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A private family archive

The Ballí Family

Reynosa , Matamoros , Padre Island

The lower Rio Grande · eighteenth & early nineteenth centuries

This archive gathers what the records actually say about the Ballí family — four generations, from grandparents named in a 1798 will to the priest whose name Padre Island carries and the nephew who shared its title. Every fact is tied to its source. Where the record is silent, we say so.

I The family tree

Four generations, as the records show them

Open anyone’s file to see each fact about them, the badge that says how sure we are, and the record behind it.

  • Verified primary record in hand
  • Published secondary source
  • Reported family historian, being traced
  • Unknown not yet found

Family files

Each person, fact by fact

Paternal grandfather · Generation I

Nicolás Ballí

Dates unknown

  • Verified

    Named as José María Ballí’s father in Rosa María Hinojosa de Ballí’s will of 1798: José María Ballí, hijo legítimo de Nicolás Ballí y de María Josefa Guerra — José María Ballí, legitimate son of Nicolás Ballí and María Josefa Guerra.

    Texas General Land Office, Spanish Collection SC 000139:1

    Independently confirmed by a family historian.

  • Unknown

    No birth, marriage or death date has been found.

Records

Paternal grandmother · Generation I

María Josefa Guerra

Dates unknown

  • Verified

    Named as José María Ballí’s mother in the same 1798 will: hijo legítimo de Nicolás Ballí y de María Josefa Guerra.

    Texas General Land Office, Spanish Collection SC 000139:1

  • Unknown

    No birth, marriage or death date has been found.

Records

Father · Generation II

José María Ballí

Died before 1790

  • Verified

    Son of Nicolás Ballí and María Josefa Guerra, as his wife’s 1798 will records.

    Texas General Land Office, Spanish Collection SC 000139:1

  • Verified

    Co-grantee, with Rosa María, of a land grant.

    Texas General Land Office, Cameron County Abstract 10, file 000697

  • Published

    Died before 1790. The Handbook of Texas says he had died by the time the grant was approved in 1790.

    Texas State Historical Association, Handbook of Texas

  • Unknown

    No exact death date is documented.

  • Verified

    Named with his wife as ya difuntos — both already deceased — in their son’s will of 1828.

    Texas General Land Office, Spanish Collection SC 000136:2A, p. 5

Records

Mother · Generation II

Rosa María Hinojosa de Ballí

1752 – 1803

  • Published

    Born 1752; died 1803.

    Texas State Historical Association, Handbook of Texas

  • Published

    Known as La Patrona and remembered as one of the first great ranchers of Texas.

    Texas State Historical Association, Handbook of Texas

  • Verified

    Her own will is dated 1798. It names her husband as the son of Nicolás Ballí and María Josefa Guerra.

    Texas General Land Office, Spanish Collection SC 000139:1

  • Verified

    Co-grantee, with José María, of a land grant.

    Texas General Land Office, Cameron County Abstract 10, file 000697

  • Verified

    Named with her husband as ya difuntos — both already deceased — in her son’s will of 1828.

    Texas General Land Office, Spanish Collection SC 000136:2A, p. 5

Records

Son · Generation III

Padre José Nicolás Ballí

177? – 1829

  • Verified

    Born in the Villa de Reinosa (Reynosa), in his own words: originario de la Villa de Reinosa, hijo legítimo de D. José Mª Ballí y de Dña Rosa Mª Ynojosa, ya difuntos.

    His will, 1828 · GLO Spanish Collection SC 000136:2A, p. 5

  • Unknown

    Birth date. Both Texas historical markers read “(177?–1829)”. He was a priest by January 1807 and canon law set 24 as the minimum age, so he was born no later than 1783.

  • Verified

    Interim parish priest (Cura interino) at Reynosa: signs marriages on January 28, February 3 and February 9, 1807, in his own hand.

    UTRGV Special Collections, Reynosa Marriage Church Register, p. 78

  • Verified

    Parish priest (cura beneficiado) of Nuestra Señora del Refugio, Matamoros, as of 1828.

