For two and a half centuries Tejanos have lived and ranched on the land of South Texas, establishing many homesteads and communities. This modest book tells the story of one such family, the Sáenzes, who established Ranchos San José and El Fresnillo. Obtaining land grants from the municipality of Mier in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, these settlers crossed the Wild Horse Desert, known as Desierto Muerto, into present-day Duval County in the 1850s and 1860s. Through the simple, direct telling of his family’s stories, Andrés Sáenz lets readers learn about their homes of piedra (stone) and sillares (large blocks of limestone or sandstone), as well as the jacales (thatched-roof log huts) in which people of more modest means lived. He describes the cattle raising that formed the basis of Texas ranching, the carts used for transporting goods, the ways curanderas treated the sick, the food people ate, and how they cooked it. Marriages and deaths, feasts and droughts, education, and domestic arts are all recreated through the words of this descendent, who recorded the stories handed down through generations. The accounts celebrate a way of life without glamorizing it or distorting the hardships. The many photographs record a picturesque past in fascinating images. Those who seek to understand the ranching and ethnic heritage of Texas will enjoy and profit from Early Tejano Ranching.

In Texas, to hear the words “Duval County” evokes Archie and George Parr, politics, and corruption. But this does not represent the full truth about this South Texas county and its Tejano citizens. Duval County Tejanos accentuates the significance and meaning of place, showcasing Tejanos as historical actors, not bit players. This cultural region comprises la familia, las costumbres, la fe católica, y las comidas. And we must not leave out la política. Tejanos were engaged in community life: they organized politically, cultivated land, and promoted agriculture, livestock raising, the local economy, churches, schools, patriotic celebrations, and social activities. Americano newcomers sought to start and develop a trade economy, but Mexicanos wanted to make sure they held on to their land. The Civil War stunted economic and governmental development but did not prevent the population growing in numbers and diversity, including the arrival of Americanos in more significant numbers. Still, old-time pioneers and newcomers joined hands to build a faith community, develop schools, improve transportation, and bring commerce to serve their needs. In 1876 Duval County citizens formally petitioned Nueces County for the opportunity to organize themselves. When the railroad rolled into the county seat, San Diego, in 1879, their world changed forever. During the last quarter of the nineteenth century, the Duval County economy exhibited vitality and adaptability—sheep and cattle raising and cotton farming anchored and sustained the local economy. Moreover, Texas land programs opened opportunities to previously landless Tejano farmers. Duval County Tejanos continued to be alarmed as Americanos were cementing their political influence out of proportion to their numbers. In the 1870s Tejanos pursued organized politics to attain fairness and acquire political power corresponding to their population. In the twentieth century the political atmosphere intensified as Tejanos pushed forward their agenda of assuming their proper role, consistent with their numbers. Ultimately, the Americano actors were replaced by new faces more willing to share in the power structure, both politically and economically, and Tejanos achieved political strength commensurate with their numbers.

This is a pathbreaking study of Tejano ranchers and settlers in the Lower Río Grande Valley from their colonial roots to 1900. The first book to delineate and assess the complexity of Mexican-Anglo interaction in south Texas, it also shows how Tejanos continued to play a leading role in the commercialization of ranching after 1848 and how they maintained a sense of community. Despite shifts in jurisdiction, the tradition of Tejano land holding acted as a stabilizing element and formed an important part of Tejano history and identity. The earliest settlers arrived in the 1730s and established numerous ranchos and six towns along the river. Through a careful study of land and tax records, brands and bills of sale of livestock, wills, population and agricultural censuses, and oral histories, Alonzo shows how Tejanos adapted to change and maintained control of their ranchos through the 1880s, when Anglo encroachment and changing social and economic conditions eroded most of the community's land base.

This collection of nearly one hundred photographs from the estate of amateur photographer William Hoffman captures the cosmopolitan town of San Diego at a vibrant moment in its history between 1898 to 1909. Grouped into the categories women at home, homes about town, men at work, children at school and church, families and friends, and entertainment, the photos offer an immediate visual understanding of the cultural and economic life of the community, enhanced by captions that identify the subjects and circumstances of the photos. An introductory historical chapter constitutes the first published history of Duval County, which was one of the most important areas of South Texas in the early twentieth century.

In The Mexican Texans, author Phyllis McKenzie uses historical narrative and a wealth of photographs to explore how time has shaped the identity of Mexican Texans and their continued contribution in the Lone Star State through more than six generations. With vivid descriptions of the language, music, values, and celebrations that enrich Mexican Texan life, this book will appeal to readers young and old who are interested in Texas and Mexican history. Features include · 58 illustrations · boxed biographical sketches · Spanish poetry with English translation · recipes for traditional Mexican Texan dishes The Mexican Texans is part of a five-volume set from the Institute of Texan Cultures. The entire set, entitled Texans All, explores the social and cultural contributions made by five distinctive cultural groups that already existed in Texas prior to its statehood or that came to Texas in the early twentieth century: The Indian Texans, The Mexican Texans, The European Texans, The African Texans, and The Asian Texans.

What began in the 1880s, when former students gathered to live over again their college days, became in the 1940s the sacred tradition of current and former students congregating to read aloud a roll call honoring deceased Aggies. This tradition is Muster—an enshrined and enduring legacy of Texas A&M University and a solemn symbol of togetherness, as evidenced by the more than 300 Musters held in locations worldwide every April 21. Muster is how the Aggie Spirit, comprising every Aggie who has ever lived, is remembered and celebrated. In “Here”: The Muster Speeches at Texas A&M University, Jerry Cullum Cooper presents the 72 keynote addresses delivered on the university’s campus in College Station to date. The restoration of these speeches proved challenging, as many were hidden in archives and newspaper fragments and others on phonograph recordings. Within these speeches are the commanding voices of military heroes such as Dwight D. Eisenhower and James Earl Rudder and the stirring words of political leaders, including former Texas governor Allan Shivers, and Aggie trailblazers like Frederick D. McClure, the university’s first African American student body president. Together, these voices represent the Aggie Spirit, giving us historical snapshots and perspectives of the university, the state, and the country spanning two centuries. Most importantly, they continue a hallowed tradition that honors those who have gone before and inspires those who remain. Whether a reference for future speechwriters or a unique look into university history, “Here”: The Muster Speeches at Texas A&M University is a celebrated and necessary addition to every Aggie collection.