Monterey County CA Archives Biographies.....De Munras, Catalina Mannzanelli 1798 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 17, 2007, 11:21 pm Author: Luther A. Ingersoll, Editor (1893) DONA CATALINA MANZANELI DE MUNRAS is one of the few representatives of the early days of historic Monterey. She was born at San Blas, Mexico, April 30, 1798. Her father, Nicholas Manzaneli, was a native of Genoa, Italy, and her mother, Maria Oasilda Ponce de Leon, was descended from one of the famous families of Spain and a lineal descendant of Ponce de Leon, the illustrious explorer and navigator. When Dona Catalina was one year old she was bereft of her father, and her mother married a Spanish gentleman, Don Manuel Quixano, who was an eminent physician and surgeon. The climate of Mexico, where he held the Government position, Surgeon of Troops, not agreeing with him, he petitioned the authorities for a change. By the death of the then acting surgeon of California, a vacancy was created and the king of Spain at once appointed Don Manuel to the position as Captain, and stationed him at Monterey as physician to the Spanish troops of California. At the age of fifteen Doiia Catalina suffered the loss of her mother, who was a lady of great physical beauty, as well as extraordinary mental culture. She was laid to rest within the sanctuary of the Roman Catholic Church at Monterey, the obsequies being attended with the solemnity and honors due to her as the wife of the foremost medical officer of the Spanish troops of America. February 12, 1822, Dona Catalina was united in marriage to Don Estevan Munras, a native of Barcelona, Spain, where he was born in 1798. Don Estevan left his native country in 1815 on a long sea voyage. After traveling through South America, he left for California, where he arrived August 12, 1817. There he met and won the heart of Dona Catalina, and but for the fact that his business demanded his almost immediate return to Spain, and that his affianced could not leave her stepfather, to whom she was most devoted, her marriage to the man she had chosen as her life protector, would have taken place ere his return to Spain. Don Estevan, with a brave, yet aching heart, left his affianced and returned to the land of his birth, settled his business affairs, and in 1821 returned to Monterey, and led the charming Catalina to the marriage altar. After his marriage he located at the old capital, where he became a successful merchant and landowner, and one of California's most influential citizens. In 1829 he erected one of the most spacious adobe residences in Monterey, in which was built the first fireplace in California. The mode of heating rooms in those days having been by use of the brazier, an iron or hard metal vessel filled with live coals, a very unhealthy custom. He further erected extensive warehouses on the same property where he had conducted an extensive trade with the missions, Soledad, San Miguel, San Antonio, and San Carlos; also trading with vessels coming from foreign ports in to the harbor of Monterey. He was the chief merchant of his class in California during those early days of Monterey, and accumulated great wealth. Don Estevan became a very popular citizen, and, while not given to politics, took part in shaping and conducting the local government of California, serving as Alcalde and Justice of the Peace. He was a friend of all worthy foreigners, wielding a wide influence. He was grantee of the Laguna Seca, San Francisquito and San Vicente ranches. He was a man of strong character and possessed a heart as tender and true as that of a child. Consequently, while he was honored for his probity and keen sense of justice, he was beloved by all, rich and poor alike, for his warm and responsive heart, which always opened the doors of his elegant and hospitable home to the needy wanderer, and his purse to all worthy appeals for charity. The worthy poor were never turned from his storehouse without substantial evidences of his true and genuine liberality. About his home and on his ranches he employed many laborers for the carrying on of his extensive business. It is said that scores of men have come to Monterey in quest of Don Estevan, saying, "They had heard how good a master he was, and they wished to work for him." One of his business maxims was, "Delay the wages of the laborer as long as you can hold a live coal in your hand." To the poor he sold goods at cost, never aiming to reap a profit from their hard earnings. It was from the sale of the luxuries, not the necessities of life, that he would make his profit. Throughout all the vicissitudes of those uncertain days in national affairs, Don Estevan was loyal to the Government of Spain; and when Mexican independence was declared and California came under Mexican rule, many of the loyal subjects of the Spanish Government were notified to leave the country. Nothing, however, was said to Don Estevan; but his personal pride and great sense of honor, prompted him to share the misfortune of his loyal friends, and he and his family made preparations to leave Monterey. But such was the high esteem in which he was held that he was not only requested, but urged, to remain, those urging him to stay declaring that Monterey could not afford to part with so good and influential a citizen. Of him, Larkin, in his notes says, "He favored the change of government which finally came in 1847," and he lived until 1850, dying of a stroke of apoplexy. He left a widow, the subject of this sketch, and several children, to whom he bequeathed a valuable estate. Four of his children are now living: the eldest, Concepcion, is the widow of Dr. William H. McKee, who was an eminent physician; Marie Antonia, the widow of Prof. Raphael Danglada; Engracia, wife of Dr. J. D. Callaghan; and Dolores, wife of A. E. Allen. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California. Illustrated. Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Discovery to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Auspicious Future; Illustrations and Full-Page Portraits of some of its Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers, and Prominent Citizens of To-day. HENRY D. BARROWS, Editor of the Historical Department. LUTHER A. INGERSOLL, Editor of the Biographical Department. "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. 1893. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/monterey/bios/demunras489gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/ File size: 7.1 Kb