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The Founders of Los Angeles
Early settlers reflect our present community of diversity
By
Jennifer Vo and John P. Schmal
Published on LatinoLA:
September 3, 2003
September 4 will soon be here and we will mark the 222nd anniversary of the founding of Los Angeles in 1781. Los Angeles is one of the greatest metropolitan areas in the world with an economic potential that far outweighs several American states.
But what do most people really know about the founding of Los Angeles? Who were the founders? Where were they from? And have we named any streets after them? The last question can be answered with a simple ?No.?
The founders of Los Angeles were almost entirely Mexican people, born and bred in the northwestern Mexican states of Sonora and Sinaloa. They were humble, poor folk who were accompanied by soldiers who escorted them on their 1000-mile journey to Los Angeles.
J. M. Guinn, the author of "Historical and Biographical Record of Los Angeles and Vicinity" (Chicago: Chapman Publishing Co., 1901), tells us that:
"Few of the great cities of the land have had such humble founders as Los Angeles. Of the eleven pobladores who built their huts of poles and tule thatch around the plaza vieja ? not one could read or write. Not one could boast of an unmixed ancestry? the conquering race that possesses the land they colonized has forgotten them. No street or landmark in the city bears the name of any one of them."
Gertrude Van Aken, who wrote "El Pueblo Under The Spanish Flag" (Los Angeles: Office of the Superintendent, Los Angeles city Schools, 1946), however, acknowledged and recognized the hardships that these almost-anonymous pioneers endured:
"These first settlers were very brave. They had traveled over many miles of desert to start the pueblo. They had many, many hardships? They were the pioneers who cleared the fields and used the water from the river to make things grow?. The jobs were done without many of the things that people now have to make their work easy? They had no railroads, airplanes, automobiles, telephones, postal service, newspapers, books, magazines, motion pictures, and radios to help them."
A list of the first settlers of the Pueblo of Los Angeles, as indicated by the official padr?n (census) taken on November 19, 1781, is shown below. This listing ? which groups together people of the same surname ? can also be found on the Pobladores? plaque on the south side of Pueblo Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles. This information was originally recorded by the Spanish administrators who oversaw this venture and can be accessed in the Provincial State Papers in the Bancroft Library (Provincial State Papers, Missions and Colonization, Tome (book) 1, pp. 101-102). The people below have been grouped by surname, with their sex and age given. The parents in each household are also given a racial classification:
Lara -
Jos? Fernanco de, Espa?ol, Hombre, 50
Mar?a Antonio, India, Mujer, 23
Mar?a Juan, Ni?a, 6
Jos? Julian, Ni?o, 4
Mar?a Faustina, Ni?a, 2
Navarro -
Jos? Antonio, Mestizo, Hombre, 42
Mar?a Regina, Mulata, Mujer, 47
Jos? Eduardo, Ni?o, 10
Jos? Clemente, Ni?o, 9
Mariana, Ni?a, 4
Rosas -
Basilio, Indio, Hombre, 67
Mar?a Manuela, Mulata, Mujer, 43
Jos? Max?mo, Ni?o, 15
Jos? Carlos, Ni?o, 12
Mar?a Josefa, Ni?a, 8
Antonio Rosalino, Ni?o, 7
Jos? Marcelino, Ni?o, 4
Jos? Esteban, Ni?o, 2
Mesa -
Antonio, Negro, Hombre, 38
Mar?a Ana, Mulata, Mujer, 27
Mar?a Paula, Ni?a, 10
Antonio Mar?a, Ni?o, 8
Villavicencio -
Antonio Clemente, Espa?ol, Hombre, 30
Mar?a Seferina, India, Mujer, 26
Mar?a Antonia, Ni?a, 8
Vanegas -
Jos?, Indio, Hombre, 28
Mar?a Bonifacia, India, Mujer, 20
Cosme Damien, Ni?o, 1
Rosas -
Alejandro, Indio, Hombre, 19
Juana Mar?a, India, Mujer, 20
Rodr?guez -
Pablo, Indio, Hombre, 25
Mar?a Rosal?a, India, 26
Mar?a Antonia, Ni?a, 1
Camero -
Manuel, Mulato, Hombre, 30
Mar?a Tomasa, Mulata, Mujer, 24
Quintero -
Luis, Negro, Hombre, 55
Mar?a Petra, Mulata, Mujer, 40
Mar?a Gertrudis, Ni?a, 16
Mar?a Concepc?on, Ni?a, 9
Mar?a Tomasa, Ni?a, 7
Mar?a Rafaela, Ni?a, 6
Jos? Clemente, Ni?o, 3
Moreno -
Jos?, Mulato, Hombre, 22
Mar?a Guadalupe, Mulata, Mujer, 19
The Spanish racial classifications used to describe the settlers were used throughout the Spanish Empire. Espa?ol indicated a person of Spanish descent, while the term indio/india simply implied the male and female genders for Indian. A mestizo usually indicated a person of half Spanish and half Indian blood, while a mulato or mulata indicated a person of mixed African and Spanish origins. The classifications were probably based on sight and cannot be regarded as entirely accurate.
The first citizens of the Pueblo of Los Angeles served under the flag of Spain, as most people know. However, very few of them were Spanish. They were African-Mexican, Indian-Mexican, and Mestizo-Mexican. The expedition that brought these people to Los Angeles was organized and arranged by the Spanish authorities. But the people who broke the ground in Los Angeles were, in fact, Mexican people. We hope that all citizens of present-day Los Angeles will stop and remember the founders of Los Angeles on September 4.
Note: Jennifer Vo is the great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Luis Quintero, who has many descendants spread throughout the Los Angeles area. Any person descended from Luis Quintero and other founders qualifies to become a member of the ?Los Pobladores? organization. Information about this organization can be found at: http://www.lospobladores.org/
Copyright ? 2003, by Jennifer Vo and John P. Schmal.
About
Jennifer Vo and John P. Schmal :
Jennifer Vo and John Schmal are the authors of "A Mexican-American Family of California: In the Service of Three Flags," which will be published by Heritage Books of Bowie, Maryland next month.
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Comentarios (y chismes) from our Amigos y Amigas...
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my name is armida but my great grandmom isabel called me lucy and i have a brother name jackie we were raised with my great grand mom in saticoy ca. my god father was simon and my nina was vera. nino simon was the son of my great grandmom isabel. and my grandfather was valentine ortega who was also the son of my great grand mom isabel.I lived in saticoy with many family until i was about eight years old,then we moved to santa barbara ca. but i do miss saticoy alot and never forget my childhood. saticoy i have loved ever sinceand always will and i still vist and take my family along with me too, when they can go ,they are married and with childern and I have one daughter that is with me single with no childern . my husband passed on feb.11,2009 due to terminal illness. I have always looked in to know about my family history and discoved you about 6 years ago and was happy to know I had even more family history out ther to be known and still remain to be known soooo,thank you for your time and effort and you go girl! if you may one day we may meet for coffee to catch up with all due respect on your time. thank you once againa! and have a great day. (lucy) Armida lucero manzo from saticoy to santa barbara ,now in lompoc ca. |
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