Francisca Benicia Carrillo de Vallejo

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Francisca Benicia Carrillo de Vallejo
José Antonio Romualdo Pacheco, Jr.

Lachryma Montis, until her death in 1891. The city of Benicia, California
is named after her.

Early life

Francisca Benicia Carrillo was born on August 23, 1815, in San Diego in Alta California to María Ygnacia López de Carrillo and Joaquin Victor Carrillo.[1]

On January 24, 1830, Francisca Carrillo met a young soldier named Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo who arrived in San Diego in the wake of the Solis revolt. She was 15 and he was 23 years old. Vallejo courted Carrillo over the course of two weeks before leaving for Monterey. It would be over two years Carrillo would see Vallejo in person. The two kept in touch with letters. On October 15, Mariano sent a letter to Anastasio Bustamante, the President of Mexico, asking permission to marry Carrillo. In the letter, Vallejo confirmed that their parents gave permission for the couple to be married. It took two years for Bustamante to approve the couple's request. On March 6, 1832, Carrillo and Vallejo were married at the Presidio of San Diego. José María de Echeandía attended the wedding. Echeandía gave a toast at the reception, during which he said of Carrillo: "I have known his young wife since she was eight years old, and I have had repeated occasions to admire her fine manners."[2]

Matriarch of the Vallejo family

Time in San Francisco

By February 1833, Vallejo was named Commander of the

Salvador Vallejo, and an escort of 20 soldiers. The trip took four weeks. Salvador would go on to marry Carrillo's sister, Maria de la Luz Carillo.[5]

Andronico Vallejo was born on March 4, 1833. He died in September and was buried at

Mission San Francisco Solano to create the fort, founding Sonoma, California. Carrillo remained in San Francisco, with her son, until the summer of 1835, when they moved to Sonoma.[2]

Life in Sonoma

Early life in Sonoma

A depiction of Sonoma as it was when Carrillo arrived, in 1846. Casa Grande is the building with the tower in the center.

Carrillo had a third child with Vallejo shortly after arriving in Sonoma: a girl named Epifania Gertrudis, born on August 4, 1835.

Petaluma, the Rancho Petaluma Adobe.[7]

Bear Flag Rebellion

Carrillo was at Casa Grande when the

Bear Flag Rebellion happened in 1846, resulting in the capture of Sonoma by American immigrants for 25 days and the imprisonment of Jacob P. Leese and Vallejo. The rebels, nicknamed "Bears", placed the Bear Flag
on the Sonoma Plaza, taking over the fledgling town.

During the rebellion, Carrillo's brother, Ramón, was accused of joining

Rancho Olompali to hide. Carrillo smuggled weapons to Ramón, Padilla, and her mother (who lived just north of Sonoma as owner of the rancho of Santa Rosa, California). The weapons included pistols, gun powder, flintlocks and sabers. They were delivered by an Indian servant named Gervasio. Ramón denied having anything to do with the death of the Americans and gave a sworn affidavit saying Padilla directed the killing of the men.[8]

The U.S. Navy removed the Bear Flag on July 9, raising the twenty-seven star flag of the United States in its place. Carrillo celebrated the raising of the American flag, writing a letter to Vallejo, who remained imprisoned at Sutter's Fort. In the letter, she wrote that there were "great celebrations" and that she was "cheering heartily" and waving handkerchiefs. Carrillo celebrated at Casa Grande, hosting American servicemen. She also maintained a watchful eye over the new American flag, to ensure it remained in place. A soldier, who visited Casa Grande to celebrate, called Carrillo "very fat" and "having evidence of much beauty. She seems to be femininely passive and voluptuous, contented and happy."[9]

In Sonoma, Carrillo's closest friend was Rosalía Leese, the sister of Vallejo and wife of Jacob Leese.

