Ramón Músquiz

Don Ramón Músquiz (1797–1867) was governor of Texas from 1830 to 1831 and in 1835. He promoted the increase of population in Texas and peaceful relations of its population, regardless of their nationalities.^[1]

Biography

Don Ramón González Músquiz was born in 1797 in San Antonio, Texas.^[2] He was son of Miguel Francisco Músquiz, a military officer, and Catarina Gonzales. Early 1820s, Musquiz undertook a series of business trips through the province.^[3] After living a time in Monclova, in what is now the Mexican state of Coahuila, working as postmaster, ^[1] he returned in San Antonio by the end of 1823, where he opened a store and participated in local political affairs. In July 1825 he was named secretary to the political chief, keeping the charge until August 1827. In January 1828 he was appointed by the governor of Coahuila and Texas as political chief of the Department of Texas. During this mandate, Músquiz lobbied for Anglo settlers, particularly on the issue of slavery, trade in contraband and Amerindian attacks. He also tried to mediate disputes taking place between the settlers and the national authorities, although he rejected the extralegal convention in San Felipe, in October 1832 and he began to distrust the intentions of the Anglo-Americans. Anyway, during the years of his mandate, in several of his letters to the viceroy of New Spain, he complained about the establishment of a foreign colony in Austin, because its inhabitants were speaking English, not Spanish, the official language of Texas.^[1] He resigned to office in July 7, 1834, citing health reasons. Anyway, even after leaving the office of a political chief, Músquiz continued to participate in public affairs and he had a strong allegiance to Mexico. ^[3]

He was raised in an environment where he lived with presidio soldiers and settlers, both Spanish and Mexicans and Anglos, mostly of northern Texas. Coming from a Basque family, his life was spent in the company of missionary friars and people from Canarian and Basque origins like himself. He developed friendships with prominent families, such as the Leal, Arocha or Veramendi. With these influences, he was appointed acting governor of Coahuila and Texas in the early 1830s (although he resigned in 1831, being replaced by Juan Martin de Veramendi, friend of him) ^[2] and lieutenant governor of the Federalist Agustín Viesca in 1835.^[2][3] Moreover, it was after the arrest of Viesca and the National Congress annulled his election in early summer 1835,^[3] when, during the Texas Revolution, Ramon Muzquiz was appointed governor of Texas in early 1835, in the presence of President General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana,^[2] but he never took office^[3] and in May of that year, he submitted his resignation the office citing "family reasons". ^[2]

Martín Perfecto de Cos reelected him as a political chief and, in December 1835, Cos appointed to assist in the negotiations between the Mexican army and the Texans at the Siege of Bexar. Músquiz assisted in the identification of the bodies of the defenders of the Alamo.^[3]

Muzquiz, knew the effects and consequences of central power and its impact on Texas.^[2] So, in 1836, he moved with his family in the colonial city of Monclova, ^[3][2] where in addition to experience security of his nation, lived some of his relatives, including his sister Josefa Muzquiz, who was the mother of the first medicine man of Monclova, Don Simón Blanco.

Known by people of Monclova its experience in Texas government, he was appointed political prefect as ad interim in 1853 and 1858. In addition, he was one of the largest shareholders in terms of water rights, in the bags of water from San Francisco and San Miguel (now part of the Pueblo), to whose inhabitants he championed for endorse guarantees to the state government of Nuevo Leon and Coahuila, headed by former resident of Monclova, Santiago Vidaurri Valdés.

While he defended him, the government that he represented, required the delivery to ecclesiastical authorities all the funds in support of the army of the north, where they fought many of the inhabitants of Monclova. Following this, in 1857, Father José María Villarreal Montemayor, claimed the water from the Confraternity of the Immaculate, property of the inhabitants of the village of San Francisco in Tlaxcala, and, although he gave a large sum of money, he got to be given title of ownership. He refused to deliver the flow of the confraternity of the Virgin of Zapopan, that he previously divided among his family, forcing the political boss Don Ramón Múzquiz, to banish him sending him into exile (he return to years later).^[2] He briefly returned to Texas in late 1850 to reclaim abandoned land at its output.^[3] On 27 November 1867, after evacuating Jeaningros French troops in Monclova, he died.^[2]

Family

Don Ramon Muzquiz married with Tejano^[2] Francisca Castañeda^[2][3] in San Antonio on December 16, 1823^[3] and together they had two sons in 1830: Francisca and Ramón Músquiz Castañeda^[3] (who followed the example of his father occupied for long periods of Monclova political leadership and the mayor). More later, they also had other son: Octaviano Múzquiz (who served for a time as mayor of Monclova, was wounded, he entered the city on October 18, 1871, by the forces of Comanchero Pedro Advíncula Valdés, on November dying due to shooting).^[2]

References

External links

• Briscoe Center for American History: A Guide to the Ramón Músquiz Documents, 1831, 1833, 1834, 1859
• Don Ramon Musquiz to José Maria Letona, on land claims of the Cherokees, 1831, September 25, 1831
• Ramon Musquiz Grant Land - Thomas Haynes of Texana
• TL Ramon Musquiz is granted 5-1/2 leagues