The Carrillos of San Diego ...: a Historic Spanish Family of California

The Carrillos of San Diego ...: A Historic Spanish Family of California (Concluded) Author(s): Brian McGinty, Maria Ignacia Lopez, Joaquin Carrillo and Julio Carrillo Source: The Historical Society of Southern California Quarterly, Vol. 39, No. 4 (December, 1957), pp. 371-391 Published by: University of California Press on behalf of the Historical Society of Southern California Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41169299 . Accessed: 18/05/2014 20:01

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This content downloaded from 136.152.126.71 on Sun, 18 May 2014 20:01:13 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The Carrillosof San Diego. . . A HistoricSpanish Family of California

By BrianMcGinty

(Concludedfrom the SeptemberQuarterly)

pageant of Spanish and Mexican historyhas been rememberedby historiansfor the romanticspirit of adventurewith which it abounded. It was a time of free and open ranch life, of generoushospitality, of rodeosand fiestas,clicking castanets and plaintiveSpanish guitars. But the periodhad yet anotherface - one of solid historicalachievement, of exploration,trail blazing,and pioneersettlement; of the building of towns,missions, and forts:and of the conquestof savage Indians. The yearsof California'sdomination by the flagsof Spain and Mexico were thus of greatimportance for their fundamental contributionsto the greatstate that, in 1846,was to emergeas part ofthe United States of America. The partplayed by Californiosin pavingthe way foreventual Californiastatehood was perhapstheir greatest historical achieve- ment; but it was also the supremelypainful irony of theirlives in California.By preparingthe GoldenState forultimate Ameri- can conquest,they sealed theirown doomas a people. Vastlyout- numberedfrom the days of the greatGold Rush,Spanish Califor- niens progressivelylost their importance as an elementin the general population. Those who could be of use in the new society werequickly absorbed by it; but thosewho could not survivewere as readilylost to theages. The Carrillofamily was in manyways representativeof Cali- forniosas a whole. Prosperousin the days of the great ranchos, it declineddrastically in wealthand importancein the earlyyears of Americanrule. Its last triumphwas on the Californiapolitical stage. Romualdo Pacheco, whose full name in the old Spanish 371

This content downloaded from 136.152.126.71 on Sun, 18 May 2014 20:01:13 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA traditionwould have been Pacheco y Carrillo,embodied the finest traditionsof the old and the new and California.For the Carrillo family,his life was the last great momentof serviceand glory. For theCalifornios it was theclimax and finaleof a historicalepoch.

Part XIII MariaIgnacia Lopezde Camilo mother and guardian of all the Carrillosof San Diego was Doña María Ignacia Lopez de Carrillo. Born in San Diego, probablyin the early 1780's, she was the daughterof JuanFrancisco Lopez and María Feliciana Arballode Gutierrez.During her lifetimeshe was knownby boththe names of her fatherand her mother- Lopez y Arballo. But becauseforty yearsof her life wrerespent as the wife,and lateras the widow,of Don JoaquinVictor Carrillo,patriarch of the Carrillofamily in San Diego, she has cometo be knownin thechronicles of California historyas Maria Ignacia Lopez de Carrillo. Her marriageto JoaquinCarrillo took place on September3, 1809, in the PresidiaiChapel of San Diego.1 The Carrillos'early marriedlife was centeredaround the adobe walls of the Presidio of San Diego, and was maintainedonly by Joaquin'sslender wages as a "leather-jacket"soldier. As life in the cradle-cityof Spanish Californiacrept slowly by, Doña María Ignacia gave birthto five sons and seven daughters.The firstof these,Josefa, was born in 1810; the last, Marta, firstsaw the light of day some twenty-five yearslater. The friendshipof ComandanteFrancisco Ruiz of the Presidio of San Diego playedan importantpart in the lifeof Maria Ignacia and Joaquin. The adobe house that Ruiz built between1810 and 1820 outsidethe walls of the Presidiowas long the home of the Carrillofamily. ComandanteRuiz, a determinedbachelor, could be difficultand irksomeat times- as when he sentencedJoaquin to the stocksin San Diego for givingwhat the Comandantecon- sideredan unsatisfactoryviolin performance.But at hearthe was kindly,generous, and keenlyattached to the Carrillos. For many

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This content downloaded from 136.152.126.71 on Sun, 18 May 2014 20:01:13 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The Carrillosof San Diego years beforehis death in the late 1830's, Ruiz continuedto live in the the Casa de Carrillo,and beforehis death he deeded his famousorchard of pear, pomegranate,and olive treesto threeof the Carrillogirls. In 1834, a large group of Mexican colonistsunder the joint leadershipof José María Padres and José María Hijar passed throughSan Diego on its way to the pueblos of the North. Hos- pitableto friendsand strangersalike, the Carrillofamily took into its home and cared foras many of the colonistsas possible. One memberof the partywas the later-prominentAgustín Janssens. Many yearslater, writing in his Life and Adventuresin California, Janssenswrote that while in San Diego he and othercolonists were caredfor by Maria Ignacia Lopez de Carrillo"in such a kindman- ner thatwe could almostlook on her as a mother."2The widowed RamonaCarrillo de Pacheco was at that time visitingher mother in San Diego. "Motherand daughter,"Janssens wrote, "did every- thingpossible for our comfort,giving us milk, greenvegetables, fruit,and whateverelse we wished,or whichthey saw we needed, withoutaccepting a single cent. They continuedto do forothers whatthey did forus duringthe wholetime we werein San Diego. It is impossibleto findwords of gratitudeto describethe generous conductof these ladies."3 The death of JoaquínCarrillo, in about 1836, was a source of greatsorrow to the family,and it was to changethe entire course of theirlives. Joaquínhad passednearly all ofhis lifein the fledg- ling Californiamilitary corps, whose memberswere ineligibleto receiveland grantsfrom the government.When he died, he left virtuallyno property.Three of the family'sdaughters, Josefa, Ramona, and Francisca,had by this time chosen husbandsand goneto live in theirnew homesscattered throughout the province. But nine boys and girlsstill remainedwith Doña María Ignacia, demandingher love, protection,and financialsupport. To providefor her family,Señora Carrillolooked to the rich Californiaearth - to the fertilevalleys and mountainsof the Gold- en State- where,with luck, she mightbegin a new life. In par- ticular,she hopedto acquirea ranchowith which to build a future and eventuallegacy forher youngfamily. She foundthis almost

