Antonio Maria de la Guerra

Who was Antonio Maria de la Guerra?

Antonio Maria de la Guerra, Mayor of Santa Barbara, California, several times a member of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, California State Senator and Captain of California Volunteers in the American Civil War.

Antonio Maria de la Guerra, was a Californio born in 1825 in Alta California, as the youngest son of José de la Guerra y Noriega an officer of the Mexican army. His father became a wealthy and influential man with extensive landholdings and a great house in Santa Barbara. He was educated by California mission padres and then in a Chilean college for several years.

In 1849, at the age of 24, he became secretary to the Santa Barbara ayuntamiento. In 1853, he served in the California Senate, and in 1857 was appointed Adjutant General for the Santa Barbara District of the California militia. He served as Mayor of Santa Barbara and was several times on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, including once being elected Chairman.

On July 27, 1864, he became captain of Company C, 1st Battalion of Native Cavalry, California Volunteers recruited among the Californios of Santa Barbara for the United States Civil War.