The Duval County Freedom Party: Part One

POSTED BY: CARDENAS.AE@GMAIL.COM JUNE 4, 2018

(This is the first of a six-part series on the presentation I made to the Jim Wells County Historical Commission on May 17, 2018.)

“The time has come to change the old ways of our grandparents and follow the example of other modern counties, and if we can’t be better than them at least be their equal.”

Manuel Sanchez, President,

Duval County Freedom Party

Returning World War II veterans founded the Freedom Party in Duval County on March 26, 1952. Its purpose, according to Matias Garcia of San Diego, was to oppose “the political rule of…George Parr.” The veterans had been overseas fighting for the American way of life; fighting for freedom and liberty; fighting for civil and human rights; fighting for economic freedom. When they returned home they found these precious liberties were absent in their backyard. Its seven founders took an oath “that if harm befell any of them, the others would ‘get’ George Parr.”

These veterans returned home to Duval County, some with vivid reminders of the price they had paid for freedom. Some had wounds from battle to remind them, and all had experienced the horrors of war. When they came home, they could see more clearly than ever their war experience would have been for nothing unless they took up the battle cry of freedom in their backyard. It was these former combatants who returned home with fresh ideas and hearts open to their fellow citizens’ freedom who were called to take up the battle cry for freedom in Duval County.

In a 1952 interview with a Corpus Christi radio station, Manuel Sanchez who at the time was President of the newly organized Freedom Party laid out their frustration. Duval County needed new industries and jobs he said. It required the progress that could bring about change to their oppressive conditions. They expected “justice and equality for all.” To accomplish this mission, they first had to put an end to:

political corruption;
moral decadence; and
the conditions that had impoverished their families, friends, and neighbors.

The Parr Machine, born from tragedy

Of course, the Duval County Sanchez and his compadres referred to was under the thumb of the Parr political machine. George Parr referred to as the Duke of Duval by the press had inherited the political machine from his father, Archie, who had molded it from tragedy. In 1911, four Anglos gunned down three Tejanos on the courthouse grounds. Despite the apparent assassination, after a change of venue to a county near Houston a jury believed their claim of self-defense and acquitted them. Archie Parr took up for the Tejano community and eventually molded them into a potent political force.

In a friendly interview with the Laredo Times, George Parr explained his father’s role in becoming the leader for the Tejano community. It took two hours for George Parr to dig “back in history to give you the true story” he told the reporter, Jack Yeaman. Parr went back 100 years, speaking of the setbacks Tejanos suffered under new Anglo rules and land grabbing speculators.

He spoke about the Tejanos’ suffering under Texas, Indian raids, and Mexican inattention. He explained how the Tejanos suffered under “Anglo Americans with little understanding of the problems or customs of the inhabitants,” and who were out to get what they could. He talked about the carpetbaggers who came after the Civil War “to reap the harvest of their victory,” and again the “Latin Americans were despoiled.” The railroad brought “more of the northern strangers” who knew the language and the law and exercised “complete political control” and had their way with the local inhabitants.

Slowly, the Tejanos began to lose confidence in the newcomers who pretended to be their friends but who only took advantage of them. They began to learn the rules of the new order and started to organize and elect their own to public office. The Tejanos’ success at the voting booth was not taken lightly by the worst of the newcomers. Violence, as occurred in 1911, often raised its ugly head. His father, George Parr told the reporter, encouraged Tejanos to stand up for their rights and stood behind them when they did. And that is a policy he had followed since assuming the mantle of leadership from his father.

“They run their own show, their own way,” George Parr said of his Tejano followers. He only played the role of “adviser and mediator if misunderstandings arise.” In 1952, misunderstandings most certainly arose, and George Parr was hardly an advisor and mediator. He instead resorted to his earlier statement to the newspaper reporter: “On the border, we fry our own chickens, and we kill our own snakes,” which the admiring reporter said meant that the people “preferred to celebrate their own victories and settle their own problems without outside interference.”

(Next week we continue with Part Two).

