Francisca Benavides Garcia was born in 1835 to Ramon Garza Garcia born in 1805 in Matamoros, Tamaulipas and Maria Antonia Garcia Benavides born in 1803 in Guerrero, Tamaulipas. Her parents were able to purchase land in San Pedro Carricitos grant from families that decided to leave. Francisca would inherit a portion of this land and she and her husband, Carlos Esparza, with this addition to their ranch were the largest land owners in San Pedro Carricitos. Francisca died in 1914 and the ranch was passed to their 5 sons and 3 daughters. Their sons all raised families on the ranch. Carlos, Francisca, their children and their spouses are buried in the Esparza Cemetery in El Ranchito, on Hwy 281 west of Brownsville, Texas.
Carlos Villarreal Esparza
1. CARLOS VILLARREAL 10 ESPARZA (PEDRO JOSE GUAJARDO 9, MANUEL ELIJIO ARISPE 8, DOMINGO GARCIA Y ESPARZA 7
TOMASA PEREZ ESPARZA DE GARCIA 6, CRISTOBAL GABAY RUIZ 5, LOPE EUGENIO RUIZ 4, LOPE ESPINOSA RUIZ 3, MARTIN VICI RUIZ 2, SIMON RUIZ 1.) was born 04 Nov 1828 in La Encantada Ranch, Matamoros,Tamaulipas, and died 25 Sep 1885 in La Encantada Ranch, Cameron Cty, TX. He married FRANCISCA BENAVIDES GARCIA 30 Jan 1850 in Immaculate Conception Church, ,Brownsville, Texas, daughter of RAMON GARCIA and MARIA BENAVIDES. She was born Abt 1834 in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, and died 21 Feb 1914 La Encantada Ranch, Cameron Cty, TX.
Notes for CARLOS VILLARREAL ESPARZA:
Carlos Esparza had been running La Encantada Ranch since before his father, Pedro’s death. Carlos was a good business man and a shrewd politician. During and after the Mexican American War he joined with Juan Cortina, another land owner in the area, to help the Mexican Americans protect their land from the new settlers coming from the north. When the war ended the Treaty Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed by the Mexican & U S. governments guaranteed the Mexican settlers to keep their land but many settlers from the United States wanted this land and tried to force the Mexican land owners back across the Rio Grande River into Mexico. The larger land owners and the ” Cortinistas” tried to organize and help the smaller owners protect their land. Though many lost their land and left the area the “Cortinistas” succeeded in protecting La Encantada Ranch and other ranches in the area. Carlos continued to manage the ranch until his father, Pedro’s death in about 1879. La Encantada was then divided by the heirs of Pedro and Felicidad. Carlos inherited 1/6th of the ranch from his parents. He also purchased the 1/6th inheritance of each of his two sisters Candalaria and Inez giving him one half of La Encantada Ranch. Carlos continued ranching on his portion of the land where he and his wife Francisca Garcia raised their family.
Carlos was a philosopher whose dichos have survived to this day. They were published in a book by R & E Research Associates, Inc. 4843 Mission Street, San Francisco. California 94112. The author of the 123 page book “Carlos Esparza: a Chicano Chronicle ” is Carlos Larralde. Carlos Larralde is a member of the Esparza family through Francisca Esparza Montalvo (daughter of Jose Garcia Esparza & Rufina Sayas).
Children of CARLOS ESPARZA and FRANCISCA GARCIA are:
i. JOSE GARCIA11 ESPARZA, b. 08 Jul 1856, La Encantada, Cameron County , Texas; d. 13 Jan 1927, El Ranchito, Cameron Cty. TX; m. (1) RUFINA GARCIA SAYAS, 17 Dec 1877, Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas; b. 1858, Cameron County , Texas; d. Abt 1888, El Ranchito ( Esparza Cemetery,Large Boveda), Cameron County , Texas; m. (2) UNKNOWN; m. (3) TIMOTEA H.; b. 1884; m. (4) VIRGINIA CAVAZOS REYES, 28 Dec 1895, Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas; b. 23 Mar 1875, Veladeros, Texas; d. 12 Mar 1967, El Ranchito, Cameron Cty, TX.
ii. ROMAN GARCIA ESPARZA, b. 12 Feb 1858, La Encantada, Cameron County, Texas; d. 23 Jul 1944, Cameron County , Texas; m. PETRA CANTU LERMA, 09 Oct 1876, Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas; b. 22 Nov 1861, Cameron County, Texas; d. 28 Nov 1960, Cameron Cty, TX.
iii. ROSALIO GARCIA ESPARZA, b. 04 Sep 1860, La Encantada, Cameron County, Texas; d. 03 Mar 1935, Cameron County , Texas; m. NESTORA GARCIA SAYAS, 20 Dec 1880, Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas; b. 1865; d. May 1941, El Ranchito, Cameron County, Texas- Esparza Cemetey.
iv. ANTONIO GARCIA ESPARZA, b. 24 Jul 1865, La Encantada, Cameron County, Texas; d. 29 Apr 1935, Cameron County , Texas; m. MARIA HILARIA CAVAZOS REYES, 24 Apr 1887, Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas; b. 1870, Cameron County , Texas; d. 1945, Cameron County , Texas.
v. CARLOTA GARCIA ESPARZA, b. 1870, La Encantada, Cameron County, Texas; d. 12 Dec 1933, El Ranchito, Cameron Cty, TX.
vi. FELIPA GARCIA ESPARZA, b. 1872, La Encantada, Cameron County, Texasy , Texas; d. 10 May 1925, El Ranchito, Cameron Cty.TX.
vii. JUAN F. GARCIA ESPARZA, b. 11 Jul 1875, La Encantada, Cameron County, Texas, Texas; d. 27 Apr 1950, El Ranchito, Cameron Cty, TX; m. GUADALUPE TAMAYO, 19 Jul 1893, Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas; b. Sep 1872, Cameron County , Texas; d. 04 Dec 1919, El Ranchito, Cameron Cty. Texas.
viii. MARIARITA GARCIA ESPARZA, b. 12 May 1880, La Encantada, Cameron County, Texas; d. 04 Apr 1940, El Ranchito, Cameron Cty. Texas; m. ANTONIO PAULINO VARA COY, 20 Jun 1903, Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas; b. 13 Jun 1854, San Antonio, Texas; d. 10 Dec 1908, Cameron Cty. Texas.
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