Soy de Duval

TOPICS: Christmas Duval County Texas St. Francis de Paula Church in San Diego in late 1876. Photo by Louis de Planque POSTED BY:  CARDENAS.AE@GMAIL.COM   DECEMBER 24, 2015 Christmas in Duval County in the 1880s held many of the same elements of today, although is some respects it was more lively.As Christmas approached stores decorated with holiday displays. Most merchants  closed on Christmas day. Father Peter Bard celebrated Midnight Mass. In San Diego, the day started with with Father Peter Bard celebrating midnight Mass or misa de gallo  at St. Francis de Paula in San Diego. More than half of San Diego’s residents usually attended the liturgical celebration.  Many worshipers had to stand outside the church, which was packed. After Mass, eggnog was served and rockets, Roman candles and fire crackers were lit. Not unlike today, drinking was part of the celebration. Fortunately, usually no problems arose from the use of alcohol. The Gun Club hosted a shooting match later in the day. I

Luby was Duval County trailblazer TOPICS: County Judge James O. Luby Postmaster Telephone Luby Store in 1876. Louis De Planque photo. POSTED BY:  CARDENAS.AE@GMAIL.COM   DECEMBER 19, 2015 At the age of 30, James O. Luby had already travelled from England to New York, then to Havana, followed by New Orleans, Brownsville and finally San Diego, Texas. He had fought in the Civil War for the Confederacy, been taken prisoner, was released and reenlisted again, taking part in the Battle of Palmeto Ranch, the last battle of the Civil War. He had served in the Mexican Liberal Army, served with the noted Texas Ranger John “Rip” Ford, and directed attacks against Indian and bandit raiders. He had served as postmaster and justice of the peace and was elected county judge. Not bad for a young man in a hurry to make a name for himself in the Texas frontier. Manuel Ancira building served as first Duval County Courthouse. (De Planque photo) On December 4, 1876, the young county judge presided over the

TOPICS: Duval County James O. Luby Politics Republicans POSTED BY:  CARDENAS.AE@GMAIL.COM   DECEMBER 13, 2015 The long storied history of Duval County reads like a chapter or two of the Democratic party history book. But it was not always that way. In fact the first county judge, James O. Luby, was known as Mr. Republican of South Texas. Evan Anders in  Boss Rule in South Texas wrote that Luby did not become a Republican until 1884 when President Chester A. Arthur named him Customs Collector for the Port of Brownsville, but events suggest otherwise. But before I go there, let me go to the beginning.

TOPICS: Catarino Garza Duval County Pena Revolutionaires Texas Third Cavalry troopers searching for a suspected revolutionist. Frederic Remington 1892. POSTED BY:  CARDENAS.AE@GMAIL.COM   DECEMBER 6, 2015 In August 1886, one of V. J. Clark’s vaqueros returned from Los Olmos and told of running into a Mexican recruiting officer and 50-60 revolutionaries. The recruiter offered the vaqueros $100 to serve as his guides.

TOPICS: Duval County George Parr Oakville Texas Politics First Live Oak County Courthouse at Oakville where the first George B. Parr served as county clerk. POSTED BY:  CARDENAS.AE@GMAIL.COM   NOVEMBER 28, 2015 Any follower of Duval County or Texas politics is familiar with the name of George B. Parr, the patron and political kingmaker. Not so well known is the Duke of Duval’s grandfather and the first George Berham Parr. The progenitor of Texas’s most notorious machine politicians, the elder George Parr, was born in 1829 in Virginia. In December 1846, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the United States Army at Petersburg, Virginia, in the 1st Virginia Volunteers. Capt. Larkin Smith of Company E mustered the young private into service in Richmond, Virginia, on December 15, 1846. Parr left for the Mexican War from Fortress Monroe, Virginia, in January 1847 and reached Mexico about February 21. He served until the end of the war and was with his company at the battles of Camargo, Montere

TOPICS: Duval County Parr Politics POSTED BY:  CARDENAS.AE@GMAIL.COM   NOVEMBER 22, 2015 To most residents of Duval County today, the name John Givens means nothing. But, Givens played an important role in the historical development of Duval Country. For you see, Givens was the uncle of Archie Parr; he helped raise Parr after his father’s death, and he was responsible for Parr coming to Duval County. John S. Givens was Archie Parr’s uncle and a great influence in his life. Givens earned a law degree from Transylvania College in Lexington, Kentucky, and moved to Live Oak County in 1858 where he first served as deputy (interim) County Clerk. In 1859, he joined a party organized by Live Oak County stockman John Donaldson to help the Second Texas Cavalry Company K of the Texas Rangers fight Juan Cortina near Brownsville. Two years later, Live Oak County voters elected Givens district attorney for the 14th Judicial District. He was quickly becoming a leading citizen of Live Oak County, hav

POSTED BY:  CARDENAS.AE@GMAIL.COM   NOVEMBER 14, 2015 (Tamalada painting by C armen Lomas Garza) One of my favorite recollections of childhood is waiting for my mother to finish her delicious pan de polvo . Being from San Diego, there was no other pan de polvo but that made in the shape of rings. I guess that’s why they are called “wedding cookies.” And of course my mother’s anillos were made with cinnamon, no white powdered sugar for my mom. With Christmas approaching the thought of pan de polvo is on my mind and I’m sure in many of your minds. So are tamales. Fortunately, for the younger generations there is a cookbook that has preserved many of the recipes from Duval County kitchens: ¡ CON GUSTO! Duval Cookery. This is one of my wife’s and daughters’ favorite cookbook. Their copies show extensive wear and tear, as do ̶ I’m sure ̶ those in your kitchens. Up to now you could only get ¡ CON GUSTO! at the Duval County Museum, which unfortunately is only open sparingly. Fortunately,