Julian Ames
Encyclopedia
Julian Ames also known as Jesse Julian Ames and Juliano Ames, was a San Diego pioneer. He was born in North Carolina but arrived as a sailor in San Diego in 1820, from Plainfield, Connecticut
.
Captain Ames was baptized into the Catholic faith as Jesse Julian Ames, which allowed him to own property and other rights. He married Perfecta Espiñosa in 1838 at Mission San Diego de Alcala
. She was born 1821 in La Paz, Baja California, Mexico
, the daughter of Pusamino Espinosa, an officer in the Spanish
Army and commander at La Paz who went to San Diego in 1820.
They had daughters, Matilda ("Mary") and Nievas, and sons Francisco ("Frank"), Samuel, Daniel, and José.
In 1846, when the Mexican-American War broke out, he was on an otter hunting expedition on the Baja California
coast, with Philip Crosthwaite
, John Post, John C. Stewart, and William Curley.
Learning of the war at the Misión Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario de Viñacado
near El Rosario, Baja California
, they all returned to San Diego and served in the Battle of San Pasqual
.
They reached the town late at night, and were wakened by a loud knock on the door early in the morning.
It was Captain Gillespie, who said:
"There can be no neutrals in this country; you must either enlist for three months (as the war will probably be over by that time), or be imprisoned on the Congress."
Ames volunteered in the war.
Ames was President of the Board of Trustees for San Diego during 1853–1855, when the city had no Mayoral form of government.
Captain Ames bought Rancho Cañada de los Coches
in 1859 from the Catholic Church, which served as a stop for the San Antonio
-San Diego mail, nicknamed the "Jackass Mail". The ranch was located about 25 miles east of San Diego. Ames planted a double cactus hedge around the ranch house and raised sheep and cattle. Later, he built one of the first grist (flour) mills in the county and built a dam to supply his ranch with reliable water. Ames also made the best soap south of Los Angeles, opened a blacksmith shop, and made lime for whitewash. At his ranch, Ames would throw lavish fiestas that drew guests as far away as Santa Barbara
and Los Angeles
.
Ames adobe home was destroyed in the 1880s by vandals who thought valuables were hidden in it. The ruins were removed around 1925.
Ames died in 1866 while getting his wagon out of the mud. He is buried in the Calvary Cemetery, now Calvary Memorial Pioneer Park in Mission Hills. His wife Perfecta died 1890 and also is buried there.
Plainfield, Connecticut
Plainfield is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 14,619 at the 2000 census. The town comprises four villages: Plainfield , Moosup , Wauregan , and Central Village . Each village has their own respective United States Post Office and fire department...
.
Captain Ames was baptized into the Catholic faith as Jesse Julian Ames, which allowed him to own property and other rights. He married Perfecta Espiñosa in 1838 at Mission San Diego de Alcala
Mission San Diego de Alcalá
Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá, in San Diego, California, was the first Franciscan mission in the Las Californias Province of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. It was founded in 1769 by Spanish friar Junípero Serra in an area long inhabited by the Kumeyaay Indians...
. She was born 1821 in La Paz, Baja California, Mexico
La Paz, Baja California Sur
La Paz is the capital city of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur and an important regional commercial center. The city had a 2010 census population of 215,178 persons, but its metropolitan population is somewhat larger because of surrounding towns like el Centenario, el Zacatal and San Pedro...
, the daughter of Pusamino Espinosa, an officer in the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Army and commander at La Paz who went to San Diego in 1820.
They had daughters, Matilda ("Mary") and Nievas, and sons Francisco ("Frank"), Samuel, Daniel, and José.
In 1846, when the Mexican-American War broke out, he was on an otter hunting expedition on the Baja California
Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur , is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state on October 8, 1974, the area was known as the South Territory of Baja California. It has an area of , or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises...
coast, with Philip Crosthwaite
Philip Crosthwaite
Philip Crosthwaite was an early settler of San Diego, California and Rosarito, Baja California.-Early life:...
, John Post, John C. Stewart, and William Curley.
Learning of the war at the Misión Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario de Viñacado
Misión Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario de Viñacado
Mission El Rosario was the first Dominican mission in Baja California, established in 1774 by Vicente Mora and Francisco Galisteo near the modern town of El Rosario....
near El Rosario, Baja California
El Rosario, Baja California
El Rosario is a small town on the west coast of the state of Baja California on Highway 1, 61 kmsouth of San Quintín and 119 km north of Cataviña. The census of 2010 reported a population of 1,704 inhabitants...
, they all returned to San Diego and served in the Battle of San Pasqual
Battle of San Pasqual
The Battle of San Pasqual, also spelled San Pascual, was a military encounter that occurred during the Mexican-American War in what is now the San Pasqual Valley community of the city of San Diego, California. On December 6 and December 7, 1846, General Stephen W...
.
They reached the town late at night, and were wakened by a loud knock on the door early in the morning.
It was Captain Gillespie, who said:
"There can be no neutrals in this country; you must either enlist for three months (as the war will probably be over by that time), or be imprisoned on the Congress."
Ames volunteered in the war.
Ames was President of the Board of Trustees for San Diego during 1853–1855, when the city had no Mayoral form of government.
Captain Ames bought Rancho Cañada de los Coches
Rancho Cañada de los Coches
Rancho Cañada de los Coches was a Mexican land grant in present day San Diego County, California given in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Apolinaria Lorenzana. This small land grant was located just west of Flinn Springs and in the center of Rancho El Cajon...
in 1859 from the Catholic Church, which served as a stop for the San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
-San Diego mail, nicknamed the "Jackass Mail". The ranch was located about 25 miles east of San Diego. Ames planted a double cactus hedge around the ranch house and raised sheep and cattle. Later, he built one of the first grist (flour) mills in the county and built a dam to supply his ranch with reliable water. Ames also made the best soap south of Los Angeles, opened a blacksmith shop, and made lime for whitewash. At his ranch, Ames would throw lavish fiestas that drew guests as far away as Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
and Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
Ames adobe home was destroyed in the 1880s by vandals who thought valuables were hidden in it. The ruins were removed around 1925.
Ames died in 1866 while getting his wagon out of the mud. He is buried in the Calvary Cemetery, now Calvary Memorial Pioneer Park in Mission Hills. His wife Perfecta died 1890 and also is buried there.
See also
- Louis Rose: San Diego's First Jewish Settler and Entrepreneur by Donald H. Harrison (2004). ISBN 0-932653-68-5
- Biography (San Diego Historical Society) from Smythe's History of San Diego, pp. 285-286
- Text of San Diego Historic site 425, La Canada de los Coches Rancho
- 1850 Census, San Diego, California, p. 280A