Hi everyone,
My ancestors lived in this frontier region (Rio Grande Valley) when it still belonged to Mexico (perhaps also when it was still the Viceroyalty of New Spain). When I was growing up, my grandparents told us stories of how Mexican people used to own all of the land in the region until Richard King and the like showed up after the Civil War and forced them to sell their land to him for next to nothing under threat of death. They also told me that the early Texas Rangers assisted King in running people off their land by burning their houses down or murdering them if they put up a fight. I don't know if there's any real truth to this, though. Most people I know cannot trace their lineages back very far at all. It feels like our history was erased sometimes since most of our counties and every county seat in the area has an "Anglo" name, as people are fond of referring to them as. I've described it to others as being analogous to being a displaced people. Life is very hard where I'm from, and stories I tell folks in the city I currently live in (Minneapolis) are almost unbelievable to them. I grew up along the southern-most edge of the King Ranch, and I personally had a great grandfather murdered by a white land owner in the 19th century in Willacy County because he wouldn't sell his land. I know in my heart that this story is true, but I have no idea where to even start looking for the truth when it comes to all of the other stories.
With everything that's going on right now in this country, I think it's important for people to know the truth of where I'm from and what the true story of these land barons was. Honestly, moving from the very bottom of the country to the very top didn't allow me to get away from this. The first day I showed up in Minnesota, I saw a beautiful pickup truck drive by. It was a new model I'd never seen (that's saying something as a Texan). As it slowly drove by, I saw King Ranch on the side of it. This is one of Ford's premium consumer products, and I think it's damned shameful of them to call it that.
Anyways, this has turned into rambling on at this point. I really appreciate all the great answers y'all provide for us. Thanks!
