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Juan José María Erasmo de Jesús Seguín y Fuentes (May 26, 1782 – October 30, 1857) was a prominent citizen and politician in San Antonio de Bexar (modern-day
San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...
,
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
, USA) in the 19th century. From 1807 until 1835, Seguín served as head postmaster of San Antonio, Texas. After Mexico achieved independence from Spain, Seguín was named the sole representative from Texas to the constitutional convention. He helped to draft the
Constitution of 1824 A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these princ ...
and was a major influence in the addition of a general colonization provision. Seguín assisted Stephen F. Austin in choosing land for the first colony of American settlers to immigrate to Texas. He later supported the
Texas Revolution The Texas Revolution (October 2, 1835 – April 21, 1836) was a rebellion of colonists from the United States and Tejanos (Hispanic Texans) against the Centralist Republic of Mexico, centralist government of Mexico in the Mexican state of ...
, providing political as well as material support. He was the father of Tejano revolutionary Juan Seguín.


Early life and his family

Juan Jose Maria Erasmo de Jesús Seguín was born on May 26, 1782, to a family of Spanish descent in San Antonio de Bexar (now San Antonio, Texas, USA). His paternal grandfather, Bartolomé Seguin, had moved to
Spanish Texas Spanish Texas was one of the interior provinces of the colonial Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1519 until 1821. Spain claimed ownership of the region in 1519. Slave raids by Spaniards into what became Texas began in the 16th century and created ...
from the Mexican interior soon after the founding of the town in 1718.Meier, Franco Serri, and Garcia (1997), p. 359. Seguin's parents, Santiago Seguín and Maria Guadalupe Fuentes, had seven children; Erasmo was the third. Seguin married María Josefa Becerra, daughter of a non-commissioned officer from
Presidio La Bahía The Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía, known more commonly as Presidio La Bahía, or simply La Bahía, is a fort constructed by the Spanish Army. It became the center of a community that developed into what is now the city of Gol ...
( Goliad, Texas), stationed at Bexar. Unusually for the times, Becerra could read and write. The couple had three children; two, including Juan Seguin, survived to adulthood.Edmondson (2000), p. 51. Erasmo Seguin helped to create the first public school in Bexar, which his son attended. Although the Seguin family lived in Bexar, on the south side of Main Plaza facing Nueva (between current Main and Dwyer), they also owned a
ranch A ranch (from /Mexican Spanish) is an area of landscape, land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle and sheep. It is a subtype of farm. These terms are most often ap ...
of located from Bexar in present Karnes County. The land had been purchased from the Missión San Antonio de Valero after its secularization. The ranch was named ''La Mora'', and by 1810 Seguin employed five ''
vaquero The ''vaquero'' (; , ) is a horse-mounted livestock herder of a tradition that has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula and extensively developed in what what is today Mexico (then New Spain) and Spanish Florida from a method brought to the Americ ...
s'' to work it. After 1824, he added a ranch located on present-day River Bend Golf Club near Floresville. On this estate he made a home, on a rise overlooking the
San Antonio River The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in midtown San Antonio, about 4 miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. It eventually feeds into the ...


it would become known as ''Casa Blanca''.de la Teja (1991), p. 5. Here, Seguin raised animals and farmed cotton and corn. It would become an important source of supply for the Texan army. Seguín received additional income from his appointment as postmaster; he served in this capacity from 1807 until 1835, with two brief breaks.de la Teja (1991), p. 4.