14 COMMENTSON "THE DUVAL COUNTY FREEDOM PARTY: PART ONE"

Graciela Barrera Kavulla | June 20, 2018 at 1:58 pm | Reply (Edit)
I was born and raised in San Diego (during the Parr era). My father Arnoldo Barrera did not take sides on “parties” however my parents voted at every election. My memories of the 40s and 50s are very positive. The town was thriving with fully running grocery stores, a five and dime, restaurants, two completely stocked drug stores, as well as a fully operable Catholic School. My siblings and I attended the Catholic School (our Dad wanted us to be educated in the religion as well as studies). We could read and write English and Spanish by the 8th grade. There were two physicians, an operable theatre with films shown all week, a bank, a volunteer fire department, and two car dealerships. The Plaza was open for a late summer festival. I had a full-time piano teacher and there was a funeral home. After graduating in 1959, I attended Texas Women’s University and eventually graduated (along with two siblings) from SouthWest Texas State. My career as an educator (including principalship) was fruitful and rewarding. My five siblings have similar experiences.

alfredo@mcmbooks.com | June 20, 2018 at 3:41 pm | Reply (Edit)
Thanks for your contribution.

Graciela Barrera Kavulla | June 20, 2018 at 1:40 pm | Reply (Edit)
Alfredo, I do want to thank you for the interesting posts. In my home, my parents did not take sides (my Dad was the insurance salesman, therefore, there was no point in such discussions). We were and are Barreras, so the family was overall El Partido Viejo supporters. As I recall the town in the 40s and 50s was absolutely NOT “in the dark ages”! Indeed it was an active town full of thriving business, places to shop, a theatre, decent schools (including Catholic School). There were two fully operating drug stores, Drs. De Hoyos and Dunlap. My grandma was a full time working midwife (who delivered roughly most of the babies in that period. A significant number of high school graduates attended and graduated from college (including all six of my siblings). My memories are happy, peaceful and full of sweet family adventures.
Graciela Barrera Kavulla

alfredo@mcmbooks.com | June 20, 2018 at 3:52 pm | Reply (Edit)
Thank you, Graciela. Your comments are something I can use in another project I’m working on.

Ricardo Saenz | June 6, 2018 at 11:46 am | Reply (Edit)
Your Welcome Alfredo, my most recent information on this settlers is that during the years of their settlement there were no official records kept. I’ll check with the land commission office to check on the Homestead Land Grant programs during or after the Civil War. Thanks!
Ricardo Saenz | June 6, 2018 at 9:37 am | Reply (Edit)
Hello Alfredo, I am the great-grandson of Antonio Sais (Saenz) from El Guajillo, Texas. Antonio fought in the Civil War during 1863 through 1865 for the Confederate Army and afterward enlisted with the Texas 1st Calvary. Antonio settled in Gaujillio Ranch on a 160 acres Land Grant after moving from Roma, Texas which the original name was “Los Corrales de Los Saenz”. Antonio’s father was the well-known Capitan Miguel Saenz that fought in the Mexican American war… Miguel was descendent of the original Miguel Saenz that settled in Roma… My father always spoke of his grandfather Antonio’s family received porcion #71 thru 73 from The Spanish Land Grants. However little is known on why and when Antonio migrated to Guajillo Ranch, located between San Diego and Benavides TX. Do you have any history during times of settlements in Duval County? It had to be during the Civil War or no later than 1875. I remember my father mentioning that Antonio lost a son named Leonardo during the uprise of the Freedom Party… Nevertheless, if you have any blogs on Antonio Said (Saenz ) email me at the address below. I enjoy reading your blogs and would like to know how our family migrated to Duval County. Thanks.

alfredo@mcmbooks.com | June 6, 2018 at 11:03 am | Reply (Edit)
Sorry, Ricardo but I do not have anything on the folks you mention. Thank you for your interest in my blog.

Emilie J. Olivares | June 5, 2018 at 2:15 pm | Reply (Edit)
Thank you for giving us a written record of events we had heard about only in whispers. The WWII veterans paid the price for freedom in more ways than one.
Eduardo Perales | June 4, 2018 at 4:17 pm | Reply (Edit)
I am from South Texas and find your research very interesting. The tejanos through there sweat develloped the area.

alfredo@mcmbooks.com | June 4, 2018 at 9:40 pm | Reply (Edit)
Thank you, Eduardo. Glad you are enjoying my blog.

Newell Atkinosn | June 4, 2018 at 1:02 pm | Reply (Edit)
Thanks

alfredo@mcmbooks.com | June 4, 2018 at 9:43 pm | Reply (Edit)
Thanks, Newell.

Juan P. Castro | June 4, 2018 at 7:32 am | Reply (Edit)
Alfredo thank you for this insight. You do a great service to our understanding of the history as it unravels and provides appreciation for the conditions our ancestors contended with in their daily lives of living under fear and dominance.