization. Many so called Teen Courts are really nothing more than an adult run court that usually has teenagers assisting it. The judge is still an adult that presides over all of the proceedings like any other court, except that the remainder of the court staff such as the attorneys and jury are teenagers. Many Teen Courts have been afraid to apply for classification and certification under the jurisdiction of the National Organization because they have been afraid of being classified as inferior and have also been afraid of giving up their independence. They have failed to realize, however, that falling under the national jurisdiction provides them with superior methods and standards that are still operated by the local citizens of the communities in question. In addition, they become a part of a national record keeping program that keeps statistics not kept by any other organization, including state agencies. Furthermore, individual members of the District Teen Courts receive additional benefits such as discounts to over 50,000 products and services, including hotel, car rental, and medical prescription discounts.
Any reader interested in having a District Teen Court established in their community may request an Application for Funding a District Teen Court or an Application for Classification and Certification under the jurisdiction of the National Headquarters, by writing to: Membership, c/o, National Teen Courts of America & Teen Clubs of America, Inc., P. O. Box 17513, San Antonio, Texas 78217-0513.
BRIEF TEXAS NOTES
As mentioned earlier, Texas came from the Indian word "tejas" which means friends and today the states motto is "Friendship.
Texas is best known for its nicknam, "The Lone Star State" as reflected by its single star on its flag.
The State's capitol building was dedicated in 1888 and was built out of traditional pink granite. The building is the largest statehouse in the country. Austin is the capitol of Texas, but as indicated earlier, San Antonio was the first capitol of Texas as ordered by King Philip V of Spain when it was established in 1731.
The Goddest of Liberty Statue was placed on top of the Capitol's dome in 1888, a few years after the Civil War ended, with her back to the northern yankees.
The Spanish Archives were first kept in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas at the beginning and were eventually moved to Austin where they remained after the citizens confronted a group of Texas Rangers to move them to Houston. The citizens greatly outnumbered the Rangers and insisted on the Archives being returned to their location in Austin. The Rangers had not been instructed to "battle" the citizens and so the Archives were returned. This incident resulted from the fear that Mexico might try to regain the Archives after a division of Mexican soldiers captured Goliad, Regugio, and San Antonio in 1842.
Shortly afterwards, The Mexican War between the United States and Mexico occured between 1844 and 1846. At that time, . This author's great great grandfather, Dr. Henry Weaver enlisted under Major Chapman Quarter Master United States Army was headquartered at the Alamo and served from 1846 until the close of the war in 1848. He was then given a warrant for bounty land for his service.
The official State shell is the "Lightning Whelk" which was adopted in 1987. Shells can be found through Texas, but especially along over 600 miles of beaches along the Gulf Coast of Mexico.
Texas has two Alamos. The first one was built in San Antonio in 1718 and rebuilt in 1750. It is, of course, the location where the famous Battle of the Alamo took place. There is, however, another Alamo. It is located in Alamo Village at Brackettville and was built just over 200 years after the original one. It was built for the filming of "The Alamo" with John Wayne in 1959.
The official State Flower of Texas is the Bluebonnet and it is against the law to pick it. There are many varieties of this flower in Texas. Of course, there are over 5,000 flower varieties that can be found in Texas. The variety of flowers that can be found are so huge, it would be impossible to include them here, but they include the strawberry cactus, Indian blanket, spider Lilly, bird's foot violet, water Lilly, bougainvillea, and poinsettias. There are also a variety of Botanical Gardens that are located in Texas such as the Botanical Gardens in San Antonio that display a variety of flowers, plants, and trees. The buckeye seed, for example, is considered touring luck and is associated with the State of Ohio, but there is also a buckeye seed that comes originally from Mexico and can be found in San Antonio.
Texas is the only state in the union that entered as a republic and retained its right to become its own country again and devide itself up into five states. This ability to devide has been brought up at various times over the years when Texans are not happy with the way the country is being run.
The official State Dish is Chili and was adopted in 1977. Every year, there are many chili cooking contests throughout the state. Some of them are guaranteed to bring in three alarm fire ratings. Whew!
The official State gem is the Texas Blue Topaz which was adopted in 1969 and can be found with a star design in it. Texas is a paradise for rock and mineral collectors with a variety of locations and items ranging in types and ages from Quaternary to Precambrian There are all kinds of finds in Texas: a variety of agates; purple amethysts often found in perfect six-sided prisms; clear to blue celestite crystals and geodes; cinnabar; red and pink granite, and graphite granite marked by an unusual, alphabet-like inclusions; lianite, a gem quality type of granite with sky-blue quartz; a variety of petrified wood, (Petrified Palmwood is the State's official stone); and Tektites, rare spheres of dark natural glass that show off objects that once passed through outer space at extreme speeds and whose origins are still debated by scientists (and have only been reported in the US. in Massachusetts and Georgia).
Texas has over 23 million acres of forests and woodlands which include four national forests: the Davey Crocket, Sam Houston, Sabine, and Angelina National Forests. The official State tree is the pecan.
Texas has 116 state and national parks and there are, of course, numerous city and county parks as well. Many of the parks provide camping; screened shelters; group activities; campsite electricity, water, and sewage; rest rooms and showers; cabins; picnic areas, swimming; water skiing; boat ramps; museums and/or exhibits; historic structures; nature/hiking trails and more. Nature and hiking enthusiast will find that Texas mountains are rugged and rise dramatically. There over 90 peaks that are above one mile.