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This content downloaded from 136.152.126.71 on Sun, 18 May 2014 20:01:13 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA six-hundredmiles northof San Diego, on the rugged northern frontierof California. Maria Ignacia and herchildren moved to thepueblo of Sonoma in 1837,and a yearlater to thepastoral Santa Rosa Valley. Califor- nia's northernfrontier was ruled almostsingle-handedly by Señora Carrillo's son-in-law,General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo. On January19, 1838, she petitionedto the governmentfor a grant of land at Santa Rosa,and fivedays laterpermission to occupytwo leagues in the centerof the Valley was given her by General Vallejo.4 Her ranchowas formerlynamed Cabeza de Santa Rosa. On September30, 1841, the grantwas completedby ActingGovernor Manuel Jimeno,and on the last day of the year Señora Carrillo tookjuridicial possession. In the old medievaltradition, she "broke branches,pulled up grass,and threwstones to the fourwinds."5 Soon afteroccupying Cabeza de Santa Rosa, Maria Ignacia selecteda site on the banks of the Santa Rosa Creek,where constructionof an adobe house was soon begun. Her sons,Joaquín, José Ramon, Julio,Juan, and Dolores, were assistedin building the house by Indians recruitedfrom the nearbyhills and by Cap- tain Salvador Vallejo, the husband of María de la Luz Carrillo. Soon afterits completion,the Carrilloadobe at Santa Rosa became a popularrendezvous of life and gayetyin the valley. Beforeits doorsstretched the 8,000 fertileacres of the Carrillo rancho. Indian servantsplanted and winnowedwheat, while the Carrillo boys rodewatch over the rapidly growing herds of cattle. In therancho's firstyears, prosperity was abundant,with large numbersof sheep, 1200 to 1500 horses,and 3,000 cattleroaming the valley floorand surroundinghillsides.6 Maria Ignacia was a vigorouswoman, who oftenrode the range on her ranchopersonally supervising the many and varied activities.She was also a woman who knew her own mind. Her daughter,Josefa Carrillo de Fitch,wrote vividly of Señora Carrillo's ideas on the meaningof the word California- a problemthat for centurieshas caused wrinkledbrows among linguists. Josefare- called thather mother had said thatCalifornia was an Indian word, meaning Loma Alta in Spanish and High Hill in English; that

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This content downloaded from 136.152.126.71 on Sun, 18 May 2014 20:01:13 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The Carrillosof San Diego this was the truthfulinterpretation; and that all otherinterpreta- tionswere "false and erroneous!"7 The year 1849 dawned brightfor California. In the wake of earth-shakinggold discoveriesat Slitter'sMill, thousandsof immi- grantswere pouringinto San FranciscoBay and acrossthe snowy slopesof the SierraNevadas, opening a new era in the historyof the Golden State. For Maria Ignacia Lopez de Carrillo,however, it was the end of a long and richlyvaried lifetime. Early in Jan- uary of 1849, she fell ill and called her sonsto her bedsideto help in the makingof a will. The documentproduced on that occa- sion, thoughcouched in intricateand effusivelegalistic phrases, breathesa pious spiritthroughout, and remainstoday one of Cali- fornia'smost distinctivearticles of pioneerfaith. It reads: In the name of God Almighty,Amen. I, Maria Ignacia Lopez y Arbaes,8native of San Diego and residentof Sonoma, legitimatedaugh- ter of the legitimatemarriage of Don Francisco Lopez and Feliciana Arbaes, deceased, findingmyself ill and believingand confessingas I firmlybelieve and confess in the mysteryof the Most Holy Trinity, Father,Son, and Holy Ghost,three distinct persons and only one true God, and all the othermysteries which our Holy Roman Catholic and ApostolicChurch confesses, in whichfaith and belief I have lived, live, and professto live and die, as a faithfulChristian Catholic, taking for my intercessorand protector,in order that theymay entreatour Holy Savior, Jesus Christ,and ever Virgin and immaculateQueen of the Angels, my Holy Guardian Angel, and those of my name devotion, that theymay pardon all my sins and take my soul to rejoice in His presence;fearful of death,which is as naturaland certainto all human creaturesas its time is uncertain,I wish to be prepared with a testa- mentarydisposition when it may come; resolvingupon matureability, concerningthe dischargeof my conscience,to avoid by clearness the doubts and disputeswhich might be instigated,after my death,I stipu- late,make, and ordermy will in thefollowing manner. I entrustmy soul to God, who createdit fromthe nothingness,and send my body to the earthfrom which it was formed,which, when it is a corpse,shall be preparedand buried in the place which my family shall designate. I declare thatI was lawfullymarried to Don Joa- quin Carrillo (now deceased), in which marriagewe begot our legiti- mate children,Josefa, Ramona, Maria de la Luz, Francisco,Joaquin, Ramon, Juan,Dolores, Julio,Marta, Juana,and Felicidad. I declare as my executorsmy sons Jose Ramon, Joaquin,or Julio.

