Don Don, don or DON and variants may refer to: Places *County Donegal, Ireland, Chapman code DON *Don (river), a river in European Russia *Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name *Don, Benin, a town in Benin *Don, Dang, a vill ...

Felipe Antonio de Goicoechea was born in 1747 in

Cosalá Cosalá () is a small city and the seat of its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. It stands at . The city reported 6,577 inhabitants in the 2010 census. Overview Cosalá is located 155 km. from state capital Culi ...

Sinaloa Sinaloa (), officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sinaloa), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is d ...

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. He joined the Spanish military at age 35 as a cadet. In June 1782, was promoted to alférez. In 1783 while serving in the presidial company of

Buenavista Buenavista may refer to: Colombia *Buenavista, Boyacá, a municipality in the department of Boyacá *Buenavista, Córdoba, a municipality in the department of Córdoba *Buenavista, Sucre, a municipality in the department of Sucre *Buenavista, Qu ...

(Lower California), Don Felipe was commissioned as lieutenant and received orders to proceed to

Alta 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 ...

to take command of the Presidio of Santa Barbara. He assumed command in Santa Bárbara on January 25, 1784, taking over from José Francisco Ortega. He supervised construction of the fortifications and living quarters for the soldiers and their families and remained in command until 1802. The Presidio was built based on designs he drew up in 1788. In 1805 he was appointed governor of the province of

Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...

, but did not assume office until 1806. He held that position until his death in 1814 at Loreto, Baja California Sur.

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