Los Pobladores

Los Pobladores or "The Settlers"

During the days of Colonial Spain, in what is today the Pacific Southwest of the United States, a group of 44 individuals or people in 11 to 15 families of mixed culture, migrated northward from Loreto, Baja California, Sonora and Sinaloa, New Spain, in what is present-day Mexico, to Alta-California. This also included four colonial Spanish soldiers and their families, totalling 71 individuals in what is today The State of California. These "Pobladores" or settlers of their day, would gather in an area known as "Pueblo Los Angeles". It is known today as The City of Los Angeles. Other pobladores would follow. Additionally, other important pueblos or towns would also be established in Alta-California and elsewhere in "New Spain". These early immigrant settlers would come as far as Central and South America, Asia, Europe and the expanding new nation of The United States.

A Little Pre-History

This area of what is now the Southwest section of the United States, was primal desert land. Many desert type animals made it their habitat. Various Native Americans also settled in this region as well, dating back thousands of years. In the early 1500s, to the mid-1600s, the country of Spain, sent many of their people and vessels to explore this region for reasons of conquest. Eventually, it would be established as a colony for Spain. It was not an easy task, as "New Spain" had to be fully settled. In the settling of this frontier region, some, but not all of the Native American nations living in the region agreed with Spanish and Mission domination. Various revolts ensued in lesser or greater degrees. In December 1775, Mission San Diego had to be relocated away from the Royal Presidio San Diego, to a location in what is now Mission Valley, about 8 miles east of San Diego. The original mission and presidio were located above what is called "Old Town San Diego".

The Mission, Presidio and Pueblo Periods

In various areas of Colonial New Spain, a series of four military forts or "presidios" were established, in the attempt to bring law-order, and civilization in various areas of interest. Along side or near these presidios, Missions were also established as well. Some succeeded, while some failed. The first presidio in Alta California was at San Diego in 1769, followed by Monterey and San Francisco in 1776, and Santa Barbara in 1782. The Royal Presidio of Loreto, Baja California Sur was established in 1697.

The French and Indian War

During and after The French and Indian War (1754-1763), Spain was supportive of France, but the war almost left Spain financially bankrupt, and in need for more revenue. Most of the colonial possessions of Europe at the time were an important source for that revenue. Pressures of all various levels, from heavy taxation to trade embargos were put on most of the colony's back. With "incursions" from Imperial Russia and Great Britain, on the Northern most borders of Colonial Spain (after September 1821, it was known as Mexico), brought about the unwelcomed threat of invasion. Spain had to populate the Northern regions better and it had to be re-established urgently for the protection of those borders.

A Land of Opportunity

To promote quick population growth, Spain began to expand the Presidio, Mission, and Pueblo System in New Spain's "El Norte" region. Establishing Alta-California's Presidio in 1769 San Diego, and the offering of so called "Free Land" to any Spanish/Hispanic civilian willing and able to settle in the region. It was in Spain's hope that it would ease their political and growing economic problems.

Portola, Anza and Rivera

Of the various expeditions that were created to bring more civilization and population, the 1769 Gaspar de Portolà Expedition from the Presidio and Port of Loreto, Baja California, to the Bays of San Diego, Monterey and San Francisco, Alta California, and the 1775 Juan Bautista de Anza and Fernando Rivera y Moncada Expeditions were the most successful from what was called Colonial Mexico (Present day Mexico). It was a long and difficult trek, but many of a hard core group of families and individuals would complete the expeditions, most reaching the newly established outpost called Mission San Gabriel.

An Early Important Way Station

In Alta-California, Mission San Gabriel served as an important "Way Station" for these potential settlers. It was there, that the first of what would be many pueblos or towns to be established along the El Camino Real in Alta California and beyond. One of those pueblos that would be an important linchpin in the settlement of the region, known today as "Pueblo Los Angeles". Many of the Missions in California were along the El Camino Real from 1769 to the last one being built under Mexico in 1823.

The Mother of Pueblos

With the arrival of the various potential settlers to be processed at Mission San Gabriel in 1781, the final decisions were then made. Of the over 15 civilian settler families originally designated, only 11 civilian and four military families would fully qualify, quite an impressive number considering the long journey they had to endure. Along with them, there were various Spanish and colonial Spanish soldiers (the Leather Jacket Soldiers), mission priests, and individuals of importance. On September 4th, 1781, an escorted band of these people headed out from Mission San Gabriel. Approximately nine miles west of the mission, they eventually stopped nearby a small river (The Los Angeles River). Close by this small river, there was an already small established Tongva Native American village. Being previously surveyed earlier by the Spanish colonial government, Pueblo Los Angeles would finally be established... or so we assume? In 1776, a previous pueblo was established in San Jose to support both the Presidio's of San Francisco and Monterey.

Trial And Error

Not all the pueblos were successful or survived settlement. Like the early re-location of Mission San Gabriel to its present location, from unpredictable flooding of the San Gabriel River. Pueblo Los Angeles, had flooding problems with its own river. The old pueblo settlement would move twice, to its present location. In this period between 1781-1809, even some of original "Los Pobladores" gave up, and returned to Mission San Gabriel or toward San Diego. Some returned to the region of today's Mexico, never to return. Additional colonial pressures in Spain's economic support of the American Revolution was at times difficult for these developing pueblo settlements, but in a matter of time, things would settle down.

Mission and Spanish Land Granting Records

Most of the granting of land was controlled both by Spain and the Spanish colonial regional governments. For a time, the missions had separate control over their lands as well, but with the retirement of many Spanish colonial soldiers and officials, Spain issued "Land Grants" to them, from anything from gratitude, services rendered, to even partial payment compensation for their military pensions. Compared to the size of most pueblos, these land grants were massive in size. These Spanish landowners would become "The Great Rancheros", and these ranches would be a supportive addition to the developing pueblos. Most pueblo settlers and rancho owners would financially benefit immensely.

The Grand Pueblo-Rancho Period

With the success of the great ranchos of Alta-California and elsewhere, a number of the adjoining pueblos would thrive. Many of the original "Los Pobladores" and "Rancho Dons" would intermarry, creating strong family alliances. As Yankee Anglo shipping merchants from the newly formed United States began to trade and settle with the pueblo and rancho owners, they too would intermarry with the Californianos, and help form a very strong economic commerce base. Though some of these business alliances were incorporated, some remaining original pueblo-rancho-merchant family alliances still exist in variation to this day.

The City of Angels

The former Pueblo of Los Angeles and The Grand Ranchos as we knew them are gone, replaced by the metropolitan area of Greater Los Angeles. Today in celebration, many of the descendants of the original "Los Pobladores", with their great "rancho-" and "pioneer Yankee merchant"-descendant cousins, gather with other present day Angelenos on, or around, every September 4 at Mission San Gabriel to re-create the historic nine-mile walk to Old Pueblo Los Angeles, the site of The Los Angeles Pueblo Historic Monument and Pueblo at Olvera Street, to remember and preserve the heritage of The Old Pueblo, its people and what it had contributed toward the success of Los Angeles and Greater Southern California.

References

Contributing article by Alfred "Ed Moch" Cota and Robert E. Smith of The Los Pobladores 200 Heritage Association, descendants of the founding families of Los Angeles (http://www.lospobladores.org)