Generations
Generations
I trace my roots back to 1781, when Josef Ontiveros rode on horseback from Mexico into Alta California and our family became the recipient of a Mexican land grant. At its height during the land grant era, the Ontiveros family owned over 39,000 acres in and around modern-day Orange and Santa Barbara counties. The Rancho Tepusquet portion - nearly 9,000 acres bordered by the Sisquoc and Cuyama Rivers - was passed to Don Juan Pacifico Ontiveros, who constructed the Ontiveros Adobe on the property in 1856. He and his wife raised horses, cattle, sheep, several grain crops, and grapes.
Over the eight generations that came before me, this wealth of valuable farm land was divided and passed down until the mid-nineteenth century, at which point it had been completely sold off and none of the original land grant remained in our name.
Nine Generations:
1. Josef Antonio Ontiveros, 1744-1798
2. Juan Patricio Ontiveros, 1772-1834
3. Don Juan Pacifico Ontiveros, 1795-1877
4. Ramon Guillermo Domingo Ontiveros, 1835-1930
5. Alejandro Miguel Ontiveros, 1855-1919
6. Roman William Ontiveros, 1895-1964
7. Alexander Roman Ontiveros, 1927-
8. Mark Alexander Ontiveros, 1950-
9. James Rey Ontiveros, 1974-
Over the eight generations that came before me, this wealth of valuable farm land was divided and passed down until the mid-nineteenth century, at which point it had been completely sold off and none of the original land grant remained in our name.
Nine Generations:
1. Josef Antonio Ontiveros, 1744-1798
2. Juan Patricio Ontiveros, 1772-1834
3. Don Juan Pacifico Ontiveros, 1795-1877
4. Ramon Guillermo Domingo Ontiveros, 1835-1930
5. Alejandro Miguel Ontiveros, 1855-1919
6. Roman William Ontiveros, 1895-1964
7. Alexander Roman Ontiveros, 1927-
8. Mark Alexander Ontiveros, 1950-
9. James Rey Ontiveros, 1974-