User:Asiaticus/sandbox/Joaquin Valenzuela

Joaquin Valenzuela (1810-1858), alias "Joaquin Ocomorenia" or "Nacamereno,", a Californio, was was reputed to be one of the Five Joaquins Gang until 1853 when it was broken up after the death of Joaquin Murrieta. Valenzuela subsequently became a confederate of the Jack Powers Gang.

Early Life
Joaquin Valezuala was born in 1810. In 1839, at age 29, he was living in Los Angeles. From 1846 to 1847 he was the juez de campo at San Gabriel.

During the Mexican American War, Joaquin Valenzuela joined the 1846 Californio revolt by Flores against the American occupation. serving as a leader of a detachment that went north to join the army under Manuel Castro that was to harass and delay the advance of Fremonts army from Monterey to the south. This detachment fought in the Battle of Natividad and "exasperated at the heavy loss of some 15 or 20 which they had sustained, they had started south with the avowed intention of killing every American they found." They captured several Americans near San Luis Obispo, including, William A. Streeter, Francis Zeba Branch, and Capt. William Dana.

After hearing of Valenzuela's threat to kill all the Americans he found Castro had hurried forward to prevent him from carrying it into execution. Castro ordered Valenzuela to let Branch and Dana go free to protect their families, giving them passports to allow them to move freely with his permission. The remainder stayed with Castro on his return to Los Angeles, Streeter was left at his home in Santa Barbara.

Later Valenzuala lived for a time in Santa Barbara in 1850. From Streeter we know he had also been there for some time before the war and had been successfully treated by Streeter for a dangerous medical condition that had threatened his life.

Joaquin Valenzuala was was reputed to have joined the the Five Joaquins Gang of Joaquin Murrietta becoming known also as "Joaquin Ocomorenia". Under these names he subsequently hunted by the California Rangers.

Joaquin Valenzuala remained with the gang until 1853 when it was broken up after the death of Joaquin Murrieta. Valenzuela subsequently became a confederate of the Jack Powers Gang, led by Jack Powers in Santa Barbara County and his associate Pio Linares in San Luis Obispo County, stealing cattle and involved in the robberies and murders of victims and witnesses to these crimes.

He claimed that he had dropped out of the gangs activities in 1857. In 1858 he was living with his wife and working at the Rancho Emigido for David W. Alexander. He was known there by the nickname of Nacamereno. There he was found by one of the posses of the San Luis Obispo Vigilance Commmittee looking for members of the Jack Powers Gang that had murdered three men and kidnapped a woman at the Rancho San Juan Capistrano del Camote.

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