Descriptive Summary
Esparza, Reynaldo J. (Reynaldo José), 1923-
Reynaldo J. Esparza Research Papers
1802-1995
Most materials are in English; some are in Spanish.
Col 8827
3.92 linear feet (6 boxes, 3 oversize items)
Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library at the Alamo, San Antonio, Texas
A native of San Antonio, Texas, Reynaldo J. Esparza (born 1923) is the great-great-grandson of Gregorio Esparza, who died in the Battle of the Alamo.
Produced and gathered in the course of historical and genealogical research, the Reynaldo J. Esparza Research Papers consist of correspondence, source documents, published material, research papers, genealogical material, and photographs.
Biographical Note
Born in San Antonio in 1923, Reynaldo José Esparza graduated from Brackenridge High School and served in the U.S. Navy for the duration of World War II. Returning to San Antonio after the war, he worked for a wholesale grocery company and the U.S. Postal Service until his retirement in 1984.
Having learned as a child of his ancestry as a great-great-grandson of Gregorio Esparza, one of the native Texans who died in the Battle of the Alamo, Esparza developed an interest in history, particularly the part Mexican-Americans played in the Texas Revolution. Esparza conducted detailed historical and genealogical research on Gregorio Esparza and his family and became an active spokesman on the role of the native Texans during the independence struggle. He collaborated with numerous other researchers, exchanging information on the Esparzas and other early San Antonio families.
As an adult, Esparza also pursued formal studies, receiving an Associate in Arts degree from San Antonio College in 1970 and graduating from Southwest Texas State University in 1972 with a degree in history and political science. He is a member of the Sons of the Republic of Texas and numerous other organizations. Esparza married Nora Ruiz in 1945; they are the parents of six children.
Scope and Content Note
Produced and gathered in the course of historical and genealogical research, the Reynaldo J. Esparza Research Papers consist of correspondence, source documents, published material, research papers, genealogical material, and photographs.
The papers were placed by their creator into several subject files. Within these subjects, material has been subdivided by document type. Typically, these include documents copied from various sources, published source material, newspaper clippings, and family trees and other genealogical compilations. Unsorted material not associated with the other subject groupings has been placed in a General series.
A significant portion of the papers concerns the Esparza family in general and several individual family members, particularly Gregorio Esparza and his sons Enrique and Francisco. Other family members documented include a daughter of Enrique Esparza, Mother Maria Claude of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. Research material on the Coy family, the Lee family, and the Esparza connection to Canary Islander settlers in San Antonio also focuses on genealogy.
Material on the Battle of the Alamo centers on the participation of Gregorio Esparza and other native-born Texans. More general research covers the San Augustine church founded by the Esparza family in Atascosa County, Texas; the pioneer freighter and minister Policarpo Rodriguez; early San Antonio history; and the Spanish missions of San Antonio. The immediate family of Reynaldo Esparza is documented by printed items associated with special events, some family photographs, and a memoir of Esparza’s World War II experience. The remaining material consists of a scattering of items, primarily associated with Texas history.
A large portion of the papers are photocopies, obtained from a variety of sources, published and unpublished. Research papers and speeches written by Reynaldo J. Esparza on his family and their role in Texas history are found throughout, along with papers by other authors. Photographs include family portraits and snapshots of places and events. A number of negatives, probably of family members, and some photo prints are unidentified.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions. The collection is open for research.
Usage Restrictions
Please be advised that the library does not hold the copyright to most of the material in its archival collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to secure those rights when needed. Permission to reproduce does not constitute permission to publish. The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright, literary property rights, and libel.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Reynaldo J. Esparza Research Papers, 1802-1995, Col 8827, Daughters of The Republic of Texas Library, San Antonio, Texas.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Reynaldo J. Esparza, 1996 April.
Processing Information
Initial processing by Charles R. Gámez, who assisted Reynaldo Esparza with the arrangement of his papers prior to their donation to the DRT Library.
Processed by Warren Stricker, 1997 October.
Finding aid edited and encoded by Caitlin Donnelly, 2010 November.
Index Terms
Personal Names
Esparza, Reynaldo J. (Reynaldo José), 1923-
Esparza, Enrique, 1828-1917.
Esparza, Francisco, ca. 1833-1887.
Esparza, Gregorio, 1808-1836.
Esparza, Maria Claude, 1852-1914.
Rodríguez, José Policarpio, 1829-1914.
Coy family.
Esparza family.
Lee family.
Organizations
San Augustine Catholic Church (Atascosa County, Tex.)
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (San Antonio, Tex.)
Subjects
Alamo defenders.
Canary Islanders--Texas--San Antonio--History.
Genealogy--Texas.
Mexican Americans--Texas--San Antonio.
Missions--Texas--San Antonio.
Locations
San Antonio (Tex.)--History--Sources.
Alamo (San Antonio, Tex.)
San Augustine (Tex.)
Genres/Formats
Personal papers.
Correspondence.
Genealogies.
Photographs.
