1769 Expedition to Alta California
1782 Established Presidio of Santa Barbara
José Francisco María Ortega y de la Guerra was the son of Francisco María José Ortega y [?] and María Magdalena Francisca de la Guerra y [?]. As a young man he crossed the Sea of Cortez to the Baja California Peninsula where he enlisted for 10 years as a soldado de cuera (leather jacket) at the Presidio of Loreto on October 1, 1755. After serving only 10 months he was promoted to cabo (corporal); and 6 months after that he was promoted to sargento (sergeant). Sergeant Ortega married María Antonia Victoria Carrillo y Millán at Loreto in 1759. When his 10-year enlistment expired in 1765, Ortega took a position as the crown's representative and tax collector at Real de Santa Ana mine, and also served as the mining community's alcalde (mayor). When Colonel Gaspar de Portolá arrived in Baja California in 1768 to organize the first land expedition to Alta California, Portolá enticed Ortega to re-enlist for another 10 years, then appointed him sergeant in charge of the accounts of the royal warehouse in preparation for the expedition. Ortega then accompanied the 1769 expedition and served as its chief scout. While on a reconnaissance he discovered a "great arm of the sea" that turned out to be San Francisco Bay. He was commissioned a lieutenant August 14, 1773, and had assumed command of the Presidio of San Diego by January 1, 1775. After serving as comandante at San Diego for almost 8 years, Lieutenant Ortega was ordered north to found the Presidio of Santa Barbara, which he did in April 1782. He remained as commander at Santa Barbara until 1784. After a short stint at El Rosario, Baja California, Ortega returned to Alta California and assumed command of the Presidio of Monterey from 1787 until 1791. He was then transferred back to Baja California to command the Presidio of Loreto. When Ortega retired after 40 years of military service in 1795 the Spanish crown brevetted him a captain ("el capitán") and awarded him a concession* of land along the coast just north of Santa Barbara - Rancho Nuestra Señora del Refugio. El Capitán and Refugio State Parks are a reminder of this. At age 63, while out riding on February 3, 1798, he fell from his horse and was taken to the nearby Chumash ranchería of Casíl where he soon died. His body was taken to Santa Bárbara and he was buried in the mission cemetery the following day (BP Death 00056).
(Crosby, Harry. Gateway to Alta California; pp 157-59)
* Unlike the Mexican land grants made after 1821 that could be transferred, inherited, or sold, a Spanish royal concession was made to an individual and the land reverted back to the Spanish Crown upon the death of the recipient. There were no "Spanish land grants" in California.
1782 Established Presidio of Santa Barbara
José Francisco María Ortega y de la Guerra was the son of Francisco María José Ortega y [?] and María Magdalena Francisca de la Guerra y [?]. As a young man he crossed the Sea of Cortez to the Baja California Peninsula where he enlisted for 10 years as a soldado de cuera (leather jacket) at the Presidio of Loreto on October 1, 1755. After serving only 10 months he was promoted to cabo (corporal); and 6 months after that he was promoted to sargento (sergeant). Sergeant Ortega married María Antonia Victoria Carrillo y Millán at Loreto in 1759. When his 10-year enlistment expired in 1765, Ortega took a position as the crown's representative and tax collector at Real de Santa Ana mine, and also served as the mining community's alcalde (mayor). When Colonel Gaspar de Portolá arrived in Baja California in 1768 to organize the first land expedition to Alta California, Portolá enticed Ortega to re-enlist for another 10 years, then appointed him sergeant in charge of the accounts of the royal warehouse in preparation for the expedition. Ortega then accompanied the 1769 expedition and served as its chief scout. While on a reconnaissance he discovered a "great arm of the sea" that turned out to be San Francisco Bay. He was commissioned a lieutenant August 14, 1773, and had assumed command of the Presidio of San Diego by January 1, 1775. After serving as comandante at San Diego for almost 8 years, Lieutenant Ortega was ordered north to found the Presidio of Santa Barbara, which he did in April 1782. He remained as commander at Santa Barbara until 1784. After a short stint at El Rosario, Baja California, Ortega returned to Alta California and assumed command of the Presidio of Monterey from 1787 until 1791. He was then transferred back to Baja California to command the Presidio of Loreto. When Ortega retired after 40 years of military service in 1795 the Spanish crown brevetted him a captain ("el capitán") and awarded him a concession* of land along the coast just north of Santa Barbara - Rancho Nuestra Señora del Refugio. El Capitán and Refugio State Parks are a reminder of this. At age 63, while out riding on February 3, 1798, he fell from his horse and was taken to the nearby Chumash ranchería of Casíl where he soon died. His body was taken to Santa Bárbara and he was buried in the mission cemetery the following day (BP Death 00056).
(Crosby, Harry. Gateway to Alta California; pp 157-59)
* Unlike the Mexican land grants made after 1821 that could be transferred, inherited, or sold, a Spanish royal concession was made to an individual and the land reverted back to the Spanish Crown upon the death of the recipient. There were no "Spanish land grants" in California.
