Estanislao
Encyclopedia
Estanislao was an indigenous alcade of Mission San José; and a member and leader of the Lakisamni
tribe of the Yokut people of northern California. He was notorious for leading bands of armed amerindians in revolt against the Mexican
government and Mission establishments.
, Modesto, California
). According to records at Mission San José, in 1821 mission padres had visited the Laquisimes area, and had insisted Cucunuchi to return to the mission along with his wife, daughter, and mother to receive a formal Christian
education. His younger brother Canocee had already visited the mission in 1820, and had been baptized with the name of "Orencio". Cucunuchi and his family journeyed to the mission on September 24, 1821, but his father did not go. He was soon baptized with the name of "Estanislao" (Spanish for St. Stanislaw) after his arrival to the Mission San José.
of the community before he left the mission with about 400 followers in 1827. Juan Bojorques describes Estanislao in his Recuerdos sobre la historia de California (1887) as "about six feet tall, his skin was more white than bronze, he was very muscular like a horse". Juan Bautista Alvarado also mentions Estanislao's literacy in History of California (1876), he writes: "Estanislao was able to read and write and stood out among the leaders of other Central California Indian tribes". The group began raiding the Missions San José, Santa Clara
, and Santa Cruz
and Mexican
settlers in the area around the Laquisimas River (now the Stanislaus River; during the later Mexican era, this river was called Rio Estanislao). Estanislao was joined by Chumash Indians led by Pacomio and by other Yokuts until at one time his army had 4,000 men. Estanislao educated his men in battle techniques he had learned from Spanish and Mexican soldiers. His raids were characterized as sudden, usually involving a trap, and ending with no loss of life, and he would sometimes use his sword to carve his initial, "S," authenticating his handiwork.
The Franciscan friars and Mexican settlers pleaded for help from the Mexican army. Finally, the Governor called the army into action. Three expeditions from the Presidio of San Francisco
and the Presidio of Monterey failed to subdue the band. A fourth, larger force led by General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
finally ousted Estanislao and his people from the Laquisimas River in the Spring of 1829. Both Vallejo and Estanislao were accused of brutality and atrocities by their forces in the battle.
Estanislao returned briefly to the Mission San Jose on May 31, 1829 to ask Father Narciso Duran
for forgiveness for his men and himself. Father Duran successfully petitioned Governor José María de Echeandía to pardon Estanislao. The pardon was granted for Estanislao and his men on October 7, 1829.
Estanislao returned to the Laquisimas River to lead his people. Yoscolo, a Yokut Indian from the Mission Santa Clara, joined Estanislao's group in 1831. Yoscolo brought several hundred Indians with him from the Mission Santa Clara. Yoscolo and Estanislao led many raids against Mexican settlers. Yoscolo was different from Estanislao and did not mind killing Mexican settlers if he had to. Yoscolo sometimes wore a mask during his raids.
During the spring of 1833, malaria
was introduced into the San Joaquin Valley
by Canadian beaver trappers from the Hudson's Bay Company
. More than 20,000 California natives died from malaria that spring, including Yokuts, Chumash, Miwok
and others.
and culture. He remained at the Mission until his death, possibly from smallpox
, on July 31, 1838. The Stanislaus River, Stanislaus County
, and the failed Mormon
settlement Stanislaus City (now Ripon
) were named in his honor. There are many Californians who believe that Estanislao was the real Zorro
.
Lakisamni
The Lakisamni, or alternately Laquisimne, are one of the divisions of the Yokut people, indigenous to the Stanislaus River area. The Lakisamni probably inhabited the land from present-day Ripon in the west to Knights Ferry in the east...
tribe of the Yokut people of northern California. He was notorious for leading bands of armed amerindians in revolt against the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
government and Mission establishments.
Early life
Estanislao was born with the Yokut name of Cucunuchi circa 1793 on the riverbanks of the Río de Laquisimes (present-day Stanislaus RiverStanislaus River
The Stanislaus River in California is one of the largest tributaries of the San Joaquin River. The river is long and has north, middle and south forks...
, Modesto, California
Modesto, California
Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....
). According to records at Mission San José, in 1821 mission padres had visited the Laquisimes area, and had insisted Cucunuchi to return to the mission along with his wife, daughter, and mother to receive a formal Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
education. His younger brother Canocee had already visited the mission in 1820, and had been baptized with the name of "Orencio". Cucunuchi and his family journeyed to the mission on September 24, 1821, but his father did not go. He was soon baptized with the name of "Estanislao" (Spanish for St. Stanislaw) after his arrival to the Mission San José.
