That year was also one in which the decennial (every ten years) federal census was taken, but California became a state too late in the year to be counted along with the others, so the enumeration was delayed until the first two months of 1851. Los Angeles County was much larger than it is today, including all of San Bernardino County (formed in 1853, it remains the largest county in area in the U. S.) and Orange County and portions of Kern County. Though it was sparsely populated, this massive area and the taking of the census within it was entrusted to just one person: John R. Evertsen, later a resident of San Gabriel.
It must have been a very difficult job. Evertsen not only had to deal with a huge territory, but also the flux of people in Gold Rush California made it hard to track down residents in the county. While it wouldn't be surprising that Evertsen would miss those who were coming and going within the county, it is striking that he grossly undercounted the native aboriginal peoples (Gabrieliño Indians), only listing about 200 of them. Overall, Evertsen counted 1,610 persons in Los Angeles city and about 3,500 in the county, clearly very low.
Indeed, the federal count throughout California was less than 100,000 and, because representation in Congress was based on population, the state's leaders decided to conduct a census in 1852. Notably, the county population was determined in this count to be just under 8,000, with almost half of these being native people.
So, examining the 1850 federal census poses the obvious problem. The count was highly inaccurate and so a look at those who lived at Misión Vieja has to be looked at not just who is listed, but who was not. Of course, there were also omissions in the 1844 census. Another issue is that Evertsen didn't break down his county into the existing townships, so determining where a place like Old Mission started and stopped is impossible, though there is a run of six census sheets in which the general area is noticeable.
Essentially, Mission Vieja included several major family groups including those with the surnames Bermudez[s], Lugo, Morrillo, Vejar, Alvitre, [Villa]Lobo, Valenzuela, Zuñiga, Rosas and Duarte, most of whom had appeared on the Mexican-era censuses of 1836 and 1844, discussed in earlier posts on this blog.
Relative to the Bermudez family, there was José Antonio Bermudez and his wife María Buenaventura Alvitre (daughter of Juan José Alvitre and María Tomasa Alvarado), who were in the 1836 Mexican census, though not in the followup eight years later. The Bermudez family resided with their seven children and an elderly woman named María Santa Anna. José's sister María Antonia and her husband Claudio Rayales appear on the other end of the census listing with their four daughters.
The next household was José Lugo, his wife María, and three other persons. They were followed by Tomasa Olivarez [Ontiveros], widow of Juan Crispín Pérez [Nieto], also captured on the 1836 census along with her son Pedro and his family and another son Juan.
Two households down, is George [Jorge] Morillo and his wife Magdalena Vejar with four children and Anastácio Alvitre and his wife Eleúteria [shown as Luteria] Verdugo. Anastácio was the son of Juan José Alvitre and María Tomasa Alvarado, and the brother of Buenaventura Bermudez. Morillo had been the co-owner of Rancho Potrero de Felipe Lugo with Teodoro Romero, who was married to Magdalena Vejar's daughter, Juana María Verdugo. Juana María, however, was widowed and then married Refugio Zuñiga (listed as Sunega). Her five children by Teodoro Romero appear on the census as does José Jesus Zuñiga, a 12-year old boy.
Also listed was Joaquin Soto, his wife Petra Rodriguez and their five children. Soto's sister, María Casilda Soto de Lobo, will be discussed below and another sister, Trinidad, was married to Ricardo Vejar, grantee in 1837 of Rancho San José, now the general Pomona area.
The next household was that of Refugio Zuñiga [shown as Suñega], whose family had a long history at Misión Vieja. Zuñiga was just recently married to Juana María Verdugo, who was previously wed to Teodoro Romero. The five Romero children were in the household as was Jose Jesus Zuñiga, a 12-year old boy, presumably Refugio's son from an earlier marriage.
Another family was that comprised of Francisco Vejar [shown as Bejar] who was the brother of Magdalena Vejar Morrillo. He resided with his wife María, 22, and two daughters Francisca, 5, and Asención, 3.
Another major Old Mission family was the Valenzuelas [shown as "Balenzuela" on the sheets] and two brothers were represented in the 1850 census, Antonio and José. Antonio, age 45, was married to María Dominga Alvitre, daughter of the Sebastian Alvitre, who was patriarch of the family discussed in the posts on the 1836 and 1844 Mexican-era censuses. Living with the couple was their daughter Salomé, her husband Lauriano García and their children Antonio and Lugarda. Antonio's younger brother, José, was residing with his wife Soledad Duarte, along with Teresa Gonzalez, a one-year old boy presumed to be her son and two other Duartes, Basilio and Julio, assumed to be Soledad's brothers.
Another early family, at household 358, was Sinforoso Rosas and his four children. Rosas had been married to María del Refugio (Trinidad) Alvitre, but she died in early 1849, probably in childbirth not long after marrying Rosas. The four Rosas children obviously came from an earlier marriage.
