Napoleon Primo Vallejo

Biographical Notes

A prominent early native Californian, Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo (1807-1890) was born in Monterey in 1807. In 1834, with the title Military Commander and Director of Colonization of the Northern Frontier, the Mexican Army sent him to take charge of secularization of Mission San Francisco Solano at what is now Sonoma. On June 24, 1835, he founded the Pueblo of Sonoma, laying out the 8-acre plaza and structures facing the plaza such as the soldiers’ barracks and his first home Casa Grande. A portion of the site of Casa Grande, the barracks, and the Mission are now on the site of the Sonoma State Historic Park. General Vallejo’s private rancho in Petaluma was a highly productive agricultural empire. The Petaluma Adobe is one of the largest adobe structures still standing in California, and is also a State Historic Park.

General Vallejo was an advocate of United States annexation of California, and was active in early California State government. He established the new city of Vallejo as the second state capital, and was also involved in the founding of Benicia, the third state capital, which was named for his wife, Francisca Maria Felipa Benicia Carrillo de Vallejo (1815-1891). He also served twice as mayor of Sonoma.

In 1850, General Vallejo purchased the land to build his new home, Lachryma Montis. The General and his wife lived there for 35 years. During that time, he was also involved in the establishment of the Sonoma City Water Works, utilizing the spring at Lachryma Montis.

General and Mrs. Vallejo had 16 children, 10 of who survived to adulthood. (Genealogy attached; more detailed genealogy on file at Sonoma State Historic Park.) Much of the documentary artifact collection of the Vallejo family is from the papers of daughter Luisa “Lulu” Vallejo Emparan. The 15th of their children, she inherited, with her younger sister Maria Vallejo Cutter, Lachryma Montis. Mrs. Emparan was a major force in having her father’s place in early California history recognized, and acted as the first curator when her home became a State Historical Monument in 1933. With the assistance of her son, Richard Raoul ”Dal” Emparan, Mrs. Emparan also ran the Sonoma City Water Works until 1933, when ownership was transferred to the City of Sonoma.

Also represented in the collection are the other Vallejo children and their descendants as well as the Carrillo family line of Mrs. Vallejo.

From the guide to the The Vallejo Family Papers, 1771-1975, 1850-1938, (California. Department of Parks and Recreation)