Martín De León

Martín De León (1765–1833) was a rancher and wealthy Mexican empresario in Texas who was descended from Spanish aristocracy. He was the patriarch of one of the prominent founding families of early Texas. De León and his wife Patricia de la Garza established De León's Colony, the only predominantly Mexican colony in Texas. They founded the town of Villa de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Victoria Nombre de Jesús (now known as Victoria) on the Guadalupe River. The name referred both to the river and to Mexico's president Guadalupe Victoria.

De León was a merchant who originally supplied basic necessities to mine workers at Real de San Nicolás. In 1790 he joined the Fieles de Burgos regiment, where he was promoted to captain. The De León E–J (Espíritu de Jesús) cattle brand became the first registered brand in what was to become Texas. The extended De León family included politicians and freedom fighters who helped alter the course of history both in Texas and in Mexico. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark number 6542, placed at Evergreen Cemetery in 1936, acknowledges Don Martin de León's contribution to Texas. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark number 6543, placed at Church and Bridge Streets in 1936, denotes Don Martin de León's home in Victoria.