John Albert Rowland | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 15, 1791 |
| Died | October 13, 1873 (aged 82) |
| Resting place | El Campo Santo Cemetery, City of Industry, California |
| Employer(s) | fur trader, merchant, rancher |
| Known for | early San Gabriel Valley settler and major landowner |
| Spouse(s) | María Encarnación Martínez, Charlotte M. Gray |
John A. Rowland, commonly known in Spanish as Don Juan Rowland, was an American-Mexican settler and ranchero in the San Gabriel Valley of California before it became part of the United States. Born in Maryland, Rowland moved west with his family to Ohio. As a young man, he immigrated to the Mexican territory of Santa Fe de Nuevo México. There he became a naturalized Mexican citizen and married María Encarnación Martínez, his first wife. (She lived to 1851, after which he married again.)
They moved with their children in the 1840s to Alta California, where he became a prominent landowner and businessmen. Many of their ten children married into other Californio families. One son discovered oil on his land and became president of an oil company in 1885. Rowland Heights, California is named for John A. Rowland, as are some area schools. The John A. Rowland House, the oldest brick house in Southern California, has been preserved in the City of Industry.