Commander José Castro in the Two Californias, Including His Final Correspondence, 1856-1860.

San Diego, CA Los Californianos and The Monterey History and Art Association of Monterey, California, 2008. Paperback Special 50th Anniversary Edition (2008). Fine in Wraps: flawless; the binding is square and secure; the text is clean. Free of creases to the panels. Free of creases to the backstrip. Free of any creased or dog-eared pages in the text. Free of any underlining, hi-lighting or marginalia or marks in the text. Free of any ownership names, dates, addresses, notations, inscriptions, stamps, plates, or labels. A handsome, like-new copy, structurally sound and tightly bound, showing no discernible imperfections. Bright and clean. Corners sharp. Virtually "As New". NOT a Remainder, Book-Club, or Ex-Library. 4to. (11 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches). 195 pages. Profusely illustrated with vintage duotone photographs and reproductions of drawings and documents. Language: English and Spanish. Weight: 22.8 ounces. Noticias de Monterey Volume LVI: 1-4. Antepasados XIV. Special 50th Anniversary Edition (2008). Paperback: Pictorial Wraps. José Antonio Castro (1808 – 1860) was a Californio politician, statesman, and general who served as interim Governor of Alta California and later Governor of Baja California. During the Bear Flag Revolt and the American Conquest of California, Castro led Mexican forces as the Commandante General of Northern California. José Castro was born in Monterey, California. As a young man, Castro was a vocal and active supporter of Californian self-rule and independence from Mexico. His first public office was as secretary to the Monterey ayuntamiento (town council). In 1830, Castro was arrested for his opposition to the Mexican governor of Alta California. By 1835 he was Vocal Primero (First Member) of the legislature and acting governor. Along with his brother-in-law Juan Bautista Alvarado, he was a vocal proponent of California-born governors and sought a semi-independent status for Alta California. He helped lead the overthrow of Mexican Governor Nicolás Gutiérrez in 1836, becoming the first President of a briefly independent California, and then Commandante General. Under his brother-in-law, Governor Alvarado, Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo became Commandante General, while in 1837-38, Castro became Lieutenant-Colonel of militia. Once again he was appointed First Member of the Diputación as well as Prefect of the District of Monterey. In 1839, Alvarado granted him Rancho San Justo, one of three ranchos attached to Mission San Juan Bautista, after the secularization of mission property by the Mexican government in 1833-35.