Estudillo family of California

The Estudillo family is a prominent Californio family of Southern California.[1][2] Members of the family held extensive ranchos and numerous important positions, including California State Treasurer, Mayor of San Diego, and Commandant of the Presidio of San Diego.

José María Estudillo.

Notable members
José Joaquin Estudillo.
José G. Estudillo.

José María Estudillo

José María Estudillo is the founder of the family.[3] He was one of the first settlers of San Diego and a celebrated military officer.[4] He served twice as Commandant of the Presidio of San Diego (1820-1821 and 1827-1830). He built the Casa de Estudillo of San Diego, a National Historical Landmark. During an 1823 expedition through the Coachella Valley, he first recorded the existence of thermal springs near modern-day Palm Springs, California.[5][4]

José Joaquín Estudillo

José Joaquín Estudillo was born in Monterey in 1800. He enlisted as an officer at aged 15 and served at the Presidio of Monterey.[6] He later served one term as Alcalde of San Francisco (mayor) from 1835 to 1836.[7] He was in charge of the secularization of Mission San Francisco de Asís at the beginning of 1835.[8] He was granted Rancho San Leandro in Contra Costa in 1837 and later founded the city of San Leandro.[9] There he built the Casa de Estudillo of San Leandro, a Californian Historic Landmark.

José Antonio Estudillo

José Antonio Estudillo was born in Monterey in 1803. He enlisted as a soldier at the Presidio of San Diego. He served one term as Alcalde of San Diego (mayor), from 1837 to 1839, and twice as acting mayor, in 1845 and 1846.[10] He was granted Rancho Janal in 1829 and Rancho San Jacinto Viejo in 1842.[11] He served as the first San Diego County Assessor in 1850.

José Guadalupe Estudillo

José Guadalupe Estudillo was born in San Diego in 1838. He served as 10th California State Treasurer (1875 to 1880) and as 13th Mayor of San Diego (1868 to 1869).[12][13] He also served as Treasurer of San Diego County from 1864 to 1875.

Other members
  • Miguel Estudillo, who served in the California Senate (1908-1910) and the California State Assembly (1904-1908). He also served twice as City Attorney of Riverside (1918-1924 and 1941-1949). He authored the legislation which gave Yosemite to the federal government for the establishment of a national park.[14]

Legacy

The Casa de Estudillo in San Diego is a National Historical Landmark.[15] The Casa de Estudillo in San Leandro is a California Historic Landmark.

José Joaquin Estudillo founded the city of San Leandro, which is named after his Rancho San Leandro. Similarly, José Antonio Estudillo founded the town of San Jacinto, California, which is named after his Rancho San Jacinto.

Estudillo Elementary School in San Jacinto is named after José Antonio Estudillo.

Estudillo St in Martinez and San Diego, as well as Estudillo Ave in San Leandro, are named after the family.

References
  1. San Diego Historical Society - The Estudillo Family
  2. William Heath Davis and the Founding of American San Diego
  3. San Diego Historical Society - José María Estudillo
  4. Lech, Steve (2004). Along the Old Roads: A History of the Portion of Southern California that became Riverside County: 1772–1893. Riverside, CA: Steve Lech. p. 30. OCLC 56035822.
  5. Niemann, Greg (2006). Palm Springs Legends: creation of a desert oasis. San Diego, CA: Sunbelt Publications. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-932653-74-1. OCLC 61211290. (here for Table of Contents)
  6. "San Leandro's History". San Leandro Historical Society. May 28, 2007. Archived from the original on January 30, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
  7. Hittell, John Shertzer (1878). A History of the City of San Francisco and Incidentally of the State of California. A.L. Bancroft. p. 78. estudillo alcalde san francisco.
  8. Hittell, Theodore Henry (1885). History of California. N. J. Stone. p. 210.
  9. "City History". City of San Leandro. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
  10. Biography from San Diego Historical Society from Smythe's History of San Diego (1907), p. 169.
  11. "The Huntington Library, Early California Population Project Database, 2006."
  12. "Selected Chronological List of San Diego City Officials". San Diego History Center. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
  13. State Treasurers of California
  14. California State Library - California Gets and Returns its First State Park
  15. San Diego Union Tribune - Furnishing an Old Town adobe that tells San Diego’s story was a labor of love and perseverance
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