List of pre-statehood mayors of San Diego


This is a list of pre-statehood mayors of San Diego. See also the mayor of San Diego for the list of mayors after statehood.
From 1770 San Diego was ruled by a commandant from the Presidio of San Diego under the Spanish and Mexican governments.
When San Diego became a Pueblo in 1835, an alcalde of San Diego served under the Mexican and pre-statehood United States governments.

Commandants of the Presidio of San Diego

Alcaldes of the Pueblo of San Diego

San Diego became a pueblo in 1834, after a petition to Governor José Figueroa endorsed by Commandant Santiago Arguello. The first Alcalde Juan María Osuna was elected, defeating Pío Pico by 13 votes. By 1838, the population shrank enough to lose its pueblo status and was ruled by a Juez de Paz as a partition of the Los Angeles District until San Diego was incorporated as a city under U.S. rule.
The following are the Juez de Paz and Alcaldes of San Diego. In this table "suplente" means substitute.
AlcaldeTermNotes
Juan María OsunaJanuary 1, 1835 – 18361st time
Santiago Argüello1836–1837Also last full-time Commandant
José Antonio Estudillo1837–18391st time
Juan María Marrón1839–18411st time
Rosario E. Aguilar1841Juez de Paz
Jesús Moreno1841Suplente
José Antonio Congora1842Juez de Paz; 1st time
José María Alvarado1842Suplente
José Joaquin Ortega1843 – May 1843Juez de Paz; 1st time
José Antonio CongoraMay 1843 – 1843Juez de Paz; 2nd time
José María Orozco1843Suplente
Juan María Marrón1844Juez de Paz; 2nd time; b. February 8, 1808
Thomas Wrightington1844Suplente; 1st time
Francisco María Alvarado1845Juez de Paz
José Antonio Estudillo1845Juez de Paz ; 2nd time
José Ramon Argüello1845 – April 1845Suplente
José Antonio EstudilloApril 1846 – 1846Sub-prefect; 3rd time; served until arrival of Americans
Juan María Osuna1846Juez de Paz; 2nd time; at first declined office, possibly did not act
Miguel Pedrorena1846Juez de Paz; served in Estudillo's absence
José Joaquin OrtegaAugust 1846 – August 1846Juez de Paz; 2nd time; 1st under American rule
Henry D. FitchAugust 1846 – June 1847Suplente; Juez de Paz in 1847
Lt. Robert Clift, Jr.June 1847 – 1847Suplente; also Juez de Paz to March 1848
Philip Crosthwaite1847Suplente; possibly appointed with Fitch
Thomas Wrightington1847 – March 1848Suplente; 2nd time; possibly served in Crosthwaite's place
Juan BandiniMarch 29, 1848 – September 27, 1848Juez de Paz
E. L. BrownApril 15, 1848 – 1848
Juan María MarrónOctober 3, 1848 – 1849Juez de Paz
Dennis Gahagan1849–1850Alcalde
Thomas W. SutherlandMarch 1850 – 1850Acting Alcalde