Garcia, Eusebio (1859–1937)

Eusebio Garcia, owner of Los Ojuelos Ranch in Webb County, was born in Guerrero, Mexico, on March 5, 1859. He was the son of Jesus Garcia and Ursula (Rodriguez) Garcia. Starting at the age of thirteen, Garcia worked for his uncle, Ramón Alvarado, who was foreman of the King Ranch, for a couple of years. He finally immigrated to the United States on January 1, 1879, and married Maria Josefa Guerra, daughter of Dionisio Guerra who was the owner of the vast Los Ojuelos grant, on January 17, 1882. They had six children. In this union, with the land his wife had inherited along with the land acquired by him through purchases, Garcia put together a ranch of more than 50,000 acres. Los Ojuelos (meaning “The Springs”) was three miles south of Mirando City in Webb County and was the site of a ranching community. In August 1888 Garcia and his wife moved to Laredo. Meanwhile, he and his brother, José María Garcia, had established a general merchandising business in Laredo. The firm, known as J. M. Garcia & Brother, continued until 1904 when it closed. Eusebio Garcia applied for United States citizenship in 1913. On November 13, 1921, the first oil well in a new boom era was located near Los Ojuelos Ranch. Despite the flow of oil, Garcia continued his cattle ranching business. At one time, Garcia had as many as 10,000 cattle. He retired from ranching in 1930 and handed over management to his son, Amador E. Garcia. Eusebio Garcia’s wife died in August 1935. About this time Garcia, who had suffered financial setbacks during the Great Depression, filed for bankruptcy. Garcia, a Catholic, remained at his home in Laredo until his death on December 26, 1937. The ranching community of Los Ojuelos, which was abandoned by the 1950s, received a Texas Historical Marker in 2010.