José Manuel Machado facts for kids

José Manuel Machado (1781 – 1852) was an important figure in the early history of San Diego. He was a Spanish soldier and later became a rancher. He also served as a regiador, which means a councilman, on the first ayuntamiento of the pueblo of San Diego.

Early Life and Military Service

José Manuel Machado was born in 1781. Not much is known about his life before he joined the Spanish army. His father, Juan Machado, was also a soldier. Juan Machado arrived in San Diego around 1781. He then moved to Mission San Gabriel, where José Manuel was born.

José Manuel followed in his father's footsteps. He became a "Leather Jacket" soldier. These soldiers wore special leather jackets for protection. He served in the Spanish army for many years. He quickly moved up in rank.

Protecting the Missions

Machado commanded military guards at important missions. These included Mission San Luis Rey and Mission San Diego. He helped establish new mission stations. These stations were at places like Las Flores, Pala, and Temecula. His work helped protect and expand the Spanish settlements.

Family Life

In 1808, José Manuel Machado married María Serafina Valdez. She was the daughter of Eugenio Valdez, another soldier. Eugenio served in the garrison at Los Angeles. José Manuel and María Serafina had a very large family. They had 15 children together.

One of their children was Juana De Dios Machado. She is often called the "mother" of San Diego. This shows how important the Machado family was to the growing community.

Life in Mexican San Diego

After Mexico gained independence from Spain, José Manuel Machado remained loyal. He became an officer in the Mexican army. He managed the ranch for the San Diego Presidio. This ranch later became known as the Rancho de la Nación.

Becoming a Citizen

For his loyal service, Machado received a land grant in 1827. This land was called Rancho El Rosario. It was located in Baja California. In the early 1830s, he became a citizen of the new pueblo of San Diego. A pueblo was a town or settlement.

He built a one-story adobe house for his family. This house was located below the presidio. Today, that area is known as 2724 Congress Street. In 1836, he served as a regiador (city councilman). He was part of the ayuntamiento (city council) of the San Diego Pueblo.

Later Years and Legacy

José Manuel Machado passed away on October 18, 1852. He was buried in the El Campo Santo Cemetery. This cemetery is located in the old town section of San Diego. His life shows the changes San Diego went through. He lived under both Spanish and Mexican rule. He helped shape the early community.