Research notes.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Reynaldo J. Esparza Research Papers, 1802-1995
1
Alamo
1
1
Correspondence
1
2
Alamo defender lists
1
3
Published source material
1
Research papers
1
4
"An Answer to Colonel William Barret Travis," Reynaldo J. Esparza, 1968
1
5
“Hispanic Defenders of the Alamo,” Reynaldo J. Esparza
1
6
“Remembering the Alamo: A Bibliography of Tejano Accounts,” Tim Matovina
1
“The Alamo: A Sore Point?” Amy McCauley, 1990
1
7
“Brothers at Arms,” Richard D. Esparza
1
8
Speeches
1
9
Printed material
1
10-11
Clippings
1
12
Photographs
1
Canary Islanders
1
13
Source material
1
14
Published source material
1
15
Genealogical material
1
16
Speeches and research papers
1
17
Printed material
1
18
Clippings
1
19
Miscellaneous items
1
Coy family
1
20
Correspondence
1
21
Genealogical material
1
22
Photograph: Sofia Coy, 1915
2
Esparza genealogy
2
23
Correspondence
2
24
Deed: Enrique Esparza, et al to Manuel Esparza, Atascosa County, Texas, 1896 March 25
2
25-28
Source material
2
29
Manuscript: Memoir, Michael V. Peche
2
30
Published source material
2
31
Genealogical material
2
32
Notes
2
33-34
Clippings
2
35
Photographs
2
Enrique Esparza
2
36
Source material
2
37
Published source material
2
38
Biographical material
2
39
Clippings
2
40
Photographs
Oversize 1
Oversize photograph: Enrique Esparza
Panoramic Photographs
Separated photograph: U.S. Navy unit, group photograph, circa 1940-1949
3
Francisco Esparza
3
41
Correspondence
3
42
Source material
3
43
Genealogical material
3
44
Notes: Walt Laos
3
45
Clippings
3
46
Photographs
3
Gregorio Esparza
3
47
Source material
3
48
Published source material
3
49
Research papers
3
“Ones [sic] Man’s Fight for Freedom,” Marissa Esparza, Kelly Barsun, and Dawn Ayers
3
“Gregorio Esparza: A Profile in Heritage,” Rey J. Esparza, 1972
3
Untitled
3
50
Printed material
3
51
Clippings
3
52
Maria Claude Esparza
3
Reynaldo J. Esparza family
3
53
Correspondence
3
54
Research papers and manuscripts
3
“To Laura and Michael,” Reynaldo J. Esparza
3
World War II memoir, Reynaldo J. Esparza
3
55
Speeches
3
56
Military records: David J. Esparza
3
57
Printed material
3
58
Certificates
Oversize 2
Oversize certificates: Texas Catholic Historical Society, Certificate of Merit to Reynaldo J. Esparza, 1984 March 2 and 1987 March 6
3
59
Miscellaneous family papers
3
60
Clippings
3
61
Photographs
3
62
Esparza School
3
Lee family
3
63-65
Source material
3
66
Genealogical material
3
67
Clippings
3
68
Photographs
6
Photographs
4
Policarpo Rodriguez
4
69
Published source material
4
70
Clippings
4
71
Photographs
4
San Antonio, Texas
4
72
Correspondence
4
73
Source material
4
74
Published source material
4
75
Typescript: Personal Memoirs of John N. Seguin
4
76
Maps
4
77
Research papers
4
“The Spanish Military Company of the 2nd Flying Company of San Carlos de Parras, Mexico,” John Ogden Leal
4
“Economic Integration of a Periphery: The Cattle Industry in 18th Century Texas,” Jesus F. de la Teja
4
78
Periodicals
4
79
General printed material
4
80
Clippings
4
81
Photographs
4
San Antonio Missions
4
82
Correspondence
4
83
Published source material
4
84
Maps and plats
4
85
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
4
86
Printed material
4
87
Periodicals
4
88
Notes
4
89
Clippings
4
90
Photographs
5
San Augustine, Texas
5
91
Correspondence
5
92
Source material
5
93
Published source material
5
94
Speeches
5
95
Report: “A Historical Study and Archaeological Notes on the Esparza Site: the Esparza Farms, the San Augustine Mission Church and the San Augustine School, with Relevant Character Histories and Biographical Information,” Kay Thompson Hindes
5
96
Printed material
5
97
Notes and miscellaneous items
5
98
Clippings
5
99
Photographs
5
General material
5
100
Genealogical material
5
101
Research papers
5
“The Sephardic Colonization of the Spanish North American Frontier,” Richard G. Santos
5
“Los Guerreros—Two Spanish Colonial Towns,” 2 items
5
102
Published source material
5
103-104
Periodicals
5
105
Printed material
5
106
Columbus quincentennial
5
107
Clippings
5
Photographs and portraits
5
108
Antonita Martinez
5
109
Unidentified
6
Unidentified [negatives]
5
110
Photocopies
5
111
Miscellaneous material