José Félix Trespalacios (died August 4, 1835) was the first

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

of Coahuila y Texas as part of the

United Mexican States Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

Career

Trespalacios was a member of the militia in Chihuahua but then in 1814 was charged with organizing rebellion and was sentenced to death. His sentence was reduced to ten years in prison, but he escaped and joined the forces of Sebastián González (or Gonzales). He was captured again in 1816 and was imprisoned at

San Juan de Ulúa San Juan de Ulúa, now known as Castle of San Juan de Ulúa, is a large complex of fortresses, prisons and one former palace on an island of the same name in the Gulf of Mexico overlooking the seaport of Veracruz, Mexico. Juan de Grijalva' ...

but managed to escape. At this point Trespalacios fled to

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and joined forces with James Long, becoming part of the second

Long Expedition The Long Expedition was an 1819 attempt to take control of Spanish Texas by filibuster (military), filibusters. It was led by James Long (filibuster), James Long and successfully established a small independent government, known as the ''Repu ...

after the first part of it was destroyed in

Nacogdoches Nacogdoches ( ) is a city in East Texas and the county seat of Nacogdoches County, Texas, United States. The 2020 U.S. census recorded the city's population at 32,147. Stephen F. Austin State University is located in Nacogdoches and specia ...

. He then joined forces with Benjamin Rush Milam and invaded the Yucatan. Trespalacios went to

Campeche Campeche, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Campeche, is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, make up the Administrative divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. Located in southeast Mexico, it is bordered by the sta ...

, where he was arrested and locked up in prison. However, later he was released by Iturbide.Handbook of Texas online article on Trespalacios
/ref> Thus, he later became

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

of cavalry by the regency.Jackson, Jack (2005)
Indian Agent: Peter Ellis Bean in Mexican Texas
Page 321. From August 1822 to April 1823 Trespalacios served as governor of Texas. From 1831 to 1833 he served as a member of the Mexican Senate from Chihuahua. On January 10, 1833, he was appointed inspector general and

commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...

of Chihuahua, before leaving the army on December 15, 1834. He died on August 4, 1835, in Allende, Chihuahua.

References

Sources

A database of early Texas history, see the part under the James Long expedition
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trespalacios, Jose Felix Mexican revolutionaries Members of the Senate of the Republic (Mexico) Governors of Mexican Texas 1835 deaths Year of birth missing