Don Juan Bautista de Anza (1735 - 1785) Thousands of Mexicans do not know of the feats of the great  explorer and colonizer, Military Governor of Sonora, founder of the present metropolis and port of San Francisco, California, Juan Bautista de Anza, whose  strong personality was so clearly outlined when he assumed the governorship of the Province of New Mexico, on appointment by Charles III of Spain at the end of the eighteenth century. This distinguished Sonoran was born in Fronteras in 1735.  His father was Captain of the Presidio of Fronteras and Provisional Governor of the State of Sonora. Don Juan Bautista de Anza started his military career in 1752 enlisting as a volunteer against Apache raids, and attained the grade of lieutenant in 1758.  In the same year, in July, he assisted in the campaign against the Apaches in Gila valley, and earned, for his services, an increase in rank to captain, being also named at the same time Commandant of the Presidio of Tubac.  He started numerous effective campaigns against the Apaches, who were the eternal  frontier enemies, and stifled an uprising of more than 3,000 Indians. He inherited a desire from his ancestors to open a route to California, and, under the influence of the missionary Garces, he took the leadership of an expedition to the Pacific coast, in order to open communication between Sonora and Upper California. He received the appropriate permission on January 8, 1774, leaving at the head of 34 men. After an exploration of the Yuma desert, where he suffered untold hardships, he finally arrived in Monterey, California, on the 8th of April of that year.  On September 29, 1775 he led a new expedition which left from San Miguel de Horcasitas, founding end colonizing San Francisco, California. During his stay in the city of Mexico, he became acquainted with Don Teodoro de Croix, nephew of the Marquis de Croix, Viceroy of New Spain, who had just been named General Commandant of the Provincial Interims de Occidente, and he, after Juan returned from California, gave him charge of the armed forces in Sonora, a post which he filled until 1777, when Charles III, under date of February 10 of that year, honored him with the post of Governor of New Mexico. He governed New Mexico with the diligence and energy which were characteristic of him, distinguishing himself above all else in the persecution of the savage Indian tribes who inhabited those regions: Comanches, Utes,  Navajos, Apaches, etc., and his service roll shows that he took part in more than 100 engagements. In these skirmishes he killed more than 30 chiefs and one general, Toribio Narityante, alias "green horn"; but the skilled diplomacy which he used in order to placate other tribes, causes his figure to loom even larger; he had conversations with the great Comanche chief Ecuaracapa, who surrendered conditionally in order to enjoy a happy state of well-being and progress. Anza opened the first road between Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico, and Arizpe, the capital of Sonora, where he arrived on December 13, 1780 on the inauguration trip. Don de Croix was soon promoted to Viceroy of Peru; his successor Felipe de fleve insidiously gave a bad report to the king of the actions of Anza as Governor of New Mexico; but Neve's successor, Jacobo Ugarte y Loyola, denied those charges, and sent in a report praising de Ansa. He died in Arizpe, which was capital of the Provincial Internas de Occidente on December 19, 1785, and is buried in the church there which is called Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion, Descendants of that distinguished person are still living in our State, mostly in San Miguel de Horcasitas; Ramon and Julian S. Garcia, well known people of this capital are descendants of this notable man. [Translated from Compendio de Historia del Estado de Senora, pp. 180-182, 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