Life at the mission
Estanislao was the alcaldeAlcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
of the community before he left the mission with about 400 followers in 1827. Juan Bojorques describes Estanislao in his Recuerdos sobre la historia de California (1887) as "about six feet tall, his skin was more white than bronze, he was very muscular like a horse". Juan Bautista Alvarado also mentions Estanislao's literacy in History of California (1876), he writes: "Estanislao was able to read and write and stood out among the leaders of other Central California Indian tribes". The group began raiding the Missions San José, Santa Clara
Mission Santa Clara de Asís
Mission Santa Clara de Asís was founded on January 12, 1777 and named for Santa Clara de Asis , the foundress of the order of the Poor Clares. Although ruined and rebuilt six times, the settlement was never abandoned.-History:...
, and Santa Cruz
Mission Santa Cruz
Mission Santa Cruz was established in 1791 and named for the feast of the Exultation of the Cross, the name that the explorer Gaspar de Portolà gave to the area when he camped on the banks of the San Lorenzo River on October 17, 1769, and erected a wooden cross...
and Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
settlers in the area around the Laquisimas River (now the Stanislaus River; during the later Mexican era, this river was called Rio Estanislao). Estanislao was joined by Chumash Indians led by Pacomio and by other Yokuts until at one time his army had 4,000 men. Estanislao educated his men in battle techniques he had learned from Spanish and Mexican soldiers. His raids were characterized as sudden, usually involving a trap, and ending with no loss of life, and he would sometimes use his sword to carve his initial, "S," authenticating his handiwork.
The Franciscan friars and Mexican settlers pleaded for help from the Mexican army. Finally, the Governor called the army into action. Three expeditions from the Presidio of San Francisco
Presidio of San Francisco
The Presidio of San Francisco is a park on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area...
and the Presidio of Monterey failed to subdue the band. A fourth, larger force led by General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo was a Californian military commander, politician, and rancher. He was born a subject of Spain, performed his military duties as an officer of Mexico, and shaped the transition of California from a Mexican district to an American state...
finally ousted Estanislao and his people from the Laquisimas River in the Spring of 1829. Both Vallejo and Estanislao were accused of brutality and atrocities by their forces in the battle.
Estanislao returned briefly to the Mission San Jose on May 31, 1829 to ask Father Narciso Duran
Narciso Durán
Narciso Durán, OFM was a Franciscan friar and missionary. He arrived in California in 1806 after studying briefly at the missionary College of San Fernando de Mexico...
for forgiveness for his men and himself. Father Duran successfully petitioned Governor José María de Echeandía to pardon Estanislao. The pardon was granted for Estanislao and his men on October 7, 1829.
Estanislao returned to the Laquisimas River to lead his people. Yoscolo, a Yokut Indian from the Mission Santa Clara, joined Estanislao's group in 1831. Yoscolo brought several hundred Indians with him from the Mission Santa Clara. Yoscolo and Estanislao led many raids against Mexican settlers. Yoscolo was different from Estanislao and did not mind killing Mexican settlers if he had to. Yoscolo sometimes wore a mask during his raids.
During the spring of 1833, malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
was introduced into the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
by Canadian beaver trappers from the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
. More than 20,000 California natives died from malaria that spring, including Yokuts, Chumash, Miwok
Miwok
Miwok can refer to any one of four linguistically related groups of Native Americans, native to Northern California, who spoke one of the Miwokan languages in the Utian family...
and others.
Later life
On August 24, 1834, Estanislao returned to the Mission San Jose and prospered there while teaching others the Yokuts languageYokutsan languages
Yokutsan is an endangered language family spoken in the interior of Northern and Central California in and around the San Joaquin Valley by the Yokut people. The speakers of Yokutsan languages were severely affected by disease, missionaries, and the Gold Rush...
and culture. He remained at the Mission until his death, possibly from smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
, on July 31, 1838. The Stanislaus River, Stanislaus County
Stanislaus County, California
Stanislaus County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. As the price of housing has increased in the San Francisco Bay Area, many people who work in the southern reaches of the Bay Area have opted for the longer commute and moved to Stanislaus County for the...
, and the failed Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
settlement Stanislaus City (now Ripon
Ripon, California
Ripon is a city located in . The population was 14,297 at the 2010 census.-History:Ripon, on the site previously known as Murphy's Ferry, Stanislaus City, & Stanislaus Station, was renamed for , which was itself named for a city in Yorkshire, England...
) were named in his honor. There are many Californians who believe that Estanislao was the real Zorro
Zorro
Zorro is a fictional character created in 1919 by New York-based pulp writer Johnston McCulley. The character has been featured in numerous books, films, television series, and other media....
.