From the Office of Certified Genealogist & Researcher
Lorraine “Rain Cloud” Escobar, CG/NALSM Inam Mec Tanotc
The True Lineage of Desiree Renee Martinez (born 1973) By Lorraine Escobar, CG December 2, 2015
Introduction
At the request of Chairman Andrew Salas, of the Kizh Nation, Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians, in response to his claims that Desiree Renee Martinez is not a descendant of Gabrieleno, or California, Indians, I agreed to conduct a genealogical investigation of her lineage. The result of this investigation demonstrates Martinez is not of Gabrieleno or California Indian descent. This report provides the evidence and analysis which led to that conclusion.
There is no doubt Martinez has presented herself as a Gabrieleno [aka Tongva]. Without going into the many sources there are on this topic, this much is clear from her own words as published in O, My Ancestor, Recognition and Renewal for the Gabrielino Tongva People of the Los Angeles Area. 1 Considering her true lineage, it is possible she, like many others, was misled by the unsubstantiated paperwork generated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in response to the 1928 California Indian Judgment Act [CIJA]. But, it is unknown to this author if Martinez knowingly deceived agencies and individuals or if she was simply too naïve and/or negligent in her responsibility to verify her claims. To be clear, this report addresses the facts, not her motives. Therefore, I have requested Chairman Salas to deliver a copy of this report to Martinez before placing it in the public domain.
In view of my conclusion, the reader may deem it odd that some of the evidence states some of Martinez’s ancestors were Indian. [See Appendix I & II] But, like many others, her family’s story of being Native American had a beginning around 1930. Many of her ancestors had a historical association with Mission San Gabriel. Then, in 1928, the United States Congress passed a law to reimburse California Indian descendants for undelivered treaty land. During the Great Depression Era, many Spanish-Mexican families took advantage of the 1928 CIJA enrollment process (1929-1932) which meant money and services even though they were not California Indians. Then, as two more CIJA enrollment periods came and went (1950 and 1969), second and third generations were just learning they were “Indian” because of something their parents or grandparents did in 1928. From there, the stories seem to build, especially in face of the federal acknowledgment process (for tribes) and a desire to recover a story, and culture that, actually, does not belong to them. But, now that the truth and real evidence is readily
1 Jurmain, Claudia & McCawley, William, O, My Ancestor, “A Conversation with Desiree Martinez,” (Berkeley: Heyday, 2009), pp. 175-192. No photocopy provided.
PO Box 579741, Modesto, CA 95357 Hm: (209) 524-6348 Cell: (209) 985-9282 [email protected] The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 2 of 40 available, many of these “Indian” stories are now coming to an end. This is the case for Desiree Martinez.2
In her interview, Martinez claimed her “Tongva” lineage comes through her maternal grandmother. Accordingly, she gave some clues for this genealogy which I was able to verify:
1. Her age was 34 (at the time of the interview); 2. Her mother was born in 1947; 3. Her maternal grandmother was born in 1922; 4. Her maternal grandmother had six siblings, some of which attended the Sherman Institute (school for Indians). 5. Her maternal great-grandparents were born in the 1880’s; and, 6. Her maternal great-grandmother died in 1934.
The evidence supports these facts but it refutes her claim about being a Gabrieleño Indian. So, by working in tandem with the clues from that interview, the correct lineage can now be revealed.
All of the reviewed evidence was evaluated according to genealogical proof standards and is cited in this report as appropriate. Photocopies of the evidence were arranged in separate files which are included in the submission of this report.
As directed by Chairman Salas, the cited evidence was submitted to the Gabrieleño Tribe for their use in defending their tribal petition for federal acknowledgment. Additional copies of this report and attached evidence are available upon request directly from Chairman Salas.
Acronyms and General Notes
Pedigree Chart Notes As most extensive genealogies go, it is generally difficult to follow each generation through the written word. But, one characteristic of this lineage might make it particularly difficult to follow; due to two unions between relatives, the pedigree chart shows a repeat of Valenzuela and Ontiveros ancestors. One union was between first cousins and the other was between a second-cousin and a second-cousin, once removed. So, in order to best follow the persons being discussed in this report, I highly recommend using the accompanying genealogical pedigree chart as a guide [enclosed in left pocket of the binder in which the report and evidence are assembled and presented].
Transcription Notes The bold and Italics font is used to highlight the name or term exactly as it was spelled in the referenced document. If a name is spelled differently than what might be expected as
2 See Appendix I, Timeline of Martinez/Bermudes Ethnic Identifications 1900 to Present.
2 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 3 of 40 the usual spelling, it is not a typo. Rather, it is a means to illustrate the exact spellings (or dates) as they were seen in the referenced document.
The term—sic—is a designation to show the transcriber acknowledges the name was spelled as such in the original document and no effort was made to correct that spelling. Terms or missing letters that provide clarification are inserted in brackets [ ].
Acronyms & Terms abt about aft after B baptism record BC birth certificate bap baptized C confirmation record BP Catholic Church, Santa Barbara Presidio Chapel, Santa Barbara, CA CME California Mission Extractions, as compiled by Thomas Temple Workman II, Cindy Buglio, Marie Northrop, et al; on file with the Genealogical Society of Utah D burial record DC death certificate ECPP The Huntington Library, Early California Population Project, 2006, Database of the California Mission Records 1769-1850 FHL Family History Library, Genealogical Society of Utah LA La Plaza Church, Los Angeles, CA M marriage record Razon A term taken from the phrase—Gente de Razon [literally, people of reason]—used by the mission priests to describe persons who were not Indians. SBV Catholic Church, Mission San Buenaventura, Ventura, CA SCL Catholic Church, Mission Santa Clara, Santa Clara, CA SD Catholic Church, Mission San Diego, San Diego, CA SG Catholic Church, Mission San Gabriel, San Gabriel, CA
Generation 1
Desiree Renee Martinez (born 1973) According to her county-issued birth certificate, Desiree Renee Martinez was born September 19, 1973, in Arcadia, Los Angeles County, California.3 Her parents were identified as Carol Cortez, 25 years old, born in California, and David George Martinez, 29 years old, born in California. The mother’s residence was given as 4036 Gilman, El Monte, California. Both parents were identified as Caucasian. The informant’s name was
3 Martinez, Desiree Renee (1973), birth certificate (informational copy); issued County of Los Angeles-Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, California, 2 Jun 2015.
3 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 4 of 40 blacked out on the certificate but it was reviewed and signed on September 19, 1973. As per the usual routine, the mother was likely the informant, which indicates she thought of herself as Caucasian and not Native American Indian.
[See Generation 2 for Desiree Martinez’s parents.]
Generation 2
Carol Ann Cortez (born 1947) & David George Martinez (born 1944) According to the county-issued birth certificate of Carol Ann Cortez, she was born November 22, 1947, in Montebello, California.4 Her parents were identified as Lupe Martinez, Mexican, age: 25, born in California, and Roy Perez Cortez, Mexican, age: 27, born in Idaho. The mother’s mailing address was given as 213 Bluff Road, Montebello, California. All information was furnished by Mrs. Cortez, Mother,” which indicates she thought of herself as Mexican and not Native American Indian.
The county-issued birth certificate for David George Martinez indicated he was born June 1, 1944, in Belvedere Township, California.5 His parents were identified as Beatrice Cardenas, age: 22, Mexican, and born in Mexico, and Frank J. Martinez, age: 26, Mexican, and born in Texas. Since David’s lineage traces to Mexico and Texas, these facts eliminate Martinez’s father as possessing any California Indian blood.
According to their marriage certificate, David Martinez and Carol Cortez were married in Clark County, Nevada, on May 29, 1970.6 While the marriage affidavit did not name the parents, it confirmed their birth dates as June 1, 1944, for David, and November 22, 1947, for Carol.7 It also stated the bride was a resident of El Monte, California.
[See Generation 3 for Carol Cortez’s parents.]
Generation 3
Lupe Martinez (born 1922) & Roy Perez Cortez (1921-2004) Since Martinez claims her maternal grandfather [Roy Perez Cortez] was Mexican, and this claim is supported by her mother’s birth certificate, his lineage is eliminated for the purposes of this report.
4 Cortez, Carol Ann (1947), certificate of live birth (informational copy), issued by County of Los Angeles-Register-Recorder/County Clerk, CA, on 18 Jun 2015. 5 Martinez, David George (1944); certificate of live birth (informational copy), issued by County of Los Angeles-Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, CA, on 18 Jun 2015. 6 Martinez/Cortez (1970), certified marriage certificate No. A 316484, #C1575280; issued by Clark County Recorder, Nevada, 8 Jun 2015. 7 Martinez/Cortez (1970), affidavit of application for marriage license, issued by Clark County Recorder, Clark County, NV, on 8 Jun 2015.
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No birth certificate could be located for Lupe Martinez, born in 1922, in California, under that name. And, no marriage record could be located for her and Roy Perez Cortez. However, Carol Cortez’s birth certificate is not the only evidence of this union. Several city directory records show Roy P. Cortez and his wife, Lupe M. Cortez, living together at 213 Bluff Road, Montebello, California (1950), 4036 Gilman Rd., El Monte, California (1976), and 4733 Benham Avenue, Baldwin Park, California (1992-1996).8 [Note the address for Carol Cortez in 1973 (Desiree’s birth certificate) matches that of her mother’s home in 1976.] The 1922 directory states Lupe was born on June 11, 1922.9
Lupe Martinez had more than one child with Roy Perez Cortez. One was Richard Lopez, born on September 19, 1950.10 The father was named as Roy Perez Cortez. Both parents were described as Caucasian. Lupe’s age was given as 28 at the time of his birth (born 1921/1922). The information was signed off by Lupe Cortez. Again, just as she did in her daughter’s birth record, she thought of herself as Caucasian and not Native American.
The 1930 U.S. federal census shows Lupe Martinez, at age 8 [born in 1921/22], with her parents—Juaquin Martinez and Lupe N.—and five siblings—Antonio J., age: 21; John, age 15; Mary, age 14; Joe L., age 9, and Dolores O., age 6. The family was living at 213 So. 1st Street, Montebello, California.11 The 1940 U.S. federal census shows Lupe Martinez, enumerated with her parents Joaquin Martinez and Lupe—and two of her siblings—Dave, age 27; Dolores, age 16, and Joe, age 19. The family was living at 213 Bluff Road, in Montebello.12 Both of the referenced census records identify this family as Indian. However, the census taker’s collection of data was not the result of conducting research on everyone’s lineage and is not a sound substitute for a verified ethnic identification. Census takers wrote down what they were told; much like the process in interviews in the book, O, My Ancestors. But, recording what people say is not the same as verifying the truth of what they say.
Rather than relying on these censuses for ethnic identification, they prove more useful in identifying members of Lupe’s family—Joaquin Martinez, her father, Lupe [short for
8 1) Cortez, Roy P (1950), U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989 [database on-line]. Source: Ancestry.com; 2) Cortez, Lupe M (b. 11 Jun 1922), 1992, U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Vol. I; Source: Ancestry.com; 3) Cortez, Roy P (b. 11 Jul 1923), 1992, Public Records Index, 1850-1993, Vo. 1; Source: Ancestry.com; 4) Cortez, Roy P (b. 11 Jul 1923), 1996, U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Vol. I; source: Ancestry.com; and 5) Cortez, Lupe M (b. 1922), 1996, U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Vol. I; source: Ancestry.com. 9 No such birth information for that name could be found in the California Birth Index, 1905-1995. 10 Cortez, Richard (1950), birth certificate (informational copy), issued by State of California, Department of Public Health, on 22 Sep 2015. 11 Juaquin Martinez household, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, California, Los Angeles County, Montebello Township, SD 19, ED 19-1171, sheet 7A, S. 1st Street, dwelling 177, family 186; source: Ancestry.com, 1930 US Federal Census, California, Los Angeles, Montebello, district 1171, image 13. 12 Joaquin Martinez household, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, California, Los Angeles County, Montebello Township, SD 12, ED 19-399, sheet 64A, 213 Bluff Road, dwelling 469; source: Ancestry.com, 1940 US Federal Census, California, Los Angeles, Montebello, district 19-399, image 56.
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Guadalupe], her mother, and seven children who survived to adulthood. With this information, it is possible to further verify this family, their relationships, and other characteristics, i.e. how they viewed themselves. Armed with the clues extracted from the census data, a search of the California Birth Index produced entries for six possible children, including one that died in childhood. Birth certificates were retrieved for five of the following children:
1. Antonio Julian Martinez, born June 19, 1908, mother: Mirantontes [Bermudes]13 2. Marie Martinez, born June 25, 1910 [died before 1914], mother: Bermudas [Bermudes]14 3. Davie Martinez, born September 20, 1912, mother: Bermudez15 4. John Martinez, born November 24, 1914, mother: Bermudez16 5. Marie Martinez, born March 22, 1917, mother: Bermudez17 6. Joseph Martinez, born August 25, 1920, mother: Bermudez18
No birth entry could be found for Lupe [the daughter, born 1922] or Dolores. However, a family tree, posted on Ancestry.com, indicated Dolores was Dolores Ortencia Martinez, born October 14, 1924.19 Including these last two daughters makes the total of 8 children born to this couple. Lastly, all birth records identify the parents as White and/or Mexican.
In conclusion for Lupe Martinez, her children’s birth certificates and the public directories indicate she was born in 1922 and that she was the wife of Roy P. Cortez.20 The census record shows a total of seven surviving siblings for her family. These two facts, as stated by Desiree Martinez, are corroborated by objective evidence which points to the next generation—Maria Guadalupe Bermudes, deceased in 1934, and Joaquin Apodaca Martinez, both born in the 1880’s.
[See Generation 4 for Lupe Martinez’s parents.]
