SAVE LINO’S GRAVE
Dear Descendant of Lino Ramirez,
As you may know, in 2012 we had the Lino Ramirez Cemetery recognized by the Texas Historical Commission as a Texas Historical Cemetery in order to protect it from being destroyed by the surrounding landowners. This was just the first step in preserving your family’s legacy of having been amongst the first pioneers to settle in the Spanish Colonies and Land Grants of Nuevo Santander and what is today South Texas.
Lino Ramirez was one of the most successful cattle and livestock ranchers in 19th century South Texas. His multiple ranches rivaled the King Ranch at the time with over 30 patents of land, which consisted of approximately 90,000 acres at the time of his death in 1887. Lino’s little-known history is deeply imbedded in the colonization of South Texas, along with other famous people such as architect Henry Portscheller, who built Lino’s townhouse in Roma as well as the tomb where he was buried on the San Antonio Viejo Ranch.
We are now at a crossroad where we need your immediate help to preserve Lino’s mausoleum (called a “bóveda” in Spanish). One hundred and thirty years of wind and rain erosion, grave robbers from the East Ranch, and cattle drives through the burial site have taken their toll. If not for his marble headstone and concrete mausoleum, Lino’s grave would have been lost like dozens of others on the San Antonio Viejo Ranch. Thanks to the first donations from about 20 people, we were able to purchase the narrative plaque from the Texas Historical Commission, and the minting should be complete in a couple of months.
We are reaching out to all family members and friends to contribute about $100 each (or whatever you can afford) to the cost of restoring the monument. It is in a condition of serious deterioration with cracks that could cause the whole structure to collapse. David Puig has graciously donated his time and effort to contact a contractor and secure an estimate of approximately $5250 to restore the mausoleum and repair the wrought iron fence.
All donations are welcome, and all will be recognized on a published list of contributors. This is a family effort that you can be proud of, and we want you to feel like visiting. The State of Texas will not help fund the project, but every dollar we raise will be spent directly on the grave.
We will notify all donors of the dedication date, which will now be held at the entrance to the San Antonio Viejo Ranch on FM 649, as well as a gravesite blessing for those who can provide their own 4-wheel drive vehicle to access the ranch. This will probably be in the spring of 2020.
We need your contribution desperately in the next few months. So please don’t delay, as this will be honoring our historical patriarch.
Sincerely,
Gloria Ramirez Swidriski and Edward Swidriski ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
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