Version 2012
Jul 17
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Juan Bandini was the first
individual of European descent to own land in present-day Eastvale – or, for
that matter, in any part of what is now northwestern Riverside County. He called this
combination of his two land grants along the Santa Ana River by the
informal name “Rancho San Juan del Rίo.” The grants were officially “Rancho Jurupa” (1838) and “Rancho El Rincon” (1839). The two
Mexican-era California ranchos together approximated an earlier “Rancho
Jurupa” from the Spanish Mission era (1770-1820), which had been one of
several Ranchos attached to Mission San Gabriel (see Lech, “Old Roads.”) This
1889 map (courtesy of Steve Lech and Kim Jarrell Johnson) reflects later
“patented titles” for the grants, i.e., deeds confirmed by the US Land
Commission some 30 years after
California was transferred from Mexican to American jurisdiction in
accordance with the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The
Rancho Jurupa grant title was confirmed in two parts during the late 1870s.
The map shows the western part of Rancho Jurupa, identified as the Jurupa-Stearns grant,
consisting of 33,819 acres or 85% of Rancho Jurupa, which was patented in May
1879 to Bandini’s son-in-law Abel Stearns (who had died in
1871). The remainder, identified as the Jurupa-Robidoux grant,
lay farther east on both sides of the river including downtown Riverside,
consisting of 6,750 acres or 15% of Rancho Jurupa patented in December 1876 to
Louis Roubidoux who had purchased it from Bandini indirectly, via short-term
intermediate owners, about 1850 (see Roubidoux
Adobe ). The
map legend “San Bernardino Co” reflects the original 1889 map date, which
preceded the formation of Riverside County in 1893. Lands from both parts of
the Rancho Jurupa grant, except for the northeast corner, became part of the
new county. At the
west end of this composite map, outlined in green, is Rancho El Rincon (4,431
acres). This 1839 grant, which had been sold (indirectly) to Bernardo Yorba
about 1845, was patented to him in November 1879. Note that a small portion
of public land remained between the two Ranchos. I have
placed two red asterisks on this map. One marks a site on the bluff north of
the river and west of Hamner Ave, where in March 1933 local historian Janet
Gould established a marker (vandalized a few months later), commemorating Bandini’s first adobe
residence on his grant . The other red asterisk, near the middle of Rancho El
Rincon, marks the “Bandini-Cota Adobe” which was occupied by Yorba heirs for
more than 80 years, and whose ruins can still be detected on modern satellite
maps of Prado Basin. The
map below shows these same Bandini Ranchos, overlaid on a 2011 Google map of
the Southern California “Inland Empire.” The central part of Bandini’s Rancho
Jurupa (as patented to both Stearns and Roubidoux), plus additional land
north of Bellegrave, has now been incorporated into the city of Jurupa
Valley, and the part of Rancho Jurupa west of Ontario Freeway (I-15) now constitutes
most of the city of Eastvale. The southern part of Rancho El Rincon is now in
the Prado Flood Control Basin, and most of this (including the Bandini-Cota
Adobe) is in unincorporated Riverside County. The northern part of El Rincon
is in San Bernardino County. The diagonal green line segment at the upper
left corner of El Rincon is now Pine Avenue, about a half mile south of the
(extended) Bellegrave alignment.
