Paula Losoya Taylor

Taylor was born in Guerrero, Tamaulipas.[2] Taylor and her sister, Refugio Losoya de Rivera first came to the Del Rio region known as Las Zapas in 1862, moving from Rio Grande City with their husbands.[3] Also in 1862, Taylor built the first hacienda in Del Rio.[4] The remains of the hacienda are known locally as the Rivers Home.[5] Taylor and her sister began to cultivate the land of their hacienda right away, hiring workers from Las Zapas.[2] Their hiring of Mexican workers increased migration from Mexico into the San Felipe area of Del Rio.[6] Taylor was also involved, along with her husband, with creating the first acequias in the area, the first of which was called Acequia Madre.[2]

On April 4, 1876, her husband died and left the property and possessions to Taylor.[2] Some sources indicate that she married another man, who may have been known as Charles Rivers or Rivera, in December 1876.[2]

On the estate, the two sisters and Taylor's family continued to work and grow. She helped raise some of her relative's children.[2] The two sisters also arranged to have Catholic priests from Eagle Pass say mass for the estate, and the many of the residents of San Feilipe Del Rio would attend.[3] Residents attended mass at her hacienda until 1895, when the church established Sacred Heart in Del Rio.[1] The hacienda also included a sugarcane mill, flour mill, a gin, and a Mexican-style candy factory.[2]

Mexican people in the area had no place to bury their dead, so in 1884, Taylor donated four acres of her land to create a cemetery for Mexican people.[7][8] The land she donated was marked by a cross at the top of the hill and already had five burials.[9] This area later became Cemeterio Viejo Loma de la Cruz.[7] Taylor also donated 60 acres of her land to build a fort for defense of the town and more land to build area schools.[2]

Taylor died on July 17, 1902.[2] In 1976, La Hacienda was published, which described the history of Del Rio and featured Taylor's estate.[10] Taylor is depicted in a mural at Moore Park in Del Rio.[11] A Texas Historical Marker is located at her hacienda and was erected in 1982.[12]