    His will, 1828 · GLO SC 000136:2A, p. 5

    Published Served there from 1804 — Handbook of Texas.

  • Verified

    Died on or before April 11, 1829, of apoplejía (a stroke). Buried April 16, 1829, at Nuestra Señora del Refugio.

    Parish burial register, Defunciones 1812–1920, FamilySearch DGS 004563848, image 1240

  • Published

    Title to the island issued after his death, December 15, 1829, jointly to him and his nephew Juan José Ballí.

    Handbook of Texas

Read his full file →

Records

Son · Generation III

Brother — name being verified

Dates unknown

  • Reported

    A family historian reports that there were three sons in all: the Padre and two brothers. Being traced to a record.

  • Unknown

    Name and dates not yet verified. One of the two brothers was the father of Juan José Ballí — which one is not yet known.

No record on this site names him yet. When one is found, it will appear here.

Son · Generation III

Brother — name being verified

Dates unknown

  • Reported

    A family historian reports that there were three sons in all: the Padre and two brothers. Being traced to a record.

  • Unknown

    Name and dates not yet verified. One of the two brothers was the father of Juan José Ballí — which one is not yet known.

No record on this site names him yet. When one is found, it will appear here.

Nephew · Generation IV

Juan José Ballí

Dates unknown

  • Verified

    Named on the 1828 island survey cover as su sobrino Juan Ballí — the Padre’s nephew.

    Texas General Land Office, Spanish Collection SC 000136:2A, p. 12

  • Published

    Co-grantee of the island with his uncle: “Nicolás Ballí & Juan José Ballí.” The title was issued December 15, 1829.

    GLO grantees list · Handbook of Texas

  • Unknown

    His father was one of the Padre’s brothers — which one is not yet known. His dates are unknown.

Records

III Timeline

The family through the records

Dated where a record dates it. Where it doesn’t, the gap is marked as a gap.

  1. Undated

    Gap in the record

    Nicolás Ballí and María Josefa Guerra

    No dates have been found for the Padre’s grandparents. They are known from his mother’s will of 1798, which names them as José María’s parents.

    Verified · GLO SC 000139:1Dates unknown

  2. 1752

    Rosa María Hinojosa is born

    Later known as “La Patrona,” one of the first great ranchers of Texas.

    Published · Handbook of Texas

  3. 177?

    Gap in the record

    José Nicolás is born at the Villa de Reinosa — date unknown

    The birthplace is in his own will. The year is not in any record found so far; both Texas historical markers print “177?”. The documented ceiling: no later than 1783.

    Birthplace verified · his will, 1828Birth date unknown

  4. Before 1790

    José María Ballí dies

    He had died by the time the grant was approved in 1790, according to the Handbook of Texas. No exact death date is documented.

    Published · Handbook of TexasExact date unknown

  5. 1798

    Rosa María makes her will

    It names her husband as José María Ballí, hijo legítimo de Nicolás Ballí y de María Josefa Guerra — the record that names the Padre’s grandparents.

    Verified · GLO SC 000139:1

  6. 1800 – 1802

    Flood destroys the Villa de Reynosa

    The town is destroyed by flood in September 1800 and refounded nearby in 1802. Its early baptism books are lost.

    Published

  7. 1803

    Rosa María dies

    Published · Handbook of Texas

  8. 1804

    Priest at Nuestra Señora del Refugio, Matamoros

    Published accounts place him at the Matamoros parish from 1804.

    Published · Handbook of Texas

  9. Jan – Feb 1807

    Interim priest at Reynosa

    He records marriages on January 28, February 3 and February 9 as Cura interino, in his own hand — spelling his name both “Bally” and “Ballí” on the same page.

    His signature “Nicolas Bally” from the 1807 register

    Verified · UTRGV, Reynosa Marriage Register, p. 78

  10. Dec 11, 1827

    The survey of the Isla de Santiago opens — at his request

    Diligencias de medida, promovidas por el Presvítero Nicolás Ballí, de la Ysla de Santiago. Dic. 11 de 1827.

