(As far back as March 2016, the Brownsville Heritage Museum first celebrated Brownsville Women pioneers on the occasion of National Women's Month and Texas History Month. Predictably, the BHA ignored a century of local history prior to the coming of the U.S. Army in 1846. Gladys Porter, Camile Lightner Sams, and Theresa Clark Clearwater were prominent among their choices with the late Mary Yturria thrown as a cultural token. Yturria, by the way, was originally from England. The aim of celebrating local women seemed to us a rather limited selection of Anglo women depicted as "strong and prominent women in South Texas" and ignored one other culture, i.e., Hispanic. It falls to our lot to correct this oversight, and we do here.)
By Juan Montoya
Odds are that if you ask any Brownsville school children, or for that matter, teachers, who Doña Estefana Goseacochea de Cavazos de Cortina was, or what she did, you'd get a blank stare.
Not only have the accomplishments of this great Latina woman gone unnoticed by Texas and local history, but the importance of her family's pioneer efforts in South Texas have been obscured by time and the myopia of Anglo historians.
Doña Estefana was one of the pioneer Latinas who came to South Texas bringing with them the civilizing agents of education and religion. She was born in Camargo, Mexico, in 1782 (the Rio Grande wasn't a border then) and died in 1867 on her El Carmen ranch at 85.
Until the settlers came, the land was inhabited by wandering native nomads who, as far as we know today, neither cultivated the land nor developed it. With the coming of Salvador de la Garza (her father and grantee of the Espiritu Santo Land Grant), all that changed.
Hers was one of the first ones established in Cameron County, El Carmen Ranch that was named after Doña Estefana’s daughter. Rancho Viejo was established by her father in 1770. El Carmen Avenue, named after her daughter, connected these two ranches. Santa Rita (now Villanueva, and the first seat of Cameron County) was also founded by Doña Estefana.
Cavazos said Doña Estefana would always make sure a chapel was built on every new ranch that was founded. Also, she made made every effort for her children to receive an education, and they, in turn, set up schools in the ranches for the sons and daughters of her ranch hands.
Her deeds and accomplishments are often overshadowed by the activities and controversy surrounding her youngest son, Juan Napomuceno "Cheno" Cortina. However, there is no reason why her impact on the economic and social development of the area should take a back seat to his activities.
Doña Estéfana and the families filed suit to defend their title against Stillman’s Land Company. On January 15, 1852, Judge J. C. Watrous ruled in favor of the heirs of the Espíritu SantoGrant, giving them title to the land on which Brownsville was being built.
Veterans Memorial High School built buy the Brownsville Independent School District is literally in the old La Carmen ranch's front yard. The original Carmen Avenue is on the property’s east side. Her son’s (Sabas) historical cemetery lies in San Pedro, on the north side of the school. Her historical cemetery lies on the school's southeast side. Rancho Viejo, her father’s ranch, lies to its north.
Not only have the accomplishments of this great Latina woman gone unnoticed by Texas and local history, but the importance of her family's pioneer efforts in South Texas have been obscured by time and the myopia of Anglo historians.Doña Estefana was one of the pioneer Latinas who came to South Texas bringing with them the civilizing agents of education and religion. She was born in Camargo, Mexico, in 1782 (the Rio Grande wasn't a border then) and died in 1867 on her El Carmen ranch at 85.
Until the settlers came, the land was inhabited by wandering native nomads who, as far as we know today, neither cultivated the land nor developed it. With the coming of Salvador de la Garza (her father and grantee of the Espiritu Santo Land Grant), all that changed.
De la Garza – needing more grazing land – relocated his family from south of the river at about 1770, established
a ranch on the north bank of the Rio Grande near the mouth, named it Rancho Viejo, becoming the first white settlement in the area near Brownsville, Texas (the site is today marked by a state historical marker placed by the Texas Historical Society - 1936).
a ranch on the north bank of the Rio Grande near the mouth, named it Rancho Viejo, becoming the first white settlement in the area near Brownsville, Texas (the site is today marked by a state historical marker placed by the Texas Historical Society - 1936).
De la Garza later applied for a grant to the surrounding land in 1772. The grant "El Potrero del Espiritu Santo" was officially bestowed to De la Garza by King Charles III of Spain on September 26, 1781. It encompassed fifty-nine and one-half leagues (263,369.9 acres) in what is today Cameron County, Texas.
