Name: San Elizario, Texas
Address: San Elizario, TX

The Salt War of 1877 RoadyGoat

The San Elizario you see today was shaped by a war over salt. For generations, the Hispanic people of this valley freely collected salt from lakes 90 miles east, a right they considered theirs by tradition. But in 1877, an Anglo politician named Charles Howard laid claim to the salt beds and began charging a fee. The community erupted. Led by local leaders, they protested and eventually jailed Howard. He was released, but returned with Texas Rangers, escalating the conflict. A siege began, with hundreds of armed local men surrounding the Rangers and Howard in San Elizario. After days of fighting, Howard and two other Anglos were executed by a firing squad in the street. The U.S. Army arrived too late. The event, known as the Salt War, branded the town as lawless, leading it to lose the county seat and ensuring the railroad would never come here.

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Billy the Kid's Daring Jailbreak RoadyGoat

Before he was a legend, Billy the Kid was just a loyal friend. In 1876, his running mate Melquiades Segura was arrested and thrown in the El Paso County jail right here at San Elizario, facing a hangman's noose. So the young outlaw—then riding under the name Kid Antrim—came down from Las Cruces. The story goes he turned up around three in the morning and knocked on the jail door. He spoke fluent Spanish, and accounts say he passed himself off as a Texas Ranger to get inside. Once through the door he got the drop on the guard, drew his pistol, and demanded the keys. He freed Segura, locked the jailer in the cell, and the two of them rode for Mexico. As the legend has it, this is the only jail Billy the Kid ever broke into. The building—a private home from the 1820s until it was turned into the county jail in 1850, back when San Elizario was the county seat—still stands as a monument to one of the Wild West's most famous tales.

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San Elizario, TX RoadyGoat

In 1598, Juan de Oñate, a Spanish conquistador, led a group of colonists and livestock to settle the province of New Mexico, reaching the banks of the Rio Grande in the area that would become San Elizario. Oñate claimed the new province for King Philip II of Spain in a ceremony known as La Toma, marking the 'Birth of the American Southwest'. The settlement that became San Elizario was first established as Hacienda de los Tiburcios before 1760, and later became the site of Presidio de San Elzeario in 1789. The town that grew up around the presidio took its name from Saint Elzear, the Roman Catholic patron saint of soldiers. After the Mexican-American War, the name was Americanized to San Elizario. The town has a history of conflict, including the Salt War in 1877 between the town and Texas Rangers, which resulted in the massacre of two Rangers and a loss of status for the town.

Howard, Charles H.