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Site of First Bandini Adobe on Rancho
Jurupa Puntney writes (in Brumgardt collection, “Historical Portraits of Riverside County,” Historical Commission Press, Riverside, 1977, p 4): “On December 5,
1838, Luis Arenas, first alcalde of
Los Angeles, rode out to the new rancho to supervise the official survey of
its boundaries. … The southern boundary ran for thirty thousand varas [southwestward] along the Santa
Ana River to ‘the point of the same tableland where Mr. Bandini had
established the house and where the river makes a turn.’” Requirements for confirming a Mexican land grant included establishing a residence, and the house on the tableland was probably an adobe residence constructed during the ten weeks since Governor Alvarado’s affirmation of Bandini’s grant on September 28. But speculation surrounds the question of whether to identify this house, which Bandini had “established” before December 1838, with a House indicated on Hancock’s 1856 U. S. survey map (only 18 years later), at a clearly defined location on the bluffs north of the river, within the present-day city of Eastvale and just west of Hamner Avenue (Greenwood and Foster, “Context and Evaluation of Historical Sites in the Prado Basin” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles, 1990, p 48). The earliest reference I have found, that describes Bandini’s residence on Rancho Jurupa as being “west of Hamner,” is in “Historic Spots in California: The Southern Counties,” by H.E. Rensch and E.G. Rensch (Stanford Univ Press, 1932 – copy located at California Room, Martin Luther King Jr Library, San Jose CA), page 131: “Juan Bandini was
one of the first white settlers in Riverside County, and in 1839 he built his
first home on the Rancho Jurupa. The site was on a high bluff along the
northwest side of the Santa Ana River, about one thousand yards west of Hamner Boulevard – the
road from Norco to Mira Loma. The old adobe has long since
disappeared.” Source notes at the end of the chapter in “Historic Spots in California” include the citation: “Notes on the Historical Spots of the Country Around Corona (MS 1930)” by Janet Williams Gould, but I have not located this Gould 1930 manuscript. Similar
descriptions have appeared in many later publications, including several
editions of “Historic Spots in California.” Later documents often describe
the site as 1000 feet west of
Hamner – due perhaps to either a transcription error or an update. Tom Patterson
in “Landmarks of Riverside” (1964, p 17) adds that “its melted walls were
traceable as late as 1928.” |
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http://www.sandiegohistory.org/online_resources/bandini.html [“Juan Bandini, White Hat”] Juan Bandini (1800-1859) History of San Diego (1908), page 164 by William
Ellsworth Smythe
Any
sketch of this interesting figure in the early life of San Diego must
necessarily fail to do him entire justice. For nearly forty years he was an
honored citizen of California, saw it pass from Spanish into Mexican hands,
and lived to take a prominent part in wresting it from the control of the
Californians and making it an American State. Through all the intervening
days of struggle, he took an important part, and narrowly missed the highest
political honors of his time. Estimates of his character and services vary
somewhat and have been influenced by the financial misfortunes which pursued
him. But it seems clear that his long residence and eminent public services
in San Diego entitled him to be considered the first Spanish citizen of his
day. The name of
Bandini is not originally Spanish, but Italian, the family originating in
Italy and there being a family of Bandinis of princely rank now in existence
in Italy. He was the son
of Jose Bandini, who was a native of Andalusia. He was born at Lima in 1800,
and received his education there. His father came to California as master of
a Spanish trading vessel in 1819 and 1821, and it is possible Juan was with
him. The father took an active part in the Mexican revolution and was made a
captain. Soon after peace came, the father and son came to San Diego and
built a house. His public services began in 1827-8 as a member of the
assembly, and from 1828 to ‘31 he was sub-comisario of revenues. His
house at San Diego, which is still standing in a good state of preservation,
was erected in 1829. In 1830 he was chosen substitute congressman. In 1831 he
took a leading part in the revolt against Governor Victoria, as related elsewhere.
In 1832, he was appointed comisario principal ad interim, but Victoria
refused to recognize his authority outside San Diego, and he soon resigned.
In 1833 he went to Mexico as congressman and returned the following year as
Vice-President of the Hijar colonization company and inspector of customs for
California. His elaborate entertainment of Hijar has been alluded to. The
colonization scheme was a failure, however. The California officials also
refused to recognize his authority over the customs and brought a counter
charge of smuggling which they succeeded in substantiating, technically, at
least. These failures
of his hopes were a severe blow to Bandini, from which he never fully
recovered. In 1836-7-8 he was the leading spirit in the opposition to
Governor Alvarado and on one occasion, at least, had the satisfaction of a
great public reception when the whole population of San Diego turned out to
meet him on his return from the capture of Los Angeles, in 1837. His return
at this time was due to Indian troubles. He was the owner of the Tecate
rancho on the Mexican border, which was pillaged by the hostiles and the
family reduced to want. But peace having been made, Alvarado made him administrator
of the San Gabriel Mission, and he was also granted the Jurupa, Rincon, and
Cajon de Muscapiabe ranchos, besides land at San
Juan Capistrano. He held other offices, but continued to oppose
Alvarado and was present with troops at the battle of Las Flores, in 1838. On
Christmas night, 1838, while the Pastorela was
being performed at his house, all the prominent citizens of San Diego being
present, the house was surrounded by General Castro, acting under Alvarado’s
orders, and the two Picos and Juan Ortega taken
prisoners. Bandini was absent at this time, and thus escaped arrest. In 1845-6 he
was Governor Pico’s secretary and supported his administration. After the
Mexican War began, however, he adhered to the American cause and rendered
valuable services. He furnished supplies for the troops, and did everything
in his power to aid them In 1847 he was
a member of the legislative council, and in 1848,
alcalde. On April 1, 1850, he appears as an elector at San Diego, and was
elected treasurer, but declined to serve. In this year he was keeping a store
at San Diego, and also erected a large building for a hotel, the Gila House,
which is said to have cost $25,000. Soon after this he removed to a rancho
which had been granted him in Mexico and resumed his Mexican citizenship.
