S1 Episode 4, The Third Map of Yerba Buena, Juana Briones 1836 - 1846

Today’s episode is based on what was meant to just be one paragraph, as I continued with the history of Yerba Buena, and the portion of the seawall from the last episode. However, I ran into a reeeally interesting tale, in Yerba Buena’s early history- a person whose story is worth telling. But, for reasons, some history never gets told.

There’s an expression, “He who tells history, decides which history gets told”.

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Transcript

My Misunderstanding of Yerba Buena

Prior to doing research for my podcast, I interpreted the small number of Yerba Buena inhabitants, to mean very little was occurring in Yerba Buena. I’ve read, “Yerba Buena was a sleepy little ramshackle town, with nothing to see, or offer”. 

That’s not true, as now I know as early as 1817, Yerba Buena Cove was increasingly visited by incoming ships. 

In 1836, only two families, the Richardson’s and the Leeses’ had a permanent residence, in the ‘Pueblo de Yerba Buena’, which isn’t representative of the growing commerce from the hide and tallow trade.

But, where they really the first founders of Yerba Buena? 

We know history, doesn’t properly credit the Ohlone Indians as the original founders of Yerba Buena. But, there’s also another group missing from Yerba Buena’s early history. I’ll let your mind wander for a moment, to see if you can guess who I might be talking about.

Today’s episode is based on what was meant to just be one paragraph, as I continued with the history of Yerba Buena, and the portion of the seawall from the last episode. However, I ran into a reeeally interesting tale, in Yerba Buena’s early history- a person whose story is worth telling. For reasons, some history never gets told.

There’s an expression, “He who tells history, decides which history gets told”.

Ready? Here we go … 

Third Map of Yerba Buena

Bowman, J. N. “The Third Map of Yerba Buena.” California Historical Society Quarterly, vol. 26, no. 3, 1947, pp. 267–268. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/25156047. Accessed 22 May 2021

Captain William Richardson, from the last episode, drew the first map of Yerba Buena, in 1835. This was the first survey of Yerba Buena. But, this map was lost in time. 

Richardson’s second map, was drawn just after the first survey, in October of the same year, 1835. 

The third map of Yerba Buena, also drawn by Captain Richardson, from 1835 - 1839. No one knows the exact date, but this map becomes the reason for today’s episode.

It’s a sparse map with just a few lines, and leaves out obvious details, like the name of first street in Yerba Buena. Richardson founded Yerba Buena and named the first street, so he didn’t leave it off the third map because he didn’t know it. So, what was the purpose of this map?

This third map was a part of several documents Jacob Primer Leese, left to Edwin Grabhorn. While we don’t know the reason for this third map, there is evidence suggesting its purpose. The map was attached to a petition dated May 12, 1839, (but, the map was very likely created prior to that). Honestly, not much changed in Yerba Buena between 1835 and 1839. 

The map shows Casa de Richardson, the solar de Leese y Vallejo, the laguna salada/lagoon, aaaand one more item. I’ll give quick context to these items before getting to the payoff, Dear Listener.

The solar (that’s a lot of land) de Leese y Vallejo (that’s Salvador Vallejo, Mariano’s brother), depicts where Leese/Vallejo want to create the first wharf, at the original Embarcadero, (Broadway and Battery), which makes sense, as Leese already had a mercantile store very close by.

The Laguna Salada (a salt lagoon), is on Jackson and Montgomery. This lagoon appears on several early maps of San Francisco. This Laguna Salada is tied to the portion of the seawall mentioned in the last episode –  so, hold onto that for my next episode.

And, now the payoff. The third map of Yerba Buena depicts  …  Playa de Juana Briones, located at North Beach, back when that area was still a beach. This just meant to be a paragraph. Let’s hope you agree, this next part is worthy of an entire episode.

Juana Briones

Bowman, J. N. “Juana Briones De Miranda.” The Historical Society of Southern California Quarterly, vol. 39, no. 3, 1957, pp. 227–241.JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41169132. Accessed 1 June 2021.

Juana Briones, is born near Santa Cruz, in 1802, she's the daughter of a retired soldier. She is a twin, who, at birth, is not expected to live, so she is immediately baptized by a soldier. But, against all odds, she lives.

Her family’s California history begins in 1776, with her maternal grandparents, as part of the De Anza expedition. Next to being indigenous, that’s as far back as it goes for being from California.

Speaking of indigenous … Juana’s birthplace, just outside of Santa Cruz, was predominantly indigenous, and it’s there, through her mother, and her interactions with the Ohlone Indians, Juana and her older sister, (not her twin), learn the art of healing as curanderas. (Curandera translates to ‘person who heals’.)

Being a curandero/curandera is more than being an herbalist. Curanderismo is Mexican shamanism, so there is intuitive ability with the use of herbal medicine, to be considered a curandero/curandera. 

