John Closner (1853–1932) was an early

Hidalgo County, Texas Hidalgo County (; ) is located in the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat is Edinburg and the largest city is McAllen. The county is named for Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the priest who raised the call for Mexico's independence from Spain. It ...

developer, rancher, and

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

boss of

South Texas South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of—and includes—San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 4.96 ...

. He became Hidalgo County Sheriff in 1890 and under the protection of James B. Wells Jr., became the county's political boss. During his rule he brought peace to the county and was seen as such an effective leader that he was nicknamed the "father" of Hidalgo County.

Biography

Early years

John Closner was born on March 24, 1853, in New Glarus,

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

the son of Swiss parents John and Elizabeth (Blumer) Closner. He moved to Texas in 1870 and settled in

Bosque County Bosque County ( ) is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,235. Its county seat is Meridian, while Clifton is the largest city and the cultural/financial center of th ...

, before moving to

Rio Grande City, Texas Rio Grande City is a city in and the county seat of Starr County, Texas. The population was 14,411 at the time of the 2020 census. The city is west of McAllen. The city also holds the March record high for the United States at . The city is co ...

in 1883 with only sixteen dollars. Closner is credited for pioneering farming and irrigation in Hidalgo County. Closner died on June 3, 1932, in

Brownsville, Texas Brownsville () is a city in Cameron County in the U.S. state of Texas. It is on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the border with Matamoros, Mexico. The city covers , and has a population of 186,738 as of the 2020 census. It ...

, the city to which he moved in 1923 with his family to retire. Today, a major boulevard in

Edinburg, Texas Edinburg ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. Its population was 74,569 as of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, and in 2019, its estimated population was 101,170, making it the second-largest city ...

bears his last name.Closner, John , The Handbook of Texas Online, Texas State Historical Association (TSHA)
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Closner, John 1853 births 1932 deaths People from New Glarus, Wisconsin People from Bosque County, Texas People from Rio Grande City, Texas People from Hidalgo County, Texas People from Brownsville, Texas Texas Democrats Ranchers from Texas