06/28/2026
"There are histories we remember, and there are histories we forget. There are histories revealed and histories concealed. Some stories are considered important and of value. Others are dismissed as trivial or unimportant. Too many histories of Native American are, at their core, stories of white America. They are stories of settlement advancing westward, with Indians thrown in. A history of Indigenous America, that frees itself from colonial timelines, that allows the history of Indigenous peoples to flow through its own channels, is a rare thing indeed." --Michael Leroy Oberg, Feb 2021.
As the Country will soon celebrate its independence from the British on the East coast, and here on the West coast we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Juan Bautista de Anza expedition, there is a huge part of our history that is romanticized and/or whitewashed to hide the brutal and horrifying truth that was at the expense of the original indigenous inhabitants who were already here for millennia. The following, albeit rather lengthy, brings to light that ugly truth and about the Spanish colonization of Alta California.
Did you know...
Historical documents show that Friar Junípero Serra, who led the founding of the California missions, explicitly requested and sanctioned the use of whips and shackles. In the spring of 2015 an anti-canonization protest of Junípero Serra occurred at Mission Dolores in San Francisco (which he founded in 1776). Many critics say their reasoning against canonization is he wiped out native populations, enslaved converts and spread disease.
Also, historical records, including legal archives from the San Francisco Bay Area, confirm that members of the Briones, Berryessa and Soto families engaged in the kidnapping, illegal trafficking, and forced labor of Native Americans.
The Berryessa Family: Prominent Californio landowners in Northern California, historical accounts document that members of the Berryessa family engaged in the illegal buying and selling of young Native American children and women as slaves. For example, local Contra Costa County court records document a grand jury indictment against Ramon Berryessa for acting as an Indian kidnapper.
The Briones Family: Similar practices were documented within the Briones family. In December 1852, the Contra Costa Grand Jury indicted Ramon Briones for kidnapping an Indian in Napa County and bringing him to Contra Costa County. While he was tried and found not guilty by a local jury, the record highlights the prevalence of human trafficking in the region at the time. This form of unfree labor was widespread during the Mexican era and persisted into the early years of American statehood, despite the official prohibition of chattel slavery in California.
The Soto Family: In the early 1850s, the Grand Jury of Contra Costa County filed indictments in the Court of Sessions addressing the unlawful kidnapping of large groups of Native Americans. The grand jury specifically identified Juan Jesus Berryessa and a member of the Soto family as being responsible for forcing Indians from their homelands and subjecting them to exploitative conditions.
**What events led to the Contra Costa Expedition?**
Several events contributed to the Contra Costa Expedition, particularly those relating to the ongoing tensions and conflicts between native populations and the Spanish/Mexican and later American settlers in the Contra Costa region.
- Spanish and Mexican Colonization and its Impact: Spanish explorers visited the Contra Costa area in the 1770s, mapping the region and eventually establishing the Mission Dolores in San Francisco. During the Mission Period, efforts were made to convert the native Bay Miwok Indians to Christianity and establish control over the area. This led to the grazing of thousands of cattle and sheep on lands that were traditionally used by Native Americans.
- Forced Labor and Resentment: Many Native Americans were forced into labor on the large ranchos established by Spanish colonists during the Mexican period. The Contra Costa County Historical Society notes that California law at the time permitted the indenturing of Indians and the seizure of "orphaned" Indian children, essentially a form of human slavery.
- Native American Resistance: Native groups like the Saclan fiercely resisted Spanish attempts to convert them and relocate them to the missions. They retaliated when soldiers attacked native women and continued practicing their traditional religions even after joining the missions.
- Punitive Expeditions: The resistance led to punitive expeditions being sent by the Spanish. In 1797, a battle was fought between the Saclan and a Spanish punitive expedition in modern-day Lafayette.
- Disease and Societal Collapse: The introduction of European diseases to which native populations had no immunity led to a drastic decline in their numbers and a collapse of their traditional societies. This contributed to the eventual movement of many Saclan to the missions.
These escalating tensions, conflicts, forced relocations, and the impact of disease created a volatile situation in the Contra Costa area. The Contra Costa Expedition was likely undertaken to address the ongoing conflicts and concerns related to the remaining Native American populations in the region.
The Contra Costa Expedition was likely part of a broader response to escalating tensions between Native Americans and white settlers in California during the Gold Rush era. In the early 1850s, the California government pursued a policy of Indian removal and the use of the state militia in expeditions against indigenous groups. Laws such as the 1850 Act for the Government and Protection of Indians further exacerbated these tensions and contributed to a state of conflict in many parts of the state, including Contra Costa County.
**What were the objectives of the Contra Costa Expedition?**
The Contra Costa Expedition, likely referring to an expedition mentioned in Governor Bigler's 1852 report, was almost certainly motivated by the ongoing concerns related to Native Americans in the area during a period marked by rapid American settlement following the Gold Rush. Although the exact details of the expedition's objectives are not readily available in the search results, several likely objectives can be inferred from the context of the times.
1. Suppression of Native American Resistance: Conflicts between Native Americans and settlers were frequent during this era, often stemming from land disputes, resource competition, and forced labor practices. Punitive expeditions were common, aimed at suppressing any form of resistance from the local tribes.
