Generation Four (Part I):
Leandra Ventura Ramos and Jose Rafael Robles
Leandra Ramos married Jose Rafael Robles at Mission San Francisco Solano on 7 January 1825 (SFS-M:00018). Rafael Robles was a one of the infamous Robles brothers who were reputed to have caused much trouble in Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties, but apparently, Rafael was more temperate than his wilder brothers. As Leon Rowland claimed in his History of Santa Cruz, “Rafael went into the army and discipline induced in him a sober conduct.” In addition, Rafael was given the duty on occasion to survey land (Torchiana 342). Leandra and Rafael had four children and eventually settled in the village at Branciforte in Santa Cruz. While their only son died in 1840, all three daughters married and had children.
References
Henry Albert Willem van Coenen Torchiana, The Story of Mission Santa Cruz. San Francisco: Paul Elder & Company, 1933.
Henry Albert Willem van Coenen Torchiana, The Story of Mission Santa Cruz. San Francisco: Paul Elder & Company, 1933.
1. Maria de Jesus (Maria Francisca) Robles was born about 1825 at Santa Cruz. She married Jose de Jesus Sebastian Soria about 1842. The couple had at least four children.
a. Maria del Refugio was born in 1843; she married Antonio Vargas Dutra in 1860; they had twelve children.
b. Maria Teresa was born in 1845; she married to Blas Weeks; they had at least one child.
c. Pablo Andronico was born in 1847; he married to Maria Luisa Garcia; they had eight children.
d. Jose Blas was born in 1849; he married to Catherine Contreras; they had four children.
a. Maria del Refugio was born in 1843; she married Antonio Vargas Dutra in 1860; they had twelve children.
b. Maria Teresa was born in 1845; she married to Blas Weeks; they had at least one child.
c. Pablo Andronico was born in 1847; he married to Maria Luisa Garcia; they had eight children.
d. Jose Blas was born in 1849; he married to Catherine Contreras; they had four children.
|
Leandra’s first daughter, Maria Francisca Robles was renamed Maria de Jesus shortly after birth. She had four children with Jose de Jesus Sebastian Soria, the eldest of whom was Maria del Refugio Robles. She married Antonio Dutra de Vargas, a Portuguese farm laborer, on 1 December 1857 at Santa Cruz. The couple had several children, one of whom was Anna Dutra. On 5 January 1885 at Santa Cruz, Anna married Italian fisherman Giacomo “James” Marco Buero. In October of 1887 James Buero caught an eight foot long, one thousand pound sea turtle off the coast of Capitola. He struggled with the giant all night until help arrived in the morning. It was said to have been “the largest of its species that has ever been caught off the coast.” Anna Dutra and James Buero had eleven children, one of whom was Rose Buero.
References
“A Monster Turtle.” San Jose Mercury News, 14 October 1887. |
Anna Dutra Buero and grandson.
|
2. Maria Domitila Robles was born about 1830 at Santa Cruz. She married Jorge Salazar 21 February 1846 at Mission Santa Cruz. They had at least two children.
a. Maria de los Angeles del Refugio was baptized at Mission San Juan Bautista 25 November 1849.
b. Maria del Carmen was baptized 4 October 1851 at Mission Santa Cruz; she married Santos Garner at Mission Santa Cruz 7 August 1870.
a. Maria de los Angeles del Refugio was baptized at Mission San Juan Bautista 25 November 1849.
b. Maria del Carmen was baptized 4 October 1851 at Mission Santa Cruz; she married Santos Garner at Mission Santa Cruz 7 August 1870.
Five generations beginning clockwise (left, front): Carmen Salzar, Domitila Garner, Helen Maze, living Spencer and daughter.
|
Maria Domitila Robles
|
Carmen and Santos would have long lives together and raise eleven children. Their first location was in the Paicines- Tres Pinos area where family stories say they ran a hotel and had some contact with the local bandit Tiburcio Vasquez. This was during a time when many native Californians felt oppressed by the new order, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Carmen and Santos sympathetic to Vasquez. Family legend also credits Santos with being part of the mob that lynched the anti-hispanic vigilante Matt Tarpey in 1873.
Later Carmen and Santos moved to the Alvarado District over the county line east of Hollister and made a living raising livestock. When Santos died in 1913 they had a small place closer to Hollister. Even though she lived her entire 91 years under the US flag Carmen would not speak English. One of her grandsons remembered being teased by his grandmother about being a gringo if he used English during his visits. He also remembered how she kept a shrine in her home for prayers and would send him out to buy her a small bottle of whiskey. My mother held memories of Carmen playing the guitar and smoking a pipe.
Carmen's first child, a daughter born in 1871, was cristened Domitilla Eliza. Domitilla married Blas Rufio Maze in Hollister in early 1891. Blas Rufio was the grandson of Blas Avila, a vaquero from Acaponeta, Mexico who came to San Juan Bautista around 1851 with his wife and young daughter Bruna. At age sixteen Bruna eloped with forty-five year old Joseph Maze who'd drifted into San Juan from the Indian Territories a few years earlier. On the day of their marriage Joseph Maze endorsed with his mark a deed conveying to Bruna a gift of 100 head of cattle and 40 horses "for her sole use and benefit". Their first child was Blas Rufio Maze, future husband of Domitilla Garner.
