“Exceedingly rare - considered by some to be the rarest of all San Antonio books” (Dorothy Sloan).
A native San Antonian, one of the earliest memories of Jose Maria Rodriguez (1829-1913) was Colonel Travis telling his father that despite being outnumbered by Santa Anna’s approaching army, “Well we have made up our minds to die at the Alamo fighting for Texas.” Rodriguez himself witnessed the storming of the Alamo from a ranch to the southeast.
“In 1855 he took part in the Vidaurri Revolution. Rodriguez was made a first lieutenant, and when the troops arrived in Mier, Tamaulipas, the alcalde was able to solicit USD 5,000 for the cause. The only time Rodriguez was in actual battle was during the takeover of Matamoros. The Vidaurri Revolution, named after Gen. Santiago Vidaurri, was aimed at removing Santa Anna from power; however, neither Vidaurri nor Rodriguez participated in the actual overthrow of the dictator. After Santa Anna’s fall, Rodriguez returned to San Antonio, where he was tax assessor and collector for Bexar County and alderman for San Antonio in 1857-58. About 1861 he moved to Laredo as a schoolteacher. He studied law and began his practice in 1864. He also served as county clerk for four years during the 1860s. In 1879 Rodriguez was elected county judge of Webb County, a position he held for thirty-five years. Although he was a politician and attorney, he was also a prosperous cattle rancher and trader. Throughout his life Rodriguez was seen as a public-spirited man who influenced the politics and daily life of San Antonio and Laredo” (Espinosa).
The book itself includes information on San Antonio with brief sketches of sixteen pioneer families living in San Antonio prior to annexation, the Alamo, Mexican-American War, Battle of San Jacinto, General Woll’s invasion, Texas as a state, Native Americans and captivities. While the author states in the preface that 200 copies were printed, Howes believes the edition was exactly half that.
Just five copies are listed at auction - Heritage in 2015 (“heavily worn”) and 2012 (“heavily worn with chipped edges; head and foot of spine covering is gone. Front board has a circular water stain”), plus Dorothy Sloan in 2013 (“wear”), 2007, and 2000.
Dykes, Collecting Range Life Literature, p.20; Howes R398 (“aa”); Jenkins, CBC 434; Rader, 2814; Espinosa, M.M., “Jose Maria Rodriguez: A Legacy in Texas Politics and Law” in Handbook of Texas, Texas Historical Association accessed online 16 February, 2026.
