Josefa Carrillo
Josefa Carrillo Fitch was a Californio landowner and member of the prominent Carrillo family of California. She was the wife of American sea captain Henry D. Fitch and later the manager of Rancho Sotoyome, near present-day Healdsburg, California. Following her husband’s death in 1849, Josefa assumed control of the rancho, secured the U.S. land patent, and defended the property against squatters during a turbulent period of Sonoma County settlement.
Early life
Josefa was born in San Diego, then part of Spanish California, the daughter of Joaquín Carrillo and María Ygnacia López. She grew up in the influential Carrillo family, which produced several important political, military, and social figures in early California.In 1829 she married American sea captain Henry D. Fitch after a scandalous elopement opposed by Governor José María de Echeandía. The union connected Fitch to one of the leading Californio families.
Rancho Sotoyome
In 1841, Governor Juan B. Alvarado granted Henry D. Fitch Rancho Sotoyome in present-day Sonoma County, with an addition in 1844. Fitch employed superintendents, including Cyrus Alexander and later Moses Carson, to oversee daily operations.After Fitch’s death in 1849, Josefa moved with her children to Rancho Sotoyome and took over management of the estate. She faced significant challenges, including squatters who refused to vacate and mounting debts. These disputes escalated into local conflicts sometimes referred to as the “Healdsburg Wars” or “Westside Wars,” which required intervention by state militia.
In 1858, Josefa was granted a U.S. land patent for Rancho Sotoyome under the requirements of the Land Act of 1851. To cover debts and taxes, portions of the land were sold at auction beginning in 1856, though she and her descendants retained an important presence in the region.