Domitilla Maze-Garner was proud of her heritage and her auburn hair. She had her family convinced she was pure Castillian Spanish based thinly upon her father Santos' great-grandfather, a Catalonian volunteer and friend of Father Serra. But when word got out about settlement money for anybody who could prove California Indian ancestry she surprised them all by announcing her trip to Monterey to get the record of the Spaniard's marriage to Margarita of Tukutnut rancheria on the Carmel River. That was the first time anyone had heard about any of the Indians in her ancestry. Domitilla had some harsh ways that were the subject of family gossip. But she's remembered kindly by others, praised for her tamales and her skill as a camp cook. She also made quilts and needlework still treasured by the family. Domitilla Maze had five children. Her first, Helen Bruna, was born at Lone Tree, San Benito County in 1893 and became Carmen’s first grandchild almost a year before Carmen gave birth to her own Josie Garner. Helen, my grandmother, was a temperate and sweet soul, a gift to us all and to the community of Hollister where she resided her entire 89 years.
Later Carmen and Santos moved to the Alvarado District over the county line east of Hollister and made a living raising livestock. When Santos died in 1913 they had a small place closer to Hollister. Even though she lived her entire 91 years under the US flag Carmen would not speak English. One of her grandsons remembered being teased by his grandmother about being a gringo if he used English during his visits. He also remembered how she kept a shrine in her home for prayers and would send him out to buy her a small bottle of whiskey. My mother held memories of Carmen playing the guitar and smoking a pipe.
Carmen's first child, a daughter born in 1871, was cristened Domitilla Eliza. Domitilla married Blas Rufio Maze in Hollister in early 1891. Blas Rufio was the grandson of Blas Avila, a vaquero from Acaponeta, Mexico who came to San Juan Bautista around 1851 with his wife and young daughter Bruna. At age sixteen Bruna eloped with forty-five year old Joseph Maze who'd drifted into San Juan from the Indian Territories a few years earlier. On the day of their marriage Joseph Maze endorsed with his mark a deed conveying to Bruna a gift of 100 head of cattle and 40 horses "for her sole use and benefit". Their first child was Blas Rufio Maze, future husband of Domitilla Garner.
Domitilla Maze-Garner was proud of her heritage and her auburn hair. She had her family convinced she was pure Castillian Spanish based thinly upon her father Santos' great-grandfather, a Catalonian volunteer and friend of Father Serra. But when word got out about settlement money for anybody who could prove California Indian ancestry she surprised them all by announcing her trip to Monterey to get the record of the Spaniard's marriage to Margarita of Tukutnut rancheria on the Carmel River. That was the first time anyone had heard about any of the Indians in her ancestry. Domitilla had some harsh ways that were the subject of family gossip. But she's remembered kindly by others, praised for her tamales and her skill as a camp cook. She also made quilts and needlework still treasured by the family. Domitilla Maze had five children. Her first, Helen Bruna, was born at Lone Tree, San Benito County in 1893 and became Carmen’s first grandchild almost a year before Carmen gave birth to her own Josie Garner. Helen, my grandmother, was a temperate and sweet soul, a gift to us all and to the community of Hollister where she resided her entire 89 years.
References
The section on Maria Domitila Robles was contributed by Pam Curry, a direct descendant of Domitila Robles.
The section on Maria Domitila Robles was contributed by Pam Curry, a direct descendant of Domitila Robles.
3. Maria Juliana del Carmen Robles was born about 1835 at Santa Cruz. She married Angelo Martinez about 1853. The couple had at least four children.
a. Maria Leonora was baptized 12 August 1855 at Mission Santa Clara; she died in 1856.
b. Facundo was baptized 9 March 1857 at Mission Santa Clara.
c. Francisco Martinez was baptized 1866 at Mission San Jose.
d. Alberto Martinez was baptized 1870 at Mission San Jose.
e. Joseph Juan Bonifacio Garcia was baptized at Mission San Jose. His father was Francisco Garcia.
a. Maria Leonora was baptized 12 August 1855 at Mission Santa Clara; she died in 1856.
b. Facundo was baptized 9 March 1857 at Mission Santa Clara.
c. Francisco Martinez was baptized 1866 at Mission San Jose.
d. Alberto Martinez was baptized 1870 at Mission San Jose.
e. Joseph Juan Bonifacio Garcia was baptized at Mission San Jose. His father was Francisco Garcia.
Leandra’s third daughter, Maria Juliana Robles, married Angelo Martinez about 1853. The couple had several children and were living in San Mateo County in 1860. Shortly thereafter Juliana and Angelo move to Pleasanton where Juliana remained with her children until at least 1875. Francisco Martinez was born to the couple in 1866 and Alberto in 1870. In 1875 Julian had an illegitimate child, Joseph Juan Bonifacio Garcia, with Francisco Garcia.
4. Jose Gregorio Robles was born in 1837 and died in 1840.