Jose Antonio Navarro
Patriot and Statesman
Jose Navarro was the only person to sign Texas' Declaration Independence,the Constitution of the Republic of Texas, AND the Constitution of the State of Texas.
After Navarro died on January 13, 1871, an editorial in the San Antonio Herald said, "To none of her greatest statesmen nor to her many eminent patriots is Texas more indebted for her existence as a republic than to Don Jose Antonio Navarro who ever retiring in his manners, but ever firm and unflinching, and always honest, unselfish and unswerving in his devotion to the cause of Texas independence proved in his support a tower of strength."
Like most of the leading families of San Antonio, Navarro had been granted title to considerable ranchlands.
One ranch north of present-day Seguin was located near the springs at the headwaters of Geronimo Creek. There he would supervise the work of his vaqueros and watch over his herds of cattle and horses. That adobe ranch
house fell into ruin years ago. T he site was excavated some time before the historicalmarker was erected.
Jose Antonio Navarro was born in San Antonio on February 27, 1795. His father, like Napoleon, had come from the French island of Corsica. His mother was from a Spanish noble family.
San Antonio was a small city then, with no colleges or universities. But Navarro learned the law by studying under a lawyer and reading the law books. He learned well enough to became a land commissioner when the Anglo settlers began moving into Texas.
Then troubles started growing with the central government of Mexico after General Santa Anna became the dictator in Mexico City.
When his army began heading north toward San Antonio, some of the Tejanos joined with the Anglo Texans to fight at the Alamo. Others fled the city.
Navarro's compatriot Juan Seguin went to join the Texas fighting forces under Sam Houston.
Jose Navarro joined those Texans trying to organize a new government as part of the struggle against the brutal Mexican dictator.
When the delegates voted for Independence, Navarro was among the first signers of the Declaration. He was one of only three signers who were of Spanish or Mexican heritage. Another was Jose Francisco Ruiz, one of his uncles. Also signing was Lorenzo de Zavala, a former Mexican Cabinet member and a former Ambassador to France who had turned against Santa Anna.
Navarro later helped to write the new Constitution for the Republic of Texas.He then served in various posts in the Republic, including as a member of its House of Representatives.
Navarro was the sole Tejano delegate to the Convention of 1845, which voted for Texas to join the United States. He then helped to write the first state constitution.
Navarro's town house in downtown San Antonio has been preserved as a State Historical Site.
On April 19, 1986, a Historical Marker was placed on Highway 123, north of Seguin and just south
of the small town of Geronimo. It marks the nearby ruins ofthe adobe ranch house of Jose Antonio Navarro.
Not far up the road are the Navarro Schools, named in honor of the local hero, Jose Antonio Navarro.
After Navarro died on January 13, 1871, an editorial in the San Antonio Herald said, "To none of her greatest statesmen nor to her many eminent patriots is Texas more indebted for her existence as a republic than to Don Jose Antonio Navarro who ever retiring in his manners, but ever firm and unflinching, and always honest, unselfish and unswerving in his devotion to the cause of Texas independence proved in his support a tower of strength."
Like most of the leading families of San Antonio, Navarro had been granted title to considerable ranchlands.
One ranch north of present-day Seguin was located near the springs at the headwaters of Geronimo Creek. There he would supervise the work of his vaqueros and watch over his herds of cattle and horses. That adobe ranch
house fell into ruin years ago. T he site was excavated some time before the historicalmarker was erected.
Jose Antonio Navarro was born in San Antonio on February 27, 1795. His father, like Napoleon, had come from the French island of Corsica. His mother was from a Spanish noble family.
San Antonio was a small city then, with no colleges or universities. But Navarro learned the law by studying under a lawyer and reading the law books. He learned well enough to became a land commissioner when the Anglo settlers began moving into Texas.
Then troubles started growing with the central government of Mexico after General Santa Anna became the dictator in Mexico City.
When his army began heading north toward San Antonio, some of the Tejanos joined with the Anglo Texans to fight at the Alamo. Others fled the city.
Navarro's compatriot Juan Seguin went to join the Texas fighting forces under Sam Houston.
Jose Navarro joined those Texans trying to organize a new government as part of the struggle against the brutal Mexican dictator.
When the delegates voted for Independence, Navarro was among the first signers of the Declaration. He was one of only three signers who were of Spanish or Mexican heritage. Another was Jose Francisco Ruiz, one of his uncles. Also signing was Lorenzo de Zavala, a former Mexican Cabinet member and a former Ambassador to France who had turned against Santa Anna.
Navarro later helped to write the new Constitution for the Republic of Texas.He then served in various posts in the Republic, including as a member of its House of Representatives.
Navarro was the sole Tejano delegate to the Convention of 1845, which voted for Texas to join the United States. He then helped to write the first state constitution.
Navarro's town house in downtown San Antonio has been preserved as a State Historical Site.
On April 19, 1986, a Historical Marker was placed on Highway 123, north of Seguin and just south
of the small town of Geronimo. It marks the nearby ruins ofthe adobe ranch house of Jose Antonio Navarro.
Not far up the road are the Navarro Schools, named in honor of the local hero, Jose Antonio Navarro.