Eulalia Pérez de Guillén Mariné facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eulalia Pérez de Guillén Mariné
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| Born |
Eulalia Pérez Cotes (also Cota)
1766? |
| Died | June 11, 1878 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Mayordoma |
| Spouse(s) | Miguel Antonio de Guillén Juan Mariné (1833-1836) |
Eulalia Pérez de Guillén Mariné (born around 1766 – died June 11, 1878) was a remarkable woman from California. She was known as the mayordoma (or "keeper of the keys") at Mission San Gabriel Arcángel. She also received a large piece of land called Rancho del Rincón de San Pascual. This land is now part of Los Angeles County, California. Eulalia claimed she was born in 1766, which would have made her 112 years old when she died in 1878. This would make her one of the oldest people ever!
Contents
A Long and Interesting Life
Growing Up in New Spain
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Eulalia Pérez was born in Loreto. This city was the capital of the Las Californias Province. This area was part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. Today, it is the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. Her father, Diego Pérez, was a ship captain from Salamanca, Spain. Her mother was Antonia Rosalia Cotes.
It is said that Eulalia's father taught her how to read and write. This was very unusual for girls at that time. This skill later helped her greatly in life. When she was about 15, she married Miguel Antonio Guillén. He was a sergeant in the Spanish army. Around 1800, they walked from Baja to the new Mission San Gabriel Arcángel with their children. Miguel later died while serving in the army. This left Eulalia to care for their many children.
Working at Mission San Gabriel
After her husband's death, Eulalia found work at Misión San Gabriel. She started as a cook and a midwife. A midwife helps women when they are having babies. She even helped Governor Pío Pico's family. Because she was so good at her job, she was given a very important role. She became the "keeper of the keys," or mayordoma, of the mission. This meant she was in charge of many important things at the mission.
Receiving a Land Grant
When Eulalia retired, the Mexican Governor José Figueroa gave her a special gift. He granted her a huge piece of land. It was called Rancho del Rincón de San Pascual. This ranch was about 14,402-acre (58.28 km2) in size. Today, this land includes the cities of Pasadena, South Pasadena, and San Marino. This land had been home to the Tongva-Gabrieleño Native Americans for thousands of years.
At that time, women in Mexican Alta California could not own land by themselves. So, Eulalia married Juan Mariné, a retired Mexican army officer. This allowed her to legally receive the land grant. However, according to some stories, Juan Mariné and his sons lost the land quickly through gambling. Another story says one of Mariné's sons, Fruto, sold the land because he was a soldier and could not manage it. The land was later granted to new owners.
Her Later Homes
Eulalia later lived in the Adobe Flores. This was an old adobe building on Rancho San Pascual. It is still standing today in South Pasadena. It is now a National Historic Place. It was named after General Jose Maria Flores, a Mexican hero.
Eulalia spent many of her last years living with her daughters. One of her daughters was Maria Rita de Guillén de la Ossa. Maria Rita's husband owned Rancho de los Encinos. This ranch is now Los Encinos State Historic Park in Encino, California.
Her Final Years
Eulalia Pérez died in the Los Angeles area on June 11, 1878. Her death certificate says she lived to be 140 years old! However, most of her family members believe she was around 110 or 112 years old. Even at this younger age, she was still a very famous centenarian (someone who lives to be 100 or more) in early California history.
Her Lasting Impact
Eulalia Pérez de Guillén Mariné was given a very special honor. She is one of only two people who were not priests to be buried in the San Gabriel Mission courtyard cemetery. This area was usually reserved for priests. Being buried so close to the church was a sign of great respect. A marble bench with her name marks her burial spot.
Many of Eulalia's children and grandchildren married into other important Spanish and Mexican families in California. Her many descendants include:
- Maria Rita de Guillen de la Ossa, wife of Don Jose Vicente de la Ossa, who owned Rancho de los Encinos.
- Katherine Kevane Murray, who helped Spanish-speaking children learn English in California schools.
- Alexander Howison Murray Jr. (1907-1993), who was mayor of Placerville twice.
- Victoria Duarte Cordova (1912-2005), a California historian.
See also
In Spanish: Eulalia Pérez de Guillén Mariné para niños