Here he took some part in politics, and was a supporter of Milendres, and had to quit the country with his
belongings, in 1855. He died at Los Angeles, whither
he had gone for treatment, in November, 1859. [See Juan Bandini Descendants
chart below.] His first wife was Dolores, daughter of
Captain Jose M. Estudillo, and their children were: Arcadia,
who
married Abel Stearns and afterward Colonel Robert L. Baker. She lives
at Santa Monica and Los Angeles. Ysidora,
who was born September 23, 1829, was married to Cave J. Couts, died May 24, 1897, and is buried
at San Diego. Josefa, who was married to Pedro
C. Carillo, who was alcalde and a member of California’s first
legislature in 1847. Jose Maria, who
married Teresa, daughter of Santiago Arguello; and Juanito. His second
wife was Refugia, daughter of Santiago Arguello (a sister of his son Jose
Maria’s wife). They had: Juan de la Cruz,
Alfredo, Arturo, and two daughters, one of whom, Dolores, was married to Charles R. Johnson, and
the other, Victoria, (Chata),
to Dr. James B. Winston and lives in Los Angeles. Bandini’s
daughters were famous for their beauty. All his family are in comfortable circumstances, and several are wealthy. They live
principally in Southern California, have married well, and are much respected
citizens.
Perhaps the
story of Bandini’s personal appearance and characteristics can best be told
by a few extracts from writers who knew him. Dana, whose opinion of Californians
was intelligent, if not always sympathetic, saw him on a voyage from Monterey
to Santa Barbara in January, 1836, and writes thus: “Among our
passengers was a young man who was the best representation of a decayed
gentleman I had ever seen. He was of the aristocracy of the country, his family
being of pure Spanish blood, and once of great importance in Mexico. His
father had been governor of the province [this is an error] and having
amassed a large property settled at San Diego. His son was sent to Mexico where
he received the best education, and went into the first society of the
capital. Misfortune, extravagance, and the want of funds soon ate the estate
up and Don Juan Bandini returned from Mexico accomplished, poor, and proud,
and without any office or occupation, to lead the life of most young men of
the better families-dissolute and extravagant when the means were at hand. He
had a slight and elegant figure, moved gracefully, danced and waltzed
beautifully, spoke the best of Castilian, with a pleasant and refined voice
and accent, and had throughout the bearing of a man of high birth and
figure.” Upon the
arrival at Santa Barbara, Bandini danced at the wedding of Alfred Robinson
and Señorita de la Guerra y Noriega, concerning
which Dana says: “A great deal has been said about our friend Don Juan
Bandini; and when he did appear, which was toward the close of the evening,
he certainly gave us the most graceful dancing that I had ever seen. He was
dressed in white pantaloons, neatly made, a short jacket of dark silk gaily
figured, white stockings and thin morocco slippers upon his very small feet.” Lieutenant
Derby was well acquainted with the name and fame of Don Juan, and in his
first letter from San Diego, in 1853, he pauses in
his fooling long enough to write: “San Diego is the residence of Don Juan
Bandini, whose mansion fronts on one side of the plaza. He is well known to
the early settlers of California as a gentleman of distinguished politeness
and hospitality. His wife and daughters are among the most beautiful and
accomplished ladies of our State.” Davis bears
testimony to Bandini’s worth. “He was,” he says, “a man of decided ability
and fine character.” Bancroft
admits that he was one of the most prominent men of his time in California,
of fair abilities and education, a charming public speaker, a fluent writer,
and personally much beloved. He thinks, however, that in the larger fields of
statesmanship he fell somewhat short-an estimate which is one of the
penalties paid by those who, whatever their ability or deserts, fail of the
largest success. There is also
contemporary testimony to the fact that Don Juan possessed a gift of sardonic
humor and was somewhat given to sarcasm. = http://www.sandiegohistory.org/links/oldtown.htm CASA DE BANDINI Born in Peru, Juan Bandini came to California with his father, master of a trading vessel, in 1819. He became a Mexican citizen and son-in-law to Jose Maria Estudillo in 1822. La Casa de Bandini was completed in 1829 and soon became the social center of Old Town.