1877

Charles H. Howard, judge and both instigator and victim of the Salt War of San Elizario , was born on Februrary 3, 1842, in Virginia, the son of William Henry and Sarah Catherine (DuVal) Howard. By 1860 the family had moved to Gonzales County; Charles's sister Susan married William Lewis Davidson there in 1870. Charles served as a private in the Eighth Texas Cavalry , better known as Terry's Texas Rangers, during the Civil War . He settled in Austin, Texas, in 1870 or 1871, then moved to El Paso in 1872. At that time El Paso was a stronghold of Radical Republicanism, but Howard saw an opportunity to establish the Democratic party there, singlehandedly if need be. At least initially, his efforts met with considerable success. He was appointed district attorney in 1873 and allied himself with Louis Cardis and Father Antonio Borrajo, the parish priest of San Elizario, against the Radical Republicans and the "Anti-Salt Ring" led by Albert Jennings Fountain . In February 1873 the three drew up a petition to the state legislature asking for the removal of the El Paso district judge, a political ally of Fountain, and calling Fountain himself, who was then serving in the legislature, "a disgrace to our county and a blemish upon Your Honorable Body." The petition bore more than 350 signatures, and although many were written in the same hand, the legislature decided to take action. The judge was removed in April 1874, and Howard was appointed to replace him. Unfortunately, the alliance between Howard and Cardis was about to rupture. Howard resigned as district judge in 1875 and married Mary Louisa Zimpleman in Austin on December 31 of that year. She died on June 25, 1877. Shortly before her death, her father, George Barnhard Zimpleman, an Austin banker, had moved to El Paso, apparently enlisted in a lucrative scheme by Howard. Howard filed on the salt deposits at the western foot of the Guadalupe Mountains in the name of his father-in-law, thus outraging the salineros , or salt dealers, of the El Paso area, who had regarded the salt deposits as a public commodity. One scholar implies that Howard reneged on a secret deal with Cardis and Borrajo by which the three would split the fees to be charged for collecting salt. Regardless of what actually happened, Howard and Cardis became bitter enemies. Howard assaulted Cardis in Austin and in San Antonio, but Cardis refused to take action. In June 1877, while Howard was en route to survey the salt deposits, he encountered Cardis at Fort Quitman and attacked him again. Meanwhile, he had two salineros arrested for taking salt without paying the required fee. On his way back to El Paso, Howard stopped at Ysleta to talk with the sheriff. An armed group of Mexicans and Mexican Americans seized him there and took him to San Elizario; they might have killed him then and there but for the intercession of Cardis, who wanted to avoid a major conflagration. They made Howard promise to renounce his ownership of the salt deposits and leave El Paso County immediately. The outraged judge went to Mesilla, New Mexico, where he took refuge at the home of his old opponent, Fountain, and wired the governor of Texas that an invasion from Mexico was imminent. Howard blamed Cardis for his humiliation in San Elizario; he returned to El Paso on October 7, 1877, and three days later shot Cardis to death. He was arraigned for the murder on November 17 but was freed on $4,000 bail. On December 12 Howard bravely or foolishly went to San Elizario, intending to make good on his threats to prosecute those who refused to pay the fee for collecting salt. He and his escort of Texas Rangers were surrounded and besieged by an angry mob for several days before Howard gave himself up. On December 17 he was taken out and shot by a firing squad of five men, all from the Mexican side of the river. After they fired, Jesús Telles ran up and attempted to slash Howard's face with a machete. He swung his weapon, but Howard twisted away, and

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Oñate Expedition

1598

Reports of great wealth and natives who would be responsive to conversion in the country to the far north in the 1580s brought responsive action from the monarchy of Philip II of Spain in the form of a royal decree authorizing the pacification and settlement of the new land. It was Philip's conviction that as Hernando Cortes had conquered Mexico in 1521, there existed on the northern frontier of the viceroyalty of New Spain a second rich kingdom-another Mexico. With its conquest and colonization, therefore, Spanish fortunes would be restored after the disastrous defeat of its armada by England in 1588. Thus the viceroy of New Spain was instructed to find a suitable leader to organize an expedition. The contest for the position of governor and captain general of New Mexico was spirited, despite the crown's requirement that the candidate chosen would have to bear most of the costs of the expedition. At length, in 1595 the viceroy awarded the contract to Don Juan de Oñate , a wealthy and distinguished man whose father had made a fortune from the silver mines of Zacatecas, and whose wife was the granddaughter of Hernando Cortes and the great-granddaughter of Montezuma. After many delays in getting the expedition assembled, in January 1598 the colony of 400 men (of whom 130 brought families), eighty-three wagons and carts to carry the baggage and provisions, and more than 7,000 head of stock began the march northward from Santa Barbara along the upper Río Conchos. Ten Franciscans joined later. Unlike previous expeditions, which followed the Conchos to the Rio Grande, this one headed straight across the sand dunes of the Chihuahua desert. A vanguard, after four days without water, reached the Rio Grande on April 20, and six days later the colony was reunited. In celebration of its survival a great feast was held. The expedition then ascended the river a distance, and on April 30, 1598, a significant date in the history of the El Paso Southwest, Oñate in a formal ceremony took official possession of the entire territory drained by the Rio Grande for his monarch, Philip II of Spain. This event, which took place at a site near that of present-day San Elizario, Texas (the river at that time ran several miles north of its present channel), is called La Toma, "the taking possession of"; it laid the foundation for more than two centuries of Spanish rule in the American Southwest. Ascending the river, the expedition crossed the river to the east side on May 4, at a site just west of present downtown El Paso. Oñate called this operation "El Paso del Río del Norte," an early use of the name El Paso. Near the upper reaches of the river he established his headquarters, founded a church, and formally founded the province of New Mexico. During the next few years Oñate sent out exploring parties in all directions, but the results were extremely disappointing-New Mexico was a distinct contrast to the Mexico that Hernando Cortes conquered. Everywhere the picture was the same-a large Indian population living in adobe houses, some of which were two stories high, but there was no gold, no silver, only a few fertile farms, and tenacious Indian resistance in many areas. Since the new land had failed to measure up to the high hopes and expectations of the colonists, quarreling and dissension increased, food was soon scarce, and desertions mounted. Charges were brought against the governor, accusing him of misconduct and mismanagement, of ignoring the complaints of the colonists, and of misinforming the crown about conditions in New Mexico. At length, in 1607 Oñate resigned his command, retired from the scene, and returned to Spain to defend himself against his alleged misdeeds. The Spanish crown, after some hesitation, decided to maintain its foothold in New Mexico, having received word that if it left it would be abandoning 7,000 converts. In 1609 a new governor, Pedro de Peralta, was appointed, and in the following year Santa Fe was founded as the new c

