Juana was about 17 when her mother died on January 30, 1830. Juana's father remarried almost a year later in January 1831. She and her younger sister Gertrudis were adopted by their father's sister, Josefa Navarro, who was married to Juan Martín de Veramendi. The Navarro girls considered their cousin Ursula another sister. Veramendi served as governor of Coahuila y Tejas from 1832–1833. Although Juana spoke little English, she and her family socialized with the prominent Anglo families in Béxar, including Samuel and Mary Maverick.