Don Tomás Sánchez: frontier captain and pioneer, founder of Laredo and Nuevo Laredo

The Sánchez de la Barrera family that came to Mexico, when it was known as New Spain, has been described by one source as one of Northern Mexico’s oligarchic families, by definition, a small group of prominent people, usually of means, which control their government. The family traces its origins to Francisco Sánchez de la Barrera, a son of Juan Sánchez de Ortega and Juana María Márquez de la Barrera.

Francisco was a native of the town of Lepe in the Andalusian province of Huelva, Spain, and he crossed over to the New World in 1626 to settle in the province of Nuevo León. He came as a soldier in the company of Governor don Martín de Zavala.

Francisco was born in 1603 during the reign of Rey Felipe III (r.1598-1621), shortly after a plague the killed many inhabitants, and, in addition an economic depression that caused a significant emigration overseas. Francisco apparently came over to escape those dire conditions. He was well-educated, and in his adult life became a notary for the town of Monterrey. Francisco married María Durán, a Monterrey resident, and the daughter of Antonio Durán Uzcanga and Catalina de Treviño. They had nine children and Francisco, no doubt, acquired properties to increase his wealth and status. He died February 2, 1678.

Tomás Tadeo Sánchez de la Barrera y de la Garza, who would bring recognition to his family as the future founder of Laredo, Texas, USA, and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, was born June 4, 1709 in Ciénega de Flores in the Valle del Carrizal, where he met his future wife, Catarina de Uribe. They had 10 children. Widowed later, he married Teodora Yzaguirre, and they had two children. Instead of de la Garza, his mother’s surname, y Gallardo has been substituted, but the use of this appellation is obscure. In Spanish surnames the mother’s is used last causing confusion at times as to the proper surname. The father of Tomás was also named Tomás, and his mother was María Josefa de la Garza, and, to confuse genealogists, his grandfather was also named Tomás.

The early province of Nuevo Santander was officially established on September 1746 with José de Escandon as the first governor, who was been called the great colonizer. He was authorized by the viceroy of New Spain to establish various settlements in the province. Today this region is comprised of the State of Tamaulipas and the southern tip of the State of Texas.

One of the settlements was Villa de Nuestra Senora de Los Dolores petitioned by José Vásquez Borrego. Established August 22, 1750, it was the first Spanish Settlement on the northeast bank of the Rio Grande. The Villa de Dolores did not ultimately form into a proper township, but became, in effect, the private ranch of Borrego. Escandon authorized five other villas on the Rio Grande and Laredo was the last one to be established.

Early in his career, Sánchez was in the military in the army of the King of Spain, and managed large haciendas in the Province of Coahuila. He later settled across the river from the Villa de Dolores with his own ranch. He knew of a ford in the river ten leagues upriver where he had been pasturing some of his livestock. Sánchez knew that to increase his land and privileges he needed to start and populate his own settlement. This ford in the river was named the Paso de Jacinto for Jacinto de León, a soldier, who made note of it in one of his excursion reports. It was later called the Old Indian Crossing or Paso de los Indios, obviously, a natural route traveled by indigenous tribes coming to and from Mexico.

When Escandon traveled to the town of Revilla in 1754, another of the settlements on the river, Sánchez petitioned him to found his own. Escandon preferred to establish the next site on the Nueces River further up north, Unable to find a suitable place, Sánchez went back to his original location, and was authorized by Escandon to bring 12 families, and operate a ferry for travelers to cross the river, all expenses to be borne by Sánchez. The founding date of Laredo has been historically set as May 15, 1755, and it is celebrated as such every year. However, recent research by genealogist Guillermo Garmendia Leal reveals that the May date may have been the date authorized for Sánchez to move his families, but they did not arrive until August 25, 1755.

When they arrived the settlers immediately went about the task of erecting jacales, stone and adobe houses, and walls to protect against Indian raids. Laredo had been named for Laredo, Spain, located in a beautiful bay in Northern Spain, but this village bore little resemblance to its parent city.

Don Tomás was selected by Escandon because of his reputation, his respect as a military leader, and managerial skills evident in his ranch management background. Laredo’s site was selected because of its proximity to water, availability for cattle grazing, conversion of the natives to Christianity, and the abundant supply of labor.

