REview of BEXAR: Stirpes

Book Review of Bexar: the History and Records of a South Texas Ghost Town

by William D. “Bill” Buckner, TxSGS Awards Chair

Bexar: the History and Records of a South Texas Ghost Town,

the Northwest Vista College Texas Heritage Series, Art Martínez de Vara. (Von Ormy, TX: Alamo Press, 2020). iv, 386 pages, indexed. AlamoPress.com. Available from Amazon.com, $59.99 hardcover

     The author describes his latest work as a new edition of his 2013 book, San Patricio de Béxar Church. A quick comparison showed that the nearly 2,689 entries (about 10,000 name entries in the index) found in the sacramental records (baptism, marriage, burials, confirmations), the

San Patricio Cemetery survey, and 1876 Parish census of Atascosa are intact in the new edition.

     So, what was new besides the title and format? Perhaps “what’s new” is what I would describe as writer’s regret, the chance to correct or improve upon your first effort. In this case, the author corrected duplicate entry numbering found in the cemetery entries of the 2013 edition. For the historian and collector of facts, “what’s new” might provide an opportunity to share those finds discovered as soon as your book goes to press. A new map, a photo, and a new listing of individuals are some of the noticeable items I found at first glance. For an author and publisher,

aiming for accuracy and improving the content of your products are signs you are doing all the right things.

     Since the publication of the 2013 edition, the author has polished his format and writing style. The two-part format is logical. A brief history of the land, events, and church is presented to

provide background (Part I: pages 1-11). The parish sacramental records and other associated records from San Patricio de Béxar Church comprise the bulk of the volume, which are presented

in Part II (pages 12-327). 

     We are indebted to Art Martinez de Vara for preserving the content of these records by translating (from the ecclesiastical Latin, some French, and the bulk in Spanish), transcribing, and publishing these early records. The author stated that it took him over three years to translate and transcribe these records.

     Preservation and publishing go together. Even with today’s digital preservation efforts to capture an image and provide a facsimile, the work of the compiler, translator, author, indexer, and publisher are needed to truly preserve the content of the records of our ancestors and make them usable.

     As a librarian and family historian, I would appreciate a statement indicting where these remarkable records can be accessed. Perhaps I missed it. The phrase “always view the original” comes to mind anytime I review transcriptions of any kind.

     The records themselves are valuable to descendants of those who lived in Atascosa and Frio counties when the church served as a Catholic mission, as well as South Bexar County.

• Listed baptisms range from October 1868 to December 1903 (1,043 entries) and include the date of birth, date of baptism, parents, godparents, priest, and additional notes.

• Marriages range from September 1882 to October 1955 (entries 1044- 1278) and include parents and grandparents of the groom and bride, witnesses, and priest. Marriage entries may include the age, birthplace, and current residence of the couple as well as other choice notes.

• Burial dates range from January 1916 to January 1953 (entries 1279- 1452). Standardized burial

entries include the name of the deceased, date of death, burial date, place of burial, and

the name of the priest who signed the burial book.

• Confirmation entries begin in 1909 and conclude in 1934 (entries 1453-2076). Besides the name

of the person confirmed, additional information may include parents, sponsor, and priest.

• Further information includes a survey (2005) of San Patricio Cemetery (entries 2077-2607) and the 1876 census of San Patricio de Bexar Church families (entries 2608-2689).

     In addition, the author provides a 58-page every-name index referencing the unique entry numbers to Part I, History “General Index,” and Part II, “Sacramental Records.”

     This book will serve historians, genealogists, and students for years to come. Thank you, Art Martínez de Vara, for preserving our Texas heritage.