The mocking bird was officially recognized in 1927 as the official State bird. The Unites States has all kinds of birds and three-fourths of them can be found in Texas. In addition to the local birds that can be found in Texas there are a number of other species that migrate every year to Texas. You can find rare Colima warblers and eagles, canyon wrens, desert-dwelling fly catchers, sandhill cranes, whooping cranes, Inca and white-winged doves, white-fronted doves, chachalacas, green jays, golden-cheeked warblers, Acadian flycatcher, Kentucky Warbler, swallow-tail kites, Lehtenstein's oriole, brown pelican, red-tailed hawk, and of course, the famous roadrunner.
If you like swimming, fishing and boating, Texas is the place to be. There are over 5,175 square miles of lakes and streams, unsurpassed by any other state, including Michigan, the state of 1000 lakes, with the exception of Alaska. In addition, of course, there is 624 miles of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico. Major Islands include Padre Island National Seashore which along with areas such as Port Aransas are magnetic beaches for college students on spring and summer breaks from all over the country.
The Guadalupe bass can only be found in Texas and was adopted as the State fish in 1989. There are plenty of exciting times waiting for all fishermen coming to Texas. Stripped bass weighing over 30 pounds can be found in Texas lakes. There are plenty of varieties of fish for the interested fisherman. There are black bass (small mouth, largemouth, spotted and Guadalupe), blue gill (bream) crappie, numerous other sunfish, white or sand bass, catfish including channel, blue and yellow flathead, Florida bass, walleye, northern pike, rainbow trout, redfish, flounder, and others. The gulf coast offers over 250 different species of fish including, speckled trout, king and Spanish mackerel, wahoo, bonito, tuna, sailfish, marlin, pompano, flounder, grouper, jewfish, red snapper, drum, and sheephead. Many of these can be caught off the beach, jetties, and piers.
Hunters are no strangers to Texas, either. There are white-tailed deer, mule deer, pronghorns, javelinas, wild boars, feral hogs, squirrels, wild turkey, bobwhite, blue quail, mourning, white tipped and white-winged doves, pheasants prairie chickens, sandhill cranes, chachalacas, Indian blackbuck antelope, wild Corsian rams, African aoudad sheep, axis, sika deer and other exotic animals normally found in other countries such as Africa. Hunting is available on public lands, but mostly on privately owned land, which are leased every year.
If you are driving to one of the hunting or fishing areas from out of state, you will find that Texas has over 76,000 highway miles with more than 1000 rest areas and scenic turnouts.
The temperatures in Texas are almost perfect all year round no matter where you are. There is just enough of a change in the temperature to be able to say that we have four seasons. In the winter, you can find people swimming, golfing, fishing, sailing, and having picnics on the beach. January and February are usually the only months that have really cold weather. During those months in San Antonio, the temperature is usually between 40-60 degrees, further south in Brownsville the temperature is usually between 50-70 degrees, and only in the panhandle is the temperature between 20-50 degrees. That is not to say that the temperature doesn't drop below freezing on occasion, because it does, but rarely. It's been said that a Yankee army captain stationed in San Antonio arrived for work unshaven one morning because his water pipes had frozen over night. He explained that it had never happened to him up north, but he didn't realize that water pipes in San Antonio are placed only a short distance underground as opposed to up north because freezing temperatures are rare. Local residents also know that when freezing weather is on the horizon, it's time to cover the pipes, turn off the water, and/or let the water faucet drip slowly to provide movement and prevent freezing.
Brief San Antonio Notes
The San Antonio metropolitan area is larger than the entire state of Rhode Island and also larger than the District of Columbia.
According to the US. Bureau of the Census in 1989, the San Antonio metropolitan area has more people living in it than are living in the District of Columbia and each of the following states: Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Utah, Alaska, Wyoming, Deleware, and Rhode Island.
The Alamo Cenotaph monument in front of the Alamo displays the names in marble of the brave men that died at the Alamo in 1836. The monument was designed by eminent Italian-born sculptor Pompei Coppini, who adopted Texas as his home.
There is now also a monument dedicated to soldiers of the Vietnam war located just a few blocks northwest of the Alamo.
The Boatanical Gardens previously mentioned contains 33 acres of formal gardens, pools, fountains, and natural areas. The walkways, which accommodate the physically impaired, lead to the Garden for the Blind, Japanese Garden, , Children's Garden, Biblical Garden, Formal Gardens, Endangered Species Project, South Central Texas Exriscape, the Native Texas Area, several Texas houses that were reconstructed to illustrate early Texas, and the Lucile Halsell Conservatory. The Conservatory contains a 90,000 square foot complex of below-ground greenhouses that feature several different ecosystems that surround a courtyard and pond.
The Alamo, previously discussed and located in downtown San Antonio, contains a museum and a Daughters of the Republic of Texas (D.R.T.) Library. Visitors can view relics and artifacts of the famous Battle of the Alamo along with other artifacts.
