From the Ventura Signal [W], March 01, 1879, 3:2: "One of the oldest citizens, in the county, Senior Don Raymundo Olivas, died on Monday the 24th inst., at his ranch in the Santa Clara valley, in the 78 year of his age. In 1826 he married Doña Feodora [sic, Teodora] López, and lived with her peacefully and happily until he died. In his 53 years of married life he had 22 children, 14 of whom are now living together with many grand children. He resided on this San Miguel ranch for upwards of 33 years. He was a good husband, a kind and indulgent father and a stauch [sic, staunch] friend, and was deeply beloved by all. A large concourse of friends and relatives attended his funeral from the old Mission church on Thursday."
About his Birth date - His Marriage, 1850 Census, Voters Reg, Obit and Wiki, all have his birth year at or around 1800. A recording of his Baptism seems to have happened much later, after his father died, on Mar 16 1809. And it seems written from notes that had no info on the father, except the child was given his surname. Finally, descendant DNA matches the family of Juan Matias OLIVAS.
Both the baptism and burial record with translation are attached :)
About the Olivas Adobe -
Raymundo OLIVAS and Felipe LORENZANA were granted the Rancho San Miguel on Jul 6, 1841. The conditions were different for each Rancho. Along with creating a working Rancho, they had to build a home within 1 1/2 yrs. Meanwhile, the National Register of Historic Places has Raymundo building at the site, what is now the Olivas Adobe complex in Ventura, CA, in 1837.
The govt paid Raymundo for his military service, which he began in his mid teens, from taxes paid by property owners including the Church. At the time, there was no paper money and few coins of silver or gold in that part of California, so taxes were paid with cattle. Raymundo got his retirement cattle, but he needed a place to put them. Living at the Santa Barbara Presidio, Census and Church Records show him moving down the coast a bit to a less dense area around 1837.
Homesteading was a common practice at the time, especially if you had a bunch of cattle and were waiting on a Rancho grant. In fact, his herd was mentioned in his Land Grant Application and that there was only one other cattle rancho in the area. Raymundo knew the govt was interested in raising as many cattle as an area's resources would allow to increase commerce and collect future taxes.
The San Miguel Chapel was just outside the west boundary of the land he wanted (present day SW corner of Thompson Blvd and Palm St), so he changed the Rancho name to San Miguel, instead of a description of the land's little hills or Serritos, as had been originally submitted. That seemed to please the local priest because he signed off as being in favor of the Application before it was submitted and approved.
On Raymundo's half of the Rancho, along the river, archeologists discovered foundations for many small adobes from this period. There was one in the Courtyard as well, hiding under an adobe built later, but not by much. Both are on a level much lower than that of the Courtyard grounds. It took only a couple weeks to throw up a small adobe, and extremely large families were known to separate themselves into different adobes, given status, age or gender, so this would make sense for the first dwellings built by Raymundo.
Presently preserved on the site is the adobe with the hidden foundation, now a little art gallery, and a two-story large adobe remodeled from older adobes in 1847, when Raymundo's fortunes increased. They are together in a Courtyard enclosed by a high adobe wall topped with clay tiles.
Even though the two-story adobe was considered grand at the time, there were still dirt floors and no doorways between rooms w entry to each room thru outside doors. It should be said the dirt floors were pounded and sometimes covered in animal blood, so that they were more like cement. After that, sailcloth and rugs might be laid on top. The women were the Californio's greatest treasure, beyond gold. The only inside entry to the girls' room upstairs was thru the parents' bedroom, the boys usually slept outside.
A Great Robbery at the Rancho Olivas was touted in newspapers for a salacious public. It was said much gold was taken by this or that infamous outlaw. Census records show Raymundo's son Jose de los Santos was there and of the correct age to jump down off the balcony to alert his father to intruders on the floor above, which he later said he did. He also said the first thing his father asked was if the women had been abused.
The answer was yes, but we do not know more than that. It was not spoken of and the gold story was allowed to flourish. We only know because Jose de los Santos told these few details to his grandson, Adrian (the son of his son, Adriano), and Adrian told his daughter, Georgia Olivas, who has shared what really happened with us.