Mexican Revolution

During the
Mexican War of Independence The Mexican War of Independence (, 16 September 1810 – 27 September 1821) was an armed conflict and political process resulting in Mexico's independence from the Spanish Empire. It was not a single, coherent event, but local and regional ...
, Seguin likely sympathized with the rebellion. In January 1811, Juan Bautista de las Casas led a revolt in Bexar, overthrowing governor
Manuel María de Salcedo Manuel María de Salcedo y Quiroga, (1776 in Málaga, History of Spain (1700-1808), Spain – executed, April 3, 1813), was a governor of Spanish Texas, Texas from 1808 until his execution in 1813. Salcedo gained leadership experience helpin ...
and appointing himself head of a new Mexican state. His arbitrary rule caused much dissatisfaction within Texas, and Seguin helped to organize the counterrevolt that deposed de las Casas. A governing council was created to help lead the province until Spanish troops could regain control; Seguin held one of the seats. In 1813, Governor Salcedo was again overthrown, this time by the Republican Army of the North. They declared Texas an independent republic headed by José
Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara José Bernardo Maximiliano Gutiérrez de Lara (August 20, 1774 – May 13, 1841) was an advocate and organizer of Mexican independence and the first constitutional governor of the state of Tamaulipas, and a native of Revilla, today Nueva Ciudad ...
. During the invasion by the Gutiérrez-Magee Expedition, Seguin was in the United States on business. He returned carrying a letter from American authorities recommending that Gutierrez be replaced. While he was en route, the Spanish army, under José Joaquín de Arredondo, had defeated the invaders, killing 1300
Texians Texians were Anglo-American immigrants to Mexican Texas and, later, citizens of the Republic of Texas. Today, the term is used to identify early Anglo settlers of Texas, especially those who supported the Texas Revolution. Mexican settlers of tha ...
at the Battle of Medina, and resumed control of the province. Seguin's letter was found and confiscated, but he argued that he had been coerced into carrying it against his will. Arredondo did not believe Seguin's protests and labeled him a traitor. Seguin was dismissed from his position as postmaster and his property was confiscated. He was not, however, jailed.Edmonson (2000), p. 52. Several years later, Arredondo offered a blanket pardon to most ''
Tejano Tejanos ( , ) are descendants of Texas Creoles and Mestizos who settled in Texas before its admission as an American state. The term is also sometimes applied to Texans of Mexican descent. Etymology The word ''Tejano'', with a ''J'' instead ...
s''. Seguin refused the pardon and instead took his case to the courts. In 1818, the court cleared Seguin of all charges and he was able to regain his property and his postal position.Edmondson (2000), p. 53. In the summer of 1820, Seguin was elected ''
alcade ''Alcalde'' (; ) is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An ''alcalde'' was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian '' cabildo'' (the municipal counci ...
'', or mayor of Bexar. It would be just one of many of the municipal offices he would serve over the next two decades. In 1822, he was fully restored as postmaster and in 1825 he was appointed
quartermaster Quartermaster is a military term, the meaning of which depends on the country and service. In land army, armies, a quartermaster is an officer who supervises military logistics, logistics and requisitions, manages stores or barracks, and distri ...
of Presidio San Antonio de Bexar, a position he held for a decade.


Texas colonization

In the early 1820s, the Spanish government reversed a long-standing policy against immigration. For the first time, people would be allowed to settle in Texas from other countries, including the neighboring United States. In 1821, the governor of Spanish Texas, Antonio María Martínez, asked Seguin to act as ambassador to
Moses Austin Moses Austin (October 4, 1761 – June 10, 1821) was an American businessman and pioneer who played a large part in the development of the lead industry in the early United States, especially in southwest Virginia and Missouri. He was the fa ...
and inform him that he had been awarded the first colonization contract. Several months later, Seguin and
Juan Martín de Veramendi Juan Martin de Veramendi (December 17, 1778–1833) was a Spanish (1778-1821, Mexican independence) and Mexican (1821–1833) politician who served as governor of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas from 1832 until 1833. Veramendi was also ...
met Austin's son,
Stephen Stephen or Steven is an English given name, first name. It is particularly significant to Christianity, Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; he is w ...
at Natchitoches and escorted him into Texas. The small group explored a large area in eastern Texas. Three weeks into their trip, several of Seguin's employees found them to deliver the news that Mexico had been granted its independence from Spain.Edmondson (2000), p. 60. In its initial years of existence, Mexico was in much political turmoil. In late 1823, authorities called for a constitutional convention. Seguin was elected as the only delegate to represent Texas. For the next eight months, he and the other representatives worked to draft a constitution. The
Constitution of 1824 A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these princ ...
was signed in October 1824.Edmondson (2000), p. 71. The new Mexican constitution was similar to that of the United States, with the major exception that it established
Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
as the national religion.Edmondson (2000), pl 72. Against Seguin's protests, Texas was combined with Coahuila to form a new state,
Coahuila y Tejas Coahuila y Tejas, officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila y Tejas (), was one of the constituent states of the newly established United Mexican States under its 1824 Constitution. It had two capitals: first Saltillo (1822–1825) f ...
. Seguín did succeed in inserting language that allowed Texas to petition for independent statehood at a later date. He was also influential in gaining a provision for a
General Colonization Law The Colonization Law of August 18, 1824 was a Mexican statute allowing foreigners to immigrate to the country. Background Under Spanish rule, New Spain was populated almost solely with native peoples or Spanish settlers. Foreign immigration was fo ...
. In an extension of the Spanish policy of 1821, the colonization law would allow state governments to grant land to ''
empresario An empresario () was a person who had been granted the right to settle on land in exchange for recruiting and taking responsibility for settling the eastern areas of Coahuila y Tejas in the early nineteenth century. Since ''empresarios'' attract ...
s'', who could then allot it to individual colonists. The grants would be void after six years, however, if fewer than 100 colonists settled in the land grant. Among other issues he championed was a lessening of the restriction against Catholicism and slavery. After the convention ended, Seguin returned to Bexar. Seguín is listed as a slave owner in the 1820 US census, owning a "mulatto slave" named María Juliana Cureste.


