Marker Logo HMdb.org THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Sylmar in Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
 

Rogerio Rocha

 
 
Rogerio Rocha Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Baker (CC0), January 9, 2017
1. Rogerio Rocha Marker
Inscription.
Rogerio Rocha was born in 1801, in the village of Mapanga, and was baptized in the San Fernando Mission. Rocha became a well-known blacksmith in California. In Rocha's early years he became the Captain of Mapanga, which is known today as the town of Chatsworth. He later became the Captain of the Fernandeño Tatavium people in the late 1800's.

As a young man, Rocha learned the trade of a blacksmith. Rocha became prosperous from his trade and purchased several acres of land throughout the San Fernando Valley. In his latter years Rocha settled on the ten acres in San Fernando at the northeast corner of Hubbard and Fourth Street, which was granted to him by an 1840 Mexican grant. On the property, Rocha constructed two adobe houses (made of sun-baked bricks), two tule houses (native traditional houses), two wood frame houses, and a fenced area where he cultivated.

In 1874 Charles Maclay purchased the land title "San Fernando Grant" previously owned by DeCelis, and tried to negotiate with Rocha to purchase his land. However, Rocha refused. In 1885 Maclay visited Rocha with a Los Angeles Sheriff and wanted him to sign over his land. Rocha replied, "I sign nothing". On November 1, 1885 two deputy sheriffs were ordered to evict Rocha from his land.

The eviction was cruel and unjustified. Rocha, then over
Paid Advertisement
Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.
Click or scan to see
this page online
eighty years old, his wife, another woman of nearly equal age, and six other persons who constituted his household were then homeless. The sheriff removed them by force in the midst of the winter, tumbled the two aged women with all their household effects into a wagon, and dropped them by the roadside, where they suffered without the slightest protection. With only some parched corn to sustain them, they spent eight rainy days by the side of the road. Meanwhile, Rocha went to Los Angeles to get permission from the priest to occupy an old dilapidated shed connected with the old Mission church.

As a result of the exposure, Rocha's wife soon died of pneumonia. From this time on, Rocha was an old homeless wanderer, who later lived his remaining life at Lopez Canyon, until his death in 1906.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Native Americans. A significant historical year for this entry is 1801.
 
Location. 34° 17.681′ N, 118° 26.633′ W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Sylmar. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Hubbard Street and Fourth Street. Located in Rudy Ortega Park, formerly Heritage Park (originally Rogerio Rocha's land). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2025 Fourth St, San Fernando CA 91340, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Mission Wells (approx. 0.6 miles away); Casa de Lopez
Rogerio Rocha Marker image. Click for full size.
2. Rogerio Rocha Marker
(approx. 0.9 miles away); Father Junipero Serra (approx. 0.9 miles away); Cesar Chávez (approx. 1.1 miles away); Trinity Church (approx. 1.1 miles away); Mission Dam (approx. 1.3 miles away); Khatchkar (approx. 1.3 miles away); Armenian History Timeline (approx. 1.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.
 
Additional keywords. Native American Indian
 
Rogerio Rocha image. Click for full size.
courtesy San Fernando Valley Historical Society, circa 1890
3. Rogerio Rocha
Rocha was a famous Fernandeño Indian silversmith and blacksmith. Born in 1801 in San Fernando, California, he was trained by the Franciscan missionaries in his trade. In 1834, he was granted several acres of land at the San Fernando Mission and was buried there at his passing in 1904. - California State University, Northridge University Library
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on February 13, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 26, 2017, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 1,258 times since then and 51 times this year. Last updated on April 20, 2018, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on September 26, 2017, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.   3. submitted on September 30, 2017. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.

Share this page.  
Share on Tumblr
m=116612

CeraNet Cloud Computing sponsors the Historical Marker Database.
This website earns income from purchases you make after using our links to Amazon.com. We appreciate your support.
Paid Advertisements
Mar. 28, 2024