Juan Bandini held various offices during the Mexican regime. When Americans
took over, he supplied them with horses and supplies from his rancho. In the
early 1850s, Bandini was forced to sell his home because of financial losses.
Alfred Seeley purchased the crumbling home in 1869, added a second story and
opened the building as the Cosmopolitan Hotel. Later the building was used as
a store, pickle factory and motel annex, and now
hosts a Mexican restaurant. |
http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/69winter/part2.htm [“Juan Bandini, Black Hat”] The Bandini Family Journal of San Diego History 1969, Vol. 15, No. 1 by Patricia Baker [Patricia
Baker is a senior at the San Diego College for Women. She is a history major,
interested in the old families in Californian history.] In
Florence on Sunday, April 26, 1478, a “young Florentine coxcomb” murdered Guilliano Medici, the brother of Florence’s ruler,
Lorenzo Medici. Several months later this assassin was executed. The culprit? Bernardo Bandini. Four centuries
later, in December of 1818, José Bandini, a native of Andulacia,
Spain, a lieutenant of the Spanish vessel, “Nymphia,”
at the Battle of Trafalgar, transported troops on his ship, “Reina de Los
Angeles,” to Monterey to defend the city against the attack of the pirate,
Bouchard. On
November 29, 1831, just thirteen years later, José’s son, Juan, who had been
born in San Marcos de Arica, Peru, on October 4, 1800, issued a pronunciamiento, denouncing his allegiance
to Victoria, the Mexican governor of California, In his
pronunciamiento, Bandini stated: “Let
the rights of the citizens be born anew; let liberty spring up from the ashes
of oppression, and perish the depotism that has
suffocated our security.” That night Bandini and fourteen other San Diegans
arrested Captain Argüello, Lieutenant Valle and Portilla and seized the presidio. Bandini said of that
night: “I presented my apology to Captain Argüello
playing cards with Lt. Valle, then a pair of pistols and marched them off to
prison where they found their commandant, Portilla,
had preceded them.” Governor
Victoria marched south to quell this uprising. Victoria’s little army and the
Bandini - led rebels met near the Cahuenga Pass on December 6, 1831. Victoria
was wounded. Following this battle, Victoria resigned his post as governor
and retired to the mission at San Gabriel to recover. On January 17, 1832, he
sailed to Mexico. California was rid of an uncongenial governor. Wherever
the Bandinis’ appeared, revolution followed. Juan seems to have inherited the
qualities of his fifteenth century counterpart, Bernardo Bandini. At every
meeting, revolt, or conspiracy Juan Bandini was one of the leaders. Almost
any reason was sufficient for Juan to incite revolt. Victoria’s
refusal to call the disputación had sparked the revolt of 1831. A
deeper reason was Victoria’s refusal to secularize the Missions. Bandini pressured
the next governor, José Figueroa, until he had issued a decree on August 9,
1834 that the Franciscans would be deprived of the management of the land and
the Indians. Figueroa had initially opposed this secularization, for he held
that “the Indians were incapable of managing their affairs in any orderly
way” and that they “had no sense of the value of property, and no wish to
possess it for any reason except for gambling.” Because
of his part in the secularization movement, Juan Bandini won the title:
Destroyer of the California missions. In
1836 Bandini was back in the revolution-making business - this time in
opposition to Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado. José Antonio Carrillo returned
from his post as territorial congressman in Mexico with the news that his
brother, Carlos, had been appointed governor to replace Governor Alvarado,
and that the capital had been changed from Monterey to Los Angeles. Carlos
had “a large and a magnificent presence,” but he lacked force and resolution
in political matters and was “wax in the hands of his brother,” José Antonio. Governor
Alvarado refused to step down as governor, taut Carlos took the oath of
office as governor at Los Angeles on December 6, 1836. In February Alvarado
had still refused to resign. Therefore, Bandini and José Antonio Pico took a
group of San Diegans to Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, because there were only
a few members of the band, Bandini had them dress differently so as to make
them appear as different persons when they went to stand guard. The
Bandini-Pico band was defeated at San Buenaventura by the Alvarado forces and
Carlos Carrillo was forced to resign. This defeat ended the opposition
everywhere except in San Diego. When reports of San Diego’s continued
opposition filtered into Santa Barbara. Alvarado sent a group of twenty-six
men, led by Castro, to San Diego, The band reached
the Bandini home at midnight on Christmas. Despite the gala celebration, the
soldiers surrounded the home and arrested the two Carrillos
and two of the Picos, but Bandini and José Antonio
Estudillo escaped. This finally quelled the opposition in San Diego. During
the Mexican-American war and during the United States’ “Conquest” of
California, Juan Bandini supported the Americans. His three daughters are
even credited with making the first American flag that was raised in the Old
Town Plaza on July 29, 1846 -the day John Charles Fremont arrived in town.