    Verified · GLO SC 000136:2A, p. 13

  11. 1828

    The survey file is issued to him and his nephew

    To el Ciudadano Br. Nicolás Ballí, Co-antiguo poseedor de aquel terreno, y a su sobrino Juan Ballí. The surveyor: Domingo de la Fuente.

    Verified · GLO SC 000136:2A, pp. 12, 22

  12. Aug 6, 1828

    He writes his will in Matamoros

    “In sound mind and full health, but fearing some grave accident.” He names his birthplace and his parents, lists what he owns — and states no age.

    Verified · GLO SC 000136:2A, p. 5

  13. By Apr 11, 1829

    He dies, of apoplejía — a stroke

    On April 11 the burial register already calls him “el finado” — the late cura.

    Verified · burial register, image 1240

  14. Apr 16, 1829

    Buried at Nuestra Señora del Refugio, Matamoros

    An entierro mayor with vigil, 25 pesos; the entry is signed by Rafael de Lira. Most published sources give this as his death date. It was his burial.

    The April 16, 1829 burial entry in the Matamoros register

    Verified · Defunciones 1812–1920, DGS 004563848

  15. Dec 15, 1829

    Title to the island is issued — after his death

    Jointly to him and his nephew Juan José Ballí.

    Published · Handbook of Texas

  16. Nov 5, 1909

    A certified copy of his will is recorded in Cameron County

    It survives, with the Texas General Land Office typescript. The original is missing from the Matamoros archive.

    Verified · State of Texas v. Balli (Tex. 1944)

  17. 1979 · 1983

    Two Texas historical markers

    Marker #3908 (Nueces County, 1979) and marker #3909 (Cameron County, 1983) both give his life as “(177?–1829)”.

    Published · Texas Historical Commission

  18. Today

    Still open

    His birth date, his brothers’ names, the original will, the survey map

    Next record to check: his ordination file, in the Archdiocese of Monterrey archive. See the open questions →

    Unknown

IV Records

Six primary records behind the facts

These six records stand behind the Verified badges on this site. Select any page to read it full size.

Handwritten page 78 of the Reynosa marriage register, 1807, with three entries and his signatures View page

1807 · Reynosa

Marriage register, page 78

Three marriages he performed as Cura interino — January 28, February 3 and February 9, 1807 — in his own hand, his name spelled both “Bally” and “Ballí” on the same page.

Verified UTRGV Special Collections & Archives, Reynosa Marriage Church Register, p. 78

Two-page spread of the Matamoros burial register for April 1829 View spread

1829 · Matamoros

Burial register, Nuestra Señora del Refugio

On April 11 the register already calls him “el finado.” On April 16 he is buried with an entierro mayor and vigil, 25 pesos; cause of death, apoplejía. Signed by Rafael de Lira.

Verified Parish burial register, Defunciones 1812–1920 · FamilySearch DGS 004563848, image 1240

Typescript first page of his 1828 will, white text on a dark photostat View page

1828 · Matamoros

His will

Written August 6, 1828. It names his birthplace and parents and lists his possessions. The original is missing from the Matamoros archive; this typescript and a certified copy recorded in Cameron County on November 5, 1909 are the surviving texts.

Verified Texas General Land Office, Spanish Collection SC 000136:2A, p. 5 · State of Texas v. Balli, 144 Tex. 195, 190 S.W.2d 71 (1944)

Calligraphic cover of the 1828 survey file, white on black View page

1827 – 1828 · Isla de Santiago

The island survey file

Opened December 11, 1827 at his request; issued in 1828 to him y a su sobrino Juan Ballí. The surveyor, Domingo de la Fuente, signs.

Verified Texas General Land Office, Spanish Collection SC 000136:2A, pp. 12, 13, 22

1798 · Text record

Rosa María’s will

Names her husband as José María Ballí, hijo legítimo de Nicolás Ballí y de María Josefa Guerra — the record that carries the family back to the Padre’s grandparents.