Texas Revolution

Texas colonists held several meetings and conventions to discuss their grievances with Mexican governance. Most of these were considered illegal by contemporary Mexican law and lacked in attendance by native Texans.Davis, p.91-93. Austin tried to persuade Seguín to support the resolutions sought by the colonists. Austin went directly to San Antonio de Béxar to meet with Seguin after the Convention of 1833 adjourned on April 14.Davis, p.99. Seguin called a series of meetings, held from May 3 to 5, for prominent locals to discuss the convention proceedings. He was the only Béxar politician to fully support separate statehood.Barker (Jan 1943), p. 331. The
Texas Revolution The Texas Revolution (October 2, 1835 – April 21, 1836) was a rebellion of colonists from the United States and Tejanos (Hispanic Texans) against the Centralist Republic of Mexico, centralist government of Mexico in the Mexican state of ...
erupted in October 1835, and General Martin Perfecto de Cos arrived in Bexar to take command of all of the Mexican troops in Texas. Unlike most other residents of Bexar, Seguin remained at his home instead of fleeing to the countryside. His loyalty was questioned by Mexican authorities because his son Juan was also a prominent supporter of the rebellion. Before the end of the year, Cos forced him to leave the city. At the same time, Seguin was stripped of his position as postmaster; he would not regain the post.Edmondson (2000), p. 219. During the revolution, Seguin supplied the Texian army with beef, cattle, horses, and corn, as well as rockets for the storming of Bexar. Seguin would follow eastward with the Texians, during the
Runaway Scrape The Runaway Scrape events took place mainly between September 1835 and April 1836 and were the evacuations by Texas residents fleeing the Mexican Army of Operations during the Texas Revolution, from the Battle of the Alamo through the decisive Ba ...
. Bringing a large herd of sheep with him, he would end up eventually losing them. Seguin's ranch would also end up being raided and depleted by both the Texian and Mexican armies, who were scavenging for food. The
Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas (), or simply Texas, was a country in North America that existed for close to 10 years, from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846. Texas shared borders with Centralist Republic of Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande, an ...
did later award him compensation for his efforts to assist the army.


Later life

After the revolution, Erasmo tried to rebuild his wealth. Erasmo Seguín was named a Chief Justice of Bexar County from December 18, 1837, until January 9, 1840.Robert Stafford, Bexar County Past Judicial Records
Things were going well, but in 1842, the tide again turned against him. He was accused of being disloyal to Texas. Casa Blanca was raided by Texan rustlers and his cattle herds stolen. His son would end up fleeing the country for his life, suggesting that Erasmo should join him. However, Erasmo held on. Most other Anglo-Texans would trust and support Erasmo Seguin and nothing would become of the charges against him. In 1848, his son returned to the ranch, where Erasmo remained farming and ranching, until his death on October 30, 1857. Erasmo was buried next to his wife in the family plot on Casa Blanca, in Floresville, Texas.


See also


Notes


References

* * originally published 2004 by New York: Free Press * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Seguin, Erasmo People from San Antonio 1782 births 1857 deaths Tejano slave owners People of Spanish Texas Mayors of San Antonio Mexican people of Spanish descent Mexican people of French descent People of Mexican Texas People of the Texas Revolution Quartermasters Tejano politicians 19th-century mayors of places in Texas