Don Tomás Sánchez
Encyclopedia
Laredo, Texas
Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, at the time it was one town in the Nuevo Santander
Nuevo Santander
Nuevo Santander was a region of the Virreinato de Nueva España, corresponding generally to the modern Mexican state of Tamaulipas and southern Texas. Nuevo Santander was named after Santander, Spain, and settled by Spanish American colonists in a concerted settlement campaign peaking in 1748-1750...
Province.
Origins
Capitan Tomás Sánchez de la Barrera, was born into northern Mexico's oligarchic families. His family roots are traced into the old "hidalgo" families of Andalucia, Spain, and from his mother's side, he came from the powerfull de la Garza family, which controlled a great majority of the land from Corpus Christi to SaltilloSaltillo
Saltillo is the capital city of the northeastern Mexican state of Coahuila and the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name. The city is located about 400 km south of the U.S. state of Texas, and 90 km west of Monterrey, Nuevo León....
, and held important government offices in most of the north of the Viceroyalty of the New Spain.
Founding of Laredo
He first arrived in 1749 to a place he named "El Paso de Jacinto", later called "Indian Ford", which is now west of Downtown LaredoDowntown Laredo
Downtown Laredo is the second main business district in Laredo, Texas. Downtown Laredo is the starting point for Interstate Highway 35 and State Highway 359. It is home to all of Laredo's high-rise buildings. Laredo's and Webb County's main government buildings are located in Downtown Laredo...
. He then petitioned Colonel José de Escandón, 1st Count of Sierra Gorda for permission to found a town at this location. His petition was granted on May 15, 1755. He named the new townsite, Villa de San Agustin de Laredo, in honor to Saint Augustine and Colonel Escandon's hometown Laredo, Cantabria
Laredo, Cantabria
Laredo is a town in the Northern Spanish province and autonomous community of Cantabria.Located between the cities of Santander and Bilbao, Laredo is known in the region and nationally for "La Salvé", its 5 km long beach and for the historic part of town dating back to Roman times...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Don Tomás Sánchez first established three families in the new villa. The site selected is located in the San Agustin Historical District in Downtown Laredo near the San Agustin Cathedral.