Francisco Luís Boronda was born October 22, 1836 in Santa Cruz, California, and from the Santa Cruz Mission baptism records, SCZ #2262, he was three days old when he was baptized as "Luís Boronda". His parents were listed as Eusevio Boronda and Maria Josefa Buelna, and grandparents Joaquín Buelna and Guadalupe Rodriguez were his godparents.

Francisco Luís Boronda married Maria Ygnacia del Espíritu Santo Castro of Santa Cruz June 25, 1861 in Watsonville, Santa Cruz. They were listed in the June 5, 1880 census as "Frank, 43, teamster, white" and "Mary, 35, housewife, white" with eight of the thirteen children they had: Ygnacio Luís Boronda; Mario Narcisso "Frank" Boronda; Sirilo Eleto Marsilino Boronda (age 13 in 1880 census), José Panteleon Boronda; "David" Ascensión Boronda; Maria Carlota "Charlotte" Boronda (age 8 in 1880 census); Porfiria "Porfie" Nicomedos Nicolosa Boronda; Maria Felicidad "Hattie" Boronda; Refugio Bernabe "Ruth" Boronda; José Cristobal "Chris" Boronda; Maria Petronila "Petra" Boronda; Maria Josefa Matiana "Josie" Boronda, and Francisco Casimiro Boronda. Carlota/Charlotte Boronda is recorded as Francisco's daughter with no further information about her found. A 1933 obituary for Hattie listed Mrs. Charlotte Clark of San Francisco as her surviving sister.

The oldest son, he was one of the earliest graduates of the Jesuit-run Santa Clara College; his grandfather had a school for boys years earlier. During challenging years, he stepped up on behalf of his youngest siblings and concerns for the family ranch deteriorating. Later in life, his extensive letters to his adult children were affectionate, literate, lengthy and expressive.

Per church record, his second marriage July 14, 1899 in Ensenada, Baja California at the newly constructed parish church, Purísimo Corazón de Maria, was to Dolores Orozco, born 1847 in Los Angeles, daughter of José Maria Orozco and Francisca de Orozco.
Francisco Borunda and Dolores Orozco
Marriage Date: 14 Jul 1899
Marriage Place: Purisimo Corazon De Maria, Ensenada, Baja California

He had traded his Salinas ranch for land south of the border due to a severe draught, and with his sons, ran the cattle south.

It appears that his four youngest daughters had moved there as well although the 1900 census shows them just north of the border, staying with recent widower Alexander Jaussaud, age 43, who had married Felicidad. As U.S. citizenship was granted by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848), it appears the daughters were listed in the Jaussaud household to preserve their U.S. citizenship, but likely they resided with their father, walking distance from there.

His new ranch was subsequently lost following another draught, curiously similar to his father Eusebio's late life reversal of fortune and his grandfather Manuel barely covering his debts at the end. The Tijuana property was offered to the family in the 1960's if back taxes were paid, but there wasn't any interest in doing this. It's now the Agua Caliente Racetrack venue for greyhound races and Independence Avenue.

Pending verification, my great grandfather is likely buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in San Diego, noting that his widow returned to Mexico three weeks later. This is where his daughter Felicidad lived; she and her husband would later be buried there, as well as Cristobal, Francisco's youngest son. Felicidad might have had Francisco and Dolores with her during his decline, which would make his place of death in San Diego.

Dolores returned to the United States with her daughter, had been living in Tecate, entered Mexico 11/29/1917. Per U.S. Border Crossings San Ysidro, February 17, 1920:
Dolores O De Boronda, widow, age 72 (1848)
Arrival Place: Tia Juana, California, USA
Accompanied by: Daughter Francisca Carrillo, who is also noted crossing the border with her daughter to visit stores:
Francisca Vda (widow of) Espinosa Carrillo
Race/Nationality: Mexican (Latino)
Arrival Age: 55
Birth Date: abt 1870
Birth Place: Saltillo
Arrival Date: 14 Jan 1925
Arrival Place: Tia Juana, California, USA
Accompanied by: Daughter Matilde Espinosa, living in Tijuana

Listed in the California state census for Monterey in 1852:
Ramon Buelna, 43, laborer [Jose Ramon Buelna, born October 21, 1809]
Josefa Buelna, 32 [Maria Josefa Ramona Buelna y Boronda, born March 19, 1817]
Carmelita Baronda, 18
Francisco Baronda, 16
Maria, 14 [Maria de la Expection Boronda Le Baudour, born December 18, 1839]
Jose, 12 [Jose De Jesus Maria, born January 29, 1843]
Octavio, 10 [Jose Octaviano de Jesus Boronda born May 12, 1847]
Zitiv, 8 [Esiquio Maria Boronda, born January 10, 1846]
Carlota, 6, [Carlota Boronda, born 1853]
Marcelino, 4 [Jose Sylvano Boronda, born December 7, 1857}
{Census data may have been collected over several years as ages are stated somewhat differently.]

He is listed in the California Voters Register, July 12, 1866, as Francisco Boronda, age 29, a California native and farmer in Salinas. Others registering with the last name Boronda in Monterey County, born in California and by date of voter registration in California, are:
Jose Eusebio, 58, Ranchero, Salinas
Jose de los Santos, 24, Laborer, Salinas
Jose Canuto, 70, Farmer, San Juan
Francisco, 35, Laborer, Soledad (1867)
Manuel, 64, Stock Raiser, Castroville
Juan de Mata, 45, Stock Raiser, Monterey
Ignacio, 28, Farmer, Santa Rita
Manuel, Jr, 28, Laborer, Soledad
Francisco, 40, Laborer, San Juan
Jose Antonio, 22, Laborer, Castroville (1869)
Jose Jesus, 26, Farmer, Salinas (1870)
Octaviano, 23, Farmer, Salinas
Esiquio, 22, Butcher, Salinas
Victor, 21, Vaquero, Monterey, (1872)
Jose, 21, Vaquero, Monterey, (1877)
Joseph Sylvano, 21, Laborer, Cholame (1879)

His widow Dolores returned to the United States with her daughter, had been living in Tecate, entered Mexico 11/29/1917. Per U.S. Border Crossings San Ysidro, February 17, 1920:
Dolores O De Boronda, widow, age 72 (1848)
Arrival Place: Tia Juana, California, USA
Accompanied by: Daughter Francisca Carrillo, who is also noted crossing the border with her daughter to visit stores:
Francisca Vda (widow of) Espinosa Carrillo
Race/Nationality: Mexican (Latino)
Arrival Age: 55
Birth Date: abt 1870
Birth Place: Saltillo
Arrival Date: 14 Jan 1925
Arrival Place: Tia Juana, California, USA
Accompanied by: Daughter Matilde Espinosa, living in Tijuana
Apparently, Dolores' first husband had the last name Carrillo, with Francisca born around 1863 and died 1953 in Coahuila. She was the widow of Nasario Espinosa; they had a daughter Maria Matilde Espinosa, born May 14, 1889, baptized June 2, 1889, Nuestra Señora de la Paz, La Paz, Baja California, México, also sons José Ramon, José Juan, and José Ramon, and daughters Maria Alejandrina, Maria Margarita, and Maria Beatriz in La Paz.