Los Pobladores

Los Pobladores, the Founders of El Pueblo de Los Angeles

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LOS POBLADORES

In 1779, eight years after the founding of Mission San Gabriel, and ten years after the first land expedition to present day California, King Carlos III of Spain gave the order to establish a pueblo (town) near the Mission in Alta California (present day Southern California). The pueblo was to be known as El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles (The Town of the Queen of Angels). It took two years to recruit 44 people (11 families), known as LOS POBLADORES (the Settlers), to make the 1,200 mile journey from Sinaloa and Sonora, México (New Spain) to the new pueblo. In February, 1781 two groups left from Los Alamos and made the six month journey to San Gabriel Mission. Met by Governor Filipe de Neve, Los Pobladores were then taken to the pueblo, about eight miles west of the Mission along the banks of the Los Angeles River to start their new life and to establish what would eventually become one of the greatest cities in the world.

ROUTE OF LOS POBLADORES TO EL PUEBLO DE LA REINA DE LOS ANGELES

This is a map of the route Los Pobladores (the Settlers) took from February, 1781 through August, 1781. There were two groups that left from Los Alamos, Mexico (New Spain) and they eventually met at San Gabriel Mission. They then went 8 miles further to found El Pueblo de Los Angeles on September 4, 1781, based on a plan prepared by Governor Filipe de Neve. Twelve families started the journey to El Pueblo, but only eleven families (44 people), along with a military escort, reached El Pueblo de Los Angeles.

El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument contains many historical markers. What follows are the plaques, in addition to information, dedicated to the brave soldiers and courageous eleven Poblador families who founded El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles on September 4, 1781. Much of the information written here comes directly from the plaques themselves.

	SOLDADOS DE ESPAÑA The 1781 escolta that accompanied the Pobladores from Mission San Gabriel to the Pueblo de Los Angeles on 4 September, 1781. Jose Vicente Feliz, Español, Aged 40 Roque Jacinto Cota, Español, Aged 57 Antonio Cota, Españo, Aged 49 Francisco Salvador Lugo, Español, Aged 41 Dedicated on September 4, 1990 by Los Pobladores 200, descendants of the Pobladores and Soldados
	MANUEL CAMERO, (age 30, Mulato) came from Acaponeta, Nayarit and María Tomasa Garcia, (age 24, Mulata) came from Rosario, Sinaloa. The Cameros were childless, but lated adopted two Indian orphans from Los Angeles. Manuel Camero, who served as a Los Angeles regidor (councilman) died in 1819, while Tomasa Garcia survived until 1844.
	JOSÉ FERNANDO DE VALASCO LARA (age 50, Spaniard) came from Cádiz, Spain and his wife, María Antonia Campos (age 23, Indian) came from Cosala, Sinaloa. They had three children. As one of the three families who requested to be released from the pueblo of Los Angeles, Lara became mayordomo (foreman) for San Antonio Mission. When it was discovered his first wife was still alive, Lara was sent back to central mexico. María Antonia Campos later married a soldier, Luis Lugo. Several children surnamed Lara later lived in Santa Barbara. Lara died in 1783.
	ANTONIO MESA (age 38, Black) and his wife, María Ana Gertrudis López (age 27, Mulata) came from Alamos, Sonora. They had two children. Dissatisfied with farming life in Los Angeles, the Mesa family requested a return to their home in Alamos where Antonio Mesa worked in the silver mines.
	JOSÉ MORENO (age 22, Mulato) and his wife, María Guadalupe Pérez (age 19, Mulata) came from Rosario, Sinaloa. José and María were married in September 18, 1780, just before the began their long journey to found Los Angeles. The Moreno family was successful in farming in Los Angeles and lived in the pueblo for many years. José Moreno, who served as los Angeles regidor (councilman) died in 1809 and is buried in the San Gabriel Mission. Guadalupe Moreno died in 1860, at the age of about 100, the last original adult poblador to die. They had no children.
	JOSÉ NAVARRO (age 42, Mestizo) and his wife, María Regina Dorotea Soto (age 47, Mulata) came from Rosario, Sinaloa. They had three children. Although Navarro was transferred to Monterey for bad conduct, some of his children remained in the pueblo. José Navarro is buried in Mission Dolores in San Francisco.
	LUIS QUINTERO (age 55, Black) came from Guadalajara, Jalisco and his wife, María Petra Rubio (age 40, Mulata) came from Alamos, Sonora. They had five children. The Quintero family, along with the Lara family, moved to Ventura to help establish the Mission San Buenaventura in 1782. The Quintero family later moved to Santa Barbara, where their daughters lived and were married to soldiers of the presidio. Luis Quintero, who died in Santa Barbara 1810, was the tailor for Santa Barbara for many years.
	PABLO RODRIGUEZ (age 25, Indian) came from Real de Santa Rosa, jalisco, and his wife, María Rosalia Noriega (age 26, Indian) came from Rosario, Sinaloa. The had one child. The family moved to San Luis Rey and San Diego in 1796 as Pablo Rodriguez became the mayordomo (foreman) of these missions. Pablo Rodriguez died in 1816 and is buried at the Mission San Juan Capistrano.
	ALEJANDRO ROSAS (age 19, Indian), son of Basilio Rosas and Manuela Hernandez married Juana María Rodriguez (age 20, Indian) at San Blas, Sinaloa while on route to Los Angeles. Juana María Rodriguez died in 1788, and Alejandro Rosas followed her a month later. They had no children.
	BASILIO ROSAS (age 67, Indian) came from Nombre de Dios, Durango and his wife, María Manuela Hernández (age 43, Mulata) came from Rosario, Sinaloa. At age 67, Rosas was the eldest of the pobladores and lived to the age of 95. The Rosas family brought seven children with them. Two sons, Carlos and Máximo married Indian women from nearby Gabrielino villages. Basilio Rosas died in 1809 and is buried in the San Gabriel Mission.
	JOSÉ VANEGAS (age 28, Indian) came from Real de Bolaños, Jalisco, and his wife, María Bonifacia Aguilar (age 20, Indian) came from Roasrio, Sinaloa. In 1788, José Vanegas became the first alcalde (mayor) of Los Angeles and served until 1789. he served a second term in 1796. As alcalde, he served as both mayor and judge. He later became mayordomo (foreman) of Mission San Luis Rey. Their son, Cosme, owned Carpenteria Rancho in 1833.
	ANTONIO FELIZ CLEMENTE VILLAVICENCIO (age 30, Spaniard) was from the city of Chihuahua, and his wife, Marí de los Santos Flores (age 26, Indian) was from Batopilas, Chihuahua. the family moved to Santa Barbara in 1797, where their adopted daughter, Josefa Peñuelas, had married a soldier. Antonio Feliz Clemente Villavicencio died in Santa Barbara in 1802.

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