José María De Echeandía
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José María de Echeandía (?–1871) was the Mexican governor of
Alta California Alta California (, ), also known as Nueva 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 was made a separat ...
from 1825 to 1831 and again from 1832 to 1833. He was the only governor of The Californias that lived in
San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
.José Bandini, in a note to Governor Echeandía or to his son Juan Bandini, a member of the Territorial Deputation (legislature), noted that Alta California was bounded "on the east, where the Government has not yet established the xactborder line, by either the
Colorado River The Colorado River () is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The river, the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), 5th longest in the United St ...
or the great Sierra (''Sierra Nevadas'')." ''A Description of California in 1828 by José Bandini'' (Berkeley, Friends of the Bancroft Library, 1951), 3. Reprinted in ''Mexican California'' (New York, Arno Press, 1976).


Personal life

He was a Lieutenant-Colonel connected with a college of engineers in Mexico. He moved to north to Monterey at appointment, leaving his wife and four daughters in Mexico with an olive oil mill he owned. He asked Mexico to give half of his government pay to his Wife. In 1855, he returned to Mexico to find his wife was paid no money and his mill not doing well, with his fortunes turned and he found himself poor. In 1835, there was an earthquake. Being an engineer he was in demand to repair the many damaged buildings and was able to get out of poverty.
Antonio López de Santa Anna Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876),Callcott, Wilfred H., "Santa Anna, Antonio Lopez De,''Handbook of Texas Online'' Retrieved 18 April 2017. often known as Santa Anna, wa ...
arrested him in 1855 for a political reasons on something Echeandía negatively said about him, but he was then released. He returned to
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
and lived there with his daughters, even after the U.S. takeover in 1847 he continued in California until his death in 1871. He had step-daughters to care for him in his old age.


Governor

In 1825, Echeandía was appointed Governor of both lower Baja and upper Alta California. He moved to
Monterey, California Monterey ( ; ) is a city situated on the southern edge of Monterey Bay, on the Central Coast (California), Central Coast of California. Located in Monterey County, California, Monterey County, the city occupies a land area of and recorded a popu ...
, as this was the current capital. Not liking the cold fog and that he felt too far away from Baja, he moved to San Diego. Most of the administrative office stayed in Monterey. Much of the north
Californio Californios (singular Californio) are Californians of Spaniards, Spanish descent, especially those descended from settlers of the 17th through 19th centuries before California was annexed by the United States. California's Spanish language in C ...
were not happy with this absent leader. He appointed Military officer José María Padré as a Lit. Governor of Baja California. Padré was elected to Mexico's congress in 1828. Padré appointed a lower level office in his place, but his did not go over well. In 1829 Manuel Victoria was sent to be the governor Baja California. Victoria was more on the side of the missions over the new rancho and Californio. In 1826 Governor Echeandía had Jedediah Smith and his men "arrested", interviewed, released and ordered to depart California, as he was fearful that Smith's reports would open the area to
Americans Americans are the Citizenship of the United States, citizens and United States nationality law, nationals of the United States, United States of America.; ; Law of the United States, U.S. federal law does not equate nationality with Race (hu ...
. Echeandía reduced the area and time span of
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sea otter hunting off the coast of California, that his predecessor Luis Antonio Argüello had licensed to the Russians. In 1827, Echeandía did not deport Father José Barona a priest of Mission San Juan Capistrano. Barona supported Independence of Mexico; but would not swear an oath of allegiance to the republic of Mexico. The Mexican government passed legislation on December 20, 1827, that mandated the expulsion of all Spaniards younger than sixty years of age from Mexican territories; Governor Echeandía nevertheless intervened on Barona's behalf in order to prevent his deportation once the law of took effect in California. In 1828, Echeandía issued the first truancy law of California. It ordered the commanding officers to compel parents to send their children to the schools which he had established. In 1829, throughout Alta California, there were 339 students in 11 primary schools. During this time a noted educator in San Diego was Friar Antonio Menendez and his 18 pupils. Private schools operated throughout this time in California also. After Victoria's removal Echeandía started serving as provisional governor of the south part of California from 1832 to 1833. Agustin V. Zamorano from 1832 to 1833 was the provisional governor of north part of California. This was due to the removal of Victoria. The removal was in part due to a military uprising revolt and the Battle of Cahuenga Pass and Victoria was not liked by the rich. In 1829, soldiers who had not been paid for years marched south starting in Monterey. Echeandía heard about the unrest and had his troops stop them just before Santa Barbara. In 1829, Estanislao, an indigenous
alcalde ''Alcalde'' (; ) is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and Administration (government), administrative functions. An ''alcalde'' was, in the absence of a corregidor (position), corregidor, the presiding officer o ...
, of Mission San José and a member and leader of the Lakisamni tribe of the Yokuts people of
northern California Northern California (commonly shortened to NorCal) is a geocultural region that comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California, spanning the northernmost 48 of the state's List of counties in California, 58 counties. Northern Ca ...
lead a bands of armed Native Americans in revolt against the California Mexican government. Estanislao led many raids against Mexican settlers. Echeandía send troops led by Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo to battle him in the
San Joaquin Valley The San Joaquin Valley ( ; Spanish language in California, Spanish: ''Valle de San Joaquín'') is the southern half of California's Central Valley (California), Central Valley. Famed as a major breadbasket, the San Joaquin Valley is an importa ...
but did not win. In 1833,
malaria Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...
was introduced into the San Joaquin Valley by Canadian beaver trappers from the
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. More than 20,000 California natives died from malaria in 1833 including many Yokuts, Chumash,
Miwok The Miwok (also spelled Miwuk, Mi-Wuk, or Me-Wuk) are members of four linguistically related Native Americans in the United States, Native American groups indigenous to what is now Northern California, who traditionally spoke one of the Miwok lan ...
and others, thus ending the revolts. Governor José Figueroa arrived from Mexico in 1833, resolving the north–south political struggle and replaced Echeandía on January 14, 1833. Figueroa continued the
secularization In sociology, secularization () is a multilayered concept that generally denotes "a transition from a religious to a more worldly level." There are many types of secularization and most do not lead to atheism or irreligion, nor are they automatica ...
of missions and giving out of Mexican land grants.


