evidence: Juan Antonio Villarreal a Spanish soldier is one of our earliest known Texan ancestor he was a decendent of Diego Villarreal. He arrived in the Valley area with his wife in 1747. In 1778 his son Jose Antonio was killed by an Indian tribe known as the Tampacuaces. In 1779 according to the civil records in the Archives of Reynosa an executive order was issued by the local Spanish Government instructing the Villarreales and others concurring to commit atrocities against the Tampacuaces to cease such actions. It seems that the family was avenging the death of Don Jose, and at the same time showing the Indians that the Villarreales were a family who's land or path was not to be crossed. Later stories told by old timers reflect this pattern, tresspassers were not welcome on Villarreal territory or they would pay the price. [...] THE VILLLARREAL HOUSE (1820) Photo taken 1996 [...] Seferino Villarreal with Roman Pedro Villarreal Rafael Villarreal Back to Table