José Antonio Mexía

José Antonio Mexía Hernández (; – 3 May 1839) was a 19th-century Mexican general and politician. He served as secretary of the Legation of Mexico in Washington from about 1829 to 1831.

Early life

He was born about 1800 to Pedro Mexía and his wife Juana Josefa Hernández, but his birthplace is debated. According to Mexía himself, his birthplace was Xalapa, Veracruz. Some historians cite records that put his place of birth as Cuba. Although details of his early life are scant, he lost his father and brother sometime in the Mexican War of Independence and fled to the United States where he became fluent in the English language.

Career By 1822, Mexía was back living in Mexico and working as an official interpreter for the Cherokee Nation, by appointment of Coahuila y Tejas president José Félix Trespalacios. Mexía became active in government service as Secretary of State for Tamaulipas and the Tuxpan customs collector. an organization which some in Mexico viewed as having political undertones. Enlisting in the military, he quickly rose to the rank of brigadier general. During Mexía's 1832 expedition, he traveled to Texas to quell the rebellion started by the Anahuac Disturbances. As a senator for the state of México, he participated in an 1834 uprising against President Santa Anna, who had changed his politics to centralism. Two months later, he was captured by centralist forces in Jalisco and sent into exile.

In 1839, Mexía joined General José de Urrea's rebellion against Santa Anna and was defeated and captured at the Battle of Acajete. For his participation in the rebellion. Mexía was executed by firing squad on May 3, 1839.