William Ide and Robert B. Semple, continued to spend time in Sonoma so soon after the Navy quelled the takeover.[10] In her letter to Vallejo, Carrillo calls the Bears "disconsolate."[9] She lamented that if the United States Navy would have arrived sooner - in mid-June - the unnecessary deaths of numerous people, including Cowie and Fowler, would have never happened.[11]

After the Revolt

Lachryma Montis
in Sonoma, Carrillo & Vallejo's home that was completed in 1852.

In May 1847, Vallejo gave Semple and Thomas O. Larkin a five square mile land tract, which would become Benicia, California.[12] Vallejo wanted to name the new city "Francisca."[1] However, after Yerba Buena changed its name to San Francisco, they named the city "Benicia" to avoid confusion.[1][13] After the naming, Carrillo was called Doña Benicia by Benicia residents.[14]

The Vallejo's built

William T. Sherman, Ulysses S. Grant and Edwin Bryant.[7]

As the Vallejo's wealth diminished, in the 1860s they began growing and selling figs, apples and grapes, and raising chickens for eggs.[15][16] Carrillo oversaw the distribution of produce and eggs to San Francisco and throughout Sonoma, selling at bakeries, restaurants and hotels. Carrillo, who used to have a large household of servants, also oversaw Lachryma Montis with little help. She managed the cleaning, gardening and other necessities, with two cooks operating the kitchen.[15]

Carrillo and Vallejo's relationship was strained during this time due to finances and Vallejo's extended time away from Sonoma, often spent in

Salvador Vallejo, moved in with the family at Lachryma Montis. This caused additional strain, as Carrillo was not fond of Salvador - he was abusive to and regularly cheated on his wife. Vallejo and Carrillo separated in the fall of 1869. Carrillo moved to Vallejo to live with her daughter Fannie. Vallejo stayed at Lachryma Montis. Carrillo returned to live with Vallejo in late 1870.[16]

Grave of Francisca Benicia Carrillo and Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo in Mountain Cemetery in Sonoma, California.

Later life and death

Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo died on January 18, 1890. Carrillo died at Lachryma Montis on January 30, 1891.[7] She is buried, alongside Vallejo, at Sonoma's Mountain Cemetery.

Perceptions of Francisca Benicia Carrillo Vallejo

sarcastic and very emotional, often writing blunt, sensitive, and emotive letters to Vallejo when he was not in Sonoma.[16]

Carrillo liked luxury goods. She wore dresses and accessories made with expensive silks and velvet that were imported from France.[15] When her daughter, Adela, was preparing to be married, Carrillo took her to San Francisco for several days. The two women spent $1,700 - over $51,000 in 2020 - shopping and staying at a luxury hotel.[17]

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c Freund, Paula (2017). "Francisca Benicia Carrillo de Vallejo" (PDF). Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  2. ^
    JSTOR 25160724
    . Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  3. ISBN 978-0-7385-2933-2
    . Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  4. ^ Rosenus, 13.
  5. ^ "Remembering Salvador Vallejo – Napa County Historical Society". Napa County Historical Society. 28 July 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Francisca Benicia Carillo de Vallejo". Benicia Historical Museum. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  7. ^
    JSTOR 41166252
    . Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  8. ^ Rosenus, 147-48.
  9. ^ a b Rosenus, 158.
  10. ^ a b Rosenus, 175.
  11. ^ Rosenus, 176.
  12. ^ "A New Look at the Vallejo Family". Oakland Tribune. 23 November 1969. p. 143. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  13. ^ Weilenman, Donna Beth (15 August 2015). "Benicia's namesake to be honored". beniciaheraldonline.com. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Francisca Benicia Carillo de Vallejo". Benicia Historical Museum. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  15. ^ a b c d Rosenus, 222.
  16. ^ a b c Rosenus, 223.
  17. ^ Rosenus, 217.

References

  • Rosenus, Alan. General Vallejo and the Advent of the Americans. Berkeley: Heyday Books (1999). ISBN 9781890771218

External links

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