I declare as legitimateheirs of the propertythat I actuallypos- 375

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sess my daughter,Maria de la Luz, Jose Ramon, Joaquin,Julio, Maria Marta, Juana de Jesus,Maria Felicidad de las Augustias. (N. The exceptionof Josefa,Ramona, and Francisca,who have come to have no share in the propertywilled.)9 I declare that the propertywhich I actuallypossess and whichbelongs to me is derivedfrom the personal labor of my sons and daughtersmentioned in the above clause. I declare the land that my daughterLuz actually possesses, and its boundaries,are the Santa Rosa Creek,above, almostas far as the limits of the swamp whichbelongs to me; and the widthshall be the swamp, above, along the edge of the surroundinghills. I commandthat my house in which I now live be given up, with all its appurtenances,incomes, outlets, furniture, gardens, fences, and cultivatedlands to Marta, Juana, and Felicidad; I declare the limits to be the Santa Rosa Creek,below, as far as the junctionof the creeks on the North; and on the South, the creek knownby the name of El Potreroas far as the limitsof Santa Rosa on the East. I commandthat the rest of my propertybe divided in equal parts betweenmy childrenalready mentioned;my son Joaquin, having received some cattle on his account,shall have these deductedfrom his inheritance. (I bequest to Julio the house and lot in Sonoma withoutthis being countedin the remainderof my property.) I commandthat the rest of my lands be divided in equal parts betweenJose Ramon and Julio. I entrustmy daughterLuz with my family,for her protection,as well as my own sons and daughters,that theymay look on her as sent by theirmother. I entrustmy sons not to be unmindfulof assistingtheir sisters in all the emergenciesneces- sary to pass throughlife, as the sistersmay assist theirbrothers to the bestof theirability. I commandmy sons, who will be executors,before dividing my propertyto make to Pancha a presentwhich theymay judge suitable, as also to Jose Antonio,Bernabela, Juan de Dios, and Susana. In orderto fulfillall thatthis testamentcontains, I leave and name as my executorsJose Ramon,Joaquin, or Julio,and I conferupon them ample power in order that as soon as I die theyshall fulfillall which I leave commandedas my last deliberatewill, or in the way and form that should rightfullyprevail. Thus I execute and sign before wit-

Sonoma,January 6, 1849 Maria Ignacia Lopez JoaquinCarrillo JulioCarrillo10 By the end of February,Maria Ignacia Lopez de Carrillowas dead.

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Señora Carrillohad occupieda unique positionin the early historyof California. Born in the firstyear of Spanish occupa- tion, she died on the eve of California'sgreat rebirthas part of the United States. A briefarticle published in the Panama City Star of February24, 1849,illustrates the uniquelyinclusive nature of her life. The articlerefers to a crucifixgiven to Maria Ignacia when she was a young girl. Throughouther life, it was one of her mosttreasured possessions. But one day, manyyears after the crucifixhad been givento her,Señora Carrillowas travelingfrom Montereyto Sonomain a heavywooden carreta. The crucifixwas droppedunder one of the massivewheels. Though it was broken, Maria Ignacia pickedup the partsand keptthem until her death. The crucifixhad a special significance.It had been givento her by the apostle of California,Padre JuniperoSerra.11 As evidenceof the respectin whichshe had been held,Señora Carrillo'sbody was interredwithin the hallowedwalls of Mission San FranciscoSolano de Sonoma. There,the padres laid her be- neaththe font,so thather remainswould receiveholy waterthat fell fromthe hands of devoutworshippers.

* * ♦ ♦

Part XIV RomualdoPacheco

Romualdo pacheco was stationed at the Presidio of Santa Barbaralate in 1831, when his wife,the lovely Ramona Carrillo,gave birth to their second child. A boy,the baby was bornon September30, and baptizedthe follow- 12 ing day as JoséAntonio Romualdo Pacheco. Historywould know him as Romualdo. The baby'sfuture seemed a favorableone fromthe start. His motherwas a memberof one of California'smost prominent pioneer families;his fathera native of Guanajuato,Mexico, was an importantofficer in California'sfledgling military corps; and his

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This content downloaded from 136.152.126.71 on Sun, 18 May 2014 20:01:13 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA godparentswere two of the mostprominent single individualsin provincialsociety - Joséde la Guerra,founder of the distinguished de la Guerra familyin California,and his wife,Maria Antonia Carrillo,daughter of José RaimundoCarrillo and Tomasa Lugo. But the comfortablecomplacency of the baby'shome tumbled down upon him just threemonths after he was born. His father was killedin a battlenear Los Angelesin Decemberof 1831, even beforeRomualdo was old enoughto knowhim.13 Ramona Carrillo de Pachecothen took her infantson, with his olderbrother, Maria- no, to visit at the Casa de Carrillowhere the baby's grandparents lived. Soon after,she returnedto Santa Barbara and, in about 1836, marriedthe Scotchsea captain,John Wilson. Romualdoand Mariano soon grew to love their genial step- father.Wilson took a genuineinterest in the welfareand educa- tion of the Pacheco boys. The absence of schoolsin California made it impossiblefor promising young men to receiveadequate training,and as early as 1838 Captain Wilson sent Mariano and Romualdo to the Sandwich Islands, where an English speaking schoolhad recentlybeen opened. For fiveyears the boys studied diligentlyunder the supervisionof a Mr. and Mrs. Johnston,learn- ing English,French, and Kanaka, the language of the Hawaiian natives.14 They returnedto Santa Barbarain 1843. CaptainWilson was pleased with the progressthe boys had made, and felt the time had come forthem to receivesome practical training. The clipper Sterlingwas then in port,and Wilson arrangedfor Romualdo to go on boardwith Thomas B. Park,the ship'sSupercargo. For more than a year,young Pacheco followedthe ways of a seafarer'slife, gainingvaluable experiencein tradingand navigation. In 1846, the year of California'sseizure by the United States,he was still at sea. On July7, when CommodoreJohn Drake Sloat raised the Starsand Stripesat Monterey,Romualdo was sailing up the Cali- forniacoast in one of CaptainWilson's trading ships. Passingthe rockyand wooded slopes of Point Pinos, just southof Monterey, the ship was stoppedby the U. S. war sloop,Cyane. The crewwas told thatMexico and the UnitedStates were at war,and thatWil- son's ship would have to be searched. The Americansfound the