The Japanese Tea Garden is located in Brackenridge Park. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, it became known as simply the Sunken Gardens. In was, only recently, rededicated as the Japanese Tea Gardens. An aerial skyride at the park takes visitors high above the gardens for a bird's eye view. There is, however, nothing like an actual walk through the garden. People are amazed at 2-3 foot long "goldfish" that were donated and are actually named Japanese Imperial Dragons. There is also a one-fifth scale model of a diesel train at the park that can take you from one location to another.
The San Antonio Zoo is also located by the park and has over 3,000 animals of over 700 different species making it the third largest animal collection in North America. It is a sanctuary for endangered and rare animals including the whooping crane and white rhino. There is a $3 - million children's zoo that features a tropical boat ride of animal and plant exhibits from all over the world. There are elephant and camel rides and exhibitions of eagles, seals and other animals. The Australian walkabout from "down under" displays koalas, kangaroos, and other animals. Aquariums also display a variety of fish, including sharks, moray eels, and reef fish.
El Mercado, the Market Square in downtown San Antonio simulates the market atmosphere of Mexico. Most of the items there come from Mexico, but there are other items that come from around the world and locally. In some of the shops, you will find the craftsmen that sell the articles you may be interested in. Many of the items compare in price to that found in Mexico's tourists towns. Some of the prices are higher and some are even lower, but it beats having to travel all the way to Mexico on a limited budget to buy Mexican curios. You can, of course, take a drive to Mexico to visit and tour it as it is only about 150 miles south. In addition, to the shops, during different times of the years, you will find Mariachis, dancers, and other entertainers. There are also a number of flea markets and antique centers and shops in the city. Just ask around for their locations and most people will be able to tell you or simply look them up in the local yellow pages.
San Antonio is the home of H.E.B., the largest privately - held supermarket company in the United States. The 89 year family owned company is the nation's twelfth largest grocery chain in the nation with over $3 billion in annual sales and over 32,000 employees in the state. Visitors in need of groceries and other necessitities will find it handy to drop by a local store with Texas friendly employees that will help you load your groceries in your car, without a tip, which is no longer experieced in many states.
The VIP Member Benefits Association is also headquartered in San Antonio and has made it possible for its members to receive discounts to over 50,000 products and services. Member benefits have included discounts to hotels, car rentals, medical prescriptions, eye contacts, home remodeling, jewelry, debt arbitration, consulting, mediation, printing, office, home, school, and computer supplies and much more. Memberships have been made available to companies, agencies, and non profit organizations for their employees or members. New enrolling members have been able to contact the Association through the mail only, after which time they were provided a telephone number for member benefits. A great organization to belong to in times of tight budgets or when simply tring to stretch and save money to buy other extra items.
The Mexican Cultural Institute has exhibits of contemporary Mexican artist. In addition, more and more small art centers are being established by local artist.
The Majestic Theater downtown provides a fantastic illusionary environment if you are in town long enough to take in a show. You will marvel at its construction. It first opened in 1929 and continued to operate until its temporary closure in 1974. It reopened as a performance art center in 1989, completely restored and acknowledged in the National Register of Historic Places. While indoors, you will feel the illusion of being outdoors with the blue sky above and stars twinkling and an occasional pigeon flying above. Architectural students as well as the average person will be astonished to find motif designs of the Greeks, Romans, Baroque, and Spanish Missions in its structure.
Patrons of the arts will find a visit to the McNay Art Museum quite satisfying. You can fine works by Gauguin, Cezanne, Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Goh, Winslow Homer, Diego Rivera, El Greco, and John Marin. In addition, there are Indian arts and crafts from New Mexico.
The Institute of Texas Cultures features twenty-six ethnic and cultural groups featured in a variety of exhibits. The Institute's focus is on the people that made Texas what it is. It often provides live demonstrations by local or visiting artists that act out or portray early cultural traditions. You may see an Indian perform the "dance of the eagle," or hear a variety of stories, or witness other events. There is an annual Folklore festival located on the ground of the Institute that feature many of the nationalities and cultures that help build Texas.
The Jose Antonio Navarro House is a historical landmark of one of the signers of the Texas Declaration of Indepencence.
The Hemisphere Park was the site of the 1968 Texas World's Fair. The 750 foot high Tower of the Americas located in the park provides a panoramic view of San Antonio from its observation deck and from its revolving restaurant.
The Cowboy Museum and Gallery is a full-size recreation of an 1870's false front trail town built from salvaged materials which includes a cavalry fort, jail, general store, and Belia Union Saloon. Exhibits explore memories of cowboys and Indians, gunfights, cattle barons and trail drives.
General Cos' House located at La Villita is remembered as the location where he surrendered his Mexican force during the capture of San Antonio and the signing of the Articles of Capitulation on December 9, 1835 to a small group of Texans and Americans led in part by Ben Milam. The surrender preceded the siege of the Alamo by only three months.
La Villita is a small restored Mexican village just a few blocks southwest of the Alamo. It is bordered by the River Arneson Theater which hosts a variety of talent shows throughout the year including television talk show hosts. La Villita has a number of adobe houses with small restaurants, arts, and crafts shops by local artists.
The Hertzberg Circus Museum has many miniature items for circus fans including the horse carriage of the famous Tom Thumb.
The Texas Star Trail is for the walking, jogging or hiking enthusiast. It's a 2.6 mile historical trail that begins and ends at the Alamo. You only need to follow the blue disks imbedded in the sidewalk to reach 80 historical landmarks and sites.