Proclamation of Emancipation

Echeandía as the first native Mexican elected Governor of Alta California issued a "Proclamation of Emancipation" (or "''Prevenciónes de Emancipacion''") on July 25, 1826. All Indians within the military districts of San Diego Mission, Santa Barbara, and Monterey who were found qualified were freed from missionary rule and made eligible to become Mexican citizens. Those who wished to remain under mission tutelage (guardianship) were exempted from most forms of
corporal punishment A corporal punishment or a physical punishment is a punishment which is intended to cause physical pain to a person. When it is inflicted on Minor (law), minors, especially in home and school settings, its methods may include spanking or Padd ...
. By 1830 even those new to California appeared confident in their own abilities to operate the mission ranches and farms independently; the ''padres'', however, doubted the capabilities of their charges in this regard. In 1831, the number of Indians under missionary control in all of Upper-Alta California was about 18,683 and about 4,342 of
garrison A garrison is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a military base or fortified military headquarters. A garrison is usually in a city ...
soldiers, free settlers, and "other classes" totaled 4,342. New immigration of both Mexican and foreigners, increased pressure on the Alta California government to seize the mission properties and dispossess the natives in accordance with Echeandía's directive. Despite the fact that Echeandía's emancipation plan was met with little encouragement from the newcomers who populated the southern missions, he was nonetheless determined to test the scheme on a large scale at Mission San Juan Capistrano. To that end, he appointed a number of ''comisionados'' (commissioners) to oversee the emancipation of the Indians. The Mexican government passed legislation on December 20, 1827 that mandated the expulsion of all
Spaniards Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance-speaking ethnic group native to the Iberian Peninsula, primarily associated with the modern nation-state of Spain. Genetically and ethnolinguistically, Spaniards belong to the broader Southern a ...
younger than sixty years of age from Mexican territories; Governor Echeandía nevertheless intervened on behalf of some of the Spanish-born
Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...
s missionaries in order to prevent their deportation once the law took effect in California. he knew this would leave most missions without missionaries priests. In 1830 as Governor he had Father Martinez arrested on charge of treason, and banished the Father from the Mexican territories.


