Manuel was one of twelve soldiers traveling with their families with the second Rivera expedition, from San Blas to Loreto, then overland by way of the Baja California missions to San Diego, San Gabriel and Monterey, arriving September 1774. The intention was to relieve soldiers from the earlier "Sacred Expedition", and they were among the earliest settlers in Monterey, La Misión de San Carlos Borromeo de Monterey. Established with only thatch roofed huts in 1770, a square later secured in stone for the presidio as well, La Capilla Real del Presidio de Monterey, the Royal Presidio Chapel, still stands as San Carlos Cathedral, continuing as a place of worship through the ages.

U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
Name Josef Manuel Higuera
Birth Place Si
Birth Year 1745
Spouse Name Maria Ignacia Redondo
Spouse Birth Place ME
Spouse Birth Year 1753
Marriage Year 1769
Marriage State ME

Manuel came with his wife and two sons, Juan José, age three, and Faustino, age less than one year, enlisting in the Monterey Company. They became original "pobladores" of Pueblo San José, November 29, 1777.

His parents were possibly Ygnacio Higuera and Maria Ygnacia Buelna. Alternate information has his parents as Pedro Higuera, born around 1710 and Juana Rosa Zepeda, born around 1715, parents of several born in the 1740's in Sinaloa who might have been Manuel's siblings or cousins.

1777: first census of Pueblo San José: Joseph Manuel Higuera, Spaniard, man, 33; Antonia Redondo, Spaniard, woman, 25; Juan Joseph, boy, 7; Juan Faustino, boy, 4; Maria Bictoria, girl, 2; Maria Gertrudis, girl, 1; Joseph, Indian servant, boy, 16; 1 horse, 2 mules, 2 mares, 2 oxen, 2 cows, 1 calf, 2 ewes, 2 goats.

1782 census, Monterey Company "Real Presidio de Monterey Lista de la Compania del Referido Presidio 31 Julio de 1782": Manuel Higuera, 41, Sinaloa, español, illiterate

1790 census, Monterey Company: Manuel Higuera, español, Villa Sinaloa, 49

He achieved the rank of corporal and was noted to have an injury in his 1793 retirement status. His descendants qualify for Sons of the American Revolution membership for Spain's defense of the west coast from the British.

In 1821, Rancho Tularcitos in Santa Clara County northeast of Milpitas went to José Higuera (1744-1828), 2 leagues.

Manuel and Antonia had nine children, progenitors of the Higuera lineage in Alta California:

Born in Sinaloa:
José Manuel 1771-buried 3/17/1807 Mission San Carlos, SC# 1751; soldado, married Maria Josepha Florentina Camacho.
Juan José Faustino 1772-died November 26, 1834, burial at Mission Santa Clara; married Mariana Josefa Navarro and had four children, then married Francisca Maria Ruiz and had two children.

Born at the Monterey Presidio and baptized at Mission San Carlos:
Maria Veronica Victoria Leandra 2/27/1775-died February 22, 1817, SCL#4911, buried at Mission Santa Clara: married Francisco Maria Valencia and had two children.
Maria Gertrudis 6/28/1776-died 12/1/1851, buried at Mission Santa Barbara; married José Manuel Boronda and had thirteen children.

Born in "el Pueblo de San Joseph" and baptized at Mission Santa Clara:
Maria Ygnacia Rita 2/10/1778-died 7/10/1844 in Rancho La Natividad, near San Juan Bautista; married Manuel Josef Butron and had 13 children.
Anna Maria Antonia 7/25/1780-12/14/1825 burial at Mission Dolores; married Francisco José de los Dolores Soto and had a daughter.
Gabriela Maria 2/28/1782-burial 5/20/1842 at Mission San Juan Bautista; married José "Miguel" Espinosa and had eleven children.
Joseph Joaquin Valentín 2/10/1784-burial 10/6/1838 at Mission Santa Clara; married Maria Bernarda Soto, SCL#7296.
Josef Antonio Secundino 7/1/1787-?; married María Ambrosia Pacheco and had a daughter.

Manuel died August 29, 1828, SJB#2551, at two in the morning and was buried the same day. "MANUEL HIGUERA, adulto, 84, originario de la Villa de Sinaloa del obispado de Sonora, casado con Maria Antonia Arredondo, vecinos del Rancho de la Natividad".

Listed in the California Voters Register, with the last name Higuera in Monterey County, born in California and with a 1882 date of voter registration in California, are:
Juan Nefomius, 59, Stock Raiser, Cooper
Jose, 25, Laborer, Salinas No. 2
and as Higuerra:
Francisco, 21, Vaquero, San Juan (1866)
Juan Antonio, 38, Vaquero, San Juan
Antonio Jesus, 37, Vaquero, San Juan
Juan, 26, Vaquero, San Juan
Blas, 45, Farmer, Farmer, Castroville (1867)
Santos, 23, Laborer, Salinas, Castroville
Juan Nepoineno, 45, Vaquero, Monterey (1868)
Juan Antonio Higuerro, 45, Laborer, Hollister (1871)