OLDNAVYMCPO
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
Californian history is typically divided into four phases. The two we are interested in here are the Mexican phase, 1821-1848, and after 1848, the American phase. During the Mexican period, the biggest rancho owners who inherited their land holdings from Spanish forefathers, lived in the grand style of royalty. They had great holdings of cattle, horses and vineyards. Their subjects lived like peons. The economy for the most part was based on trade, seaborne by sailing ships with foreign partners or overland with the interior of Mexico. The ranch income was derived primarily from hides and tallow. The few anglo settlers (Americans and Europeans) lived mostly in the north of the territory, the Mexicans to the south.
The war between the Republic of Texas and Mexico spread to California. By Jan 1847, Calif was under US control. One year later the Gold Rush was on. From 1847 to 1850, Calif was ruled by military governors. Calif became a state on Sep 9, 1850.
The resulting influx of anglo immigrants overwhelmed the sparse population of Mexican settlers. The Mexican population suddenly found themselves Hispanic-Americans, subject to American laws and anglo culture. They suffered a traumatic cultural shock. Into this transitional period was born Jose Jesus Lopez on Aug 11, 1835 in Monterey. Born into a historic ,cultured family, he was well educated and could read as well as write both English and Spanish.
As a 17 year old, Lopez attended a local fandango (Mex dance party) with an older cousin, Anastacio Garcia, already a notorious outlaw, and friends. During the event, a fight broke out and Constable William Hardmount was killed. Lopez and his outlaw cousin fled. Their friend Jose Hiquera did not flee and was hanged by vigilantes.
Hiding in the mountains with his cousin, Lopez changed his name to Tiburcio Vasquez and joined with a gang of desperadoes who stole horses all over central and southern Calif. Lopez, now Vasquez, later claimed that his criminal activity was really a fight for civil rights for his people. In July 1857, Vasquez was arrested for stealing horses in Los Angeles and was sentenced to five years in San Quentin. His cousin Garcia was lynched in the Monterey jail that same year.
While in San Quentin, Vasquez participated in four bloody jail break attempts in which 20 convicts died. Released in Aug 1863, Vasquez returned to a life of crime. After a long string of various crimes, he was arrested for attempted robbery of a store in Mendocino and sent back to San Quentin. Upon his release, he returned to Monterey where he was seriously wounded over a sexual affair with a married woman. He fled to Cantua Creek to recover.
Aug 17, 1871, Vasquez and two companions robbed the Visalia stage as it ran from San Jose to Pacheco Pass. Sheriff Charles Lincoln and posse gave chase and caught up with the outlaws. Killed one, captured another and wounded Vasquez. He again fled to his hideout in Cantua Creek to recover.
On Aug 26, 1875 , Vasquez gathered a new gang and robbed Snyder's Store in Tres Pinos. The gang stole $2,200 but killed three innocent bystanders in the process. His gang was pursued but escaped after a fierce gun battle. Vasquez fled to southern Calif with a $1000 bounty on his head. The bounty would continue to increase as did the duration of his criminal activity. Vasquez continued to evade capture by hiding in the canyons of Tejon Pass. One of his favorite hiding spots was a sloping rock formation just north of L.A. known today as the Vasquez Rocks.
Tiburcio Vasquez was a Romeo or as the Mexicans say, a Julio. There was a mutual attraction with the opposite sex and he was reported to have numerous affairs, often with married women.
Returning to San Joaquin Valley, Vasquez and gang robbed the Jones Store in Fresno county on Nov 10, 1873. In Dec they sacked the town of Kingston, tied their victims and robbed two stores of more than $2500. The Gov raised the bounty on Vasquez's head to $15,000 which dramatically increased the number of posses searching for him.
While hid at the cabin of a friend, "Greek George", at Rancho La Brea, Vasquez seduced his own minor aged niece, putting her in the family way. One of the girl's relatives, Abdon Leiva, betrayed Vasquez to authorities. Sheriff William Roland of L.A. gave chase and eventually cornered Vasquez in the Arroyo Seco area of L.A. on May 13, 1874. Clodovio Chavez, a loyal member of the Vasquez gang escaped and fled to Arizona. On Nov 25, 1875, Chavez was shot and killed when he resisted arrest in Yuma.
Vasquez was hauled to San Jose for trial. He was a celebrity, visited by hundreds at his jail, 673 in one day alone, many women admirers. He claimed at his trial that he never killed anyone, he only wanted to return Calif to Mexican rule. His trial began in Jan 1875, lasted four days, the jury deliberated two hours. He was hanged by Santa Clara Sheriff John H. Adams on Mar 19, 1875.
