Córdova family of California facts for kids

The Córdova family is a well-known family from Southern California with a rich history. They were among the first people to settle in the area near what is now Castaic, California. The family played an important role in the region during the 1800s.

Jesús Córdova: The Family's Start

The first important member of the family was Jesús Córdova. He was born in Sonora, Mexico. Jesús came to California and worked as a vaquero (a skilled cowboy) for the priests at Mission San Fernando Rey de España. This was after the mission lands were taken over by the Mexican government in 1834.

First Settlers in Castaic

The Córdova family might have settled in Castaic, California as early as 1834. They were the very first settlers in the Castaic area. The family has lived there continuously for many generations.

Land Grant for the Family

In 1835, Jesús Córdova received a special gift from the Mexican government: a land grant of 1,040 acres in Castaic Canyon. This meant the land officially belonged to him.

Finding the Ranch House

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) published a map in 1937. This map showed the exact spot of the historic Córdova ranch house.

• Latitude: 34° 34' 20.96" North
• Longitude: 118° 38' 1.32" West

Jesús Córdova's Place in History

Jesús Córdova was an "Indian" vaquero who guided John C. Frémont in 1844. Frémont was a famous explorer who mapped the Western frontier. He was known as "the pathfinder." His journeys encouraged many Americans to move and settle in the West.

Jesús Córdova also helped the U.S. Army as a scout during the Mexican–American War in 1846.

Later, Jesús Córdova worked for Alexis Godey. Godey was also a scout for John C. Frémont. Godey met Jesús Córdova during Frémont's expeditions. In 1850, Godey asked Córdova about empty lands. Córdova showed Godey the Cuyama No. 2 Land Grant. After the Mexican-American War ended in 1848, a peace agreement called the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo said that existing land grants would still be valid.

Alexis Godey settled on the Cuyama land, and Jesús Córdova became his majordomo (a person in charge of a large household or estate). It took over 20 years for the original owners of the land grant to prove their claim. During this time, Godey built a house and raised many cattle. When the land ownership was finally settled in 1879, Alexis Godey had to leave the property.

Life at Tejon Ranch

Jesús and his wife, María Antonia Córdova, moved from Cuyama to live and work on the Tejon Ranch. Jesús Córdova might have started working there as early as September 1855.

Jesús and María Antonia's Marriage

In 1869, Jesús Córdova married María Antonia ("Chata") Lugo-Arriola. She was a Native American woman. They were married near the Kern River. They had nine sons and three daughters, and all of them grew up to be adults. All their sons became vaqueros, just like their father. Most of the sons remained single. However, Marcos Patrick Cordova (1866–1948) got married and had children. His children continued the Córdova family line.

The Second Generation of Córdovas

Jesús and María Antonia's children included:

• Victor Cordova (born around 1854)
• Toribio ("Toby") Cordova (born 1860)
• Miguel Cordova (born around 1862)
• Marcos Cordova (born 1866 on Tejon Ranch)
• Simon Cordova (born around 1867)
• Virginia Cordova (born around 1870). She married John Baptiste Olme.
• Anastacia Cordova (born 1872)
• Aurelio Cordova (born 1880)

Some family members from this generation were buried in the Ruiz-Perea Family Cemetery in San Francisquito Canyon.

An Eyewitness Story

There's an old story about Benjamin Franklin Bragg. In 1878, an outlaw named Bronco Charlie Riley supposedly shot four of Bragg's mine workers. The Córdova family had something to say about this event.

David Wasdahl recalled a conversation from the early 1950s with Rosa Pauline Cordova. She was the family's matriarch (respected older woman). He remembered her saying: "The Cordovas had the ranch next to ours. They were probably the best source of Castaic-area history. I remember Mrs. Cordova telling me about Doc Bragg riding, very fast, down the canyon, screaming that Bronco Charlie had killed everyone at the mine."

Rosa Cordova was too young to have seen this herself. So, this story was passed down to her from older family members.