The Spanish Governor's Palace on Military Plaza was the center of Spanish government in Texas in 1772. The building represents those found in colonial Spain and was used by many military commanders of Presidio (Fort San Antonio of Bexar) de San Antonio de Bexar as well as Spanish governors.
Streetcars with low fare rates and earlier time designs are a great way for tourist and locals to get around the downtown area to reach many of the historical sites.
The Missions Trail includes, of course, the Alamo, but it will also take you to the oldest unrestored church in the United States, the Mission Nuestra Senora de la Purisma Conception which was established in 1731 but not completed until 20 years later. Mission San Francisco de la Espada. was also established in 1731 and has an aqueduct system that has been acknowledged as a National Historic Landmark. Mission San Juan Capristrano was also established in 1731 has been extensively restored and displays a number of artifacts from the Spanish colonial period. Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo is recognized as a State and National Historical Site and was first established in 1720, but the church was not built until 1768-1782. Its beauty and its "Rose Window" has earned it s reputation as the Queen of Missions.
San Fernando Cathedral is recognized as the oldest Cathedral in the United States and was established by the Canary Islanders in 1738. It has undergone a chain of events of great historical moments: a fire in 1828; artillery bombardment in 1835 before the fall of the Alamo in 1836; fire damage at the end of the Civil War; dedication as an archdiocese and home for a bishop; and visited by the Pope in 1987.
The Lourdes Grotto of France and San Antonio are visited every year by people hoping and praying for miraculous cures. Every year, nearly one million people visit the site in France where Our Lady of Lourdes appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858, and thousands visit the site in San Antonio.
St. Mary's University was founded sixteen years after the fall of the Alamo in 1852. Seventeen years later, Trinity University was founded in 1869. Only twelve years went by before Incarnate Word was established in 1881, then thirty years later, Our Lady of the Lake University was founded in 1911. In addition to an excellent education, the universities provide great examples of architecture in addition to providing sources of exhibits, artifacts, and documents.
Splashtown - San Antonio is a 15 acre water recreation park with the world's largest surf-tech pool, water slides and more.
Fiesta Texas is a 200 acre theme park that highlights Texas culture and music in four areas. Mexican and Spanish heritage cultures are reflected in Los Festivales area. Music of the rocking 50s is located in Rockville. German heritage is depicted in Spassburg and the days of 1920s boom towns are located in Crackaxle Canyon. Of course, along with the themes are many amusement rides, including "The Rattler" wooden roller coaster for the brave and bold, as well as rapid river rides, giant log ride with 100 ft diagonal drop, railroad, and more.
SeaWorld of Texas is a $140 - million aquatic theme park that features marine life for educational and entertaining purposes. Shamu, the killer whale, is one of the stars that demonstrates grace, intelligence, and beauty of the water world. There is a 12.5 acre lake that is used by graceful and talented water skiers, laser light shows, and more. There are hundreds of water life species to view, including sharks, sawfish, rays, seals, walrus, and more. There are a variety of entertainment shows for the viewing public which include the various species. There is a wet and wild ride on an 1800 foot long Rio Loco (Crazy River). For a wilder ride, you can take the Texas Splashdown through a 1/2 mile water rapids before dropping about five stories at one point.
The Plaza Theater of Wax displays over 200 figures in wax in a variety of scenes including heroes of the Alamo, plus figures from Dr. Zhivago, Ben Hur, The King and I, Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolfman.
Ripley's Believe It or Not has been display in newspapers for years in almost every city in the country. In San Antonio, however, it is more than a newspaper feature. It's a place where you can see more than 500 exhibits of eight major themes.
Hotels in San Antonio also serve as interesting historical land marks and points of view. Some for their architecture, others for their involvement in history, some for the famous people that have stayed at them, such as the Crockett, Menger and others including the Fairmount that was originally established in 1906 and later moved in 1985 on wheels six blocks south of its original location which also displays artifacts of the Alamo. The Menger Hotel was built in 1859 as a result of the success of the Menger Brewery next to the Alamo. Former guests of the Menger Hotel include poet Sidney Lanier, General Phil Sheridan, ex-president Ulysses S. Grant, and Theodore Rossevelt.
The well known "Rough Riders" of Teddy Roosevelt were trained at the Bexar County Exposition grounds. Many of them signed up on the Alamo grounds or in the Menger Hotel. One hundred and twenty seven Texans made up a major part of the Rough Riders. They were the first volunteer cavalry regiment that enlisted and were quartered in the expositioin hall.
The Paseo del Rio or River Walk makes San Antonio the nation's counterpart of Venice. There you can walk along the river and stop at all types of shops, restaurants, cafes, boutiques, and cabarets. If you prefer, you can take a river taxi or eat on the river on a dining barge. The River Walk is also the scene of river parades such as the St. Patrick's River Parade in which the river is dyed green for the occassion. The River Parade during Fiesta is well known throughout the country.
The Witte Memorial Museum located near Brackenridge Park has been hosts for a varity of extensive exhibits covering natural history, science, flora, and wildlife of Texas. It has been the host for special exhibits that have toured the country such as an Egyptian exhibit entitled "Mummys, Myth, and Magic," and an animated dinosaur exhibit .
