19 Facts About Romualdo Pacheco

Jose Antonio Romualdo Pacheco was a Californio statesman and diplomat.

Jose Antonio Romualdo Pacheco was a Californio, born in Santa Barbara, California, to a family with prominent connections.

Pacheco's father was killed at the Battle of Cahuenga Pass in 1831, when the young Romualdo was just five weeks old.

Romualdo Pacheco's father had shot Jose Maria Avila, who had attacked Alta California Governor Manuel Victoria with a lance, but died when Avila's lance struck him.

Romualdo Pacheco's mother, Maria Ramona Carrillo de Pacheco, was a sister-in-law of General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo and a daughter of Maria Ygnacia Lopez de Carrillo, the grantee of Rancho Cabeza de Santa Rosa.

At age twelve, Romualdo Pacheco began an apprenticeship aboard a trading vessel.

Romualdo Pacheco was well respected by Anglos coming into the area.

Romualdo Pacheco became affiliated with the National Union Party in the 1860s, but was elected to most of his positions as a candidate for the Republican Party.

In 1853, at age 22, Romualdo Pacheco successfully sought the position of judge in San Luis Obispo County.

Romualdo Pacheco was elected to the state senate in 1857, succeeded his cousin Pablo de la Guerra.

Romualdo Pacheco served as state treasurer from 1863 to 1867, then returned to the State Senate until becoming lieutenant governor.

Romualdo Pacheco served as Lieutenant Governor of California under Newton Booth until Booth was elected to the United States Senate in 1875.

Romualdo Pacheco then served as governor from February 27 to December 9,1875, when Lieutenant Governor William Irwin, winner in the September elections that year, was inaugurated.

Wigginton contested the election, eventually forcing Romualdo Pacheco to leave in 1878 when the House Committee on Elections refused Romualdo Pacheco's certificate of election.

Romualdo Pacheco returned to California in 1893, and died in Oakland at the home of his brother-in-law in 1899.

Romualdo Pacheco served not only as the first Hispanic to hold the office of Governor of California, but the only one to do so in California's history as a state.

Romualdo Pacheco is remembered for being the first Hispanic to represent a state in the US Congress.

Hispanics had served as non-voting delegates of territories before, but Romualdo Pacheco was the first full-voting Hispanic member of congress.

Romualdo Pacheco was the last Hispanic Republican to represent California in the US House of Representatives until Mike Garcia was elected to represent the 25th district in a special election in May 2020.