SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 725
WHEREAS, The descendants of Gregorio and Ana Esparza are
gathering in Floresville on July 13, 2019, for their much
anticipated family reunion; and
WHEREAS, Gregorio Esparza was one of the last Alamo
defenders to join the garrison during the Texas Revolution,
contributing to the cause as Juan Seguín's best gunner and a
small artillery expert; he was slain in battle while manning a
cannon at the back of the chapel, but his wife, Ana Salazar de
Esparza, and their children, Maria de Jesus Castro and Enrique,
Manuel, and Francisco Esparza, were among the few to survive; and
WHEREAS, Following the Texans' defeat, Ms. Esparza and her
husband's brother, Francisco, who served as a soldier in the
Mexican Army under General Cos, obtained permission to bury
Gregorio Esparza's body; he was the only defender of the garrison
allowed Christian burial rites; and
WHEREAS, Decades passed, and in the 1860s, the Esparzas'
three sons received preemptive claims in Atascosa County, where
they settled with their families to farm and ranch; Enrique
Esparza and his wife, Gertrudes Hernandez Esparza, deeded five
acres of their land to the Catholic Diocese and were
instrumental in establishing the county's first Catholic church
and school; and
WHEREAS, Over the years, the descendants of Gregorio and
Ana Esparza have come together to share in one another's company
and to celebrate the rich heritage that has united them for
generations, and it is indeed a pleasure to recognize this
special occasion; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th
Legislature, hereby commemorate the sixth Gregorio and Ana
Esparza Family Reunion and extend to all those in attendance
sincere best wishes for a memorable and enjoyable event; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
prepared for the family as an expression of high regard by the
Texas Senate.
Flores
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on May 9, 2019.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate