Tito P. Rivera

Tito P. Rivera. . Born in Sinaloa, Mexico, Tito P. Rivera (1843-1894) was the eldest son of Julian and Josefa Herrera Rivera. His father was a silver mining engineer, which allowed Rivera to receive a private education. In 1853, Rivera joined a supply train heading to the neighboring state of Durango to gather food for miners. During the trip, though, a Comanche party seized the supplies and took hostages, including Rivera. He quickly became of value to the Comanche for his ability to read and write. He also learned the spoken Comanche language, which he could translate to Spanish., He spent the next two years serving as an intermediary for the Comanche and agents of the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. By 1855, Rivera was able to secure his release after slipping a personal plea for help in one of the Comanche correspondences to a U.S. Agent. Unable to return to Mexico, Rivera settled near San Antonio. In 1861, Rivera enlisted in a unit for the Confederacy. He first served on the Texas frontier, taking military forts from federal control. Later, he joined another unit as a clerk in the Trans-Mississippi theater of the Civil War., After a brief stint of cattle driving, Rivera worked in commission houses in Victoria, Port Lavaca and Galveston. There, he made his fortune and married Mary H. “Mollie” Holloway (1854-1902) in 1870. Three years later, the couple moved to Corpus Christi, where Rivera started a print shop and book store. He successfully ran for and served on the city council from 1884 to 1888. As an alderman, he helped oversee the finances and operations of the city’s public schools. He also served in civic organizations and in the Episcopal church. Rivera was survived by his wife and five children.