The wife of Basilio Benavides, doña Encarnación García, who was born in 1798, described Sánchez as “un hombre güero,” a man of fair complexion with blue eyes and blond hair. The Sánchez and Garza families have Sephardic Jewish roots, persons who were converted to Catholicism up the line on a voluntary basis or, in many cases, involuntary by force, Sánchez, like Borrego before him, was given the title of captain and a grant consisting of 15 leagues of land. Herbert Eugene Bolton, the great historian of the Spanish frontier stated, “The superiority of Sánchez’s position over that of his neighbors is manifest. He was a veritable medieval lord.” At that time Sánchez owned most of the livestock, 500 horses, all the mules, two oxen, 50 cattle, and 2,000 sheep and goats. At that time, as always, the settlers were at the mercy of the river, flooding at times and running low with droughts. Dr. Jerry Thompson, of Texas A&M International University said, “The many citizens of Laredo owe Tomás Sánchez much. He, with a handful of colonists, carved a settlement and a way of life from the wilderness.” That year of 1755 predated the battles of Lexington and Concord, 20 years later.

Up to that time the lands of Laredo were held in common. The original 15 leagues of land were given to the town, but not to individuals. In 1767 ranchers from Revilla were developing ranches across the river, and trade had been increasing between the two sides. Citizens were concerned about a lack of title to their lands.

Spurred by reforms initiated by King Charles III, The viceroy of New Spain appointed a Royal Commission to survey the lands, and begin awarding land grants. José Fernando Palacios headed the task force accompanied by José de Ossorio y Llamas. There were considerable problems to overcome, but in the end numerous grants were awarded on both sides down the river that enabled the pioneers to obtain personal title to their lands and creating inheritances for the future 

Growing up in Laredo, I always wondered why a mostly Hispanic quaint border town would celebrate the annual birthday of George Washington, an important, but distant, American colonial figure. I discovered that this celebration was started in 1898 by a patriotic fraternal Masonic lodge named the Improved Order of the Red Men, Yaqui Tribe # 59. The organization had nothing to do with Native-Americans, as it was only open to white men, although they used their Indian symbolisms. Their organization was an offshoot of the Sons of Liberty, an American Revolution organization.

The Laredo lodge wanted to honor a great patriot, and who better, in their estimation, than the father of our country and a fellow Mason. This celebration was successful from the start, and it is a major event each year in Laredo with numerous events held around Washington’s birthday of February 22^nd.

Washington was truly the father of our country — defeating England over an eight-year period; chairing the Constitutional Convention that produced the greatest document of freedom in history; and as first president setting many protocols of the office that are followed by current presidents. Had he not been born, the United States could, today, possibly be a collection of English, Spanish, and French post-colonial third-world countries.

Washington was descended from Ferdinand III, perhaps Spain’s greatest king, also a warrior, and a saint. San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio is named after him. He was not Ferdinand, the husband of Queen Isabel, but a ruler 250 years earlier. St. Ferdinand’s daughter, Eleanor of Castile, married Edward the First, perhaps England’s greatest king, known as “Edward Longshanks.”

Seventeen generations later, George Washington was born. Historian Robert H. Thonhoff, from research by John D. Inclan of Phoenix, Arizona calls Washington “Our First Hispanic President.”

The late Nuevo Laredo genealogist Rodolfo González de la Garza, in one of his Mil Familias books, reported that one ancestral line of María Josefa de la Garza, the mother of Sánchez, was a linia de los reyes. He also traced her line to Ferdinand III, confirmed by similar research by Inclan. This means that Sánchez was a distant cousin of George Washington, and all his numerous descendants are probably his 17th-18^th cousins. This ironic genealogical connection perhaps documents why Laredo was meant to honor him each year.

María Josefa de la Garza had other prominent ancestors along the line connecting her to Spanish royalty. Some of them were the noble Oñate-Zaldivar conquistadors of New Mexico. Another prominent ancestor was Andrés de Tapia, perhaps the most trusted captain of Hernán Cortés in his conquest of Mexico. De Tapia left a relación, a description of his part in the conquest.

Don Tomás passed away on January 21, 1796, at the uncommon age at that time of 87 years. He must have been healthy through the ruggedness of his life, and perhaps a strong constitution. 