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This content downloaded from 136.152.126.71 on Sun, 18 May 2014 20:01:13 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The Carrillosof San Diego ship to be on peacefulbusiness and allowed it to proceed. As the vessel went forward,Romualdo Pacheco fleetinglyglanced to the starboard,and caughthis firstglimpse of the Americanflag, a tiny- speckof red, white,and blue in the distance. In the early 1840's, Romualdo'smother and step-fatherob- tainedseveral large land grantsin the vicinityof MissionSan Luis Obispo. There theybuilt an adobe house whichbecame theirper- manenthome. In 1848, seventeenyears old, youngRomualdo left the sea and came to live at San Luis Obispowith his parents.His help was badly neededon the Wilsonranchos to managethe large and rapidlygrowing cattle herds. Accordingto provisionsof the Treatyof Guadalupe Hidalgo, by which peace was establishedbetween Mexico and the United Statesin 1848,native residents of Californiawere giventhe choice of acceptingcitizenship in the UnitedStates or remainingsubjects of the Mexican government.For RomualdoPacheco, as forothers in his family,there was only one real choice. He promptlyand eagerlytook the oath of allegianceto the United States,and thus became one of the firstSpanish Californiansto receiveAmerican citizenship. When the great floodof gold-hungryArgonauts descended on Californiain 1849, the native Californiansmaintained an un- concernedaloofness. Bonanza millionairesmight come and go, theyreasoned, but the onlyreal and enduringwealth to be derived fromCalifornia would be thatproduced by ranchingand farming, by the greatland grantsover which theyheld a firmif not im- pregnable monopoly. Though Romualdo Pacheco went to the placersin 1849 and tooka small part in the diggings,the lure of Yankee-discoveredwealth could not hold him long. Soon he was back in San Luis Obispo,leading the freeand open ranchlife that throughouthis lifehe lovedmost. A slender,dark-haired man, with fiery black eyes and a sinewy build, Pacheco played the part of a Californiacaballero to perfection. One day in the 1850's,a visitorbrought a letterto theWilson adobe at San Luis Obispo. Invitinghim to stay for the night, Romualdoshowed the visitorto a large but comfortablyfurnished room. As he was about to leave, youngPacheco suddenlywheeled

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This content downloaded from 136.152.126.71 on Sun, 18 May 2014 20:01:13 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA and kickedaside a pile of saddle bags in the cornerof the roonx, revealingan open-neckedsack filledwith twenty-dollar gold pieces. "Help yourself,"he said unconcernedly."The houseis yours.Burn it if you will."15 Pacheco's skill and courage in the popular Californiasport of bear huntingand fightingwas remarkable.One morningearly in 1852, the foot-printsof a huge grizzlybear were discoveredin the earth close to his mother'shome at San Luis Obispo. When Romualdoheard the news, he and two othermen boundedinto the saddle and headed forthe nearbymountains. Half-way up a hillside,the horsessuddenly halted, snortingloudly and pawing the earth. Beforethem, standing erect above the dry wild oats, was a huge grizzlybear. The animal's gleamingeyes and savage teethseemed to petrifythe horses,and fora momentthe men,too, staredmotionless. Then Pacheco's lasso shot forth,snagging the bear's massiveforefoot. He spurredhis horse down the hillside, while the othermen threwlassos around the bear's hindfeet.A newspaperreporter, writing of this incident some years later, sparedno adjectivesin his idolatrousdescription of Pacheco: When he firstrealized the sudden presenceof the terribleenemy, and stood erectin the stirrups,his face gleamingwith the gloryof youth, fearlessness,and excitement,his great black eyes sparkling,his white teethpressed upon his netherlip, perfectlystill for a moment,he was themost glorious object in nature.16

Their ropes taut, Pacheco and his men slowly draggedthe bear down the hillside,where they tied it to a huge timber.When the animal died, Pacheco pointedknowingly to the sky. Circlinghigh above was a flockof carrioncrows, whose watchful eyes had spied the impendingfeast before it was half-waydown the hillside,and had alreadyprepared to partake. Romualdo Pacheco took an early interestin public affairs. By birth,a distinguishednative Californian,he was, by educa- tion,a capable speakerin boththe Spanishand Englishlanguages. Almostinevitably, he was called upon to play a partin the young state'spolitics. In about 1853,he tookan activepart in the forma- tion of a Vigilance Committeein San Luis Obispo. At that time, his brother,Mariano Pacheco,was servingSan Luis ObispoCounty 380

This content downloaded from 136.152.126.71 on Sun, 18 May 2014 20:01:13 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The Carrillosof San Diego as a memberof the StateAssembly. In 1854,Romualdo was elected CountyJudge of San Luis Obispo,a positionroughly compar- able to the present-daySuperior Judgeship. He servedin thisoffice forfour years, and in 1857 was electedto the State Senate. Pacheco was a Democrat,and his electionto the Senate was generallyindicative of the Democratictrend in nationaland state politics,by which a Democraticpresident, James Buchanan, had been electedjust a year before. RomualdoPacheco tookhis oath as State Senatoron January4, 1858, in the Senate Chamberin Sacramento.17He was shortlyappointed to the committeeson Agri- culture,Contingent Expenses, Public Morals,and InternalImprove- ment. He tookan activepart in legislativebusiness, and, in 1859, became Chairmanof the AgricultureCommittee. In I860 and the early part of 1861, Pacheco made an exten- sive tour of Europe,but returnedto Californiain the middle of 1861 and ran for reelectionto the State Senate. Political events in the immediatelypreceding years had caused him to changehis partyaffiliation. Abraham Lincoln became President of the United States in March, 1861, and shortlyafter southern secession had become a painful realityto the nation. Pacheco's views on the crisisof the Union were thoseof the majorityof Spanish Califor- nians. The greatpolitical event of just elevenyears before was still vividlyemblazoned on their minds. They rememberedthat the GoldenState had enteredthe Union underprovisions of the Great Compromiseof 1850, and that it was to be a non-slavebut, most significantly,a loyal state. In the fall electionof 1861, Pacheco ran forthe State Senate as a memberof the Union Party,a group thatwas later to becomepart of the largerRepublican Party. He was elected.18 In 1862, as a loyal supporterof the Union, State SenatorPa- checo was appointedBrigadier General of the FirstBrigade of the CaliforniaMilitia by GovernorLeland Stanford.19Early in 1863, he was appointedState Treasurerby Stanford,and later in the same year he was nominatedby the Republican Conventionto run fora full term. He was electedon September2, 1863, by a marginof more than 20,000 votes. On October31, 1863, Romualdomarried Mary CatherineMc- 381

