Jose Miguel de Arciniega
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (December 2017) |
Jose Miguel de Arciniega | |
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San Antonio, Texas | |
Occupation | Military explorer and legislator |
Jose Miguel de Arciniega (1793–1849) was a Mexican military explorer and legislator. He was mayor of
Biography
Early years
He was born in
This regiment was the only protection that Texas had. The United States insisted the Louisiana border extended to the
Jose Miguel de Arciniega was the third Arciniega generation as a mounted lancer. His son, Jose Miguel Cristoval also became a mounted lancer, making him the fourth generation. Jose Miguel was a mounted lancer from 1810 to 1836. The Second Flying Company of San Carlos de Parras disband in 1836 after the formation of the Republic of Texas. Within these years, Jose Miguel was an emissary for Spain and captain of a military exploratory party. By the year 1819 there were still French settlers in Louisiana living among Anglos. Jose Miguel was linguistic. He was assigned as a secret agent by Spain to gather information on the whereabouts and the movements of both enemies of Spain; France and the United States making it essential for Jose Miguel to be fluent in Spanish, English and French. Jose Miguel also had fluency in several different dialects of native Indians.
Jose Miguel Arciniega fought in the Mexican revolutionary war with his father Gregorio Arciniega and uncle Felipe Arciniega. The people of Texas, Mexico, had to build their newly won motherland. The state of Coahuila and the state of Texas were joined together as one state. Texas was now Coahuila and Texas. Coahuila and Texas was an untamed frontier land. Throughout many years of wars, skirmishes, and Indian deprivations, the land needed to be settled throughout. The Tejanos did not have the money to restore their new state and country. The continuous Indian raids made it difficult to colonize Coahuila and Texas. Jose Miguel had been commissioned by the Mexican Supreme Government to have peace talks with the hostile Native Indians to promote peace with the Indians so they could all live together.
Career as a politician
On October 21, 1822
In 1823, Jose Miguel was a legislator for the State of
In 1826 Arciniega was ordered to have peace talks with Chief Richard Fields of the
In 1830 Jose Miguel was appointed Land commissioner for
It was in this year that Jose Miguel wrote a letter to State Representative, Juan Vicente Campos requesting that Compos would present Jose Miguel's proposal with the support of Francisco Xavier Bustillos, Ignacio Chaves, Jose Flores, Jose Maria de Cardenas to place Maritime Customs Houses; one at the Bay of San Bernardo, one at the port of Galveston, and a land check point at the border with Nacogdoches hoping to populate these areas. Custom houses and the check point were to stop pirates, and contraband from coming in and to increase the commerce for Coahuila and Texas in the import and export industries within a few years.
From 1832 to 1835 Jose Miguel was approved by the Mexican Supreme Government to purchased 11 leagues of land that is equivalent to 48,703 acres of land in the neutral land or buffer zone between Northern Texas and Louisiana's US border. The 48,703 acres of lands were split up in present-day
On December 11, 1835, Jose Miguel was appointed by General
In 1846 during the Mexican War and the Annexation of the Republic of Texas to become Texas, United States, Arciniega secured the Rio Grande border for United States as a Captain. On May 13, 1849, Arciniega died an untimely death at the age of fifty-six only a few blocks from his home in downtown San Antonio. His exact final resting place is unknown. He is in the vicinity of the hallowed ground of the old Campo Santo Cemetery; currently, under Benjamin Milam Park and the Santa Ana Hospital in San Antonio, Texas.
Legacy
There is an unfinished fountain on the west side of the park that was built in the 1990s by the City of San Antonio. The face of the fountain has a summary of the history and a long list inscribed of the Tejano residents of San Antonio who were laid to rest in what used to be Campo Santo Cemetery. At this present day they are still underneath the downtown Benjamin Milam Park and the Santa Rosa Hospital. Jose Miguel Arciniega, Gregorio Arciniega, Maria Petra Arciniega, Mateo Arciniega along with hundreds more names can be visited at the Benjamin Milam Park, San Antonio, TX.
His descendants from the Jose Miguel Arciniega Descendants Society, (JMADS) named his first home the Arciniega House on his birthday September 22, 2013; presently still standing on the corner of Arciniega Street and South Presa Street; in the courtyard of the Marriott Plaza Hotel. He and his father, Gregorio Arciniega, built the small house in 1811. JMADS has installed a Texas Historical Marker on May 15, 2015, in front of his home for his loyalty and dedication to Texas. Arciniega is commemorated as a Maker of Texas by the
References
- ISBN 978-84-96577-93-0.
- ^ JOSE MIGUEL ARCINIEGA FLOREZ- International Genealogical Index- Mexico, Gender: Male Christening: 28 Sep 1793 Santa Rosa de Lima, Melchor Muzquiz, Coahuila, Mexico
- ^ Muster Roll of the Second Flying Company of San Carlos de Alamo de Parras; http://www.tamu.edu/faculty/ccbn/dewitt/adp/history/hispanic_hispanic_period/muster/chart/html
- ^ SECOND FLYING COMPANY OF SAN CARLOS DE PARRAS, Texas State Historical Association
- ^ Bexar Archives LGS 40, "Gregorio Arciniega", 4 pages, Bexar County Courthouse, Spanish Archives; San Antonio, TX.