Secret Hideways, passages, and cellars can be located throughout San Antonio, but only the privileged few may see them. Many older homes have hidden passages. Some of them lead to hidden rooms, attics, and cellars. Some of these hideaways were designed into the orifinal architectures of the buildings and others were later renovated. Some may be found to be very old and others appearing after the nineteen sixties when many people began to build bomb shelters during the Bay of the Pigs. Today, more and more people are renovating their present homes or building new homes with special hideaways or safes for their valuables, their loved ones, or themselves. One San Antonio firm has innovative concepts to provide the security and peace of mind that is being sought all over the country by many members of society in theses times of high crime and violence and may be contacted by writing c/o Melric Enterprises, P. O. Box 17513, San Antonio, Texas 78217-0513.
The IMAX Theater located in the River Center Mall features a forty-five minute docudrama entitled the "Alamo.. The Price of Freedom"and is shown on a theater screen six feet tall with a sound system that makes you feel the cannon go off in the movie.
The River Center Mall is located over the San Antonio River just south east of the Alamo and features enough shops that you can't see them all in one day without spending only a few minutes in each. In addition, performances on the river's circular stage in the cul de sac of the mall can be seen by shoppers at diffeerent times of the year. For the person ready to "charge" up the hill, there are four major malls in San Antonio with hundreds of shops.
The Yturri-Edmunds Historic site is one of the few remaining adobe buildings in the city that was built around 1850 and includes a historic mill used for grain and corn grinding and is located in the King William Historic District.
The King William District located a few blocks south of the Alamo was settled by prominant German merchants in the late 1800s and was designated the state's first Historic District. Most of the homes have been or are being restored to their original splendor.
The Buckhorn Hall of Fame has a collection of horns and mounted animals and is now located at the Lone Star Brewery , along with a Hall of Fins and a Hall of Feathers which are all dedicated to famous hunters. A great place for the hunting and fishing enthusiast.
The Hall of Texas History and Wa Museuem which also located at the Lone Star Brewery features life-size dioramas depicting moments of Texas history from the early 1700s through the joining of the Union.
The Pioneer Traildrivers and Texas Rangers Museum is located next to the Witte Museum and holds many interesting facts and artifacts.
The Texas Theater has been remodeled into an office building, but still retains much of the early building design. The theater was visited by "The Lone Ranger" film character when the movie first premiered there many years ago.
The San Antonio Children's Museum is a wonderful place to take small children for a hands on experience. It is also a delight for adults as well.
The San Antonio Museum of Art located just north of the downtown area and is located in a renovated 1883 brewery. It displays art from the Americas: pre-Columbian art, Spanish Colonial period, American Indian, 18th-20th Century American sculptors and paintings, including photography, furniture and decorative arts.
Antiques and rare items can be found in many antique shops in the city and all but one can easily be located in the yellow pages. If you don't find want you want or don't have the time to look, don't give up hope.
The discreet, selective, and well to do visitor, in search of something for themselves or for that someone that appears to have everything, can buy something not usually seen or owned by the average person and can get it from one San Antonio company, but only by way of an appointment or through the mail. Discriminating and eclectic buyers interested in unusual, decorative, and coversational items have been able to attain such items as: a $200 framed wooden nickle collection; a $100 framed early year advertisement of nationally recognized companies; $100-$200 or more framed pages of published works of various authors or poets that are 50-100 years old or older; framed autographs desired of such famous people as President John F. Kennedy, Sir Winston Churchill, and others; statue reproductions of Venus de Milo, Nike of Samothrace, Augustus Ceasar and others; or a reproduction of a 16th Century suit of armor. You may make a request for certain items or simply ask that a gift be sent in a particular category or of the company's choosing.. How easy is it to buy from this company. To avoid wasting time on curiosity seekers there is a $100 consulting fee that must be paid in advance before any apppointment or sale is made. In addition, there are no collector items sold for less than $100, and of course, there is no limit to the value of other items. All items come with certificates of authenticity and replacement values for insurance purposes. Interested individuals may send their request and fees c/o Melric Enterprises, P. O. Box 17513, San Antonio, Texas 78217-0513. Be sure to print or type your name, address, phone, and request. Your request will be acknowedged by telephone within three business days of receipt. Your request will be discussed with you and additional fees will be charged if necessary for fees not paid in advance. The chances of anyone else having an identical item to yours will be very slim, and the higher the expense of the item reduces the chances even more.
Brick Roads to Oz and San Antonio differ in color. The yellow brick road leads to the Wizard of Oz. The red brick road in downtown San Antonio leads to various shops and points of interest. Along the red brick road is a red brick sidewalk with names imbedded in them of the people who helped donate the bricks.
Sir Richard's Riddles
Sir Richard's riddles can be heard around the world and most of them have left a puzzeled face. Some are similar to ones told by others , but all that follow are orginals as asked by Sir Richard.. Riddles are among the oldest games that people have played and sometimes waged their wealth or lives over. Folklore of every nationality is filled with riddles. Riddles can be found: in the Bible; in the Jewish Passover Ritual; in the Hindu book of sacred hymes, the Rig-Veda; in the Koran of Islam; in all types of poetry and stories including those written by such authors as Goethe, Cervantes, and Voltaire.
1) Two men rode into San Antonio, one on a bull and the other not on a cow, but it gave milk and had one horn, what was it.?
