Last Surviving Veteran of the Native Cavalry

Civil War: First Sergeant, Company C, Native California Cavalry

Comrade, Cushing Post, No. 44, G.A.R., Ventura, California;
Malvern Hill Post, No. 131, G.A.R., Fullerton, California

Juan José de la Guerra y Sepúlveda was the son of Francisco Antonio María de la alta Gracia Guillermo de la Guerra y Carrillo (1817-1878) and María Concepción Sepúlveda y Serrano (1831-1896). He was baptized at Mission Santa Bárbara, Alta California, México, May 24, 1847. He became a U.S. citizen with the transfer of sovereignty in 1848. He was living at Santa Bárbara in 1860 (1860 US Census). He enlisted as a 1st Sergeant at Santa Bárbara July 25, 1864, and was mustered into Company C, 1st Battalion, Native California Cavalry. He was posted to Fort Mason, Arizona Territory, from September 1865 to February 1866. He was mustered out with his company at the Presidio of San Francisco April 2, 1866 (Orton, 315). After the war he returned to Santa Bárbara, but had moved to Ventura by 1880 (1880 US Census). He was still single at the time. He filed for a Civil War veteran's pension August 15, 1891, and received application No. 1,048,472 and certificate No. 864,548. Juan married his cousin, María Ramona Yorba y Sepúlveda de Yorba, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Anaheim January 25, 1896. María Ramona was the widow of Marcos Yorba y Domínguez. Juan and María were still living in Yorba in 1900 and 1910 (US Census). By 1920 Juan José was a widower living in Yorba with his step-daughter Rosa and son-in-law Herman F. Locke (1920 US Census). He later moved with them to Los Angeles, where they were living in April 1930 (1930 US Census). With the death of Manuel Francisco García in January 1940, Juan José de la Guerra became the last surviving veteran of the Native California Cavalry. He was buried in Calvary Catholic Cemetery on December 22, 1940.
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Señor Juan de la Guerra.
Anaheim Gazette--Señor Juan de la Guerra of Santa Bárbara has been in town during the week, the guest of the Rimpaus. Señor de la Guerra is descended from one of the oldest California families, his uncle having been along in the early [18]60's District Judge of the five southern counties of California when they were yet in the one county of Los Angeles. His father was for many years mayor of Santa Bárbara and has the distinction of himself having enlisted in the army during the civil war. In 1864 he left the baronial halls of his ancestors and enlisted as cavalryman at Drum Barracks, Wilmington. The March of his troop through Anaheim is yet remembered by a number of old inhabitants. Señor de la Guerra did distinguished service for his country and was honorably discharged at the close of the war. His visit to Anaheim at this time is for no other purpose then to lead to the altar one of the best-known and most highly regarded ladies of this section, she being none other than Mrs. Marcos Yorba, relict of the late Marcos Yorba, who died some five years ago, and was well and favorably known throughout Southern California. The joining of these two old families of Hispano-Americano blood will be one of the social events of the year.
(Daily Times [LA], 30 January 1896, 14:4)
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Step-Daughter:
- Rosa Yorba y Yorba (1889-After 1930; married Herman F. Locke)

Biography by Steve