- So as I've been researching Peralta and other Californio women, I've asked myself over and over again, "why is there so much written on the Peralta men, as well as Californio men, in general, and nothing to very little on the women?" One reason is that the journal writers are men. Most Spanish women were "functionally illiterate" (Bouvier, 66). Another would be because the Spanish lived by a patriarchy system where the men spoke for the women and children. Which leads to my next question, what are we missing in the story by not having the women's account of things, her take on the story? I believe I may be trying to answer my second question in this research.
- Found a book at our CSU EastBay Library entitled, Women and the Conquest of California, 1542-1840: Codes of Silence by Virginia M. Bouvier. It speaks heavily of the Indian women of California from its mythic beginnings, through exploration, evangelization and on to the end of the mission era.
- But chapter 4: Colonization pertained to my subject in that it illustrated the women's silent role in the settlement of Alta California. Originally, only men were sent to settle and Chrisitanize territories in the frontier but that created problems with the Indian women. Father Palou, acting president in Father Serra's absence, presented the plan to send families to settle Alta California instead of only men. He felt that if willing and enthusiastic families accepted to go to the frontier there would be greater likeihood of them staying and populating the areas . They recruited from Baja California and Mexico. To their disappoinment people were not that enthusiastic to go. The conflict with the Indians in the Arizona territory encouraged a few to volunteer.(55)
- The second expedition, which is the one where Maria Luisa's father came with, included 5 diarists, all men: Captain Anza and three priests, one kept two journals. All these records attest to the presence of women on the this trek. Included in these writings were the plans they had for the women participating in this venture. They also included details of pregnancies, births, miscarriages that occured while on the trail. (62-63) Bouvier points out that although the men were diligent in keeping these records they failed to include the names of the mothers. When they are mentioned it's in relation to the husband, "the wife of" or "she is faring badly." Occasionaly, a woman's name might appear on a separate report about the colonists.
- Women were also legally silenced. The Catholic Church was greatly influential, if not controlling, in the lives of the Spaniards. But in the mid-eigtheenth century the Spanish Crown found it own way to control the lives of its people. http://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/p/233.html According to Bouvier, the Royal Pragmatica "embodied many of the Spanish attitudes of the time about race, class and gender." Spanish law and the Catholic Church determined the treatment of women. The Royal Pragmatica of 1776, was Spain's way of controlling the institution of marriage. Its whole purpose was to avoid unequal marriages. What it did was to side the law with the "husband when parents disagreed over their children's marriage choices" backing up the "husband's authority to overrule his wife's support of their children's marriages choices." (114)
Conclusions from my reading about the Californio Women who settled Alta California:
- Women were necessary to the plan of colonizing Alta California. As mothers and wives they made it possible to settle the Spanish frontier lands.
- By creating stability and a family life the Spanish men became more productive.
- The women would become residents and workers of presidios, missions and ranchos.
- Living in a time when women were silenced by the law and the Church, the Californio women's voices speak loudly of fortitude, devotion for family, and perserverance through their ability to endure many hardships on their overland trail. Walking or on horseback, they continued their 1000 mile journey while pregnant, having miscarriages and giving birth.
What do I know about Maria Luisa now? It occured to me that Maria was born in 1810 and married in 1829, so in asking myself, what did she do between 1810 and 1829? I remembered that her father, although he was the owner of Rancho San Antonio, he never lived there. In 1804, he went to live in the Pueblo de Guadalupe, which we know as the City of San Jose today, and lived in what is now called the Peralta Adobe. So what? Well, this must be where Maria Luisa was born and lived until she married in 1829.
The Peralta Adobe is the oldest building still standing in San Jose. It was built in 1787. It is located on West Saint John Street in San Jose.
What her front room might have looked like. Everything in their homes, besides the china were made on the ranchos.
The bedroom is furnished with furniture of the Spanish period. Maria might have shared a bed similar this with one.
This is un horno, the oven where Maria's family would have cooked their meals. All meals were cooked outside. Bread was cooked inside this horno. They would wait until the oven was real hot, they'd put in the bread, close the door then wrap wet towels at the door to prevent fires.
Manuel Gonzales, an Apache Indian, traveled with the 1775 Anza Expedition along with Luis Maria Peralta, age 16. Gonzales built and lived in the Adobe. Peralta acquired the Adobe in 1804.
Diseno del Pueblo de San Jose en el ano 1866. This is a drawing of the Pueblo of San Jose in 1866. Gives us an idea of the size of the city.So, maybe I need to look in San Jose for information instead of Hayward or Oakland. I looked up resources on the internet and found the following:
- History of San Jose Research Library http://www.historysanjose.org/researchlibrary/. I called to make an appoinment with Jim Reid(Reed?) the curator of archives and collections at the research library. I'll report back after our visit.
- I was also able to order a book entitled Luis Maria Peralta and his Adobe by Frances L. Fox from the San Jose Library. Should get it sometime this week. I'm hoping to find one new fact about Maria Luisa.
- Now a shout out to Mary Ann from our class. She gave me a link to the San Leandro Library and they have a book in special collections entitled The Peraltas: Spanish Pioneers and the First Family of the East Bay by Pearl Randolph Fibel. They don't check it out so I'll have to go there and see if it has anything new for me. By it's title I'm real hopeful.
