Cemetery of Canary Islanders
Floresville, Wilson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Predates church built 1732 by colonists who arrived 1731, led by Juan Leal Goras. They farmed and raised stock. Their villa, San Fernando, was first municipality in Texas. Among unmarked graves is that of flamboyant Dona Maria Cavillo. Site now county-owned. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1967.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This cemetery predates the church built in 1732 by Canary Island colonists who, led by Juan Leal Goras, arrived in 1731 to farm and raise stock in Spanish Texas. Their settlement, the villa of San Fernando, became the first organized municipality in Texas, and among the unmarked graves here lies the flamboyant Dona Maria Cavillo. The site is now owned by the county.
Why it matters
The Canary Islanders established the first civil municipality in Texas, and their burial ground is a tangible link to the Spanish colonial families who laid the civic foundations of San Antonio and the region.
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Related people
- · Juan Leal Goras
- · Dona Maria Cavillo
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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