Juan Jose Warner
Encyclopedia
Juan Jose Warner a naturalized American-Mexican citizen, developed Warner's Ranch
in Warner Springs, California
. From 1849-1861, the ranch was important as a stop for emigrant travelers on the Southern Trail, including the Gila River Emigrant Trail and the Butterfield Overland Mail
stagecoach
line. Warner established the only trading post
between New Mexico
and Los Angeles
. Warner's Ranch was designated a National Historic Landmark
.
. He went west, travelling with a trading party from St. Louis in 1830, bound for Santa Fe
. The following year he traveled with fur trappers to California
. In 1907, Colonel J. J. Warner wrote about his California trapping days in "Reminiscences of Early California -1831 to 1846".
for several years. From 1834-1841 he worked in a merchandising store in Los Angeles. As Mexico
had controlled California since Mexican independence in 1821, Warner became a naturalized Mexican
citizen and changed his name to Juan Jose Warner. About 1843 he moved to San Diego.
In 1844, Warner was granted the Rancho San Jose del Valle
Mexican land grant, previously granted to José Antonio Pico and abandoned. (The grant made no mention of the Cupeño Indians, who had historically occupied the land.) He established what became known as Warner's Ranch
near Warner Springs, California
. The ranch property included hot springs. After he started serving travelers in 1849 on the Southern Trail, Warner set up the only trading post
between New Mexico
and Los Angeles
.
Warner's ranch was historic territory of the Cupeño
Indians, who had inhabited the area for centuries before Spanish
missionaries entered the area. Their land taken over, many of the Cupeños worked for Warner on the ranch and constructed a village nearby.
After California became part of the United States, taxes were imposed on the Cupeño, one of a series of issues that led in 1851 to the Garra Uprising. In the revolt, several of the Warner ranch buildings were burned down. Warner moved his family to Los Angeles, but continued to manage the ranch for years. The ranch was used as a stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail
stagecoach
line, which operated from 1857-1861.
Warner lost the ranch when his grant was challenged by a previous claimant. He was active in California politics in Los Angeles, where he died in 1890.
The Cupeño gained no legal remedy to their issues, but remained settled around the hot springs, to which they charged some travelers admission. In 1880 the ranch was purchased by John G. Downey
, a former governor of the state. In 1892 Downey tried to evict the Cupeño from the property. They filed suit against him, but lost in federal court in 1901 and were forced to relocate in 1903 to the Pala Reservation about 20 miles away.
Warner's Ranch
Warner's Ranch near Warner Springs, California, was notable as a way station for large numbers of emigrants on the Southern Trail from 1849 to 1861, as it was a stop on both the Gila River Trail and the Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach line...
in Warner Springs, California
Warner Springs, California
Warner Springs is a small unincorporated community in northern San Diego County, California. It is associated with two National Historic Landmarks, the Oak Grove Butterfield Stage Station and Warner's Ranch, both connected to the Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach line. It is also near the...
. From 1849-1861, the ranch was important as a stop for emigrant travelers on the Southern Trail, including the Gila River Emigrant Trail and the Butterfield Overland Mail
Butterfield Overland Mail
The Butterfield Overland Mail Trail was a stagecoach route in the United States, operating from 1857 to 1861. It was a conduit for the U.S. mail from two eastern termini, Memphis, Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri, meeting Fort Smith, Arkansas, and continuing through Indian Territory, New Mexico,...
stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
line. Warner established the only trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
between New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Warner's Ranch was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
Early life
Warner was born in 1807 as Jonathan Trumbull Warner in ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. He went west, travelling with a trading party from St. Louis in 1830, bound for Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
. The following year he traveled with fur trappers to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. In 1907, Colonel J. J. Warner wrote about his California trapping days in "Reminiscences of Early California -1831 to 1846".
Career
In California Warner first trapped beaverBeaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
for several years. From 1834-1841 he worked in a merchandising store in Los Angeles. As Mexico
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...
had controlled California since Mexican independence in 1821, Warner became a naturalized Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
citizen and changed his name to Juan Jose Warner. About 1843 he moved to San Diego.
In 1844, Warner was granted the Rancho San Jose del Valle
Rancho San Jose del Valle
Rancho San Jose del Valle was a Mexican land grant in present day San Diego County, California given in 1840 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Jose Antonio Pico, and then given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Juan Jose Warner...
Mexican land grant, previously granted to José Antonio Pico and abandoned. (The grant made no mention of the Cupeño Indians, who had historically occupied the land.) He established what became known as Warner's Ranch
Warner's Ranch
Warner's Ranch near Warner Springs, California, was notable as a way station for large numbers of emigrants on the Southern Trail from 1849 to 1861, as it was a stop on both the Gila River Trail and the Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach line...
near Warner Springs, California
Warner Springs, California
Warner Springs is a small unincorporated community in northern San Diego County, California. It is associated with two National Historic Landmarks, the Oak Grove Butterfield Stage Station and Warner's Ranch, both connected to the Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach line. It is also near the...
. The ranch property included hot springs. After he started serving travelers in 1849 on the Southern Trail, Warner set up the only trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
between New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Warner's ranch was historic territory of the Cupeño
Cupeño
The Cupeño are a Native American tribe from Southern California. Their name in their own language is Kuupangaxwichem.They traditionally lived about inland and north of the modern day U.S.-Mexico border in the Peninsular Range of Southern California...
Indians, who had inhabited the area for centuries before Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
missionaries entered the area. Their land taken over, many of the Cupeños worked for Warner on the ranch and constructed a village nearby.
After California became part of the United States, taxes were imposed on the Cupeño, one of a series of issues that led in 1851 to the Garra Uprising. In the revolt, several of the Warner ranch buildings were burned down. Warner moved his family to Los Angeles, but continued to manage the ranch for years. The ranch was used as a stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail
Butterfield Overland Mail
The Butterfield Overland Mail Trail was a stagecoach route in the United States, operating from 1857 to 1861. It was a conduit for the U.S. mail from two eastern termini, Memphis, Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri, meeting Fort Smith, Arkansas, and continuing through Indian Territory, New Mexico,...
stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
line, which operated from 1857-1861.
Warner lost the ranch when his grant was challenged by a previous claimant. He was active in California politics in Los Angeles, where he died in 1890.
The Cupeño gained no legal remedy to their issues, but remained settled around the hot springs, to which they charged some travelers admission. In 1880 the ranch was purchased by John G. Downey
John G. Downey
John Gately Downey was an Irish-American politician and the seventh Governor of California from January 14, 1860 to January 10, 1862. Until the election of Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003, Downey was California's only foreign-born governor...
, a former governor of the state. In 1892 Downey tried to evict the Cupeño from the property. They filed suit against him, but lost in federal court in 1901 and were forced to relocate in 1903 to the Pala Reservation about 20 miles away.