The Stories of Juana Briones: Alta California Pioneer

Juana Briones was a healer (some called her California’s Clara Barton), a businesswoman, and a landowner. Her mother and grandparents came to California in the first expedition of pioneers from New Spain. Her parents helped build the mission and presidio of San Francisco. Juana herself was one of the first residents of the tiny pueblo that became San Francisco. While there, she helped sailors escape their brutal lives and made so many friends that when the United States took over California and questioned her land titles, her American allies helped her fight all the way to the Supreme Court and keep her land. Ultimately, she made enough money in her business ventures to buy a rancho, which now is the city of Palo Alto.

The Stories of Juana Briones is written as Juana might have told her life story to her children and grandchildren. Readers will learn about a remarkable Latina role model and a great deal about early California history.