By Juan Montoya
Twenty-seven years before the the 13 colonies issued their Declaration of Independence from England, a full 87 years before Texas broke away from Mexico, and 99 years before Brownsville was founded, Camargo Tamaulipas already existed.
This March, Camargo – and Reynosa downriver – are celebrating the 265th anniversary of their founding.
The first settlement to be founded on the Lower Rio Grande was that of Nuestra Señora de Santa Ana de Camargo.Camargo is located almost directly across the river from Rio Grande City.
It was founded on March 5, 1749, with the dedication to Señora Santa Ana by captain Don Blas Maria de la Garza de Falcon at the eastern edge of the San Juan River near its confluence with the Río Grande.
Since the Battle of Palo Alto just north of present-day Brownsville in May 1846 signaled the beginning of the Mexican American War, the town of Camargo has close historic ties with our city.
The foundation had 85 families – a total of 531 persons. Most of the settlers for this township came from Ceralvo, Cadereyta, Monterrey and surrounding townships
Following that, another settlement, Reynosa, 10 leagues downriver, was founded by Colonel Jose de Escandon. Reynosa was named after the Spanish town of Reinosa located in Cantabria (Spain).
The new settlement was dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe.
The American Reynosa was planted on 14 March 1749, in an extensive fluvial plain. Most of the initial settlers were from the New Kingdom of León.
The new settlement was dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe.
The American Reynosa was planted on 14 March 1749, in an extensive fluvial plain. Most of the initial settlers were from the New Kingdom of León.
In 1846, when Zachary Taylor invaded Mexico, Camargo was occupied by the US Army.
This river port served as a jumping off point for the invasion on Monterrey and Saltillo. The Army was transported via steamboats from the mouth of the river area, and Matamoros. Disease plagued the troops and it is said that thousand of U.S. soldiers were buried here, in unmarked graves.
Since the Battle of Palo Alto just north of present-day Brownsville in May 1846 signaled the beginning of the Mexican American War, the town of Camargo has close historic ties with our city.
In fact, the founder of the first ranch in Cameron County came from there. Rancho Viejo was established by Salvador de La Garza in 1770 and the King of Spain gave him the royal grant in 1781. His daughter, Doña Estefana Goseascochea de Cortina was born in Camargo in 1782 (the Rio Grande wasn't a border then) and died in 1867 on her El Carmen ranch at 85.
El Carmen Avenue connected these two ranches. Santa Rita (now Villanueva, and the first seat of Cameron County) was also founded by Doña Estefana.
She had two sons, Sabas, and his half brother Juan Nepomuceno Cortina, who defied Texan authorities following the loss of Mexican territory north of the Rio Grande after 1848.
Sabas went on to become a county elected official and was one of the wealthiest land owners in the new entity.
Juan "Cheno" Cotina would battle Brownsville, Texas, and U.S. forces and was exiled to Mexico City where he died.
El Carmen Avenue connected these two ranches. Santa Rita (now Villanueva, and the first seat of Cameron County) was also founded by Doña Estefana.
She had two sons, Sabas, and his half brother Juan Nepomuceno Cortina, who defied Texan authorities following the loss of Mexican territory north of the Rio Grande after 1848.
Sabas went on to become a county elected official and was one of the wealthiest land owners in the new entity.
Juan "Cheno" Cotina would battle Brownsville, Texas, and U.S. forces and was exiled to Mexico City where he died.
5 comments:
A large number of the founders of Mier and Camargo in the 1700 hundreds were Sephardic Jews. (Spanish) they developed the Hacienda model, the cattle industry, pacification of indigenous peoples, agriculture, long before the Pilgims arrived in 1620. Names like Espinoza, Peña. García, Hinojosa ,(De la Finojosa),Montemayor, Villarreal, etc. All this came to an end due to the Long-Arm of the Inquisition and the illegals from Kentucky, Tenn. Alabama, etc. The formation ofTownships brought the End of theHacienda System.
The comment above sounds like some Spanish/Jewish freebooters came to steal the land and destroy the local culture. How is that different from what the Anglos did in 1846?
To comment at 4:28 PM
You may wish to read a little history of how the native people were treated by the Spanish colonizers compared to the Anglo group. How are those Injuns living today on the reservations? I don't remember reading about Spaniards passing out small pox blankets.
"In 1763 at the Siege of Fort Pitt, smallpox-infested blankets were removed from fallen British soldiers. They were then to be distributed to Native Americans who accepted the blankets as their own. An English trader is quoted concerning the two Indian chiefs given "two blankets and a handkerchief out of the small pox hospital. I hope it will have the desired effect."[8] A smallpox outbreak did occur in this area among Indians in the spring."
the local natives integrated with the Spanish for the most part. does anyone know the name of the first thirteen families that settled Matamoros?
I think Montezuma might have a different view on the Spanish invasion after all dead is dead!
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