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Intire,a beautifuland talentedplaywright. Born in Kentucky, Miss Mclntire was the author of many succesfulcomedies pre- sentedin San Franciscotheatres. Two childrenwere born to the Pachecos. Maybella Ramona,later knownas Mabel, was born in San Franciscoin 1865. Romualdo,their only son, was borna short timelater, and died at theage ofseven. Pacheco ran forreelection as StateTreasurer in 1867, but was defeatedat the polls by 3,000 votes. At the suggestionof his doc- tor,he then went southto Mexico.20For a year he restedin the salubriousMexican climate,regaining lost strength.He returned to Californiain 1868 and immediatelywon reelectionto the State Senate. Returnedto officeby the votersin 1869, he continuedto servethrough 1871. At the RepublicanState Conventionof 1871, Pacheco's abili- ties as an administratorwere once again recognizedwhen he received the nominationfor Lieutenant Governor, as runningmate of the gubernatorialcandidate, Newton Booth. At the polls on September6, 1871, the two Republicancandidates were elected. NewtonBooth was a politicallyambitious man, and soonafter his inaugurationas governorhe made his plans knownto seekelec- tion to the UnitedStates Senate. The Legislature,in whompower to elect senatorswas thenvested, resisted the Governor'spressures at first,but eventuallyconsented to name him as senatorfor the termbeginning in 1875. This was the last year of Booth'sterm as governor,and in late 1874 and early 1875 rumorscirculated throughoutthe statethat he would not resignfrom the governorship when he assumedhis seat in the Senate,but would instead hold bothoffices concurrently. The spectacleof the chiefexecutive) jockeyingfor personalpolitical gain in violationof what many personsconsidered to be constitutionalrestraints was distastefulto Californians. On February24, 1875, the San FranciscoDaily Alta Californiaangrily condemned Booth's political maneuveringand declared: "Pacheco will be Governoron and afterMarch 4th,and he is a fitman forthe place. He was nominatedand electedwith full considerationof the factthat he mightbecome Governor. He had servedas StateSenator, and becauseof his excellentreputation had been electedState Treasurer,and his name is still withouta

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This content downloaded from 136.152.126.71 on Sun, 18 May 2014 20:01:13 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The Carrillosof San Diego blemishfor everybody save those. . . who stopat nothingto excuse Booth'sproposed violation of the Constitution."21Most newspapers secondedthe Alta's opinion,and contendedthat holdingtwo of- ficesconcurrently would constitutea seriousbreech of public re- sponsibility.Now, Boothabandoned his plans to hold bothoffices, but declinedto say whichof the two he would prefer.The people of Californiaanxiously awaited his decision. On February28, the Governor'swishes were made known. The Daily Alta wrote: HAIL GOVERNORPACHECO! We havethe pleasant news that Newton Booth yesterday resigned the officeof Governorof California,that Romualdo Pacheco has suc- ceeded to the position,and thatMr. Irwin . . . now becomesLieutenant Governor.Mr. Pacheco is a nativeof California- the only one who has been Governorsince the Americanconquest - and he does creditto the blood fromwhich he sprang and to the people who elected him. He has servedthe people in responsiblepositions for twelveyears or more, and has an excellentreputation for integrity,prudence and good sense ... It is gratifyingto knowthat . . . Californiawill be as safe in the handsof thein-coming as of theout-going official.22 Romualdo Pacheco's oath of officewas administeredimme- diatelyupon receiptof the news,and a shortbut memorableterm in California'sexecutive chair began. While LieutenantGovernor, Pacheco had servedex-officio as warden of San QuentinPrison and developeda deep interestin theproblems of penal reform.As governor,he saw needfor changes in the administrationof criminaljustice. At thattime, California law did not providefor the parole of prisoners.All mattersper- tainingto pardonor commutationof sentencewere referredto the personalattention of the governor.Throughout his termas chief executive,Pacheco steadfastlyrefused to granta pardonto former State Harbor CommissionerJohn J. Marks.23For this refusal,he incurredthe enmityof many political powersin the state. But behindhis stubbornnesswas a desireto establisha broad and in- clusivebasis forthe administrationof executiveclemency - a basis that would be impartialand free of political considerations.On December6, 1875,he deliveredthe traditionalGovernor's Biennial