Juana is illiterate, and she is of Afro Latino descent, from her mother’s side. I guess her father was Spanish? When Juana is ten years old, her mother dies.

<horse and carriage sounds>

In 1817, just as the hide and tallow trade is starting, her father moves the family to the San Francisco Presidio, where Juana’s older sister, Maria Guadalupe Briones Miramontes and her husband live on their already established farm, at a location called El Polin Spring. It makes sense to move the family to where a maternal figure can help the widower with his kids.

El Polin’ Spring is a great location for its biodiversity, which is why the colonists built their road and homes between two, once existing, Yelamu Ohlone villages.

And, speaking of the Ohlone, El Polin’ Spring, is where prisoners of war (mostly runaway Mission Indians) were used as slave labor. I don’t know if the Briones and Miramontes farmed their own land, used slave labor, or both.

Point of Local Interest: If Miramontes sounds familiar from Half Moon Bay, that’s because these are the same Miramontes who moved from the San Francisco Presidio, to Half Moon Bay in 1841. Maria Guadalupe becomes the matriarch of Spanishtown, which is the early Mexican community in Half Moon Bay, where they establish the San Benito Ranch.

(There’s a Yerba Buena reason I’m telling you this. Stay with me.)

In 1820, Juana marries Apolinario Miranda, a cavalryman, stationed at the San Francisco Presidio. They marry at the Mission Dolores, and build their own house and farm, there, in El Polin’ Spring, which they call Ojo de Agua de Figueroa, near current day Green and Lyon Streets. 

Hull, Kathleen L., and Barbara L. Voss. “Native Californians at the Presidio of San Francisco: Analysis of Lithic Specimens from EI Polín Spring.” International Journal of Historical Archaeology, vol. 20, no. 2, 2016, pp. 264–288. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/26174260. Accessed 26 May 2021.

Their ranch is mostly for dairy production. Their Ojo de Agua lot appears on a really cool Deseno (a Mexican map, specifically for land grants). Considering they had cows, I wonder why they didn’t venture into the hide and tallow trade? I can only assume they found their niche in dairy.

Juana gives birth to eleven children, four of which, die. In 1835, Juana and her husband adopt an orphaned Indian girl with lifelong health issues. In reading “Native Californians at the Presidio of San Francisco: Analysis of Lithic Specimens from El Polin’ Spring”, it was common for colonial families to adopt orphaned native children.

Juana was kindhearted and a gifted nurturer, so as a curandera, it makes sense she bonded with this sick young girl, and adopted her.

The story is that her attic was converted into a sanctuary for deserting sailors. 

Though, I *am aware, of one firsthand account, regarding this very topic. 

Charles Brown, one of four deserting sailors wrote, “An old lady, named Juana Briones, residing in the Presidio, understanding that myself, Ephrian P Farwell, Gregorio Escalante (a Manila man) and an Indian named Elijah, a native of the vicinity of New London, wanted to run. She stowed us away in the loft of her house; from there she moved Farewell and me to the bushes on Black Point. Then, she sent for her brother, Felipe Briones, from Pinole, who came and carried us over there. There I remained until 1832.”

While Juana had a heart of gold, and helped others escape terrible living/working conditions, things weren’t harmonious at the Briones Miranda house. 

In 1836, with the help of a local bishop and also the alcalde Francisco Guerrero, Juana petitioned to legally separate from her alcoholic and abusive husband. She was illiterate, so she signed the letter to Bishop Diego of Santa Barbara, using a cross. 

The letter to the bishop captured “her husband’s drunkenness, scandalous activities, and the unsavory company he keeps. His failure to provide for her and the children, the poor example his activities set before the children, the un-paternal actions toward family members, she is forced ,by her own labors, to provide for the home.”  

Juana’s attempt for a legal separation … is denied.

Either before, or after, Juana’s failed request for a separation, Juana plans a move to Loma Alta, just next to North Beach, at the bottom of Telegraph Hill, by building a temporary residence. The reason she said for moving was to live closer to her new neighbors. Hmmm. (Which is the most diplomatic of her reasons, I’m sure.)

Loma Alta was juuust inside William Richardson’s surveyed limits of Yerba Buena. I’m reading Juana built her temporary home at some point between 1835 and 1838. Most realistically, it was in 1836, or later. 

This is speculation on my part, Juana must have been putting a plan in place for her future without her husband. Recall, her petition for legal separation was denied. So, this was just a physical separation.

Captain Richardson actually helped Juana build her temporary house, before building a permanent adobe, and adding a ranch, there in Loma Alta. Obviously, before drawing the third map, whenever that was. Recall, Playa de Juana Briones.

