Maria was the youngest daughter of Maria Feliciana Arballo by her second husband, Juan Francisco Lopez. She married Joaquin Carrillo of San Diego in 1809 and together had a total of thirteen children, a son dying in infancy. Their daughter, Francisca Benicia Carrillo, was the wife of General M.G. Vallejo.
Maria was buried in the Chapel of the Mission San Francisco Solano, at Sonoma. Her remains were laid under the font where it would receive the holy water that fell from the hands of devout worshippers. Her son Juan Bautista Carrillo, who was poisoned by the family cook, is also buried in the Mission Chapel, under the altar.
Upon the 1836 death of husband Don Joaquin, Maria loaded pack mules, carretas, horses, her nine remaining children and traveled to Northern California to start a new life and be near her three married daughters.
On September 30, 1841, Senora Maria Ignacia de Carrillo obtained a Mexican Land Grant signed by Gov Manuel Jimeno containing over eight thousand acres. The Carrillo family Adobe was built and the Rancho named Cabeza de Santa Rosa.
Maria lived her remaining years riding her horse over the eight thousand plus acres directing planting and improvements.
Senora Maria Ignacia Candelaria de Carrillo, "Mother of Santa Rosa" died Feb 28th 1849.∼Mission San Francisco Solano
The only mission built during California's Mexican Era.

The last room in the building is it's most important one, the mission chapel. Built in 1840 to replace the old chapel which had fallen into ruins, the first thing you will notice are the bright colors used to paint it.

Before you exit, look to the right for a holy water fount thought to be original to the Mission. Below the fount is a plaque that commemerates Maria Ignacia Lopez de Carrillo, the mother-in-law of General Vallejo and the only person buried in the Church. She lived in San Diego but after her husband died she moved to Sonoma with her unmarried children. In 1837 she received a land grant in Santa Rosa and built the first permanent home there. She asked the priest if she could be buried in the Church on her death and he agreed.


California BEAT
At the end of the trail: Sonoma mission was the last of it's kind JAN 21, 2009