13 Martinez, Antonio Julian (1908), birth certificate and amendment (informational copy), issued by State of California Department of Public Health, on September 18, 2015. Note: The surname of the mother was likely misheard, or mis-recorded. This conflict of data does not invalidate the connection between the mother and child. This is the same child as seen in the 1910, 1920 and 1930 census records with Joaquin Martinez and Guadalupe Bermudes. 14 Martinez, Marie (1910), Original Certificate of Birth (informational copy), issued by State of California Department of Public Health, on 20 Nov 2015. 15 Martinez, Davie (1912), birth certificate (informational copy), issued by State of California Department of Public Health, on 28 Sep 2015. 16 Martinez, John (1914), birth certificate (informational copy), issued by State of California Department of Public Health, issued 28 Sep 2015. 17 Martinez, Marie (1917), birth certificate (informational copy) issued by State of California Department of Public Health, on 28 Sep 2015. 18 Martinez, Joseph (1920), birth certificate (informational copy), issued by State of California Department of Public Health, on 29 Sep 2015. 19 No further research was done this individual as she is not the focus of this study. 20 She signed the birth certificates, of her children, as Mrs. Cortez and Lupe Cortez.
6 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 7 of 40
Generation 4
Joaquin Lamberto [Apodaca] Martinez (1885-1957) & Maria Guadalupe Bermudes (1887-1934) Joaquin Lamberto Martinez was born September 17, 1885, and baptized the following month at SG.21 His baptism record identified him as the illegitimate son of Ant[oni]o Martines and Gregoria Apodaca. The priest of record was Joaquin Bot who did not identify the child or either parent as Indian.
Maria Guadalupe Bermudez was born on February 26, 1887, and also baptized at SG on April 1, 1887.22 Joaquin Bot identified her parents as Manuel Bermudez and Maria Antonia Valenzuela. Again, Bot did not identify the child or the parents as Indian.
Guadalupe Bernerdes [Bermudes] married Joaquin Martinez on November 9, 1907, in Los Angeles, California.23 The marriage record stated both were living in El Monte, California, and both were White. His age was given as 23 and his parents were named as Antonio Martinez and Gragolia [Gregoria Apodaca], both born in California. Her age was given as 21 and her parents were named as Manuel Bernudes [Bermudes] and Adona [Antonia Valenzuela], both born in California. [Guadalupe’s baptism record occurred much closer to her birth than the marriage record and merits more weight. Guadalupe was actually 19 years old when she married Joaquin Martinez. And, as Joaquin’s baptism record shows, he was born September, 1885, which means he was actually 22 years old when they married.]
While living in Montebello, Guadelupe Mirantontes [Bermudes] and Joaquin Martinez became parents to Julian Martinez, on June 19, 1908.24 That birth record identified both parents as Mexican and born in California. [In 1936, Julian filed an amendment to correct his name to Antonio Julian Martinez. See notes in Appendix II]
In 1910, the census shows this family unit was living in Temescal Township, in Riverside County:
1910 U.S. Federal Census, CA, Riverside Co., Temescal Township, Second Street, Dwelling 37:25
21 SG-B 2571 (27 Oct 1885), Joaquin Lamberto Martines; FHL microfilm 2644. 22 SG-B 2676 (1 Apr 1887), Maria Guadalupe Bermudez; FHL microfilm 2644. 23 "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8D7-7BN : accessed 2 September 2015), Antonio Martinez in entry for Joaquin Martinez and Gaudalupe Bernerdeo [sic], 09 Nov 1907; citing Los Angeles, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 2,074,013. Page 52 in book. 24 Martinez, Antonio Julian (1908), birth certificate and amendment. Note: The surname given for the mother—Mirantontes—is an obvious error. Clearly, Miratontes is not a mishearing for Bermudes. In comparison to the other records for Antonio Julian Martinez, this birth record is of the same child. 25 Joaquin Martinez household, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, California, Riverside County, Temescal Township, SD 8, ED 88, sheet 2B, Second Street, dwelling 37, family 37; source: Ancestry.com,
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Mexican| Martinez, Joaquin, Head, male, White, age: 25, married 3 years, b. CA, parents born: CA, Whether able to speak English: English Mexican| ---, Lupe, Wife, female, White, age: 23, married 3 years, mother of 1 child, 1 child still living, born: CA, parents born: CA, Whether able to speak English: English Mexican| ---, Antone, Son, male, White, age: 1, single, born: CA, parents born: CA The word Mexican was stamped on the left side of the census, next to the family name column, and their ethnicity was recorded as White.
In September, 1918, Joaquin Apolaca [Apodaca] Martinez filled out a draft registration card for WWI. The data extracted from that record follows:
WWI Registration Card data: 26 Name: Joaquin Apolaca Martinez, age: 33, Date of birth: Sept 16, 1884, White, Native Born [USA] Nearest Relative: Mrs. Walupe [Guadalupe] Martinez, RTD 6, Box 550, Los Angeles, LA, CA Signed as: Juaquin Apolaca Martinez (X)
The 1920 census shows the family living on 1st Street, in Monterey Park, San Antonio Township, and identifies this family as White:
1920 U.S. Federal Census, CA, Los Angeles Co., San Antonio Township, Monterey Park, 1 st Street, Dwelling 73:27 Martinez, Joaquin, Head, male, White, age: 35, married, b. CA, parents born: CA ---, Lupe, Wife, female, White, age: 33, married, born: CA, parents born: CA ---, Antonio, Son, male, White, age: 12, single, born: CA, parents born: CA ---, David, Son, male, white, age: 8, single, born: CA, parents born: CA ---, John, Son, male, White, age: 6, single, born: CA, parents born: CA ---, Mary, Daughter, female, age: 2 10/12, single, born: CA, parents born: CA
It is not until the 1930 census that the family is recorded as being Indian. But, upon closer examination of the collected data, it is apparent there was some confusion about the Indian identity of the parents. The father’s father was identified as Mixed Blood and the father’s mother was identified as Wintune. Then the same identification was made for the mother’s parents. As the evidence will demonstrate, neither parent nor their parents possessed any
1910 US Federal Census, California, Riverside, Temescal, district 88, image 4. 26 Martinez, Joaquin Apolaca (1918); Registration State: California; Registration County: Los Angeles; Roll: 1531196; Draft Board: 5; Source: Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. 27 Joaquin Martinez household, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, California, Los Angeles County, San Antonio Township, Monterey Park, SD 8, ED 11, sheet 4A, 1st Street, dwelling 73, family 82; source: Ancestry.com, 1920 US Federal Census, California, Los Angeles, Monterey Park, district 11, image 7.
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California Indian blood. So, it appears the census taker simply copied the information from the father (Joaquin) to the mother (Lupe) and then proceeded to copy the same information to all of the children. The full transcription, below, of the 1930 census illustrates this error:
1930 U.S. Federal Census, CA, Los Angeles Co., Montebello Township, 213 S. 1 st Street, Dwelling 177:28 Martinez, Juaquin A., Head, male, Indian, age: 47, married (at age 23), Place of birth: CA, Place of birth, Father: Mixed Blood, Place of birth, Mother: Wintune ---, Lupe N., Wife, female, age: 43, married (at age 20), Place of birth: CA, Place of birth, Father: Mixed Blood, Place of birth, Mother: Wintune ---, Antonio J., Son, male, Indian, age: 21, single, Place of birth: CA, Place of birth, Father: Mixed Blood, Place of birth, Mother: Wintune ---, David M., Son, male, Indian, age: 18, single, Place of birth: CA, Place of birth, Father: Mixed Blood, Place of birth, Mother: Wintune ---, John, Son, male, Indian, age: 15, single, Place of birth: CA, Place of birth, Father: Mixed Blood, Place of birth, Mother: Wintune ---, Mary, Daughter, female, Indian, age: 14, single, Place of birth: CA, Place of birth, Father: Mixed Blood, Place of birth, Mother: Wintune ---, Joe L., Son, male, Indian, age: 9, single, Place of birth: CA, Place of birth, Father: Mixed Blood, Place of birth, Mother: Wintune ---, Lupe, Daughter, female, Indian, age: 8, single, Place of birth: CA, Place of birth, Father: Mixed Blood, Place of birth, Mother: Wintune ---, Dolores O., Daughter, female, Indian, age: 6, single, Place of birth: CA, Place of birth, Father: Mixed Blood, Place of birth, Mother: Wintune
This address—213 1st Street, Montebello—was the same address at which Guadalupe was living three days before her death, on February 7, 1934.29 [This year of death is congruent with the detail provided by Martinez.] The informant for this record was her son, Dave B. Martinez. Although not perfect, some of the details of the death record confirm what has already been established by her baptism and marriage records:
• Her father’s name was Manuel Bermuda [Bermudes], • Her mother’s name was Marie Vanzuela [Valenzuela], • Her husband’s name was J. A. Martinez; and • Her date of birth was given as Feb. 26, 1886 [actually, 1887, as reflected in her baptism record].
In face of all the historical evidence for this family, the change in ethnic identity, in 1930, is an anomaly. But, considering the family’s alleged participation in the CIJA, another clue
28 Juaquin Martinez household, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, California, Los Angeles County, Montebello Township. 29 Martinez, Guadalupe (1934), death certificate issued by State of California Dept. of Public Health, on 24 Sep 2015.
9 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 10 of 40 given by Martinez, it comes as no surprise Guadalupe’s son—Dave Martinez—would identify her race as Indian, in 1934.30 But, he was not a reliable witness to her birth or her heritage. Therefore, this ethnic identification does not prove anything except that he believed she was Indian.
On June 4, 1937, Joaquin Apaldaca [Apodaca] Martinez applied for a social security card. 31 He listed the same address he had in 1930 and the same address given by Dave Martinez, on Guadalupe’s death record—213 So. 1st Street, Montebello. His birth information matches that of his baptism record. And, he identified himself as Mexican. It appears he did not know how to spell his mother’s surname but he signed the document. This is assurance he was the same person born, in 1885, the son to Antonio Martinez and Gregoria Apodaca, married to Guadalupe Bermudes, and the father of their eight children.
In the 1940 census, the family was initially identified as White, but the census taker changed it to Indian. There was no indication as to the tribal affiliation, or origin, or an explicit description of how much Indian blood the children allegedly possessed:
1940 U.S. Federal Census, CA, Los Angeles Co., Montebello Township, 213 Bluff Road, Dwelling 469:32 Martinez, Joaquin A., Head, male, WInd, age: 55, widowed, born: CA ---, Dave, Son, male, WInd, age: 27, single, born: CA ---, Lupe, Daughter, female, WInd, age: 17, single, born: CA ---, Dolores, Daughter, female, WInd, age: 16, single, born: CA ---, Joe, Son, male, WInd, age: 19, single, born: CA
In this particular census, supplementary questions were put to the head of the household— Joaquin Martinez:
Supplementary questions: Name: Martinez, Joaquin Place of birth of Father: California Place of birth of Mother: California Mother Tongue or Native Language: Mission Indian Veteran: No Have a social security number: yes
30 Martinez said all but one of her grandmother’s siblings was enrolled but she did not state which enrollment period in which they participated. A search of the first 1933 California Indian Judgment Roll turned up negative results for any of this family. This is not to say they did not appear in the supplemental 1933 roll. The subsequent 1955 and 1972 CIJA rolls were not examined. Whether or not they were enrolled is irrelevant. The CIJA generated paperwork is not acceptable proof of an Indian lineage. [See Proposed Finding Against Acjachemen Nation (Mission Band of Juaneño Indians 84A & 84B, section 25 CFR 83.7 (e).] 31 Martinez, Joaquin Apaldaca, (1937) SS-5 form, photocopy issued by Social Security Administration, Baltimore, MD, 2015. 32 Joaquin Martinez household, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, California, Los Angeles County, Montebello Township.
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Perhaps the supplemental questions prompted the census taker to change the original data. Nonetheless, in two other 1940 census records, two of Joaquin’s children did not claim to be Indian—Mary (nee: Martinez) Rodriguez and Antonio Martinez.33 Although there is no evidence that Joaquin or Guadalupe were California Indians, the story of being Gabrieleño Indian appears to have a beginning, around 1930—commensurate wit the first enrollment period of the 1928 California Indian Jurisdictional Act.
In 1942, Joaquin Apolaco [Apodaca] Martinez filled out a WWII draft registration card wherein he stated he was born in El Monte, California, on September 17, 1885. 34 The address he gave at that time was 213 So. Bluff Street, Montebello, California.
On December 1957, Joaquin Apodaca Martinez died in Los Angeles County General Hospital.35 His last known residence was given as 213 Bluff Rd, Montebello. His daughter, Mary [nee: Martinez] Rodriguez, was the informant for the death record. She identified her father as Caucasian and his parents as Antonio Martinez and Georgia Apodaca.
To clearly establish Guadalupe Bermudes’s perception of her identity and that of her husband, Joaquin Martinez, following is a chart of “race” data extracted from the available birth certificates for her children:
Name DOB Birthplace Father’s Race Mother’s Race Antonio Julian 19 Jun 1908 Montebello Mexican Mexican Marie 25 Jun 1910 Corona Mexican Mexican Davie 20 Sep 1912 Near Mexican Mexican Montebello John 24 Nov 1914 LA Co. Mexican Mexican Marie 22 Mar 1917 Monterey Park Mexican Mexican Joseph 25 Aug 1920 Monterey Park Mexican Mexican
33 1) "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8FX-CH9 : accessed 13 September 2015), Joaquin Martinez in entry for Luiz Rodriguez and Mary Martinez, 07 Oct 1934; citing Orange, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 2,051,134; 2) Louis Rodriguez household, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, California, Orange County, Brea Township, SD 19, ED 30- 19, sheet 15A, 252 Laurel Avenue, dwelling 360; source: Ancestry.com, 1940 US Federal Census, California, Orange, Brea, district 30-19, image 29; and, 3) Antonio Martinez household, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, California, Los Angeles County, Montebello Township, SD 12, ED 19-432, sheet 84A, 170 Juanajanuto St., dwelling 121; source: Ancestry.com, 1940 US Federal Census, California, Los Angeles, Montebello, district 19-432, image 16. 34 Martinez, Joaquin Apolaco (1942), Source Citation: World War II Draft Cards (4th Registration) for the State of California; State Headquarters: California; Microfilm Roll: 603155; Source Information: Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. 35 Martinez, Joaquin Apodaca (1957), Certificate of Death (informational copy), issued by State of California Department of Public Health, on 4 Sep 2015.
