Person Record
Metadata
Name |
Arguello, Luis Antonio |
Notes |
Luis Arguello's father Jose Dario Arguello and his young wife had arrived in California from Mexico with the Rivera Party in 1781. Luis followed his father into military service and the eventual command of the San Francisco Presidio. Luis Antionio Aguello became the first native Californian to be named Governor of Alta California by the Spanish government. The new Mexican government that followed then criticized him for being too soft on the locals, and he was replaced in 1825. Luis Antonio died in 1830 and is buried at Mission Dolores in San Francisco. The Arguello family had claimed a large grant made to them under the king of Spain in 1795, but no documents supported this. Title was made clear, however, under a Mexican grant in 1835 to the widow and children of Luis Arguello. This rancho amounted to 35,250-acres. They had been absentee rancheros, remaining in San Francisco or Monterey. Only two simple structures were constructed on the property. These were presumably for the use of the herdsmen. One of the old adobe buildings still exists, having been moved to Woodside in order to preserve it. The land from San Mateo Creek to San Francisquito Creek amounted to the largest land grant in San Mateo County. It was called Rancho de las Pulgas. The word pulgas means "fleas" in Spanish and the name is believed to have derived from a problem experienced by Portola's men some years before. After American takeover in 1846, Dona Maria Soledad moved with her family to the property in order to save it. It is thought that she lived in an adobe house near today's San Carlos. Squatters had already moved onto the land around Redwood Slough. The family engaged the services of lawyer Simon Mezes to fight to retain their title. He charged a 15% commission in the form of property, as the Arguellos were land rich but cash poor, as were most of the rancheros. Mezes picked the best 5,000 acres, acquiring the area around today's Redwood City and Belmont when the case was successfully settled. The Arguellos sold off or subdivided the balance of their land. (Joan Levy/2011) |
Born |
June 21, 1784 |
Birthplace |
San Francisco |
Deceased |
March 27, 1830 |
Deceased where |
San Francisco |
Occupation |
Soldier, explorer, politician, ranch owner |
Titles & honors |
Governor of California (Under Spain & Mexico) |
Places of residence |
San Francisco Monterey |
Father |
Jose Dario Arguello |
Mother |
Maria Ignacia Moraga |
Spouse |
Rafaela Antonia Sal y Amezquita (1806);, Maria Soledad Ortega (1822), |
Children |
(+2 sons by Rafaela) 1823 - Maria Concepcion Francisca 1825 - Maria Josefa Antonia 1827 - Maria Ramona Francisca 1828 - Jose Ramon Antonio 1830 - Luis Antonio Gonzaga Tranquilino |
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Tales of Old Menlo - Cleese, John I.
Tales of Old Menlo by John I. Cleese, 1994. Menlo Park Historical Association, Menlo Park, CA. This book is about the history of Menlo Park and contains primary source autobiography, biography, and secondary source history. 96 pages
Record Type: Library
