USA > California > San Francisco County > San Francisco > The beginnings of San Francisco : from the expedition of Anza, 1774, to the city charter of April 15, 1850 : with biographical and other notes, Vol. I > Part 17
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20. Manuel Ramirez Arellano was born in Puebla in 1742 and brought with him his wife, María Agueda de Haro, and son, José Mariano. He was retired in 1786 and removed to Los Angeles. He had three children born in Santa Clara and three more born in Los Angeles. The family was quite prominent in the south and the name became changed to Arellanes. Manuel Ramirez was alcalde of Los Angeles in 1790, and his daughter, María Martina married Don Ignacio Martinez, later comandante of San Francisco, and was the mother of
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some of California's famous beauties. Don Teodoro Arellanes, son of Manuel, born in Santa Clara, November 5, 1782, is mentioned by Davis, Robinson, and other writers as a ranchero prince. The family obtained the Guadalupe, El Rincon, and La Punta de la Laguna ranchos.
21. Joaquin Isidro de Castro was born in the city of Sinaloa in 1732. He brought with him his wife, María Martina Botiller, and nine children: Ignacio Clemente, age twenty; Maria Josefa, age eighteen; María Encarna- nacion, age twelve; María del Carmen, age ten; José Mariano, age 9; José Joaquin, age six; Francisco María, age two; Francisco Antonio, and Carlos. This was a very large family and became connected by marriage with most of the prominent families of California. One granddaughter married Governor Alvarado, and another married Carlos Antonio Carrillo and became mother of five beautiful daughters, all of whom married Americans. One of the earliest grants of land in California was made to Joaquin Isidro who, together with his son-in-law, Mariano Soberanes, was granted Buena Vista on the Salinas river in 1795. In 1801 Castro was given La Brea. His sons and grandsons were given the following ranchos and islands: Aptos, Del Refugio, El Sobrante, Laguna de Teche, Las Llagas, Las Paicines, Las Animas, San Andrés, San Gregorio, San Lorenzo, San Pablo, San Ramon, Shoquel, Solis, Vega del Rio del Pájero, Isla de la Yegua (Mare Island), and Isla de Yerba Buena. The Castros of Monterey and the Castros of San Fran- cisco call each other cousin. General José Castro be- longed to the Monterey family.
22. Felipe Santiago Tapia, born in Culiacan in 1745, brought his wife, Juana María Filomena Hernandes (or Juana María Cardenas) and the following children: José
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Bartolomé, Juan José, José Cristoval, José Francisco, José Victor, María Rosa, age fifteen; María Antonia, age thirteen; María Manuela, age ten; and María Ysidora, age four. José Bartolomé, who settled at San Luis Obispo was grantee of Topanga Malibu rancho in 1804. His son, Tiburcio, was granted Cucamonga rancho.
23. Juan Francisco Bernal, born in Rancho del Tule, in the district of Sinaloa, in 1737, brought his wife, María Josefa de Soto, sister of Ignacio, and seven children: José Joaquin, age thirteen; Juan Francisco, age twelve; José Dionisio, age ten; José Apolonario, age nine; Ana María, age five; María Teresa de Jesus, age three; and Tomás Januario. This family received the following lands: Rincon de las Salinas y Potrero Viejo (South San Francisco), Rincon de Ballena, Santa Teresa, Laguna de Palos Colorados, Embarcadero de Santa Clara, El Alisal, and Cañada de Pala. Bernal Heights, San Fran- cisco, is a part of Rincon de Salinas.
24. Juan Atanasio Vasquez, born in Agualulco, Sonora, in 1735, brought his wife, María Gertrudis Castelo, and three children: José Tiburcio, age twenty; José Antonio, age ten; and Pedro José. This family received Corral de Tierra, Chamisal, and Soulajule ranchos.
25. Juan Agustin Valenzuela, born in Real de los Alamos, Sonora, in 1749, brought his wife, Petra Ignacio de Ochoa, and one child: María Zepherin.