Vasquez is buried in Santa Clara Mission Cemetery. He remains a Hispanic folk hero and many places in Calif are named in his honor.
The war between the Republic of Texas and Mexico spread to California. By Jan 1847, Calif was under US control. One year later the Gold Rush was on. From 1847 to 1850, Calif was ruled by military governors. Calif became a state on Sep 9, 1850.
The resulting influx of anglo immigrants overwhelmed the sparse population of Mexican settlers. The Mexican population suddenly found themselves Hispanic-Americans, subject to American laws and anglo culture. They suffered a traumatic cultural shock. Into this transitional period was born Jose Jesus Lopez on Aug 11, 1835 in Monterey. Born into a historic ,cultured family, he was well educated and could read as well as write both English and Spanish.
As a 17 year old, Lopez attended a local fandango (Mex dance party) with an older cousin, Anastacio Garcia, already a notorious outlaw, and friends. During the event, a fight broke out and Constable William Hardmount was killed. Lopez and his outlaw cousin fled. Their friend Jose Hiquera did not flee and was hanged by vigilantes.
Hiding in the mountains with his cousin, Lopez changed his name to Tiburcio Vasquez and joined with a gang of desperadoes who stole horses all over central and southern Calif. Lopez, now Vasquez, later claimed that his criminal activity was really a fight for civil rights for his people. In July 1857, Vasquez was arrested for stealing horses in Los Angeles and was sentenced to five years in San Quentin. His cousin Garcia was lynched in the Monterey jail that same year.
While in San Quentin, Vasquez participated in four bloody jail break attempts in which 20 convicts died. Released in Aug 1863, Vasquez returned to a life of crime. After a long string of various crimes, he was arrested for attempted robbery of a store in Mendocino and sent back to San Quentin. Upon his release, he returned to Monterey where he was seriously wounded over a sexual affair with a married woman. He fled to Cantua Creek to recover.
Aug 17, 1871, Vasquez and two companions robbed the Visalia stage as it ran from San Jose to Pacheco Pass. Sheriff Charles Lincoln and posse gave chase and caught up with the outlaws. Killed one, captured another and wounded Vasquez. He again fled to his hideout in Cantua Creek to recover.
On Aug 26, 1875 , Vasquez gathered a new gang and robbed Snyder's Store in Tres Pinos. The gang stole $2,200 but killed three innocent bystanders in the process. His gang was pursued but escaped after a fierce gun battle. Vasquez fled to southern Calif with a $1000 bounty on his head. The bounty would continue to increase as did the duration of his criminal activity. Vasquez continued to evade capture by hiding in the canyons of Tejon Pass. One of his favorite hiding spots was a sloping rock formation just north of L.A. known today as the Vasquez Rocks.
Tiburcio Vasquez was a Romeo or as the Mexicans say, a Julio. There was a mutual attraction with the opposite sex and he was reported to have numerous affairs, often with married women.
Returning to San Joaquin Valley, Vasquez and gang robbed the Jones Store in Fresno county on Nov 10, 1873. In Dec they sacked the town of Kingston, tied their victims and robbed two stores of more than $2500. The Gov raised the bounty on Vasquez's head to $15,000 which dramatically increased the number of posses searching for him.
While hid at the cabin of a friend, "Greek George", at Rancho La Brea, Vasquez seduced his own minor aged niece, putting her in the family way. One of the girl's relatives, Abdon Leiva, betrayed Vasquez to authorities. Sheriff William Roland of L.A. gave chase and eventually cornered Vasquez in the Arroyo Seco area of L.A. on May 13, 1874. Clodovio Chavez, a loyal member of the Vasquez gang escaped and fled to Arizona. On Nov 25, 1875, Chavez was shot and killed when he resisted arrest in Yuma.
Vasquez was hauled to San Jose for trial. He was a celebrity, visited by hundreds at his jail, 673 in one day alone, many women admirers. He claimed at his trial that he never killed anyone, he only wanted to return Calif to Mexican rule. His trial began in Jan 1875, lasted four days, the jury deliberated two hours. He was hanged by Santa Clara Sheriff John H. Adams on Mar 19, 1875.
Vasquez is buried in Santa Clara Mission Cemetery. He remains a Hispanic folk hero and many places in Calif are named in his honor.
