UGARTE, JOSÉ JOAQUÍN (?-1813). José Joaquín Ugarte was military commandant of Nacogdoches in 1803. Following the purchase of the Louisiana territory by the United States and Spain's prohibition on trade with that new U. S. possession, Ugarte suggested the establishment of settlements between Bexar and Nacogdoches to support the eastern frontier of Texas. Acting on orders from the governor, he stopped American survey and exploration parties on the frontier and curtailed the contraband trade in horses. Replaced by Dionisio Valle as commandant at Nacogdoches on February 4, 1805, Ugarte was made commandant of the presidio of San Antonio de Béxar on April 21, 1806. From August 1807 until August 18, 1809, he served as substitute governor of Coahuila for Manuel Antonio Cordero y Bustamante.^qv During the governorship of Manuel María de Salcedo,^qv Ugarte was called upon in 1810 to serve as lieutenant governor of Texas during Salcedo's tour of coastal regions near La Bahía del Espíritu Santo. Along with Governor Salcedo and other members of his staff, Ugarte was assassinated on April 3, 1813, on orders of Antonio Delgado,^qv a rebel captain in the service of José Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara.^qv

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Vito Alessio Robles, Coahuila y Texas en la época colonial (Mexico City: Editorial Cultura, 1938; 2d ed., Mexico City: Editorial Porrúa, 1978). Félix D. Almaráz, Tragic Cavalier: Gov. Manuel Salcedo of Texas, 1808-1813 (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1971). Carlos E. Castañeda, Our Catholic Heritage in Texas (7 vols., Austin: Von Boeckmann-Jones, 1936-58; rpt., New York: Arno, 1976).