Doña María of Two Adobes By Glenn Burch, Hisorian, California
Dept. of Parks and Recreation, Sonoma [Originally appeared in
the California Mission Studies Assn. Newsletter, July 1993.] In
an attempt at political correctness in presenting women of the
California colonial era, OH, CALIFORNIA (the current California
fourth grade history textbook) shows a mythical "vaquera at
work." I believe that a genuinely historic example should be
used to portray the valuable contributions made by women to
early California development and society. One such example is
Doña María Ignacia Candelaria López. Born at San Diego in
January, 1793, María Ignacia was baptized at the Presidio
Chapel, where sixteen years later she was to marry Joaquin
Victor Carrillo, a Soldado de Cuera. Over the years Doña María
Ignacia bore thirteen children. The twelfth, José de la Luz,
died in infancy. All but two of the children were baptized at
either the Presidio or Mission San Diego. The other two
children, José Ramon, born in 1821, and José de l