TRANSLATION OF 1781 PUEBLO SAN JOSE MAP In History San

TRANSLATION OF 1781 PUEBLO SAN JOSE MAP
In History San Jose Collection (1979­861­1)
by Rose Marie Beebe
and Paul Bernal
2013
This 1 June 1781 map of Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe, is the first known map
of what is today San Jose, California. The creation date of 23 April 1781 is often
erroneously attributed to this map, because readers saw that date in the text without
translating the document.
This map represents the original site of the pueblo from November 1777 to
approximately 1791. Therefore, the lands depicted are approximately between
Guadalupe Freeway, Hedding Street, North First Street and Hobson Street.
This map represents the suertes (farm lots) that were outside the pueblo proper.
The pueblo proper is seen as a square at the top of the map, marked with a cross.
Within that square would have been the solares (town lots). The outlying suertes
are seen as the 21 squares with names in them. These lots were irrigated by the
Guadalupe River, which fed into the farm lots via the main water ditch, seen at the
upper right side.
The translation was performed by Rose Marie Beebe, Ph.D., a professor of masters
Spanish at Santa Clara University. Beebe specializes in translating Spain’s
colonial documents in Alta California. Judge Paul Bernal is the Official Historian of
the City of San Jose. He assisted Beebe with historical details of the founding of
San Jose, Spanish law in the 1770s, and contemporary writings, to provide context
to Beebe’s translation choices. In 2013 they met to study the original map in History
San Jose’s collection. Some of the more “difficult to read” passages (that were the
result of the writer’s quick hand) were determined by comparison to other writings
and practices of that era.
In Spanish writing of the 1700s, the capital letter “I” was scribed as what looks like a
capital “Y” in today’s English. But it is the letter “I.”
De Idem means “also.” It is from the Latin “idem.”
“Rubrica” indicates this map is not the original. The original would have a rubric
(fancy signature looping) under Moraga’s name. The original would have been
officially copied, with the “original copies” being filed in San Jose and likely
Monterey and/or Mexico City. The original likely was sent back to Spain. The
original and other copies are not known to exist.
Names in the farm lots are in the attached diagram, in the positions they appear in
the original. The notations that are in brackets [ ] are words that do not appear in
the map, but were added by Bernal to give context to the map’s original notations.
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Top of map:
Estado que manifiesta las suertes de tierras repartidas a los
Pobladores del Pueblo Sn Josef; con exprecion de las que a cada uno
corresponden y son de a Domicilius que por costado; para informe
del Señor Gobor a saver
Report that shows the plots of land distributed to the settlers of
the Pueblo San José; with the designation as to who owns
each plot and whose homes flank one another; this is so the
Governor will be informed. [Authors’ note: Homes are not shown in
this map because the homes were located in the pueblo proper,
which is not depicted.]
Bottom left of map:
Nota: La reparticion de tierras demarcadas se hiso por mi el Tente y
comte del Presd de Sn Franco con arreglo a la orden del Señr Govr y se
entregaron a sus diseños el dia 23 de Abril de 1781.
Sn Franco 1 de Junio de dho año
Joseph Moraga (Rubrica)
Note: The distribution of the demarcated lands was done by
me, the lieutenant and commander of the Presidio of San
Francisco in accordance with the order from the Governor and
they were submitted for his consideration on April 23, 1781.
San Francisco, June 1 of the same year
Joseph Moraga (Rubric)
Bottom of map:
Nota: Aqui es la salida de la baia parte de camino a la mision
Note: Here is the way to head out to the bay along the road to
the mission. [Mission Santa Clara.]
Right side of map:
Rio de la dera de agua
Water that branches off from the main river.
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Bottom right corner of map:
Nota: Todo lo sobrante en esta medida es de muchos bajo por lo que
quedó realengo
Note: All of the land that remains in this measurement [survey]
has not yet been allotted.
Realango
[Ownerless]
De Manuel
[Domingo]
Amesquita
De Iden
[Manuel Domingo]
Amesquita
Realango
[Ownerless]
De Sebas­
tian Albitre
De [Manuel] Claudio
Albires
[Alvirez]
De Iden
[Manuel Claudio]
Albires
[Alvirez]
De [Jose] Manuel
[Antonio]
Gonzales
De Iden
[Sebastian]
Albitre
De [Jose] Bernardo
de Rozales
[Rosales]
De Iden
[Jose Bernardo]
Rozales
[Rosales]
De Iden
[Jose Manuel
Antonio]
Gonzales
De Francisco
Abila
[Avila]
De Iden
[Francisco]
Abila
[Avila]
De Josef
Tiburcio
Basques
[Vasquez]
De [Jose] Antonio
Romero
De Iden
[Jose Antonio]
Romero
De Iden
[Josef Tiburcio]
Basques
[Vasquez]
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De [Jose] Ignacio
Archuleta
Realango
[Ownerless]
De Iden
[Jose Ignacio]
Archuleta
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