Juan supported the Americans because he sought relief from the boredom that
followed the cessation of revolution and the resumption of his duties as a
rancher. The
American control of California, however, did not restore Bandini to his old
position as revolutionary. He was faced, instead, with the jota of maintaining
his vast tracts of land which stretched from Tijuana to the San Bernardino
mountains. Seeking relief from boredom, Juan turned his boundless energy to
numerous wild business schemes. In 1850 Juan invested $15,000 to build the
Gila House, an inn and general store, to accommodate the gold seekers
traveling from Mexico to Sacramento. In December Juan borrowed $10,000 from a
French gambler at four percent monthly interest. When Bandini could not meet
the payments, the Frenchman gave him an extension, but required the mortgage
on both Bandini’ s home and store. In 1851 Bandini
was surprised to discover that “all of a sudden trade left entirely.” In
order to pay his debts, Juan hurried down to Rancho Guadalupe, near Tijuana,
to market the goods from the Rancho. But to Bandini’s amazement the Rancho
had gone to seed and he hired a new supervisor and workers. While
Bandini was at the Rancho his son-in-law, Charles Johnson, “took the occasion
to describe the entire family crisis to Abel Stearns -Don Juan’ s costly
business schemes, the gambling proclivities of the don’ s young sons, and the
expenditures of Dona Refugia Bandini in preparing one elegant fiesta after
another even while feeling ‘awfully downcast’ about money matters. Johnson
estimated that a loan of $2,000 and proper management could save the Bandini
estate and even make it profit ‘hansomely’.”
Stearns took over the mortgage and saved Bandini from bankruptcy. However,
when Juan ignored the repeated pleas of his son-in-law for sanity and realism
in his business endeavors, the Bandini sons-in-law withdrew all financial
help. They remained friendly towards Juan, but they carried on family matters
without his advice. This caused Juan to complain of having lost respect. He
no longer found himself the revolutionary of former days; instead, he was
merely the father of numerous children who had to bail him out of his
financial troubles, which were caused not only by his business failures, but
also because he was a pace-setter in the social circles. He was one of the
early California socialites and his wife often threw elegant fiestas which
cost Juan as much as $1,000. The
slender and darkly handsome man had introduced the waltz into California in
1820. At every dance he was the master of ceremonies. The Californians called
him “Tecolero,” for it was his duty to lead a woman, usually the belle of the ball, onto the dance floor
and the performance was always beautifully executed. The
children, whom Juan charged with having lost respect for him, were produced
through his November 20, 1822, marriage to Marie de los Dolores Estudillo,
the daughter of one of San Diego’s founders, Captain José Maríá
Estudillo. The
first son of Juan and Dolores, Alejandro Félix Rafael, died at the age of
fourteen on May 10, 1839. José Maríá, their second
son, married MaríaTeresa Arguello, one of the
twenty-two children of Santiago Argüello. Juan’s
three daughters - Josefa, Arcadia, and Isidora - were considered three of the
most beautiful girls in California, In 1846, Josefa married Pedro C.
