Los Angeles Pobladores and First Families

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The Pobladores ("townspeople") of Los Angeles refers to the 44 original settlers and 4 soldiers who founded the city of Los Angeles, California in 1781.

When the Governor of Las Californias, Felipe de Neve , was assigned to establish secular settlements in what is now the state of California (after more than a decade of missionary work among the natives), he commissioned a complete set of maps and plans (the Reglamento para el gobierno de la Provincia de Californias and the Instrucción) to be drawn up for the design and colonization of the new pueblo. Finding the individuals to actually do the work of building and living in the city proved to be a more daunting task. Neve finally located the new and willing dwellers in Sonora and Sinaloa, Mexico. But gathering the pobladores was a little more difficult. The original party of the new townsfolk consisted of eleven families, that is 11 men, 11 women, and 22 children of various Spanish castas (castes).

• 1. Manuel Camero - Age 30, Mulatto, Born in, Nayarit, Mexico Wife and children - María Tomasa García, 24, Mulata
• 2. Antonio Mesa - Age 38, Black, Born in, Sinaloa, Mexico Wife and children - María Ana Gertrudis López, 27, Mulata, María Paula, girl, 10, Antonio María, boy, 8.
• 3. José Cesario Moreno - Age 22, Mulatto, Born in, Sinaloa, Mexico Wife and children -María Guadalupe Gertrudis Pérez, 19, Mulata
• 4. José Antonio Navarro -Age 42, Mestizo, Born in, Sinaloa, Mexico Wife and children - María Regina Dorotea Glorea de Soto, 47, Mulata, José Eduardo, boy, 10, José Clemente, boy, 9, Mariana, girl, 4.
• 5. Luis Manuel Quintero - Age 55, Black, Born in, Jalisco, Mexico Wife and children -María Petra Rubio, 40, Mulata, María Gertrudis, 16, María Concepcíon, girl, 9, María Tomasa, girl, 7, María Rafaela, girl, 6, José Clemente, boy, 3.
• 6. Pablo Rodríguez - Age 25, Indian, Born in, Sinaloa, Mexico Wife and children - María Rosalia Noriega, 26, Indian, María Antonia, girl, 1.
• 7. José Alejandro Rojas - Age 19, Indian, Born in, Sinaloa, Mexico Wife and children -Juana María Rodríguez, 20, Indian.
• 8. José Antonio Basilio Rosas - Age 67, Indian, Born in, Durango, Mexico Wife and children -María Manuela Calixtra Hernández, 43, Mulata, José Máximo, boy, 15, José Carlos, boy, 12, María Josefa, girl, 8, Antonio Rosalino, boy, 7, José Marcelino, boy, 4, José Esteban, boy, 2
• 9. Jose María Vanegas - Age 28, Indian, Born in, Jalisco, Mexico Wife and children -María Bonifacia Máxima Aguilar, 20, Indian, Cosme Damien, boy, 1
• 10. José Fernando de Velasco y Lara - Age 50, Spaniard, Born in, Cádiz, Spain Wife and children -María Antonia Campos, 23, Indian, María Juan, girl, 6, José Julian, boy, 4, María Faustina, girl, 2
• 11. Antonio Clemente Félix Villavicencio Age 30, Spaniard, Born in, Chihuahua, Mexico Wife and children -María de los Santos Flores Serafina,26, Indian, María Antonia, girl, 8

The four Soldiers (Escoltas), accompanied by their families, who escorted the Pobladores to El Pueblo de Los Angeles.

1. Corporal José Vicente Feliz, born about 1741, at Álamos, New Navarre, New Spain, where he married Maria Ygnacia Manuela Pinuelas in 1758, and where their six children were born. He came to Alta California with the Anza Expedition in 1775. On the way to California near El Presidio Real de San Ignacio de Túbac, Intendancy of Arizpe, New Spain, on the Anza Trail, their son, Jose Antonio was born, but his wife, Maria Ygnacia died in childbirth. She was buried in November 1775 at La Misión San Xavier del Bac, Intendancy of Arizpe, Mexico. The child, Jose Antonio arrived safely along with his brothers and sisters with the Expedition at the San Gabriel Mission on January 4, 1776, but he died nine months later. Another son, Jose de Jesus Feliz, born about 1764, at Álamos, New Navarre, married Maria Celia Bonifacia de Cota,(daughter of Roque Jacinto de Cota and Juana Maria Verdugo) born about 1759, at the Royal Presidio of Loreto, Baja California.