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There can be no doubt—Guadalupe Bermudes identified herself, and her husband, as a Mexican—not Indian, not Native American, and not Native American Indian.
[See Generation 5.1 for Joaquin Lamberto [Apodaca] Martinez’s parents. See Generation 5.2 for Maria Guadalupe Bermudes’s parents.]
Generation 5
5.1 Antonio Martinez (bef 1855-????) & Maria Gregoria Apodaca (1855-????) It is likely no baptism record exists for Maria Gregoria Apodaca. But, an 1855 LA confirmation record identified her as the legitimate daughter of Fran[cis]co Apodaca and Catharina Verdugo.36 By comparing the births of her older and younger siblings, it is quite feasible she was born as early as January, or as late as April, 1855. Lastly, there was no identification of the child or the parents as Indian in this confirmation record.
Gregoria had at least three illegitimate children with Antonio Martinez. All were baptized at SG:
• Juana Antonia Martinez, born 1882, illegitimate, bap SG;37 • Manuela Martinez, born 1884, illegitimate, bap SG;38 and, • Joaquin Lamberto Martinez, born 1885, illegitimate, bap SG.39
These records bore no indication any the children, or either parent, was identified as Indian.
It appears Antonio did not marry Gregoria and could not be located with the family in any census record, which prevents substantive confirmation of his identity. The research effort discovered a few individuals known as Antonio Martinez, who could have been the father of these children. But, there is no evidence to make the connection to this family.
It is not possible to determine his age or his parentage, but it possible to learn enough about Joaquin’s father to answer the question—was he an Indian? As surmised from consistent data about, and given by, his son, Antonio was born in California.40 Based upon
36 LA-C 785 (20 Dec 1855, Maria Gregoria Apodaca; CME. In general, the practice of confirmation, in the Catholic Church, is not conducted on infants as participants are required to know church doctrines. However, in special circumstances, history has demonstrated infants were baptized during special confirmation events. As a result, the names of infants have been located in the confirmation record. This is the case for Maria Gregoria Apodaca. 37 SG-B 2213 (17 Jul 1882), Juana Ant. Martines; FHL microfilm 2644. 38 SG-B 2452 (1 Jul 1884), M.a Manuela Martines; FHL microfilm 2644. 39 SG-B 2571 (27 Oct 1885), Joaquin Lamberto Martines; FHL microfilm 2644. 40 1) "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8D7-7BN : accessed 2 September 2015), Antonio Martinez in entry for Joaquin Martinez and Gaudalupe Bernerdeo, 09 Nov 1907; 2) Joaquin Martinez household, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, California, Riverside County, Temescal Township;
12 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 13 of 40 the baptism records of his three children, the church did not think he was an Indian. His son self-identified as Mexican. And, his daughter-in-law thought of her husband (Joaquin) as Mexican. Likely, Antonio was the child of Mexican-born Spanish immigrants—just like Joaquin’s mother. We may not know his parentage or birth year, but nothing contradicts the opinion of his son or the church priests who knew him. Therefore, the indirect and circumstantial evidence establishes a reasonable likelihood Antonio Martinez was born in California but was not an Indian.
No death record or census record could be located for Maria Gregoria Apodaca.
[See Generation 6.1 for Maria Gregoria Apodaca’s parents.]
5.2 Jose Manuel Bermudes (1845-aft 1891) & Maria Antonia Valenzuela (1851-aft 1891) Jose Manuel Vermudes [Bermudes] was born on or before February 8, 1845, and baptized at SG.41 His parents were identified as [Jose] Antonio Vermudes and [Buena]Ventura Albitre. There was no indication, in this record, that either the child or his parents were Indians.
Maria Antonia Valenzuela was born on April 13, 1851, and baptized at LA.42 Her parents were identified as Jose [Sabas] Valenzuela and Gertrudes Olivas. There was no indication, in this record, that either the child or her parents were Indians.
On May 4, 1873, Manuel Bermudez and Antonia Valenzuela married at SG.43 That record identified the groom’s parents as Jos[e] Antonio [Bermudes] and [Buena]ventura Alvitre, the same parents mentioned in his baptism record. The bride’s parents were identified as Jos[e Valenzuela] and Gertrudis Olivas, the same parents mentioned in her baptism record.
No census records could be found for this couple. But, the 1879 voter registration record indicated Manuel Bermudes was living at the old mission [SG].44 Also, all baptism and confirmation events, for ten of their children, took place at SG:
1. Felipe Jesus Bermudes, b. 9 Feb 187245 3) Joaquin Martinez household, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, California, Los Angeles County, San Antonio Township, Monterey Park; 4) Juaquin Martinez household, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, California, Los Angeles County, Montebello Township; and, 5) Martinez, Joaquin Apodaca (1957), death. 41 SG-B 8737 (9 Feb 1845), Jose Manuel Vermudes; FHL microfilm 2644. 42 LA-B 439 (20 Apr 1851), M.a Ant.a Valenzuela; FHL microfilm 2537. 43 SG-M 281 (4 May 1873), Manuel Bermudez & Antonia Valenzuela; CME. 44 Bermudes, Manuel (1879), California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 19; FHL Roll Number: 976928; Source: Ancestry.com. California, Voter Registers, 1866-1898 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Great Registers, 1866–1898. Microfilm, 185 rolls. California State Library, Sacramento, California. 45 SG-B 441 (13 Feb 1872), Felipe Jesus Bermudes; FHL microfilm 2644.
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2. Nicolas Antonio Bermudes, b. 13 Dec 187346 3. Maria Concepcion Bermudes, b. 19 Feb 187647 4. Petra Egriselda Bermdues, b. 22 Feb 187848 5. Gabriel Savas Bermudes, b. 18 Mar 188149 6. Gregoria Lorenza Bermudes, b. 9 Apr 188350 7. Zoila Buenvetura Bermudes, b. 27 Jun 188551 8. Maria Guadalupe Bermudes, b. 26 Feb 188752 [See Generation 4] 9. Antonio Valentine, b. Abt 30 Mar 188953 10. Crispina Lutgarda, b. 23 Jun 189154
In all of those records, none was identified as Indian.
No death record was located for Jose Manuel Bermudez or Maria Antonia Valenzuela. No doubt both were alive until 1891, the birth of their last child.
[See Generation 6.2.for Jose Manuel Bermudes’s parents. See Generation 6.3 for Maria Antonia Valenzuela’s parents.]
Generation 6
6.1 Jose Francisco Apodaca (1812-aft 1871)& Maria Catalina (aka Catarina) Verdugo (1823-aft 1865) Jose Francisco Apodaca was born in Sonora, Mexico, according to the baptism record of his third child with Catarina Verdugo.55 Padre Lestrade declared their first child was legitimate, but he corrected himself in the baptism of the third child.56 So, there was no marriage record before 1856 to tell us his age or the names of his parents. And, other than the church records of his three children with Catarina, there is nothing else that directly tells us much about him except two Los Angeles County voting register records listing Francisco Apodaca, born in Mexico, age 59 (born 1812), registered to vote in 1872.57 He was living in Los Nietos at that time.
46 SG-B 995 (19 Jan 1874), Nicolás Antonio Bermudes; FHL microfilm 2644. 47 SG-B 1314 (11 Mar 1876), Maria Concepcion Bermudes; FHL microfilm 2644. 48 SG-B 1598 (24 Feb 1878), Petra Egriselda Bermudes; FHL microfilm 2644. 49 SG-B 2076 (20 May 1881), Gabriel Savas Bermudes; FHL microfilm 2644. 50 SG-B 2303 (23 Apr 1883), Gregoria Lorenza Bermudes; FHL microfilm 2644. 51 SG-B 2564 (30 Oct 1885), Zoila Buenaventura Bermudes; FHL microfilm 2644. 52 SG-B 2676 (1 Apr 1887), Maria Guadalupe Bermudez. 53 SG-B 2903 (31 Mar 1889), Antonio Vatiten Bermudes; FHL microfilm 2644. 54 SG-B 3052 (18 Aug 1891), Crispina Lutgarda Bermudes; FHL microfilm 2644. 55 1) LA-B 921 (13 Mar 1854), Maria Catarina Apodaca; FHL microfilm 2537; and, 2) LA-B 1322 (10 Mar 1856), Jose Fran.co (Apodaca); FHL microfilm 2537. 56 LA-B 1322 (10 Mar 1856), Jose Fran.co (Apodaca). 57 Apodaca, Francisco; 1871; California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 19; FHL Roll Number: 976928. Source: Ancestry.com. California, Voter Registers, 1866-1898 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
14 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 15 of 40
In general, without the most fundamental evidence (marriage and baptism records) that identifies Jose Francisco Apodaca, one might ask if those voting registers apply to the same man. But, no other person was found by that name in California who was old enough to sire children with Catalina Verdugo. Considering the agreement of origins, between his third child’s baptism record and the voting register, this void does not contradict such a connection. Rather, the existing evidence still confirms Jose Francisco Apodaca was from Mexico and was not an Indian.
Maria Catalina Verdugo was born on April 31, 1823 and baptized the following day at SD.58 Her baptism record identified her as the legitimate child of Jose Francisco Verdugo and Joaquina Duarte. There was no identification of the child or her parents as Indian in that record.59
She likely began having children with Jose Teodoro Navarro as early as 1838, at 15 years old.60 Ramona [Navarro] and Maria Francisca de Salas [Verdugo] were born in 1838 and 1840, respectively.61 Then, Catarina Verdugo married Jose Teodoro [Navarro] on August 11, 1840, at SG.62
By 1853, Catarina had eight children with Teodoro Navarro:
1. Ramona, born around 1838, in CA63 2. Maria Francisca de Salas Verdugo, born February, 1840, bap LA;64 3. Maria del Refugio Navarro, born November, 1840, bap BP;65 4. Maria Dolores Adelayda Navarro, born August, 1843, bap BP, Razon inferred;66
58 SD-B 5486 (1 May 1823), Catalina Verdugo; CME. 59 Maria Catalina Verdugo was often referred to as Maria Catarina, as is evident in the baptism and marriage records of her children. 60 Teodoro Navarro household, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, California, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Township, sheet 36[?], dwelling 252, family 252; source: Ancestry.com, 1850 US Federal Census, California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, image 36. 61 No baptism record could be located for Ramona and Maria Francisca’s father was identified as no conocido [unknown]. But, considering Catarina’s future life with Teodoro Navarro, it is certainly feasible he was the unidentified father. 62 SG-M 1902 (18 Jul 1840), Jose Teodoro & Catarina Verdugo; Source: The Huntington Library, Early California Population Project, 2006 [hereinafter as ECPP]. Note: The original marriage record is badly damaged. It is not possible to determine her parents from that record. However, there is only one Catarina (Catalina) Verdugo that matches this individual in the entire ECPP database. She is not to be confused with another Catarina Verdugo who was born much earlier and had children with Jose Antonio Yorba. 63 Teodoro Navarro household, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, California, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Township. 64 LA-B 957 (2 Feb 1840), Maria Francisca de Salas Verdugo; FHL microfilm 2547. 65 1) BP-B 1458 (1 Nov 1841), Maria del Refugio Navarro; ECPP; and, 2) LA-M 631 (12 Sep 1861), Jesus Saduchi & Refugio Navarro; FHL microfilm 2543. 66 1) BP-B 1563 (14 Aug 1843), Maria Dolores Adelayda Navarro; ECPP; and, 2) LA-M 811 (14 May 1865), Saturnino Carrion & Maria Dolores Navarro; FHL microfilm 2543.
15 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 16 of 40
5. Maria Trinidad Navarro, born May 1845, bap LA, Razon67 6. Maria de las Angustias [Ybarra] Navarro, born May 1848, bap LA, Razon, (died May, 1850); 68 7. Jose de los Santos Reyes Navarro, born August, 1850, bap LA;69 and, 8. Maria Julia Navarro, born January 1853, bap LA.70
Although only two were referred to as Razon, none were identified as Indian.
Although the 1850 and 1860 census shows an intact family with Teodoro and Catarina, she began having children with Jose Francisco Apodaca as early as 1854:71
• Maria Catarina Apodaca, born March, 1854, bap LA;72 • Maria Gregoria Apodaca, born 1844, confirmed LA;73 and, • Jose Francisco Apodaca, born March, 1856, bap LA.74
One might argue that there were two different women, but the baptism of the last child leaves no doubt. Although married to Teodoro Navarro, she was having children with another man:
LA-B 1322 (10 March 1856), Jose Francisco Apodaca75 Transcription: [Margin] 1322, Jose Fran[cis]co, Parv[ul]o de Razon, Espurio [Apodaca added later] [Text] En el mismo dia mes y año [10 March 1856] y en misma parte con la misma Solemnidad bautize a los siguientes ... Segundo a Jose Fran[cis]co de ayer nacido h. N. de Jose Apodaca de Sonora y de Catarina Verdugo de los Angeles casada con Teodoro Navarro de los Angeles, fue Madrina, M[ari]a del Carmel Lopes de Sonora ... [signed] T. A. Lestrade
Translation: 1322, Jose Francisco Apodaca, child of reason [non-Indian], illegitimate
67 1) LA-B 1470 (18 May 1845), Maria Trinidad Navarro; FHL microfilm 2543; and, 2) LA-M 583 (19 Sep 1860], Silverio Zamora & Trinidad Navarro; FHL microfilm 2543. 68 1) LA-B (8 May 1848), Maria Angustias Ybarra; FHL microfilm 2537; and, 2) LA-D (8 May 1850), Maria Angustias Navarro; CME. 69 LA-B 305 (13 Aug 1850), Jose de los Reyes Navarro; FHL microfilm 2537. 70 LA-B 1717 (2 Jan 1853), Maria Julia Navarro; FHL microfilm 2537. 71 1) Teodoro Navarro household, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, California, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Township; and, 2) Jose T. Navarro household, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, California, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Township, page 102, dwelling 463, family 443; source: Ancestry.com, 1860 US Federal Census, California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, image 102. 72 LA-B 921 (13 Mar 1854), Maria Catarina Apodaca. 73 LA-C 785 (20 Dec 1855), Maria Gregoria Apodaca. 74 LA-B 1322 (10 Mar 1856), Jose Fran.co (Apodaca). 75 Ibid.
