Castro family

From Santa Cruz County history wiki
Jump to: navigation, search

The Castro family was one of the two (the other being the Rodriguez family) largest and most influential groups of Californio immigrants/colonists to settle in Santa Cruz County (and elsewhere in California).

  • Joaquin Isidro* - Came to California as a soldado in the de Anza party of 1776, with his wife Martina Botiller and 8 children. After his death at Monterey in 1802, Martina moved to the Branciforte/Santa Cruz area.
    • Joaquin - age 7 in 1776. Following army service, Joaquin was granted a homesite in Branciforte as an invalido. Of the surviving children:
    • Carlos - born during the 1776 march. Mayor domo of Mission Santa Cruz in 1812.

Maria Antonia Castro y Montero (relation to other Castros unknown) married William Buckle.

* The best known Castro is José Antonio Castro (1808 – February 1860), who commanded Mexican forces in Northern California during the Mexican-American War. From Wikipedia: "His father José Tiburcio Castro was a soldier, member of the Diputación (territorial legislature), mayordomo (administrator) of Mission San Juan Bautista after it was secularized, and grantee of Rancho Sausal." It's not known how closely José Tiburcio was related to Joaquin Isidro, except that both came to California as soldiers with De Anza.  
* The Cota family was more prominent in the Los Angeles area, including Leonardo Cota.

Elsewhere in California

Further reading