Canary Islanders Cemetery
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| In Floresville, Texas there is a small
cemetery on Business Loop 181 right behind Gorzell's Auto Parts. The historical
marker calls it the "Cemetery of Canary Islanders". The Canary Islanders
came to the northern frontier of Spanish-Tejas. They had been traveling for almost a
year. The Canary Islanders sailed from the Spanish Canary Islands, across
the Atlantic Ocean, to New Spain which is now called Mexico. Many of
them died from illness. A
few stayed in the southern part of New Spain. The ones that completed the voyage and
the trip to San Antonio de Bexar contributed to the cultural heritage of Texas as we know
it today. The Spanish contributions continue to influence and permeate the whole
nation. The Islanders brought with them a very rich Spanish culture which they
adapted to their new environment. Spain's culture and history are the foundations of
a Hispanic heritage, not only of San Antonio, Texas, but for all the Southwestern part of
what is now the United States. Most of this information comes from The Canary Islanders http://seguin.simplenet.com/awebpage.html, Nov. 9, 1999, Albert Seguin Carvajal Gonzales, date accessed Feb.16, 2000 |