Next to the Rosas family were two households comprising the Lobos. The heads of the families were brothers Juan and José, but it is interesting to note that one, Juan, used the Lobo name, while José retained the original and more common surname of Villalobo. Each was married, Juan to Dolores Verdugo (who later married Fecundo Reyes, sister to the Inocencia Reyes noted below) and had children. Living with Juan was another brother, Santiago, and his wife Presentación Alvitre, as well as the matriarch of the family Casilda Soto, grantee in 1844 of the Rancho La Merced.
Towards the end of the Old Mission listings were the Alvitres, specifically brothers Jacinto (whose listed of 70 is about fifteen years off--he was in his mid-50s!), Juan and José Claudio, sons of the Sebastian noted above. Their sister, Dominga, was listed earlier in the census with her husband, Antonio Valenzuela. Jacinto and his wife Lugarda Moreno also had their daughter Ramona and her husband Ramon Rosas in their household. Ramon and his brother Sinforoso (see above) had married Alvitre sisters. Juan and his wife María Tomasa Alvarado had two sons with them, Reimundo and Diego, as well as Diego's wife María Cerradel and their two sons. There was also a fifteen-year old girl whose connection is not known. José Claudio resided a short distance from his brothers and was with his wife María de la Asunción Valenzuela. As noted above, their daughter, Presentación, was married to Santiago Lobo. A future post will relate the unfortunate circumstances in 1861 surrounding the deaths of José Claudio and Asunción Alvitre.
Next to José Claudio was his sister, María Florentina, who was married to Manuel Antonio Pérez. Pérez was shown as owner of $2,000 worth of real estate because he was grantee, in the mid-1840s, to Rancho Potrero Grande. The couple lived with their daughters, Barbara and Antonia and their son Juan. It has been said that Pérez, who in the grant to the Potrero Grande was simply listed as "Manuel Antonio, an Indian," was given the surname because he was baptized by the well-known Eulalia Pérez de Guillen, the llavalera or keeper of the keys, at Mission San Gabriel.
Also in Misión Vieja is the household of Inocencia Reyes and five children ranging from a few months to sixteen years old. While there is no husband listed and the children's names are only listed with their given, or Christian, ones, as if their last name was Reyes, the father of the children was Teodosio Yorba, son of Antonio Yorba and María Grijalva and brother of well-known rancher Bernardo Yorba. Teodosio had been married to María Antonia Lugo, whose father, Antonio María owned the Rancho San Antonio southwest of Misión Vieja and was the original grantee of the Rancho Santa Ana del Chino in modern Chino and Chino Hills, and had a daughter with her. He then had a hija natural (or daughter out of wedlock) with Catalina Manriquez. By 1835, Teodosio and Inocencia were together and had several children, including the five shown in the 1850 census. A decade later, on 5 September 1860, Teodosio and Inocencia were married and their children assumed the Yorba name officially. At that time, Teodosio, who, in 1846, had been granted the Rancho Lomas de Santiago in what is now Orange County, experienced financial problems during a troubled economy and sold the ranch to William Wolfskill, a Los Angeles orange grower. Teodosio suffered a stroke and died three years later at Old Mission. It should be noted that hijos natural were not neceesarily uncommon.
Finally, it is noteworthy that, of all the persons who can be confidently identified as residents of Misión Vieja, everyone was a Latino from California or Mexico, except for one person. There is a household of thirteen persons, all of whom were male, excepting two persons, and which consists of a Mexican laborer named Tomás de la Porrillo and his wife and son along with several single men. All of these, with last names of Villa, Morales, Ballesteros, Villareal, and Estrada, were laborers and from Mexico, evidently working for local ranchers. There are also two young adult Indians, but the name that stands out is Levi J. Woods, the only American and European in the community. He was a 51-year old laborer from Vermont and it would be interesting to know why he was in Misión Vieja and for whom he worked.
As stated above, there were many persons who were not counted and the much higher tally in the 1852 state census leads to the suspicion that a fuller representation of residents of Old Mission is far from present in the federal enumeration. Still, a look at the 1850 count provides some information about those living at Misión Vieja during the crucial time after the American conquest of California and the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
The image at the top of this post is from a reproduced 1877 regional map and shows the ranchos Potrero Grande and Potrero Chico just above the place name "Old Mission." To the right is a part of the Rancho Potrero de Felipe Lugo and the snaking "New" San Gabriel River, created by flooding in 1867 (the "Old" San Gabriel River or Rio Hondo is, for some reason, not included.)
Contributed by Paul R. Spitzzeri.
Another family was that comprised of Francisco Vejar [shown as Bejar] who was the brother of Magdalena Vejar Morrillo. He resided with his wife María, 22, and two daughters Francisca, 5, and Asención, 3.
Another major Old Mission family was the Valenzuelas [shown as "Balenzuela" on the sheets] and two brothers were represented in the 1850 census, Antonio and José. Antonio, age 45, was married to María Dominga Alvitre, daughter of the Sebastian Alvitre, who was patriarch of the family discussed in the posts on the 1836 and 1844 Mexican-era censuses. Living with the couple was their daughter Salomé, her husband Lauriano García and their children Antonio and Lugarda. Antonio's younger brother, José, was residing with his wife Soledad Duarte, along with Teresa Gonzalez, a one-year old boy presumed to be her son and two other Duartes, Basilio and Julio, assumed to be Soledad's brothers.
