Marilyn,
being Catholic was one of the problems with the people who came to Texas. You had to give
up your American Citizenship and swear to be Catholic. That sounded good, but most of the
people did not practice it. I have a copy of one of my ancestor's marriage bonds in
1829 where they got married by the alcalde, or mayor, and swear they will be married by
the priest whenever he comes by. Sometimes it was as much as a year before a priest would
come by. The people just practiced their regular pre-Mexico faith. Mexico knew they were
doing this and became alarmed, and was one of the things that triggered the Revolution.
They wanted Mexico to remain Catholic, and suspected what the immigrants were up to in not
practicing Catholism.
The children who were born in early Texas were Mexican citizens. That is why most of the
original settlers did not fight in the Revolution, because they had a lot to lose. I think
only one of the original 300 families to Texas actually fought in the Revolution. The
later immigrants were the main ones who fought, like Crockett's men, who had never
become Mexican citizens. James Callison had not become a Mexican citizen, as he came with
King's men to Texas to fight, where Samuel Callison was a Mexican citizen with 4400
acres of land as a first class head right. John Gillespie did not fight in any battle,
although he also got a first class head right. I have never been able to tell where he was
at the time of the Revolution. I have always had the idea that he had gone back to Alabama
for some reason.
I actually had ten great or great great grandparents who were Mexican citizens, according
to the law.
Joyce