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Salt War of San Elizario

1877

The El Paso Salt War began in the late 1860s as a struggle between Republican leaders W. W. Mills, Albert J. Fountain, and Louis Cardis to acquire title to the salt deposits at the foot of Guadalupe Peak, 100 miles east of El Paso. Fountain and Mills became leaders of the opposing factions. Fountain, leader of the Anti-Salt Ring, was elected to the Texas Senate in 1869 with the expectation of securing title to the deposits for the people of the El Paso area, but Cardis and Father Antonio Borrajo of San Elizario aroused sentiment against the scheme. Feeling between the two factions broke into open warfare with the killing of Judge Gaylord Judd Clarke on December 7, 1870, and Fountain soon moved to New Mexico. The second stage of the trouble began in 1872, when Charles Howard, a Missouri lawyer, Democrat, and former Confederate officer, joined with Cardis to break the Republican machine. After Howard became district judge in 1874, he became an enemy of Cardis, who controlled the Mexican vote and was the real boss of the region. Their feud grew serious when Howard filed on the salt lakes in the name of his father-in-law, Maj. George B. Zimpleman. This act outraged the Mexican citizens, who considered the lakes public property under terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and who were supported in their view by Cardis and Father Borrajo. When Howard arrested two men who had threatened to go for salt in September 1877, he started a riot. A mob held him for three days at San Elizario. He gained his freedom by promising to give up his claim to the salt and agreeing to leave the country. Four of his friends signed a $12,000 bond guaranteeing that his agreement would be carried out. Howard retreated to Mesilla, New Mexico, still threatening to even the score with Cardis, whom he regarded as the instigator of the mob. On October 10, 1877, he killed Cardis in a store in El Paso. The Mexicans at San Elizario then demanded Howard's arrest and the forfeiture of the bond. Maj. John B. Jones of the Frontier Battalion organized a detachment of rangers, put Lt. John B. Tays in command at San Elizario, and had Howard arraigned for Cardis's murder and admitted to bail. About December 1, sixteen wagons left for the salt lakes. Howard brought suit against the trespassers and left for San Elizario to press the charges. In San Elizario he was besieged in the ranger quarters by a force led by Chico Barela. The mob killed Charles Ellis and C. E. Mortimer and for four days made determined efforts to storm the rangers' fort. A detachment of United States troops under Capt. Thomas Blair was summoned on the grounds that part of the mob was composed of aliens from Mexico, but Blair was dissuaded from entering the village. On the fifth day of the siege Howard gave himself up to save the lives of his party. In the belief that Howard was to be freed, the rangers also surrendered to the mob. On December 17 Howard, his agent John E. McBride, and John G. Atkinson, who had put up $11,000 to satisfy the forfeited bond, were shot by a firing squad composed of men from Mexico. The rangers were allowed to leave without their arms, and San Elizario was looted by the mob. Within a few days several detachments of troops and a posse of American citizens descended on San Elizario, killing four men and wounding several others on the way. The leaders of the mob and many of their followers fled to Mexico. Indictments were made out against some of them, but no one was ever arrested or brought to trial. A congressional investigation attempted to get at the facts, but no positive action was taken except the reestablishment of Fort Bliss, which had been abandoned earlier in the year. Thenceforward no objection was made to paying for the salt.

