ALVAREZ REUNION — Many family members attended the third reunion held the Henrietta Memorial Center. The Alvarez families present at the event were descendants of Francisca Alvarez known as the Angel of Goliad. Pictured are Consuelo Alvarez, who celebrated her 103rd birthday on July 14. Also pictured from left are Velma Gonzalez, Nora Rothwell, Olga Gonzalez, Sylvia Lopez and Connie Carreon; back row, from left, Arturo Alvarez Jr., Gilbert Alvarez, Cynthia Reyes, Arnold “The basic reason we have a reunion is so that we can all meet each other, because we are all family,” said Rudy A. Ramirez, one of the coordinators of the third Alvarez family reunion held Saturday at the Henrietta Memorial Center.

“We, the older people, want to let our kids and grandkids know that we are all descendants of he Angel of Goliad,” Ramirez said.

“We are going to let everyone know that the blood of the Angel of Goliad, Francisca, Alvarez, runs through all of us,” he told the Alvarez family members present at the event. Gilbert Alvarez was the other cocoordinator of the reunion.

REUNION COORDINATORS-Ray A. Ramirez, of Palestine, left and Gilbert Alvarez of Plano coordinated the Alvarez Reunion. Alvarez is president of Angel of Goliad Descendants Historical Preservation and Ramirez is vice president. Both are former Kingsville residents. About 250 people attended the event. Ramirez emphasized that the Alvarez family members lived and worked in Kingsville and on King Ranch. Many of the descendants of Dona Francisca Panchita Alvarez, the Angel of Goliad, still live in Kingsville and Corpus Christi. Family members from the Luis Alvarez family still work on the Laureles division of King Ranch, according to Ramirez.

The older Alvarez family members knew who their parents and grandparents were and were proud to share their ancestry with others who were at the event.

FAMILIES — The display shows many photographs of families who are descendants of Francisca Alvarez and worked at King Ranch families. The young ones listened and learned about their roots.

The first reunion was held in Kingsville in 2000, and a second one was held in 2001 at Goliad. This year’s reunion included many attendees from various states. A video focusing on the historical aspect of Francisca Alvarez was presented, as were the talents and stories of family members. The event included a barbecue dinner, entertainment by the Kingsville Youth Ballet Folklorico and Sol Tejano de David Salinas, silent auction and descendants band music. About 250 people attended the reunion.

One of the descendants, Consuelo Alvarez, who celebrated her 103rd birthday on July 14, was recognized.

Her children Olga Gonzalez, Sylvia Lopez and Gilbert Alvarez, and some of the grandchildren were present at the event.

Francisca Alvarez was also referred to as the Mexican Angel of Mercy, the Second

Pocahontas, the wife of

(See Alvarez, Page 8A) to Captain Telesforo Alvarez,

captain in the Mexican army, who fought in the war during the Texas Revolution in 1836. She was called the Angel of Goliad because she intervened to save the lives of many Texan prisoners during this war. Some of her heroic acts included saving the lives of 20 or more men from being executed at Goliad. She helped several of Col. James Fannin’s men escape from Fort Bahia and had Benjamin Franklin Hughes, a 15-year-old boy, taken out of the prisoners to be executed.

She helped secure the reversal of an order to execute all remaining Goliad prisoners from the Nashville Battalion. She once stepped in front of a firing squad in Victoria to stop the execution of several Texans and persuaded the commanding

Bulletin officer to spare an additional 20 prisoners. She helped one prisoner escape.

After the Battle of San Jacinto, the soldiers retreated with Gen. Jose De Urrea’s army to Matamoros and also helped the American soldiers confined there. Her husband abandoned her and their two children when they returned back to Mexico. Her daughter died, and she was left with a son named Matias.

The story is told that one day Capt. Richard King saw her selling vegetables in a market place in Matamoros.

He recalled that she had saved the lives of many Texans and remembered that she was called the Angel of Goliad. He asked her to come and live and work on the King Ranch. She accepted his offer and worked as a servant.

Her son Matias Alvarez eventually married Felipa Mosqueda. The couple had 10 children and this family is where all the descendants originated.

“The Alvarez’ descendants are spread all over the world,” said Reynaldo G. Alvarez, Jr., the family historian, who researched his genealogy in 1995. He estimates there are about 1500 Alvarez descendants. His great-great-grandfather was Luis Alvarez.

He said the Alvarez family originated from Asturias, in Northern Spain.

“They had red hair and blue eyes,” said Alvarez, a real estate agent. He has been in the real estate business in Austin for 37 years.

He said the Alvarez reunion, like many family reunions, exposes the children to their history and the struggles the older family members had to get where they are now.

Ramirez credits Reynaldo G. Alvarez Jr. for researching the history of Francisca Alvarez for about four or five years. He researched in the cathedrals in Matamoros and also archives in Texas.

Ramirez and Reynaldo G. Alvarez Jr. believe it is important to hold the reunions here because the family originated in Kingsville. Ramirez explained that much information on Francisca was derived from a teacher on the King Ranch who interviewed her when she was bedridden and in her 90s.

“She is buried in an unmarked grave on the King Ranch,” said Ramirez, referring to Francisca Alvarez. One of the descendants of Francica Alvarez, the Angel of Goliad, is the late Lauro Cavazos Sr., foreman of the King Ranch Santa Gertrudis division.

Two of his sons are Dr. Lauro F. Cavazos, and Richard E. Cavazos.

Dr. Cavazos is a former president of Texas Tech University and was the first Hispanic Secretary of Education, serving under President Ronald Reagan.

Richard E. Cavazos was the first Hispanic four star general in the Army.

Other descendants include Gilbert “Gibby” Alvarez, FBI agent; Humberto H. Alvarez, Lt. Col. U.S. Air; and Rebecca Valadez, a two time Latin Grammy-winning artist.

The Texas House of Representatives passed a resolution on May 11, 2001 to honor the memory of Francisca Alvarez, the Angel of Goliad, for the great assistance she rendered Texas prisoners of war during the revolution of the months that followed.

The Descendants of Francisca Alvarez formed the Angel of Goliad Descendants Historical Preservation Association, a non-profit organization to do research and preserve her memory.

The Texas Department of Transportation and the county of Goliad funded a full size statue of Francisca Alvarez. The statue was unveiled and dedicated on March 29, 2004 in Goliad.

Ramirez, who lives in Palestine, serves as vice president of the Angel of Goliad Descendants Historic Preservation. He is retired from the Union Pacific Railroad after 40 years of service. His father, Jose Ramirez, “El Lobo,” also worked for the railroad company. His mother was Rebecca Alvarez. Ramirez is a third direct descendant of Francisca Alvarez.

He also worked with the Palestine Police Department and the Anderson Sheriff’s Department.

Ramirez currently makes presentations on Francisca Alvarez to organizations. He can be contacted via e-mail at rudyram01@embargomail. com. His phone number is 903-729-5800 and 903-724- 3866.

There is also a website on Francisca Alvarez at www. angelofgoliadhp.com.