José Francisco Ortega
José Francisco Ortega | |
|---|---|
| Military officer, settler | |
| In office 1769–1795 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1734 Celaya, Guanajuato, New Spain |
| Died | February 1798 (aged 64) Santa Barbara, California |
| Spouse | María Antonia Victoria Carrillo |
| Profession | Soldier, explorer, settler, Commandant |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Spain |
| Branch/service | Army of Spain |
| Rank | Sergeant, Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | Portolá expedition, Mission San Juan Capistrano, Presidio establishment |
José Francisco Ortega (1734 – February 1798) was a New Spanish soldier and early settler of Alta California. He joined the military at the age of twenty-one and rose to the rank of sergeant by the time he joined the Portola expedition in 1769. At the end of his military duty he would be granted land which he named Rancho Nuestra Senora del Refugio near Santa Barbara.