Her adobe and rancho were located on lots #454, 455, 470 and 471, present day Powell, between Filbert and Greenwich. (Lot numbers were used as addresses in Yerba Buena’s early days.)

One corner of her property would have touched the current day church, Saints Peter and Paul, in current day Washington Square, but back then, it was just called a Public Square on maps.  

These were Juana’s lots - her husband’s name did not appear on the paperwork. This, to me, is where the story gets interesting. Since Mexican law allowed women to obtain property in their own name, even while married, that’s just what Juana did. And, we can only assume she had her 'reasons'. I’d call her a pretty clever and brave woman, for her time.

It’s probable Juana’s ties to the Presidio, and Richardson’s wife, being the ‘lovely daughter of the Presidio’s comandante’, was the link to Richardson helping Juana, and her children, move away from her abusive husband. But, that’s speculation on my part. 

If Juana’s temporary house was built in 1836 or 1837,  that makes Juana is the second, or third inhabitant, in Yerba Buena, before, or just after, Leese, based on the dates of legal paperwork. 

Now, this is splitting hairs, but an important distinction to make. Richardson, writes that Leese is the second settler of Yerba Buena. Settler, meaning foreigner, who moves there, to Yerba Buena. Juana, is  a resident, not a settler. Perhaps this is why Juana’s residence isn’t captured in history? 

Richardson himself drew the official first, second and third maps of Yerba Buena, which includes Loma Alta as an area in Yerba Buena. Also, Richardson helps Juana build her temporary home in Loma Alta, so he knows very well that she lives in Yerba Bueana. But, he chooses not to acknowledge her as a resident. Only Leese, and that's because he’s a settler, not a local. Or, maybe I’m being naïve, and her lack of acknowledgement in Yerba Buena is lost because of some other factors?

The true historical value of this third map is that it questions captured history of Leese, being the second inhabitant of Yerba Buena, Juana’s story isn’t readily a part of Yerba Buena’s early history. I had to really dig to pull her storyline, together.

Between 1836 - 1837, Juana lived in both the temporary Yerba Buena house and the house in El Polin Spring, until her permanent adobe in Yerba Buena was built, which is when Juana and her children permanently left the Ojo de Agua farm, for Yerba Buena. 

Mexican law, seldomly granted women separations when they petitioned for one. (Juana knew that firsthand.) And even fewer women were granted a divorce. Divorce was something the man had to initiate. 

So, women would run away and desert the marriage, hoping their husbands wouldn’t find them and press charges for deserting the marriage. That’ clearly not what Juana did, if she moved just a mile or two, away from her husband.

For Juana to have moved, even temporarily, away from her husband, in that time,  would have required a commondante or alcalde, to give written, or at least verbal, permission for her to leave her husband and the Ojo de Agua farm. (I can’t  imagine the danger she put herself in.)

I give Juana a lot of credit for not giving up. I can’t imagine the danger she put herself in, after her petition for a legal separation was denied.

Despite Juana creating a residence away from her husband at some time between 1836 - 1838, she remained ‘with’ him on some level. They baptized their youngest child in 1841, at the Mission Dolores. 

Also in 1841, there’s a filed record in Monterey, of her husband being formally reprimanded by the Presidio commandante, for domestic abuse. 

These are complicated situations today, and even more so, back then.

Between 1842, and 1844, and possibly 1846, there were…five additional reported incidences of domestic abuse at the El Polin’ Spring home. She remains ‘with’ him, in some way.

In Loma Alta, Juana, and her children, continue with their successful rancho, that provides eggs, milk, beef, goats, fruits, and vegetables to the incoming ships, as part of the hide and tallow trade, as well as to the locals. Her new adobe also serves as a boarding house.

Without formal medical training, Juana is known in Yerba Buena as a talented midwife, and nurse. She can treat smallpox, scurvy, deliver babies, and set broken jaws. Her abilities as a curandera are well known, and sought after, in addition to her dairy and produce. 

Her Yerba Buena tea, made with the wild Yerba Buena plant, was legendary. Legendary, in that it has been said Pueblo de Yerba Buena was named after her tea…which, I like the story, but I doubt that. 

Juana’s dairy and farm are destinations. Her captured history is mostly via first hand accounts from incoming ships. They knew, when you land in Yerba Buena, you go to Juana to supply yourself with milk, food, and … if needed, her healing abilities. After all, she sets broken jaws!

There are several of these early Yerba Buena accounts who mention ‘Widow Briones’, the wealthy older woman who sells dairy and produce.

In 1846, American soldiers killed some of her cattle at the El Polin Spring rancho, so she is forced to move them elsewhere, but I don’t know if that was her Loma Alta rancho, in Yerba Buena. I will speculate and say Juana read the tea leaves, saw the times, and the face, of the area, changing. And, if she didn’t sell her land, manifest destiny will take it from her.

