José María Echeandía
| José María de Echeandía | |
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 14th Governor of Alta California
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In office 1825–1831 |
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| Preceded by | Luis Antonio Argüello |
| Succeeded by | Manuel Victoria |
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17th Governor of Alta California
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In office 1832–1833 |
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| Preceded by | Pío Pico |
| Succeeded by | José Figueroa |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 1871 |
José María de Echeandía (☩ 1871) was twice Mexican governor of Alta California from 1825 to 1831 and again from 1832 to 1833. He was the only governor of California that lived in San Diego.
At the college of engineers in Mexico City, he was a Lieutenant-Colonel. He move to Mexico at appointment, leaving his wife and four daughters in Mexico with olive oil mill he owned. He asked Mexico to give half of his government pay to his Wife. In 1855 he returned to Mexico to find his wife was paid no money and his mill not doing well, with his fortunes turned and he found himself poor. In 1835 there was an earthquake. Being an engineer he was in demand to repair the many damaged buildings and was able to get out of poverty. Antonio López de Santa Anna arrested him in 1855 for a political reasons on something Echeandía negatively said about him, but he was then released. He returned to California and lived there with his daughters, even after the U.S. takeover in 1847 he continued in California until his death in 1871. He had step-daughters to care for him in his old age.
In 1825 Echeandía was appointed Governor of both lower Baja and upper Alta California. He moved to Monterey, California as this was the current capital. Not liking the cold fog and that he felt too far way from Baja, he moved to San Diego. Most of the administrative office stayed in Monterey. Much of the north Californio were not happy with this absent leader. He appointed Military officer José María Padré as a Lit. Governor of Baja California. Padré was elected to Mexico's congress in 1828. Padré appointed a lower level office in his place, but his did not go over well. In 1829 Manuel Victoria was sent to be the governor Baja California. Victoria was more on the side of the missions over the new rancho and Californio.
In 1826 Governor Echeandía had Jedediah Smith and his men "arrested", interviewed, released and ordered to depart California. As he was fearful that Smith's reports will open the area to the Americans.
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