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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Hi everyone –

I recently received some great news by our cousins, Ed and Gloria. Their daughter achieved the gravesite of Lino RAmirez historical recognition by the State of Texas. They have spent much time and money and now are looking to family for help in erecting a plaque ($2500). Below is the context of the email. I am eliminating Ed’s telephone number but if you want that information, please just drop me a line at sharon@casabasa.com.

Ed’s email below:

     The family website is looking really great and I would like to share some additional information about Lino’s Cemetery with the rest of the family.

In 2012, my daughter Allison Swidriski applied for a Texas Historical Cemetery Designation for the Lino Ramirez Family Cemetery and after much documentation and recording in the Jim Hogg Courthouse, the Cemetery is now recognized as a Texas Historical Site. This will help to protect it in the future should the landowners of the ranch ever try to destroy or remove it. (See 2 attachments Lino Ramirez Cemetery Certification and Lino Ramirez Cemetery Designation).

The Texas Historical Commission recognized Allison’s efforts in their Facebook Publication on November 2nd, 2012. (See attachment titled “My East Texas Article”).

Our family visited the cemetery in January 2011 and cleaned it. (See 2 attachments titled Eddie and Allison Swidriski (great, great grandchildren of Lino Ramirez) and Lino Tomb Cemetery) which shows the cemetery after cleaning.

           

We still need help preserving the tombstone and getting the historical designation plaque which will cost $2500 to be made. Anyone interested in contributing to this or able to get organization and corporation donations can contact Ed and Gloria Swidriski at [contact Sharon and I will send].

Thanks,

Ed Swidriski

David Gonzales sent the email below with a request to post his message. We are grateful Cathy and her family are alright and send prayers to those who suffered harm:

My niece Cathy Villarreal and family went thru a horrific and scary moments
during touchdown of several tornados in the Oklahoma City area, there home
of record. The family luckily had time to head for the nearest shelter to hide
from one of the biggest tornadoes ever to hit the Oklahoma City area in many moons.

Their home suffered only minor damage and good thing for that. I was able
to talk to my niece and although badly shaken, they all managed to survive thru
all the tornado devastation. Sadly and heartbroken, many other Oklahomans
did not make it, especially, the many school children and adults that were
trapped and buried in the tornado debris. Many casualties reported.

I thank god for my niece and family and my prayers are with them during their time of ordeal.

Hi Sharon,

We are your cousins from Texas. My wife’s grandfather was Abraham Ramirez, brother to Jose Ramirez. We are coordinating the Antonio Ramirez Group 1 efforts for the Houston/Corpus Christi, and Hebbronville Texas relatives. I have some information and comments to add to the website but my user ID is not recognized. Can you help set me up? I have been getting all the e-mails thanks to David.

In the meantime, here are some pictures of the grave of Lino Ramirez on the San Antonio Viejo Ranch in Hebbronville Texas. His second wife, Lucia, and a son Luis, are buried next to his mausoleum in unmarked graves.

Thanks,

Ed & Gloria Swidriski