Mission secularization

Echeandía supported the Mexican secularization act of 1833 put on the Alta California missions. The act started the redistribution of the land holdings of the church to land grant ranchos. Echeandía did not take any Ranchos for himself. While the secularization act was passed after Echeandía departed office. In 1827, one of his sub lieutenant José Antonio Sánchez, who was stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco, was granted permission by Echeandía to occupy the a rancho, Rancho Buri Buri, for "grazing and agricultural purposes" on the Mission San Francisco de Asís's Mission Dolores lands. The land later was granted to him in 1835, by Governor José Castro. In 1827 Rancho Jamul to Pío Pico, land of In 1827 he made a land grant of Rancho El Rosario on Baja California, to Don José Manuel Machado, one of the first soldiers stationed at the Presidio of San Diego. In 1828 he granted Rancho La Brea land of in present-day
Los Angeles County, California Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles and sometimes abbreviated as LA County, is the List of United States counties and county equivalents, most populous county in the United States, with 9,663,345 residents estimated in 202 ...
. The land was given to Antonio Jose Rocha and Nemisio Dominguez by José Antonio Carrillo, the Alcalde of Los Angeles. Rancho La Brea consisted of one square league of land of what is now Wilshire's Miracle Mile, Hollywood, and parts of West Hollywood. The grant included the famous
La Brea Tar Pits La Brea Tar Pits comprise an active Paleontological site, paleontological research site in urban Los Angeles. Hancock Park was formed around a group of tar pits where natural Bitumen, asphalt (also called asphaltum, bitumen, or pitch; ''brea'' ...
. In 1829 Echeandía made a land grant of Rancho Tía Juana to Santiago Arguello, paymaster at the Presidio of San Diego and part of the revolt against Governor Manuel Victoria. It covered 26,019.53 acres in what is now
Tijuana Tijuana is the most populous city of the Mexican state of Baja California, located on the northwestern Pacific Coast of Mexico. Tijuana is the municipal seat of the Tijuana Municipality, the hub of the Tijuana metropolitan area and the most popu ...
and parts of San Ysidro in San Diego. "The Rancho Tía Juana (Tijuana) Grant" by Antonio Padilla Corona, ''The Journal of San Diego History'' Vol.50, (Winter/Spring 2004)
/ref> In 1829 Echeandía gave a land grant to Rancho Janal of in present-day San Diego County. The grant was to José Antonio Estudillo a lieutenant at the Presidio of San Diego.Ogden Hoffman, 1862, ''Reports of Land Cases Determined in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California'', Numa Hubert, San Francisco The grant was located near present-day Otay Mesa. Even though Echeandía had already been replaced as governor, he still appointed Alvarado to oversee the secularization of Mission San Miguel. The new governor, Manuel Victoria rescinded the order and wanted Alvarado and Castro arrested. The pair fled and were hidden by their old friend Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, who was now
adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an Officer (armed forces), officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of “human resources” in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed ...
at the Presidio of San Francisco. However, Victoria's rule proved to be unpopular and he was overthrown by Echeandía, then replaced by Pío Pico at the end of 1831. In 1829 he grants land of Rancho Tecate to Juan Bandini. The grant was for 4,439 acres (18 km2) of land in the valley of
Tecate Tecate () is a city in Tecate Municipality, Baja California. It is across the Mexico–United States border, Mexico–US border from Tecate, California. As of 2019, the city had a population of 108,860 inhabitants, while the metropolitan area ha ...
in Baja California, near San Diego. A grant to Juan Bandini is recorded as being completed for Rancho Cañada de Tecate on July 12, 1834 under governor José Figueroa. He granted Rancho Temescal in present-day
Riverside County, California Riverside County is a County (United States), county located in the Southern California, southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, its population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most ...
to Leandro Serrano. The
actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
Ben Wright played Governor Echeandia in the 1960 episode "Forbidden Wedding" of the syndicated
television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
anthology series An anthology series is a written series, radio, television, film, or video game series that presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a different ca ...
''
Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American Western (genre), Western anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program was ...
'', hosted by Stanley Andrews. In the story line, Echeandia objects to the wedding of a young woman who once spurned his affections.


See also

* List of pre-statehood governors of California * List of Ranchos of California * Rancho Suey * Henry D. Fitch * William Edward Petty Hartnell * Agustín V. Zamorano - Secretary of State to Governor José María Echeandía.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Echeandia, Jose Maria De Californios American politicians of Mexican descent Politicians from San Francisco Year of birth missing 1871 deaths Governors of Alta California