Rafael Gonzáles

Rafael Gonzáles (1789–1857) was a Tejano military leader and Governor of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas from 1824 to 1826.

Early life Gonzáles was born in San Fernando de Béxar, Spanish Texas (now San Antonio, Texas) in 1789. He joined the military as a cadet to collaborate at the Nuestra Señora de Loreto presidio. In October 1810, at age 20, Gonzáles was made Second Alferez, and two years later he earned the title of First Alferez.

Career

On June 3, 1814, Gonzáles got the degree of Second lieutenant, and joined the presidio's garrison of Monclova (Coahuila, in modern Mexico). of the Royalist company of Presidio de Rio Grande, In that year, Gonzales granted each Shawnee family who settled in Texas a square mile of land in the south bank of Red River.

He was governor of Coahuila and Texas until March 15, 1826, when he was replaced by Victor Blanco.