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Message to the Legislature. In it he outlinedhis broad concepts of justice and concretesuggestions for penal reform: The historyof our State Prison, its managementfor twenty-five years, and its presentcondition, contribute to the general record of prisons,a chapter valuable only as a positive display of evils to be avoided . . . It is no part of our duty to make merchandiseof crime,and the State has no interestin convictlabor to fosteror develop; but in deal- ing with criminals,labor is one elementof reform,and it is certainly rightthat they should be made to bear the cost of their custodyand support,if it can be done withoutviolating any principleof humanity. A convictwho has been made to labor duringhis imprisonmentis apt to return to society a better man. He has gained or improved a knowledge. . . that will enable him to supply his needs withoutre- sortingto the cunningthat springsfrom ignorance ... A State that is contentto merelypunish crime and assertthe principleof revenge,for- gets the spirit of the age, and violates the conscienceof civilization. In chargingthe Executivewith the dutyof preventingpossible in- justice to criminalsand vestingin him the "quality of mercy"on behalf of the State, the Constitutionhas imposed a trustthat is a source of constantpain and embarrassment. To maintaina due respectfor the power of the law, to avoid weak- ening the force of example,to refrainfrom violating any principleof justice, and yet to decide impartiallyupon appeals for clemency,is difficultbeyond the comprehensionof those who lack the experience. . . . Pardons are applied for almosthourly. In decidingupon the appli- cations it would require somethingmore than qualities of mind and heart merelyto avoid human errors; but I believe such errorshave been quite as frequentin denyingpetitions as in grantingthem. If a Board were organizedwith authorityto examineevery appli- cation for pardon, and transmitit to the Governorwith recommenda- tion for his action in the premises,the final decision could be made morereadily, perhaps more justly.24 GovernorPacheco's message touchedon many othersignifi- cant stateproblems, among them the developmentof the Yosemite Valley, then owned and operatedby Californiaas a State Park; the constructionof new buildingsfor the state government;and, portentously- a problemthat remainsvery real today- the rapid growthof the then-infantUniversity of California.He said: TheUniversity of California has beenin operationsix years.. . . A university,whose life is forages, needs a guidanceat onceconserva-

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tive and progressive.It cannotsafely sustain any shock of injudicious pruning,nor easily endurethe loss of that confidenceand cooperation whichcan be secured only by stabilityand a steady growth. Like all young institutions,its demands for new accommodationswill be con- stantin its earlyyears. The twobuildings at Berkeleyare alreadycrowd- ed; the assembly-hallfor use on public occasionsis too small; thereis no adequate spare for the library; and better accommodationsare needed to display importantcollections illustrating the naturalsciences. Much of the futurewelfare of California depends on the higher culture of her sons and daughters. There is nothingto preventour establishinga Universitythat will be peer to any in theworld. It is better that studentsshould findit at home than seek it abroad.25

The Governor'smessage was favorablyreceived by the people of the state. On December9, the Daily Alta wrotethat, although Pacheco's "gubernatorialexperience has been briefand quiet, we see in his messagea demonstrationof his character."20 1875 was an electionyear in statepolitics. As successfulin- cumbent,Pacheco sought nomination and electionto the governorship forthe full termbeginning in 1876. Soon afterassuming the executivechair, he made his intentionsknown to the people of Californiaand began to gathersupport for the RepublicanCon- vention,which was to assemble in June at Sacramento. Several opposingcandidates entered the field against him- among them William Irwin,a man who had succeededPacheco as Lieutenant Governor.By March 26, the Daily Alta could write: "Pacheco is likelyto go to the RepublicanState Conventionwith considerable supportfor the nominationfor governor."27But Irwin began to arouse widespreadpopular support,giving indications of a desire to run for Governoron the Democraticticket, opposing Pacheco on the Republican. On March 27, the ContraCosta Gazette ex- pressedits beliefthat the peopleof California"and the honestcon- stituenciesof the two politicalparties" would do bestto nominate Pacheco forgovernor and Irwin forLieutenant Governor, without botheringwith the formalityof holding conventions.28 But all poli- ticiansdid not sharethe viewsof the Gazette, The CentralPacific Railroad then exercisedconsiderable influence in state politics. Pacheco was accused of representingthe interestsof the Union Pacific.29The chargemay or may not have been true,and in any 385

This content downloaded from 136.152.126.71 on Sun, 18 May 2014 20:01:13 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA case would seem to have been of negligibleimportance. But for the RepublicanConvention it becamea seeminglycrucial question. Meetingon June 10, the conventionalmost immediately rallied in supportof CharlesPhelps, a cleverlyconcealed "dark horse" candidate. From the firstday of the meeting,it was obviousthat Pacheco's chances for successhad been suddenlyand completely torn asunder. Appearingbefore the conventionon June 11, the Governorwithdrew his name. Phelpswas nominatedfor governor. Pacheco then expectedto receivethe nominationfor Lieutenant Governor,the officeto which he had been electedfour years pre- vious. Butthe convention again by-passedhim. On June 12, the Daily Alta commented:"Governor Pacheco mustnaturally be hurtat the way in whichhe was treated.Called upon fromall sides to accept the nomination,supported by the leading Republicanpapers, he came upon the scene on the day beforethe Conventionto findeverything changed as by the wand of a magician,the Conventionheld in the hollow of one man's hand, and himselfquietly ignored. Nothingwas leftfor him but to quietly and magnanimouslywithdraw from a contesthe had no reasonto expect."30 But Pacheco was determinedto run forreelection to the Lieu-' tenant Governorship.In the absence of party endorsement,his name appeared on the ballot as an independent.In the voting, he rallied a total of 33,000 votes,more than eitherof the Repub- lican candidatesfor governoror LieutenantGovernor received. The probabilitythat Pacheco would have been successfullyelected, had he receivedthe Republicannod, is strong.But the splitin the GOP, togetherwith a nationaltrend to the Democraticparty that was to resultin the near-electionof Samuel Tilden as president in 1876, provedto be an overwhelmingliability. The successful Democratic candidate for LieutenantGovernor, James Johnson, pulled morethan 58,000 votes. William Irwin,running as a Demo- crat,was successfullyelected to succeedPacheco in the governor's chair. Defeat in the electionof 1875 was only a temporaryinterrup- tion of Pacheco's career. The last monthsof his administration had earnedhim warmpraise throughout the state,and at the con-

