Francisco Salinas

Francisco  (DoN Panchito) Salinas in the middle with his two sons: 
Lauro Higinio Salinas on the left and Ruben Jesus Salinas on the right

Nicolasa Garcia Salinas with her first grandson Lauro Ruben Salinas holding a picture of her 
son Lauro Higinio Salinas serving in the military during world war II. (1943)

 Nicolasa and Francisco Salinas Family
Ruben, lucila, Isabel , Lauro

          Francisco Salinas Guerra was born on September 16, 1878 in Las Escobas Ranch. He was the son of Jose Atancio Salinas and Maria Emilia Guerra. He was one of  nine children. He had four brothers, Zaragosa, Salvador, Jose R. and Eduardo and four sisters, Manuelita, Margarita, Ramoncita, and Paulita.  Francisco (Don Panchito) married Nicolasa Garcia October 31,1908 at El Brazil Ranch. Nicolasa was born September 10, 1882 in San Diego, Texas to Jose Pedro Garcia and Isabel Salinas. She grew up in El Brazil Ranch in Starr County. Francisco and Nicolasa had six children. Their first born were twin girls who died as infants. They are buried at the Las Escobas Ranch Cemetery, next to Jose Felipe Guerra Hinojosa's tomb. After the death of the twins, they had two sons Lauro H. and Ruben J., and two daughters, Maria Isabel and Maria Lucila. They lived and raised their family at Las Escobas Ranch. Francisco along with his brothers helped their father Jose A. Salinas with the management of the  Las Escobas Ranch.  It was a very big ranch operation and well known all over the county. When  Jose A. Salinas died April 16, 1928 Las Escobas Ranch 18,000+ acres remained undivided for five years. Francisco inherited one ninth of the estate of his father along with his brothers and sisters. It took five years for the partition of the property among all the brothers and sisters to be finalized.  Francisco was fifty years old when he inherited part of Las Escobas Ranch. Francisco's mother, Emilia  had died in 1923, five years before his father.  Francisco's siblings who inherited part of Las Escobas named their properties such as El Gato, El Monte, El LLano, Las Bolsas, El Siete, El Fresnito, La Gabiota and many others. All of Francisco's siblings started their own ranch  operations independently. It was a complex and complicated partition. Family referred to it as "La Partition de 1933". Salvador Salinas,  Francisco's brother, inherited the main ranch house. Ramona and Eduardo, two of the siblings married after their parents death. One can conclude that they remained living in the main house until their marriage. Salvador married the year his mother died.
     Francisco started to make his own ranch improvements. He and his brother Salvador introduced Braham cattle but quickly changed to Hereford finding that Braham cattle were too wild for the primitive brush land. Through guidance of the Starr County Soil and Water Conversation District  with headquarters in Rio Grande City, Texas, local farmers and ranchers along wtih Francisco changed their ways by analyzing their operation and made a study of resources including soil, grass and condition of the livestock. Some of the changes in the ranch were to give up dry land farming and the land was terraced to prevent water and soil erosion and put back into grass. Another suggestion was to reduce the size of the herd. The land was overgrazed. They began to use rotation grazing which would allow the land to rest. Roller cropping used for brush control. Fields were planted with buffel grass and blue panic. Other improvements were the introduction of registered Santa Gertrudis bulls into the herd to improve his commercial herd. The Santa Gertrudis were crossbred with the Herefords to produce a more satisfactory commercial animal. Las Escobas Ranch was implementing new and modern practices.
     Francisco and Nicolasa tried to provide their family with the best they could. They had enough money to send one of their sons, Lauro away to private school in Laredo, Texas. Ruben Jesus, their oldest son assisted with most of the management of the ranch. Isabel was sent away to school. Isabel was sent to stay in McAllen, Texas with family so she could attend school. She stayed for a while and returned to Las Escobas home sick. They wanted their children to get an education. Lauro H.  and Ruben J. were drafted during World War II.  The family requested to spare Ruben from being drafted so he could take care of the family and it was granted. Ruben got married in 1940 and took care of the family and the ranch while his brother served in World War II. Later, Lucila, Isabel and Lauro got married and had children. Ruben and Lauro lived in Las Escobas and Lucila lived in El Rucio Ranch and Isabel lived in Rio Grande City, Texas. 
     Later, the concept of wildlife management was introduced as a secondary land management use. In 1950, long before the idea of wildlife management was popular an agreement was signed not to hunt any of the deer or javelina at Las Escobas Ranch for five years. This would allow the herd to build up. In 1956, the herds had increased to the point that hunting rights could be leased. This activity was heavily monitored. Hunting camps were set up and deer blinds were placed in various locations all over the ranch. A board in the camp house showed the location of the blinds. When a hunter chooses his site, he hangs his nametag on a nail marking the site so that other hunters will know the blind was in use. It became a big hunting operation at Las Escobas Ranch. Hunters from all over the country would come to hunt.  Some hunters were given leases such as Haney, Estes, Postons, Shumacher, and many others. These hunters remained at Las Escobas for many years. Francisco increased the size of acres and property by making purchases of land from heirs of Las Escobas who were selling the land. Francisco was able to expand the size of the ranch with wise and smart management. He acquired more land by purchasing from heirs/cousins within Las Escobas Ranch. 
          Francisco was described by his daughter Isabel (Chabelita) as having a very easy going and calm personality. She said he had a good sense of humor and was somewhat of a prankster (era muy travieso). He was a kind, easy going, and a loving father and husband. She said he never spanked them when they were growing up.  He was a short handsome  and distinguished man.  One of the many family stories is that when he wasn't working around the ranch, he enjoyed listening to novelas in the radio, loved to play the violin, enjoyed music such as "Los Montaneses del Alamo."  Other family folklore about Francisco is that he wasn't very socialable; when there were lots of people at his house, he would disappear  into the brush/woods for a few hours until all company left. He liked a quiet environment.
          Francisco died  March 13, 1957 at the age of 78 in Las Escobas Ranch after a lengthy illness due to a stroke. He is buried in City Cemetery in Starr County, Rio Grande City, Texas.  His estate was managed by Lauro H. Salinas for a few years until Nicolasa, Francisco's wife died.  

