José Pomponio Lupugeym
Encyclopedia
Ponponio, aka Pomponio and Lupegeyun (ca. 1799-1824), was the leader of a band of Native American fugitives in California who called themselves Los Insurgentes and who rebelled against Mexican rule and the mission system in California
. Under his organization they raided settlements between the areas of modern day Sonoma
and Soledad
in the early 19th century.
Pomponio State Beach
, Pomponio Creek
, south of San Gregorio
, and the Pomponio Trail in Pescadero Creek Park, San Mateo County
, were named for him.
from the Guaulen local tribe area of present-day Bolinas
according to sources that reference the early Franciscan mission records. He was born to Francisco (Tabal[j]eiu) and Antonia (Juniela) about 1799 with the native name Lupegeyun (or [S]upugeyun). He was baptized at the Mission Dolores
in San Francisco in 1803, and given the Spanish name "Ponponio". The mission recorder noted he was about four years old ("como 4"), when he was baptized. The mission records spell his name Ponponio. Later historians such as Hurt spell it Pomponio.
By legend Ponponio was also rumored to be "the bravest and most fearsome of the Cainameros tribe" which was a reference to the Southern Pomo
of present-day Sonoma County, California
.
Another non-mission source identifies him as an Ohlone
from south of the Golden Gate, although this seems a legend without supporting documentation.
He may have at some time served the Mission San Rafael Arcángel
as an alcade.
Originally, much of Ponponio's legend was assembled from unreliable, anecdotal sources. One romantic, fictionalized account of his life has Ponponio cutting off his own heels to escape from captivity. The origin of this story may be that a lieutenant of Ponponio's band, one Gonzalo from Carmel, was captured and put in irons, and was reported to have cut off both heels to escape. The historical account continues saying that after a career as a robber, Gonzalo asked Ponponio to bring a priest to make his dying confession. Rather than have a priest hear anything not to his (Pomponio's) benefit, Ponponio ran him through with a lance. Ponponio gave similar treatment to another of his lieutenants named Baltasar.
Ponponio raided far from his home vicinity of the Pescadero
and San Gregorio
Creeks.
He was captured by a party of four soldiers near San Rafael
and tried by court martial in Monterey
, and shot on February 6, 1824. The mission records also note this "Alcabuc[e]aron...por sentencia de un consejo de Guerra formado en el mismo Presidio."
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Under his organization they raided settlements between the areas of modern day Sonoma
Sonoma, California
Sonoma is a historically significant city in Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA, surrounding its historic town plaza, a remnant of the town's Mexican colonial past. It was the capital of the short-lived California Republic...
and Soledad
Soledad, California
Soledad, meaning "solitude" and "loneliness" in Spanish, is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. Soledad is located southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 190 feet...
in the early 19th century.
Pomponio State Beach
Pomponio State Beach
Pomponio State Beach is a beach located south of Half Moon Bay and east of Pescadero off State Route 1, California, USA.This area provides access to miles of gently sloping, sandy beaches at the base of high sandstone bluffs...
, Pomponio Creek
Pomponio Creek
Pomponio Creek is a small river in San Mateo County, California.. It is named after José Pomponio Lupugeym....
, south of San Gregorio
San Gregorio, California
-History:Named after Pope Gregory I , San Gregorio was a booming town in the 1850s, when wealthy San Franciscans would travel to the San Gregorio House by stagecoach to enjoy fishing, hunting, sea bathing, and boat races. The building still stands, but is no longer a functioning hotel. However, the...
, and the Pomponio Trail in Pescadero Creek Park, San Mateo County
San Mateo County, California
San Mateo County is a county located in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. It covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula just south of San Francisco, and north of Santa Clara County. San Francisco International Airport is located at the northern end of the county, and...
, were named for him.
