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A history book is full of people, places and events usually all connected together in some way, shape or form. But occasionally when walking........'in their footsteps', I have found myself walking a full circle back in time. This is the case of Juan Leal Goraz. Born in the year 1676 in Teguise. A small farmer making a living from the soil, married to Lucia Hernandez and the father of five children. In March 1730, Juan and his family immigrated along with other Canarian islanders. Juan, being the oldest among fifteen families was put in charge during the voyage. During their long trip, Juan's wife became ill and died. They arrived in early June at Veracruz, Mexico where Juan's leadership was reaffirmed by the Mexican viceroy before he led the colonization of the Villa de San Fernando. Juan became the first mayor and died in the Villa de San Fernando in March 1743 and was buried near what is now the San Fernando Cathedral. Today Villa de San Fernando is a city called San Antonio in the state of Texas.
"We were no more than a group of barely literate farmers in an unknown land...."
"We have come from afar and suffered much hardship along the way in order to set foot on this promised land in the name of King Felipe V, God Save the King. This land seems even better than they had said it would be. Water is plentiful here whereas in our homeland, where we endured extensive droughts, we were crying out for water..."
"The success of our achievements here depends on other Canarians uprooting and coming over to this magnificent land as well, so leaving behind the misery they suffer on our native islands"
Juan Leal Goraz
"The founding of San Antonio Texas, 1730"
I have put together a few photos where Juan would have prayed, his market place, and doors that he and his family surely walked through during his life. |
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