2) As big as the Alamo, but light as a feather, but 10,000 men couln't lift it. What was it?
3) Long ago near the Spanish Governor's Palace, there was a green one room house. In the green house there was a white wall covered with red wall paper and in the room were many babies. What is it?
4) What is the difference between Texas Pride, a sigh, and a treasure?
5) Why is a missionary's burro like a nickel?
6) What have Texas children been given to them to be treasured and protected and yet as they grew older were used by others more than they.
7) What appeared in San Antonio in 1850 with three heads, four legs down, four legs up, two arms, and wings?
8) I am in the heart of San Antonio, and treat me right and I will look like everybody, throw things at me and I will look like nobody. What am I?
9) In the hotel room I stayed. All dressed. All combed. All ready to go. I've told you my name three times and still you don't know.
10) Five men went fishing near a hotel on the San Antonio river and caught seventeen fish . Two ate six fish the others ate the rest. What was the phone number of the hotel?
11) As I walked along the San Antonio River Walk I saw six small ducks following their mother, but what time was it?
12) What do Texans call little white dogs with spots?
13) In San Antonio you will find two columns over a foundation. A room with a clock over the columns. A cross over the room. Grinding stones over the cross. Over the stones two windows. Over the windows two pools. Over the pools a hill. Over the hill trees. What is it?
14) While resting at Military Plaza I saw the white moon hide behind the yellow sun, but I moved the sun out of the way and ate the moon. What is it?
15) At the Bexar County Court House, you often see white soldiers successfully and sometimes unsuccesfully guarding a red angry dragon to prevent it from lying to citizens. What is it?
16) In the Alamo garden, I saw a cat that scratched me ten times before I could pet one of her kittens. What is it?
17) What can you see in the Alamo City that has two eyes, uses its wings to fly, and gives milk?
18) What can you see in the parks in San Antonio that is given birth with a single gust of wind, round and transparent with the colors of the rainbow, and dies with another gust of wind?
19) Every morning the Mayor of San Antonio sees me in the street and every afternoon he takes me home, but every night his wife throws me out? What am I?
20) When the leader of the Canary Islanders arrived in San Antonio, he saw the river to his left, but what did he see on his right hand?
21) On the journey to San Antonio, the founders came upon a mother and her three daughters. The mother drank all the water given to her, but she never got full. The first daughter ate, but never enough and did not get along with the second daughter who ran and never got tired and was always followed by the third daughter. Who were they?
22) Every February at the Stock Show Rodeo, cowboys can see and feel something they have all year round, but in July they can only feel and not see it. What am I?
23) A Texas farmer went into town with his three boys to sell eggs and with his money he bought each a gift. One boy was 12, the second was 6 and the third was 3. Each gift was the same, but not the same size not too long and not too short, just a foot long. What were the gifts?
24) After the Battle of the Alamo, what kind of stones did the Mexican army find at the bottom of the San Antonio River?
25) When a guest entered my son's bedroom and found me reading a story book she saw my son and daugher sitting attentively with their dog and cat at their feet, how many feet were in the room?
26) What can you find in San Antonio that can travel north, east, south , west, up and down, but never touch the land or air?
27) We died in the desert through no fault of mine. Under your leadership, we traveled side by side for seven days heading north and seven days south. You drank all the water and I drank none. On the fifteen day, you followed me west for half a day before I followed you back. Everytime you fell, I fell and everytime you stumbled so did I, but on the last day, we sat down together and passed away. Two days later, the sand blew over your bones and no one ever saw either one of us again. Who was I?
28) A visitor from New York City was amazed to find that Texas had a garden of roses that bloomed every night, but every morning could see only one. Where was it?
29) What do Texans call a mobile home with a tile roof that moves on on all four?
30) What can San Antonians find in water, ground and dirt, but Yankees can't find in land and wells?
31) People crossing the border into Texas from Mexico must go through customs, but there is one thing that customs can never see or stop from coming over? What is it?
32) A farmer on the witness stand without a lawyer at the court house was being questioned and ridiculed by an incompetent attorney named Melvin Wagon. The attorney told the judge that the man had no sense or education and therefore could not take care of himself and shoud be committed to the state home for the insane. The judge asked if the man could provide a witness that could help him in the case. He said he could and proceeded to put the lawyer on the stand. He asked the lawyer which of the two was smarter to which the lawyer replied it wasn't the farmer. The farmer then asked if the lawyer could repeat to the judge in his own words what the farmer was about to tell him, to which the lawyer said he could. The farmer then said, "Yesterday morning I had been cooking what goes up and goes down. I had also baked the biscuits I ate last week. Afterwards, I went outside to drive away the hungry ones to feed those that weren't. Until noon, I was alone at the ranch until I saw the half of two four limbed ones approach me. I then cut off the heads of the healthy to make the sick healthy. In the afternoon, I went into the garden to do good and harm. Now tell the judge what I said." The lawyer turned to the judge and said, "Obviously, the farmer makes no sense and should be put away." The judge agreed but then dismissed the case with a laugh when the farmer explained the story that the so called smarter man could not understand. What did the farmer say?
33) Four legs aproached the City Hall entrance. By law, none could go in without the other, so they all entered. The guard inside only saw a man enter, but no woman, no child, and no animal. Name the other.
