This Week in Duval County History, October 21 — 27

 

POSTED BY: CARDENAS.AE@GMAIL.COM OCTOBER 21, 2019

October 21

Building fence

F.B. Steen of Duval County bought 12 miles of fencing to corral his 6,000-acre cow ranch six miles south of San Diego.

Laredo Daily Times, October 17, 1888

October 22

Election supervisors named

Rafael Salinas was on the list of supervisors of elections appointed by the U.S. Circuit Court. He was the Republican supervisor for Pct. 6 in Nueces County. J. Vining was the Democrat supervisor. In Pct. 5 in San Diego, the Democrat was T. Gravis and the Republican was J.O. Luby.

The Galveston Daily News, October 22, 1874

October 23

Nortenos remain loyal to Republic of the Rio Grande

Even though their commander, Antonio Canales, went over to the enemy, ranchers in the Nueces Strip remained loyal to the Federalists’ cause against the Centralists from the south of Mexico. By October 23, 1840, the Republic of the Rio Grande was no more and the rancheros were left to the mercy of the Centralists, the raiding Indians, the marauding Texans and other sordid types that roamed Medio Mexico looking for plunder.

From the Republic of the Rio Grande, page 21

October 24

Mexican sheepmen skedaddle

E.N. Gray of Concepcion reported that many sheepmen, mostly Mexicans, had deserted entirely this section of the country. As a consequence of which a falling off could be seen in the wool business compared with former years. Gray expressed the hope that peace on the frontier would induce them to come back. Gray said they were very necessary for future prosperity.

Corpus Christi Weekly Gazette, October 24, 1874

October 25

Horse market dull, other interesting items from Benavides

October 25 – Don Placido Benavides went to East Texas with horse stock but brought them back, could hardly give them away. Daniel Gonzalez also returned from East Texas with his herd. Only sold mules. Hard times in East Texas, no money. Don Placido’s son Ysidro had horse and saddle stolen in Benavides. This portion of the country was overrun with smugglers.

Archie Parr was laying in a large supply of cottonseed and fodder, looking out for a cold winter and preparing to feed his stock. Charles and John Megerue had harvested corn, hay, and fodder and were prepared to winter their stock.

Schools in Benavides, La Motta de Olmos, and Piedras Pintas were doing well. Miss Pye at Benavides had 65 students attending daily.

Some 500 Mexicans passed on their return to Mexico, coming from picking cotton. The newspaper writer lamented that German and Irish paupers were kept out but 5,000 Mexican laborers were allowed to compete with local labor. That, and smuggling was keeping locals poor, he said.

Aurelia Abrigo and Macario Trevino were married at San Diego by Father J.P. Bard. She is the daughter of Margarita M. De Martinez, one of the leading merchants of San Diego. He manages the business.

Corpus Christi Caller, October 27, 1899

October 26

Mescal smugglers

October 26 – Sgt. Grimes and another Ranger went to Benavides to arrest Juan Garcia and Trusdosio Bustos for smuggling and selling mescal. They took them to the Nueces County jail.

Frontier Ranger Battalion, Company C Monthly Returns

October 27

From Duval’s Capital

October 27 – A cold and wet norther came to the area. A concert for the girls’ school was a “grand success” bringing in $40. The song “When a Little Farm we Keep” by Lizzie Martinet and Ttassie Spann brought down the house.

The wool market opened with heavy purchases. Gueydan & Co. disposed of 400 bags at 12 1/2 to 15 1/2 cents. Collins sold 205 bags to Murphy for 15 1/2 cents. Money was beginning to circulate. A few large clips were yet unsold.

The school board, composed of Pollard Covington and Addie Feuille, was in a session examining applicants. Second-grade certificates were granted to Miss Winstead of Pena; Miss Nudd of Realitos; and a third-grade certificate to Miss Garcia of San Diego.

The T.H.M. Club met Friday with 20 charter members.

Corpus Christi Caller, October 29, 1887

5 COMMENTSON "THIS WEEK IN DUVAL COUNTY HISTORY, OCTOBER 21 — 27"

1. ALONZO BYINGTON | October 21, 2019 at 12:35 pm | Reply
   Correction: Great grandfather, not third.

2. ALONZO BYINGTON | October 21, 2019 at 11:42 am | Reply
   Alfredo, the Placido Benavides mentioned in the Oct 25th history is my sister in law’s third great grandfather and the founder of the city of Benavides. From the Texas State Historical Association: “BENAVIDES, TEXAS. Benavides is at the intersection of State highways 339 and 359 and Farm Road 2295, on Las Animas Creek and the Texas Mexican Railway eighteen miles southwest of San Diego in Duval County. It is the third most populous town in the county. The community is named after Plácido Benavides, whose uncle, also named Plácido Benavides, was called by one writer “the ‘Paul Revere’ of South Texas.” The younger Plácido Benavides was a Confederate Army veteran, who in the 1870s built his Rancho Palo Alto into one of the biggest ranches in Duval County. In 1880 the county asked his permission to locate a railroad depot on his property. He agreed and then in 1881 donated eighty acres to the community that was growing up around the railroad station. A post office was established in Benavides in 1881 with Jacob William Toklas as postmaster.”

• cardenas.ae@gmail.com | October 21, 2019 at 3:20 pm | Reply
  Thank you Alonso for this information. I anticipate we might hear from some Benavides folks on their town’s history.

3. Bettie (Watson) Cashion | October 21, 2019 at 7:42 am | Reply
   My family, John and Woodie Watson and my two sisters, moved to Freer when I was in the 5th grade. I moved away after high school, but Freer will always be my home town. My daddy worked on Frank J. Gravis oil lease, and I have wondered if Anne’s Bluebonnet Inn was once the home of his mother, Mrs. Gravis. The building looks very familiar to me.
   I love reading the old newspaper clippings and seeing last names that I am familiar with; I even found my mother’s name as attending one of the political meetings. Thanks so much for doing this.

cardenas.ae@gmail.com | October 21, 2019 at 3:18 pm | Reply
Thank you Bettie. I’m glad you are enjoying my blog. As for the Bluebonnet, I understand it was built with the same blue prints as the original house on that location that burned down. The only difference is that the Bluebonnet is facing north to the highway and the original house faced east.