Francisco García Salinas (20 November 1786 – 2 December 1841), known as "Tata Pachito" was born in Jerez, Zacatecas, New Spain.

He was born on a country estate called 'the Labour of St. Gertrude' in the town of Jerez de García Salinas.

He joined the Apostolic College of San Francisco, and later the Seminary of Guadalajara, studying Latin, Philosophy and Scholastic Theology and at the same time subjects such as Mathematics, Geography and Literature.

The first thing García Salinas did was to create police forces to hunt down bandits and organize the National Guard to fight them.

He developed a textile industry for which he brought in master workers and officers and installed looms in Jerez, Villanueva and Aguascalientes, to take advantage of the available wool.

In 1832 supporters of General Manuel Gómez Pedraza faced the forces of Anastasio Bustamante and suffered a defeat in Llano Gallinero.

He died on the Estate of San Pedro Piedra Gorda in the town of Cuauhtémoc, Zacatecas, on 2 December 1841, the victim of a lung condition during the same year that he was offered the Treasury Portfolio in Santa Anna's cabinet, which he did not accept.

In honour of Francisco García Salinas, the city of Jerez and the Autonomous University of Zacatecas took his name, as well as elementary, middle and high schools throughout the state.