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This content downloaded from 136.152.126.71 on Sun, 18 May 2014 20:01:13 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The Carrillosof San Diego elusionof the conventionof 1875 it had been rumoredthat Repub- lican leaders were planning"to give GovernorPacheco the nominationfor Congress in the southerndistrict, if he will take it."31 Pacheco did. Californiawas then divided into fourcongressional districts, and incumbencyin one ofthese carried with it a prestigeand power nearlyequal to that of the UnitedStates senators. The electionof 1876 foundRomualdo Pacheco runningfor Congress, not, as had been rumored,in the southerndistrict, but in the large and popu- lous centraldistrict, which included Fresno, Los Angeles,San Fran- cisco,San Mateo,San Diego, Santa Barbara,San Luis Obispo,Inyo, Kern, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, Monterey,and San Bernardino counties.32Pacheco was elected over his Democraticopponent, Peter Wigginton,by the hair-splittingmargin of one vote.33He appearedin Congressto takehis oath of officeon October17, 1877, and was immediatelyencountered by chargesthat he had been electedby the fraudulentalteration of certainballots. JamesA. Garfield,then Republicanleader in the House of Representatives,and laterPresident of the UnitedStates, answered the Democraticcharges. "After the election. . . ," he said, "it was foundthat the vote was exceedinglyclose and the questionwas carriedby the contestantinto the CircuitCourt, where a decision was givenin favorof Mr. Pacheco. An appeal was thentaken to theSupreme Court of California; and I have in myhand the opinion of that court, [giving] him the legal certificatewhich he bears. No otherman bears a certificatefrom that district."34 The disputewas referredby the House to the Committeeon Electionsfor Study,and Pacheco was swornin pendingthe committee'sdecision. He was soonappointed to the Committeeon Pub- lic Lands, and, duringthe year of 1877, he introducedtwo bills, one forthe purposeof erectinga lighthouseat San Luis Obispo Bay and anotherto providemeans forthe regulationand survey of UnitedStates timber lands.35 On February7, 1878,the Elections Committeereported its decisionon the disputeover Pacheco's election. Dominatedby Democrats,the committeerefused to accept the SupremeCourt certificate of election,and gave the Congres- sionalseat to Wigginton.

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Pacheco then returnedto California- firstto his family ranchosat San Luis Obispo,and laterto San Francisco. There,in June,1878, he formeda partnershipwith W. E. Hale, a member ofthe San FranciscoStock Exchange.30 With this beginning, Pache- co entereda careerin the stockbrokerage business with whichhe was to be prominentlyassociated for many years. But the lure of politicswas still withhim. In the electionof 1878, he once again challenged Wiggintonfor Congress. This time his victorywas decisive. He tookhis congressionaloath forthe secondtime on March 4, 1879.37He was returnedto his seat in 1880, and continuedin officeuntil March 3, 1883. During this nearly five-yearperiod, Pacheco was a memberof the Public ExpendituresCommittee and Chairmanof the PrivateLand Claims Committee.For the latter positionhe was particularlywell-suited. A Spanish Californian himself,he could appreciatethe difficultiesfaced by his own people in California,a major area of land claim disputes. Pacheco also took an early stand on the need for Southern Californiaharbor development.Speaking of the constructionof facilitiesat Wilmington,he said: "I would statefrom my own personal knowledgeof the greatwealth and importanceof Southern California,its rapidly increasingcommerce, and the importance of having at that point a secureharbor for shipping," that "it is ofthe utmostimportance that an ... appropriationshould be made forthe completionof the harborimprovements."38 In Juneof 1881,the nation was stunnedby thenews tihat came *romWashington. President James Garfield, inaugurated just four monthsbefore, had been shotby a disappointedfederal office-seeker. For a monthand a half he lingeredbetween life and death,while an anxious nation prayedfor his recovery.Then, in September, the Presidentdied. The House of Representatives,in which Gar- fieldhad servedwith distinctionfor seventeenyears, felt his loss keenly. On December9, 1881, membersof the House formeda Select Committeeon the Death of PresidentGarfield}9 Romualdo Pacheco,a memberof the committee, recalled the day in 1877 when Garfieldhad successfullypleaded for his admissionto Congress. With the restof the nation,he mournedthe loss of a man whom

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This content downloaded from 136.152.126.71 on Sun, 18 May 2014 20:01:13 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The Camilos ofSan Diego historianshave called one of the fewpotentially great men of the late 19thcentury. In 1883 Pacheco retiredfrom Congress, and returnedfor a timeto Californiaand his stockbrokerage. Then he leftfor Mexico. In thenorthern part of the stateof Coahuila, near the Texas border, he became managerof a huge Mexican cattle ranch.40Here, the old life of the Californiavaqueros was being lived as it had been in Californiain the days of Pacheco's youth. He was now past fifty,but the strenuousand freeranch life still held a strongappeal forhim. Ridingthe open range gave him renewedvigor. RomualdoPacheco embodieda unique fusionof the Spanish and Americanspirits. He spoke both Spanish and English with perfection;he understoodand could sympathizewith the problems of Latinsthroughout America; and yethe maintainedan un- swerving,devoted loyalty to his adoptedcountry, the United States. With his unique talents,it was only a matterof time beforethe hand of public servicewould again be laid on his shoulder. On December1, 1890,President Benjamin Harrison appointed Pachecoto the positionof Envoy Extraordinary and MinisterPleni- potentiaryto the CentralAmerican States.41 The appointmentwas confirmedby the Senate,and a shorttime later MinisterPacheco tookup his residencein the AmericanLegation in GuatemalaCity. The Republic of the United States of CentralAmerica had been formedin 1823, upon the completionof CentralAmerica's successfulwars forindependence from Spain. But local bickering and selfishdifferences of opinionhad causedthe Republic'sdissolu- tion as early as 1839, and the formationof a half-dozenindepen- dent states. Subsequentefforts to restoreCentral American unity met with little success. The United States favoredthe establish- ment of some sortof centralizedgovernment and hoped that the appoinmentof a singleMinister to the entirearea wouldencourage movesin thisdirection. MinisterPacheco, as representativeof United States policy in CentralAmerica, was faced with many difficultsituations in- volvingthe over-eagernessof local countriesto asserttheir sover- eignty.He handledthese problems deftly, but it soon became ob- vious that the duties requiredof a United States representative