2. Private Roque Jacinto de Cota, born about 1724, at El Fuerte del Marqués de Montesclaros, New Navarre, New Spain, the eldest son of Andres de Cota and Angela de Leon. He married Juana Maria Verdugo, born about 1740, at the Loreto Mission a small fishing port in Baja, Ca. He died on September 29, 1798, in San Fernando, Alta California, she died May 13, 1835, in Los Angeles, California. Roque Jacinto de Cota served as an escort for the Pobladores from the San Gabriel Mission to El Pueblo de La Reina de los Angeles on September 4, 1781. He is the founder of the older Cota family in Alta California.

3. Private Antonio de Cota, brother of Roque and Pablo Antonio Cota. Antonio married Maria Bernarda Chigila (Indian) on August 30, 1778, at Mission San Juan Capistrano. They had two children: Maria Antonia Marcela, born June 1, 1780, Mission San Juan Capistrano, and Matilde. In the 1790 census they are shown as residing in the Presidio of San Diego and later as residents of Los Angeles. Antonio died on June 12, 1815, and was buried at Mission San Gabriel. Maria Bernarda died August 23, 1821, and was buried in the Plaza church.

4. Private Francisco Salvador Lugo, born about 1740, at San Felipe y Santiago de Sinaloa, New Navarre, New Spain. He married Juana Maria Rita Martinez, born about 1745, at San Felipe y Santiago de Sinaloa. She was the daughter of Jose Maria Martínez and Maria Josefa Vianazul. He died on May 16, 1805 in Santa Barbara, she died on March 23, 1790, in Santa Barbara. His daughter, Rosa Maria de Lugo, born about 1760, at San Felipe y Santiago de Sinaloa, married Pablo Antonio de Cota on November 30, 1776, at the Mission San Luis Obispo, Alta California. He was recruited by Captain Rivera in 1774 and arrived at the San Gabriel Mission in 1775. He was stationed in San Luis Obispo and the Royal Presidio of Santa Barbara until 1781, when he served as an escort from the San Gabriel Mission to El Pueblo de Los Angeles on September 4, 1781.

