Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day

We move northward today with Juan Bautista de Anza. Born in New Spain (in the current Mexican state of Sonora), he joined the military and, in 1772, proposed to lead an expidition into Alta California (which includes the US state of California and territory reaching up into what is today Wyoming). Starting in Tubac (now in Arizona), he went west along the current US-Mexican border until he hit the coast, then went north to Monterey, getting there in April, 1774.

Upon returning to Tubac, he was promoted and ordered to bring colonists into Alta California to help counter the growing Russian presence. He led the colonists Monterey, arriving in Monterey. He then led a small scouting party and, on this day in 1776, founded the sites of the Presidio and Mission San Francisco de Asis. They'd be built later, as would Mission Santa Clara and the town of San Jose de Guadelupe, which he also sited (the latter being current-day San Jose).

Upon his return from this trip, de Anza was made governor of New Mexico, and initiated a series of battles against the Comanche, whom he eventually defeated, leading to their migration to Oklahoma and Texas.

Once his term as governor ended, he returned to Sonora and was named commander of the Presidio in Tubac, but he died before he could take command.