Blog

I remember when I was two getting all dressed up to take a picture; even at that tender age of two I sensed it was an important occasion. My uncle David was on the board of directors for the Houston Bar Association at the time. The association’s magazine, The Houston Lawyer, was writing about balancing work and family in the legal profession. My family seemed to be a perfect example for the title “Family Matters.” There I was in my parents’ arms in a dress that looks like Dorothy’s in The Wizard of Oz being held up for the world to see. It was the first of many times when I sensed my family’s importance in the community and began to learn the value of the word “family.”

The decedents of Felix A. Fraga and Angela Zamarron became business owners, judges, and elected officials, all well known in the East End and the larger Houston area. Growing up, I had heard bits and pieces of our family’s history, but some of the stories seemed to be hearsay. It became my mission to paint a complete picture of our history.

Born on November 20, 1892, Felix was one of two boys. His father was a large ranch owner of San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi in Mexico. A middle-class citizen, Felix was fortunate to attend elementary school where he learned to read and write, but one of the subjects he remembered the most was U.S. history. As his son Angel explained, “He was so impressed with the United States that he wanted to come [here].”