The Castaic Range War

Rosa Pauline Cordova also testified in court for William Louis Rose. This was during his trial for shooting William Willoby Jenkins in 1913. This event was part of the long-running Castaic Range War, which lasted from 1890 to 1916.

Marcos Cordova Marries

On April 5, 1903, Marcos Cordova married Rosa Pauline Moore (1887–1957). The wedding took place in Newhall, Santa Clarita, California. Rosa Moore was about 16 years old when she married Marcos. She was of mixed Native American and European heritage.

The Third Generation of Córdovas

Marcos and Rosa Cordova had 18 children in total. Thirteen of them lived to adulthood: seven sons and six daughters. All their children were born at the Córdova ranch house in Castaic Canyon.

Their children included:

• Frances J. Villa (born 1906)
• Beatrice Antonia Chacanaca (born 1910)
• Victoria Ybarra (born 1910)
• Ignacio J. Cordova (born 1908)
• Rose Fern LeBrun (born 1914)
• Mary Lou Masterson (born 1916)
• Patrick M. Cordova (born 1917)
• Michael Cordova (born 1918)
• William Cordova (born 1920)
• Margaret Everest Heltzel (born 1921)
• John Cordova (born 1923)
• Lawrence Cordova (born 1926)
• Rudolph E. Cordova (born 1928)

Military Service in World War II

Four of the Córdova sons served in World War II: Patrick, Michael, John ("Johnny"), and William. Rudolph ("Rudy") also served but was not sent overseas.

William Cordova was injured on the first day of the Omaha Beach invasion in 1944. Sadly, 22-year-old John Cordova was killed during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. Army records show he "Died of Wounds June 18, 1945." Johnny was first buried in Okinawa. Later, his body was moved to the Ruiz-Perea Family Cemetery in San Francisquito Canyon.

Patrick Cordova served in the 163rd Infantry Division. William Cordova was with the 101st Airborne. Michael Cordova trained at Ford Ord and was sent to the Aleutian Islands. Rudolph ("Rudy") Cordova also trained at Fort Ord. He later became a driver for a Colonel Dalton. The Colonel knew that Rudy had four brothers fighting in the war. Since his brother John had been killed, the Colonel made sure Rudy was not sent overseas.

The oldest Córdova brother, Ignacio (known as "Natch"), was not drafted. This was because of health issues and because he was married with a family to support. Natch worked with the Forest Service. Lawrence Cordova was also not drafted. He was the last of the Córdova brothers who could manage their family ranch.

The St. Francis Dam Disaster

Rosa Cordova was pregnant with her youngest son, Rudolph, when the St. Francis Dam broke on March 12, 1928. She was among those who helped identify people who died after the disaster.

Ignacio Cordova found the body of a school friend stuck in a treetop near the Santa Clara River bed. Family stories say that a sound, which Ignacio described as a hiccup, helped searchers find him.

The Castaic Dam and Lake

The government took about a thousand acres of the Córdova family's property for the planned Castaic Lake and dam. This was done through eminent domain, which means the government can take private land for public use. Construction started in 1967 and finished in 1973. A large part of the historic ranch went underwater when Castaic Lake filled up. This included the site of the old family ranch house.

The family was given only 90 days to leave their property. The Córdovas saved what they could. They even moved their outhouse to higher ground on the part of their land that was not taken.

Workers from a facility in Lancaster helped take apart and remove the rest of the ranch buildings. This included fences, storage buildings for cattle feed, and the windmill. Sadly, they burned the ranch house to the ground as part of this clearing. This was a very difficult event for the Córdova family.

With only about 100 acres left, the family had to sell most of their cattle. Over time, they were able to get agreements to use nearby land, including U.S. Forest Service property. This allowed the family to continue their cattle ranching.

A Long-Standing Tradition

Members of the Córdova family still live in Castaic today. Nancy Lynette Cordova, the daughter of Lawrence and Bettyrose Cordova, now runs the family ranch. She manages their remaining 100 acres and another 900 acres that they lease. The annual cattle roundup in June is a long-held tradition that family members and their friends still carry on.