34) There is a tribe of red Indians in San Antonio that get along with the people in the south, but people in the north have always found them on the warpath. Who are they?
35) A famous tree was planted in San Antonio by the missionaries in the 1500s. It has twelve huge branches having thirty smaller branches, with four nests on each major branch and each nest has seven eggs and the seventh egg is gold. The tree blooms 8,760 white blossoms that turn into black berries. What is it?
36) Which particpants of Fiesta Week in San Antonio are rewarded with the Fountain of Youth?
37) What do San Antonio River Walk restaurants serve with every meal that most people will not eat without, but will hardly ever eat alone?
38)Last Saturday morning, two equally matched teams of boys, one from the north and one from the south, played relay races in the Alamo stadium. Twenty on one side and 20 on the other. Each time the teams ran one way the first team won, but when they ran back the other team won. There were also four teams of girls that played relay races in the Alamo Dome. The north and south Teams raced against the east and west teams. Each team had ten. How many children raced at each location?
39) A man and a woman married each other. Soon thereafter was a sister and a brother. Then the man caught the woman with another. Not wanting his wife any longer, they divorced each other. . During the next sixteen years, every twelve days in a row the woman saw and spoke to her husband and the the man saw and spoke to his wife for two days after. But after leaving the Bexar County Court House on the day of their divorce and up to the time of their death, the man and woman had never spoken or seen each other. Explain to me how this is possible.
40) Two sad, small children with tragedies in their small lives and waiting for the school bus were discussing what they thought God looked like. One said that she had asked her mother when she would see her daddy again and was told it was up to God. The other child said his mother told him the same thing. Then one child said, "I saw God and I think he is a mean, grumpy old man because he has to wear a black dress and didn't like daddy because he didn't have to wear a dress. The other child said, "I saw God too, but God is a woman that must have hated my daddy for the same reason." Explain how these children came to tell these stories.
Answers to Sir Richard's Riddles
40) The children had lost the continuing companionship, care, and love of their fathers through divorce hearings. The judges in robes, one a man and the other a woman, had in their mighty wisdom given custody of the children to the mothers but only rare visitation to the fathers. Based on what their mothers' had said, the children believed the judges to be God and only described to each other what they felt in their hearts.
39 Just as God had made man in his image, so the children were born with their parent's images. When the woman spoke to her son, she saw her husbands face and likewise her image seen by her daughter's father.
38) Twenty children (ten on each side) with their shadows (ten on each side) raced at the Alamo Stadium and Forty children raced at the Alamo Dome. (There were no shadows in the artificial light in the covered Alamo Dome)
37) Salt
36 Those given photographs of times of joy, happiness, and being full of life to be seen for ever more.
35) The Calendar, 12 months, 30 days each month ,4 weeks each month , 7 days a week including Sunday, 8760 hours a year make up the days (white) and nights (black).
34) Red Chili. Peppers
33) The man's pants
32) The farmer said he was cooking beans that go up and down in a boiling pot. He was also baking the biscuits for his neighbor from whom he had borrowed them last week. He had also gone outside to drive away the chickens to give the geese a chance to eat so that they would get fatter. He was alone until he saw the legs of the neighbor that got off his horse. He then cut off the heads of chickens to make chicken soup for the sick family of the neighbor. When he went to the garden he pruned the plants to help them grow while doing them harm.
31) The Wind
30) The letter R
29) An Armadillo
28) In the sky with stars at night and the sun in the morning.
27) His Shadow
26) Fish
25) Nine feet (four people times 2 plus 1 foot of the bed, but no paws of the dog and cat)
24) Wet Ones
23) Shoes
22) Their breath.
21) Mother earth, fire, water and wind
20) Four fingers and a thumb
19) Dust
18) A soap bubble
17) A bat
16) A rose bush with thorns and a rose
15) The tongue of the person on the witness stand.
14) A banana
13) The human body: feet, legs, torso with heart, arms, mouth, nose, eyes, head, hair.
12) Puppies
11) Six after one
10) 286-3811 (two ate six - three ate eleven)
9) All is my name.
8) The San Antonio River unpolluted providing relection of everyone looking in.
7) A man on a horse with a parrot on his shoulder
6) Their name
5) They both have a head and a tail, but little sence (cents).
4) The first is so dear, the second is oh, dear, and the third is you, dear
3) A watermelon
2) The shadow of the Alamo
1) A milk truck
Texas Humor - Factual & Witty
Texas humor can be said to be one of the best medicines around for healing you if you are down in the dumps, feel lonely and need an ice breaker to talk to someone, or nervous before giving a speech. The following are just a few samples of humor that can be found in Texas and traveling around the world as one visitor or Texan leaves the State to tell others.
If you don't like the weather in Texas when you open the front door, go out the back door.
One day a visitor to our fair city asked my blond, blue eyed grandpaw, "What kind of "an" are you? Mexican, Texan, or American.
My grandpaw answered, "I'm a proud Texan that's proud to be American." and then asked the visitor, "What kind of "key" are you? Monkey, donkey, or Yankee.
There are parts of Texas that hardly ever see rain. In fact one day a farmer sitting on his front porch passed out when a drop of rain hit him on the forehead.
In Texas, our grapes are so big, that we call them watermelons so as not to embarrass grape growers in other states.
