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A Californio’s story of land, love and loss

Posted on October 1, 2018 by Sonoma Valley Sun

DBacich

The story of Sylveria Pacheco de Coles is a true-life saga of Californio life in the 19th century. Through business dealings, legal battles and marriage, she fought a long, losing battle to maintain her holdings and adapt to U.S. rule.  “Land, Love and Loss: The Sylveria Pacheco Story” is the topic of a lecture by historian Damiain Bacich on Saturday, October 13 at 2 p.m. $5. Sonoma Community Center, 276 E. Napa St.

“Sylveria’s story, like so many stories of the Californios, is intriguing and full of drama,” says Bacich. “And I’m convinced that the more we learn the stories of individual people, the less we are bound by clichés or stereotypes about the times they lived through.”

Her story, not without a bit of mystery, traces her dealings with Franciscan padres and Jesuits, Prussian aristocrats, Mexican governors, American pioneer families and unscrupulous lawyers.

Presented by the Sonoma Valley Historical Society in its ongoing ‘Second Saturday’ lecture series.



One thought on “A Californio’s story of land, love and loss

  1. Esoisa Cebrian (or Sebrian) married Valeriano (aka David) Pacheco in 1874 at St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church. This union resulted in the birth of Paulina Cleofus Pacheco, later Thomas, my grandmother. Other items I have seen claim their union was under a civil ceremony also in 1874, presided over by a Judge Brown. Pauline was born in 1878 and it seems as though Valeriano was back living with his mother, Sylveria Pacheco by 1880. What is the probability of David and Esoisa having two ceremonies?

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