The Lugo family of California were prominent during the periods of Spanish and Mexican rule. They were among the early colonists who became known as Californios.
Francisco Salvador Lugo
Francisco Salvador Lugo (1740–1805), born in Sinaloa, Mexico, came to Las Californias in 1774. He was a soldier in the province and was stationed in northern California until 1781. Next he was assigned as part of the founding of the Pueblo de Los Angeles. Francisco Lugo was one of the soldiers who escorted the Los Angeles Pobladores (farming families and colonists) in 1781 from northern Mexico into California. His name is listed on the plaque of those present at the founding of Los Angeles on September 4, 1781.[1][2] Lugo married Juana María Martínez y Vianazul. Together they had nine children: Rosa María de Lugo (1761–1797), María Tomasa Ygnacia Lugo Martínez (1763–1816), Salvador Lugo (1766–1784), Gerónimo Teodoro Lugo (1773–?), José Ignacio de Lugo (1775–1800), María Antonia Isabel Lugo (1776–1855), Antonio María Lugo (1778–1860), Juan María Alejandro de Lugo (1780–1830), and María Ygnacia de Lugo (1783–1798).
José del Carmen Lugo, in a joint venture with his brothers José María and Vicente Lugo and cousin Diego Sepúlveda, began colonizing the San Bernardino Valley and adjacent Yucaipa Valley. The land covered more than 250,000 acres (1,012 km2) in the present-day Inland Empire. Their colony charter was approved by the Mexican government in 1839.[7] The valley was plagued by robberies and frequent raids by California Indians resisting loss of their homeland. Many would-be colonizers would stay only for short periods of time. The Lugo families became strong allies with the Mountain Band of Cahuilla Indians led by Chief Juan Antonio.
In 1842, the Lugo family bought the San Bernardino Asistencia, a former "sub-mission" of Mission San Gabriel. The adobe buildings were in disrepair. Lugo made repairs and soon he and his wife and two daughters moved into the asistencia.[7]
By 1842, the Mexican governorship of California was about to change. To protect their land, the Lugo family applied for and received the Rancho San BernardinoMexican land grant of 35,509 acres (144 km2).[7]
Mexican–American War
During the Mexican–American War, Lugo led a Californiomilitia. In December 1846, he was ordered to punish a band of Luiseño Indians in retaliation for the Pauma Massacre. His militia forces, together with allied Cahuilla, killed 33–40 Luiseño in the Temecula Massacre to avenge the deaths of 11 Californio lancers. The latter were killed for stealing horses from the Luiseño.
In March 1847, he met with the American John Charles Fremont in Los Angeles. Fremont requested that Lugo round up as many of Flores's abandoned horses as possible. Lugo rounded up about 60 horses between Los Angeles and San Bernardino.
Felipe Lugo was baptized on August 6, 1807, at Mission San Gabriel.[8] He married Maria "Pancha" Perez and they were parents to as many as 16 children.[9] He died on May 9, 1885, at Rancho San Antonio and is buried at Old Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles.[10]
^ abcdefgWhitehead, Roy E. (1978), Lugo, A Chronicle of Early California, Redlands, Calif.: San Bernardino County Museum Association, ISBN0-915158-11-6