José Félix Trespalacios Explained

José Félix Trespalacios
Term Start:August 1822
Term End:April 1823
Predecessor:Antonio María Martínez (last governor of Spanish Texas)
Successor:Luciano García
Death Date:August 4, 1835
Death Place:Allende, Chihuahua (Mexico)
Profession:Military and Political

José Félix Trespalacios (died August 4, 1835) was the first governor of Coahuila y Texas as part of the United Mexican States.

Career

Trespalacios was a member of the militia in Chihuahua but then in 1814 was charged with organizing rebellion and was sentenced to death. His sentence was reduced to ten years in prison, but he escaped and joined the forces of Sebastián González (or Gonzales). He was captured again in 1816 and was imprisoned at San Juan de Ulúa but managed to escape. At this point Trespalacios fled to New Orleans and joined forces with James Long, becoming part of the second Long Expedition after the first part of it was destroyed in Nacogdoches.[1] He then joined forces with Benjamin Rush Milam and invaded the Yucatan. Trespalacios went to Campeche, where he was arrested and locked up in prison. However, later he was released by Iturbide.[2] Thus, he later became colonel of cavalry by the regency.[2] [3]

From August 1822 to April 1823 Trespalacios served as governor of Texas. From 1831 to 1833 he served as a member of the Mexican Senate from Chihuahua. On January 10, 1833, he was appointed inspector general and commander of Chihuahua, before leaving the army on December 15, 1834. He died on August 4, 1835, in Allende, Chihuahua.

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Fehrenbah, T. R., Lone Start: A History of Texas and the Texans. (New York: Collier Books, 1985) p. 129
  2. https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ftr09 Handbook of Texas online article on Trespalacios
  3. Jackson, Jack (2005). Indian Agent: Peter Ellis Bean in Mexican Texas. Page 321.