ECV1850 Plaque:
Robles-Garcia Monument
| SECUNDINO ROBLES MARÍA ANTONIA GARCÍA |
|---|
| c. 1811-1890 c. 1816-1896 |
PROUD CALIFORNIOS WHO SHAPED THIS REGION UNDER SPANISH, MEXICAN, AND UNITED STATES GOVERNANCE |
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IN 1824, AT AGE 13, SECUNDINO DISCOVERED AN ANCIENT OHLONE CINNABAR MINE IN PRESENT-DAY NEW ALMADEN, FOR CENTURIES, THE OHLONE PEOPLE PULVERIZED THE AREA'S CINNABAR INTO A RED PIGMENT TO BE USED AS BODY PAINT. THE NEW ALMADEN QUICKSILVER MINE EVENTUALLY BECAME THE REGION'S MOST PROFITABLE WORKINGS, PRODUCING MORE WEALTH THAN ANY OTHER CALIFORNIA MINE, INCLUDING THOSE FROM THE GOLD RUSH ERA. IN THE 1830'S SECUNDINO MARRIED MARÍA ANTONIA GARCÍA, HIS GUIDING LIGHT. THEIR FRUITFUL MARRIAGE OF MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS YIELDED TWENTY-NINE CHILDREN. DURING THE 1840'S, SECONDINO SERVED AS MAYORDOMO (SUPERINTENDENT) OF MISSION SANTA CLARA. IN 1847, HE PLAYED A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THE BATTLE OF SANTA CLARA. THE "BATTLE" WAS THE ONLY SKIRMISH WAGED IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA DURING THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR (1846-1848). ALTHOUGH SECUNDINO WAS NOT OPPOSED TO CALIFORNIA BECOMING PART OF THE UNITED STATES, HE AND HIS NEIGHBORS FOUGHT AGAINST AMERICAN FORCES IN ORDER TO PROTEST THE OVERALL MISTREATMENT OF CALIFORNIOS AND THE BLATANT THEFT OF PERSONAL PROPERTY BY INVADING U.S. TROOPS. IN SEPTEMBER 1847, SECUNDINO AND HIS BROTHER, TEODORO, PURCHASED RANCHO RINCON DE SAN FRANCISQUITO IN PRESENT-DAY PALO ALTO, RENAMING IT RANCHO SANTA RITA. IT IS HERE THE ROBLES FAMILY GRACIOUSLY HOSTED MANY FIESTAS, FANDANGOS, BULLFIGHTS, AND BEARBAITINGS. ULTIMATELY, THE ROBLES FAMILY LOST THEIR WEALTH AND TITLE TO THEIR LAND, A COMMON OUTCOME FOR CALIFORNIOS DURING THIS LITIGIOUS TRANSITION TO AMERICAN RULE. AT THE TIME OF THEIR DEATHS, THE ROBLESES WERE LEFT WITH INSUFFICIENT ASSETS TO PAY FOR A HEADSTONE. THIS PLAQUE ATTEMPTS TO REMEDY THAT INJUSTICE. |
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DEDICATED 2021 BY CALIFORNIA PIONEERS OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY MOUNTAIN CHARLIE CHAPTER No. 1850 E CLAMPUS VITUS |
This plaque is located in the
Mission Santa Clara Cemetery
490 Lincoln Street
Santa Clara, CA 95050
Santa Clara County
The cemetery is at the corner of North Winchester Street and Bellomy Street.
Use the entrance archway at the dead-end of Lincoln Street.
The Robles-Garcia monument is indicated as a red star on the map.
Download and print a .pdf map of the cemetery
| GPS Mission Santa Clara Cemetery Entrance Gate |
|---|
| WGS84 Datum |
| N. 37.3407° |
| W. -121.94877° |
| GPS Robles-Garcia Monument |
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| WGS84 Datum |
| N. 37.34165° |
| W. -121.94997° |
Santa Clara Mission Cemetery entrance archway
at the dead-end of Lincoln Street.
The Robles-Garcia Monument site (on the right side of photo),
is just West of the bronze-domed building and the row of
tall Italian Cypress trees.
VNGH Jas Koger and Russ Robinson unveil the new plaque.
Descendants of the Robles-Garcia family.
California Pioneers of Santa Clara County.
SATISFACTORY!!!
![[ Hand pointing left. ]](images/handleft.gif)
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