16 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 17 of 40
In the same day, month, and year [10 March 1856] and in the same solemn baptism, [I baptized] the following … Secondly, Jose Francisco, born yesterday, natural son of Jose Apodaca, from Sonora, and Catarina Verdugo, from Los Angeles, married to Teodoro Navarro, from Los Angeles. His godmother [was] Maria del Carmel Lopez, from Sonora … [signed] T. A. Lestrade
In every record for Catarina and her children, none are referred to as Indian.
No death records were sought or recovered for Catarina Verdugo. Using the year of the marriage of her daughter—Maria Dolores Adelayda Navarro—in 1865, it is reasonable to assume she was living until that year.76
[See Generation 7.1 for Maria Catalina Verdugo’s parents.]
6.2 Jose Antonio Bermudes (1810-aft 1873) & Buenaventura Alvitre (1819-aft 1873) Jose Antonio Bermudez was born on July 26, 1810.77 His SG baptism record names his parents as Juan Hilario [Bermudez], an escort soldier, and Ana Maria Lugo, and does not identify anyone as Indian.
No baptism record was located for Buenaventura Alvitre, but the 1832 SG marriage record indicated she was 19 years old (born 1819) at the time she married Jose Antonio Bermudes.78 According to the Early California Population Project [ECPP] database, her parents were identified as Juan Jose Alvitre and [Tomasa Alvarado].79 That marriage record also identified the groom’s parents as Juan Bermudes and Ana Maria Lugo. All parties were assumed as Razon.
In 1836, Antonio Mermudes [Bermudes], Buenav[u]ta Albitre, and one of their children —Petra—was living at the Santa Gertrudis Rancho de los Coyotes.80 [Though the family was recorded as native to San Gabriel, that term should not be misunderstood—they were from that place; they were not being identified as Native Americans.] All in all, Jose Antonio and Buenaventura had at least 13 children:81
1. Juan Cancio Bermudez, born 1836, bap SG, Razon82 76 If a parent is not mentioned as deceased, in a marriage record, it is presumed they are still living. 77 SG-B 4559 (26 Jul 1810), Jose Antonio Bermudez; CME. 78 SG-M 1851a (22 Jul 1832), Jose Antonio Bermudes & Maria Buenaventura Alvitre; ECPP. 79 The California Mission Extracts team listed the wrong parents for Buenaventura in her marriage. According to Northrop’s book, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California 1769-1850, Buenaventura is shown as the child of Juan Joseph Alvitre and Tomasa Alvarado. Her opinion corroborates the ECPP data. 80 Family of Antonio Bermudes, 1836 Los Angeles Padrón, California, Los Angeles, page 709; FHL microfilm 913156. 81 Possibly 16 children; the 1860 census shows three children not found, by name, in the California Mission Record—Ramon, Brijido, and Juan. 82 SG-B 8110 (21 Oct 1836), Juan Cancio Bermudez; FHL microfilm 2644.
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2. Felicitas Bermudez, born 1838, bap SG, Razon83 3. Petra Alcantara Bermudez, born 1840, bap SG, Razon84 4. Maria de los Reyes Bermudez, born 1841, bap SG, Razon85 5. Benito Vicente Bermudez, born 1843, bap SG, Razon86 6. Jose Manuel Vermudez, born 1845, bap SG, Razon inferred87 7. Jose Antonio Ygnacio Corazon de Jesus Bermudez, born 1847, bap LA, Razon88 8. Maria Adelayda de los Reyes Bermudez, born 1849, bap SG, Razon89 9. Manuela Bermudez, born 1852, bap SG90 10. Ana Maria Bermudez, born 1854, bap SG91 11. Jose Antonio Bermudez, born 1856, bap SG92 12. Jose Inocente Bermudez, born 1860, bap LA93 13. Jose Epifanio Inocente Bermduez, born 1863, bap SG94
Note the consistency in the written record--the first 7 baptism records either directly identified, or inferred, the children as Razon because of their parents.
In 1860, both Jose A. Bermudes and his wife, were living with nine of their children, in Los Nietos Township, in Los Angeles County.95 None were identified as Indian.
No death records were sought or recovered for either individual. Using the year of marriage for their son—Jose Manuel Bermudes—in 1873, it is reasonable to assume they were living until that year.
[See Generation 7.2 for Jose Antonio Bermudes’s parents. See Generation 7.3 for Buenaventura Alvitre’s parents.]
6.3 Jose Sabas Valenzuela (1820-aft 1873) & Maria Gregoria Getrudis Olivas (1825- aft 1873) Jose Valenzuela was born around 1819 in the greater Los Angeles Area as reflected in the 1836 Los Angeles Padrone where he was listed with his parents—Jose Miguel
83 SG-B 8276 (25 Nov 1838), Felicitas Bermduez; FHL microfilm 2644. 84 SG-B 8409 (18 Oct 1840), Petra Alcantara Bermudez; FHL microfilm 2644. 85 SG-B 8426 (4 Feb 1841), Maria de los Reyes Bermudez; FHL microfilm 2644. 86 SG-B 8590 (5 May 1843), Benito Vicente Bermduez; ECPP. 87 SG-B 8737 (9 Feb 1845), Jose Manuel Bermudes. 88 LA-B 1671 (4 Apr 1847), Jose Antonio Ygnacio Corazon de Jesus Bermudez; FHL microfilm 2537. 89 SG-B 9030 (19 Aug 1849), Maria Adelayda de los Reyes Bermudez; FHL microfilm 2644. 90 SG-B 9208 (25 Jan 1852), Manuela Bermduez; FHL microfilm 2644. 91 SG-B 9385 (7 Apr 1854), Ana Maria Bermudez; FHL microfilm 2644. 92 SG-B 9628 (24 Nov 1856), Jose Antonio Bermudez; CME. 93 LA-B 490 (25 Feb 1860), Jose Inocente Bermudez; CME. 94 SG-B 10260 (19 Apr 1863), Jose Epifanio Inocente Bermudez; CME. 95 Jose A. Bermudes household, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, California, Los Angeles County, Los Nietos Township, page 146, dwelling 1308, family 1314; source: Ancestry.com, 1860 US Federal Census, California, Los Angeles, Los Nietos, image 15.
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Valenzuela and M[ari]a Visitacion Rodrigues.96 The 1831 SG confirmation record agrees Jose Sabas Valenzuela was the son of Miguel [Valenzuela] and Visitacion Rodriguez.97 That record did not provide any identification as Indian.
Maria Gregoria Getrudis Olivas was born October 16, 1825, and baptized the following day at SG.98 That record identified her mother as Maria Luisa Perez, the daughter of Estevan Perez and Maria Ontiveros, both deceased. And, the mother of the child identified the father as Domingo Olivas. That record directly identified the child as Razon.
No marriage record was found for this couple but the family appears on the 1844 Los Angeles Padrone, with their first daughter, at Rancho Santo Domingo.99 Six children were traced from this union in the LA records:
1. Maria Valenzuela, born 1843;100 2. Jose Ramon Valenzuela, born 1845, Razon;101 3. Rafael Valenzuela, born 1847, Razon;102 4. Domingo del Espiritu Santo Valenzuela, born 1849;103 5. Maria Antonia Valenzuela, born 1851;104 [See Generation 5.2] and, 6. Maria del Refugio Antonia Valenzuela, born 1853.105
None of these children was identified as Indian.
No death records were sought or recovered for either individual. Using the year of marriage for their daughter—Maria Antonia Valenzuela—in 1873, it is reasonable to assume they were living until that year.
[See Generation 7.4 for Jose Sabas Valenzuela’s parents. See Generation 7.5 for Maria Gregoria Gertrudis Olivas’s parents.]
Generation 7
7.1 Jose Francisco Verdugo (1799-1861) & Maria Joaquina Duarte (1803-1825)
96 Family of Jose Miguel Valenzuela, 1836 Los Angeles Padrón, California, Los Angeles, page 685; FHL microfilm 913156. 97 SG-C 2061 (9 Nov 1831), Jose Sabas Valenzuela; CME. 98 SG-B 7358 (27 Oct 1825), Maria Gregoria Getrudis Olivas; FHL microfilm 2644. 99 Jose Sabas Valenzuela family; 1844 Los Angeles Padrón, California, Los Angeles, FHL microfilm 913156; page 773. 100 LA-C 205 (Sep 1850), Maria Valenzuela; CME. 101 LA-B 1310 (19 Mar 1845), Jose Ramon Balenza; FHL microfilm 2537. 102 LA-B 1694 (14 May 1847), Rafael Balenza; FHL microfilm 2537. 103 LA-B 101 (24 May 1849), Domingo del Espiritu Santo Valenzuela; FHL microfilm 2537. 104 LA-B 439 (20 Apr 1851), M.a Ant.a Valenzuela; FHL microfilm 2537. 105 LA-B 736 (19 Feb 1853), M.a Refugio Ant.a Valenzuela; FHL microfilm 2537.
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Jose Francisco Verdugo was born on March 9, 1799, and baptized the following day at SG. 106 That record identified him as Razon and his parents as Leonardo Verdugo and Maria Josefa Rubio.
Maria Joaquina Duarte was likely born on or before September, 1803, and baptized at SG.107 That record identified her as Razon and her parents as Leandro Duarte and Maria Briones.
Jose Francisco Verdugo married Maria Joaquina Duarte on June 23, 1822, at SG.108 That marriage record confirmed the parents for both the bride and groom and identified them as Razon.
Two children were identified for that union:
1. Catalina Verdugo, born 1823, bap SD, Razon inferred;109 [See generation 6.1] and, 2. Jose Francisco Feliciana Verdugo, bap SG, Razon.110
Joaquina Duarte died in 1825 and was buried at SG.111 Her death record identified her as Razon. Her husband, Jose Verdugo, died and was buried, in 1861, at Mission San Juan Capistrano Cemetery.112 His burial record did not identify him as an Indian.
[See Generation 8.1 for Jose Francisco Verdugo’s parents. See Generation 8.2 for Maria Joaquina Duarte’s parents.]
7.2 Juan Hilario Bermudes (1770-1828) & Ana Maria Lugo (1785-aft 1824) According to his SG burial record, Juan Hilario Bermudez was born around 1770, in Sonora, to Andres Bermudez, originally from the Tubac Presidio, in Mexico, and to Maria Rita Zamora, from Sinaloa, Mexico. 113 It also states he was engaged in military service at the Santa Cruz Presidio, in Mexico, prior to his life in Alta California.
According to her SBV baptism record, Ana Maria Lugo was born July 26, 1785, the daughter of Manuel Ygnacio Lugo, a leather-jacket soldier stationed at the Royal Presidio of Santa Barbara, and Gertrudis Limon y Sanchez.114
Juan Hilario Bermudez married Ana Maria Lugo, on January 27, 1799, at the Santa Barbara Presidio.115 That record identified his origin as the Royal Presidio of Santa Cruz,
106 SG-B 3024 (10 Mar 1799), Jose Francisco Verdugo; CME & ECPP. 107 SG-B 3575 (18 Sep 1803), Maria Joaquina Duarte; CME & ECPP. 108 SG-M 1625 (23 Jun 1822), Jose Francisco Verdugo & Maria Joaquina Duarte; CME & ECPP. 109 SD-B 5486 (1 May 1823), Catalina Verdugo. 110 SG-B 7227 (20 Oct 1824), Jose Fran.co Feliciano Berdugo; FHL microfilm 2644. 111 SG-D 5020 (11 Nov 1825), Maria Joaquina Duarte; CME. 112 SJC-D 5030 (9 Oct 1861), Francisco Verdugo; FHL microfilm 1290448. 113 SG-D entry 5359 (13 Aug 1828), Juan Hilario Bermudez; CME. 114 SBV-B entry 137 (28 Aug 1785), Ana Maria Lugo; CME. 115 SB-M entry 29 (27 Jan 1799), Juan Hilario Bermudez & Ana Maria Lugo; CME.
20 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 21 of 40 in Sonora, Mexico, and his parents as the deceased Andres Bermudez and Maria Rita Zamora. It also identified the bride’s parents as Manuel Ignacio Lugo and Maria Gertrudis Sanchez.
Marie E. Northrop, author of Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, tracked eight of their children.116 None of them, or their parents, was identified as Indian in the California record:
1. Josef Hermenigildo Bermudes (b. 1800), bap BP, Razon inferred117 2. Maria Apolonia Bermudes (b. 1803), bap BP, Razon inferred118 3. Maria Rosalia Bermudes (b. 1805), bap SG, Razon119 4. Jose Maria Bermudes (b. 1807), bap SD, Razon inferred120 5. Jose Antonio Bermudes (b. 1810), bap SG, Razon121 [See Generation 6.2] 6. Maria Antonia Carlota Bermudes (b. 1813), bap SD, Razon inferred122 7. Jose de los Dolores Bermudes (b. 1819), bap SD, Razon inferred123 8. Maria Rita Bermudes (b. 1824), bap SG, Razon124
No death record was located for Ana Maria Lugo; she was alive, at least, until the birth of her last child, in 1824. Juan Bermudez died from a fall from a horse, at the Santa Gertrudis Ranch, and was buried August 13, 1828.125 He was approximately 58 years old. His death record stated the origins of his wife’s parents, Ana Maria Lugo – Manuel Ignacio Lugo and Gertrudis Limon Sanchez, from the village of Sinaloa, Mexico.
