Maria Downey
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Maria Downey (née María de Jesús Jacinta Guirado; 10 September 1836 – 29 January 1883), was First Lady of California, being wife of John Downey,
Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
from 1860 to 1862.


Life

María de Jesús Jacinta Guirado was born on 10 September 1836 in Los Angeles to Don Rafael Guirado and Vincenta Urquidez. Don Rafael had moved from
Guaymas Guaymas () is a city in Guaymas Municipality, in the southwest part of the List of states of Mexico, state of Sonora, in northwestern Mexico. The city is south of the state capital of Hermosillo, and from the Mexico – United States border, U.S. ...
, Mexico to Whittier, California in 1833, and the family became influential in the area. Maria married John G. Downey in 1852, a wealthy Irish immigrant. After John left office, he and Maria moved back to Los Angeles. Maria died on 29 January 1883, in the Tehachapi train wreck, which her husband escaped with broken ribs. Her body was initially incorrectly shipped to San Francisco, being thought to be that of Mrs Cassell, while those sent to the undertaker in Los Angeles, were H. A. Oliver's.


References

1836 births 1883 deaths First ladies and gentlemen of California People from Los Angeles {{US-poli-bio-stub