Some historical newspaper clippings

The first one below came from a photocopy of a 1937 Los Angeles Herald clipping (Jan 8 or June 8 I think, the date is handwritten):

FUNERAL TOMORROW FOR GREAT-AUNT OF SHERIFF BISCAILUZ
Rosary will be said this evening for Sonora Francisco Lopez de Bilderrain, great-aunt of Sheriff Eugene W. Biscailuz and descendant of early Californians who aided in founding the missions of San Gabriel and San Fernando. Funeral services will be held tomorrow at <unreadable> at St. Thomas Church.
Sonora de Bilderrain, who died yesterday, was born in Los Angeles 78 years ago and was the daughter of Francisco Lopez, reputed discoverer of gold in San Feliciano canyon in 1841. Claud--<unreadable> Lopez, her great-great grandfather, was in charge of lay work in building and maintenance of San Gabriel Mission.
She is survived by her husband, Refugio de Bilderrain, 86, employee of the Department of Water and Power. Services are in charge of the W.A. Brown Mortuary.

ROSARY TONIGHT FOR REFUGIO BILDERRAIN, KIN OF BISCAILUZ
     Rosary for Refugio Bilderrain, 86, grand uncle of Sheriff Eugene Biscailuz, will be recited tonight at 8 o'clock in the W.A. Brown mortuary. Funeral services will be conducted tomorrow from St. Thomas Church with interment following in Calvary Cemetery.
     Bilderrian retired from the Water Department in 1936 after 30 years service. He was a former county assessor, tax collector and city councilman in the early days of the city. He died Sunday at 2235 South Western avenue after a long illness.

And another one of my great-grandmother's other brothers:
MEMBER OF OLD SPANISH FAMILY DIES
Ygnacio Bilderrain Once Prominent in Democratic Politics Here
     Ygnacio Bilderrain, for many years prominent in local Democratic politics, died early yesterday at his home, 422A North Grand avenue. He was a brother of Refugio Bilderrain, one-time City Assessor, County Assessor, water overseer, and for twelve years publisher in Mexico of the Pan American World.
     Ygnacio Bilderrain leaves a widow; a daughter, Mrs. Nanita Bilderrain de Stadden; two brothers, Guilderimo Bilderrain of San Andres and Refugio, and two sisters, Mrs. Eloiza Bilderrain de Villa and Mrs. Domitila Bilderrain de Starr [my Dad's grandma!]. With the exception of guilierimo, all live in Los Angeles.
     The old Bilderrain home was near the Neustra Senora de Los Angeles Church and the Plaza, where Ygnacio was born seventy years ago and where others of this old Spanish family, also were born and reared.
     The funeral services will be conducted tomorrow or Wednesday in the Alvarez & Moore Undertaking rooms, 500 Court street. Burial will take place in Evergreen Cemetery.

And a correction--it appears Refugio's wife was not the daughter of the gold discoverer, but a niece-in-law and cousin:
Alas, it seems Francisca Lopez was in fact not the daughter of José Francisco de Gracia (b. 1802) who discovered gold in the Newhall area in 1842 (I checked her death certificate at the LACO Recorder's Office). Her father was actually his first cousin, José Francisco ("Chico") Mauricio Lopez (1818-1900), who settled in what is now the El Sereno area where he was a cattle grazer. In some sources I've read there was apparently a misconception that "Chico" was the discoverer, rather than his cousin (who was also his brother-in-law!) This was perhaps due to the fact that they were both Francisco Lopez!
Cheers,
-Bill Rosar

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