María Josefa Bruna Boronda y Higuera was born at San José de Guadalupe, Alta California, New Spain, on October 8, 1799. She was baptized at Misión Santa Clara de Asís on October 10, 1799 (SCL Baptism 03836). She was the daughter of cabo (corporal) Manuel Boronda y ... and María Gertrudis Higuera y Limón (SC Baptism 00413). Josefa Bruna was 8 months pregnant with the child of Mariano de Jesus Soberanes y Castro when she married (1) widowed soldado Manuel Cota y Lugo at the home of her father in Monterey on September 27, 1817 (SC Marriage 00857). Manuel was killed when he fell from the roof of a kitchen ramada where he had been tying tule thatching ("suvió a un techo de una cozina a atar algun manojo de tule ... allí cayó muerto") at Monterey August 23, 1826. She then married (2) Santiago Gualterio Borges (also Borca; born "James Walter Burke") at the Monterey Presidio Chapel (San Carlos) on January 9, 1828 (SC Marriage 00970). Soon thereafter she and her husband relocated to Santa Bárbara where she remained the rest of her life. After her husband's death in 1877 or 1878 she moved into the home of her son-in-law, John Kays, who had married her daughter, who had died in 1875. Josefa appears at Kays' residence in the 1880 U.S. Census. She died a couple years later and was buried in Cieneguitas Cemetery.
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It is our painful duty to record the death of Mrs. Maria Josefa Burke, wife of the late Captain Jas. W. Burke. Her daughter, Mrs. [Francis J.] Maguire*, died last week [May 9], but the mother was in such a feeble condition that the sad news was never broken to her. She was the mother of Supervisor Miguel Burke, and has a very large circle of friends. Her funeral takes place tomorrow at 8:30 o'clock, from the Catholic Church
(Morning Press [Santa Barbara], Vol. X, No. 190, Monday, May 15, 1882. 3:2)

* Death of Mrs. F. J. Maguire.
We clip the subjoined notice of the death of Mrs. F. J. Maguire, widow of the late Judge Maguire, of Santa Barbara, which occurred at that place on the 9th instant, from the Santa Barbara Press. The deceased lady was the aunt of Mr. J. C. Kays, our efficient City Treasurer, and was well known and highly respected by many citizens of Los Angeles: "The death of Mrs. F. J. Maguire has been a great shock to the community. She has been in delicate health since the death of her husband, Judge Maguire, and the death of her son which followed soon after, but her illness was not regarded as serious. Yesterday morning she received a paralytic stroke which resulted in her death last evening. She was a most estimable lady and was greatly beloved. She was a sister of Supervisor Miguel F. Burke, and leaves four sons and three daughters to mourn her loss."
(Los Angeles Herald, Vol. XVII, No. 70, Saturday, May 13, 1882; 3:4)
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Children:
(born at Monterey)
(with Soberanes)
- Cosme José Francisco Antonio (Oct. 2, 1817, SC Baptism 03055-Feb. 19, 1818, SAP Death 02812)

(with Cota)
- María Manuela Concepción Antonia (Dec. 6, bap. Dec. 8, 1826, SC Baptism 03459)

(with Burke at Santa Bárbara)
- María Josefa Leonarda (Nov. 16, bap. Nov. 17, 1828, BP Baptism 00812)
- María de los Dolores Petra (Jun. 28, bap. Jul. 4, 1830 [BP Baptism 00878]-May 9, 1882; Godparents William and Josefa Dana; m. Francis J. Maguire [1822, Ireland-Jun. 1879])
- (step) María Manuela (bap. Dec. 25, 1831, BP Baptism 00935, mother, María Stuard SD Baptism 04198)
- (step) Ramona (bap. Sep. 11, 1835, BP Baptism 01119, mother María Stuart SD Baptism 04198)
- María Perfecta de Jesús Edubijes (bap. Jun. 20, 1836, BP Baptism 01163)
- José Miguel Francisco (Nov. 23, 1839, bap. Mar. 19, 1840, BP Baptism 01372)∼Maria Josefa Bruna BORONDA was baptized at Mission Santa Clara on 10 Oct 1799. ( http://missions.huntington.org/BaptismalData.aspx?ID=66134, 10 Oct 1799.
BAPTISM (record image on web site)
Msn. Santa Clara
#3836) 10 Oct 1799- MARIA JOSEFA BRUNA [BORONDA], 2 d., h.l. de Manuel Boronda y Maria Jertrudis Higuera.

1-Not Married to Mariano de Jesus SOBERANES. They had a son, Cosmo Jose Francisco Antonio BORONDA SOBERANES born on 2 Oct 1817 and died on 19 Feb 1818.
2-Married to Manuel Antonio COTA (1779-1826), a widower of Gertrudis ROMERO on 29 Sep 1817 at Mission San Carlos.
3-Married to James Walter "Santiago" BURKE on 9 Jan 1828 at Mission San Carlos. They had 8 children together.