Northrop wrote this brief history about Juan Hilario Bermudez:
Came as a child in 1781 to Mission San Gabriel with his mother and stepfather Juan Ignacio Valencia, a Soldado de Cuera for the Santa Barbara Presidio; soldier of the Mission San Gabriel Escolta and a vaquero; his body found at Rancho Santa Gertrudis after having been thrown by his horse. 126
In conclusion for this family, the evidence leaves no doubt—none of these persons possessed any California Indian blood.
116 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. I, pp. 66-67. No photocopies provided. 117 BP-B 200 (14 Apr 1800), Hermenegildo Josef Bermudez; ECPP. 118 BP-B 257 (10 Feb 1803), Maria Apolonia Bermudez; ECPP. 119 SG-B 4027 (9 Dec 1805), Rosalia Valencia [Bermudez]; CME. 120 SD-B 3407 (22 Aug 1807), Jose Maria [Bermudez]; CME. 121 SG-B 4559 (26 Jul 1810), Jose Antonio Bermudez. 122 SD-B 4070 (7 Nov 1813), Maria Antonia Carlota Bermudez; CME. 123 SD-B 4783 (2 Apr 1819), Josef de los Dolores [Bermudes]; CME. 124 SG-B 7197 (27 Jun 1824), Maria Rita Bermudes; FHL microfilm 2644. 125 SG-D entry 5359 (13 Aug 1828), Juan Hilario Bermudez. 126 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. I, pp. 66-7. No photocopies provided.
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7.3 Juan Joseph Maria Alvitre (1798-aft 1839) & Maria Tomasa Alvarado (1799-aft 1839 or 1843) The SG baptism record for Juan Jose Maria Alvitre states he was born August 30, 1798, and baptized the following month.127 His parents were identified as Sebastian Alvitre and Maria Rufina Hernandez, from the town of Los Angeles.
Northrop’s genealogical research indicated Maria Tomasa Alvarado was born around 1799, in San Miguel, in Baja California, in Mexico.128 That origin is corroborated by the SD marriage record of her parents – Juan Joseph Albarado [Alvarado] and Antonia Valenzuela which states the following:
Translation: SD-M 356, Day 13 of May, 1792, after … [joined in matrimony] Juan Joseph Alvarado, soldier of this Presidio of San Diego, single, legitimate and natural son of Bernardino Alvarado and Maria Teresa Castro, native of the Royal Presidio of Loreto, with Antonia Valenzuela, legitimate daughter of Juan Segundo Valenzuela, leather-jacket soldier of this Royal Presidio, and of Agustina Alcantara, his consort, native of the [Real] of Los Alamos, … [emphasis added] 129
Juan Maria Alvitre married Tomasa Alvarado, at SG, on October 9, 1817.130 He was identified as being from Los Nietos Ranch, the son of Sebastian Alvitre, deceased, and Maria Rufina Hernandez. Tomasa was identified as being from the San Diego Presidio, the daughter of Juan Jos[e] Alvarado and Maria Antonia Valenzuela.
Northrop tracked 15 children for Juan Jose Alvitre and Tomasa Alvarado. 131 The SG record directly identified all of them as Razon except for one child, whose baptism record could not be found [Raymundo, born 1820]:
1. Francisco Alvitre, born 1818 (a triplet), bap SG, Razon 132 2. Francisco Alvitre, born 1818 (a triplet), bap SG, Razon 133 3. Francisco Alvitre, born 1818 (a triplet), bap SG, Razon 134 4. Maria Buenaventura Alvitre, born around 1819, Razon135 [See Generation 6.2] 5. Raymundo Alvitre, born 1820136 6. Jose Anastacio Alvitre, born 1822, bap SG, Razon137
127 SG-B entry 2960 (1 Sep 1798), Juan Jose Maria Alvitre; CME. 128 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. I, pp. 11-12. No photocopies provided. 129 SD-M 356 (13 May 1792), Juan Joseph Alvarado & Antonia Valenzuela; CME. 130 SG-M 1456 (9 Oct 1817), Juan Maria Alvitre & Tomasa Alvarado; CME. 131 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. I, pp. 29-31. No photocopies provided. 132 SG-B 6231-3 (4 Oct 1818), Francisco Albitre (triplets); CME. 133 Ibid. 134 Ibid. 135 SG-M 1851a (22 Jul 1832), Jose Antonio Bermudes & Maria Buenaventura Alvitre. 136 LA-M 421 (1 Apr 1857), Raymundo Alvitre & Maria Antonia Silvas; FHL microfilm 2543. 137 SG-B 6795 (14 Jan 1822), Jose Anastacio Albitre; FHL microfilm 2644.
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7. Andres Alvitre, born 1823, bap SG, Razon 138 8. Diego Alvitre, born 1825, bap SG, Razon 139 9. Pablo Alvitre, born 1828, bap SG, Razon 140 10. Maria de la Cruz Alvitre, born 1829, bap SG, Razon141 11. Maria Benita de los Dolores Alvitre, born 1831, bap SG, Razon142 12. Maria Catarina Alvitre, born 1833, bap SG, Razon 143 13. Maria Micaelina Alvitre, born 1835, bap SG, Razon 144 14. Ramon Alvitre, born 1839, bap SG, Razon 145 15. [no name, female] Alvitre, died 1843, bap SG, Razon146
The marriage record for Tomasa’s parents establishes her parents’ origin as Mexico. Further, the occupation held by her father, and grandfather, as soldiers of the Spanish military corroborates her family were not considered Indians.
No death record was sought for either Juan Josef Maria Alvitre or Maria Tomasa Alvarado. Their last known child might have been Ramon (born 1839) or a daughter (not named), who died in 1843.
[See Generation 8.3 for Juan Joseph Maria Alvitre’s parents. See Generation 8.4 for Tomasa Alvarado’s parents.]
7.4 Joseph Miguel Valenzuela (1783-aft 1844) & Maria de la Visitacion Rodriguez (1794-aft 1844) According to the SD baptism record for Joseph Miguel Valenzuela, he was born March 14, 1783.147 His parents were named as Segundo Valenzuela and Agustina Alcantara, from the San Diego Presidio.
The SD baptism record, for Maria de la Visitacion Rodriguez, indicated she was born July 2, 1794 and her parents as Vicente Rodriguez, a soldier from the presidio, and his wife, M[ari]a Gertrudis Perez.148
138 The inclusion of this particular child might be argued because even though his baptism [SG-B 7099 (30 Nov 1823)] states his parents are Jacinto Alvitre and Maria Lugarda Moreno, they had another child in May, of the same year [(SG-B 7025, 3 May 1823)], which would make Andres’s birth impossible for those parents. No doubt, Northrop believed Andres’ baptism record was in error. 139 SG-B 7364 (12 Nov 1825), Diego Albitre; FHL microfilm 2644. 140 SG-B 7531 (Aug 1828), Pablo Alvitre; FHL microfilm 2644. 141 SG-B 7606 (16 Jul 1829), Maria de la Cruz Albitre; FHL microfilm 2644. 142 SG-B 7700 (22 Mar 1831), Maria Benita de los Dolores Albitre; FHL micrfilm 2644. 143 SG-B 7893 (20 Jul 1833), [Maria] [Albitre]; FHL microfilm 2644. 144 SG-B 8040 (28 May 1835), Maria Micaelina Albitre; FHL microfilm 2644. 145 SG-B 8316 (17 May 1839), Ramon Albitre; FHL microfilm 2644. 146 SG-D 5987 (4 Apr 1843), female Albitre; CME. 147 SD-B 959 (21 Mar 1783), Joseph Miguel Valenzuela; CME. 148 SD-B 1657 (3 Jul 1794), Maria de la Visitacion [Rodriguez]; CME.
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Miguel Valenzuela and Maria Visitacion Rodriguez were married July 24, 1810, at SG.149 That marriage record confirmed the groom’s parents as Segundo [Valenzuela] and Agustina Alcantara, and the bride’s parents as Vicente [Rodriguez] and Maria Gertrudis Perez. And, that record directly identified all parties as Razon.
A total of 14 children were tracked for this family through the California Mission and 1836 Los Angeles Padrone [census] record: 150
1. Maria Gertrudis Florentina Valenzuela, born 1811, bap SD, Razon inferred151 2. Secundino Valenzuela, born 1813, bap SG, Razon152 3. Felipe Santiago Valenzuela, born 1815, bap SD, Razon inferred 153 4. Jose Sabas Valenzuela, born abt 1819, confirmed SG154 5. Pedro Marcos Valenzuela, born 1820, bap SD, Razon inferred155 6. Maria Antonia Valenzuela, born 1822, bap SG, Razon156 7. Maria Luisa Valenzuela, born 1824, bap SG, Razon157 8. Juana Maria Valenzuela, born 1827, bap LA, Razon inferred158 9. Pedro Regalado Valenzuela, born 1829, bap LA, Razon inferred159 10. Maria Valenzuela, born abt 1831160 11. Juan Bautista Cornelio Valenzuela, born 1833, bap LA, Razon inferred161 12. Juan (Martin) Valenzuela, born 1834, bap SG, Razon162 13. Andrea Valenzuela, born 1838, bap LA, Razon inferred163 14. Jose Antonio Valenzuela, born 1841, bap SG, Razon164
No death record was sought for either Joseph Miguel Valenzuela or Maria de la Visitacion Rodriguez. However, the family was shown on the 1844 Los Angeles Padrone—therefore, it is assumed they lived beyond 1844.165
149 SG-M 1094 (24 Jul 1810), Miguel Valenzuela & Maria Visitacion Rodriguez; CME. 150 Family of Jose Miguel Valenzuela, 1836 Los Angeles Padrón, California, Los Angeles. 151 SD-B 3859 (16 Oct 1811), Maria Gertrudis Florentina Balenzuela; CME. 152 SG-B 5384 (17 May 1813), Secundino Valenzuela; CME. 153 1) Jose Miguel Valenzuela, 1836 Padrone; and, 2) SD-B 4197 (3 May 1813), Felipe Santiago Balenzuela; CME. 154 1) Ibid; and, 2) SG-C 2061 (9 Nov 1831), Jose Sabas Valenzuela. 155 1) Ibid; and, 2) SD-B 5015 (29 June 1820), Pedro Marcos Balenzuela; CME. 156 1) Ibid; and, 2) SG-B 6871 (30 Sep 1822), Maria Antonia Balenzuela; FHL microfilm 2644. 157 1) Ibid; and, 2) SG-B 7225 (13 Oct 1824), Maria Luisa Valenzuela; FHL microfilm 2644. 158 1)Ibid; and, 2) LA-B 51 (31 Jan 1827), Juana Maria Valenzuela; FHL microfilm 2537. 159 1) Ibid; and, 2) LA-B 161 (13 May 1829), Pedro Regalado Valenzuela; FHL microfilm 2537. 160 1) Ibid. 161 1) Ibid; and, 2) LA-B 390 (15 Sep 1833), Juan Bautista Cornelio Valenzuela, FHL microfilm 2537. 162 1) Ibid; and, 2) SG-B 8010 (8 May 1834), Juan Valenzuela; FHL microfilm 2644. 163 LA-B 858 (6 May 1838), Juan Valenzuela; FHL microfilm 2537. 164 SG-B 8464 (6 Oct 1841), Jose Antonio Valenzuela; FHL microfilm 2644. 165 [Joseph] Miguel Valenzuela family; 1844 Los Angeles Padrón, California, Los Angeles, FHL microfilm 913156; p. 737.
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[See Generation 8.5 for Jose Miguel Valenzuela’s parents. See Generation 8.6 for Maria de la Visitacion Rodriguez’s parents.]
7.5 Jose Domingo Olivas (1807-1848) & Maria Luisa Perez (1807-1840) According to the SG baptism record for Jose Domingo Olivas, he was born on or before January 26, 1807, and was identified as the son of Juan [Olivas], deceased, and Juana Ontiveros, native to the town of Chametla, in Mexico.166 His baptism record identified him as Razon. The SD baptism record for Maria Luisa Perez indicated she was born on or before August 25, 1807, and named her parents as Estevan Perez and Maria Ontiveros.167 Her ethnicity was inferred as Razon. Domingo and Luisa were first cousins, through their mothers.
Domingo and Luisa had at least one child together—Maria Gregoria Gertrudis Olivas, born 1825.168 Her baptism record indicated the family was Razon.
Luisa Perez died unmarried and was buried February 16, 1840 as noted in her LA burial record.169 And, according to an abstract of the LA burial records, Domingo Olivas died and was later buried on September 23, 1848.170
According to the compilers of the California Mission record extracts, Domingo Olivas was married to Maria Silvas at his death but no marriage record could be located for this marriage. But, he had at least three children with another woman—Maria de la Nieves Silvas—all of which were directly identified, or inferred, as Razon.171
[See Generation 8.7 for Jose Domingo Olivas’s parents. See Generation 8.8 and 9 for Maria Luisa Perez’s parents.]
Generation 8
8.1 Ignacio Leonardo Verdugo (abt 1761- bef 1829) & Maria Josefa Vicenta Rubio (1780-1830) According to Northrop, Ignacio Leonardo Verdugo was born about 1761, at Loreto, Baja California, part of Mexico.172
166 SG-B 4101 (26 Jan 1807), Jose Domingo Olivas; CME. 167 SD-B 3408 (25 Aug 1807), Maria Luisa Perez; CME. 168 SG-B 7358 (27 Oct 1825), Maria Gregoria Getrudis Olivas. 169 LA-D 471 (16 Feb 1840), Luisa Perez; CME. 170 LA-D 412 (23 Sep 1848), Domingo Olivas; CME. 171 1) LA-B 590 (18 Feb 1836), Maria de la Soledad Olivas; FHL microfilm 2537; 2) LA-B 840 (28 Mar 1838), Antonia Olivas; FHL microfilm 2537; and, 3) LA-B 1577 (3 May 1846), Jose Miguel Olivas; FHl microfilm 2537. 172 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. 2, pp. 321-3. No photocopies provided.