21 Kids -
(Dolores) Maria Dolores OLIVAS FLORES
abt Mar 1831 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
abt Feb 18 1874 - San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara County, California, USA
(Nic) Jose Nicolas OLIVAS (1)
Dec 8 1832 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
abt Dec 31 1914 - San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Ramon OLIVAS
born and died abt 1833/34 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
Luis Rey OLIVAS
Aug 1834 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
Feb 1 1913 – Ventura County, California, USA
Santiago Nicolas OLIVAS
Mar 1836 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
1901 – California, USA
(Blackie) Jose Delores Trinidad OLIVAS
Apr 6 1838 – San Fernando Mission, (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Jul 8 1911 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Remegio) Remegio Trinidad OLIVAS
Apr 23 1840 – (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
abt Dec 7 1928 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Trinidad) Jose de la Trinidad OLIVAS
abt Jan 1842 – Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Jul 6 1899
Jose OLIVAS
1843 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Oct 12 1910 – Montalvo (Ventura), Ventura County, California, USA
Maria Rita OLIVAS
Nov 27 1843 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
(Jose) Jose de los Santos de Jesus OLIVAS
Oct 1845 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Dec 2 1915 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Refugia) Maria Josefa del Refugia OLIVAS LOMBARDO
1846 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Jose Epitacio del Refugio OLIVAS
born/died abt 1847 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
(Francisco) Jose Adiodato Francisco Xabier OLIVAS
Oct 1847 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Nov 27 1909 – El Rio, Ventura County, California, USA
(Pancha) Francisca OLIVAS SUYTAR
abt 1847 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Nov 10 1920 – Ventura County, California, USA
Juana Maria OLIVAS
Aug 25 1849 – Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), California, US Territory
Sep 28 1918 – Montalvo, Ventura County, California, USA
Jose Dolores OLIVAS
1850 – Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Jose de Jesus OLIVAS
Nov 15 1852 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Aug 15 1911 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Manuela) Maria Manuela de Atocha OLIVAS
abt 1854 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
abt Dec 29 1869 – San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara County, California, USA
(Raymundo) (Tio) (Old Elk) Jose Raymundo de Jesus OLIVAS Jr (2)
Oct 16 1856 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Nov 8 1938 – Ventura County, California, USA
Rebecca OLIVAS De La RIVA
Jul 5 1858 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Jun 6 1946 – Oxnard, Ventura County, California, USA
About his Birth date - His Marriage, 1850 Census, Voters Reg, Obit and Wiki, all have his birth year at or around 1800. A recording of his Baptism seems to have happened much later, after his father died, on Mar 16 1809. And it seems written from notes that had no info on the father, except the child was given his surname. Finally, descendant DNA matches the family of Juan Matias OLIVAS.
Both the baptism and burial record with translation are attached :)
About the Olivas Adobe -
Raymundo OLIVAS and Felipe LORENZANA were granted the Rancho San Miguel on Jul 6, 1841. The conditions were different for each Rancho. Along with creating a working Rancho, they had to build a home within 1 1/2 yrs. Meanwhile, the National Register of Historic Places has Raymundo building at the site, what is now the Olivas Adobe complex in Ventura, CA, in 1837.
The govt paid Raymundo for his military service, which he began in his mid teens, from taxes paid by property owners including the Church. At the time, there was no paper money and few coins of silver or gold in that part of California, so taxes were paid with cattle. Raymundo got his retirement cattle, but he needed a place to put them. Living at the Santa Barbara Presidio, Census and Church Records show him moving down the coast a bit to a less dense area around 1837.
Homesteading was a common practice at the time, especially if you had a bunch of cattle and were waiting on a Rancho grant. In fact, his herd was mentioned in his Land Grant Application and that there was only one other cattle rancho in the area. Raymundo knew the govt was interested in raising as many cattle as an area's resources would allow to increase commerce and collect future taxes.
The San Miguel Chapel was just outside the west boundary of the land he wanted (present day SW corner of Thompson Blvd and Palm St), so he changed the Rancho name to San Miguel, instead of a description of the land's little hills or Serritos, as had been originally submitted. That seemed to please the local priest because he signed off as being in favor of the Application before it was submitted and approved.
