María de la Concepción Marcela Argüello y Moraga, commonly referred to simply as Concepción Argüello, or "Conchita" , (February 19, 1791 – December 23, 1857) was an Alta Californian noted for her romance with Nikolai Rezanov, a Russian promoter of the colonization of Alaska and California.
She was the daughter of José Darío Argüello, the Spanish governor of Alta California and Presidio Commandante. She was born at the Presidio of San Francisco and at 15 she fell in love with Nikolai Rezanov, the visiting head of a Russian expedition to Alaska. His expedition had hard times in California and his involvement with Argüello was at first motivated by practical considerations, since the Spanish Crown did not permit giving aid to Russians. But the pair fell in love, and Rezanov returned to Russia to ask the Tsar for permission to marry Argüello. During his return trip across Siberia in 1807, he fell from his horseback, became sick and died in Krasnoyarsk, where he is buried.[1]
According to a traditional account, Argüello never learned his fate and continued to wait for him nearly till the end of her life, rejecting all other men. Late in her life, she became a Dominicannun at Santa Catalina Monastery and Academy which was founded in Monterey in 1851, where she was given the religious name of Sister Mary Dominica, O.P. She thereby became the first native Californian to enter the Dominican Order. The community she entered, which later became the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, soon moved to Benicia.[2] She remained a member of the community until her death there in 1857.
According to another source, Argüello was waiting for the pope's permission to marry Rezanov, as he was a member of the Russian Orthodox Church and not a Roman Catholic. She learned of Rezanov's death a year later in 1808, when the head of the Russian American Company, Alexander Baranov, wrote to her brother. Although freed from her engagement,[3] she chose to stay single and later became a nun.[4]
Argüello died in 1857 and is now buried in St. Dominic's Cemetery, Benicia, where her remains were moved from the cemetery of St. Catherine Convent in 1894, when it closed. A monument marks her grave.
In culture
Francis Bret Harte wrote a ballad describing her fate, in which Rezanov is referred to as Count von Resanoff, the Russian, envoy of the mighty Czar.
Novel Concha: My Dancing Saint by Rebecca Lawrence Lee
Concepción Argüello is a character Christopher Moore's novel Secondhand Souls
For the various branches of the last name in both the Western Hemisphere and in Spain see also Argüello
Viva Concha!, a chamber musical based on Concepción Arguello's story and written by Candace Forest, premiered at the Victoria Theater in San Francisco in 2006 -a new adaptation is in the works.
Bibliography
Istomin, Alexei; Gibson, James R.; Tishkov, Valery (2005). Россия в Калифорнии: русские документы о колонии Росс и российско-калифорнийских связях 1803-1850 : в двух томах. Vol. 1. Nauka. p. 752. ISBN978-5-02-008901-3.
Gibson, James R. (2010). (PDF). International Conference on Russian America. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-20. Retrieved 2011-08-06. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
"Records Of The Russian-American Company, 1802-1867". Atlanta: National Archives. Microfilm Number M-11.
References
^Haycox, Stephen (2006). Alaska: An American colony. Seattle [Wash.]: University of Washington Press. p. 105. ISBN9780295986296.
^"Congregational History". Dominican Sisters of San Rafael. Archived from the original on 2015-12-03.
concepción, argüello, maría, concepción, marcela, argüello, moraga, commonly, referred, simply, conchita, february, 1791, december, 1857, alta, californian, noted, romance, with, nikolai, rezanov, russian, promoter, colonization, alaska, california, grave, con. Maria de la Concepcion Marcela Arguello y Moraga commonly referred to simply as Concepcion Arguello or Conchita February 19 1791 December 23 1857 was an Alta Californian noted for her romance with Nikolai Rezanov a Russian promoter of the colonization of Alaska and California Grave of Concepcion Arguello Contents 1 Biography 2 In culture 3 Bibliography 4 References 5 External linksBiography EditShe was the daughter of Jose Dario Arguello the Spanish governor of Alta California and Presidio Commandante She was born at the Presidio of San Francisco and at 15 she fell in love with Nikolai Rezanov the visiting head of a Russian expedition to Alaska His expedition had hard times in California and his involvement with Arguello was at first motivated by practical considerations since the Spanish Crown did not permit giving aid to Russians But the pair fell in love and Rezanov returned to Russia to ask the Tsar for permission to marry Arguello During his return trip across Siberia in 1807 he fell from his horseback became sick and died in Krasnoyarsk where he is buried 1 According to a traditional account Arguello never learned his fate and continued to wait for him nearly till the end of her life rejecting all other men Late in her life she became a Dominican nun at Santa Catalina Monastery and Academy which was founded in Monterey in 1851 where she was given the religious name of Sister Mary Dominica O P She thereby became the first native Californian to enter the Dominican Order The community she entered which later became the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael soon moved to Benicia 2 She remained a member of the community until her death there in 1857 According to another source Arguello was waiting for the pope s permission to marry Rezanov as he was a member of the Russian Orthodox Church and not a Roman Catholic She learned of Rezanov s death a year later in 1808 when the head of the Russian American Company Alexander Baranov wrote to her brother Although freed from her engagement 3 she chose to stay single and later became a nun 4 Arguello died in 1857 and is now buried in St Dominic s Cemetery Benicia where her remains were moved from the cemetery of St Catherine Convent in 1894 when it closed A monument marks her grave In culture EditFrancis Bret Harte wrote a ballad describing her fate in which Rezanov is referred to as Count von Resanoff the Russian envoy of the mighty Czar Novel Concha My Dancing Saint by Rebecca Lawrence Lee Soviet rock opera Juno and Avos describes Concepcion Arguello s love story Concepcion Arguello is a character Christopher Moore s novel Secondhand Souls For the various branches of the last name in both the Western Hemisphere and in Spain see also Arguello Viva Concha a chamber musical based on Concepcion Arguello s story and written by Candace Forest premiered at the Victoria Theater in San Francisco in 2006 a new adaptation is in the works Bibliography EditIstomin Alexei Gibson James R Tishkov Valery 2005 Rossiya v Kalifornii russkie dokumenty o kolonii Ross i rossijsko kalifornijskih svyazyah 1803 1850 v dvuh tomah Vol 1 Nauka p 752 ISBN 978 5 02 008901 3 Gibson James R 2010 Russian America Company Sources on a Company Colony PDF International Conference on Russian America Archived from the original PDF on 2012 03 20 Retrieved 2011 08 06 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Records Of The Russian American Company 1802 1867 Atlanta National Archives Microfilm Number M 11 References Edit Haycox Stephen 2006 Alaska An American colony Seattle Wash University of Washington Press p 105 ISBN 9780295986296 Congregational History Dominican Sisters of San Rafael Archived from the original on 2015 12 03 Istomin Gibson amp Tishkov 2005 p 183 Konchita i Nikolaj Severnaya Amerika Vek devyatnadcatyj Archived from the original on 2009 04 23 External links Edit Wikisource has the text of a 1900 Appletons Cyclopaedia of American Biography article about Concepcion Arguello Concepcion Arguello on The California Museum s California Legacy Trails Portrait of Concepcion Arguello Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Concepcion Arguello amp oldid 1062052904, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
