PECHUGA RANCH CEMETERY
Hidalgo Co. Cemeteries of Tx
Submitted by cshaffer@houston.rr.com
(typed from records provided by surveyors)
Surveyed by Goldsby Goza and Fran Isbel on January 19 and 26, 1980.
COPYRIGHT (c) HIDALGO COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Location: South of Alamo on north side of levee. From Business Highway 83 at FM 907 (Alamo Road), go south 21.6 miles to levee road. Turn left
and proceed east .5 mile to gate. Just short of gate, turn north on side road down slope about 50 feet. Walk west along dirt path through palm grove
about one block to cemetery under large hackberry tree. Call grove owner John H. Ginsbach at 787-2526 for permission to enter, or at home in McAllen.
Surveyed: Fran Isbell and Ramon (Chito) Montalvo, July 15, 1988.
Perspective: Graves face east, except as noted. Census was begun in northeast corner. Cemetery is fenced and measures about 30 x 35 feet.
There is a white painted wooden cross on the gate, which is on the east side. When first visited in 1979, a sign on the gate read "Guzman Cemetery".
Weeds are waist high, but there is no brush inside fenced area, indicating that the cemetery is periodically cleared. There were fresh decorations on
four graves very close together, facing west and tight against fence in southeast corner.
HISTORY: La Pechuga Ranch (pechuga is Spanish for breast of a bird, signifying love or courage) was owned by Julio Guzman, Sr. and his wife,
Estefana Garza of El Capote Ranch. Guzman purchased the east league of Santa Ana Land Grant (4428 acres) from Josiah W. Turner on April 24, 1882,
who had purchased it from Dr. W. T. G. Brewster. It was half of a grant of two square leagues from the State of Tamaulipas to Benigno Leal in 1834.
It measured 36 cordeles (1800) feet front on the Rio Grande by 5 leagues more or less (about 12 miles) in depth, north to south.
Guzman, in 1883, purchased the adjoining half league of El Gato grant, with
762 varas (about 2100 feet) river frontage and 28,300 varas (about 15 miles) depth, north and south.
With his wife, Estefana, he had eight children: Amado, Julio (Hidalgo County Clerk 1962-63), Estefana, Dolores, Anastacis Garza, Manuela Cantu, Higinia
Casares, and Francisco. They raised cattle and goats.
According to Rufino Garza of Alamo, his father, Juan Garza, is also buried
at La Pechuga. Juan Garza (ca 1885-1938) was a grandson of Julio Guzman, Sr. and lived at La Pechuga Ranch for forty years. Rufino Garza was raised by
William Brewster, guardian of Juan and Anastacia Guzman Garza's children.
Julio Guzman, Sr. died between 1898 and 1902, when his heirs and those of his deceased wife, Estefana, conveyed to P. E. Blalock, their interest in
1400 varas fronting on the Rio Grande (946 varas on the east side of the Santa Ana grant and 466 varas on the western side of the adjoining El Gato
Tract.). Blalock was a developer of the Alamo Tract.
Source: Abstract of Title to Alamo Tract, Hidalgo & Starr Counties Abstract
Co, 1915.
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ROW A
A01. L.........Mayo 23 1936 Falleció la
nina Man........Padres Electerio...
las ........... recuerdo (?)
(Concrete cross lying flat in depression in ground)
A02. Unknown
(Fresh decorations on mounded earth)
A03. Unknown
(Fresh decorations on mounded earth)
A04. Unknown
(Fresh decorations on mounded earth)
A05. Unknown
(Angel not mounted on base, mounded earth)
ROW B
B01. Unknown
(Remains of brick headstone or boveda sunk into earth)
B02. Unknown
(Base with small receptacle for cross or headstone and curb even with
surface of ground)
ROW C
C01. Unknown
(Overturned piece of concrete, could be part of homemade headstone)
ROW D
D01. Unknown
(Overturned piece of concrete, could be part of homemade headstone)
End of Guzman Cemetery at La Pechuga.