Born in San Antonio under the flag of Mexico, Jose Antonio Navarro was a lawyer and politician who fought for independence from Spain and served as mayor of San Antonio when that independence was won.

   Later, when Texas fought for independence from Mexico, Navarro signed the republic's declaration of independence and helped draft its constitution.

   He was captured by the Mexicans and sentenced to die, but managed to escape.

   When Texas was granted statehood in 1845, Navarro was there to help write the state constitution, the only native Texan to do so.

   Jose Antonio Navarro never went to war, but that does not diminish his role as a hero in Texas' fight for freedom.