Finding Aid to the Yorba-Cota Family Papers MS.1061
Maritxu de Alaiza, Anna Liza Posas
Library and Archives at the Autry
2013
210 South Victory Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91502
rroom@theautry.org
Contributing Institution:
Library and Archives at the Autry
Title: Yorba-Cota Family Papers
Creator:
Yorba Family
Creator:
Cota Family
Identifier/Call Number: MS.1061
Physical Description:
0.25 Linear Feet
(1 box)
Date (inclusive): 1837-1897
Abstract: The Cotas the and Yorbas were prominent and wealthy land-owning families who played an integral role in early California history
and politics. Pablo Antonio Cota and Jose Antonio Yorba both participated in the Portola expedition and were granted vast
stretches of California land as a result. This collection consists of legal documents pertaining to the Yorba and Cota families
ranging from 1837 to 1897. The documents relate to land ownership, lawsuits, wills, and financial dealings.
Language of Material:
Spanish; Castilian
, English
.
Biographical Note
The Cotas the and Yorbas were prominent and wealthy land-owning families who played an integral role in early California history
and politics. Pablo Antonio Cota and Jose Antonio Yorba both participated in the Portola expedition and were granted vast
stretches of California land as a result.
The Cotas:
Pablo Antonio Cota was born circa 1744 at Loreto in Baja California. On 1768 July 4, he enlisted as a soldier at the age of
24. In March of 1769, he traveled with the Portola expedition to San Diego, thus establishing the Cota family in California.
Pablo Antonio Cota died on 1800 December 30, and was buried at the Presidio of Santa Barbara. He was 55 years old at the time
of his death, having served as a presidio soldier for 32 years. He and his wife, Doña Rosa Lugo, had a daughter, Maria Los
Angeles Cota de la Torre, who was born at Santa Barbara in 1790. At 13 she was married to Don Jose Joaquin de la Torre, cadet
and commissary at Monterey, and afterwards secretary to Governor Sola. She died at Monterey in 1877, aged eighty-seven years,
after seventy-four years of married life. She left three sons, three daughters, forty-three grandchildren, thirty-four great-grandchildren,
and several great-great-grandchildren.
Maria Ysabel Cota de Pico was born in Santa Barbara, 1783 May. At 19 she married Jose Dolores Pico, one of three brothers
who came to California with the first Mexican colony as officers in the military service of the Spanish Vice-royalty in Mexico.
Her husband died in 1827, after fifty years of military service. Of this marriage were born thirteen children, who, with their
cousins, the Castros, children of their father's brothers, and allies by marriage, were all powerful in the affairs of government
in California at the time of the American invasion. Maria Ysabel Cota de Pico was over 86 years old when she died. Her descendants
numbered over 300, including one of the sixth generation; nearly all live in California and they bear the names of the most
prominent native families, as well as of many leading American citizens intermarried with them.
In the 1830s the Cota family received several large land grants between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, California which served
to further their power and prominence in California and its history.
The Yorbas:
Jose Antonio Yorba, originally from Catalonia, Spain, was a young corporal when he participated in the Portola expedition
which passed through Orange County in July of 1769 on its way toward Monterey, California. He is credited with the "discovery"
of the Santa Ana Canyon during this expedition. He married Maria Josefa Grijalva in San Francisco on 1782 May 17. Their first
three children were born in the Monterey area while Jose Antonio was in the army. In 1789, the family moved to San Diego after
he had been assigned to the presidio there. Eleven more children were born to the family between 1789 and 1810. Juan Antonio
retired from the army in 1797 and, with his father in-law, Juan Pablo Grijalva, he began grazing cattle on the land that was
to become Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana. When Jose Antonio Yorba, along with his nephew, Juan Pablo Peralta, applied for their
land grant they were required to get permission from Grijalva's widow, Maria Josefa. On 1810 July 1, Governor Figueroa granted
the 62,516 acres to Jose Antonio Yorba and Juan Pablo Peralta.
The Yorba family is said to have once owned "all the land between Riverside and the sea." The original Yorba land grant, given
to Jose Antonio Yorba by the king of Spain in 1769, included what are now Corona, Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin, Olive, Costa
Mesa, and El Modena, California.
References:
Hardwick, M. R. (n.d.). Californians and the military: Alférez Pablo Antonio Cota (1744-1800). Retrieved from http://www.militarymuseum.org
"Member of 'oldest farm family' succumbs." (1950, May, 2).
Los Angeles Times.
"Mary Scully, 86, of early Yorba family succumbs." (1952, August, 27).
Los Angeles Times.
"Ernesto T. Yorba, pioneer county citizen, passes." (1948, July, 1).
Los Angeles Times.
Marsh, D. (1994).
Santa Ana, an illustrated history. Jacksonville, FL: Heritage Publishing.
Meadows, D. (1963).
The house of Bernardo Yorba. Santa Ana, CA: Pioneer Press.
"'Dancing' Cotas to delight audience at queen of missions." (1949, August 3).
Santa Barbara News-Press.
