Update of Research:On my last post I mentioned discovering the Peralta adobe and the San Jose Historical Research Library. I wasn't able to meet with Jim yet but might not need to still I will call him again for an appointment. The other leads I had were two books that I felt might give me something more of Maria's life. So this took me to San Leandro Library. I was able to read and make copies there of some information I think was pretty useful. The two books are:
Fibel, Pearl Randolph. The Peraltas: Spanish Pioneers and the First Family of the East Bay. Oakland: Peralta Hospital. 1971.
Fox, Frances L. Luis Maria Peralta and His Adobe. San Jose. Smith-McKay, 1979.
After reading about Maria Luisa's family's beginnings (again), I've decided to spend some time on trying to fill in some of the holes in her early years. Because there is not much written on her I can only infer. Sorry, if some of this is repetitive:( Okay, so as of now this is what I know about Maria upbringing and childhood...
Maria Luisa Peralta was born on December 9, 1810 in San Jose, California. It is very likely that she was born at home in the family adobe. (Fox, 20)In those early days San Jose was a very small pueblo. The Spanish map below gives you an idea of what her town was like.
As far as the mission records, her mother Maria Loreto Alviso gave birth to seventeen children. There are 2 - 3 year spaces between some of the birth dates which leads one to guess that there were other children born that are not recorded otherwise all the other children were born approximately a year apart. Maria was the fourteenth child. She lived a pioneers life moving from place to place, setting up her home under crude circumstances. (Fibel, 3)
Her mother was the matriarch of her home and the godmother of many of her relatives children. She died on July, 1836 as is buried in Mission Santa Clara. Her grave site in unmarked. (Fox, 19)
Mission Santa Clara in 1848. Painted by A.P. Hill in 1180.
http://www.http//faculty.fairfield.edu./hodgson/courses/city/losangeles/early_images/laviews.html
Her father Luis Maria Peralta was an educated man who believed that only men should be educated and women should stay home "protected" and remain there until they were married or died (whichever came first). He believed that his daughters should spend their days praying, therefore, two of his unmarried daughter lived with him until his death. Neither one of them ever learned to write their names, they used a "cross to sign legal documents." (Fox, 22)
Peralta was thought of as a strict but kind man. Because they lived in a patriarchy society, the children never challenged their father on any issue. He ruled their home and family; his children were completely obedient to him. He taught his family importance of family and the value of owning land rather than hunting for gold. He instructed his sons to leave the gold to the "Americans" claiming that God had put it there for them. (Fibel, 16) He further "commanded" his children to remain united and to educate their children. (Fibel, 11)
Peralta was a military man thus moving his family from place to place. Depending on his assignment, the family would remain in one presidio or mission anywhere from one to five years. He relocated to San Jose in 1807 and stayed there until his death in 1851. (Fox, 23) It was during their life in San Jose that Peralta petitioned for a land grant and was given 44, 800 acres. Rancho San Antonio emcompassed all of present day San Leandro, Oakland, Emeryville, Piedmont, Berkeley and Albany.
Peralta petitoned to Governor don Pablo Vicente de sola, last spanish govenor of California (Fibel, 5)
Upon his death, his estate was valued at $1,383,500. (Fibel, 11) In his will, Rancho San Antonio was divided between his four living sons. Later, four Peralta daughters, Guadalupe and Josefa (the single daughters) Trinidad and Maria Luisa challenged their father's will in the California Supreme Court, claiming that their father had not left the land to their brothers. In 1861, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the four sons. (Fibel 19, 26)
It was under these circumstances that Maria Luisa was reared. From this we can infer that she was illiterate, faithful to her family and to God. It's very likely that she helped her mother to keep house and care for her three younger siblings, two of which died eleven days after birth.
The following tells us a little more about the different things Maria Luisa learned to do at home.
Maria would have learned to make candles out of tallow. Wax candles like this one would have been saved for special occasions
Maria would have known how to ride horses. She would have learned while practicing on a stationary saddle such as this one.
She would have made her own dolls and toys out of corn husk.
As a young girl, Maria would have wore shawls. These are plain ones that she would wear everyday but she would also have fancier ones for special occasions.
This gives you a better picture of what Maria Luisa's life as a child could have been like. A very strict and traditional father. A mother who is swamped with housework and babies at her feet. A girl who can't read or write and is well protected by her father and brothers, I'm sure. Growing up in a quickly changing world. what must have it been like to finally leave home and start her life away from that well-guarded nest she grew up in?
On my next post I will continue her story into her young adult and married life. Stay tuned....
