- Estanislao
Estanislao ("ca." 1798 – 1838) was a member of the
Yokut people, Native Americans of northern and centralCalifornia . Born in about 1793 on the Laquisimas River, today known as theStanislaus River , near present dayModesto, CA . At the age of 28 onSeptember 24 ,1821 he moved toMission San Jose , in what is nowFremont, California . Estanislao was the "alcalde " of the community before he left the mission with about 400 followers in 1827.The group began raiding the Missions San Jose, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz and Mexican settlers in the area around the Laquisimas River (now the
Stanislaus River ; during the later Mexican era, this river was called "Rio Estanislao"). Estanislao was joined by Chumash Indians lead byPacomio and by otherYokut s until at one time his army had 4,000 men. Estanislao educated his men in battle techniques he had learned from Spanish and Mexican soldiers. His raids were characterized as sudden, usually involving a trap, and ending with no loss of life, and he would sometimes use his sword to carve his initial, "S", authenticating his handiwork.The Franciscan friars and Mexican settlers pleaded for help from the Mexican army. Finally, the Governor called the army into action. Three expeditions from the
Presidio of San Francisco and thePresidio of Monterey failed to subdue the band. A fourth, larger force led by GeneralMariano Guadalupe Vallejo finally ousted Estanislao and his people from the Laquisimas River in the Spring of 1829. Both Vallejo and Estanislao were accused of brutality and atrocities by their forces in the battle.Estanislao returned briefly to the Mission San Jose on
May 31 ,1829 to ask FatherNarciso Duran for forgiveness for his men and himself. Father Duran successfully petitioned GovernorJosé María de Echeandía to pardon Estanislao. The pardon was granted for Estanislao and his men onOctober 7 ,1829 .Estanislao returned to the Laquisimas River to lead his people.
Yoscolo , a Yokut Indian from the Mission Santa Clara, joined Estanislao's group in 1831. Yoscolo brought several hundred Indians with him from the Mission Santa Clara. Yoscolo and Estanislao led many raids against Mexican settlers. Yoscolo was different from Estanislao and did not mind killing Mexican settlers if he had to. Yoscolo sometimes wore a mask during his raids.During the spring of 1833,
malaria was introduced into theSan Joaquin Valley by Canadian beaver trappers from theHudson's Bay Company . More than 20,000 California natives died from malaria that spring, includingYokuts , Chumash,Miwok and others.On
August 24 ,1834 , Estanislao returned to the Mission San Jose and prospered there while teaching others the Yokuts language and culture. He remained at the Mission until his death, possibly fromsmallpox , onJuly 31 ,1838 . The Stanislaus River and Stanislaus County are named in his honor. There are many Californians who believe that Estanislao was the realZorro .References
*cite web | author=A. Louis Koue | year=1960 | url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=hhdatapage&fileName=ca/ca0000/ca0006/data/hhdatapage.db&recNum=0&itemLink=D?hh:13:./temp/~ammem_qa9N:: | title=Mission San Jose de Guadalupe | work=Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record | publisher=Library of Congress | accessdate=2006-01-24
*cite book | author=Alan Rosenus | title=General Vallejo and the advent of the Americans | year=1995 | isbn=1-890771-21-X
*cite book | author=Thorne B. Gray | title=The Stanislaus Indian Wars the Last of the California Northern Yokuts | year=1993 | isbn=0-930349-01-6
*cite book | author=Dorothy Krell et al | title=A Sunset Book The California Missions a Pictorial History | year=1979 | isbn=0-376-05172-8
*cite book | author=James D. Adams | title=Estanislao - Warrior, Man of God | year=2006 | isbn=0-9763091-2-2
*cite book | author=Frank F. Latta | title=Handbook of Yokuts Indians | publisher=Brewer's Historical Press, Exeter
year=1999 | isbn=1-892622-09-2
*cite book | author=Bruce W. Miller | title=Chumash: A Picture of Their World | publisher=Sand River Press, Los Osos
year=1988 | isbn=0-944627-51-X
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