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As evidenced by the SD baptism record for Maria Josepha Vicenta Rubio, she was born November 25, 1780, and her parents were named as Matheo Rubio, native of Flandes [Netherlands] and Ursula Dominguez, originally from Mission Santa Gertrudis, in Antigua California [Baja California, Mexico].173 According to the ECPP, she was inferred as Razon.
On July 28, 1793, before her 13th birthday, Maria Josefa Rubio married Leonardo Verdugo, then 32 years old, at SG.174 The record identified the groom as originally from the Royal Presidio of Loreto [Mexico] and the son of Juan Diego, deceased, native of Fuerte [Mexico], and his mother as Maria Ignacia Carrillo, originally from Loreto [Mexico]. The bride was identified as the daughter of Mateo [Rubio] and Maria Ursula Dominguez. The marriage party was directly identified as Razon.
Together, Maria Josefa Rubio and Ignacio Leonardo Verdugo had at least 11 children, three of which were born in Mexico. Their names, births and ethnic identification are as follows:
1. Jose Joaquin Verdugo, born abt 1795, Loreto, Mexico, Razon175 2. Anselmo Jose Verdugo, born 1797, bap SG, Razon176 3. Jose Francisco Verdugo, born 1799, bap SG, Razon177 [See Generation 7.1] 4. Maria Concepcion Nicolasa, born 1800, bap SG, Razon178 5. Zeferino de Jesus Verdugo, born 1803, bap SG, Razon179 6. Maria Verdugo, born 1805, bap SG, Razon180 7. Maria Ignacia Inez Verdugo, born bef 1810, San Miguel, Baja Mexico181 8. Jose Miguel Verdugo, born bef 1811, birthplace unknown, Razon 182 9. Maria de San Juan Benita Verudgo, born abt 1813, Baja California [Mexico], Razon inferred183 10. Maria Antonia Verdugo, born bef 1818, birthplace unknown, Razon184 11. Bernardo Pedro Verdugo, born bef 1827, birthplace unknown, Razon185
Northrop added this information about Ygnacio:
173 SD-B 813 (26 Nov 1780), Maria Josepha Vicenta Rubio; CME. 174 SG-M 481 (28 Jul 1793), Leonardo Verdugo & Maria Josefa Rubio; CME. 175 SD-M 1387 (7 Jan 1821), Jose Joaquin Berdguo & Maria Magdalena Bejar; CME. 176 SG-B 2822 (21 Apr 1797), Anselmo Josef [Verdugo]; CME. 177 SG-B 3024 (10 Mar 1799), Jose Francisco Verdugo. 178 SG-B 3195 (9 Dec 1800), Maria Concepcion Nicolasa [Berdugo]; CME. 179 SG-B 3570 (28 Aug 1803), Zeferino de Jesus Berdugo; CME. 180 SG-B 3930 (28 Feb 1805), Maria Berdugo; CME. 181 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. 2, pp. 321-3. No photocopies provided. 182 SD-M 1765 (14 Aug 1831), Josef Miguel Berdugo & Maria Gracia Garcia; CME. 183 SD-M 1685 (22 Jan 1829), Silvestre Cañedo & Maria de San Juan Verdugo; CME. 184 SG-M 1839a (22 Jan 1832), Joaquin Chabolla & Maria Antonia Verdugo; CME. 185 SJC-M 1222 (1847), Bernardo Verdugo & Anastacia Aguilar; ECPP.
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Ygnacio Leonardo Maria Verdugo: At Monterey in 1782, Mayordomo about 1810-1816 at Santo Domingo, Baja California, Mexico.186
By January, 1829, the marriage date of their daughter, Maria de San Juan Benita Verdugo, Ignacio Leonardo Verdugo was already deceased.187 Considering the known birth origin of some of his younger children, and his position in Baja, Mexico, it is likely he died in Mexico.188 And, because his origins track to Mexico, the evidence adequately proves he was not a California Indian.
Maria Josefa Rubio was killed by a bull and then buried on September 26, 1830, at LA.189 That record identified her as the widow of Leonardo Verdugo. And, because her lineage is traced to the Netherlands and to Baja California, in Mexico, the evidence adequately proves she was not a California Indian.
In conclusion for this family, the evidence leaves no doubt—none of these persons possessed any California Indian blood.
8.2 Jose Francisco Leandro Duarte (abt 1770-1832) & Maria Francisca Briones (abt 1775-1832) According to Northrop, Jose Francisco Leandro Duarte was born about 1770, in Mexico.190 And, his wife—Maria Francisca Briones—was born around 1775, in Loreto, Baja California, Mexico. They were married around 1792, in Loreto. Together, Jose Francisco and Maria Francisca had at least 11 children, one of which was born in Mexico. Their names, births and ethnic identification are as follows:
1. Juan Maria Duarte, born 1793, bap SD, Razon inferred191 2. Francisco Xavier Duarte, born 1794, bap SD, Razon inferred192 3. Maria Antonia Duarte, born 1796, bap SJC, Razon inferred193 4. Juan Jose Duarte, born 1799, in Mexico, Razon194 5. Antonio Ygnacio Duarte, born 1801, bap SD, Razon inferred195 6. Maria Joaquina Duarte, born 1803, bap SG, Razon196 [See Generation 7.1] 7. Andrés Avelino Duarte, born 1805, bap SJC, Razon197
186 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. 2, pp. 321-3. No photocopies provided. 187 SD-M 1685 (22 Jan 1829), Silvestre Cañedo & Maria de San Juan Verdugo. 188 No death record could be found in the California Mission record. 189 LA-D 108 (25 Sep 1830), Maria Josefa Rubio; CME. 190 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. 2, pp. 71-2. No photocopies provided. 191 SD-B 1570 (26 Feb 1793), Juan Maria Duarte; CME. 192 SD-B 1687 (5 Dec 1794), Francisco Xavier [Duarte]; CME. 193 SJC-B 1646 (28 Dec 1796), Maria Antonia [Duarte]; FHL microfilm 1290447. 194 SG-M 1572 (21 Jan 1821), Juan Jose Duarte & Maria de los Angeles Serrano; CME. 195 SD-B 2827 (20 Jul 1801), Antonio Ygnacio [Duarte]; CME. 196 SG-B 3575 (16 Sep 1803), Maria Juaquina Duarte. 197 SJC-B 2657 (30 Nov 1805), Andrés Avelino Duarte; FHL microfilm 1290447.
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8. Maria Encarnacion Duarte, born 1808, bap SD, Razon inferred198 9. Maria Balvina Duarte, born 1811, bap SG, Razon199 10. Jose Jesus de Gracia Duarte, born 1814, bap SG, Razon200 11. Manuela Duarte, born abt 1816, California201
The marriage record for Juan Jose Duarte confirms the birthplace for both of his parents as Mexico—Jos[e] Fran[cis]co Leandro Duarte, natural del Real de la Aduana [Mexico] and Maria Briones, nat[ura]l de Loreto [Mexico].202
Francisco Xavier Leandro Duarte [actually Jose Francisco Leandro Duarte] died and was buried in Los Angeles, on May 28, 1832.203 Despite the confusion in his given names, his death record stated he was married to M[ari]a Fran[cis]ca Briones; therefore, this is the correct link for this death. Five months later, Maria Briones died and was buried on October 26, 1832.204 While no ethnic identification was given for her husband, she was identified as Razon.
In conclusion for this family, the evidence leaves no doubt—none of these persons possessed any California Indian blood.
8.3 Felipe Sebastian Alvitre (abt 1740-1817) & Maria Rufina Hernandez (aft 1778- Aft 1814) According to Northrop, Felipe Sebastian Alvitre was born around 1750, in the Village of Sinaloa, in Mexico.205 His origin is corroborated by his SG burial record (1817) and the SG (1824) marriage record for his daughter, Maria Florentina Calistra Alvitre.206 Regarding Sebastian’s life events, Northrop wrote,
Felipe Sebastian Alvitre: Soldado de Cuera [leather-jacket soldier] of 1769 Portola Expedition: settled at San Jose de Guadalupe in 1783; Bancroft names him an incorrigible scamp; at Pueblo de Los Angeles in 1790.207
Based on the evidence presented thus far and the likelihood that Sebastian was a soldier in the Spanish army, there should be no misconceptions about his ethnicity – he was not an Indian, not a California Indian, let alone a Gabrieleno Indian.
198 SD-B 3532 (15 Sep 1808), Maria Encarnacion Duarte; CME. 199 SG-B 4686 (31 Mar 1811), Maria Balvina Duarte; CME. 200 SG-B 5609 (19 Sep 1814), Jose Jesus de Gracia Duarte; CME. 201 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. 2, pp. 71-2. No photocopies provided. 202 SG-M 1572 (21 Jan 1821), Juan Jose Duarte & Maria de los Angeles Serrano. 203 LA-D 154 (28 May 1832), Francisco Xavier Leandro Duarte; CME. 204 SG-D 5624 (26 Oct 1832), Maria Briones; CME. 205 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. I, pp. 24-6. No photocopies provided. 206 SG-D 3841(2 Feb 1817), Sebastian Alvitre; CME; and, 2) SG-M 1711 (24 Sep 1824), Manuel Antonio & Maria Florentina Alvitre; CME. 207 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. I, pp. 24-6. No photocopies provided.
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Northrop’s information about his wife, Rufina Hernandez, appears to be in error. According to Northrop, Maria Rufina Hernandez, was born around 1750, in Loreto, Baja California, Mexico, and probably married in 1795, in Loreto. These conclusions were likely based on the fact that their eldest son, Jacinto Maria Alvitre (born around 1796), was identified as a native of the Loreto Presidio, in his SG marriage to Maria Lugarda Moreno.208 However, further research indicates three points can be disputed and corrected: 1) her birth year, 2) the place of her birth, and 3) the place of her marriage.
Regarding Rufina’s birth year, her last child was born in 1814.209 If she was born in 1750, she was 64 years old when she had this child, which is not in accordance with normal female biological cycles. Due to the custom of very young girls being given in marriage, at that time, she was more likely a teenager when she married Sebastian; therefore, her birth year was more likely between 1778 and 1782. If she was born in 1780, she married at age 15, and had her last child at age 34. [In that time frame, give or take a couple of years, all events are reasonable.]
Regarding Rufina’s birth place, Sebastian Alvitre’s history of his travels in and out of Alta California sheds some important light on her origin. Northrop’s style of writing did not include specific citations. While she included the data for all of the California Mission records for this his family in her books, she did not provide record numbers. Yet, the information is generally verifiable (although not perfect) by comparing her notes to the actual written record or various extracts of those same records. On the other hand, Harry Crosby, author of Gateway to Alta California: The Expedition to San Diego, 1769, referenced actual letters from the various military and government personal who dealt with Alvitre. Following is a partial excerpt from his book about Sebastian Alvitre: 210
• “With Rivera to San Diego; went on to San Francisco with Portolá • “Unmarried soldier at the presidio of San Diego, 2 September 1770 • “Transferred from jurisdiction of Loreto to that of Alta California, 1 January 1773 • “Godfather at San Antonio de Padua, 22 Jan 1773 • “In April 1773, accused … by both San Diego missionaries of the rape of two very young Indian girls at La Soledad [today Rose Canyon], just before reaching San Diego – one of the girls dying from her injuries. Formal charges were pressed and Alvitre and Avila were kept in irons and at hard labor, largely in Monterey, for over two years awaiting a verdict from authorities in México. On 10 July 1775,
208 SG-M 1323 (22 Feb 1814), Jacinto Maria Alvitre & Maria Lugarda Moreno; CME. 209 SG-B 5495 (23 Mar 1814), Maria Dolores Alvitre; CME. 210 Crosby, Harry, Gateway to Alta California: The Expedition to San Diego, 1769, p. 143; an E- book found on-line at http://books.google.com/books? id=aozaguafweIC&pg=PA171&lpg=PA171&dq=Sebastian+Alvitre+Portola&source=bl&ots=bfv2 fLYBic&sig=JOk19Fe7HIqksPCej2POwoSvlio&hl=en&sa=X&ei=WrEuUfGVCrCNigK3- YGAAg&ved=0CD0Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Sebastian%20Alvitre%20Portola&f=false. Note: This excerpt was not copied verbatim; to examine the references used in this book, please go to the website herein provided.
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• “Captain Rivera ordered the two men, still in irons, taken to San Diego guarded by eight soldiers under Sergeant José María Góngora, there transferred to Sergeant Mariano Carrillo, who would take them under guard to Velicatá to be turned over to Lieutenant José Velázquez Velázquez [sic], in turn, sent Alvitre and Avila in the custody of Sergeant José Gabriel Arce to be delivered to newly appointed Governor Felipe Neve, the transfer completed in Loreto in November. Eventually all three men were “sentenced” to become settlers Alta California pueblos. Nevertheless, a letter from José Velázquez describes Alvitre at liberty on the road north from Velicatá to San Diego. • “By 1783, Alvitre was an early settler of Los Angeles, his plots of land mapped, but he was expelled for bad conduct in 1786. • “Pedro Fages in 1791 writes of Alvitre as “an incorrigible rogue,” and Bancroft wrote of him after he moved to Los Angeles that he “and Francisco Avila of San Jose were usually in prison, in exile, or at forced work for their excesses with Indian women or the wives of their neighbors…” • “In the 1790s, Alvitre returned to the peninsula and perhaps the mainland. In any event, he married a woman from his birthplace, Villa de Sinaloa, indicated in the baptismal entry when he and his wife acted as godparents at Misión de Santa Gertrudis, 14 March 1797. They returned to Los Angeles with son, Jacinto María, and proceeded to have eight more children baptized at San Gabriel, 1798-1814.” [emphasis added]
The SG baptism record of his illegitimate son—Pedro Alvitre—verifies Alvitre’s behavior which likely led to his expulsion from California in 1786.211 As the story is told through the notes of various Spanish army officers, Alvitre needed a wife to fulfill his “sentence” to become a settler in Alta California. It is in through notes we can confidently understand just when and where he found Maria Rufina Hernandez – in Sinaloa, around 1795.
