Teniente José Darío Argüello

José Darío Argüello was a Spanish soldier and California pioneer, and twice governor of California.

He was born in 1753 in Santiago de Querétaro, New Spain (modern-day Mexico).

Argüello enlisted in the Mexico regiment of dragoons, serving as a private, and later sergeant of the presidial company of Altar, Sonora. In 1781 he was promoted to alférez (sub-lieutenant) and commandant for what was to become the Presidio of Santa Barbara. He marched with Fernando Rivera y Moncada, who was killed by Yuman Indians, and continued on to Mission San Gabriel.

Under orders from governor Felipe de Neve, Argüello led the first 10 families for the founding of the Pueblo de Los Angeles, present day Los Angeles, on September 4, 1781. He continued on to Santa Barbara when the presidio was founded in 1782. In 1787, Argüello was appointed lieutenant and commandant of the Presidio of San Francisco, serving until 1791 and again from 1796 to 1806, and commandant of the Presidio of Monterey from 1791 to 1796.

In 1795, Governor Diego de Borica issued Argüello a Spanish land grant known as Rancho de las Pulgas. This rancho was the largest grant on the San Francisco Peninsula consisting of 35,260 acres (14,270 ha).

After the death of Governor José Joaquín de Arrillaga, Argüello was appointed acting governor of Alta California from 1814 to 1815 while he remained in Santa Barbara. While serving in San Francisco the second time, he was requested, and was granted, several parcels which included what later to referred as Rancho de las Pulgas (Ranch of the Fleas).

In 1815, Argüello was appointed governor of Baja California, serving until 1822. He died in Guadalajara, Jalisco, in 1828.

Argüello married Maria Ygnacia Moraga. Two of their sons were Luis Antonio Argüello, California's first native-born governor, and Santiago Argüello, who was commandant of the Presidio of San Diego and alcalde of pueblo San Diego. Their daughter, Maria Concepción, is the subject of an early California love story.

Source: Wikipedia

---

From Spain's Arizona Patriots in its 1779-1783 war with England during the American Revolution:

http://www.somosprimos.com/hough/arizona.pdf

Page 43:

Lt Joseph Dario Argttello*+ (1753-1827/28 Mexico).

• 1781 Yuma,
• 1782 Santa Barbara.
• 2. 1790 San Francisco,
• 1816 Los Angeles.
• 3N1:46. 4.#151. 5T:108-109. 8a.

Page 27:

An alphabetical listing of all individuals known or believed to be involved in the Yuma operations during the 1779-1783 time period follows:

• ... Jose Dario Argilello

---

From the English Wikipedia page on the Quechan (Yuma) tribe:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quechan

The first significant contact of the Quechan with Europeans was with the Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and his party in the winter of 1774. Relations were friendly. On Anza's return from his second trip to Alta California in 1776, the chief of the tribe and three of his men journeyed to Mexico City to petition the Viceroy of New Spain for the establishment of a mission. The chief Palma and his three companions were baptized in Mexico City on February 13, 1777. Palma was given the Spanish baptismal name Salvador Carlos Antonio.

Spanish settlement among the Quechan did not go smoothly; the tribe rebelled from July 17–19, 1781 and killed four priests and 30 soldiers. They also attacked and damaged the Spanish mission settlements of San Pedro y San Pablo de Bicuñer and Puerto de Purísima Concepción, killing many. The following year, the Spanish retaliated with military action against the tribe.

---

From

José Dario Argüello

• b. circa 1753,
• d. circa 1828
• José Dario Argüello was born circa 1753.[1]
• Circa 1781 in Altar, Sonora, México, José Dario Argüello married María Ignacia Moraga, daughter of Don José Ignacio Moraga and Doña Barbara Arvizu.[1]
• Joseph Dario Arguello was the founder of the Arguello family in Alta California. He arrived at San Gabriel 14 July 1781;
• Mexican alferez, later lieutenant and captain;
• comandante at San Francisco, Monterey, and Santa Barbara;
• acting governor of Alta California in 1814-15;
• governor of Baja California in 1815-22.[1]

José Dario Argüello and María Ignacia Moraga had 13 children. José was listed as the head of a family on the Census of 1790.

• José Argüello, lieutenant in command, español, from Querétaro, 35;
• wife Doña Ignacia Moraga, española, [from Altar, Sonora] 25; five children:
• 1. [Joaqu%C3%ADn Máximo] 8;
• 2. [Luis Antonio] 6;
• 3. [Gervasio] 4;
• 4. [Ana Gertrudis] 2;
• 5. [Mar%C3%ADa Jesús] 1.

He died circa 1828 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México.[1]

Child of José Dario Argüello and María Ignacia Moraga

• 1. Ana Gertrudes Rudecinda Argüello b. 30 Mar 1788

Citations

• 1. [S35] Marie Northrop, Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850.