26. Santiago de la Cruz Pico was born in San Miguel de Horcasitas in 1733. In 1777 he was transferred from San Francisco to the San Diego presidio and founded a large family in the south. His sons all enlisted in the presidial companies, as did the sons of the other soldiers, and one, José Dolores, being transferred to Monterey, founded the northern branch of the family. Santiago brought with him to California his wife, María Jacinta
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Vastida, and seven children, all born in San Javier de Cabazan, on the Rio Piastla, Sonora. The children were: José Dolores, age twelve; José María, age eleven; José Miguel, age seven; Francisco Javier, age six; Patricio, age five; María Antonia Tomasa, and María Josefa. José Maria, son of Santiago, was the father of Pio Pico, the last Mexican governor of California. Andrés, another son of José María was, perhaps, the ablest member of the family of Pico. He was in command of the Californians at the battle of San Pascual and was present and took part in the engagements at the San Gabriel river and La Mesa. As commander of the national forces in Cali- fornia he signed the capitulation of Cahuenga, January 13, 1847, which ended the war. He was member of the assembly in 1851; presidential elector, 1852; land re- ceiver and brigadier general of militia, 1858; and state senator 1860-1. Antonio María, son of Dolores, was lieutenant of militia, captain of defensores, member of constitutional convention, presidential elector in 1860, and register of the land office at Los Angeles in 1862. Another son of Dolores, José de Jesus, was captain of defensores. He broke his parole and was captured and condemmed to death, but was pardoned by Frémont whom he assisted in bringing about the treaty of Cahu- enga. The descendants of Santiago de la Cruz Pico received the following grants: Agua Caliente, Arroyo Seco, Bolsa de San Cayetano, Piedra Blanca, El Pescadero, Jumal, La Habra, Los Flores, Moquelamo, El Paso de Bartolo Viejo, Punto del Año Nuevo, San José del Gracia de Simi, Santa Margarita, Temecula, Valle de San José, and Casa Loma.
27. José Vicente Felix, was born in Real de los Alamos, Sonora, in 1741. His wife, Manuela Piñcuelar, was the woman who died in childbirth, the first night out from
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Tubac. Seven children came with the expedition: José Francisco, José Doroteo, José de Jesus, José Antonio Capistrano, María Loreta, María Antonia, and María Manuela. José Vicente was transferred to the San Diego company before 1782 and in 1802, or earlier, was given the Felix rancho just north of the pueblo of Los Angeles-now within the city bounds.
28. Sebastian Antonio Lopez brought his wife Felipa Neri (or Felipa Xermana) and three children: Sebastian, María Tomasa, and María Justa. I have no information about this family.
29. José Antonio Sotelo died in San Francisco January 20, 1777, the second death recorded in the libro de difuntos. The name of his wife is given by Pedro Font as Gertrudis Peralta, but the above register has it Manuela Gertrudis Buelna. They brought one child: Ramon.
30. Pedro Antonio Bojorques, born in Sinaloa in 1754, brought his wife, María Francisca de Lara, and daughter, María Agustina, age four. The wife died January 28, 1777, the third death in San Francisco, and Pedro married the widow of Corporal Domingo Alviso, María Angela Trejo, on the 20th of July following. His son, Bartolomé, was grantee of Laguna de San Antonio, six leagues in Marin county.
Accompanying the expedition were four families of settlers (pobladores) and three solteros (bachelors). The families were:
I. José Manuel Gonzales, with his wife, María Micaela Bojorques, and children: Juan José, Ramon, Francisco, and María Gregoria. José Manuel was made a poblador of San José Guadalupe.
2. Nicolas Galindo, born in Real de Santa Eulalia in 1743, brought with him his wife, María Teresa Pinto,
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daughter of Pablo, and one child: Juan Venancio, one year old. Nicolas enlisted, in the San Francisco company and served until 1794, when he was retired and his son, José Rafael, took his place. José Antonio Galindo, son of Juan Venancio, received on September 23, 1835, the first grant of land in San Francisco: La Laguna de la Merced, twenty-two hundred and twenty acres in the southwestern part of the city and county. On May 12, 1837, Galindo sold this rancho to Francisco de Haro, for one hundred cows and twenty-five dollars in goods. It now belongs to the Spring Valley Water Company and is valued at four million dollars. Galindo also received in 1835, the Sausalito rancho which he sold to William A. Richardson the following year. Other mem- bers of this family received town lots in San Francisco and the lands of the Santa Clara mission. A grand- daughter of Nicolas Galindo married James Alexander Forbes, English consul at Monterey.
