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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud members of the Perez family and residents of |
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Starr County are gathering on April 1, 2017, for the dedication of |
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an Official Texas Historical Marker at Rancho San Jose de la Mulada; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, This historic South Texas ranch dates back to |
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December 1787, when Don Pedro Jose Perez, an early settler, |
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purchased Porcion 74 from Pedro Lugo, who had been granted the land |
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by the king of Spain in 1767; and |
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WHEREAS, Although some families lost their land after the end |
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of the Mexican American War in 1848, Santiago Perez, the son of Don |
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Pedro, was able to retain possession of Porcion 74, and by the |
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1870s, the property had come to be known as Rancho San Jose de la |
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Mulada; at that time, it was home to more than 30 residents who |
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lived in five houses and looked after the ranch's sheep, goats, |
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mules, and horses; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1997, the ranch was featured along with other |
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historic Tejano ranches in an exhibit at the LBJ Presidential |
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Library in Austin, and in 2006, members of the Perez family donated |
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priceless family artifacts from the ranch to the Museum of South |
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Texas History; among the items were a saddle, a rifle, and a |
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revolver that had belonged to Deputy U.S. Marshal Casimiro Perez |
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Alvarez, who was the great-great-grandson of Don Pedro Jose Perez; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The ranch continues to be owned by direct |
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descendants of its founder, and one of them, Araceli Perez-Davis, |
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who is Don Pedro's great-great-great-great-granddaughter, has |
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turned an old adobe cabin on the property into a museum; it was also |
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Ms. Perez-Davis who petitioned the Texas Historical Commission for |
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a state marker in 2014; and |
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WHEREAS, For 230 years, Rancho San Jose de la Mulada has |
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contributed to the rich heritage of Starr County, and the ranch's |
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special role in the history of South Texas is truly deserving of |
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this special recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of an Official Texas |
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Historical Marker at Rancho San Jose de la Mulada and extend to the |
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Perez family and the members of the community sincere best wishes |
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for a meaningful and memorable event; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Perez family as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Guillen |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1197 was adopted by the House on April |
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13, 2017, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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