Storke, Y.A. (1891). A memorial and biographical history of the counties Of Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo. Retrieved
from: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/santabarbara/history/1891/amemoria/pioneers224gms.txt
Processing History
Initial inventory created by Southwest Museum staff, circa 1941. Descriptive notes for finding aid created by Maritxu de Alaiza,
2012 August 30. Finding aid completed by Anna Liza Posas 2013. Final processing of collection and publication of finding aid
made possible by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of legal documents pertaining to the Yorba and Cota families ranging from 1837 to 1897. The documents
relate to land ownership, lawsuits, wills, and financial dealings.
Conditions Governing Access
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry Museum of the American West. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Research Services and Archives. Permission for publication is
given on behalf of the Autry Museum of the American West as the custodian of the physical items and is not intended to include
or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Preferred Citation
Yorba-Cota Family Papers, 1837-1897, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MS.1061; [folder number] [folder
title][date].
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Baja California (Mexico : Peninsula)
Rancho Los Alamitos (Calif.)
Land tenure -- California
California -- History -- Sources
Memorandums
Legal documents
Actions and defenses
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- Sources
Correspondence
Maps
Affidavits
Deeds -- California
Land grants -- California
Receipts (financial records)
Figueroa, Francisco
Wolfskill, Francisca
Sepulveda (Family)
Yorba, Teodorio
Yorba, Bernardo
Cota, Manuela Nieto de.
Cota, Ynez Yorba de
Wolfskill, Lewis
Peralta, Juan Pablo
Cota, Leonardo.
Proceedings (expediente) concerning Jose Sepulveda and Teodocio Yorba 248.L.14
circa 1840
Physical Description: 8 pages
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Scope and Contents note
Written on Aduana Maritima de Monterrey paper. Originally 10 pages, but the first two pages missing. Document includes a testimony
of witnesses to show that the criminal Jose Antonio Flores escaped from jail on the night of Thursday, February 13, 1840,
visited Jose Sepulveda and returned to jail again; and that Sepulveda wished to implicate Teodocio Yorba in criminal activities.
Petition of Hilario Barelos in behalf of Bernardo Yorba in connection with the execution of a judgment against Juan Pablo
Peralta
248.L.15
1849
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Proceedings against Juan Pablo Peralta instituted by Bernardo Yorba through attorney Cota 248.L.16
1849
Physical Description: 10 pages
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Letter of Leonardo Cota to the Ayuntamiento of Los Angeles suggesting securing wood supply though the planting of fences composed
of living trees about all cultivated fields in the pueblo
248.L.17
1845
Physical Description: 2 pages
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Speech written by Leonardo Cota on behalf of the Ayuntamiento of Los Angeles to some new official, apparently the Governor,
assuring him the cooperation of the Ayuntamiento
248.L.18
Undated
Physical Description: 1 page
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Document signed by Leonardo Cota assuming responsibility for a prisoner, Leonisio Alipaz, if released from jail. Two endorsements
signed "Carillo."
248.L.19
1845
Physical Description: 1 page
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Document Approving a land petition, signed by Leonardo Cota. Attached to (B) a document in regard to the delay in building
a house on granted land, signed by Judge Marquez
248.L.20
1845
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Conditional deed (similar to a mortgage) to Estevan Joudain, covering a vineyard; signed by Leonardo Cota on behalf of members
of the Cota family
248.L.21
1848
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Note of Juan P. Peralta to Bernardo Yorba for $220.00 248.L.22
1848
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Summons to Leonardo Cota from Sheriff Barton 248.L.23
1853
Language of Material: English.
Will of Manuela Nieto de Cota 248.L.24
1837
Physical Description: 2 pages
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Cota land survey map 248.l.25
Undated
Note for $100 in favor of K. Cohn & Co., signed by Leonardo Cota 248.L.26
1887
Physical Description: 1 page
Language of Material: English.
Motion of Rives et als vs. Cota et al 248.L.27
1873
Physical Description: 5 pages
Language of Material: English.
Suit of Yves Yorba de Cota against Lewis Wolfskill for abrogation of foreclosure and damages 248.L.28
1877
Physical Description: 2 pages
Language of Material: English.
Casa de los Cotas records 248.L.29
circa 1874
Physical Description: 20 pages
General note
English and Spanish
Scope and Contents note
Bundle of copies of documents that consists of an abstract of title for the Casa de los Cotas in Los Angeles originally granted
to Leonardo Cota on behalf of his father Guillermo Cota in 1844.
Report of commissioners appointed to apportion and subdivide the south half of Rancho El Rincon among the heirs of Bernardo
Yorba
248.L.30
1873
Physical Description: 6 pages
Language of Material: English.
Deposition etc. regarding perpetuation of the testimony of Andres Dominguez 248.L.31
1873
Physical Description: 9 pages
Language of Material: English.
Summons and complaint; Rives et als vs. Cota et als. Regarding Rancho Rincon 248.L.32
1872
Physical Description: 4 pages
Language of Material: English.
Copy of affidavit to oppose writ of assistance. Lewis Wolfskill and Francisca Wolfskill vs. Leonardo Cota 248.L.33
1877
Physical Description: 4 pages
Language of Material: English.