On Raymundo's half of the Rancho, along the river, archeologists discovered foundations for many small adobes from this period. There was one in the Courtyard as well, hiding under an adobe built later, but not by much. Both are on a level much lower than that of the Courtyard grounds. It took only a couple weeks to throw up a small adobe, and extremely large families were known to separate themselves into different adobes, given status, age or gender, so this would make sense for the first dwellings built by Raymundo.
Presently preserved on the site is the adobe with the hidden foundation, now a little art gallery, and a two-story large adobe remodeled from older adobes in 1847, when Raymundo's fortunes increased. They are together in a Courtyard enclosed by a high adobe wall topped with clay tiles.
Even though the two-story adobe was considered grand at the time, there were still dirt floors and no doorways between rooms w entry to each room thru outside doors. It should be said the dirt floors were pounded and sometimes covered in animal blood, so that they were more like cement. After that, sailcloth and rugs might be laid on top. The women were the Californio's greatest treasure, beyond gold. The only inside entry to the girls' room upstairs was thru the parents' bedroom, the boys usually slept outside.
A Great Robbery at the Rancho Olivas was touted in newspapers for a salacious public. It was said much gold was taken by this or that infamous outlaw. Census records show Raymundo's son Jose de los Santos was there and of the correct age to jump down off the balcony to alert his father to intruders on the floor above, which he later said he did. He also said the first thing his father asked was if the women had been abused.
The answer was yes, but we do not know more than that. It was not spoken of and the gold story was allowed to flourish. We only know because Jose de los Santos told these few details to his grandson, Adrian (the son of his son, Adriano), and Adrian told his daughter, Georgia Olivas, who has shared what really happened with us.
21 Kids -
(Dolores) Maria Dolores OLIVAS FLORES
abt Mar 1831 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
abt Feb 18 1874 - San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara County, California, USA
(Nic) Jose Nicolas OLIVAS (1)
Dec 8 1832 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
abt Dec 31 1914 - San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Ramon OLIVAS
born and died abt 1833/34 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
Luis Rey OLIVAS
Aug 1834 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
Feb 1 1913 – Ventura County, California, USA
Santiago Nicolas OLIVAS
Mar 1836 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
1901 – California, USA
(Blackie) Jose Delores Trinidad OLIVAS
Apr 6 1838 – San Fernando Mission, (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Jul 8 1911 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Remegio) Remegio Trinidad OLIVAS
Apr 23 1840 – (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
abt Dec 7 1928 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Trinidad) Jose de la Trinidad OLIVAS
abt Jan 1842 – Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Jul 6 1899
Jose OLIVAS
1843 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Oct 12 1910 – Montalvo (Ventura), Ventura County, California, USA
Maria Rita OLIVAS
Nov 27 1843 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
(Jose) Jose de los Santos de Jesus OLIVAS
Oct 1845 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Dec 2 1915 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Refugia) Maria Josefa del Refugia OLIVAS LOMBARDO
1846 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Jose Epitacio del Refugio OLIVAS
born/died abt 1847 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
(Francisco) Jose Adiodato Francisco Xabier OLIVAS
Oct 1847 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Nov 27 1909 – El Rio, Ventura County, California, USA
(Pancha) Francisca OLIVAS SUYTAR
abt 1847 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Nov 10 1920 – Ventura County, California, USA
Juana Maria OLIVAS
Aug 25 1849 – Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), California, US Territory
Sep 28 1918 – Montalvo, Ventura County, California, USA
Jose Dolores OLIVAS
1850 – Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Jose de Jesus OLIVAS
Nov 15 1852 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Aug 15 1911 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Manuela) Maria Manuela de Atocha OLIVAS
abt 1854 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
abt Dec 29 1869 – San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara County, California, USA
(Raymundo) (Tio) (Old Elk) Jose Raymundo de Jesus OLIVAS Jr (2)
Oct 16 1856 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Nov 8 1938 – Ventura County, California, USA
Rebecca OLIVAS De La RIVA
Jul 5 1858 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Jun 6 1946 – Oxnard, Ventura County, California, USA
From the Ventura Signal [W], March 01, 1879, 3:2: "One of the oldest citizens, in the county, Senior Don Raymundo Olivas, died on Monday the 24th inst., at his ranch in the Santa Clara valley, in the 78 year of his age. In 1826 he married Doña Feodora [sic, Teodora] López, and lived with her peacefully and happily until he died. In his 53 years of married life he had 22 children, 14 of whom are now living together with many grand children. He resided on this San Miguel ranch for upwards of 33 years. He was a good husband, a kind and indulgent father and a stauch [sic, staunch] friend, and was deeply beloved by all. A large concourse of friends and relatives attended his funeral from the old Mission church on Thursday."