Following is a list of the children, of Sebastian Alvitre and Maria Rufina Hernandez, tracked for this project:
1. Jacinto Maria Alvitre, born 1796, Razon212 2. Juan Joseph Maria Alvitre, born 1798, bap SG, Razon213 [See Generation 7.3] 3. Joseph Gabriel Alvitre, born 1801, bap SG, Razon214 4. Jose Antonio Alvitre, born 1803, bap SG, Razon215 5. Maria Dominga Alvitre, born 1805, bap SG, Razon216
211 SG-B 1350 (20 Oct 1786), Pedro Alvitre; CME. 212 SG-M 1323 (22 Feb 1814), Jacinto Maria Alvitre & Maria Lugarda Moreno. 213 1) SG-B 2960 (1 Sep 1798), Juan Jose Maria Alvitre; and, 2) SG-M 1456 (9 Oct 1817), Juan Maria Alvitre & Tomasa Alvarado; CME. 214 SG-B 3254 (25 Mar 1801), Joseph Gabriel Alvitre; CME. 215 1) SG-B 3495 (16 Apr 1803), Jose Antonio Alvitre; ECPP; and, 2) SJB-M 835 (27 Jul 1823), Jose Antonio Albitre & Maria de la Concepcion Amezquita; CME. 216 1) SG-B 3940 (22 Mar 1805), Maria Dominga Alvitre; CME; and, 2) SG-M (14 Jan 1818), Jose Antonio Valenzuela & Maria Dominga Alvitre; CME.
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6. Josef Vicente Alvitre, born 1807, died SG, Razon217 7. Maria Florentina Calistra Alvitre, born 1808, bap SG, Razon218 8. Jose Claudio Alvitre, born 1811, bap SG, Razon219 9. Maria Dolores Alvitre, born 1814, bap SG, Razon220
In seven baptism records for their children, every child was declared as a Razon [non- Indian]. In the five marriage records for their children, all of them were declared as a Razon. None of these records referred to Maria Rufina Hernandez as an Indian.
In conclusion for this family, the evidence leaves no doubt—none of these persons possessed any California Indian blood.
8.4 Juan Jose Alvarado (1769-after 1807) & Maria Antonia Valenzuela (abt 1779- 1820) According to the 1792 SD marriage record for Juan Joseph Albarado and Antonia Valenzuela, the groom’s origin was identified as the Presidio de Loreto, in Mexico.221 The bride’s origin was identified as Real de los Alamos, also in Mexico. The bride’s parents were named as Juan Segundo Valenzuela and Agustina Alcantara.
Following is a list of their children tracked for this project:
1. Maria Dolores de Gracia Alvarado, born 1793, bap SD, Razon inferred222 2. Joaquin Alvarado, born abt 1797, married SCL, Razon223 3. Maria Tomasa Alvarado, born abt 1799, married SG, Razon224 [See Generation 7.3] 4. Maria Magdalena Alvarado, born 1800, bap SG, Razon225 5. Juana Maria Alvarado, born 1802, bap SG, Razon226 6. Jose Simeon Alvarado, born 1805, bap SG, Razon227 7. Juan Jose Alvarado, born 1807, bap SD, Razon228
Northrop added this information about Juan Jose Alvarado:
217 SG-D 5370 (23 Sep 1818), Josef Vicente Alvitre; CME. 218 SG-B 4234 (16 Oct 1808), Maria Florentina Calistra Alvitre; CME. 219 SG-B 4690 (7 Apr 1811), Jose Claudio Alvitre; CME. 220 1) SG-B 5495 (23 Mar 1814), Maria Dolores Alvitre; and, 2) SG-M 1711 (24 Sep 1824), Manuel Antonio & Maria Florentina Alvitre; CME. 221 SD-M 356 (13 May 1792), Juan Joseph Albarado & Antonia Valenzuela. 222 SD-B 1573 (23 Mar 1793), Maria Dolores de Gracia Albarado; CME. 223 SCL-M 2106 (7 Nov 1823), Joaquin Albarado & Juana de Dios Higuera; ECPP. 224 SG-M 1456 (9 Oct 1817), Maria Tomasa Albarado. 225 SG-B 3211 (23 Dec 1800), Maria Magdalena Alvarado; CME. 226 SG-B 3374 (7 Jul 1802), Juana Maria Alvarado; CME. 227 SG-B 3941 (22 Mar 1805), Jose Simeon Alvarado; CME. 228 SD-B 3340 (18 Mar 1807), Juan Jose [Alvarado]; CME.
31 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 32 of 40
Soldier and corporal at San Diego from 1792; settled at Los Angeles in 1800. His father, Bernardino Alvarado was a Soldado de Cuera of 1769 who returned to Loreto, Mexico, with a touch of scurvy in October 1770.229
In conclusion for this family, the evidence leaves no doubt—none of these persons possessed any California Indian blood. However, further discussion is merited for Antonia Valenzuela’s parents due to the marriage between her great-grandson, Jose Manuel Bermudes (born 1845) and her brother’s (Jose Miguel Valenzuela) granddaughter (of the same name), Maria Antonia Valenzuela (born 1851). This marriage is discussed in Generation 5.2.
[See Generation 8.5 for genealogical evidence for Maria Antonia Valenzuela’s parents.]
8.5 Juan Segundo Valenzuela (abt 1751-1830) & Ana Agustina Alcantara (abt 1754- 1831) According to Northrop, Juan Segundo Valenzuela was born about 1751, in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico.230 His wife, Ana Agustina Alcantara, was born about 1754, also in Sonora. They married on February 15, 1773, in Alamos. Together, they had at least nine children, of which, three were born in Mexico.231 Their names, births and ethnic identification are as follows:
1. Joaquin Valenzuela, born abt 1771, in Alamos, Mexico, Razon inferred232 2. Jose Maria Valenzuela, born abt 1776, in Alamos, Mexico, Razon inferred233 3. Maria Antonia Valenzuela, born abt 1779, in Alamos, Mexico, Razon234 [See Generation 8.4] 4. Jose Miguel Valenzuela, born 1783, Razon235 [See Generation 7.4] 5. Maria Guadalupe, born 1784, bap SD, Razon inferred236 6. Maria Dominga Valenzuela, born 1787, bap SG, Razon237 7. Juana Maria Valenzuela, born 1789, bap SJC, Razon238
229 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. 1, pp. 11-12. No photocopies provided. 230 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. 2, p. 302-3. No photocopies provided. 231 The death records for the first two children—Joaquin and Jose Maria Valenzuela—indicate they were from the Presidio and did not mention their birthplaces. However, their sister—Maria Antonia Valenzuela—was identified as having been born in Alamos, Mexico. It is likely Northrop made this assumption based on her records. 232 SD-D 174 (5 Oct 1782), Juaquin Valenzuela; CME. 233 SD-D 183 (10 Nov 1782), Joseph Maria Valenzuela; CME. 234 1) SD-M 356 (13 May 1792), Juan Joseph Albarado & Antonia Valenzuela; and 2) SG-D 4261 (26 Mar 1820), Maria Antonia Valenzuela; CME. 235 1) SD-B 959 (21 Mar 1783), Joseph Miguel Valenzuela; and 2) SG-M 1094 (24 Jun 1810), Miguel Valenzuela & Maria Visitacion Rodriguez. 236 SD-B 1074 (18 Dec 1784), Maria Guadalupe [Valenzuela]; CME. 237 SG-B 1467 (23 Apr 1787), Maria Dominga [Valenzuela]; CME. 238 1) SJC-B 947 (7 May 1789), Juana Maria [Valenzuela]; FHL microfilm 1290447; and, 2) SG- M 988 (6 Sep 1807), Ventura Alvarez & Juana Valenzuela; CME.
32 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 33 of 40
8. Simeon Maximo Valenzuela, born 1791, bap SD, Razon239 9. Jose Rafael Valenzuela, born 1797, bap SD, Razon inferred240
Juan Segundo Valenzuela died on April 20, 1830 and was buried the next day.241 His SG death record confirms his origin as Sonora, his wife as Maria Agustina Alcantara, and his race as Razon. His wife, Agustina Alcantara, died the following year, and was buried on October 7, 1831, in Los Angeles.242 Although her ethnicity was not identified, her death record confirmed her origin as Alamos, Mexico.
Northrop added this information about Juan Segundo Valenzuela:
… Soldier with Rivera, arrive[d] at San Gabriel 14 Jul 1781; at San Diego 1790.243
In conclusion for this family, the evidence leaves no doubt—none of these persons possessed any California Indian blood.
8.6 Vicente Villa Rodriguez (abt 1768-aft 1804) & Maria Juana Gertrudis Perez- Nieto (abt 1779-1806) According to Northrop, Vicente Villa Rodriguez was born about 1768, in Real de Cosala, Sinaloa, Mexico.244 Describing his journey, Northrop added:
Vicente Villa del Rodriguez: After death of father, Peddro Pablo Rodriguez, was escorted to Alta California in 1781 by sister, Juana Maria Simona Rodriguez de Lopez de Leyva; at San Diego in 1790; soldier at San Diego 1794.
His wife, Maria Gertrudis Perez-Nieto, was born around 1779, in Loreto, Baja California, Mexico. They married at SD, on January 15, 1793.245 That marriage record confirmed the groom’s parents as Pedro Pablo Rodriguez, from the Real de Cozal [in Mexico], and M[ari]a Caietana Ortega. Together, they had at least five children. Their names, births and ethnic identification are as follows:
1. Maria de la Visitacion Rodriguez, born 1794, bap SD, Razon246 [See Generation 7.4]
239 1) SD-B 1464 (20 Feb 1791), Simeon Maximo Valenzuela; CME; 2) SG-M 1239 (18 Jan 1812), Maximo Valenzuela & Maria de Jesus Soto; CME; and 3) SD-M 1194 (17 Feb 1817), Maximo Valenzuela & Maria de la Trinidad Garcia; CME. 240 SD-B 1870 (1 Feb 1797), Joseph Rafael [Valenzuela]; CME. 241 SG-D 5477 (21 Apr 1830), Juan Segundo Valenzuela; CME. 242 LA-D 135 (7 Oct 1831), Agustina Alcantara; CME. 243 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. 2, pp. 302-3. No photocopies provided. 244 Ibid; V. 2, p. 239. No photocopies provided. 245 SD-M 366 (15 Jan 1793), Vicente Rodrigues & Maria Gertrudis Perez; CME. 246 1) SD-B 1657 (3 Jul 1794), Maria de la Visitacion [Rodriguez]; and, 2) SG-M 1094 (24 Jun 1810), Miguel Valenzuela & Maria Visitacion Rodriguez.
33 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 34 of 40
2. Gertrudis Rodriguez, born abt 1795247 3. Juan de Jesus Rodriguez, born 1796, bap SG, Razon248 4. Juan Bautista Rodriguez, born 1799, bap SD, Razon inferred249
No death record was found for Vicente Villa Rodriguez. However, in conclusion of his lineage, the evidence proves his lineage does not possess any California Indian blood.
The February 18, 1806, death record for Juana Perez, recorded at SG, indicated she was married to Vicente [Rodriguez] Villa, and was from the Nieto Rancho.250 Although the original record did not show her parents names, the CME extracted record identified her as the legitimate daughter of Crispin Perez-Nieto and Maria Reyes Armenta.
According to the death record of Maria Juana Gertrudis’s father—[Juan] Crispin Perez— he died and was buried on August 3, 1819.251 That SG death record identified him as a native of Sonora, Mexico. According to Northrop’s research, Juan Crispin Perez Nieto, born about 1752, in Sinaloa, Mexico, was a stock raiser.252 He was married to Maria de los Reyes Armenta, also from Sinaloa, likely born around 1757.253 By the time they joined the 1781 Rivera expedition, they already had two children; Maria Juana Gertrudis Perez was one of them.
Therefore, in conclusion for this family, the evidence leaves no doubt—none of these persons possessed any California Indian blood.
8.7 Juan Matias Olivas (abt 1759-1806) & Juana Maria de Dios Ontiveros (abt 1766-aft 1846) According to Northrop, Juan Matias Olivas was born around 1759, in Rosario, Sinaloa, Mexico.254 He was first married to Maria Dorotea Barbara Espinosa, who died in 1789, at Mission Santa Barbara.255 During that marriage, they had four children of which all were inferred as Razon, either in their baptism or marriage records.
Juan Olivas’s second wife, Juana Maria de Dios Ontiveros, was born around 1766, also in Rosario, Sinaloa, Mexico. They were married on June 24, 1793, at SG.256 That marriage
247 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. 2, p. 239. No photocopies provided. 248 SG-B 2772 (13 Nov 1796), Juan de Jesus Rodriguez; CME. 249 SD-B 3048 (30 Aug 1799), Juan Bautista Perez [Rodriguez]; CME. 250 1) SG-D 2541 (18 Feb 1806), Juana Perez; CME; and, 2) SG-D 2541 (18 Feb 1806), Juana Gertrudis Perez; ECPP (no photocopy provided). 251 SG-D 4173 (2 Aug 1819), Crispin Perez; CME. 252 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. 2, pp. 182-3. No photocopies provided. 253 If she was born in 1760, as stated by the Span-Mex Families source, she would have been 10 years old when she first gave birth. This age is reduced by 3 years. 254 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. 2, p. 185-7. No photocopies provided. 255 Ibid. 256 SG-M 476 (24 Jun 1793), Juan Olivas & Juana Ontiveros; CME.
34 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 35 of 40 record identified both parties as Razon. They had at least six children together. Their names, births and ethnic identification are as follows:
1. Jose Herculeano Marcelino Olivas, born 1794, bap BP, Razon inferred257 2. Jose Lazaro Olivas, born 1796, bap BP, Razon inferred258 3. Joseph Nicolas Olivas, born 1798, bap BP, Razon inferred259 4. Maria Petronila Olivas, born 1801, bap SG, Razon260 5. Jose Antonio Olivas, born 1804, bap SG, Razon261 6. Jose Domingo Olivas, born 1807, bap SG, Razon262 [See Generation 7.5]
The death record for [Juan] Mathias de Oliva[s] indicated he was Razon.263 He died and was buried on December 2, 1806, before the birth of his last child with Juana Ontiveros. His wife, Juana Ontiveros, died forty years later.264 Her death record bore no ethnic identification.
