Juan María Marrón was an early settler of San Diego, California

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

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Life

Marrón was a ship's captain before settling San Diego in the early 1820s. In 1834 Marrón, married Felipa Osuna (c. 1818–December 21, 1871), the daughter of Juan María Osuna

Juan María Osuna

Juan María Osuna was an early settler of San Diego, California-Life:Juan María Osuna was born 1785 in California to Juan Hismerio Osuna and Maria Alvarado. He was a soldier and corporal of the San Diego Company and settled in San Diego...

. They had three sons and one daughter.

Marrón served as the first Alcade of the Pueblo of San Diego during 1 January 1835 – 1836. He also served as Regidor (Alderman) and Juez de Paz (Justice of the Peace).

Marrón was granted Rancho Agua Hedionda

Rancho Agua Hedionda

Rancho Agua Hedionda was a Mexican land grant in present day San Diego County, California given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Juan María Marrón. The name means "stinking water" in Spanish. The grant extended south along the Pacific Coast from present day Carlsbad to Leucadia...

 in 1842, which is in the southern coastal part of present-day Carlsbad

Carlsbad, California

-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Carlsbad had a population of 105,328. The population density was 2,693.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Carlsbad was 87,205 White, 1,379 African American, 514 Native American, 7,460 Asian, 198 Pacific Islander, 4,189 from other...

. Agua Hedionda means "stinking water", named after decayed organic material in the Agua Hedionda Lagoon

Agua Hedionda Lagoon

The Agua Hedionda Lagoon is a lagoon in Carlsbad, California, that is fed by the Agua Hedionda Creek. Stewardship of much of the lagoon is held by the Encina Power Station and its owner NRG Energy...

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During the Mexican-American War Marrón supported the Americans. This caused him hardship and embarrassment with his friends. Once incident was related by Richard F. Pourade in The Silver Dons:

One morning, along the road from the mission, came Alcalde Juan María Marrón, husband of Felipa Osuna, carrying a white flag. He wanted to visit his wife. Capt. Miguel de Pedrorena

Miguel Pedrorena

Miguel Telesford Pedrorena or Miguel de Pedrorena was an early settler of San Diego, California-Life:Miguel Pedroena moved to San Diego in 1845. He married María Antonia Estudillo, daughter of José Antonio Estudillo and María Victoria...

 took him into custody, but Commodore Robert F. Stockton

Robert F. Stockton

Robert Field Stockton was a United States naval commodore, notable in the capture of California during the Mexican-American War. He was a naval innovator and an early advocate for a propeller-driven, steam-powered navy. Stockton was from a notable political family and also served as a U.S...

 finally gave Felipa and her husband a pass through the lines, to go to their rancho. With their children they walked all the way to San Luis Rey Mission, where another band of Californios seized them and threatened to shoot Marrón for having collaborated with the Americans. They released him but stripped his Agua Hedionda Rancho of horses and cattle.

Later Rancho Agua Hedionda was acquired and held by the Kelly family for many years. The adobe home of Marrón still stands, although modernized in the 1960s.

Marrón died in 1853 and is buried in El Campo Santo Catholic Cemetery in Old Town San Diego. His wife Juliana died in 1871 and was buried next to him.

See also

• "Agua Hedionda Rancho", Historic Ranchos of San Diego by Cecil C. Moyer, Richard F. Pourade, ed. (1960)
• "Rancho Agua Hedionda", (Carlsbad, California)
• 1850 Census, San Diego, California, p. 278B
• Genealogy Wiki for Juan Maria Marron