About his Birth date - His Marriage, 1850 Census, Voters Reg, Obit and Wiki, all have his birth year at or around 1800. A recording of his Baptism seems to have happened much later, after his father died, on Mar 16 1809. And it seems written from notes that had no info on the father, except the child was given his surname. Finally, descendant DNA matches the family of Juan Matias OLIVAS.
Both the baptism and burial record with translation are attached :)
About the Olivas Adobe -
Raymundo OLIVAS and Felipe LORENZANA were granted the Rancho San Miguel on Jul 6, 1841. The conditions were different for each Rancho. Along with creating a working Rancho, they had to build a home within 1 1/2 yrs. Meanwhile, the National Register of Historic Places has Raymundo building at the site, what is now the Olivas Adobe complex in Ventura, CA, in 1837.
The govt paid Raymundo for his military service, which he began in his mid teens, from taxes paid by property owners including the Church. At the time, there was no paper money and few coins of silver or gold in that part of California, so taxes were paid with cattle. Raymundo got his retirement cattle, but he needed a place to put them. Living at the Santa Barbara Presidio, Census and Church Records show him moving down the coast a bit to a less dense area around 1837.
Homesteading was a common practice at the time, especially if you had a bunch of cattle and were waiting on a Rancho grant. In fact, his herd was mentioned in his Land Grant Application and that there was only one other cattle rancho in the area. Raymundo knew the govt was interested in raising as many cattle as an area's resources would allow to increase commerce and collect future taxes.
The San Miguel Chapel was just outside the west boundary of the land he wanted (present day SW corner of Thompson Blvd and Palm St), so he changed the Rancho name to San Miguel, instead of a description of the land's little hills or Serritos, as had been originally submitted. That seemed to please the local priest because he signed off as being in favor of the Application before it was submitted and approved.
On Raymundo's half of the Rancho, along the river, archeologists discovered foundations for many small adobes from this period. There was one in the Courtyard as well, hiding under an adobe built later, but not by much. Both are on a level much lower than that of the Courtyard grounds. It took only a couple weeks to throw up a small adobe, and extremely large families were known to separate themselves into different adobes, given status, age or gender, so this would make sense for the first dwellings built by Raymundo.
Presently preserved on the site is the adobe with the hidden foundation, now a little art gallery, and a two-story large adobe remodeled from older adobes in 1847, when Raymundo's fortunes increased. They are together in a Courtyard enclosed by a high adobe wall topped with clay tiles.
Even though the two-story adobe was considered grand at the time, there were still dirt floors and no doorways between rooms w entry to each room thru outside doors. It should be said the dirt floors were pounded and sometimes covered in animal blood, so that they were more like cement. After that, sailcloth and rugs might be laid on top. The women were the Californio's greatest treasure, beyond gold. The only inside entry to the girls' room upstairs was thru the parents' bedroom, the boys usually slept outside.
A Great Robbery at the Rancho Olivas was touted in newspapers for a salacious public. It was said much gold was taken by this or that infamous outlaw. Census records show Raymundo's son Jose de los Santos was there and of the correct age to jump down off the balcony to alert his father to intruders on the floor above, which he later said he did. He also said the first thing his father asked was if the women had been abused.
The answer was yes, but we do not know more than that. It was not spoken of and the gold story was allowed to flourish. We only know because Jose de los Santos told these few details to his grandson, Adrian (the son of his son, Adriano), and Adrian told his daughter, Georgia Olivas, who has shared what really happened with us.
