Juan Nepomuceno Seguín Biography

Juan Nepomuceno Seguín

One of two sons born to an established San Antonio couple, Juan José María Erasmo Seguín and his wife, María Josefa Becerra, Seguín was largely self-educated. When he was 19 he married María Gertrudis Flores de Abrego, who came from a leading San Antonio ranching family. Seguín became mayor of San Antonio in 1833. Seguín's father was an ally of Stephen Austin, and Seguín actively opposed increasing centralization of authority by the Mexican government.

In 1835, Seguín led a band of other Texans of Mexican ancestry, known as Tejanos, against Mexican troops. Seguín was at the Alamo the following year but had slipped out to seek reinforcements, so he was not killed when the fort fell to Mexican troops. His was the only Tejano unit to fight with Sam Houston at the battle of San Jacinto, which was a decisive Texan victory. Later, Seguín was the only Tejano to serve in the Senate of the Texan Republic. In 1840 he was again elected San Antonio mayor and became embroiled in worsening tensions between Tejanos and English-speaking Texans. In 1842 Seguín helped defeat a Mexican incursion against San Antonio. In an effort to discredit Seguín, the Mexican commander claimed Seguín was a loyal Mexican subject. Opponents also used Seguín's business correspondence with Mexico in attempts to prove his disloyalty.

On April 18, 1842, he resigned as mayor and fled to Mexico. Claiming he was forced to do so, Seguín fought for Mexico in the Mexican War (1846–1848). After the war, Seguin returned to the United States and became politically active once again, serving briefly as a judge in Wilson County. In the late 1860s, he retired to Nuevo Leon, Mexico, where his son lived. He died and was buried there in 1890. On July 4, 1976, his remains were reburied in Seguin, Texas, the town that had been named in his honor.