1851 Census of Intermedios

On the Trail with Arthur North

Rancho Jesús María 1906

Intermedios cowboys 1906

Making Mescal

Benigno de la Toba and family

1851. Intermedios has grown, and we are fortunate to have a census of its southern section which is worth reproducing in its entirety.

Del año de 1851

Map 8 shows many of the ranches for which we have evidence that they existed by the 1850s. They spread organically most likely from the first ranchos of the area by the departure of their sons whom the home ranch could not support. These sons would go up or down the arroyo, or find an unexploited spring, and with the help of their families, start a new rancho. In this way the sierra and plains of Intermedios gradually became covered by a network of ranchos bound together by family ties. This process, at least for the Sierra de Guadalupe in the north, peaked around 1900 when the most remote water sources had been utilized.² It may well have been the same for Intermedios. Part of this extensive utilization of the land was the creation of changing, or moving, ranchos which in times of adequate rain were established in places without adequate permanent water, and in times of drought, retreated to wait for the next rains, a practice that still continues. The rancheros of Llanos de Kakíwi (Quaquihué), for example, returned to their ranch after a long absence after the rains of 2001.

Oct. 11. The local authorities are laying out a plaza and a courthouse west of the church in San Luis. They are also creating a register of sites. (PMA, V48bis, 470)

Dec. 15. Francisco Betanceur (Betancourt) reports to the authorities that Canuto Murillo is building a corral in a place called Veredas without a legal title. (PMA, 12, V48bis, 549)³

A map of lots for San Luis Gonzaga "of the new population of San Luis Gonzaga promoted this year of 1849."⁴

1854. Jan. 2. Pablo Álbarez writes to the authorities that three days before he had gotten word that there were something like seven whaling ships in Magdalena Bay, and he has sent someone to gather further information. He signs this communication: Dios y Libertad, Intermedio. (PMA, I, V 52, 005)

April 8. Los Dolores, Pablo de la Toba at the auxiliary barracks of Intermedios. (PMA, 694, II, V53, Bis L4, 1ff.)

May 15. La Pasión. Benigno de la Toba takes an oath as the justice of peace of Intermedios. (PMA, V54, II, V54, L5, 1ff.)

Pablo Álvarez, Judge of Intermedios (PMA, V53, 003.)

The diocese of Lower California is separated from that of Monterey. A Vicar General is sent who arrives on June 13, 1854. He is Juan Francisco Escalante, accompanied by Mariano Carlón, a curate from Buena Vista in Sonora, and Anastasio López who came a few days later, a curate from Guevavi in Sonora, and Trinidad Cortéz.

"On December 7^th all reached the extinct Mission of San Luis Gonzaga, fifty leagues from Loreto. The Vicar was very active here as elsewhere. Eighty-one persons were confirmed. The feast of Purísima Concepción was celebrated with much splendor; and on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe there was a levitical High Mass, Solemn Vespers and a procession. All this caused much admiration, because such a splendid ceremony had never been witnessed here. Similar festivities were prepared for the people elsewhere."

"On December 18^th," the Vicar writes, "we left San Luis Gonzaga, and, after journeying fifty leagues, we reached the port of La Paz on December 23^rd."⁶

Lista nominal de los individuos que poseen Citios en esta comprencion de Yntermedios y exectuaron sus correspondientes pagos hasta el año de 1853 en cumplimiento del Bando de 8 de Junio del precedente año mandado por el gobierno politico de este territorio.

He also mentions other places that appear in the registry book of San Luis, but whose owners do not reside in the area: a half site of Navidad, D. Leonardo Angulo who resides in El Nobillo; La Salada belonging to Stras. Ruffo in La Paz; Tarabillas belonging to Srs. Flores in El Tule. Also not noted into the book and residing in this area San Hilario of Juan Gomez de Aguiar. These last have not paid.

Once in the sierra near La Pasión I talked with a rancher who made a visible effort to recall an Indian place name in the area. That name was Tecadahué, which I had never heard, and which I later encountered in this document.

Oct. 23. Petronilo Romero, the military commander of Isla de Carmen writes to the authorities for help because he was leaving the point called San Evaristo when his boat was assaulted by a strong storm at three in the afternoon, and foundered on the beach at Los Dolores. It is now ten in the morning. Signed, Dios y Libertad, Playa de Los Dolores. (PMA1711)

Nov. 4. Julián Álvarez marries Elvira Orozco. He is a native of Intermedios, (which probably meant San Luis Gonzaga, itself) living at Rancho del Coyote, and the son of Luis Álvarez and Expectación Redona.

Dec. 16. Cayetano Romero marries María Guadalupe Espinosa at ex-misión San Luis. He is the son of Encarnación Romero and Mercedes Baeza, and she is the daughter of Cornelio Espinosa and María Guadalupe Gerardo. Padre Mariano Carlón officiates. (G478)

1855. Jan. 21. Antonio Santiestevan, Bahía de la Magdalena, title to three sites. (L238)

June 10. Salvador Villarino, Ramón Navarro, Francisco Graña, title to six sites Hiray. (L239)

June 14. Padre Carlón is left in La Paz, Bishop Escalante and Padre López start visiting again. for from La Paz to the border there is no priest at all. They arrive at San Luis and celebrate the feast of St. Aloysius. On July 5 they set out for San Ignacio.

July 2. Magdalena Bay, Dolores Lucero petitions for the site Agua Colorado which is given to him on Oct. 9, 1855. (PMA, II, V59, L7, 2FF, 1075)

Pablo de la Toba registers Iritú and El Plátano on Feb. 12, 1857, paying a fee of 50 pesos each. El Plátano, title, Dec. 3, 1855. (L238)

Dec. 16. Estanislao de la Toba writes about the election in Intermedios. (PMA, II, V61, L12, 1FF, 2117)

Dec. 25. Luis Álvarez, title to El Mechudo, 20 pesos. (L215)

Dec. 28. Hermenegildo Lucero, title to Pozo del Colorado. (L215)

Intermedios sur, population 157 in 1857, Intermedios norte, population 163. filling in from a notice of 1853. The 1851 census figure which covers most of Intermedios sur, is 265 in contrast to Lassépas’ 157 in 1857. If we use this higher figure with the one he gives for Intermedios north, we arrive at 422 people for the area, which stands in contrast to the much greater Indian population which even at the time of their exile after a severe decline totaled 760.

Lassépas also leaves us a description of Los Dolores in 1857: "Entirely destroyed: abu