General Ignacio Pesqueira (1820 - 1886) Of all the governors and public men which Sonora has had, there is no one more popular than the illustrious person whom I am now describing.  General Ignacio Pesqueira was born on December 16, 1820, in Arizpe, at that time the capital of the provinces of Sonora and Sinaloa, and died at his hacienda of Bacanuchi on January 4,1886. His ancestors were well known persons of the old Sonoran capital, particularly the Hon. Mrs. Petra Garcia de Pesqueira, mother of the general.  At an early age he was sent over to Seville, Spain, living there for some time, and then going on to Paris to continue a commercial career. Being in Seville a short time after the death of Ferdinand VII, he affiliated with the cause of liberty as proclaimed by his student comrades, and took active part in the democratic movements which were started in Andalusia. He returned from Europe at the early age of 18, arriving in Mexico full of enthusiasm, seeing that country fighting between two diametrically opposed ideas.  The one was attempting to reintroduce the spirit of the twelfth century, and the other represented the liberal spirit of the nineteenth. He affiliated himself with the latter, and thus opened the doors to a glorious future. He was initiated to war with a good general tfrrea, whose biography also should be included in the catalog of illustrious men of Mexico. He attracted the attention of the Governor of the State by the fearless-ness and skill with which he tracked down the Apaches, who were ravaging our soil, and was named by him Colonel Inspector of the National Guard on the Frontier. Well known for his liberal principles and ascendant patriotism, he was elected Deputy to the State Legislature. He was occupied at that post when the pronunciamento was issued, by the gandarist party, which put the Governor Jose de Aguilar in prison. Pesqueira, in favor of legality, entered the army on the side of executive power, and heightened the struggle between the parties. He occupied the capital of the state and chased the revolters away. In the resulting readjustment Pesqueira was elected proprietary governor with great acclaim by everyone. After the revolt of Comonfort, Juarez was the essence of justice itself and the rightful one to be elected by the country. Pesqueira supported him spontaneously and actively, in order to defend the Constitution of '57, which was being vigorously attacked by the old army along with the clerical group. Pesqueira, struggling with all sorts of obstacles, organized the campaign of Sinaloa, which had been in the district of the reactionaries. On April 3rd he took the port of Mazatlan after a very bloody and drawn-out battle. He was rewarded for this glorious day by being made Constitutional Governor of Sonora, Provisional Governor of Sinaloa, and General in Chief of the forces of both territories plus the Territory of Lower California. He returned to Sonora because of political and military problems which required his presence, since his enemies had incited the various tribes to revolt and plundering. At a point known as "Las Guasimas" he escaped being captured by his opponents, saving the old soldier Jose Montijo at the same time with a great deal of difficulty. On April 15, 1861 he went from Hermosillo to Esteves, where the reactionary group had established itself. Even though Sonora was a great distance from the war zone at the time of the war of French Intervention, he did not wish to miss the honor of being represented in the Republican Army which was advancing to fight, and so Pesqueira organized a contingent of 1,000 men who marched in two sections, reaching Guaymas in July 1862.  The Colonels Garcia Morales and Gabriel Corella went along with him. The governor appointed by Maximilian attempted to enlist Pesqueira's support and offered him the governorship of the territory of Sonora, but those propositions were patriotically and energetically refused. It would take many pages to relate the interesting life of this illustrious son of Sonora. I will be satisfied to say that in the troubled times when he governed, he knew well how to defend national honor. In the short intervals of peace he was an active supporter of public education, hiring the well qualified professor Leocadio Salcedo, who started our high school in 1863. After retiring to private life at his hacienda of Bacanuchi, he died on January 4, 1886. [Translated from Compendio de Historia del Estado de Senora, pp. 304-307, by A. C. Schwarting, February 27, 1939.] Submitted by Barbara Ziegenmeyer, March 23, 2009. Copyright © Genealogy Trails All Rights Reserved with Full Rights Reserved for Original Contributor