August 28th, 1767 -- Hugo Oconór becomes ad interim governor of Texas

[Craig Tx]

On this day in 1767, Hugo Oconór became ad interim governor of Texas.

Born in 1732, Oconór was an Irishman who attained the rank of major of a volunteer regiment in the Spanish army. His vermilion hair inspired frontier Indians to nickname him the “Red Captain.” After service in Cuba and Mexico City, he worked as inspector general of the eastern Provincias Internas in 1765 and investigated the conflict between Texas governor Ángel de Martos y Navarrete and presidio commander Rafael Martínez Pacheco. After the removal of Navarrete, Oconór’s service as governor ad interim won the admiration of soldiers and citizens alike. He reinforced San Antonio against Apache raids and brought order to the frontier. He returned to Mexico in 1770, and throughout the next decade, as he commanded various offices, he focused on repelling the Apaches farther west. Oconór was governor and captain general of Yucatan at the time of his death in 1779.

[Two Steps]

Thank ya Craig. 

[Oldetexian]

  As always...fascinating. These snippets are always enlightening and thoroughly enjoyable.

[Ohio Joe]

Craig,

I have learned more from your history posts then I can recall ever learning in school. I really enjoy them! 

[Bigsmoke]

Joe, I understand what you are saying.

Of course, that might be because you are more interested in things found here than you were in the classroom.

I know that's the way it worked for me.  IIRC, American History class pretty much bypassed the 19th Century except for maybe a chapter on the Civil War.  That was it, no War of 1812, no Alamo, no Spanish American War, no gold rush material, no fur trade, nothing much of anything much.

It might be kind of interesting to enroll in a college American history class and see what all they include now.  Or not.  I might not blend in with the current crop of Millennials and protesters.

John (Bigsmoke)

[Nessmuk]

I went back to College part time after I  retired from the Air Force. This was 2003 to 2006 and I  took several American history  classes and I  thought they were much better and more comprehensive  than my 1970s High School classes.

[Doc Nock]

Joe, I understand what you are saying.

Of course, that might be because you are more interested in things found here than you were in the classroom.


It might be kind of interesting to enroll in a college American history class and see what all they include now.  Or not.  I might not blend in with the current crop of Millennials and protesters.

John (Bigsmoke)

Boy, did you all say a couple mouthfulls there!!!

I think I read every book on Fur Traders/ Trappers of the west in Grade School library...back then, there were lots... I don't recall much about our American History classes... prolly more current stuff like WWI, II< korea, etc...

[Ohio Joe]

Joe, I understand what you are saying.

Of course, that might be because you are more interested in things found here than you were in the classroom.

I know that's the way it worked for me.  IIRC, American History class pretty much bypassed the 19th Century except for maybe a chapter on the Civil War.  That was it, no War of 1812, no Alamo, no Spanish American War, no gold rush material, no fur trade, nothing much of anything much.

It might be kind of interesting to enroll in a college American history class and see what all they include now.  Or not.  I might not blend in with the current crop of Millennials and protesters.

John (Bigsmoke)

John, I believe you're spot on...

Now I've loved history every since I started learning about it, and if I recall, we touched on a lot of early history, and how America came about, and our westward expansion in school... We also studied more about WWII and the evils that followed that with Communism and the Korean War...

However, growing up and every time we had company or went to a family reunion,,, WWII and Korea were the main topics as (what seemed like at the time) every male adult in our families (all sides) fought in one or the other - but most in WWII... And of course the Great Uncles and Grandpa's weren't going to be out done without their say about WWI...

Now I don't want to leave my ol' Great Uncle Hap Martin out, as his Uncle fought in the Civil War (on the Stars and Bars) side and was killed in a skirmish somewhere's in Tennessee.

So you are right, the Civil War was a big topic as well - not only at home, but also in school.