Anita Littlejohn (abt. 1831 - 1916)

Born about 2 Jan 1831 in Monterey, Alta California

Wife of Jose Jesus Rodriguez — married 21 Jan 1846 in Mission San Juan Bautista, San Benito, California, United States

Descendants

Died 5 Mar 1916 at about age 85 in Santa Cruz, California, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Tiffiny Rodriguez [send private message]

Biography

Anita's father was David Littlejohn, a Scotch carpenter who had come from Callao in 1824, and settled on what was the lower Capitola Road in Live Oak, California.

She married Jose Jesus Rodriguez, son of AIessandro Rodriguez (who, with his brother Sebastian, were the grantees of Rancho Bolsa del Pajaro where Watsonville, CA now is). Anita and Jose had seven children. ^[1]

Research Notes

Santa Cruz Sentinel, Volume 91, Number 262, 3 November 1946

RODRIGUEZ FAMILY ONE OF OUR OLDEST Robert L Rodriguez, who died last Monday, was a member of a Spanish family which has lived about Monterey bay for five generations. His great great grandfather, Jose Antonio Rodriguez, was a "soldado de cuera," a leather-jacket soldier who had come with the Spanish military force into California in the 1770's, probably from the west coast of Mexico.

He was at Los Angeles in 1781 when a party of three score settlers from Sonora arrived overland. In the party was Francisco Juarez, who died soon after his arrival and whose widow, whose maiden name had been Trinidad Vicenta de Leon, on August 11, 1782, in San Gabriel mission, married the young soldado de cuera. Vicenta had one, perhaps two children, by her first husband. When, a year or two after her marriage to Jose Antonio Rodriguez, the latter was sent to the Monterey cavalry company and delegated to serve in the "escoltas" of the mission near Monterey, Vicenta accompanied him.

One of their sons, AIessandro, was born in 1790, probably at Soledad, as Jose Antonio was recorded as member of the Soledad escolta in 1787. Alessandro was one of seven children, of whom the oldest was Sebastian, who became the grandee of Rancho Bolsa del Pajaro, where Watsonville is. The two daughters married prominent residents of this region. Francisca became the wife of Joaquin Escamilla and her son. Bias, was grantee of San Vicente rancho. Ana married Juan Gonzales, who was given Pescadero grant. One of the sons, Francisco, was given Rodeo rancho.

BOYS ALL SERVED 10 YEARS IN ARMY Alessandro, like all the boys of the time, served a ten year enlistment in the Spanish army in California. In 1809 at San Jose he married Concepcion Martinez, daughter of another soldier. When American days came he tried unsuccessfully in the courts to establish a half interest in Bolsa del Pajaro rancho. One of the family, Jacinto, a son of Sebastian and a cousin of the grandfather of the Robert Rodriguez who died last Monday, was a member of the constitutional convention at Monterey in 1846. Alessandro's third son, Jose Jesus Rodriguez, married Anita Littlejohn, a daughter of David Littlejohn, the Scotch carpenter who had come from Callao in 1824, and settled on what is now the lower Capitola road in Live Oak. Third of their seven children was Ezequiel, born in 1854, who 20 years later married Edwipes Dodero, daughter of Nicolas Dodero, the retired Italian sailor who had put up an early grist mill near what is now Hill street. Ezequiel and Edwiges had 12 children, of whom six, a sister and five brothers of Robert, who died last Monday, are still living. ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6779869/rodriguez-dodero-connection/

• http://www.newspapers.com/image/56217975/

See also:

• Find A Grave: Memorial #73734341