José Castro (Governor)

José Castro

José Antonio Castro (* 1808 in Monterey ; † February 1860 ) was Governor of Alta California from 1835 to 1836 and Comandante General of the Mexican Army there during the revolt against the Mexican Governor and during the Mexican-American War from 1846 to 1848.

Life

José Antonio Castro was the son of José Tiburcio Castro, a member of the diputacion (Legislative Assembly) and administrator of the Spanish Mission San Juan Bautista, which was secularized in 1835 . He was the owner of Rancho Sausal .

José Castro initially worked as secretary of the ayuntamiento (city council) of Monterey. In 1830, however, he was arrested over an argument with the governor of Alta California. In 1835 he was the first member ( vocal primero ) of the assembly and deputy governor. Together with Juan Bautista Alvarado , he tried to achieve greater independence in Alta California. In 1836, under the leadership of Alvaredo and Castro, the group succeeded in overthrowing governor Nicolás Gutiérrez . Mexico had to give in. Castro became Commandante General, Governor, and President of the Legislative Assembly. From 1837 to 1838 he was leader of the armed forces.

In 1839 he received Rancho San Justo from Alvarado, one of three ranchos belonging to the San Juan Bautista Mission, which were established after the secularization of 1835.

In 1840 Castro had illegal immigrants brought to San Blas . From 1844 to 1845 he became one of the leaders of the revolt against Governor Manuel Micheltorena , and he was again Commandante General. In April he headed the Monterey junta, which was striving for California's independence . In this office he fought immigration from the USA, as well as in the war against the USA.

In August 1846 he retired to Mexico and resided in Sinaloa , but returned to Mexican California in 1848. From 1853 he led the military and government in Baja California, Mexico .

In February 1860, Governor Castro was murdered by the bandit Marquez.

General José Castro House in San Juan Bautista

The José Castro House from 1840 in San Juan Bautista is now a National Historic Landmark .

literature

• Martha Ortega Soto: Alta California. Una frontera olvidada del noroeste de México, 1769-1846. Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City 2001.

Web links

• California and the Indian Wars. José Antonio Castro Commandante-General and Acting Governor of Alta California , The California State Military Museum