Mexía, José Antonio, 1790-1839

Biographical Information

José Antonio Mexía

A Cuban, José Mexía came to Mexico in 1823. He was a federalist who rose to the position of general in the Mexican Army. Upon being sent by Montezuma, the commandante at Tampico, to punish Texas rebels, in 1832, Mexía changed his views concerning Texas and turned back to Tampico. He attempted to obtain help from New Orleans and returned to Mexico in November 1835 with three ships. He succeeded in capturing the port of Tampico but lost the town. While fighting against Santa Anna's troops at Acajete he was taken prisoner on May 3, 1839 and was executed three hours later.

José Antonio Mexía married Charlotte Walker, daughter of English parents, in Mexico City on August 5, 1823. Their children were: Adelaide Matilde, born in 1826; Enrique Guillermo Antonio born in 1829; and José Carlos.

Enrique Guillermo Antonio Mexía

Enrique Guillermo Antonio Mexía began his military career as a Second-Lieutenant in the Mexican army during the war with the United States, 1845-1847. During the war he was taken prisoner by U.S. troops. After his release, he lived in Mexico and Texas where he owned land inherited from his father.

Mexía took part in the Mexican three year war, "La Reforma" (1857-1860), fighting on the side of the liberal party, which was trying to establish a new constitution. During the European intervention that followed, Mexía served on several diplomatic missions for the exiled Juarez government. On one occasion he was commissioned to go to the United States to purchase arms for the Mexican army. He was also in charge of the defense of the ports of Tampico, Vera Cruz, and Bagdad (near the Texan border), where there were several conflicts with American troops. One of these conflicts included an attack made by African American troops in January 1866 when American authorities seized the property of Mexican citizens in the custom house at Brownsville, Texas.

After Emperor Maximilian's execution, Mexía was engaged chiefly in suppressing minor revolts against the Juarez government. During the period of turmoil following the death of President Juarez in 1872, Mexía was sent to the United States to purchase arms for the state of Puebla, loyal to Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada in his struggle with Porfirio Díaz for the presidency. During the period of 1880 to 1896, Mexía was occupied with improvements in Mexico such as railroads, electricity and steamship lines. He also was active in politics, serving as deputy from Temascultepec to the Mexican Congress.

Enrique Guillermo Antonio Mexía married Sarah Ramsey Wilmer from the United States in 1868.

Ynés Mexía

Daughter to Enrique Guillermo Antonio Mexía and Sarah Ramsey Wilmer, Ynés Mexía was educated in the United States, including at the University of California, Berkeley. She became an eminent botanist and collected specimens on field trips in Mexico, Central and South America, and Alaska for the University of California, Berkeley and the Smithsonian Institution.

From the guide to the Mexía family papers, 1694-1951, (The Bancroft Library)