[1] He was born in Coahuila, New Spain, to Jose Gregorio Arciniega and Maria Josefa Flores de Abrego.

Jose Miguel's father and his uncle, Felipe Arciniega were mounted lancers in the Second Flying Company of San Carlos de Parras.

Their assignment was to secure the Louisiana; United States borders in order to keep the Americans out of Texas, and to stop the livestock smuggling.

The United States insisted the Louisiana border extended to the Rio Grande taking the Gulf of Mexico's ports from Spain.

King Carlos IV disagreed and sent his seasoned mounted lancers from the garrison of Alamo de Parras to protect Texas from being taken over.

The mounted lancers of Alamo de Parras were also commissioned to stop the Indian raids from penetrating the Interior Provinces of New Spain, in turn the soldiers were able to start a settlement, become merchants, civil workers, ranchers and farmers.

Austin continued on with his quest with Mexico, and renegotiated a contract that lasted for almost two years to colonize the first “Old 300” families in southeast Texas in 1823.

On October 21, 1822 Jose Felix Trespalacios was the Political chief for the Province of Texas and a veteran as a revolutionary leader for the Mexican movement for independence against Spain.

He served with Felipe Enrique Neri also known as the Baron de Bastrop who was Jose Miguel's dear friend, fellow legislator, and next door neighbor.

He was then sent to the Las Lagunas de Gallinas to continue his mission to have peace talks with the Comanche, Tahuallaces, Tejas and Caddo Indians.

In 1830 Jose Miguel was appointed Land commissioner for Austin's colonies by the Mexican Supreme Government Jose Miguel had the authority vested in to him by the Mexican Supreme government in conformity with the Colonization Law of March 24, 1825, in Article 11 and Article 34 to establish a new town to serve as a seat in the Austin's colony.

Arciniega served as the public treasurer, political chief, judge, captain of the militia, general inspector of arms, and Alcalde of San Antonio in 1830 and 1833.

Custom houses and the check point were to stop pirates, and contraband from coming in and to increase the commerce for Coahuila and Texas in the import and export industries within a few years.

The 48,703 acres of lands were split up in present-day Hunt, Grayson, and Harrison Counties in northern Texas and in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

Jose Miguel was very active during the Republic of Texas era and served as a probate and an associate judge, Bexar County Commissioner, Alderman, secured the borders at the Rio Grande under the instructions of President David G. Burnet, and was a well-known lifelong merchant of sugarcane, potatoes and corn.

He is in the vicinity of the hallowed ground of the old Campo Santo Cemetery; currently, under Benjamin Milam Park and the Santa Ana Hospital in San Antonio, Texas.

The face of the fountain has a summary of the history and a long list inscribed of the Tejano residents of San Antonio who were laid to rest in what used to be Campo Santo Cemetery.