This is a story about a Hispanic family from a rural community in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas starting shortly after the Mexican Independence from Spain. Word of mouth was the only way that these stories were passed from one generation to another. La Mulata was an original founder of "Rancho El Capote" community in South Texas, and a direct ancestor on both sides of my family. She was the daughter of a former slave who was brought to South Carolina from Africa. The slave owner moved to Texas well before the Civil War, but Ramon (the fifteen-year-old slave) ran away to Mexico where slavery was not lawful. His first born was Reyna (La Mulata who was half black and half American Indian) who crossed back into Texas and found a world totally different than the one she left behind in Reynosa, Mexico. "La Mulata" is the story of Reyna. She was part of the founding family in Rancho El Capote community. This story describes the extraordinary experiences Reyna had, but she was also credited with super-human qualities. Her descendants are found in both my father's and my mother's side of the family. The early days of Rancho El Capote were very different than what they are today. Later, when it became part of the United States, it was literally residing at the very edge of the world and ready to fall off. I am most proud of this history because of the tenacity exemplified by Reyna. It is difficult to appreciate the indestructible qualities Reyna possessed to overcome the obstacles life presented her, which made her not only fascinating but interestingly unique and incredibly real.
