GIRAUD, FRANÇOIS P. (1818-1877). François P. Giraud, surveyor, engineer, and builder, was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 1, 1818, to François and Adele Giraud. His parents had immigrated from Bordeaux, France, to Charleston, South Carolina, and then moved to San Antonio about 1847. Giraud was sent by his parents to Mount St. Mary's College at Emmitsburg, Maryland, where he served for a while as a teacher upon graduation. He furthered his engineering and architectural studies in Paris, France, then returned to San Antonio and worked as a civil engineer and architect. He was responsible for building St. Mary's Church, early structures at St. Mary's University, and Ursuline Academy,^qv and he furnished plans for the reconstruction of San Fernando Cathedral.^qv He made a survey to fix the boundaries of San Antonio and furnished plans of San Pedro and Alazan creeks and their irrigation systems. He surveyed and established boundaries of the San Antonio missions (see SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK). Giraud served as a city engineer from 1849 to 1853 and as mayor from 1872 to 1875. He married María Apolinaria Treviño; they had no children. He died in San Antonio on May 8, 1877.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Frederick Charles Chabot, With the Makers of San Antonio (Yanaguana Society Publications 4, San Antonio, 1937). Charles W. Ramsdell, "The Legacy of F. Giraud," Texas Parade, April 1968.

John W. Clark, Jr.