In conclusion for this family, the evidence of origin leaves no doubt—none of these persons possessed any California Indian blood.
[See Generation 9 for Juana Maria de Dios Ontiveros’s parents.]
8.8 Francisco Estevan Perez (abt 1765-abt 1821) & Maria de la Asumpcion Ontiveros (1783-1825) According to the SD baptism record for Francisco Estevan Perez’s son—Jacinto Perez— and a marriage record, wherein Estevan Perez stood as a witness, he was born around 1765, in the town of Cocori en el Obispado de Sonora, Mexico.265
Maria de la Asumpcion Ontiveros was born around July, 1783, and baptized at SBV.266 Her parents were identified as Joseph Ontiveros, a leather-jacket solider, originally from the Real de Rosario, in Mexico, and Ana Maria Bibriesca. Her baptism record identified her as Razon.
Although Northrop indicated Maria Asumpcion Ontiveros and Francisco Estevan Perez were married, no marriage record could be located.267 However, they had at least six children together. Their names, births and ethnic identification are as follows:
257 BP-B 123 (8 Nov 1794), Jose Herculano Olivas; ECPP. 258 BP-B 152 (20 Dec 1796), Jose Lazaro Maria Olivas; ECPP. 259 BP-B 183 (7 Dec 1798), Joseph Nicolas Olivas; ECPP. 260 SG-B 3291 (18 Jun 1801), Maria Petronila Olvias; CME. 261 SG-B 3786 (18 Jul 1804), Jose Antonio Olivas; CME. 262 SG-B 4101 (26 Jan 1807), Jose Domingo Olivas. 263 SG-D 2703 (2 Dec 1806), Mathias de Oliva; CME. 264 LA-D 276 (5 Dec 1846), Juana Ontiveros; CME. 265 1) SD-B 4498 (11 Sep 1817), Jacinto [Perez]; and, 2) SG-M 700 (27 Apr 1801), Manuel Valenzuela & Maria Josefa Alvarez; CME. 266 SBV-B 26 (15 Aug 1783), Maria de la Asumpcion Ontiveros; CME. 267 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. 2, pp. 189-90. No photocopies provided.
35 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 36 of 40
1. Jose Perez, born 1805, bap SG, Razon268 2. Maria Luisa Perez, born 1807, bap SD, Razon269 [See Generation 7.5] 3. Rafael Thomas Perez, born 1812, bap SD, Razon inferred270 4. Maria Francisca Perez, born 1814, bap SD, Razon inferred271 5. Jacinto Perez, born 1817, bap SD, Razon inferred272 6. Maria Ventura Perez, born 1821, bap SD, Razon inferred273
Esteban Perez died before the birth of his last child—Maria Ventura Perez, born May 18, 1821.274
The SG death record for Maria Ontiveros, in 1825, identified her as a native of Chametla, in Mexico; the legitimate daughter of the deceased Jos[e] Ontiveros and Ana Maria Carrasco; and, the widow of Esteban Perez.275 There appears to be two points of conflicting data here—1) her birth place and 2) the surname of her mother. As for the first point, the baptism record indicated she was recien nacida [recently born]. In general, that meant she was born within days or on the same day of her baptism. She might have been born in California but it is feasible the priest was unfamiliar with her birthplace and assumed she was born in the same place as her parents, who had been recruited to participate in the 1781 Rivera Expedition to populate Los Angeles.276 As for the second point, Ana Maria’s father’s surname was Carrasco and her mother’s surname was Birviescas.
In conclusion for this lineage, the evidence of origin leaves no doubt—Esteban Perez did not possess any California Indian blood.
[See Generation 9 for Maria de la Asumpcion Ontiveros’s parents.]
Generation 9
Jose Antonio Ontiveros (abt 1744-1798) & Ana Birviescas Carrasco (abt 1741-1824) Jose Antonio Ontiveros, a shoemaker, was born in 1744, at Chametla, Rosario, Sinaloa, in Mexico.277 Before he was recruited to join the 1781 Rivera Expedition, he was married
268 SG-B 3933 (3 Mar 1805), Jose Perez; CME. 269 SD-B 3408 (25 Aug 1807), Maria Luisa Perez. 270 1) SD-B 3983 (19 Aug 1812), Rafael Thomas [Perez]; CME; and, 2) SD-D 2188 (26 Nov 1812), Thomas Rafael [Perez]; CME. 271 SD-B 4142 (5 Oct 1814), Maria Francisca [Perez]; CME. 272 SD-B 4498 (11 Sep 1817), Jacinto [Perez]; CME. 273 SD-B 5186 (18 May 1821), Maria Bentura [Perez]; CME. 274 Ibid. 275 SG-D 4981 (28 Jun 1825), Maria Ontiveros; CME. 276 Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850, V. 2, pp. 189-90. No photocopies provided. 277 1) Ibid; and 2) Raices, "Josef Antonio Ontiveros and his Descendants, and a brief history of Juan Pacifico and Rancho's San Juan Cajon de Santa Ana and Santa Maria," Santa Ana Canyon
36 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 37 of 40 to Ana Maria Carrasco. She was also born in the same place, about 1741, and was the daughter of Jose Maria Carrasco and Josefa Birviescas. They brought two children with them on this journey:
1. Juana de Dios Ontiveros, born abt 1768, Chametla, Mexico [See Generation 8.7.] 2. Juan Patricio Ontiveros, born abt 1772, Chametla, Mexico
While they may have had other children, nothing concrete is known about them. However, they had another child after arriving in Alta California
3. Maria de la Asumpcion Ontiveros, born and baptized in 1783, at SBV. [See Generation 8.8]
Josef Ontiveros died and was buried on March 10, 1798.278 His SG death record identified him as Razon and the husband of Ana Maria Birbiescas. Also known as Ana Maria Carrasco, she died much later and was buried on January 16, 1824.279 Her death record identified her as Razon and as the widow of Jose Ontiveros.
In conclusion for this family, the evidence of origin leaves no doubt—none of these persons possessed any California Indian blood.
Conclusion
Although more than 200 years of evidence proves her family was not California Indian, Martinez’s ancestors engaged in a brief, modern period of self-identification as Indian (beginning around 1930). No doubt this was spurred on by the advantages offered by the Indian school (free food and board) during the Great Depression and the faulty enrollment system used for the 1928 California Indian Jurisdictional Act. But, the reality is this—the California Mission record confirms Martinez’s ancestors were never identified as aboriginal California Indians. Rather, it only confirms her ancestors were part of the European and Spanish and/or Mexican immigrant pioneers that came to settle Alta California. And, even though Martinez’s maternal great-grandmother, Guadalupe Bermudes, saw herself and her husband as Mexicans, Guadalupe’s self-perception is not proof they possessed a mix of Indian and Spanish blood. But, the evidence is clear—one ancestor was born in the Netherlands; the rest were born in Mexico.
Historical Council, Jan/Feb/Mar 2001. No photocopies provided. 278 SG-D 1471 (12 Mar 1798), Josef Ontiveros; CME. 279 SG-D 4766 (16 Jan 1824), Ana Maria Carrasco; CME.
37 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 38 of 40
Appendix I
Timeline of Martinez/Bermudes Ethnic Identifications 1900 to Present From the earliest times in California (1769) to 1920, the ancestors of Desiree Martinez were never identified as Indian but, rather, as Razon, White, and/or Mexican. To pinpoint the beginning of her Gabrieleño Indian story, the actual ethnic identifications, from 1907 to present day, illustrate how the “Indian” part of her story has a marked beginning, around 1930, and continued in an inconsistent manner. To visually illustrate this anomaly, the Indian identification event is indented and emphasized:
1769-1900 – Razon [not Indian] 1907 – White, Marriage of Joaquin Martinez & Guadalupe Bermudes (self) 1908 – Mexican/White, birth record [Antonio] Julian Martinez (by mother, Guadalupe Bermudes) 1910 – Mexican, birth record, Marie Martinez (by mother, Guadalupe Bermudes) 1910 – Mexican/White, US census, Joaquin & Guadalupe & family 1912 – Mexican/White, birth record, Davie Martinez (by mother, Guadalupe Bermudes) 1914 – Mexican, birth record, John Martinez (by mother, Guadalupe Bermudes) 1917 – Mexican, birth record, Marie Martinez (by mother, Guadalupe Bermudes) 1920 – Mexican, birth record, Joseph Martinez (by mother, Guadalupe Bermudes) 1920 – White, US census, Joaquin & Guadalupe & family Begins here 1930 – Indian, US census, Joaquin & Guadalupe & family 1930 – Indian, Sherman census, John Martinez 1934 – Indian, DC Guadalupe Bermudes Martinez (by son, Dave Martinez] 1934 – White, marriage record, Antonio Martinez (by self) 1937 – White, SS-5 form, Joaquin Martinez (by self) 1936 – Indian, birth record amendment, Antonio Julian Martinez by Bert E. Coffman “friend,” and Carl J. Kieselhorst 1940 – Indian, US census, Joaquin & 4 children 1940 – White, US census, Mary Martinez Rodriguez 1940 – Mexican, US census, John Martinez 1940 – White, US census, Antonio Martinez 1942 – American Indian, WWII Card, Dave Martinez 1945 – American Indian, marriage Dave Martinez 1947 – Mexican – BC Carol Cortez (by mother, Lupe Martinez) 1950 – Caucasian – BC Richard Cortez (by mother, Lupe Martinez) 1957 – Caucasian – DC Joaquin Martinez (by daughter, Mary Martinez) 1973 – Caucasian – BC Desiree Martinez (by mother, Carol Cortez) 1973 – North American Native– SSACI Antonio Martinez 2009 – O My Ancestor, Interview of Desiree Martinez
38 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 39 of 40
Appendix II
Both Dave and Antonio Martinez claimed to be Native American Indian, at various points in their lifetime. Dave B. Martinez identified himself as American Indian in his WW II enlistment record and his 1945 marriage license.280 And, even though Antone J. Martinez claimed to be White, when he married in 1934, his social security record reflected he self- identified as a North American Native.281 But, self-identification is not indelible proof one has a true Native American Indian ancestry, let alone Gabrieleño Indian ancestry.
In 1936, two years after his mother’s death, Antonio Martinez sought to formally change his given name and to change the recorded ethnicities of his parents. Now, Joaquin Martinez, Antonio’s father, was still living at this time; he did not die until 1957. Rather, Antonio enlisted the aid of two White men—Mr. Bert Coffman and Mr. Carl Kieselhorst, both natives of Kansas. They signed the amendment for him to change his first names from Julian, to Antonio Julian, and to change his parents’ ethnicity from Mexican, to Indian. Mr. Kieselhorst did not provide any explanation as to how he knew him or the amended facts; Mr. Coffman only claimed he was a “friend” to Antonio Martinez.
After examining the whereabouts of these men, in relation to the family, it is feasible they personally knew Antonio but there is one missing detail that invalidates any notion these two men knew very much about his parents—his mother’s name was given as Mirantontes in the original birth certificate but the context of the family’s record indicates it was actually Bermudes. If these two men were truly familiar with the family, it is a conundrum that the mother’s surname was not corrected as well. Nonetheless, the evidence for his lineage demonstrates this amendment does not reflect the truth about Antonio’s ethnicity and should be disregarded as proof of anything except the change of his given names from Julian Martinez to Antonio Julian Martinez.
The following chart compares the whereabouts of Antonio Martinez’s family and the two men—Bert Coffman and Carl Kieselhorst—from 1900 through 1940. And, it compares the occupations as a means to understand how they might have known the family: [The evidence, from which this data was extracted, is not included in the evidence section of this report but is available upon request.]
280 1) Martinez, Dave B (1942), U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946; source: Ancestry.com; and 2) "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8K3-MVQ : accessed 13 September 2015), J A Martinez in entry for Dane [sic] B Martinez and Betty S Greenbery, 08 Dec 1945; citing Los Angeles, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 2,115,297. 281 1) "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8JN-8M2 : accessed 13 September 2015), J A Martines in entry for Antone J Martines and Felicitas Gonzales Macias, 15 Nov 1934; citing Los Angeles, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 2,113,657.; and, 2) Martinez, Antonio J (1973), U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007.
39 The True Lineage of Desiree Martinez By Lorraine Escobar, CG Page 40 of 40
Year Joaquin Martinez/ Bert Coffman Carl Kieselhorst Antonio J. Martinez b. 1880, Kansas b. 1890, Kansas 1900 - In Kansas Census 1905 - In Kansas 1908 Living in Montebello Antonio born there 1910 Temescal, Riverside Co. San Antonio, LA Co. San Antonio, LA Co. Census Farm Laborer Sheet 4B Sheet 3A Grocery Man Grocery Store Man 1910 Marie born in Corona, Riverside Co. Laborer 1912 Davie born near Montebello Laborer Brickyard 1914 John Martinez Parents living in Montebello Laborer 1917 Marie born in Monterey Park [San Antonio] R.D.6, Los Angeles Laborer 1918 Los Angeles, LA Co. , Rt. 6 Montebello, LA Co. Montebello, LA Co. (WWI Draft Card) (WWI Draft Card) (WWI Draft Card) Oil Well Worker Merchant Grocer 1920 San Antonio, LA Co., San Antonio, LA Co. San Antonio, LA Co. Census Sheet 4A Sheet 18B Sheet 4A Farmer Hardware Merchant Butcher /Market 1930 Montebello, LA Co. Montebello, LA Co. Montebello, LA Co. Census Sheet 7A Sheet 8A Sheet 10B Laborer, Odd Jobs Hardware Merchant Own Office 1940 Montebello, LA Co. Montebello, LA Co. Montebello, LA Co. Census Sheet 64A Sheet 61A Sheet 8A Laborer, Construction Retail Hardware Production Manager Oil Well Industry
40