Another early family, at household 358, was Sinforoso Rosas and his four children. Rosas had been married to María del Refugio (Trinidad) Alvitre, but she died in early 1849, probably in childbirth not long after marrying Rosas. The four Rosas children obviously came from an earlier marriage.
Next to the Rosas family were two households comprising the Lobos. The heads of the families were brothers Juan and José, but it is interesting to note that one, Juan, used the Lobo name, while José retained the original and more common surname of Villalobo. Each was married, Juan to Dolores Verdugo (who later married Fecundo Reyes, sister to the Inocencia Reyes noted below) and had children. Living with Juan was another brother, Santiago, and his wife Presentación Alvitre, as well as the matriarch of the family Casilda Soto, grantee in 1844 of the Rancho La Merced.
Towards the end of the Old Mission listings were the Alvitres, specifically brothers Jacinto (whose listed of 70 is about fifteen years off--he was in his mid-50s!), Juan and José Claudio, sons of the Sebastian noted above. Their sister, Dominga, was listed earlier in the census with her husband, Antonio Valenzuela. Jacinto and his wife Lugarda Moreno also had their daughter Ramona and her husband Ramon Rosas in their household. Ramon and his brother Sinforoso (see above) had married Alvitre sisters. Juan and his wife María Tomasa Alvarado had two sons with them, Reimundo and Diego, as well as Diego's wife María Cerradel and their two sons. There was also a fifteen-year old girl whose connection is not known. José Claudio resided a short distance from his brothers and was with his wife María de la Asunción Valenzuela. As noted above, their daughter, Presentación, was married to Santiago Lobo. A future post will relate the unfortunate circumstances in 1861 surrounding the deaths of José Claudio and Asunción Alvitre.
Next to José Claudio was his sister, María Florentina, who was married to Manuel Antonio Pérez. Pérez was shown as owner of $2,000 worth of real estate because he was grantee, in the mid-1840s, to Rancho Potrero Grande. The couple lived with their daughters, Barbara and Antonia and their son Juan. It has been said that Pérez, who in the grant to the Potrero Grande was simply listed as "Manuel Antonio, an Indian," was given the surname because he was baptized by the well-known Eulalia Pérez de Guillen, the llavalera or keeper of the keys, at Mission San Gabriel.
Also in Misión Vieja is the household of Inocencia Reyes and five children ranging from a few months to sixteen years old. While there is no husband listed and the children's names are only listed with their given, or Christian, ones, as if their last name was Reyes, the father of the children was Teodosio Yorba, son of Antonio Yorba and María Grijalva and brother of well-known rancher Bernardo Yorba. Teodosio had been married to María Antonia Lugo, whose father, Antonio María owned the Rancho San Antonio southwest of Misión Vieja and was the original grantee of the Rancho Santa Ana del Chino in modern Chino and Chino Hills, and had a daughter with her. He then had a hija natural (or daughter out of wedlock) with Catalina Manriquez. By 1835, Teodosio and Inocencia were together and had several children, including the five shown in the 1850 census. A decade later, on 5 September 1860, Teodosio and Inocencia were married and their children assumed the Yorba name officially. At that time, Teodosio, who, in 1846, had been granted the Rancho Lomas de Santiago in what is now Orange County, experienced financial problems during a troubled economy and sold the ranch to William Wolfskill, a Los Angeles orange grower. Teodosio suffered a stroke and died three years later at Old Mission. It should be noted that hijos natural were not neceesarily uncommon.
Finally, it is noteworthy that, of all the persons who can be confidently identified as residents of Misión Vieja, everyone was a Latino from California or Mexico, except for one person. There is a household of thirteen persons, all of whom were male, excepting two persons, and which consists of a Mexican laborer named Tomás de la Porrillo and his wife and son along with several single men. All of these, with last names of Villa, Morales, Ballesteros, Villareal, and Estrada, were laborers and from Mexico, evidently working for local ranchers. There are also two young adult Indians, but the name that stands out is Levi J. Woods, the only American and European in the community. He was a 51-year old laborer from Vermont and it would be interesting to know why he was in Misión Vieja and for whom he worked.
As stated above, there were many persons who were not counted and the much higher tally in the 1852 state census leads to the suspicion that a fuller representation of residents of Old Mission is far from present in the federal enumeration. Still, a look at the 1850 count provides some information about those living at Misión Vieja during the crucial time after the American conquest of California and the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
The image at the top of this post is from a reproduced 1877 regional map and shows the ranchos Potrero Grande and Potrero Chico just above the place name "Old Mission." To the right is a part of the Rancho Potrero de Felipe Lugo and the snaking "New" San Gabriel River, created by flooding in 1867 (the "Old" San Gabriel River or Rio Hondo is, for some reason, not included.)
Contributed by Paul R. Spitzzeri.
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