Copy of a summons and complaint in partition, Andrea E. de Davila et al vs. Prudencio Yorba et al 248.L.34
1872
Physical Description: 7 pages
Language of Material: English.
Quit-claim deed on Rancho La Habra; Francisca Roldan de Carillo and Juan Carillo to Leonardo Cota. 248.L.35
1875
Physical Description: 2 pages
Language of Material: English.
Package of documents and copies regarding title of Rancho La Sierra 248.L.36
circa 1888
Physical Description: 24 pages
Language of Material: English.
Memorandum and copies of documents referring to property granted to Guillermo Cota. 248.L.37
circa 1876
Physical Description: 15 pages
General note
English and Spanish
Scope and Contents note
Includes document titled "Solar y casa de Guillermo Cota," marked Miguel Cota.
Copy of Bernardo Yorba's will 248.L.38
1858
Physical Description: 4 pages
Language of Material: English.
Copy of power of attorney of N. Gutierrez to Francisco Figueroa with regard to Rancho Los Alamitos and the vina of San Gabriel,
to liquidate accounts with managers thereof.
248.L.39.1
1840
Physical Description: 1 page
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Copy of deed to Abel Stearns of Rancho Los Alamitos. 248.L.39.2
1842
Physical Description: 3 pages
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Copy of decree of
Subgefatura Politica
248.L.40
1874
Physical Description: 4 pages
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Scope and contents
Located in the northern part of Baja California. Document declares the cession of land in Valle San Rafael by Augustin Mancilla
to Raymundo Yorba to be null and void.
Conditional bill of sale (in effect a chattel mortgage) of horses Raymundo Cota to Jose Antonio Machado. Time, 3 months. Horses
redeemed and transferred to Leonardo Cota.
248.L.41
1852
Physical Description: 3 pages
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Military tax receipt to Leonardo Cota (50 cents). 248.L.42
1857
Language of Material: English.
Letter of Prudencio Yorba to Leonardo Cota. 248.L.43
1862
Physical Description: 1 page
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Four tax receipts to Maria Antonia Cota 248.L.44
1853-1855
Language of Material: English.
Memoranda on deeds and other material 248.L.45
circa 1871
Physical Description: 3 pages
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Map of property of Ynez Yorba de Cota 248.L.46
Undated
Language of Material: English.
Note in favor of J. B. Durkee signed by Ynez Yorba de Cota and C. J. Cota. $6,000.00. 248.L.47
1892
Language of Material: English.
Note in favor of Richard Gird signed by Wm Meredith and Maggie L. Meredith. $160.00. 248.L.48
1887
Language of Material: English.
Bill to Leonardo Cota for barbed wire and staples. 248.L.49
1884
Language of Material: English.
Express receipt to Leonardo Cota 248.L.50
1886
Language of Material: English.
Subpoena 248.L.52
1859
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
Document only includes part of the subpoena.
Bond of Leonardo Cota as guardian of Genovia Cota to Prudencio Yorba and Raymundo Yorba for the sum of $10,000.00 248.L.53
1859
Physical Description: 2 pages
Language of Material: English.
Mortgage for Ynez Yorba de Cota to Louisa Meyers in the amount of $1,000 248.L.54
1888
Physical Description: 3 pages
Language of Material: English.
Certificate of redemption of real estate to Guadalupe Grasalbra. 248.L.55
1894
Physical Description: 2 pages
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Mortgage, Inez Yorba de Cota and G. J. Cota to J. B. Durkee; portion of Rancho La Sierra, $6,000 248.L.56
1892
Physical Description: 4 pages
Language of Material: English.
Mortgage, Inez Yorba de Cota and G. J. Cota to Wm. Cavanaugh. $2, 200.00. 248.L.57
1891
Physical Description: 2 pages
Mortgage, Leonardo Cota and Ynez Yoruba de Cota to Cornelius Jensen. Part of Rancho El Rincon, $7,183 248.L.58
1881
Physical Description: 2 pages
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Agreements with regard to the operations of J.P. Olivera, G. J. Cota and C. C. Grove for liquidating claims on Los Nietos
Rancho.
248.L.59
1897
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
Consists of three agreements.
Abstract of sheriff's fees and tax collections 248.L.60.1
1870 July 19
Physical Description: 3 pages
General note
English and Spanish
Cota genealogy 248.L.60.2
circa 1862
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Typed copy of a document 248.L.60.3
circa 1862
Physical Description: 3 pages
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Scope and Contents note
Document also includes notes written in pencil.
Capitulo V. De Los Abrogados 248.L.60.4
circa 1862
Physical Description: 5 pages
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Photostats of documents signed by Bernardo Yorba 248.L.60.5
1850
Physical Description: 2 pages
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Nombres de los Hijos del finado Guillermo Cota 248.L.61
Physical Description: 3 pages
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Ley Organizando La Corta Suprema de Mexico, y Relative a Los Abogados by Leonardo Cota
248.L.62
Physical Description: 12 pages
Language of Material: Spanish; Castilian.
Scope and Contents note
Also includes cover sheet.
