María de Jesús Jacinta Guirado y Urquídez was born at Los Angeles, Alta California, México, where she was baptized in the Plaza Church on September 11, 1836 (LA Baptism 00628). She was the daughter of José Rafael Victor Guirado y Botello and María Victoria Vicenta Urquídez y Lisalde. Her godparents were her paternal grandparents, José Rafael Bernardino Guirado y Cano, and María Isabel Botello y Siqueyros. María and her family become U.S. citizens with the transfer of California's sovereignty in 1848. She married John G. Downey in 1852. Her husband served as Governor of California and she was a resident of the Governor's Mansion from from January 14, 1860 until January 10, 1862. Years later while traveling with her husband she was killed in a train wreck in the Tehachapi Mountains of Kern County. Her husband was pulled through the window of the burning railcar, but she was pinned in the wreckage and could not be rescued. Her charred remains were at first mis-identified by the Los Angeles coroner as those of Mrs. John F. Cassell and shipped to San Francisco. When the error was discovered, her remains were returned to Los Angeles for burial. (The Branding Iron, Los Angeles Corral of Westerners, vol. No. 169, Fall 1987, pp. 1-8)
(biography courtesy Los Californianos)
(biography courtesy Los Californianos)
María de Jesús Jacinta Guirado y Urquídez was born at Los Angeles, Alta California, México, where she was baptized in the Plaza Church on September 11, 1836 (LA Baptism 00628). She was the daughter of José Rafael Victor Guirado y Botello and María Victoria Vicenta Urquídez y Lisalde. Her godparents were her paternal grandparents, José Rafael Bernardino Guirado y Cano, and María Isabel Botello y Siqueyros. María and her family become U.S. citizens with the transfer of California's sovereignty in 1848. She married John G. Downey in 1852. Her husband served as Governor of California and she was a resident of the Governor's Mansion from from January 14, 1860 until January 10, 1862. Years later while traveling with her husband she was killed in a train wreck in the Tehachapi Mountains of Kern County. Her husband was pulled through the window of the burning railcar, but she was pinned in the wreckage and could not be rescued. Her charred remains were at first mis-identified by the Los Angeles coroner as those of Mrs. John F. Cassell and shipped to San Francisco. When the error was discovered, her remains were returned to Los Angeles for burial. (The Branding Iron, Los Angeles Corral of Westerners, vol. No. 169, Fall 1987, pp. 1-8)
(biography courtesy Los Californianos)
(biography courtesy Los Californianos)
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