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Onate, Juan de, Expedition - 1598

1598

Spanish interest in the territory known as New Mexico increased during the 1580s and 1590s. Although reports of mining and missionary possibilities were significant, King Philip II of Spain was also concerned about New World explorations of rival England. As a result, Don Juan de Onate was commissioned in 1595 to lead an expedition to claim and colonize the New Mexico region in the name of the king. After many delays, Onate and his party of 400 men and members of their families left Santa Barbara, Mexico in January 1598. Instead of following earlier routes, they crossed the Chihuahua Desert to reach the El Paso area. In a formal ceremony at this site on April 30, 1598, Onate issued a proclamation, known as La Toma, taking possession of the region for Spain. Included was all land drained by the Rio Del Norte, the Rio Grande. Proceeding north, Onate established headquarters near present Santa Fe and founded the province of New Mexico. As Governor, he directed exploration of the area until he resigned in 1607. Onate's expedition and La Toma brought Spanish rule to the American Southwest and preceded colonization efforts of other European nations on the North American continent. (1981)

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Espejo - Beltran Expedition - 1582-1583

1582

Following the Rodriguez - Chamuscado Expedition of 1581 there was increased interest in the area now known as New Mexico and Texas. There was also concern for the safety of Fray Rodriguez and Fray Lopez, who had stayed in the area. In 1582 a Franciscan priest from Santa Barbara, Mexico, Fray Bernadino Beltran, formed an expedition to find the missionaries. His military escort was led by Antonio De Espejo, a former Santa Barbara merchant and rancher living in voluntary exile over a legal dispute with the Spanish authorities. The expedition departed the mining outpost of San Bartolome in November 1582. By the following January they had reached the El Paso area. In present New Mexico they learned that Fray Rodriguez and Fray Lopez had been killed by Indians. Fray Beltran led a small party back to Mexico, but Espejo and several companions stayed to check the Indian stories of silver mines and wealthy pueblos. On their journey the Spaniards became the first explorers in the region from the Pecos River Valley to the Junta de Los Rios, the junction of the Concho River and the Rio Grande. The reports of their explorations further heightened the interest in the area. 1981

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Rodriguez - Chamuscado Expedition - 1581

1581

Inspired by Indian stories of settlements in present New Mexico and authorized by the Spanish Viceroy, Fray Agustin Rodriguez, a Franciscan priest, led a missionary expedition to the area. Accompanied by Fray Juan de Santa Maria, Fray Francisco Lopez, nine soldiers, and nineteen Indian servants, he left Santa Barbara, Mexico, on June 5, 1581. The military escort was led by Francisco Sanchez, who, because of his red beard, was known as El Chamuscado, "The Singed." Following the Rio Grande, the expedition reached El Paso Del Norte. Proceeding through the pass, they spent the remainder of 1581 exploring the vast region from present western New Mexico to the Texas Panhandle. After Indians killed Fray Santa Maria in September 1581, plans were made to return for a report to the Spanish authorities. Despite the hostile environment, the two remaining missionaries chose to stay. Chamuscado led the others back through the Pass of the North, but died before reaching Santa Barbara. Believed to have been the first Spanish expedition to use the Pass of the North, the Rodriguez-Chamuscado Expedition marked the beginning of Spanish influence in the area. Their exploration opened the region, now the American Southwest, to later colonization. (1981)

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San Elizario, Texas

Music in San Elizario

Songs About San Elizario

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Rivers & Roads in Song near San Elizario

History of San Elizario

The Salt War of 1877 RoadyGoat

Billy the Kid's Daring Jailbreak RoadyGoat

San Elizario, TX RoadyGoat

Howard, Charles H.

Oñate Expedition

Salt War of San Elizario

Onate, Juan de, Expedition - 1598

Espejo - Beltran Expedition - 1582-1583

Rodriguez - Chamuscado Expedition - 1581

Everything Near San Elizario