Jose Policarpio "Polly" Rodriguez
Jose Policarpio "Polly" Rodriguez: In the mid-1800s, making Texas habitable for the coming westward expansion meant establishing order across a wild and vast land. Gen. Persifor Smith and the 2nd Calvary were commissioned to site Army forts across the state; leading them across the horse-high grass of North Texas was Tejano scout, guide and interpreter J.P. "Polly" Rodriguez. Rodriguez, known as "Polly", was born in Mexico and came to Texas with his father as a child. He became famous as a scout for the U.S. Army, an Indian fighter, a guide, a hunter, and a minister. He joined the Methodist Church and was licensed as a Methodist preacher and built this tiny chapel with his own hands. Just a short distance from the chapel is a well tended graveyard where Polly is buried.
In 1849 Rodriguez also aided the corps of discovery that marked the first road from San Antonio to El Paso. Rodriguez was a Texas Ranger from 1861 to 1871 and later became Justice of the Peace for Bandera County. |
2014 INDUCTEES JEHU D. "JUD" ASHMORE JOHN DOUGLAS "BUD" FITZPATRICK TODD WHITEWOOD 2013 INDUCTEES DAVID K. LANGFORD ROBERT L. MANSFIELD LARRY NOLEN GARY P. NUNN MARGARET "PEGGY" TOBIN 2012 INDUCTEES CRAIG CAMERON H. JOAQUIN JACKSON ARKEY BLUE BUDDY GROFF 2011 INDUCTEES COY HERMAN "TOOTS" MANSFIELD RICHARD S. "KINKY" FRIEDMAN LOUIS PEARCE WYMAN MEINZER MATHIAS EDWARD "SCOOTER" FRIES 2010 INDUCTEES BILL PICKETT JOSE POLICARPIO "POLLY" RODRIGUEZ RED STEAGALL BUCK TAYLOR RUDY ROBBINS DON & JUDY HICKS 2009 INDUCTEES J. MARVIN HUNTER J. FRANK DOBIE MAUDEEN MARKS "CAPTAIN" JOE BOWMAN RAY WHARTON CLEO HEARN KEVIN FITZPATRICK "EMPRESARIO" TERRY BOOTHE DR. RAUL GAONA, SR. |
