José Francisco Ruiz

José Francisco Ruiz was one of the Signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. He was one of three Mexicans to do so, with the others being José Antonio Navarro, his uncle, and Lorenzo de Zavala. A total of seven were invited but only these three were able to attend. Navarro and Ruiz were born in what is now Texas whereas de Zavala was born in Mexico. His date of birth is sometime said to be September 1,1780. However, his actual date of birth is not known but he other accounts hold that he was likely born in San Antonio de Bejar around the middle of January, 1783 because he was baptized shortly thereafter. His parents were Juan Manuel Ruiz and María Manuela de la Peña. His family was engaged in ranching. This was during the period in which that area was governed by Spain and José was sent to Spain for his education. Upon his return to the area shortly after 1800, he served as a school teacher. The school was organized in the family home.

The first efforts in attempting to overthrow and overcome Spanish rule were unsuccessful. Ruiz supported and participated in such an attempt in 1813, serving as a lieutenant colonel in the Republican Army of the North. Ruiz is known to have fought in the Battle of Medina, a defeat for the revolutionary forces and a victory for Spain under General Arredondo. The revolutionary effort as well was not strong enough to counter the Spanish forces and Ruiz and his family were compelled to leave the area for Louisiana for several years until about 1822 when he returned to join the Mexican Army. This time, Mexico was successful in ousting the rule of Spain. The new administration set up a constitution and began to administer the area. Mexico had been unable to assist its own citizens in defense of the native tribes and encouraged American settlers to come to the area. Ruiz was still serving as an officer in the Mexican Army when he took part in defeating Haden Edwards in his move to create the Republic of Fredonia. Ruiz is noted for having participated in pacifying the area once controlled by Edwards and his followers. He also helped forge treaties with the various Indian tribes that Edwards had sought or made alliances with to support his cause.

In retrospect, the Fredonian Rebellion foreshadowed the Texas Revolution.  Haden Edwards had come to the area in the 1820s pursuant to an 1825 empresario grant from Mexico in the area around Nacogdoches. Edwards was permitted to settle as many as 800 families in the area. Soon land disputes rose up between the earlier Hispanic settlers. Edwards’ group held that their grant rights superseded those of the prior settlers who appealed to the Mexican government and went so far as to hold that they were no longer subject to Mexican rule. The Mexican Army was called in to support the original settlers and put down the Fredonian uprising, causing Edwards and his followers to leave the area.

About three years later, Ruiz was engaged to establish a Mexican settlement and presidio to be named Fort Tenoxtitlán. It was eventually located roughly halfway between the current towns of Caldwell and Hearne. For the next couple of years, Ruiz endeavored create this settlement. The effort was partly successful and had succeeded in settling forty families there and keep the peace between them and the Anglo settlers. Though the project did not reach the level that Ruiz had desired, he was rewarded by Mexico by receiving a grant for eleven leagues of land. In 1834, after only about ten years of its existence as a republic, Santa Anna, a former Spanish military officer under General Arredondo, scuttled the new constitution. Among other things, Santa Anna outlawed American immigration. Ruiz and numerous others found themselves considered enemies of Santa Anna’s new regime. Accordingly many of them, including Navarro, Menchaca, Seguin and others aligned themselves with those Americans and Mexicans having the goal of ousting Mexican control of the area. Santa Anna then set out to control the area. In that connection, his most formidable opponents were the forces under the command of Sam Houston and pockets of resistance such as the defenders at the Alamo.

Ruiz and his nephew Navarro were chosen to represent San Antonio in the constitutional convention at Washington on the Brazos. It is said that Ruiz spoke no English. The representatives were there in Washington County when the Alamo fell. Then in his mid fifties, Ruiz served in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution after which he was elected as a senator in Texas’ first Congress.

Ruiz died on January 20, 1840 and is buried in the church of San Fernando. The Ruiz home originally was located off Dolorosa Street where it remained until the next century. A hurricane swept inland and damaged San Antonio on August 30, 1942. The Ruiz residence was badly damaged in the storm and the City of San Antonio ruled that it was no longer safe. In a joint effort, an agreement was reached to remove it and reconstruct it on the grounds of the Witte Museum where it remains today along with several other pioneer residences.

Below is a photo, courtesy of the Library of Congress, of the Ruiz home as it existed around 1933.

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