Francisco María Ruiz (1754–1839) was an early settler of

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...

Ruiz was born 1754 in Loreto, Baja California. He enlisted in the army when he was 26 and sent to

Upper California Alta California ('Upper California'), also known as ('New California') among other names, was a province of New Spain, formally established in 1804. Along with the Baja California peninsula, it had previously comprised the province of , but ...

. He was promoted from sergeant to lieutenant in 1805 in Santa Barbara and transferred to San Diego. Lieutenant Ruiz was Acting

Commandant Commandant ( or ) is a title often given to the officer in charge of a military (or other uniformed service) training establishment or academy. This usage is common in English-speaking nations. In some countries it may be a military or police ran ...

of the

Presidio of San Diego El Presidio Real de San Diego (Royal Presidio of San Diego) is a historic fort in San Diego, California. It was established on May 14, 1769, by Gaspar de Portolá, leader of the first European land exploration of Alta California—at that time an ...

during 1809–1820 then Captain and Commandant during September 1821–1827. During this time, the Presidio was relinquished by the Spanish on April 20, 1822. Captain Ruiz retired in 1827 at the age of 73. In 1823 Captain Ruiz received the first private land grant in present San Diego County, the

Rancho Los Peñasquitos Rancho or Ranchos may refer to: Settlements and communities *Rancho, Aruba, former fishing village and neighbourhood of Oranjestad *Ranchos of California, 19th century land grants in Alta California **List of California Ranchos *Ranchos, Buenos Ai ...

(Little Cliffs Ranch). This area is still known as

Rancho Peñasquitos Rancho or Ranchos may refer to: Settlements and communities *Rancho, Aruba, former fishing village and neighbourhood of Oranjestad *Ranchos of California, 19th century land grants in Alta California **List of California Ranchos *Ranchos, Buenos Ai ...

. Ruiz built an adobe home in the western part of the Ranch, at the eastern end of

Sorrento Valley Sorrento Valley is a neighborhood of San Diego, California. It is located about 17 mi (27 km) north of Downtown San Diego and its main airport, Lindbergh Field. It is roughly bounded by Interstate 5 and Interstate 805, Camino Santa Fe to ...

. Some walls of the adobe still stand, and are protected with a shed roof. He kept his home in San Diego and only occasionally visited his ranch. In 1837 Ruiz sold his ranch to his great nephew Francisco María Alvarado who cared for him in his old age. Ruiz never married, and died in 1839.William E. Smythe History of San Diego 1542 - 1908
/ref>

References

External links

* "Los Peñasquitos Rancho", ''Historic Ranchos of San Diego'' by Cecil C. Moyer, Richard F. Pourade, ed. (1960) {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruiz, Francisco Maria 1754 births 1839 deaths Military personnel from California People from San Diego People of Alta California People of Mexican California People from Loreto Municipality, Baja California Sur Californios

See also

References

External links