2. Maintenance of Order and Security for Settlers: The influx of settlers during the Gold Rush led to increased tension and perceived threats to their security. Expeditions like the Contra Costa Expedition were likely dispatched to ensure the safety of settlers, particularly those involved in mining and agriculture, in the expanding territories.
3. Expansion of American Influence and Control: The expeditions during this period served to solidify American control over the Contra Costa region, following the Spanish and Mexican periods of colonization.
4. Enforcement of State Policies and Regulations: While not directly stated as an objective, it is probable that the expedition sought to enforce state policies concerning Native Americans, such as those related to labor, land use, and the eventual relocation of native populations.
In essence, the Contra Costa Expedition, and others like it, were aimed at securing the region for American expansion and settlement, often at the expense of the Native American populations who had inhabited the area for centuries.
**What Native American groups lived in the Contra Costa region?**
Based on available information, the primary Native American groups that lived in the Contra Costa region include the Bay Miwok, Ohlone, and Yokuts.
-*- Bay Miwok: Considered the original inhabitants of much of present-day Contra Costa County, the Bay Miwok included tribelets such as the Saclan, Volvon, Tatcan, Chupcan, and Julpun, each occupying distinct areas within the region.
-*- Ohlone: A broader term for several related tribes, the Ohlone in this region included the Karkin, who lived along the Carquinez Strait, and the Chochenyo, whose territory included the western part of Contra Costa County. The Contra Costa County Office of Education specifically acknowledges the Ohlone as indigenous to the area.
-*- Yokuts: The Cholbones of the Yokut tribe inhabited east Contra Costa County, near present-day Byron.
It's important to note that "Ohlone" is a collective term for distinct groups with different languages or dialects. Spanish colonization significantly impacted these groups, particularly the Bay Miwok, through forced relocation and disease. However, descendants of these Native American groups still reside in the Bay Area. Land acknowledgments in Contra Costa County recognize the traditional homelands of the Yokuts, Karkin, Confederated Villages of Lisjan, Ohlone, Miwok, and Muwekma peoples.
**What were the consequences of these expeditions for Native Americans?**
The expeditions against Native American communities in California during the mid-19th century, including the Contra Costa Expedition, had devastating and long-lasting consequences for Indigenous people.
Violence and death.
Mass killings: State and local militias, supported and funded by the state government and the U.S. Army, carried out mass killings of Native Americans, according to California State University, Long Beach. Estimates of the number of Native Americans killed in these acts of genocide range from roughly 9,000 to 16,000 between 1846 and 1873.
Displacement and forced removal: Native Americans were systematically driven from their ancestral lands to make way for settlers and resource extraction, says the National Library of Medicine. Many were forcibly marched to reservations, often in harsh conditions and resulting in additional deaths, says Oxford Research Encyclopedias.
Disease and starvation: The influx of settlers introduced new diseases against which Native Americans had no immunity, leading to epidemics that decimated populations. The disruption of traditional hunting and gathering practices, along with inadequate supplies on reservations, resulted in widespread starvation and malnutrition.
Cultural and social destruction.
Forced assimilation: Native children were removed from their families and placed in government and church-run boarding schools, where they were forbidden to speak their languages or practice their cultural traditions, according to NPS.gov.
Loss of traditional lifeways: The displacement from traditional lands and the destruction of the environment by mining and other activities severely disrupted Native American ways of life and led to the erosion of cultural practices and knowledge.
Erosion of tribal identities: The policies of removal, assimilation, and the reservation system undermined tribal structures and contributed to the loss of individual and community identity.
Slavery and exploitation.
Forced labor: California laws legalized various forms of forced labor for Native Americans, including indentured servitude and the exploitation of prisoners, says Wikipedia. Native children were also forcibly apprenticed to white settlers.
Widespread abuse: The system was widely abused, leading to the enslavement and exploitation of thousands of Native Americans.
Long-term impacts and legacy.
Population decline: The Native American population in California plummeted drastically during this period, from an estimated 150,000 before the Gold Rush to just 30,000 by 1870, says History.com.
Ongoing struggles: The legacy of these actions continues to affect Native American communities today, manifested in issues such as poverty, limited access to resources, and health disparities.
Resistance and resilience: Despite the immense challenges. California Native Americans resisted the policies of extermination and assimilation and have worked to preserve and revitalize their cultures and languages.
Calls for acknowledgement and healing: In recent years, there have been increasing calls to acknowledge the historical injustices, including the genocide against California Native Americans. In 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom apologized on behalf of the state for the genocide and established a Truth and Healing Council to shed further light on this dark chapter in California's history.
More information at the following links.
Junípero Serra’s missions destroyed entire native cultures--now he's going to be a saint.
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/un-pero-Serra-s-missions-destroyed-entire-6462664.php
https://www.foundsf.org/It_Happened_Here:_A_History_of_Slavery_in_California
https://calindianhistory.org/1852-history-of-california-indians/
1851-1852 - Eighteen Unratified Treaties between California Indians and the United States. https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/hornbeck_usa_2_b/5/
California Indian Culture Areas, Unratified Treaty Lands & State of California Boundaries Map. https://calindianhistory.org/california-unratified-treaties-map/
Military Department. Adjutant General. Indian War Papers.
https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:%2F13030%2Ftf4779n694_c02-1-3-5-10-4
The Bay Miwok of Contra Costa County. https://www.cccoe.net/miwokproject/Lesson1.html