21 Kids -
(Dolores) Maria Dolores OLIVAS FLORES
abt Mar 1831 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
abt Feb 18 1874 - San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara County, California, USA
(Nic) Jose Nicolas OLIVAS (1)
Dec 8 1832 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
abt Dec 31 1914 - San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Ramon OLIVAS
born and died abt 1833/34 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
Luis Rey OLIVAS
Aug 1834 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
Feb 1 1913 – Ventura County, California, USA
Santiago Nicolas OLIVAS
Mar 1836 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
1901 – California, USA
(Blackie) Jose Delores Trinidad OLIVAS
Apr 6 1838 – San Fernando Mission, (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Jul 8 1911 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Remegio) Remegio Trinidad OLIVAS
Apr 23 1840 – (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
abt Dec 7 1928 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Trinidad) Jose de la Trinidad OLIVAS
abt Jan 1842 – Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Jul 6 1899
Jose OLIVAS
1843 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Oct 12 1910 – Montalvo (Ventura), Ventura County, California, USA
Maria Rita OLIVAS
Nov 27 1843 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
(Jose) Jose de los Santos de Jesus OLIVAS
Oct 1845 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Dec 2 1915 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Refugia) Maria Josefa del Refugia OLIVAS LOMBARDO
1846 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Jose Epitacio del Refugio OLIVAS
born/died abt 1847 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
(Francisco) Jose Adiodato Francisco Xabier OLIVAS
Oct 1847 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Nov 27 1909 – El Rio, Ventura County, California, USA
(Pancha) Francisca OLIVAS SUYTAR
abt 1847 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Nov 10 1920 – Ventura County, California, USA
Juana Maria OLIVAS
Aug 25 1849 – Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), California, US Territory
Sep 28 1918 – Montalvo, Ventura County, California, USA
Jose Dolores OLIVAS
1850 – Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Jose de Jesus OLIVAS
Nov 15 1852 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Aug 15 1911 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Manuela) Maria Manuela de Atocha OLIVAS
abt 1854 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
abt Dec 29 1869 – San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara County, California, USA
(Raymundo) (Tio) (Old Elk) Jose Raymundo de Jesus OLIVAS Jr (2)
Oct 16 1856 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Nov 8 1938 – Ventura County, California, USA
Rebecca OLIVAS De La RIVA
Jul 5 1858 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Jun 6 1946 – Oxnard, Ventura County, California, USA
About his Birth date - His Marriage, 1850 Census, Voters Reg, Obit and Wiki, all have his birth year at or around 1800. A recording of his Baptism seems to have happened much later, after his father died, on Mar 16 1809. And it seems written from notes that had no info on the father, except the child was given his surname. Finally, descendant DNA matches the family of Juan Matias OLIVAS.
Both the baptism and burial record with translation are attached :)
About the Olivas Adobe -
Raymundo OLIVAS and Felipe LORENZANA were granted the Rancho San Miguel on Jul 6, 1841. The conditions were different for each Rancho. Along with creating a working Rancho, they had to build a home within 1 1/2 yrs. Meanwhile, the National Register of Historic Places has Raymundo building at the site, what is now the Olivas Adobe complex in Ventura, CA, in 1837.
The govt paid Raymundo for his military service, which he began in his mid teens, from taxes paid by property owners including the Church. At the time, there was no paper money and few coins of silver or gold in that part of California, so taxes were paid with cattle. Raymundo got his retirement cattle, but he needed a place to put them. Living at the Santa Barbara Presidio, Census and Church Records show him moving down the coast a bit to a less dense area around 1837.
Homesteading was a common practice at the time, especially if you had a bunch of cattle and were waiting on a Rancho grant. In fact, his herd was mentioned in his Land Grant Application and that there was only one other cattle rancho in the area. Raymundo knew the govt was interested in raising as many cattle as an area's resources would allow to increase commerce and collect future taxes.
The San Miguel Chapel was just outside the west boundary of the land he wanted (present day SW corner of Thompson Blvd and Palm St), so he changed the Rancho name to San Miguel, instead of a description of the land's little hills or Serritos, as had been originally submitted. That seemed to please the local priest because he signed off as being in favor of the Application before it was submitted and approved.