3. Nicolas Antonio Berreyesa, born in Sinaloa in 1761, was accompanied by his sister, Isabel, age twenty-two, both unmarried. Nicolas married Gertrudis, daughter of Gabriel Peralta, and Isabel married Juan José Peralta, her brother. Nicolas enlisted in the San Francisco company October 1, 1782. His son, José de los Reyes, born in Santa Clara, January 6, 1785, was one of the first victims of the war of conquest. He was a retired sergeant with thirty-seven years' service to his credit. He was killed June 28, 1846, by Frémont's men as he landed from a boat at San Rafael on his way to Sonoma to visit his son who was alcalde at that place. With him were two sons of Francisco de Haro, Francisco and Ramon, bearers of dispatches from Castro to his lieutenant Joaquin de la Torre. José Reyes Berreyesa was owner of the land on which the New Almaden quicksilver mines
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were situated The members of this family received the following grants: Cañada de Capay, Rincon de Musula- con, Chirules, San Vicente, Malacomes, Milpitas, and Las Putas. Nicolas wrote his name Berrelleza.
4. María Feliciana Arballo, widow of José Gutierrez, accompanied the expedition with her two little girls: María Tomasa Gutierrez, age six, and María Estaquia Gutierrez, age four. She left the expedition at San Gabriel, where on March 6, 1776, she was married to Juan Francisco Lopez, a soldier of the guard. The marriage ceremony was performed by Fray Francisco Garcés, missionary to the Colorado river tribes, who, it will be remembered, Anza had left at the junction of the rivers. Garcés had gone up the Colorado to visit the Mojaves and had crossed the Mojave desert, arriving at San Gabriel after the expedition had passed up the coast. Little María Estaquia, thirteen years later, married José María Pico whom she had first known when, a boy of eleven, he accompanied his family with the expedition. She became the mother of Pio Pico. María Feliciana had, by her second husband, María Ignacia de la Candelaria Lopez, who married Joaquin Carrillo of San Diego, and became the mother of General Vallejo's wife and four other daughters whose loveliness is duly recorded in the pages of this historia verdadera. After her husband's death María Ignacia Lopez de Carrillo, who was a most beautiful woman, was granted, in 1841, the rancho Cabeza de Santa Rosa in Sonoma county, where she lived with her son Ramon. She is buried in the ruined mission of San Francisco Solano, at Sonoma. Her remains were laid under the font where it would receive the holy water that fell from the hands of devout worshippers.
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The three solteros were: Don Francisco Muños, Pedro Perez de la Fuente, Marcos Villela.
Villela became a poblador at San José Guadalupe. Of the others, I know nothing.
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NOTE 13 BAC-TUBAC-TUCSON
Bac (house). The mission of San Xavier del Bac nine miles south of Tucson was founded by Father Kino in 1700. On the expulsion of the Jesuits Father Garcés was assigned to this mission which he took charge of in 1768 and administered for ten years. The present church, which is described as a most remarkable object to find in so wild a country, was begun in 1768 and finished in 1798. Bartlett, who visited it in 1852, said it was the largest and most beautiful church in the State of Sonora. Benjamin Hayes, writing in 1857, says: "San Xavier is not what it was when I passed in 1849. The magnifi- cent church is becoming dilapidated, the Papagos who had the care of it having left. It then looked magnif- icently over the dark mesquite forest through which it is approached, with its white walls like marble and its three domes. The altar seemed a mass of gold as the sun's rays streamed upon it in the afternoon. It had thirteen good oil paintings, kept in a side room with the altar furniture and priest's robes. The interior walls were filled with scriptural scenes, fresh as if painted the day before. * * * This church might be an ornament to Fourth Street, Saint Louis, or to any other city." (Benj. Hayes: Emigrant Notes MS. p. 150.)
Tubac. The presidio of Tubac was one of a chain of presidios guarding the northern frontier of Sonora. It was erected in 1752 on the Santa Cruz river, in what is now the Territory of Arizona, about forty-five miles south of Tucson. In 1767 the place had a population of four hundred and twenty gente de razon,* including
*People of Reason-Civilized Folk.
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the families of the fifty soldiers of the garrison under Captain Anza. In 1776 the presidio was removed to Tucson. In 1777 the people of Tubac petitioned for a restoration of the presidio and a company of Pimas was organized for a permanent garrison. Later, the post was occupied by a company of Spanish regulars. After the cession to the United States there was a temporary revival of the old town. It is situated within the southern rain belt, in the richest portion of the Santa Cruz valley. The annual rainfall is from twenty to twenty-five inches. In 1858-9, Tubac had a population of eight hundred, and the houses with their gardens and groves of acacias and peach trees made the little town most attractive. It was in the center of the mineral region and had probably one hundred and fifty silver mines within a radius of sixteen miles. During the War of the Rebellion it was occupied for a short time by Confederate troops and later by a regiment of California volunteers. The location is adjacent to the Apacheria. It was frequently raided by the Apaches and in 1861-62 and 63 was made un- inhabitable by those savage warriors, and several well- known mining engineers fell victims to their fury. There is but little left of the historic town now.