Early years
Ponponio was a Coast MiwokCoast Miwok
The Coast Miwok were the second largest group of Miwok Native American people. The Coast Miwok inhabited the general area of modern Marin County and southern Sonoma County in Northern California, from the Golden Gate north to Duncans Point and eastward to Sonoma Creek...
from the Guaulen local tribe area of present-day Bolinas
Bolinas, California
Bolinas formerly Juggville is a coastal unincorporated community in Marin County, California in the San Francisco Bay Area. Bolinas is located west-southwest of San Rafael, at an elevation of 36 feet...
according to sources that reference the early Franciscan mission records. He was born to Francisco (Tabal[j]eiu) and Antonia (Juniela) about 1799 with the native name Lupegeyun (or [S]upugeyun). He was baptized at the Mission Dolores
Mission San Francisco de Asís
Mission San Francisco de Asís, or Mission Dolores, is the oldest surviving structure in San Francisco and the sixth religious settlement established as part of the California chain of missions...
in San Francisco in 1803, and given the Spanish name "Ponponio". The mission recorder noted he was about four years old ("como 4"), when he was baptized. The mission records spell his name Ponponio. Later historians such as Hurt spell it Pomponio.
By legend Ponponio was also rumored to be "the bravest and most fearsome of the Cainameros tribe" which was a reference to the Southern Pomo
Pomo people
The Pomo people are an indigenous peoples of California. The historic Pomo territory in northern California was large, bordered by the Pacific Coast to the west, extending inland to Clear Lake, and mainly between Cleone and Duncans Point...
of present-day Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
.
Another non-mission source identifies him as an Ohlone
Ohlone
The Ohlone people, also known as the Costanoan, are a Native American people of the central California coast. When Spanish explorers and missionaries arrived in the late 18th century, the Ohlone inhabited the area along the coast from San Francisco Bay through Monterey Bay to the lower Salinas Valley...
from south of the Golden Gate, although this seems a legend without supporting documentation.
He may have at some time served the Mission San Rafael Arcángel
Mission San Rafael Arcángel
Mission San Rafael Arcángel was founded in 1817 as a medical asistencia of the Mission San Francisco de Asís as a hospital to treat sick Native Americans of the Bay Area, making it Alta California's first sanitarium. The weather was much better in the North Bay than in San Francisco, and helped...
as an alcade.
Rebel years
Ponponio fled the mission and began raids against scattered ranches and missions about 1818. In the summer of 1823, his main camp was somewhere in the area of present day Upper Alpine Road, San Mateo County. A cave "once called Ponponio's Cave" at the headwaters of Pomponio Creek, near Devils Canyon Falls, was said to have been his headquarters.Originally, much of Ponponio's legend was assembled from unreliable, anecdotal sources. One romantic, fictionalized account of his life has Ponponio cutting off his own heels to escape from captivity. The origin of this story may be that a lieutenant of Ponponio's band, one Gonzalo from Carmel, was captured and put in irons, and was reported to have cut off both heels to escape. The historical account continues saying that after a career as a robber, Gonzalo asked Ponponio to bring a priest to make his dying confession. Rather than have a priest hear anything not to his (Pomponio's) benefit, Ponponio ran him through with a lance. Ponponio gave similar treatment to another of his lieutenants named Baltasar.
Ponponio raided far from his home vicinity of the Pescadero
Pescadero Creek
Pescadero Creek is a major stream in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties in California. At , it is the longest stream in San Mateo County and flows all year from springs in the Santa Cruz Mountains...
and San Gregorio
San Gregorio Creek
San Gregorio Creek is a river in San Mateo County, California. Its tributaries originate on the western ridges of the Santa Cruz Mountains whence it courses southwest through steep forested canyons...
Creeks.
He was captured by a party of four soldiers near San Rafael
San Rafael, California
San Rafael is a city and the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...
and tried by court martial in Monterey
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
, and shot on February 6, 1824. The mission records also note this "Alcabuc[e]aron...por sentencia de un consejo de Guerra formado en el mismo Presidio."