Three cowboys riding in a train were busy exchanging stories. When one said he owned 1000 acres and 2000 head of cattle, the second one said he owned 2000 acres and 3000 head of cattle. Then they both asked the third cowboy what he owned. He said he had a spread of only 20 acres. The other two laughed and asked him if he was raising a three legged cow on the measly piece of land. The third cowboy said, I can't raise cattle on my land cus it's against city regulations to have cattle in down town Dallas.
A Texas rancher hitched up his buggy and told his wife, Let's go to town. She said, Okay, with the help of God, let's go." When they reached the bridge to cross the San Antonio river ther was a cow that refused to move and let them through. The rancher and his wife then gave up and returned to their ranch. A week later, the Rancher hitched his buggy again and told his wife, "Let's go to town." She again said, "Okay, with the help of God, let's go." Again the cow was on the bridge and refused to let them through, so they returned to the ranch. The rancher and his wife tried two more times during the following 2 weeks, without success. On the fifth week, the Rancher again hitched up his buggy and told his wife, "Let's go to town." She again said, "Okay, with the help of God, let's go." This time, the rancher said, "I think we have God's help, but we need the cow's help to get through."
One day a Texas Ranger stopped by a country preacher's church and warned that a flood was coming and that the preacher should go with him. The preacher said it wasn't necesary as God would provide. The next day, the flood waters had reached the steps of the church and two men from the U.S. Coast Guard came on a boat by the church and tried to pick up the preacher. Again, the preacher refused to go saying that God would provide. On the third day, the flood had reached the edge of the roof of the church and the minister had climbed to the peak of the roof. This time, two men from the Texas National Guard came by in a helicopter and offered to take the preacher to safety. Again the preacher refused to leave and said that he wasn't worried as God would provide. On the fourth day the flood covered the church and the preacher drowned. In no time he appeared at the gates of heaven with a question for God. He asked, Why God hadn't provided for him. God replied that he had provided the preacher three chances to save himself. Once when he sent the Texas Ranger, another when he sent the U.S. Coast Guard, and again when sent the Texas National Guard, but it wasn't his fault that the preacher refused his help.
Two brothers went into town in search of work. They found two job openings at a local feed store but were told that they would have to pass a test in order to get the job. The first man was asked " What would happen if I poked you in one eye?', to which he answered that he couldn't see but with one eye. Then he was asked what would happen if he was poked in the other eye, to which he answered that he wouldn't be able to see at all. The boss then said that he passed the test and was hired. The boss then sent the man out and told him to send in his brother. The first brother told the second brother the answers he gave in order to get the job. The boss then asked the second brother what would happen if he cut off one ear, to which the brother said he could not see but with one eye. The boss was puzzeled with his answer, but went ahead and asked him the second question which was "what would happen if I cut off your other ear?", to which the second brother said he couldn't see at all. The boss then got angry and accused the brother of trying to cheat on the test. When the brother denied he was cheating the boss asked him how could he not see with his ears cut and not hs eyes poked, the brother said, "I was wearing a big hat that didn't go past my ears until they were cut and then the hat fell below one eye and then the other." The boss gave them both jobs.
A man once came to me for help in preparing his income tax. His brother had already done it for him and he was upset that he would have to pay $2,000 in taxes. I redid his paperwork in a legal, professional and timely manner that took one hour. I told him that he would receive a $1500 refund instead of having to pay anything. When I told him my fee was $150, he said he thought it too expensive for an hour's time of work. I then handed him his papers back and gave him blank new forms. I told him that the forms were free and he could fill them out without my help, or he could send in the forms his brother filled out.
One day I was offered $5 for a new item I was selling for $15, but worth $20. The man said he would not pay more than $5 for something he could buy in Mexico for $10 or less. I told him, "Have a nice trip."
In my travels, I came upon a man that was complaining about someone in line ahead of him when he said, "Isn't that just like a Jew?" I asked him if he was talking about David , the boy that killed Goliath, Solomon and his wisdom, Moses or Jesus Christ."
Another man similarly commented, "Isn't that just like a black man?' To whom I asked if he was referring to Nobel peace prize winner Ralph Bunche, Martin Luther King, or General Powell. Oddly enough, neither man said another word.
A cowboy coming out of a saloon spat out a piece of chewing tobacco onto the dirt road in view of a snobbish lady. She told him that even a pig would not be chewing tobacco. The cowboy answered that since neither the pig nor the woman chewed tobacco, it would be an insult to the pig to say they were both alike.
Two men walked into a barbershop and began bragging about how smart their dogs were. One said that his hound dog was so smart that he could send him to the grocery store and pick out the freshest meat and bring it home without eating any of it until he gave him some. The second man said that his Irish setter could go to the store and pick out his brand of chewing tobacco and coffee. The men then asked the barber if he knew of any dogs as smart as theirs. The barber replied that his cousin Jeb's dog was probably smarter because he ran the general store where the other two dogs shopped.
An instructor at a military training class filled with men from around the country asked one man, "If you weren't from New York, what would you be?" To which the man replied, "A Californian." A second man was asked, "If you weren't from Tennesee, what would you be?" To which the man replied, "Kentuckian." A third man was asked, "If you weren't from Texas, what would you be?" To which he replied, "If I wasn't from Texas, I'd be embarrassed."
