November 1, 2018 500 AM
PRESIDIO COUNTY – Casa Piedra Ranch in Presidio County was honored at the Family Land Heritage Program ceremony Tuesday night.
The program honors families who have owned and operated a continuous agricultural operation for 100 years or more. Every year the Texas Department of Agriculture hosts a ceremony at the Texas State Capitol to celebrate and commemorate the families who have passed down their proud Texas legacy from generation to generation.
As told by Christopher J. Vasquez, fourth-great-grandson of the founder, the ranch was founded in 1889 by William E. Russell who came to Texas in the 1850s and “became a prominent land owner, rancher, merchant, farmer, and silver miner in the Presidio County/northern Mexico region. He was the great-grandson of General William Russell, American Revolutionary War soldier credited with aiding in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence.”
In 1889, William E. Russell purchased 160 acres of land (Sec. 339, Block 312), known as “La Punta Del Agua,” from Dionicio Mata, which included a two-room rock house. He soon gave the land to his two daughters, Lucia “Lucy” and Anita. Anita sold her share to her sister.
Lucia and her husband, Natividad Vasquez, grew wheat, corn, beans, squash, peaches, and raised goats, chickens, turkeys, and cattle.
In 1913, the eldest son of Natividad and Lucia, Conrado L. Vasquez, knew that the community of approximately 50 families was in need of a Post Office and store. When he applied for the U.S. Post Office permit, he needed to provide a name. Out of respect for Dionicio Mata and the original rock house, he decided to name it Casa Piedra, which is Spanish for rock house. The Casa Piedra United States Post Office and store opened in 1913. In 1947, Conrado L. Vasquez purchased 560 acres from his parents and during the next several years added 5152 acres.
The post office and store operated until the mid-1950s. In preparation for his retirement, Conrado gifted all 5712 acres to his children, Conrado H., Armando, and Conchita. Conrado H. passed away in 1992.
Today, the ranch is owned and operated by Armando Vasquez and Conchita Vasquez Mendoza. Armando is a young 93 years old and still feeds the cattle multiple times a week and even helped with a recent cattle roundup (May 2018). His sister, Conchita, has converted the Post Office and store to a family museum containing old pictures and artifacts.
