Fresno County CA Archives History - Books .....Origin Of The Name "San Joaquin" 1892
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Book Title: Memorial And Biographical History Of The Counties Of Fresno, Tulare, And Kern, California

The Great San Joaquin Valley

ORIGIN OF THE NAME "SAN JOAQUIN."

AS the San Joaquin River is the only stream conveying the waters of this great
valley to the ocean it will be of interest to learn something in regard to its
discovery as well as the origin of its name. From the report of General M. G.
Vallejo to the State Senate in 1852, on the "Origin of the names of counties in
this State," we find the following: "San Joaquin:-The meaning of this name has a
very ancient origin, in reference to the parentage of Mary, the mother of
Christ." According to divine revelations, Joachim signifies "preparation of the
Lord," and hence the belief that Joaquin, who in the course of time was admitted
into the pale of sanctity, was the father of Mary. In 1813, commanding an
exploring expedition to the valley of the rushes (Valle de los Tules),
Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga gave the appellation of San Joaquin to a rivulet that
has its source in the Sierra Nevada, and empties into lake Buena Vista; and the
river San Joaquin is said to have derived its name from this rivulet. Father
Crespi, a priest in charge of an exploring expedition sent out by the mission on
the 30th of March, 1773, discovered the mouth of the San Joaquin, at a point
about where Antioch now is, and was probably the first representative white
person who ever saw the river and the great valley which it drains.

Captain Juan Bautisto Anza was sent to examine the port of San Francisco and
ascertain whether it could be really entered by a channel or mouth which had
been seen from the land. This great problem was satisfactorily solved by the San
Carlos, a ship of perhaps 200 tons, in the month of June, 1775. When she
entered, they reported that they had found a land-locked sea, with two arms, one
making into the interior about fifteen leagues to the southeast, the other
three, four, or perhaps five leagues to the north, where there was a large bay
about ten leagues across and of a round figure, into which emptied the great
river of our Father San Francisco (this is the Sacramento), which was fed by
five other rivers, all of them copious streams flowing through a plain so wide
that it was bounded only by the horizon, and meeting to form the said great
river; and all this immensity of water discharging itself into the Pacific
ocean, which is there called the Gulf of the Farallones. This very striking
description was accurate enough for the purpose of that day; and as soon as Anza
and his people had arrived, and Anza in person had gone up and selected the
site, a party was sent out by-land-and another by sea to establish the presidio
and mission of San Francisco. The date of the foundation of the presidio was the
17th of September, and that of the mission the 9th of October, 1776.

  After the presidio and before the mission was established, an exploration of
the interior was planned, and as usual by both land and sea. Point San Pablo was
given as the rendezvous; but the captain of the presidio, who undertook in
person to lead the land party, failed to appear there, having, with the design
to shorten the distance, entered a Canada near the head of the bay, which took
him over to the San Joaquin river. So he discovered that stream.

  Whether or not the "Captain of the Presidio" above referred to, was Captain
Anza, we are not sure; but from the best sources of information we are of the
opinion that ho was, and that to him belongs the honor of discovering and naming
the San Joaquin river. It is at any rate certain that the San Joaquin was
discovered and named between the 17th of September and the 9th of October, 1776,
or a little more than two months after the declaration of the independence of
the United States.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Memorial and Biographical History
OF THE COUNTIES OF
Fresno, Tulare, and Kern, California

Illustrated
Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the
Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of
its Prospective Future: with Profuse Illustrations of its Beautiful Scenery,
Full-page Portraits of Some of its most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of
Many of its Pioneers, and also of Prominent Citizens of to-day.

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants." -Macaulay.

CHICAGO:
The Lewis Publishing Company.
Undated, but OCLC lists a publication date of 1892


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