Things with her husband remain in flux.

In her deposition on March 5, 1846, Juana states, “He is no longer afraid of the authorities because they make allowances for everything he does. However, I am the one suffering because of all of this. I can no longer leave my house to run errands, without him acting badly…I fear one day he may kill me, or some other tragedy will befall my family.”

Juana being the planner that she is, has an ace up her sleeve. In 1844, Juana had purchased land in Palo Alto, in Santa Clara County. 

In late 1846, she moves her family to Palo Alto where she purchased a 4,400- acre ranch, for $300 from two Ohlone Indians. (This was one of the four Indian families, in Alta California, granted land after the Mission secularization.) 

There is no mention of the husband on Juana’s deeds and legal paperwork after 1846. I have to assume she was finally granted her legal separation, and her husband left the area. Juana maintained the cattle ranch at El Polin Spring, now solely in her name, even after taking permanent residence in Yerba Buena, with the other rancho. 

Juana’s time in Yerba Buena ends in late 1846. She said, ‘Yerba Buena was getting ‘too crowded for her liking’.

Eventually, Juana sells three of her Yerba Buena lots to her son-in-law, and eventually breaks the last lot, into two, and sells them each to different people.

Juana never remarries. Her successful business continues at her Palo Alto ranch, but for the sake of my episode, Juana’s story ends here.

Out of context, Juana’s story might not jump out at you.. 

In context? Juana, even from birth, was a survivor, who, despite the odds, kept going. She took chances most women didn’t take (both in marriage and in business), in a culture, and religion, at a time,  when doing these things, could have left her physically, financially, and socially vulnerable for going against the expectations of a woman, wife, and mother. 

The cherry on top is that Juana, all along, had the business sense to ensure all her lots were properly documented, and the desenos/Mexican land grant maps were updated with legal oversite by her hired lawyers, to ensure her land was properly documented for boundaries, and secured in her name. Said another way, Juana was able to keep all of her land in the American takeover of California, as part of manifest destiny. Not a lot of Californios preemptively took these legal precautions to secure their land, the way she did. So, this additionally, makes Juana stand out among the majority of landowning Californios. 

Juana may have been illiterate, but she knew how to protect herself legally and financially, and manage a business. I find this aspect of her life, incredible.

Richardson’s first house, and Leese’s first mercantile store weren’t lost with time, but the first rancho, in Yerba Buena? Well… that got lost in time.

There are no known surviving diaries, or letters, from Juana, being illiterate. There are no confirmed photos of her, either. We have several first hand accounts from people who regularly bought from her, or sought her medical expertise. We also have legal papers, news articles, maps, and deeds for posterity. 

Juana lived in California under three flags, Spain, Mexico, and the United States. 

She was a third-generation Californiana, who petitioned for, and was eventually granted, a separation from her abusive husband.

She is one of the first female land owners in California, and she is the first female land owner in Yerba Buena.

She’s one of the first three settlers of Yerba Buena.

She used her maternal nature to cure people, and save deserting sailors escaping abuse.

She was a well known, and respected, merchant, and savvy businesswoman.

I see her as a role model to single mothers, and aspiring business women.

Juana died in 1889, of old age, at approximately 93 years old, and is buried in Holy Cross cemetery in Menlo Park. 

Juana’s Yerba Buena Legacy Continues

In 1989, San Francisco had zero plaques for women. Zero.

After a very public, and political, struggle, which brought in the Bay Area Network of Latinas, and the San Francisco Historical Society, in 1997, San Francisco placed … its first plaque commemorating a Latina, in Juana Briones’ honor, located in Washington Square. If you sit on the bench with her plaque, you are facing the church, which is more or less where her adobe and rancho once stood …

If you go to my transcripts, you can read what the plaque says.

“Juana Briones, born in Hispanic California, was a preeminent woman of her time. In the 1830s and 1840s, she transformed an isolated cove in the then Mexican hamlet of Yerba Buena, into her Rancho. At the site of this park, she raised cattle and grew vegetables for sale to ship crews. She gave sanctuary to refugees and was revered as a healer and caregiver. She is honored as a humanitarian, astute businesswoman, community builder, and devoted mother of eight children.

I don’t know why Juana’s story has been mostly lost in time, and reduced to a point of reference on the third map of Yerba Buena and, “she’s the rich widow you buy milk from”. I find her story another fascinating layer to Yerba Buena.

But, we know well that “He who tells history, decides which history gets told”.

This is the story of the founding mother of Yerba Buena, and… a beautiful dreamer. 

Dona Juana Briones , no te hemos olvidado. We have not forgotten you.

You can find the transcript, with cited sources, to today’s episode at monkeyblocksf.buzzsprout.com

Thank you for listening. This is Monkey Block, retelling forgotten stories from San Francisco’s golden past.