Verified Texas General Land Office, Spanish Collection SC 000139:1

Land grant · Text record

The parents’ land grant

José María Ballí and Rosa María Hinojosa de Ballí, co-grantees of a land grant.

Verified Texas General Land Office, Cameron County Abstract 10, file 000697

Other sources cited on this site

  • Reference work

    Texas State Historical Association, Handbook of Texas. Rosa María’s dates and “La Patrona”; José María’s death before 1790; the Padre at Matamoros from 1804; the island title of December 15, 1829.

  • Index

    Texas General Land Office, grantees list. The island: “Nicolás Ballí & Juan José Ballí.”

  • Court opinion

    State of Texas v. Balli, 144 Tex. 195, 190 S.W.2d 71 (Texas Supreme Court, 1944). The certified copy of the will recorded in Cameron County, November 5, 1909.

  • Archive statement

    The Matamoros archive. The original 1828 will is missing from its holdings.

  • Historical markers

    Texas Historical Commission, marker #3908 (Nueces County, 1979) and marker #3909 (Cameron County, 1983). Both read “(177?–1829)”.

  • Family historian

    A family historian (name withheld) independently confirms the grandfather’s name and reports three sons in all.

V Places

Where the family’s story happened

Three places on either side of the lower Rio Grande.

Top of the 1807 Reynosa marriage register page, in his handwriting

Birthplace

Villa de Reynosa

  • Verified His birthplace — originario de la Villa de Reinosa, in his will.
  • Published Destroyed by flood in September 1800; refounded nearby in 1802.
  • Unknown Its early baptism books are lost — and with them, his baptism.
  • Verified He served here as interim priest in early 1807.

No early view of the town is shown here — instead, the register he wrote in at Reynosa in 1807. UTRGV Special Collections & Archives

1915 photograph of the twin-spired cathedral and the custom house on a Matamoros street corner

His parish

Matamoros

  • Verified Cura beneficiado of Nuestra Señora del Refugio, as of 1828.
  • Published Serving here from 1804.
  • Verified Wrote his will here, August 6, 1828.
  • Verified Buried here, April 16, 1829.

“Cathedral & Custom House, Matamoros,” 1915. Library of Congress, Bain Collection

Sepia postcard captioned “Light House. Padre Island, Texas.”: a lighthouse on stilts standing in open water

The island named for him

Isla de Santiago , now Padre Island

  • Verified Survey opened at his request, December 11, 1827.
  • Verified Survey file issued in 1828 to him and his nephew Juan Ballí.
  • Published Title issued December 15, 1829, after his death.
  • Unknown The map that came with the 1828 survey is missing.

“Light house, Padre Island, Texas,” 1923 postcard. Library of Congress

Yellowed 1884 map of Cameron County, Texas, in two joined sheets, with the coastline along its right edge and the title cartouche at lower left

On the map

Cameron County, 1884

On the Texas side of the river, Cameron County keeps part of the family’s paper trail. His parents’ land grant is filed as Cameron County Abstract 10, a certified copy of his will was recorded here on November 5, 1909, and historical marker #3909 (1983) is a Cameron County marker.

We haven’t placed pins on this map. A family site from Skeleton Files marks a place only when a record proves it.

“Map of the county of Cameron, Texas,” 1884 · Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division

VI Open questions

What isn’t proven yet

A family archive should say what it doesn’t know. These are the four gaps still being worked.

  1. When was Padre Ballí born?

    Narrowed From “177?” to “no later than 1783.”

    Next record to check: his ordination file, Archdiocese of Monterrey archive.

  2. Who were his two brothers?

    Being traced A family historian reports three sons in all.

    Next: a record that names them.

  3. Where is the original 1828 will?

    Missing Not in the Matamoros archive.

    The Texas copies survive: the General Land Office typescript and the 1909 Cameron County certified copy.

  4. Where is the map from the 1828 island survey?

    Missing The survey file survives; its map does not.

    Still being looked for.