José de la Guerra y Noriega facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
José de la Guerra y Noriega
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Portrait by Leonardo Barbieri, c. 1850
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| Commandant of the Presidio of Santa Barbara |
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| In office 1827-1842 |
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| Commandant of the Presidio of San Diego |
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| In office 1807-1808 |
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| Acting Commandant of the Presidio of Monterey |
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| In office 1804 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 1779 |
| Died | 1858 |
| Residence | Casa de la Guerra |
| Profession | Politician, military officer |
José Antonio de la Guerra y Noriega (born March 6, 1779 – died February 18, 1858) was an important military officer and ranch owner in early California. He was a Californio, which means he was a person of Spanish heritage born in California. José de la Guerra founded the well-known Guerra family of California. He was in charge of the Presidio of Santa Barbara and the Presidio of San Diego. A "presidio" was a Spanish military fort.
Contents
Life Story of José de la Guerra
Early Life and Military Career
José de la Guerra was born in 1779 in Novales, Cantabria, Spain. When he was 13 years old, he moved to Mexico City in Colonial Mexico. He lived there with his uncle, Pedro Gonzales de Noriega, who was a rich merchant.
In 1793, José de la Guerra joined the frontier army. He started working for the paymaster general. In 1798, he became a cadet at the Presidio of San Diego in Alta California. This was a big step in his military career.
Rising Through the Ranks
José de la Guerra was promoted to alférez (ensign) in 1800 at the Presidio of Monterey. He even served as the acting Commandant of that fort in 1804. In 1806, he became a lieutenant at the Presidio of Santa Barbara.
From 1807 to 1815, he was a lieutenant at the Presidio of San Diego. For a short time in 1806 and 1807, he was the commandant there.
Commandant and Politician
In 1815, De la Guerra moved to Santa Barbara. He became a captain in 1817. In 1827, he was made the Commandant of the Presidio of Santa Barbara. He took over from José Darío Argüello, who became the Governor of Alta California.
That same year, José de la Guerra also became a Deputy (diputado) in the Mexican National Congress. He served as Commandant until 1842. After 52 years in the army, he retired. People in California often called him El Capitán, which means "The Captain".
Land Ownership and Family
José de la Guerra became a very large landowner. He gained more than 500,000 acres (about 2,000 square kilometers) of land. This land was in what are now Santa Barbara, Ventura, Marin, and Sacramento counties in California. Some of his ranches included Rancho Simi, Rancho Las Posas, Rancho San Julian, Rancho Los Alamos, and Rancho El Conejo.
On May 16, 1804, De la Guerra married María Antonia Carrillo. She was the daughter of José Raimundo Carrillo. They had a large family with seven sons and four daughters. Their children were Jose Antonio, Juan, Francisco, Pablo, Joaquin, Miguel, Antonio Maria, Teresa, Angustias, Anita, and María Antonia.
Later Life and Legacy
José de la Guerra died in 1858. He is buried with his wife in the church crypt at Mission Santa Barbara. His home, known as the Casa de la Guerra, is still standing today. It is an important historic landmark in downtown Santa Barbara.
See also
- Casa de la Guerra
- Pablo de la Guerra
- Antonio Maria de la Guerra
- Alfred Robinson - Anita de la Guerra de Noriega y Carrillo
- Ranchos of California
- List of Ranchos of California
