José Antonio Navarro

José Antonio Navarro
Personal details
Born	February 27, 1795 San Antonio de Béxar, Spanish Texas, Viceroyalty of New Spain
Died	January 13, 1871 (aged 75) San Antonio, Texas, United States
Nationality	Spanish (1795–1821), Mexican (1821–1836), Tejano (1836–1848) and American (1848–1871)
Spouse(s)	Margarita de la Garza
Profession	Statesman, revolutionary and merchant

José Antonio Navarro (February 27, 1795 – January 13, 1871) was a Texas statesman, revolutionary, rancher, and merchant. The son of Ángel Navarro and Josefa María Ruiz y Peña, he was born into a distinguished noble family at San Antonio de Béxar in the Viceroyalty of New Spain (now the American city of San Antonio, Texas). His uncle was José Francisco Ruiz and his brother-in-law was Juan Martín de Veramendi.

Navarro County, Texas, established in 1846, is named in his honor, as is the small town of Navarro, Texas.

Navarro was proficient in the laws of Mexico and Spain, although he was mainly self-educated. As a native Texan, he had a vision of the future of Texas like that of Stephen F. Austin. He and Austin developed a steady friendship. Navarro and Austin worked together to found the new state of Texas. An early proponent of Texas independence, he took part in the 1812–1813 Magee, Gutiérrez and Toledo resistance movements.

Working with the empresarios of the period, he helped Stephen F. Austin obtain his contracts to bring settlers into the area. He became a land commissioner for Dewitt's Colony and, soon after, for the Béxar District. In 1825 Navarro married Margarita de la Garza and they raised seven children. His son José Ángel Navarro III served three terms in the Texas Legislature.

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