From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of pre-statehood alcaldes and mayors of San Diego, from 1770 to 1850, during the Spanish, Mexican, and early American periods, prior to California's admission to statehood.

Commandants of the Presidio of San Diego

From 1770 San Diego was ruled by a commandant from the Presidio of San Diego under the Spanish and (from 1822) Mexican governments. When San Diego became a Pueblo in 1835, an alcalde (mayor) of San Diego served under the Mexican and pre-statehood United States governments.

José María Estudillo served twice as Commandant of the Presidio of San Diego, from 1820 to 1821 and 1827 to 1830.
Commandant Term Notes
Lt. Pedro Fages July 1770 – May 1774 Military Commandant of California
Lt. José Francisco Ortega 1773–1781 Acting Commandant from July 1771
Lt. José de Zúñiga September 8, 1781 – October 19, 1793
Lt. Antonio Grajera October 19, 1793 – August 23, 1799
Lt. José Front August 23, 1799 – 1803 Temporary Commandant ranking Rodriguez
Lt. Manuel Rodríguez August 23, 1799 – late 1806 Acting Commandant to 1803
Lt. Francisco María Ruiz late 1806 – 1807 1st time; Acting Commandant.
Lt. José de la Guerra y Noriega 1806–1807 "for a short time"
Capt. José Raimundo Carrillo late 1807 – 1809
Lt. Francisco María Ruiz 1809–1820 1st time; Acting Commandant.
Capt. Ignacio de Corral 1810–1820 Never came to California
Lt. José María Estudillo October 23, 1820 – September 1821 1st time
Capt. Francisco María Ruiz September 1821 – 1827 2nd time; Presidio relinquished by the Spanish April 20, 1822
Lt. José María Estudillo 1827 – April 8, 1830 2nd time
Lt. Santiago Argüello April 8, 1830 – 1835
Capt. Agustín V. Zamorano 1835–1840 Never assumed command; was in San Diego only during 1837–1838
Capt. Pablo de la Portillà 1835–1838 Nominally commandant by rank whenever present

Alcaldes of the Pueblo of San Diego

San Diego became a pueblo in 1834, after a petition to Governor José Figueroa endorsed by Commandant Santiago Arguello. The first Alcalde (mayor) Juan María Osuna was elected, defeating Pío Pico by 13 votes. By 1838, the population shrank enough to lose its pueblo status and was ruled by a Juez de Paz as a partition of the Los Angeles District until San Diego was incorporated as a city under U.S. rule.

The following are the Jueces de Paz and Alcaldes (Justices of the Peace and Mayors) of San Diego. In this table "suplente" means substitute.

Alcalde Term Notes
Juan María Osuna January 1, 1835 – 1836 1st time
Santiago Argüello 1836–1837 Also last full-time Commandant
José Antonio Estudillo 1837–1839 1st time
Juan María Marrón 1839–1841 1st time
Rosario E. Aguilar 1841 Juez de Paz
Jesús Moreno 1841 Suplente
José Antonio Congora 1842 Juez de Paz; 1st time
José María Alvarado 1842 Suplente
José Joaquin Ortega 1843 – May 1843 Juez de Paz; 1st time
José Antonio Congora May 1843 – 1843 Juez de Paz; 2nd time
José María Orozco 1843 Suplente
Juan María Marrón 1844 Juez de Paz; 2nd time; b. February 8, 1808
Thomas Wrightington 1844 Suplente; 1st time
Francisco María Alvarado 1845 Juez de Paz
José Antonio Estudillo 1845 Juez de Paz (temporary); 2nd time
José Ramon Argüello 1845 – April 1845 Suplente
José Antonio Estudillo April 1846 – 1846 Sub-prefect; 3rd time; served until arrival of Americans
Juan María Osuna 1846 Juez de Paz; 2nd time(?); at first declined office, possibly did not act
Miguel Pedrorena 1846 Juez de Paz; served in Estudillo's absence
José Joaquin Ortega August 1846 – August 1846 Juez de Paz; 2nd time; 1st under American rule
Henry D. Fitch August 1846 – June 1847 Suplente; Juez de Paz in 1847
Lt. Robert Clift, Jr. June 1847 – 1847 Suplente; also Juez de Paz to March 1848
Philip Crosthwaite 1847 Suplente; possibly appointed with Fitch
Thomas Wrightington 1847 – March 1848 Suplente; 2nd time; possibly served in Crosthwaite's place
Juan Bandini March 29, 1848 – September 27, 1848 Juez de Paz
E. L. Brown April 15, 1848 – 1848
Juan María Marrón October 3, 1848 – 1849 Juez de Paz
Dennis Gahagan 1849–1850 Alcalde
Thomas W. Sutherland March 1850 – 1850 Acting Alcalde

See also

External links