Early accounts of his life state that a High Mass was held for his funeral, but that his gravesite is unknown. It is possible that he was buried inside the early San Agustin Chapel since many prominent persons in those days chose burial there, and some underneath the main altar. A recent archaeological survey of the San Agustin property lends some credence to this.

In 1997, Archeology Consultants of George West, Texas conducted an archeological dig on the grounds of San Agustin Church. This dig was permitted in advance of improvements, including repaving the parking lots. The team uncovered a crypt and remains of an unidentified person, but it appeared to be a prominent citizen. Consulting archaeologist Jim Warren reported that the crypt located in front of the former St. Augustine School was significant among 14 burial sites and three building structures found in the excavation on the site of the original church/chapel which faced south and was located in front of the school complex. The site was 112 feet by 16 feet.

The crypt was located in a room behind the sanctuary, and the remains contained clothing with gold and silver braid in a military uniform. Webb County Archeological Society secretary Lily Perez participated in the exploration of the crypt, and entered its small space. She said the deceased was tall and his head had been turned sideways to fit in the coffin.

Pérez said that when the door to the crypt was removed, the remains were well-preserved. Was this don Tomás? This is circumstantial evidence, but a tooth was removed and preserved. Monsignor James Harris said at that time that if the appropriate person could be found, the church could pursue the DNA testing. Apparently this has not been done, but advisable.

On October 13, 2010, Hector Farias Jr. wrote a letter to the editor of The Laredo Morning Times, questioning the reason that Bishop James Tamayo has subsequently refused to allow another excavation. There is concern that the site could be flooded as water and sewer utility lines are in the adjacent street, and a rupture could wipe out the crypt. Many groups to date have petitioned Bishop Tamayo to relent on his decision to continue work to confirm the person in the crypt.

Farias recommended that an underground exhibit of the crypt would display early Spanish colonial burial customs, regardless of whether it is Sánchez who reposes there. The subterranean exhibit would attract citizens and visitors, and the Church could also charge an entrance fee as compensation for allowing the site improvements. Historical plaques could also narrate the early history of Laredo, San Agustin Church, and Spanish Colonial burial customs.

On Saturday, January 25, 2020 the veterans of this community under the auspices of the Juan Francisco Farias Veterans Museum Association will celebrate the 244^th anniversary on January 21^st of the passing and burial of Sánchez. It will be held that morning at San Agustin Plaza with numerous veterans associations represented.

Additional support is being provided by the City of Laredo. It will be an international event, since Sánchez is also the founder of Nuevo Laredo. The sister cities have always been comprised by the same families, and this event will exemplify a common bond, a shared history, and brotherhood.

A scale model of an equestrian statue of Sánchez will be unveiled, the work of Laredo artist Armando Hinojosa. This will complement the monument and statue already located in Nuevo Laredo.

In late 1938 a modest monument to Sánchez was unveiled at a park in Laredo. Historian Seb Wilcox, an official reporter for the 49th Judicial District in Laredo, sent a letter to renowned historian Herbert Eugene Bolton at the University of California in Berkeley, sending him an invitation to attend the dedication ceremony to be unveiled by three descendants of Sánchez.

Bolton was the father of borderlands history, a word he coined, and his work on the Spanish Colonial Period he deemed essential to understand the whole of American history. Bolton did not attend, but he sent Wilcox a letter dated November 1, 1938, stating he read his address of the life and work of Sánchez and had read it with great pleasure. He also thanked him for a picture of the ceremony saying. “I am much pleased to have the picture of the three charming descendants of don Tomas.” He mentioned that on his next trip to Laredo he would visit the monument, but I do not have a record that did so. 

This forthcoming tribute to a great historical figure of South Texas and Northern Mexico is long overdue. The late Colonel Ernesto Montemayor USAF-Ret., a pioneer genealogist, and a dear friend, once said that we die three times: first when we expire; secondly, when we are buried; and third, when we are forgotten. The many supporters of this forthcoming commemoration are to be commended for not forgetting the memory, life, and legacy of the founder of our joint municipalities.  They remind us that, what we are today, and the values that we hold, are due to persons like Sánchez who braved a hostile wilderness to give us a better New World. Our young people, especially, need to be made aware of this great heritage that can only enhance their self-esteem.

(Copyright © 2019 By George Farias; San Antonio, Texas; All Rights Reserved.)