DUANE
Duane's take
The way the official marker tells it, here's the story of the Ramón family of Laredo. Some families leave a mark on a place. The Ramóns left several generations worth.
By 1869, the family occupied residential property right here on this site — but that's nowhere near where their story begins. To find the beginning, you've got to go back a good deal further. Back to around 1800, when a man named Ildefonso Ramón was already planting roots in the Laredo area.
Ildefonso was the patriarch, and he didn't just settle here — he led here. He served as Alcalde for several terms, which meant he was the man folks turned to when things needed governing. Now, that kind of standing has a way of running in the blood.
Ildefonso's son, José María Ramón, followed his father straight into the political life. He served as Alcalde too, but his tenure was anything but quiet. José María held the office during periods of genuine tension along the border — disputes over the boundary itself, and the upheaval brought on by the short-lived Republic of the Rio Grande.
Picture holding civic authority when the very ground beneath the town is contested. That was José María's lot. Then came the third generation.
Martín Ramón took up life in Laredo and traded the political arena for the ranching life, taking over the family's ranching interests. But when the Civil War arrived, Martín answered a different call. He served in the Confederate Cavalry, riding alongside his noted cousins — the Benavides brothers — in defense of the Laredo area.
Three generations, one city, and a family name woven into nearly everything that shaped this place.
What the marker says
The Ramón Family Engaged in much of Laredo's early history, the Ramón family occupied residential property at this site by 1869. Patriarch of the family was Ildefonso Ramón, who was in the Laredo area by 1800 and served as Alcalde for several terms. His son, José María Ramón, followed his father's political career, serving as Alcalde during periods of tension along the border as the result of disputes over the boundary and the short-lived Republic of the Rio Grande. The third-generation family member to live in Laredo was Martín Ramón, who took over the family's ranching interests and served in the Confederate Cavalry with his noted cousins, the Benavides brothers, in defense of the Laredo area. (2002)