1769 Expedition to Alta California
1782 Established Presidio of Santa Barbara
José Francisco María Ortega y de la Guerra was the son of Francisco María José Ortega y [?] and María Magdalena Francisca de la Guerra y [?]. As a young man he crossed the Sea of Cortez to the Baja California Peninsula where he enlisted for 10 years as a soldado de cuera (leather jacket) at the Presidio of Loreto on October 1, 1755. After serving only 10 months he was promoted to cabo (corporal); and 6 months after that he was promoted to sargento (sergeant). Sergeant Ortega married María Antonia Victoria Carrillo y Millán at Loreto in 1759. When his 10-year enlistment expired in 1765, Ortega took a position as the crown's representative and tax collector at Real de Santa Ana mine, and also served as the mining community's alcalde (mayor). When Colonel Gaspar de Portolá arrived in Baja California in 1768 to organize the first land expedition to Alta California, Portolá enticed Ortega to re-enlist for another 10 years, then appointed him sergeant in charge of the accounts of the royal warehouse in preparation for the expedition. Ortega then accompanied the 1769 expedition and served as its chief scout. While on a reconnaissance he discovered a "great arm of the sea" that turned out to be San Francisco Bay. He was commissioned a lieutenant August 14, 1773, and had assumed command of the Presidio of San Diego by January 1, 1775. After serving as comandante at San Diego for almost 8 years, Lieutenant Ortega was ordered north to found the Presidio of Santa Barbara, which he did in April 1782. He remained as commander at Santa Barbara until 1784. After a short stint at El Rosario, Baja California, Ortega returned to Alta California and assumed command of the Presidio of Monterey from 1787 until 1791. He was then transferred back to Baja California to command the Presidio of Loreto. When Ortega retired after 40 years of military service in 1795 the Spanish crown brevetted him a captain ("el capitán") and awarded him a concession* of land along the coast just north of Santa Barbara - Rancho Nuestra Señora del Refugio. El Capitán and Refugio State Parks are a reminder of this. At age 63, while out riding on February 3, 1798, he fell from his horse and was taken to the nearby Chumash ranchería of Casíl where he soon died. His body was taken to Santa Bárbara and he was buried in the mission cemetery the following day (BP Death 00056).
(Crosby, Harry. Gateway to Alta California; pp 157-59)
* Unlike the Mexican land grants made after 1821 that could be transferred, inherited, or sold, a Spanish royal concession was made to an individual and the land reverted back to the Spanish Crown upon the death of the recipient. There were no "Spanish land grants" in California.
1782 Established Presidio of Santa Barbara
José Francisco María Ortega y de la Guerra was the son of Francisco María José Ortega y [?] and María Magdalena Francisca de la Guerra y [?]. As a young man he crossed the Sea of Cortez to the Baja California Peninsula where he enlisted for 10 years as a soldado de cuera (leather jacket) at the Presidio of Loreto on October 1, 1755. After serving only 10 months he was promoted to cabo (corporal); and 6 months after that he was promoted to sargento (sergeant). Sergeant Ortega married María Antonia Victoria Carrillo y Millán at Loreto in 1759. When his 10-year enlistment expired in 1765, Ortega took a position as the crown's representative and tax collector at Real de Santa Ana mine, and also served as the mining community's alcalde (mayor). When Colonel Gaspar de Portolá arrived in Baja California in 1768 to organize the first land expedition to Alta California, Portolá enticed Ortega to re-enlist for another 10 years, then appointed him sergeant in charge of the accounts of the royal warehouse in preparation for the expedition. Ortega then accompanied the 1769 expedition and served as its chief scout. While on a reconnaissance he discovered a "great arm of the sea" that turned out to be San Francisco Bay. He was commissioned a lieutenant August 14, 1773, and had assumed command of the Presidio of San Diego by January 1, 1775. After serving as comandante at San Diego for almost 8 years, Lieutenant Ortega was ordered north to found the Presidio of Santa Barbara, which he did in April 1782. He remained as commander at Santa Barbara until 1784. After a short stint at El Rosario, Baja California, Ortega returned to Alta California and assumed command of the Presidio of Monterey from 1787 until 1791. He was then transferred back to Baja California to command the Presidio of Loreto. When Ortega retired after 40 years of military service in 1795 the Spanish crown brevetted him a captain ("el capitán") and awarded him a concession* of land along the coast just north of Santa Barbara - Rancho Nuestra Señora del Refugio. El Capitán and Refugio State Parks are a reminder of this. At age 63, while out riding on February 3, 1798, he fell from his horse and was taken to the nearby Chumash ranchería of Casíl where he soon died. His body was taken to Santa Bárbara and he was buried in the mission cemetery the following day (BP Death 00056).
(Crosby, Harry. Gateway to Alta California; pp 157-59)
* Unlike the Mexican land grants made after 1821 that could be transferred, inherited, or sold, a Spanish royal concession was made to an individual and the land reverted back to the Spanish Crown upon the death of the recipient. There were no "Spanish land grants" in California.
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