Manuel Micheltorena

Joseph Manuel María Joaquin Micheltorena y Llano (8 June 1804 – 7 September 1853)[3] was a brigadier general of the Mexican Army, adjutant-general of the same, governor, commandant-general and inspector of the department of Alta California, then within Mexico.[4] Micheltorena was the last non-Californian Mexican governor before Californian native son Pío Pico took office.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Micheltorena and the second or maternal family name is Llano.

Manuel Micheltorena
25th Governor of Alta California
In office 31 December 1842 – 22 February 1845
Appointed by	Antonio López de Santa Anna
Preceded by	Juan Bautista Alvarado
Succeeded by	Pío Pico
Personal details
Born	Joseph (José) Manuel María Joaquin Micheltorena y Llano[1][2] 8 June 1804[1] Oaxaca, New Spain [1]
Died	7 September 1853(1853-09-07) (aged 49) Mexico City, Mexico
Profession	Politician, soldier
Military service
Allegiance	Mexico
Branch/service	Mexican infantry
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Battle of Providencia

Family

Micheltorena was born in 1804 in Oaxaca de Juárez, Oaxaca, Mexico, into a prominent Basque family.[5] His parents were Army Captain Joseph Eusebio Micheltorena (who in 1819 was included among a list of notable foreigners in Mexico),[6] and Catarina Gertrudis Llano. He was baptized at five days old at Oaxaca Cathedral. His grandparents were Joseph de Micheltorena (Mixteltorena) and María Encarnación de Herrera (paternal), and Joseph Augustín de Llano and María Romero (maternal).[1]

Career

Micheltorena was appointed governor of California by Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna and served from 30 December 1842, until his ouster in 1845.

Micheltorena continued previous governors' policy of large land grants ("ranchos"). He faced criticism, opposition, and eventually rebellion by the Californios who wanted local-born governors.

Micheltorena brought with him from Mexico a group of soldiers that included criminals, and who were derisively referred to by some as cholos,[7] to enforce his policies. Micheltorena was defeated at the 1845 Battle of Providencia, left California, and was succeeded by Pio Pico as governor.

References

1. Mexico, Select Baptisms, 1560-1950
2. Robles, Graciela Alessio; Oliver, Angélica; Cortez, Ana María (1984). Catálogo del Fondo Vito Alessio Robles (in Spanish). Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. p. 43. Retrieved 1 August 2018. ...y general de brigada José Manuel Micheltorena y Llano...
3. "José Manuel Micheltorena". Omnibiography. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
4. Manuel Micheltorena (22 December 1842). "Translation Of Sutter General Land Title". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2007-01-04.
5. Douglass, William A.; Bilbao, Jon (2005). Amerikanuak: Basques in the New World. University of Nevada Press. p. 196. ISBN 9780874176254. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
6. de Zúñiga y Ontiveros, Mariano José (1819). Calendario manual y guia de forasteros en Méjico para el año de 1820, bisiesto (in Spanish). p. 170. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
7. Hubert Howe Bancroft (1886). History of California: 1840-1845. History Company. p. 363.

Further reading

• Irvine, Leigh H. (1905). "vol. I, chap. III". A History Of The New California - Its Resources And People. New York: The Lewis Publishing Company. OCLC 35952214. Retrieved 2007-01-04.