When the river levee system was constructed, they built a part of it over the family cemetery, although part of remained intact on the southern side. The late P. G. Cavazos, her great-great grandson, from San Pedro, was instrumental in getting the Texas Historical Commission to erect a marker on Doña Estefana's family cemetery off Military Highway where she and her family once operated her ranching empire.
When the river levee system was constructed, they built a part of it over the family cemetery, although part of remained intact on the southern side. The late P. G. Cavazos, her great-great grandson, from San Pedro, was instrumental in getting the Texas Historical Commission to erect a marker on Doña Estefana's family cemetery off Military Highway where she and her family once operated her ranching empire.
Hers was one of the first ones established in Cameron County, El Carmen Ranch that was named after Doña Estefana’s daughter. Rancho Viejo was established by her father in 1770. El Carmen Avenue, named after her daughter, connected these two ranches. Santa Rita (now Villanueva, and the first seat of Cameron County) was also founded by Doña Estefana.
Cavazos said Doña Estefana would always make sure a chapel was built on every new ranch that was founded. Also, she made made every effort for her children to receive an education, and they, in turn, set up schools in the ranches for the sons and daughters of her ranch hands.
Thus, this pioneer woman, in fact, initiated the custom and culture of education long before the State of Texas, Cameron County, the City of Brownsville, or even the Brownsville Independent School District, existed. One of her sons (Jose Maria) went on to become a tax-assessor collector for the eventual Cameron County and another (Sabas) would become a wealthy and successful rancher dominating the local agrarian economy.
Her deeds and accomplishments are often overshadowed by the activities and controversy surrounding her youngest son, Juan Napomuceno "Cheno" Cortina. However, there is no reason why her impact on the economic and social development of the area should take a back seat to his activities.
In 1852, Charles Stillman, after taking over a valuable portion which included the 1,500 acres in the present city of Brownsville and Fort Brown, from the Espíritu Santo Grant, continued his assault on the Espíritu Santo Grant, leading to the Cortina raids, the worst border disturbances in Texas history.
Doña Estéfana and the families filed suit to defend their title against Stillman’s Land Company. On January 15, 1852, Judge J. C. Watrous ruled in favor of the heirs of the Espíritu SantoGrant, giving them title to the land on which Brownsville was being built.
In the legal maneuvering which followed, Stillman's attorney Samuel Belden steered the courts and state authorities so that Stillman ended up cheating his partners and with the deed to the Cavazos land.
Doña Estéfana, her families and her son, "Cheno" Cortina, suspected that the lawyers had worked together against the heirs of the grant. Their suspicions seemed well founded.
Doña Estéfana, her families and her son, "Cheno" Cortina, suspected that the lawyers had worked together against the heirs of the grant. Their suspicions seemed well founded.
There are indications that it was a series of clever, legal maneuvers that gained Stillman the land and the Cavazos families had to sacrifice to obtain even a measure of justice. Owners of the land grant had to sacrifice the land on which Brownsville stood, and a league of land (4,428 acres) from Doña Estéfana's property was paid to attorneys in order to get them to secure her title to the rest of the grant.
Proof of ownership was something the owners of the land grants had to do over and over.
After gaining confirmation of title to the other fifty-eight leagues that made up the grant, Doña Estéfana gave up her title to the Brownsville land for $1.
After gaining confirmation of title to the other fifty-eight leagues that made up the grant, Doña Estéfana gave up her title to the Brownsville land for $1.
Fighting Stillman and company might have cost Doña Estéfana and her family the entire Espíritu Santo Grant, so the compromise was probably a wise decision. Concerning the litigation, many Americans felt that the whole Espíritu Santo Grant should have been thrown out on grounds that the owners were Mexicans.
Veterans Memorial High School built buy the Brownsville Independent School District is literally in the old La Carmen ranch's front yard. The original Carmen Avenue is on the property’s east side. Her son’s (Sabas) historical cemetery lies in San Pedro, on the north side of the school. Her historical cemetery lies on the school's southeast side. Rancho Viejo, her father’s ranch, lies to its north.
In other words, this is the very land where Doña Estefana was proselytizing and spreading the good message of religion and education.
Her descendants include members of virtually every original family in South Texas. The Cavazos, Cortinas, Olivieras, Trevinos, Zavaletas (Dr. Tony Zavaleta, now a Texas Southmost trustee was once the Dean of Exterior Affairs at UTB-TSC and is her great-great-great grandson), Salinas, Tijerinas, De la Garzas, De Leon, etc., all trace their distinct roots to this great woman who came to South Texas and built it with her own hands.