1790 Census Los Angeles California

• Maria Rufina Albarez
• Juan Albarez
• Bernarda Silbas Albarez
• Gertrudis Albarez
• Maria Maxima Aguilar
• Francisca Alvarado
• Juan Maria Alvarado
• Maria Ignacia Alvarado
• Juan Nepomuceno Alvarado
• Maria Agreda DE Arce
• MA. Agreda Lopez DE Arce
• Martina Arellano
• Manuel Ramir . DE Arellano
• Manuel Ramirez Arellano
• Rafael Arellano
• Rafael DE Arellano
• Teodoro DE Arellano
• Teodoro Arellano
• Martina DE Arellano
• Maria Agreda Arellano
• Rosalia Arellano
• MA. Agreda DE Arellano
• Rosalia DE Arellano
• Maria Loreta Armenta
• Joaquin DE Armenta
• Domingo Aruz
• Gertrudis Quintero Aruz
• Martin Aruz
• Jacinta DE LA Bastida
• Jacinta DE LA Bastida
• Maria Nicolasa Beltran
• MA. Gertrudis Bojorquez
• Manuel Camero
• Maria Ignacia Carillo
• Guillermo Cota 
• Juana Maria Cota
• Dolores Cota
• Faustino Jose Dela Cruz
• Loreta Cota
• Maria Ignacia DE Cota
• Roque DE Cota
• Guillermo DE Cota
• Maria Teresa Cota
• Maria Ignacia Cota 
• Tomasa Garcia Camero
• Ana Maria Carrasco
• Maria Del Carm Dominguez
• Gregoria Espinosa
• Manuel Figueroa
• Tomasa Garcia
• Maria DE Jesus Garcia
• Petra Alcantara Garcia
• Maria Garcia
• Felipe Santiago Garcia
• Pedro Antonio Garcia
• Carlos Maria Garcia
• Juan Jose Garcia
• Pascual Antonio Garcia
• Maria Antonia Garcia
• Jose Julian Garcia
• Jose Antonio Gongora
• Joaquin Higuera
• Ignacio Higuera
• MA.Teresa Cota Higuera
• Juan Jose Higuera
• Maria Manuela Lisalde 
• Pedro Jose Lobo
• Maria Antonia Lobo
• Maria Dionicia Lobo
• MA.Nicolasa Beltran Lobo
• Juan Jose Lobo
• Maria Rita Lobo
• Jose Cecilio Lobo
• Timoteo Lobo
• Jose Marcial Lobo
• Maria Rosa Lopez
• Rafael DE Lugo
• Maria Pascula DE Lugo
• Petra Alcantara DE Lugo
• Teodoro DE Lugo
• Gertrudis DE Lugo
• Gertrudis Lugo
• Rafael Lugo
• Teodoro Lugo
• Maria Manuela
• Maria Paula Martinez
• Maria Marta Moreno
• MA. Guadalupe Moreno
• Jose Moreno
• Juan Moreno
• Maria Lorenza Moreno
• Maria Gertrudis Moreno
• Jose Maria Navarro
• Jose Clemente Navarro
• Maria Mariana Navarro
• Jose Antonio Navarro
• Maria Rosalia Noriega
• MA. Encarna. Ontiveros
• Jose Ontiveros
• Ana Maria Ontiveros 
• MA. Guadalupe Perez
• Santiago Dela Cruz Pico
• Javier Pico
• Patricio Pico
• Gertrudis Quintero
• Francisco Reyes
• Juana Inocencia Reyes
• Antonio Faustino Reyes
• Jose Jacinto Reyes
• MA.Del Carmen Reyes
• Francisca Rodriguez
• MA. Margarita Rodriguez
• Jose Antonio Rodriguez
• Pablo Rodriguez
• Maria Rosalia Ridriguez
• Jose MA. Lopez Rodriguez
• Maria Patricia Rodriguez
• Maria Simona Rodriguez
• Maria Antonia Rodriguez
• Maria DE Jesus Rodriguez
• Maria Garcia Romero
• Pedro Jose Romero
• MA. Dela Asencion Rosas
• Juan Estevan Rosas
• Jose Antonio Rosas
• Diana Maria Rosas
• Antonio Rosalino Rosas
• Maria Manuela Rosas
• Basilio Rosas
• Gil Antonio Rosas
• Jose Maximo Rosas
• Jose Marcelino Rosas
• Maria Sirilda Ruiz
• Maria Dolores Ruiz
• Jose Maria Ruiz
• Jose Pedro Ruiz
• Maria Rosa Lopez Ruiz
• Efigenio Ruiz
• Maria DE Los Santos
• Bernarda Silbas
• Casilda Dela Cruz Sinova
• Maria Gertrudis Sinova
• Josefa Dolores Sinova
• Maria Seferina Sinova
• Maria Julia Sinova
• Jose Sinova
• Cosme Damien Venegas 
• Jose Venegas
• Maria Maxima Venegas
• Maria DE LA Vega
• Gregoria Verdugo
• Leonardo Verdugo
• Maria Concep. Verdugo
• Juana Maria Verdugo
• Mariano Dela Luz Verdugo
• Maria Paula Villa
• Jose Villa
• Maria Antonia Villa
• Maria Estefana Villa
• Jose Fran. Anton. Villa
• Vicente Ferrer Villa
• Maria Rita Villalobo
• Juan Jose Villalobo
• Jose Marcial Villalobo
• Pedro Jose Villalobo
• MA. Antonia Villalobo
• MA. Nicolasa Villalobo
• Timoteo Villalobo
• Jose Cecilio Villalobo
• Maria Dionicia Villalobo
• Maria Villavicencio
• Felix Ant. Villavicencio
• Maria Teodora Zalazar
• Jose Zalazar
• Maria Marta Zalazar

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Pobladores