Carrillo, the son of Carlos Antonio Carrillo, Pedro studied law in Boston,
where he had been taken by Captain William G. Dana, the husband of Pedro’s
sister, María Josefa Petra del Carmen. Pedro
and Josefa were given the Peninsula de San Diego Rancho, which included
Coronado and North Island, on May 12,1846, by Pio Pico, the Mexican governor,
as his personal wedding present. The Carrillos had
five children, but the marriage does not seem to have been an especially
happy one. In February 1854 Cave Couts, Josefa’s
brother-in-law, wrote Abel Stearns that he had to pick up Josefa from the
steamer as Pedro was “neglecting her most grossly,” and that they were
considering suing f or divorce. Juan
José, the son of Pedro and Josefa, was educated at Holy Cross in Worcester,
Massachusetts. Juan, who had married Francisca Roldan
on October 7, 1868, moved his family to Santa Monica. There he worked as a
bookkeeper, railroad worker, a waterworks superintendent, a livery stable
owner, judge, and the city’s first mayor. Juan
José’s son, Leo, was a famous television star, who played Pancho in the Cisco
kid series. Leo’s brother, Jack, became a world famous engineer - the builder
of Idlewild Airport. Juan Bandini
met Abel Stearns in 1829. Stearns had been exiled from California by Governor
Victoria, taut due to a storm off the coast of Catalina Island,
Stearns had been forced to land at San Diego for repairs on his ship.
Stearns, the son of Levi and Elizabeth Stearns, and a native of Lunenburg,
Massachusetts, immediately joined the anti-Victoria revolt that Bandini had
been planning. As a result of their collaboration, Juan and Abel became good
friends and steadfast political allies. In May, 1841, Abel married Juan’s sixteen-year
old daughter, Arcadia. Abel
Stearns was always a good friend, a kind husband, but he had a hot temper and
violent prejudices. Because of his ugliness, he was known as “Cara de Caballo,” horse face. He was a shrewd business-man
and soon became one of the wealthiest men in California, In fact, the commerical life of southern California revolved around
Stearns. His warehouse, “La Casa de San Pedro,” was one of the four principal
ports of trade in nineteenth century Western America. Although
Juan had arranged the marriage between Abel and Arcadia, the marriage was a
happy one. Arcadia was fond and proud of Abel. Arcadia and Abel’s home, built
in 1859 in Los Angeles, was called “El Palacio,” and soon became the
political and social center of Los Angeles. Abel died in San Francisco in the
Grand Hotel on August 23, 1871. After
Abel’s death, Arcadia married Robert S. Baker, a native of Rhode Island, the
founder of Bakersfield, and a sheep rancher. When Arcadia died on September
15, 1912, she was one of the richest women in America. If
Arcadia’s life lacked romance, the life of her younger sister, Isidora, made
up for it. In 1846 the whole town buzzed with excitement over the entry of
the American army into San Diego. Isidora,Juan’s
youngest daughter, described by Lt. John McHenry Hollings worth as “the most
perfect coquette I ever saw,” leaned so far over the balcony to watch the
procession of the American Black Dragoons, sent to protect the California
missions, that she fell from the balcony into the arms of Colonel Cave
Johnson Couts. Couts,
“straight as an arrow, willowy and active, a perfect horse-man, with the
natural instincts of a gentleman... .the soul of
honor.... jovial and genial, fond of jokes, music and dancing, was born near
Springfield, Tennessee, on November 11, 1821. He was
educated under the supervision of his maternal uncle, Cave Johnson, who
served as post-master general under President Polk and later as president of
the State Bank of Tennessee. Cave graduated from West Point in 1843 and
gained fame for his bravery in the Mexican-American war. After
this spectacular saving of Isidora’s life, Cave
returned frequently to the Bandini home, and the “romance blossomed under the
language of the eyes, since they did not speak the same language at that
time.” Cave served as a judge in San Diego for two years after his marriage.