Tucson. The claim that Tucson was settled by the Spaniards in 1560 has no foundation. Anza on his return from Monterey in 1775, reached Tuscon May 25th. He calls it the Pima pueblo of Teson and says it belongs to the Pimas Altas (i. e. the inhabitants of Pimeria Alta); that it is within the jurisdiction of his presidio and con- tains eighty families. Passing through Tucson October 26, 1775, with the second expedition, Father Garcés calls it " A visita of my administration and the last christianized pueblo in this direction" (north). The foundation of Tucson as a Spanish settlement was in 1776, when the presidio of Tubac was transferred thither.
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NOTE 14 THE DESTRUCTION OF THE MISSIONS OF THE COLORADO
Salvador Palma, chief of the Yumas, whose anxiety to embrace the true religion and have his people con- verted to Christianity was so extreme that he made peace with the surrounding nations and complied with all of Anza's requirements, headed a revolt against the pueblo- missions of the Colorado and totally destroyed them, killing Captain Fernando Rivera y Moncado, lieutenant- governor of Lower California, the four priests in charge of the missions-including this same Father Garcés- and some forty-two of the soldiers and settlers, one of whom was a private soldier in the company now being entertained by him. While the tale is a cruel one, a study of the events leading up to the outbreak forces the conclusion that from the Indian's point of view there was much provocation. No one can read the accounts given by Anza of the services rendered by this chief and his Yumas without realizing how valuable to the infant establishments of California was the friendship that Anza so carefully and successfully cultivated. He records his opinion that Palma's affection and fidelity may be fully trusted, and says that with the friendly assistance of the Yumas the passage of the Colorado was assured, but if it were opposed by them it would be next to impossible. On his first journey he trusted to the care of the Yuma the lives of seven of his men, and what is especially tempting to an Indian, a large part of his horses and cattle and the most of his baggage with its precious stores of trinkets, tobacco, and other things of value to the savage; all of which was safely guarded
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and returned to him when he came back from Monterey, although the time set for his return was long passed and reports had been received that Anza and all his party had been killed by the hill tribes of California.
On Anza's return from San Francisco in 1776, Palma accompanied him to the City of Mexico where he was well entertained. Bucaréli, favorably impressed with him and Anza's report concerning him, promised to establish a presidio and two missions on the Rio Colorado. The project was delayed by Indian troubles in the Pimería Alta, and in the meantime a new element was introduced which gave the execution of the plan into new and untried hands. The office of comandante-general of the Pro- vincias Internas de Occidente was created and made independent of the viceroy; Don Teodoro de Croix was appointed to the place and Anza was sent as governor to New Mexico. Palma was still in the City of Mexico when the new official arrived. Bucareli commended him to Croix who promised to give the matter his early attention, and Palma returned to his people much pleased with his reception and importance. A year passed and nothing was done. Palma went to Altar to ascertain the cause of the delay. The captain of that presidio satisfied him that matters were progressing and he re- turned to the Colorado. Another year passed with nothing accomplished. Palma's people taunted him with his failure and his allies regarded him with contempt. The authority of an Indian chief is but precarious at best. He must be wise; he must be strong; but above all he must be successful. The domination of Palma was largely due to the recognition and confirmation of his authority by the Spaniards. He was now being dis- credited. He went again to Altar and thence to Hor- casitas whose commander represented to the comandante- general the uneasiness of the Indians of the Colorado.
