Californio landholding families
The Pico family
Patriarch: José María Pico (1764–1819); the California founder was his father Santiago de la Cruz Pico, an Anza colonist of 1775–76
From a soldier's family of modest and mixed origins the Picos rose to the summit of Mexican California: Pío Pico twice governed the territory and, with his brother Andrés, held some of the largest southern ranchos. The dynasty's prominence was political and military as much as landed.
Origin
Santiago de la Cruz Pico came overland on the Anza expedition; his son José María Pico served as a soldier at San Diego and Mission San Luis Rey. The family was of mixed (partly African and Indian) ancestry, typical of the frontier soldiery.
Members
| Name | Relation | Ranchos |
|---|---|---|
| Pío de Jesús Pico | son of José María | Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores (1841, with brother Andrés); Rancho Jamul; Rancho Paso de Bartolo (Whittier) |
| Andrés Pico | son of José María | Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores (jointly); leased Ex-Mission San Fernando |
Genealogical confidence: high
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jose_Maria_Pico
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pico_family_of_California
- https://whittiermuseum.org/research/pio-pico/