Then in 1853, the couple moved to Guajome Rancho, which had been given to
them as a wedding present by Abel Stearns, Isidora’s
brother-in-law. The
family that grew up on this estate was a happy one. From the letters that
Cave wrote to Stearns it is apparent that he had the same problems that any
father has: their first child, Abel Stearns, died and Cave had to send
Isidora away from the ranch because “every plaything of Abilito
that she come across, she has a cry and had cried so much that her lips were
swollen and very sore.” Nancy swallowed poison. Cave
died on June 10, 1874. Isidora died in Los Angeles on May 23, 1897, in the
apartment of her sister, Arcadia Baker. After Isidora’s
death, Guajome passed to Cave J. Couts, Jr., who had attended college in
Tennessee and had become a surveyor for the Southern Pacific railroad. Cave
junior “maintained the air of Spanish hospitality as much as possible in the
changing conditions of the Twentieth Century, and has rightly been called the
‘last of the Dons’ in San Diego county.” He maintained the ranch until his
death on July 15, 1943. María
Antonia, the second child of Cave and Isidora, married Chalmers Scott on
November 18, 1874. Chalmers Scott was a famous lawyer and engineer. Maríá and Chalmers had eleven children. The blond Arcadia
was reared by Arcadia Baker, her great-aunt. Arcadia, therefore, led the life
of a “fashionable and sought-after belle” and studied piano in Paris under
Paul de Reszke. In 1912 Arcadia Scott married John
Jerome Brennan of Pennsylvania, whom she had met during a brief visit to the
East Coast. They “knew at first sight that they belonged together.” John Brennon became one of San Diego’ s
famous judges. The couple had two children Martita
Antonia, who married Alfredo Bandini Johnson, a descendant of Juan by his
second marriage to Refugio Argüello, and John
Jerome. Juan’s
youngest child, Juan Bautista, counted as a useless ranch worker by his brothers-in-law,
Abel Stearns and Charles Johnson, became managing editor of the Los
Angeles Herald. His daughter, Arcadia, married John T.Gaffey
on June 1, 1887. John Gaffey was “a brillant and entertaining Irishman with scholarly tastes
and a leading San Pedro real estate owner. His other daughter, Mary Dolores,
married on June 22, 1887, W. Russell Ward, an Englishman of the famous family
of English book publishers. Dolores became a favorite in Queen Victoria’s
court. In
1835 Juan Bandini married Refugio Argüello. Refugio
was considerably younger than Juan and she “resented the five children of his
first family and was extremely jealous of his first deceased wife.” Juan and
Refugio had five children: Alfredo, Juan de la Cruz, Dolores, Arturo, and
Margarita. Dolores
married Charles Robinson Johnson, a cattle auctioneer and before his marriage
a famous playboy. Arturo Bandini was quite a scholar; he lived in a “simple
Los Angeles home filed with books and manuscripts - the quiet life of a
scholar and collector.” Arturo was the author of several books, including Navidad, a description of Christmas in Old
California, His wife, Helen Elliott Bandini, too, was a scholar; she wrote a History
of California. Juan
Bandini, who had helped put California on her feet and who had played such a
vital role in California’ s growth, died on November 4, 1859 in Los Angeles
where he had gone for medical treatment. With his passing California lost a
spirited leader both politically and socially. |
Descendants of Juan Lorenzo
Bruno Bandini
1 Juan Lorenzo Bruno Bandini 1800 - 1859
+María Dolores Damiana Estudillo
1805 - 1833
2 María Josefa Ramona Macrimiana
Bandini 1823
- 1896
+Pedro Catarino Carrillo
1818 - 1888
2
María Arcadia Francisca de Paula Bandini 1827 -
1912
+Abel Stearns 1798 -
1871
Second
Husband of María Arcadia Francisca de Paula
Bandini:
+Robert Symington Baker
1826 - 1894
2 María Ysidora Bandini 1829 -
1897
+Cave Johnson
Couts 1821 - 1874
2 José María Perfecto Bandini 1830 -
1909
+María Teresa
Fortunata Arguello** 1835 - 1878
2
Juan Bautista y Antonio Padua Bandini
1833 - 1866
+Esperanza Sepulveda 1842 -
1866
Second
Wife of Juan Lorenzo Bruno Bandini:
+María del Refugio Francisca Lugarda Arguello**
1817 - 1891
2
María de los Dolores Celedonia Bandini 1836 -
1870
+Charles A Johnson
1852 - 1870
2 Margarita Victoria Josefa María Luisa
Bandini 1837
- 1910
+James Brown
Winston 1820 - 1884
2 Juan de la Cruz Bandini 1838 -
1880
2 Alfredo Bandini 1848 -
1880
+Guadalupe
Monroy 1860 - 1906
2 Arturo Antonio Bandini 1854 –
1870
+Helen Elliott
** Sisters
|
=
or go to “meiszen.net”: Meissner Family Web Site |