José Antonio Yorba facts for kids

José Antonio Yorba (born July 20, 1743 – died January 16, 1825) was a Spanish soldier and one of the first settlers in Spanish California. He is also known as Don José Antonio Yorba I.

A Spanish Soldier's Journey

José Antonio Yorba was born in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia in Catalonia, Spain. He joined the Spanish army as one of the original Catalan volunteers. In 1762, he fought in the Seven Years' War when Spain invaded Portugal.

Later, he became a corporal under Gaspar de Portolá during a Spanish expedition in 1769. This expedition helped explore and settle parts of California. Yorba traveled a lot, visiting places like San Francisco in 1777, Monterey in 1782, and San Diego in 1789. He retired from the army in 1797 as a sergeant.

Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana

In 1810, the Spanish Empire gave José Antonio Yorba a huge piece of land called Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana. This was a "land grant," meaning the government gave him the land to own and use. The ranch was about 63,414 acres (257 square kilometers).

This large area covered a big part of what is now Orange County. Many cities you know today, like Olive, Orange, Villa Park|Villa Park, Santa Ana, Tustin, Costa Mesa, and Newport Beach, are built on what was once his ranch.

When José Antonio Yorba passed away in 1825, he was buried at Mission San Juan Capistrano. He asked for his grave to be unmarked. Later, a special monument called a cenotaph was placed there to honor him. A cenotaph is like a tombstone, but it's for someone buried somewhere else.

The Yorba Family Legacy

José Antonio Yorba had a large family. He first married Maria Garcia Feliz in 1773. After she passed away, he married Maria Josefa Grijalva in 1782.

One of his most well-known children was Bernardo Antonio Yorba (1801-1858). Bernardo continued to expand the family's land and cattle business. He also brought new farming methods, like irrigation, to California on the Rancho Cañón de Santa Ana. The city of Yorba Linda is named after him.

The Yorba family continued to be important in Southern California. They married into other well-known Spanish families like the Cota, Grijalvas, and Dominguez families. Even some American families, like the Kraemers and Irvines, later married into the Yorba family.

Today, you can still see the family's history at the historic Yorba Cemetery, which was started in 1858. It is now surrounded by Woodgate Park.

Images for kids

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  California Historical Landmark #204, marking a significant site related to the Yorba family.

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  A cenotaph honoring José Antonio Yorba at the Mission San Juan Capistrano cemetery.

See also

In Spanish: José Antonio Yorba para niños