Pablo de la Portilla was a soldier and pioneer in nineteenth-century
California.
Capt. Portilla served in the frontier
Spanish army.
He arrived in 1819 with his troops on the ''Cossack'' from
Mazatlán,
Mexico.
These were reinforcements to protect
Mission San Buenaventura against
Mohave (Colorado River) Indians. They were attached to the
Presidio of Santa Barbara.
Capt. Portilla took part in the 1831 Mexican Revolution.
Capt. Portilla was nominally
Commandant
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 ...
whenever he was present there, during the years 1835–1838, although he was not stationed there. He was there during campaigns of varying success to protect against
Kumeyaay
The Kumeyaay, also known as Tipai-Ipai or by their historical Spanish name Diegueño, is a tribe of Indigenous peoples of the Americas who live at the northern border of Baja California in Mexico and the southern border of California in the Unit ...
Indian attacks.
He also led a
punitive expedition against the
Chumash Revolt in Santa Barbara in 1824, traveling to the southern
San Joaquin Valley.
For his efforts
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, when
secularized
In sociology, secularization (or secularisation) is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious values and secular institutions. The ''secularization thesis'' expresses the ...
by the Mexican Government in 1834, was turned over to Portilla, along with future Governor
Pío Pico
Don Pío de Jesús Pico (May 5, 1801 – September 11, 1894) was a Californio politician, ranchero, and entrepreneur, famous for serving as the last governor of California (present-day U.S. state of California) under Mexican rule. A member of ...
. Father
Buenaventura Fortuna
Buenaventura (Spanish, 'good fortune', and the name of Saint Bonaventure) or Buena Ventura may refer to:
People
*Buenaventura Báez (1812-1884), president of the Dominican Republic for five terms
*Buenaventura Bagaria (1882–1947), a Spanish sp ...
surrendered Mission San Luis Rey and all its holdings, including
Las Flores Estancia and the
San Antonio de Pala Asistencia, to government ''comisianados'' (commissioners) Pío Pico and Portilla on August 22, 1835; the assessed value of "Rancho de Pala" was $15,363.25.
San Antonio de Pala Asistencia
/ref>
The secularization occurred after Mexico won independence from Spain. The land was supposed to be returned to the natives, but most of it went to Mexican officials and their friends.
See also
* Spanish colonization of the Americas
Spain began colonizing the Americas under the Crown of Castile and was spearheaded by the Spanish . The Americas were invaded and incorporated into the Spanish Empire, with the exception of Brazil, British America, and some small regions ...
External links
"The Lash of Greed", ''The Silver Dons''
by Richard F. Pourade (1963)
References
Year of birth missing
Year of death missing
Military personnel from California
People of Alta California
People of Mexican California
Californios
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