          Nicolasa Garcia Salinas (Doña Chata) daughter of Jose Pedro (Don Pedrito) Garcia and Isabel Salinas was born September 10, 1882 in San Diego, Duval County, Texas.  She grew up in El Brazil Ranch in Starr County.  Nicolasa ( Doña Chata), the Salinas matriarch was so gentle and humble, and a perfect model for the beatitudes. She modeled how to love one another. She was kind, thoughtful and pure in heart; only saw goodness in everything.  She created a family culture of love, peace, and faith by teaching the family to care for each other. She was the perfect model by the way she lived her life.  She was a lady of faith, kindness and "puro corazon." She blessed everyone in the family daily at bedtime by pointing in the direction of where they lived with the sign of the cross in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. She taught faith by example. She prayed the rosary daily and demonstrated how she placed her daily life in God's hands. She spent every day serving her family, praying the rosary and sharing her wisdom with whoever visited her kitchen. She talked about love and sacrifice for the needs of others. She never complained about anything. Life was good regardless of her private stress and worries. The family protected her in a gentle and fragile way.  Even though she was low key and quiet she modeled enormous strength with her words of wisdom, advice giving, prayers, peace maker and angelic character.
          She experienced a few painful events in her life.  In the early forties, she had to endure the pain of her son Lauro going away to war during World War II. She prayed day and night and trusted God for the day she would see him come home. She looked forward to receiving a letter every few months from her son. God answered her prayers and her son Lauro came home safely. Later in 1957, her husband, Francisco (Don Panchito) died after a long illness. Another painful event in her life was in 1961 when her son Ruben died from an accidental gun shot.  She mourned in silence and prayer without complaining. She wore a solid long black cotton dress with a scarf (luto) most of her life in honor of husband and son until her death in 1973.           

Francisco Salinas & Nicolasa Garcia Family at Las Escobas Ranch