The Silver Dons, 1833-1865
CHRONOLOGY: 1833-1865
1833 Secularization of the California Missions.
1835 San Diego is made a pueblo.
1836 Gov. Juan B. Alvarado’s California independence is brief, turmoil follows.
1837 President Andrew Jackson leaves the White House.
1837 Indians kidnap Leiva’s two daughters at Jamul.
1837 Juan Bandini leads rebellion; captures Los Angeles.
1838 Pueblo status is abolished; San Diego made subprefecture of Los Angeles.
1839 Indians plunder San Diego backcountry ranchos.
1841 John Bidwell leads first immigrant wagon train over the Sierra Nevada to San Joaquin Valley.
1841 First Catholic bishop finds fewer than 150 persons in San Diego; moves to Santa Barbara.
1842 Capt. William D. Phelps, of the Alert, spikes the guns of Ft. Guijarros.
1842 Manuel Micheltorena arrives at San Diego with his “Battalion of Cholos”; succeeds Gov. Alvarado.
1843 Gov. Micheltorena reinstates missions under the Franciscans.
1844 President James K. Polk announces his determination for U.S. possession of California.
1844 John C. Frémont’s exploratory expedition reaches Ft. Sutter.
1845 Gov. Micheltorena faces revolt of the Californios.
1845 The United States annexes the Republic of Texas.
1845 New Gov. Pio Pico orders land confiscation and sale of the California missions.
1846 Juan María Osuna and José Antonio Estudillo are last San Diego alcaldes under Mexican rule.
1846 The United States declares state of war exists with Mexico.
1846 Commodore John D. Sloat, USN, captures Monterey; Capt. John B. Montgomery captures San Francisco.
1846 Capt. Samuel F. du Pont, USN, and USS Cyane take San Diego; first American flag raised in Plaza.
1846 Mexican Gov. Pio Pico issues farewell proclamation; flees California.
1846 Mexicans besiege San Diego.
1846 Commodore Robert F. Stockton, USN, and U.S. fleet secure San Diego.
1846 Battle of San Pasqual.
1846 Indian massacre at Pauma.
1847 American flag raised at Mexico City.
1847 Signing of Cahuenga Capitulation.
1847 Mormon Battalion arrives in San Diego.
1848 James Marshall discovers gold at Coloma.
1848 Mexico signs Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
1849 Gold Rush begins; cattle prices soar; southern rancheros drive cattle to San Francisco.
1849 U.S. Boundary Commission arrives at San Diego.
1849 Pacific Mail Steamship Co. begins service to San Diego.
1849 First Constitutional Convention meets at Monterey.
1850 San Diego first county created by the Legislature.
1850 William H. Davis begins New San Diego.
1850 City of San Diego is incorporated; holds first election; Joshua Bean elected mayor.
1850 California admitted to the Union.
1851 Federal Land Commission requires all landholders to prove valid title.
1851 San Diego Herald, first newspaper, begins publication.
1851 The Garra Indian uprising begins.
1852 Maj. Gen. Joshua Bean captures Garra; execution at San Diego.
1852 Phineas Banning and D. W. Alexander begin first San Diego-to-Los Angeles stage line.
1853 First meeting, San Diego County Board of Supervisors.
1853 Lt. George Derby, USA, arrives to divert San Diego River into False Bay.
1853 Federal government authorizes Pacific Railroad Surveys; final report condemns possible San Diego routes.
1853 Whaling industry begins to grow in San Diego.
1854 San Diego & Gila, Southern Pacific and Atlantic Railroad organized.
1855 Mormons strike coal at Point Loma.
1857 Mexicans massacre Gen. A. J. Crabb’s filibusterers at Caborca.
1857 Dred Scott Decision brings the nation to the brink of Civil War.
1857 James Birch wins first transcontinental overland mail contract, San Diego to San Antonio; first mail arrives.
1857 Birch stages begin first scheduled transcontinental overland passenger service from San Diego.
1858 Butterfield Great Overland Stage Line begins regular scheduled mail and passenger service from Tipton, Mo., to San Francisco.
1859 John Brown raids Harper’s Ferry.
1860 San Diego Herald publishes its last edition.
1860 Abraham Lincoln elected president.
1861 The Civil War begins.
1861 State-wide storm brings 30-inch rain to San Diego; destroys 25% of California’s taxable property.
1861 Earthquakes and flood tides damage San Diego.
1861 All stage travel discontinued over Southern route be cause of Civil War.
1861 First Battle of Bull Run.
1861 First transcontinental telegraph reaches San Francisco.
1862 Congress passes the Pacific Railroad Bill.
1862 Two years of drought begin; cattle herds of the rancheros are decimated.
1862 Smallpox epidemic begins at San Juan Capistrano.
1863 Smallpox epidemic reaches San Diego.
1863 Locust plague destroys crops; squatter and ranchero troubles become serious.
1864 Drought reaches its worst in San Diego.
1865 Lee surrenders at Appomattox, ending the Civil War.
Return to Books.
THE SILVER DONS
Background
Ch. 1 California in 1830
Ch. 2 The Lash of Greed
Ch. 3 Winds of Change
Ch. 4 Rise of the Ranchos
Ch. 5 A Manifest Destiny
Ch. 6 The Bloody Lances
Ch. 7 End of the Pueblo
Ch. 8 The Burning Trail
Ch. 9 Life on a Frontier
Ch. 10 The Garra Uprising
Ch. 11 Empires of Cattle
Ch. 12 The West is Linked
Ch. 13 Chasing the Whale
Ch. 14 Journey of Death
Ch. 15 Last of the Dons
Chronology
Historical Statistics