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The king had been advised of Palma's visit to Mexico, had seen Anza's reports of his two expeditions as well as Garcés' reports on the Yumas, and he ordered Croix to concede to Palma the promised presidio and missions. The comandante-general, however, had ideas of his own on that subject and he attempted to console Palma by sending Friars Garcés and Diaz with an escort of twelve soldiers and a scanty equipment to the Colorado. They reached Palma's domain late in 1779 and great was the disappointment and chagrin of the Yumas. The contrast between what they expected and what they got was too great. In 1775 there had passed through their country a great expedition with a large body of troops clad in leather armor (soldados de cuera), great herds of cattle and trains of sumpter mules laden with precious wares, all under command of an officer of high rank and dignified bearing who created governors and alcaldes, conferred decorations in the name of the king, and scattered largess with a liberal hand. All this gallant array was for the purpose of founding a presidio and two missions on the bay of San Francisco. They had been promised a like establishment in their country, and now, after years of patient waiting, the fulfillment of that promise came in the shape of two priests, twelve soldiers, and a beggarly outfit hardly sufficient for their own subsistence. Many Indians were already in revolt and the peace, so carefully established by Anza, had already been broken by the murder of a Yuma by the Papagos. It was the beginning of war between the tribes and of general distrust of the Spaniards. Garcés, whose wide experience had taught him the Indian character, reported the dangers of the situation and Croix resolved to adopt a new plan in the establishments of the Colorado and found two missions each of which should combine the features of a presidio, a pueblo, and a mission. Against the protests of Garcés
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and the warnings of Anza he proceeded to carry his plan into effect; and the autumn of 1780 witnessed the arrival in the land of the Yumas of twenty settlers, twelve laborers, and twenty-one soldiers, all bringing their wives and plenty of children. The number of priests was increased to four. One presidio-pueblo-mission was established at Puerto de la Concepcion, later the site of Fort Yuma, where the partly demolished remains of stone walls of buildings were seen by Bartlett in 1852; and the other about eight miles down the river, almost on the boundary line between Alta and Baja California, both on the California side of the river. The upper establishment was called La Purisima Concepcion and the lower San Pedro y San Pablo de Bicuñer. The new settlers proceeded to appropriate the best lands and forage their cattle and horses on the growing crops of the Yumas.
Nothing more was needed to fan the smouldering discontent into the fierce flame of open rebellion. Ensign Santiago de las Islas was in command and in June 1781, came Captain Rivera y Moncada from Sonora with a party of recruits for the California establishments. The recruits Rivera sent on to California, a portion of his escort he sent back to Sonora and, with about a dozen of his men, he remained to his death in camp on the Arizona side of the river.
On Tuesday, July 17, 1781, the blow fell. Under the leadership of Palma the attack was made simultaneously on both missions and all but seven of the men were killed; the women and children were carried into captivity and the houses were destroyed. Garcés was at Concepcion and both he and his companion, Father Barrenche, survived the first attack, and while the Indians were killing right and left and looting the houses, both padres were busy hearing confessions and administering the sacraments to the dying. Both were beaten to death
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with clubs two days later. On the eighteenth the Yumas crossed the river, and attacked Rivera, killing the com- mander and all of his men and destroying his camp. Thus ended the first and last attempt to establish missions on the Colorado.
The death of Father Garcés in his forty-fourth year closed the earthly career of one of the most heroic, spirit- ual, and lovable of men. Born in the Villa de Morata del Conde, in Aragon, April 12, 1738, baptized Francisco Tomas Hermenegildo, he was carefully educated, ordained in the priesthood, and at the age of twenty-five was sent, at his earnest request, a missionary, to the college of the Santa Cruz de Querétaro (Mexico). In 1768 he was given charge of San Javier del Bac. He visited the various pueblos of the Pimas and Papagos and in August of that year made his first visit to the Gila. In 1770 he made another trip to the pueblos of the Gila and in 1771 traveled to the junction of the Gila and Colorado. The Yumas took him across the Colorado on a raft into Lower California and he wandered for some time among the Indians of the lower Colorado, preaching and baptizing the dying. He accompanied Anza on his first expedition of 1774 as far as San Gabriel, and accompanied him on the second trip as far as the Colorado. He visited the tribes up the river, crossed the Mojave desert to San Gabriel and discovered the Mojave river. Returning he passed into Tulare valley, discovered Kern river and went nearly to Tulare lake. He visited the Moqui pueblos whose inhabitants refused to receive him and would give him neither shelter nor food. In this journey he was alone, his guide, in fear of his life, refusing to go with him.
In much of his wanderings he was alone, in the desolate desert or in the midst of ruthless savages, yet he was without fear, for he was on the Master's service. In his
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death at the hands of those he loved and for the welfare of whose souls he labored, he was found worthy of the highest reward, the crown of martyrdom. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of the just.
*
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NOTE 15 THE COLORADO DESERT
In order to realize Anza's great achievement, one has but to read the passage of this desert by the advance guard of the Army of the West under General Stephen W. Kearny in November 1846, as told by Lieutenant W. H. Emory, U. S. Topographical Engineers, accompany- ing the expedition .* Kearny, with his staff and one hundred dragoons, a pack-train, and a large supply of extra saddle and pack animals, followed the route of the "great highway" opened by Anza seventy years before. The hardships and sufferings of these toughened soldiers in crossing this desert were great, and they lost a large number of animals. Also read Bartlettt who crossed the desert in June 1852.
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