On Raymundo's half of the Rancho, along the river, archeologists discovered foundations for many small adobes from this period. There was one in the Courtyard as well, hiding under an adobe built later, but not by much. Both are on a level much lower than that of the Courtyard grounds. It took only a couple weeks to throw up a small adobe, and extremely large families were known to separate themselves into different adobes, given status, age or gender, so this would make sense for the first dwellings built by Raymundo.
Presently preserved on the site is the adobe with the hidden foundation, now a little art gallery, and a two-story large adobe remodeled from older adobes in 1847, when Raymundo's fortunes increased. They are together in a Courtyard enclosed by a high adobe wall topped with clay tiles.
Even though the two-story adobe was considered grand at the time, there were still dirt floors and no doorways between rooms w entry to each room thru outside doors. It should be said the dirt floors were pounded and sometimes covered in animal blood, so that they were more like cement. After that, sailcloth and rugs might be laid on top. The women were the Californio's greatest treasure, beyond gold. The only inside entry to the girls' room upstairs was thru the parents' bedroom, the boys usually slept outside.
A Great Robbery at the Rancho Olivas was touted in newspapers for a salacious public. It was said much gold was taken by this or that infamous outlaw. Census records show Raymundo's son Jose de los Santos was there and of the correct age to jump down off the balcony to alert his father to intruders on the floor above, which he later said he did. He also said the first thing his father asked was if the women had been abused.
The answer was yes, but we do not know more than that. It was not spoken of and the gold story was allowed to flourish. We only know because Jose de los Santos told these few details to his grandson, Adrian (the son of his son, Adriano), and Adrian told his daughter, Georgia Olivas, who has shared what really happened with us.
21 Kids -
(Dolores) Maria Dolores OLIVAS FLORES
abt Mar 1831 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
abt Feb 18 1874 - San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara County, California, USA
(Nic) Jose Nicolas OLIVAS (1)
Dec 8 1832 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
abt Dec 31 1914 - San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Ramon OLIVAS
born and died abt 1833/34 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
Luis Rey OLIVAS
Aug 1834 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
Feb 1 1913 – Ventura County, California, USA
Santiago Nicolas OLIVAS
Mar 1836 - Santa Barbara Presidio, Alta California, Mexico
1901 – California, USA
(Blackie) Jose Delores Trinidad OLIVAS
Apr 6 1838 – San Fernando Mission, (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Jul 8 1911 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Remegio) Remegio Trinidad OLIVAS
Apr 23 1840 – (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
abt Dec 7 1928 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Trinidad) Jose de la Trinidad OLIVAS
abt Jan 1842 – Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Jul 6 1899
Jose OLIVAS
1843 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Oct 12 1910 – Montalvo (Ventura), Ventura County, California, USA
Maria Rita OLIVAS
Nov 27 1843 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
(Jose) Jose de los Santos de Jesus OLIVAS
Oct 1845 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Dec 2 1915 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Refugia) Maria Josefa del Refugia OLIVAS LOMBARDO
1846 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Jose Epitacio del Refugio OLIVAS
born/died abt 1847 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
(Francisco) Jose Adiodato Francisco Xabier OLIVAS
Oct 1847 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Nov 27 1909 – El Rio, Ventura County, California, USA
(Pancha) Francisca OLIVAS SUYTAR
abt 1847 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), (Alta California) Las Californias, Mexico
Nov 10 1920 – Ventura County, California, USA
Juana Maria OLIVAS
Aug 25 1849 – Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), California, US Territory
Sep 28 1918 – Montalvo, Ventura County, California, USA
Jose Dolores OLIVAS
1850 – Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Jose de Jesus OLIVAS
Nov 15 1852 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Aug 15 1911 – Ventura County, California, USA
(Manuela) Maria Manuela de Atocha OLIVAS
abt 1854 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
abt Dec 29 1869 – San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara County, California, USA
(Raymundo) (Tio) (Old Elk) Jose Raymundo de Jesus OLIVAS Jr (2)
Oct 16 1856 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Nov 8 1938 – Ventura County, California, USA
Rebecca OLIVAS De La RIVA
Jul 5 1858 - Rancho San Miguel, (San Buenaventura), Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Jun 6 1946 – Oxnard, Ventura County, California, USA
Gravesite Details
Buried at the San Buenaventura Mission Cemetery per the Mission burial record.
Family Members
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