It would have ben appropriate that if the BISD (and the BHA) wanted to honor the contributions of this pioneer Latina woman, some sort of recognition for her could be placed on the very land that she helped to settle and make productive.
Her descendants include members of virtually every original family in South Texas. The Cavazos, Cortinas, Olivieras, Trevinos, Zavaletas (Dr. Tony Zavaleta, now a Texas Southmost trustee was once the Dean of Exterior Affairs at UTB-TSC and is her great-great-great grandson), Salinas, Tijerinas, De la Garzas, De Leon, etc., all trace their distinct roots to this great woman who came to South Texas and built it with her own hands.
It would have ben appropriate that if the BISD (and the BHA) wanted to honor the contributions of this pioneer Latina woman, some sort of recognition for her could be placed on the very land that she helped to settle and make productive.
It would have constituted a source of pride and self-esteem to our young Hispanic female students and provide a role model to emulate. It would also recognize the contributions of Latina women to our area, a subject that has been neglected for way too long.
6 comments:
Mr. Montoya,
Please forward this article to local history teachers in BISD and/or other schools. See if they will include a "real" teaching prop. Thanks for sharing.
Rosa María Hinojosa de Ballí | Humanities Texas
In 1790, the woman now known as the first "cattle queen" of Texas—Rosa María Hinojosa de Ballí—inherited fifty-five thousand acres in what is now South Texas. Her father and husband had applied to the Spanish crown for the land, but both died before their request was approved.
But tax funded by more than 90% hispanic property tax payers the Brownsville Museum reminds us of the racism still ingrained in local gringos and cocos, that dream of going back into the 19th century, when they were in power.
ITS TIME TO DE-FUND THIS RACIST ORGANIZATION!!!! NOW!
Great to see this topic brought back to our minds. I have done a research on this topic and have used many references that validate this information through various sources, including the Esparza family from El Ranchito. I am wondering why one of our city
commissioners had the bike trail named after the same attorney that worked with Stillman to get some of the land, being that she is part of the Zavaletta Family that claims to be a part of the de la Garza Clan. Mensa, sonsa - Belten Bike trail and I bet you do not even know the historical aspect of it, Rose.
Rose a coco could care less, all she wants is recognition by the gringos and she loves glorification but by gringos only, not meskins. Beyond a COCO, fat and ugly...
VOTE HER OUT NOW USELESS IDIOTA lambiendo a los gringos.
First of all, lets address the Yturria's, issue, Yturria was Charles Stillman's right-hand man, and he was supposedly the bastardo son of a Confederate soldier, and his mother was a Mexican Mojada given to the Trevino's. Yturria played a big part of making sure this Historical Land grant heir woman, Dona Estefana Goseacochea de Cavazos was defrauded of her land grant. Juan Cortina the so-called bandido was her son and he was a TRUE HEIR grantee to Salvador de la Garza's land grant, bestowed by the Sovereign King of Spain. Cortina was a Hispanic with Ancestral rights not like the squatters Charles Stillman and his corrupt partner Mifflin Kenedy. According to this article if Charles Stillman in 1852 did indeed have possession or title to this land grant and to the Fort Brown, how is it that Miguel Salinas, the owner of the land where Fort Brown sits on, (Miguel purchased the land from Dona Josefa Cavazos in the 1840's) made a United States war claim with Zachary Tayor on April 24, 1846, taking inventory of his plantation which was taken as a fort known as Fort Brown. This United States war claimed was made on April 24, 1846, two years before the 1848 Treaty of Guadulupe of Hidalgo recognizing the Ancestors of these land grants as the true owners of these lands. This in itself is proof that in 1852 four years after the Treaty Charles Stillman and his corrupt compadres defrauded the Land Grant Heirs of their land, four years after the Treaty. This Miguel Salinas Fort Brown war claim has been challenged in courts. This is very much the way the Cameron County Judicial system is run today. Mordida. This is my opinion.
Quit Deed was made law just to rob all the hispanics of their lands. quit deeds were merely a gimmic by the gringos , most hispanics kept their land titles at home but when the gringos got here and took over all the law offices a law was passed that all land titles had to be filed at the court house. Hispanics did not trust los gringos so they kepth their land titles at home.
The law at that time stated that if you see land unattended you could quit deep the area and it became yours. So most of the lands here were quit deed. Since no titles for those lands existed at the court house the quit deeder was now the new owner. LOOK IT UP AND YOU MIGH JUST FIND THIS HISTORY.
A big fire took place at the court house and all files were burned. how convenient.
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