This Week in Duval County History, July 22-28

 

POSTED BY: CARDENAS.AE@GMAIL.COM JULY 22, 2019

July 22

Descendants of early San Diego land grants affirmed as owners by the Mexican government

On July 22, 1831, the descendants of Julian and Ventura Flores were placed in actual possession of the San Diego de Arriba and San Diego de Abajo land grants which originated under the Spanish Government and were perfected under articles 23 and 26 of Decree No. 42 being the Colonization Law of Tamaulipas. On that same day, Rafael Garcia Salinas was placed in actual possession of the San Leandro Grant under the same laws. Each grant was comprised of four leagues of land.

General Land Office

July 23

Cotton, vegetables and fruit crops blossom in Duval County

July 23, 1889 – The new gin in San Diego was almost finished but machinery had not arrived. Cotton picking had started and the first bale had been ginned at the Barkman gin and shipped to Galveston. Farmers were expecting four times the cotton production from the previous year. Cotton, vegetables, and fruit were widely grown in Duval County.

Laredo Daily Times, July 24, 1889

July 24

Collins Estate partitioned

The Anna Collins Estate worth more than $1 million, the richest in Southwest Texas, was partitioned. Heirs included Lizzie Singer, Anna Bagnac, R. Schallert from Corpus Christi; Mary J. Luby (wife of James Luby) and Charles Hoffman, from San Diego; Sophie Bodet, Liddie Robicheaux and A. J. Ridder of San Antonio. Surveyor Charles Blucher was working on properties in Corpus Christ and San Diego, Nueces and Duval Counties.

Corpus Christi Weekly Caller, July 24, 1908

July 25

Results of 1915 Texas Constitutional Amendments election

An election was held on July 1915 to amend the Texas Constitution. Interestingly, statewide all proposals failed by large margins. In Duval County voting in San Diego and Benavides were diametrically opposed. Prop 1, which called for “Empowering legislature to authorize property taxes for authorized purposes. Allowing local government bond issues and lending of credit for reclaiming and improving certain wetlands,” received the most votes. San Diego opposed the amendment by 68 against and 13 for. In Benavides 218 voted in favor and only 4 opposed. San Diego voted for the remaining amendments by a margin of 78 to 2 while Benavides voted them down 218 to 2. It is not clear why the two communities voted opposite of each other, but at that time San Diego still had a number of Republican-leaning voters while Archie Parr was already in clear control in Benavides.

Corpus Christi Caller  & Daily Herald, July 25, 1915

July 26

Water that burns

One mile east of Benavides in the Piedras Pintas Creek which is dry most of the year, except here and there where water is kept alive probably by springs. Near where it is bridged and crossed by the Texas Mexican Railroad is a pool which is never dry. It tastes strongly of sulfur. It is said that a piece of loose cotton can be dragged lightly over its surface and a lighted match is turned to it, it will burn brightly with blue flame-like coal oil. Some think it is a kerosene reservoir but no careful investigation has been made. There must be millions in it. A good oil well would be a bonanza to the owner.

Corpus Christi Caller, July 26, 1885

July 27

Gray convicted by Laredo Jury

Richard Gray was convicted in Laredo for committing an “unnatural act” (rape) on a change of venue from Duval County. He was given 10 years.

Caldwell News-Chronicle, July 27, 1900

Laredo attorney W. McNeil, meanwhile, returned from San Diego where he had been assisting the state in the examining trial of Luther Gillette, who was charged with the murder of Dep. Sheriff McNeil at San Diego the previous month. Bail was set at $8,000.

Corpus Christi Caller, July 27, 1900

July 28

Church fair, beggars and prostitutes in the news

July 28, 1887 – The church (article did not indicate which church) fair was a success taking in $100. On the program was the vocal duet of Hays Dix and his sister, Mrs. Sutherland; a vocal comic duet by Dix and Coyner; a piano duet by Misses Croft and Garcia; a vocal solo by Mrs. Jarvis of Canada; and an instrumental solo by Lillie Ridder. After the fair young people hired music and went to another house and danced until the early hours of the morning.

In court action, the Grand Jury returned 26 true bills and the petit jury returned 11 convictions and one acquittal. E.N. Gray, Julian Palacios, and George Bodet formed jury commissioners to select petit and grand jury for next term. Frank Feuille was becoming a popular defense attorney.

The previous Saturday, six dances were well attended in San Diego. Music, as well as partners, were in demand. The Confederate Flag, the meeting of the G.A.R. at St. Louis, Runge’s cotton corner and failure and even prohibition fails to excite people much. Rev. S. Trefonio, a Mexican minister, spoke in Spanish on the Plaza in favor of prohibition to a small crowd and did not get much enthusiasm. The general impression was that he did his cause more harm than good.

Beggars – vagrants – infest San Diego streets daily; one especially, an old man with a staff, goes to every house with a bag and feeds two or three prostitutes with what he begs from good-hearted matrons. He wants money but will take what he can get.

Corpus Christi Caller, July 30, 1887

8 COMMENTSON "THIS WEEK IN DUVAL COUNTY HISTORY, JULY 22-28"

1. Jaime Palacios | September 22, 2019 at 10:30 pm | Reply
   My Great Grandfather, Oliver George Allen, was the brother-in-law of Archie Parr. His sister, Elizabeth Allen, was married to Archie Parr. My Grandmother and George Parr were first cousins. My Dad, Antonio Palacios, was born in Concepcion and was raised in Benavides, (Go Eagles).

• cardenas.ae@gmail.com | September 23, 2019 at 11:03 am | Reply
  Thank you for sharing Jaime.

2. Dionicio Vidal Flores | July 24, 2019 at 12:58 pm | Reply
   My Great Grandfather Pedro Solis came to San Diego
   in 1860. My mother’s relatives all lived there when
   I was a boy. We used to visit often.

• cardenas.ae@gmail.com | July 24, 2019 at 5:10 pm | Reply
  Thank you, Dionicio. There are still a few Solis’s in San Diego.

3. Rudy C Resendez | July 23, 2019 at 12:04 pm | Reply
   As always I find your blog very interesting and informative. Thank you!

• cardenas.ae@gmail.com | July 23, 2019 at 6:43 pm | Reply
  Thank you, Rudy.

4. Raul Moreno | July 22, 2019 at 11:49 am | Reply
   My grandfather was born in San Diego in May 1886

• cardenas.ae@gmail.com | July 22, 2019 at 12:58 pm | Reply
  Thank you, Raul. My grandfather, Ildefonso Esparza, was born in 1889 in the small ranching community of Clovis in southern Duval County but lived most of his life in San Diego. They probably knew each other.