03.- Some Basque American Historic Facts

03.1 BASQUE GOVERNORS
The United States is, after all, only a little more than two hundred years old. In the west, its southern border did not have its present form until 1853. In 1848 Upper California, until then Mexico, became part of the Union under the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. When California passed into American hands, there were Basques already present. Several of its governors, first under Spanish administration and then under Mexican, had been Basque. Among them, Diego de Borica y Retegui, from Vitoria-Gasteiz, first governor of Upper California; Jose Joaquin de Arrillaga, from Aia (Gipuzkoa), and Pablo Vicente Sola, from Arrasate (Gipuzkoa), during the Spanish period; and again Sola himself, first governor under Mexico, of the territory; and the governors Jose Maria de Echeandia and Manuel Micheltorena, both born in the New World.

03.2 BASQUE CALIFORNIOS
Before California’s inclusion into the US, there were other Basques (sailors, traders, and ecclesiastics) who had taken part in the adventure of the until-then sparsely populated territory. (As late as 1800 the population of California was fewer than one thousand.) Basques such as Jose Antonio Aguirre, who became an American in New Orleans and who, along with his brother-in-law Miguel de Pedrorena and another three Americans, was one of "those who planned and were the first owners of what today is known as the city of San Diego". Or Cesareo Lataillade, born in Donibane Lohizune (Lapurdi) and a highly successful trader during the Gold Rush, established the Viceconsul of Spain in 1846 in Santa Barbara, and the French Consul in 1848. Or Jose Domingo Indart, owner of the vessel "Keoneana", which operated between California, Acapulco, and Callao. Or his nephew Ulpiano Indart, who came to be a respected businessman and politician, and was treasurer for many years in the county of Santa Barbara, where he died in 1902.

03.3 THE GOLD RUSH
When Upper California became part of the US, and gold was discovered in the mountains, there was an influx of fortune seekers from all over the world. California in 1848 had an European population of no more than fifteen thousand. By 1852 the figure had increased to 93,000, and in 1860 it was 380,000. As to the number of Basques, Douglass and Bilbao in Amerikanuak, Basques in the New World provide evidence to the effect that several hundred entered California between 1845 and 1851. In 1850 and subsequent years there were Basques working in the area, and by 1852 there were Basque union movements in some of the mining camps

03.4 MINERS AND SHEEPHERDERS
Not all Basques that arrived in booming California were miners. In many cases their pursuits were in other directions. We have already mentioned the setting up of the first hotels, while other Basques opened local businesses. Others took up sheepherding, some among them Juan Indart, Bernardo Altube, Jean-Baptiste Arrambide, Antonio de Harispuru, Bernardo Ypar, and Pedro Altube, set up cattle firms and acquired ranches in various counties.

03.5 MIGUEL LEONIS
Mention apart might be made of Miguel Leonis. He is so much a legendary part of Californian history that a foundation bearing his name has been established. His ranch has been restored and is today shown to visitors much as it is believed to have been in the late 19th century. Known also as "the Basco", Leonis was said at the time to be "of unique character, strong as a bull, full of determination to wipe out intruders." The kanboarra, who in charge of an armed party apparently used doubtful methods to achieve his ends, came to control an extensive area to the north of Los Angeles. When he died in 1889 he left a legacy of one million dollars, most of which ended up, following lawsuits, in the hands of lawyers.

03.6 SPREADING TO THE WHOLE WEST
Basque names were so prominent in the western sheep business that a non-Basque expert regarded the Basques in 1858 as its founders. Already in the 1850's there were Basque sheepherders working in Cahuenga Valley (today Hollywood). Following years of sacrifice, some of them became rich owners. By the 1860's the Basques were established in southern California. By the 1980's they were in the central and northern zones, from where they spread to Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, and other western states also reaching Texas.