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This content downloaded from 136.152.126.71 on Sun, 18 May 2014 20:01:13 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA were more than could be easily accomplishedby a single man. Accordingly,in Julyof 1891, Pacheco was accreditedto what were then the two mostimportant countries of CentralAmerica, Gua- temala and Honduras,and a secondofficer was appointedto offi- ciate in the remainingarea. Continuinghis residencein Guate- mala City,Pacheco served until June 21, 1893.42 He then returnedto Californiaand his stockbrokerage in San Francisco. His wife,Mary, had long takenan activeinterest in the San Franciscotheatre. In additionto her successfulnovel, Montalban, she had writtenmany popular comic plays, among themIncog and Nothingbut Money, When the Pachecosreturned fromGuatemala City,Romualdo attemptedto open a theatrein San Francisco in which his wife's plays would receive regular presentation.Pacheco investednearly all of his available assets in the venture,which he and his wifecalled The ComedyTheatre. Its openingin San Franciscowas a gala affair,widely publicized in thenewspapers and attendedby thebest of San Franciscosociety. But as timepassed, attendance lagged, and the theatermet failure. For Mary Pacheco it meantthe frustrationof theatricalambitions; but for her husband it amountedto virtualbankruptcy. In the mid-1890's, the Pachecosmoved to Oakland,where they lived with Romualdo'sbrother-in-law, Henry R. Miller.43The ex- Governor'slast years were quiet and uneventful,and his name seemedto have been forgottenby the stateof California. In January,1899, sixty-sevenyears old, Romualdo Pacheco fell ill, and on the nightof January23 he died.44 Word of his deathwas flashedto newspapersacross the country,and the people of Californiapaused fora momentin theirbusy lives to recall his name. The San FranciscoChronicle called him "one of the most picturesque"and "prominentfigures in the state'shistory."45 The Oakland Tribune said that Pacheco's death "leaves a gap in the ranksof the state'sstrong men that cannotbe exactlyfilled."40 A dynamic,energetic man, RomualdoPacheco had led a long and distinguishedlife of public service. He had servedhis state and his nation- but also his people. Bornand nurtureda Spanish Californian,he was theirlast, and in some ways greatest,representative.

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NOTES (Sincere thanksfor help receivedin the preparationof these articlesare due: Mrs. Natalia Vallejo McGinty,Mr. RobertR. Harris, Mrs. DorothyE. McGinty,and Mrs. Madie D. Brown.) 1. San Diego MissionRecords, Entry 948. 2. Don AgustínJanssens, Life and Adventuresin California (San Marmo, 1953), p. 20. 3. Ibid. 4. J. N. Bowman, "ProminentWomen of ProvincialCalifornia," Hist. Soc. of So. Cal. Quarterly(June, 1957), p. 162. 5. Ibid. 6. William Heath Davis, 75 Years in Calif. (S. F., 1929), p. 32. 7. JosefaCarrillo de Fitch, Narración,p. 147 of Pioneer Sketches,MS, Bancroft Library. 8. Arbaesis a variantspelling of Arballo. 9. Señora Carrillo became a widow afterJosefa, Ramona, and Franciscawere mar- ried; hence thesedaughters could not contributeto the formationof theirmother's estate. 10. Will of Maria Ignacia Lopez de Carrillo,Estate 13, Officeof the CountyClerk, Sonoma County Courthouse,Santa Rosa. Translatedfrom the Spanish by Mrs. DorothyE. McGinty. 11. Panama City Star, February24, 1849: in San FranciscoDirectory for 1850. 12. PeterThomas Conmy, Romualdo Pacheco (S. F., 1957), pp. 3-4. io. dee namona marnilo, г art ni oí barrillos oí òan uiego in {Quarterlyюг June,1957. 14. Davis, op. cit.,p. 25. 15. GertrudeAtherton, California, an Intimate History (N. Y., 1927), p. 73. 16. San FranciscoDaily Alta California(March 7, 1875). 17. Journalsof theState Senate, 9th Session (Sacramento,1858), p. 5. 18. Peter Thomas Conmy, "The Political Career of Romualdo Pacheco," Grizzly Bear, p. 3. 19. Alonzo Phelps, "Romualdo Pacheco," m ContemporaryBiography (S. F., 1882), I, p. 143. 20. Ibid. 21. Daily Alta (February24, 1875). 22. Ibid. (Feb. 28). 23. Conmy,Romualdo Pacheco, ibid., p. 8. 24. Appendix to Journalsof Senate and Assembly (Sacramento,1876). pp. 17-22. 25. Ibid., pp. 13-14. 26. DaiW Alta (December9. 1875). 27. Ibid. (March 26). 28. ContraCosta Gazette quoted in Daily Alta, ibid.,(March 27). 29. Daily Alta, ibid., (June,1875). 30. Ibid. (June 12). 31. Ibid. 32. CongressionalDirectory of Forty-SeventhCongress (Washington,1882), p. 9. 33. Conmy,op. at. 34. CongressionalRecord, 45th Congress, Oct. 17, 1877. 35. Ibid. 36. Phelps,op. at. 57. Conmy,op. at. 38. CongressionalRecord, 47th Congress, February 15th, 1881. 39. Ibid.,December 9, 1881. **v. JJaviaif. barrows, nomualdo ťacneco, in Dictionaryof American tsiograpny (N. Y, 1934), XIV, pp. 124-5. 41. Conmy,op. at. 42. Ibid. 43. Ibid. 44. San FranciscoChronicle (Jan. 24, 1899). 45. Ibid. 46. OaklandTribune (Jan. 24, 1899).

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