Tejano History
Portilla, Felipe Roque De La
Tejanos |
PORTILLA, FELIPE ROQUE DE LA (1766–1841). Felipe Roque de la Portilla Colmenero, colonizer, was born on August 16, 1766, in Carriazo, Santander, Spain, to Domingo de la Portilla Arnuero and Antonia Colmenero Vélez. He went to Mexico as a captain in the Spanish Army and on November 12, 1799, was married to María Ignacia de la Garza Montemayor in old La Feria by José Nicolás Ballí. María was a native of Mier, Nuevo Santander, Mexico, and the daughter of Damián de la Garza Montemayor and María Rozalía Sáenz Almaraz. Felipe and María had eight children, including Dolores and Tomasa, both of whom were later married to empresario James Power. In 1803, after the Louisiana purchase, the Spanish government in Mexico became concerned about American citizens moving into Texas.
Full article on the Texas State Historical Association's Handbook of Texas Online