Civil War: Company C, 1st Battalion, Native California Cavalry

Pablo Antonio Valencia y Valenzuela was born March 2, 1821, and baptized later that same day at Mission La Purísima Concepción (LPC Baptism 03053). He was the son of cabo (corporal) Juan Vicente Valencia y Zamora (SBV Baptism 00167) and María Margarita Valenzuela y Armenta (BP Baptism 00079). He married María Teresa de Jesús López y Féliz (BP Baptism 00745) at the Santa Barbara Presidio Chapel on January 28, 1842 (BP Marriage 00247). (Source: The Early California Population Project. Edition 1.1. General Editor, Steven W. Hackel (University of California, Riverside and The Henry E. Huntington Library, San Marino, California, 2022.)

Pablo and Teresa continued to make their home in Santa Barbara, where they would have 12 children over the next 27 years. They became U.S. citizens with the transfer of California to the United States in 1848 (1850, 1860 US Census; 1852 CA Census). During the Civil War Pablo enlisted as a private for 3 years and was mustered into Company C, 1st Battalion, Native California Cavalry, at Santa Barbara on July 25, 1864. Private Valencia was posted to Fort Mason, Arizona Territory. He returned to California with his company and was mustered out at the Presidio of San Francisco on April 2, 1866.

He returned to Santa Barbara where Teresa died sometime in the 1870's, leaving him a widower (1880 US Census). In the summer of 1873 Pablo sold his title to "30 varas square" [227 sq. ft.] in block 169 within the City of Santa Barbara to E. Cordero, who also acquired from the City another 270 square feet [36 varas sq.] within the same block (Morning Press [Santa Barbara], vol. ii, No. 9, July 11, 1873; 2:4). Later, Pablo sold to Gaspar Oreña his title to 160 acres just north of Lompoc (SE 1/4 of Section 4, Township 7N, Range 34W [33W]) on November 17, 1887 (Morning Press, Vol. XXIII, No. 103, Nov. 19, 1887; 4:1)

Pablo became a member of Santa Barbara's Star King Post, No. 52, Grand Army of the Republic, and on October 24, 1890, he filed for a Civil War veteran pension, receiving application No. 939,351. Before a certificate number could be issued he drowned near the west end of San Miguel Island during a seal hunt on July 6, 1891 ("Three Men Drowned," Morning Press, Vol. XXIX, No. 133, July 14, 1891; 4:3). However, just a few months before his untimely death, Pablo was one of the "Spanish" performers who participated in a grand fiesta in Santa Barbara to raise money for the hospital. The event took place on January 22, 1891, and pre-dated the 1924 premier of Santa Barbara's popular "Old Spanish Days" by 33 years! ("Old Time Spanish Dances Revived for Charity," Morning Press, Vol. XXVIII, No. 140, Jan. 23, 1891; 4:2)

He was buried in Cieneguitas Catholic Cemetery by his G.A.R. comrades. In 1938, his remains, along with those of three other Union veterans, were transferred from Cieneguitas Cemetery to Calvary Catholic Cemetery by Star King Post's Women's Relief Corps (Santa Barbara Mission Burial Book 2, pg 112, No. 562). For his cenotaph in Cieneguitas Cemetery, see Find a Grave Memorial 140548114.
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Children:
(all born Santa Barbara, CA)
- María Concepción Guadalupe (bap. Dec. 11, 1842 [BP Baptism 01518]-before 1870; m. José Ramón Cota Nov. 2, 1862)
- Martina de Jesús (Jan. 2, bap. Jan. 4, 1845 [BP Baptism 01647]-btwn 1853-1859)
- María Ramona Bernabe (Jul. 2, bap. Jul. 4, 1847 [BP Baptism 01826]-??; m. Juan Lugo Jun. 8, 1870)
- María Modesta de la Merced (Jan. 22, bap. Jan 24, 1849 [BP Baptism 01919]-before 1870?; m. Juan Valenzuela Jul. 1, 1866)
- Pablo Antonio (1851-btwn 1861-69)
- Francisca (1853-19??)
- Juana (1856-btwn 1861?)
- Regina (1857-after 1860)
- José Antonio (1859-after 1860)
- Juana (1862-??)
- Gregorio (1864-before 1880?)
- José María (1869-before 1880?)