Rafael Gonzáles

Rafael Gonzales (1789–1857) was a Tejano military leader and Governor of Coahuila and Texas from 1824 to 1826.

Gonzales was born in San Antonio de Béxar in 1789. He joined the military as a cadet in the presidial company of Nuestra Señora de Loreto. In October 1810, at age 20, Gonzales was made Second Alferez, and two years later he earned the title of First Alferez.

On June 3, 1814, Gonzales was promoted to second lieutenant, and established a presidio in Monclova (Coahuila, in modern Mexico). One year later, on July 14, 1815, he was promoted to first lieutenant of the Royalist company of Presidio de Rio Grande, and on May 18, 1818 he reached the rank of captain.

On July 3, 1821, Gonzales participated in the Mexican Independence movement. On December 12, 1821 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. On August 15, 1824, he was named governor of Coahuila and Texas. In that year, Gonzales granted each Shawnee family who settled in Texas a square mile of land in the south bank of Red River.

He was governor of Coahuila and Texas until March 15, 1826, when he was replaced by Victor Blanco. In 1834 Gonzales was named secretary of Coahuila and Texas. He died in 1857.

The town of Gonzales, Texas was named to honor his bravery.