Santiago Arguëllo (1791-1862)
ARGUELLO, Santiago. Son of José D. Arguello, born at Monterey 1791. Paymaster at San Diego in 1818, and in 1821 had a garden in Mission Valley. His part in the Bouchard invasion has been related. In 1827-31 he was lieutenant of the San Diego Company, and commandant from 1830 to 1835. From 1831-5 was captain of the company and took part in the revolt against Victoria. In 1833-4 he was revenue officer at San Diego. In 1830 he was alcalde, and held several other offices. During the Mexican war he was friendly to the Americans and gave them considerable aid. Soldiers were quartered at his house and he held a commission as captain in the California battalion. Was a member of the Legislative council in 1847 and made collector of the port.
In 1829 he was granted the Tia Juana rancho, in 1841 the Trabujo, and in 1846 the San Diego Mission lands. He married Pilar Ortega, daughter of Francisco Ortega, of Santa Barbara, by whom he had 22 children. Among the children who lived and had issue were: Francisco, Ignacio, José Antonio, José Ramon, Santiago E, Refugio who was married to Juan Bandini, Teresa who was married to José M. Bandini, María Louisa, who was married to A. V. Zamorano, and Concepcion, wife of Agustin Olvera.
He died on his Tia Juana ranch in 1862, and his widow in 1878. The ranch is still owned by the family. Davis takes pains to state that his sons were finely-formed, well proportioned men. He was a man of ability and left an honorable record. His disposition was somewhat reserved and he was not universally personally popular.
[from William Ellsworth Smythe's History of San Diego, page 163]
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